Oldham Athletic (H) League One 25 Apr, 3pm

[Sadsfan]

2 games at the end of the season don't make up for the vast majority of home games that have been very poor. Smith will be here next season, and I hope he does a good job, but hope is about all I've got. Smith is an average manager, and I've seen nothing to suggest otherwise.

[Andy_Petterson]

2 games at the end of the season don't make up for the vast majority of home games that have been very poor. Smith will be here next season, and I hope he does a good job, but hope is about all I've got. Smith is an average manager, and I've seen nothing to suggest otherwise.

Other than 3-1 v Preston and 5-0 v Crawley. Plus outplaying the champions at home (ask their fans). All this with injuries to key players.

no, nothing at all. :roll:

[WFC_Rob]

Remember it's a lot easier to play well against teams that have nothing to play for, when it doesn't really count.

Smith in or smith out, I'll be proved right, he'll never take the club anywhere, I feel sorry for those who believe otherwise because they simply can't see what's in front of them.

Vote smith if you want 3400 crowds and constant mediocrity, vote smith out/time for a change if you would like to see a club make progress. Simple as that.

Wasn't true for Oldham was it?

Or Coventry.
Or Colchester.
Or Barnsley.

[Sadsfan]

2 games at the end of the season don't make up for the vast majority of home games that have been very poor. Smith will be here next season, and I hope he does a good job, but hope is about all I've got. Smith is an average manager, and I've seen nothing to suggest otherwise.

Other than 3-1 v Preston and 5-0 v Crawley. Plus outplaying the champions at home (ask their fans). All this with injuries to key players.

no, nothing at all. :roll:

Crawley!!! They were cack! The fudge ball boys could have beaten them! so 2 out of 21 is all you could manage to find! Yeah great Andy, you're about as good as your namesake.

[Andy_Petterson]

2 games at the end of the season don't make up for the vast majority of home games that have been very poor. Smith will be here next season, and I hope he does a good job, but hope is about all I've got. Smith is an average manager, and I've seen nothing to suggest otherwise.

Other than 3-1 v Preston and 5-0 v Crawley. Plus outplaying the champions at home (ask their fans). All this with injuries to key players.

no, nothing at all. :roll:

Crawley!!! They were cack! The fudge ball boys could have beaten them! so 2 out of 21 is all you could manage to find! Yeah great Andy, you're about as good as your namesake.

Er. I've gave 3 not 2 examples. And you said you'd seen nothing implying zero.

Numeracy not your strong point is it?

[Sadsfan]

2 games at the end of the season don't make up for the vast majority of home games that have been very poor. Smith will be here next season, and I hope he does a good job, but hope is about all I've got. Smith is an average manager, and I've seen nothing to suggest otherwise.

Other than 3-1 v Preston and 5-0 v Crawley. Plus outplaying the champions at home (ask their fans). All this with injuries to key players.

no, nothing at all. :roll:

Crawley!!! They were cack! The fudge ball boys could have beaten them! so 2 out of 21 is all you could manage to find! Yeah great Andy, you're about as good as your namesake.

Er. I've gave 3 not 2 examples. And you said you'd seen nothing implying zero.

Numeracy not your strong point is it?

Yeah we've already discounted the Crawley game so it is 2. Over the course of the season you've highlighted 2 games - clearly suggesting one off performances. My numeracy skills are fine thank you, Grade B at A level.

[Andy_Petterson]

2 games at the end of the season don't make up for the vast majority of home games that have been very poor. Smith will be here next season, and I hope he does a good job, but hope is about all I've got. Smith is an average manager, and I've seen nothing to suggest otherwise.

Other than 3-1 v Preston and 5-0 v Crawley. Plus outplaying the champions at home (ask their fans). All this with injuries to key players.

no, nothing at all. :roll:

Crawley!!! They were cack! The fudge ball boys could have beaten them! so 2 out of 21 is all you could manage to find! Yeah great Andy, you're about as good as your namesake.

Er. I've gave 3 not 2 examples. And you said you'd seen nothing implying zero.

Numeracy not your strong point is it?

Yeah we've already discounted the Crawley game so it is 2. Over the course of the season you've highlighted 2 games - clearly suggesting one off performances. My numeracy skills are fine thank you, Grade B at A level.

No. I've highlighted 3 games. Seems you struggle with comprehension as well as numeracy. If a 5-0 win isn't good enough then you will never be pleased.

[Sadsfan]

A 5-0 win against one of the worst teams I've seen in a long time. Do you think Crawley were a good side? Why the personal insults about my numeracy and comprehension? What I actually said is that over the season I've seen nothing to suggest Smith is anything other than average, not that we have not had any good performances. Just look at our home record over the last 2 seasons and see what the WLD F A is and prove that is anything other than average. Obviously I can't do it myself as I'm innumerate. I await to see what your next insult is.

[Andy_Petterson]

A 5-0 win against one of the worst teams I've seen in a long time. Do you think Crawley were a good side? Why the personal insults about my numeracy and comprehension? What I actually said is that over the season I've seen nothing to suggest Smith is anything other than average, not that we have not had any good performances. Just look at our home record over the last 2 seasons and see what the WLD F A is and prove that is anything other than average. Obviously I can't do it myself as I'm innumerate. I await to see what your next insult is.

I'm picking you up because I don't think what you are saying is true. You said you'd seen nothing to suggest Dean Smith was anything other than an average manager. I gave 3 counterexamples of performances that suggest otherwise. I could give more from other seasons.

You then tried to get out of this and I highlighted your sophistry. If you don't like it, don't post things you can't back up in the first place. You are continuing to try to get out of it by now referring to our home record over the last two seasons which ignores injuries, the task of replacing Grigg, Brandy, Westcarr and Paterson and other limitations Dean Smith has to work under. This is very different to your original argument where you said you'd seen nothing to suggest Dean Smith was anything other than an average manager.

PS please take up your Crawley were the worst side argument with PhiltheSaddler who being in relegation battle at the time should have provided some of the hardest opposition so far this season.

[SoccerHQ]

A 5-0 win against one of the worst teams I've seen in a long time. Do you think Crawley were a good side? Why the personal insults about my numeracy and comprehension? What I actually said is that over the season I've seen nothing to suggest Smith is anything other than average, not that we have not had any good performances. Just look at our home record over the last 2 seasons and see what the WLD F A is and prove that is anything other than average. Obviously I can't do it myself as I'm innumerate. I await to see what your next insult is.

Crawley are poor but they have been in decent form lately, scored 3 goals at Posh today but somehow lost in the last minutes.

I would say the league is poor but getting near enough 60 points and 20 + clean sheets after losing your defensive lynchpin in the summer is a good effort even if a lot of games have been forgettable.

[Sadsfan]

A 5-0 win against one of the worst teams I've seen in a long time. Do you think Crawley were a good side? Why the personal insults about my numeracy and comprehension? What I actually said is that over the season I've seen nothing to suggest Smith is anything other than average, not that we have not had any good performances. Just look at our home record over the last 2 seasons and see what the WLD F A is and prove that is anything other than average. Obviously I can't do it myself as I'm innumerate. I await to see what your next insult is.

I'm picking you up because I don't think what you are saying is true. You said you'd seen nothing to suggest Dean Smith was anything other than an average manager. I gave 3 counterexamples of performances that suggest otherwise. I could give more from other seasons.

You then tried to get out of this and I highlighted your sophistry. If you don't like it, don't post things you can't back up in the first place. You are continuing to try to get out of it by now referring to our home record over the last two seasons which ignores injuries, the task of replacing Grigg, Brandy, Westcarr and Paterson and other limitations Dean Smith has to work under. This is very different to your original argument where you said you'd seen nothing to suggest Dean Smith was anything other than an average manager.

PS please take up your Crawley were the worst side argument with PhiltheSaddler who being in relegation battle at the time should have provided some of the hardest opposition so far this season.

I'm not interested in Phil, and I can back up my argument. Just look at the home stats for just this season then, is that not average? W8 D8 L7 F28 A24.

[Guest]

An average day in the life of an average manager. Clean sheet, Bradshaw scores, and, oh, a penalty!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GKFMnBexLE&feature=youtu.be

[windowman]

A 5-0 win against one of the worst teams I've seen in a long time. Do you think Crawley were a good side? Why the personal insults about my numeracy and comprehension? What I actually said is that over the season I've seen nothing to suggest Smith is anything other than average, not that we have not had any good performances. Just look at our home record over the last 2 seasons and see what the WLD F A is and prove that is anything other than average. Obviously I can't do it myself as I'm innumerate. I await to see what your next insult is.

I'm picking you up because I don't think what you are saying is true. You said you'd seen nothing to suggest Dean Smith was anything other than an average manager. I gave 3 counterexamples of performances that suggest otherwise. I could give more from other seasons.

You then tried to get out of this and I highlighted your sophistry. If you don't like it, don't post things you can't back up in the first place. You are continuing to try to get out of it by now referring to our home record over the last two seasons which ignores injuries, the task of replacing Grigg, Brandy, Westcarr and Paterson and other limitations Dean Smith has to work under. This is very different to your original argument where you said you'd seen nothing to suggest Dean Smith was anything other than an average manager.

PS please take up your Crawley were the worst side argument with PhiltheSaddler who being in relegation battle at the time should have provided some of the hardest opposition so far this season.

I'm not interested in Phil, and I can back up my argument. Just look at the home stats for just this season then, is that not average? W8 D8 L7 F28 A24.

looks average to me, dont think that tells the storey of how poor most games have been, think if we could put one net by the dug outs and one by the family stand we would make the play offs

[Chomper]

A 5-0 win against one of the worst teams I've seen in a long time. Do you think Crawley were a good side? Why the personal insults about my numeracy and comprehension? What I actually said is that over the season I've seen nothing to suggest Smith is anything other than average, not that we have not had any good performances. Just look at our home record over the last 2 seasons and see what the WLD F A is and prove that is anything other than average. Obviously I can't do it myself as I'm innumerate. I await to see what your next insult is.

I'm picking you up because I don't think what you are saying is true. You said you'd seen nothing to suggest Dean Smith was anything other than an average manager. I gave 3 counterexamples of performances that suggest otherwise. I could give more from other seasons.

You then tried to get out of this and I highlighted your sophistry. If you don't like it, don't post things you can't back up in the first place. You are continuing to try to get out of it by now referring to our home record over the last two seasons which ignores injuries, the task of replacing Grigg, Brandy, Westcarr and Paterson and other limitations Dean Smith has to work under. This is very different to your original argument where you said you'd seen nothing to suggest Dean Smith was anything other than an average manager.

PS please take up your Crawley were the worst side argument with PhiltheSaddler who being in relegation battle at the time should have provided some of the hardest opposition so far this season.

I'm not interested in Phil, and I can back up my argument. Just look at the home stats for just this season then, is that not average? W8 D8 L7 F28 A24.

looks average to me, dont think that tells the storey of how poor most games have been, think if we could put one net by the dug outs and one by the family stand we would make the play offs

Looks slightly above average to me!

[saddler_nic]

It may or may not have been an average season, depending on what side of the Smith fence you sit on. I think a lot on here are comparing every season of Smiths tenure to the Grigg, Brandy, Patterson era where we flirted with the play offs. That's was a massive achievement to be in contention for so long, and if we'd had the same squad the following season then the comparisons would be justified. To have your three main attacking players leave and hardly any sort of budget to replace them, it's always going to be an up hill task.

A mid table finish is really what should be expected given our budget. Yes, last seasons budget could have been spent a bit better,, the loan window could have been utilised more but every club sign players who don't come off, look at Falcao!! I'd love us to be battling for the playoffs every year, but when you take everything into considetation, we're performing as should be expected.

It'd be wrong to get rid of Smith for him meeting realistic expectations!

[aaaae]

Living with some of the posters on here must be an absolute joy!! :twisted:

So much negativity and anger. So much glass half empty.

[Graydon48]

Living with some of the posters on here must be an absolute joy!! :twisted:

So much negativity and anger. So much glass empty.

I don't expect us to be storming to the playoffs but I do expect to be entertained.
football under Smith budget or not is at best mind numbing. It was fantastic getting to Wembley but for me Smith made it a day to forget with the none show from the team a lot due to his obsession of playing his favourite but clearly unfit players.
Smith out for me .

[chestersaddler]

Living with some of the posters on here must be an absolute joy!! :twisted:

So much negativity and anger. So much glass empty.

I don't expect us to be storming to the playoffs but I do expect to be entertained.
football under Smith budget or not is at best mind numbing.
Smith out for me .

You have wanted him out since day one, irrespective of the football.

[chestersaddler]

Just because we have an average set of results and finish mid table, doesn't necessarily mean that the manager is average.

Look at the relative income and expenditure of other clubs in our league. Ask yourselves why we cannot keep our decent players?

Those that are dissatisfied with the performance / league status should aim their bile at the owner of the club.

[wfc & chips]

most enjoyable, finally a penalty but for a stonewall perfect tackle!

also great to see a 'keeper confident in his decision making and dominating his box. those of you saying he had no saves to make realise it's because he competently snuffed everything out before it got that far, right?

[chesterperry]

Just because we have an average set of results and finish mid table, doesn't necessarily mean that the manager is average.

Look at the relative income and expenditure of other clubs in our league. Ask yourselves why we cannot keep our decent players?

Those that are dissatisfied with the performance / league status should aim their bile at the owner of the club.

And that my friend is the most sense posted in a long while.

[Walsallone]

or at the people of the town whose support is pathetic!

[WFC_Rob]

One thing I forgot to mention yesterday was how good a performance Cain had, sitting just in front of the back four. Oldham didn't threaten a great deal, but when they did get forward, Cain was always in the right place, which let us counter-attack really quickly.

I'm not sure what Smith's plans are regarding Adam Chambers next season, but it's nice to see us sample life without him, just to be on the safe side.

[tinned]

A great end to the season! Lets carry this form over into the next. The SMITHOUT crew have been very quiet recently.

So Smith starts doing exactly what his critics have been asking for for months and hey presto it pays dividends and this proves the SMITHOUT crew were wrong? Some strange thought processes from some!

[PT]

I get why some youngsters get a bit excited and run on the pitch on the last day, but Middle-aged fat blokes in replica tops? Have a look at yourselves will ya?

I'd comment on the game, but for various reasons it was a bit of a blur.

[boringteacher]

One thing I forgot to mention yesterday was how good a performance Cain had, sitting just in front of the back four. Oldham didn't threaten a great deal, but when they did get forward, Cain was always in the right place, which let us counter-attack really quickly.

I'm not sure what Smith's plans are regarding Adam Chambers next season, but it's nice to see us sample life without him, just to be on the safe side.

Cain was superb yesterday, easily MoM for me. I suspect that both Chambers are fairly high on the priority list for next season (and I'd prioritise over Taylor if our overseer pockets the Wembley/Deeney cash), but Cain would be a superb pick-up if Leicester release him.

I'm chuffed at the end of the year form and sincerely hopes that Smith has learned a bit and developed. This squad should have been in the play-offs in such a pisspoor season.

[SoccerHQ]

One thing I forgot to mention yesterday was how good a performance Cain had, sitting just in front of the back four. Oldham didn't threaten a great deal, but when they did get forward, Cain was always in the right place, which let us counter-attack really quickly.

I'm not sure what Smith's plans are regarding Adam Chambers next season, but it's nice to see us sample life without him, just to be on the safe side.

Cain was superb yesterday, easily MoM for me. I suspect that both Chambers are fairly high on the priority list for next season (and I'd prioritise over Taylor if our overseer pockets the Wembley/Deeney cash), but Cain would be a superb pick-up if Leicester release him.

I'm chuffed at the end of the year form and sincerely hopes that Smith has learned a bit and developed. This squad should have been in the play-offs in such a pisspoor season.

Taylor signed a 2 year deal last season so his future isn't in question this summer.

[Wragbyred]

A great end to the season! Lets carry this form over into the next. The SMITHOUT crew have been very quiet recently.

So Smith starts doing exactly what his critics have been asking for for months and hey presto it pays dividends and this proves the SMITHOUT crew were wrong? Some strange thought processes from some!

You really believe Smith has been onto this site, read all the comments from the smithout brigade and thought," yes they may be right i'll do exactly what they say"
Jesus, you really are deluded

[tinned]

A great end to the season! Lets carry this form over into the next. The SMITHOUT crew have been very quiet recently.

So Smith starts doing exactly what his critics have been asking for for months and hey presto it pays dividends and this proves the SMITHOUT crew were wrong? Some strange thought processes from some!

You really believe Smith has been onto this site, read all the comments from the smithout brigade and thought," yes they may be right i'll do exactly what they say"
Jesus, you really are deluded

Never said that did I? It just happens, 6 months after many fans (not just on this site) realised that the set up of the team and the tactics were holding us back, that it finally dawned in Smith, and suddenly it appears to be reaping the rewards. Pity the Ginger Mourinho didn't have his eureka moment back in the autumn!

[The Bosted Slab]

Not a lot to groan about yesterday, in stark contrast to a lot of what has gone before this season.
To me the absence of Sawyers, in the starting line up at least, had a liberating effect on the play, which is interesting as I think that the general idea of the inclusion of Sawyers all season was supposed to have that same effect!
My critical attention was drawn to James Chambers, who over the last few games seems to have developed a mental reluctance to move positively forward. He makes a few tentative steps forward, but you can see that he is just itching to turn and lay the ball back to Purkiss/O'Connor/goalkeeper, even when that isn't a necessary option. Whilst I don't expect him to be adventurous, he seems to have lost something to me.
O'Connor, on the other hand, does seek to exploit the space in front of him and at a reasonable tempo.
Accepting that Oldham didn't provide us with too many problems and therefore not knowing how good we really were, I think that the central three midfield players comfortably moved the ball around to good effect.
Morris had a good first half, was less effective in the second half, but surely has proved in no uncertain terms that he deserves a relatively significant contract, rather than the six month deal(s) that I understand he has had of late.
Cain and Hiwula would benefit us, themselves and their parent clubs by signing season long loans for next season.
Our first goal, in terms of precision passing and quality finishing, was a joy to watch.
If the manager can work out how to consistently get the best out of his squad (whoever that may include next season), then brighter, more entertaining times may lie ahead.