Chesterfield v Luton Town

[Kenneth E End]

https://mobile.twitter.com/jazzanovaboat/status/952201294789431296

Make up your own mind..

 

[Maple Hatter]

Terrible performance lacking in fight and confidence. Was expecting us to win this one comfortably but again and worryingly we put in another poor display, to go along with those at Port Vale and Barnet. I accept that we are not going to go the rest of the season unbeaten and will lose games but its the manner in which we lost yesterday. Thought from the off we were far too laid back and almost over confident, thinking we needed to just turn up to win. Chesterfield got in our faces and won almost every second ball. They found their men with ease especially in midfield. Our midfield on the other hand looked to have gone AWOL. NJ mentioned we had no leaders on the field and he was right. Nobody seemed to want to take that role. The penalty was an embarrasing decision by the ref. The Chesterfield striker outpaced JJ but knocked it too long so as the ball was heading out he thought he might as well go to ground. Nothing more than cheating and a part of the game that really needs to be looked at. We are as guilty as any other team and it embarasses me when we do it.
If I was the Chesterfield manager I would be very frustrated with that performance. Granted going two goals up early on gave the players confidence but it takes the visit of the league leaders to raise their game to a level they can obviously reach (same applies to Port Vale). They made us look very ordinary yesterday.
Next Saturday we have a couple of key players back so I'm hoping we bounce back in the same manner we have before. In our remaining away games we need to dominate from the off by taking the game to the opposition which we do so well. Yesterday wasn't just a poor performance but we resorted back to last seasons tactics of knocking it around at the back allowing the opposition to pressurise us before knocking long aimless balls upfield. A lot of work to be done on the training pitch this week.

 

[Kenneth E End]

We might have Hylton back next Saturday, but Sheehan is still suspended isn't he? Which makes his stupidity against Fatty Rhead even worse.

Cuff and Mac still a way off returning.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Up until fairly recently we have had a fairly settled side but through our own decision at Port Vale, and then again today with suspension to Sheehan and injury to Hylton we have made a few changes and perhaps its upset the balance somewhat. I think we were probably good enough to accommodate missing Cuthbert but theres been a few injuries and suspensions creep in in the last few weeks and suddenly we are putting out a back 4 that only has 1 first choice player in it (I guess you can have JJ as a "first choice" but fact of the matter is he hasn't been this season and in my view Stacey has been better than him and more consistent in games played).

I think they are all individually very good players and have shown themselves to be that (although ive not really seen Famewo to comment), but the balance of the side we had when we were firing on all cylinders the last 2 months has changed and its perhaps starting to have an impact.

Id like to see us get another dominant centre half in the mould of Cuthbert in, even if just on loan. I think we need Cuthbert, or someone like him, back quite soon, and given he has been out a fair while now, even when he does come back he wont be up to speed initially. Perhaps another Defensive midfield player if we think McCormack isn't going to be seen again as it seems currently. Just so we have a bit more flexibility if this sort of situation happens again, to deal with it. Get rid of any one of Pelly/Cook/Gambin/D'ath (between Pelly and D'ath for me) to make that happen if necessary as the squad will be large if that happens. I guess its easy to say, "well just get more players" though! Its not necessarily a cure all and easy to be wise after the event.

I hope it’s not stuff to be majorly concerned about, all sides go through a patch in the season where injury and suspension hit and we are hardly down to the bare bones at the moment but the dynamic of having a real strong dominant centre half back there has been lost and I think when you start losing other key pieces around that, the cracks begin to show.

The main thing though is that JD needs to stop going to away games! Absolutely shocking record for him this season!

 

[Judge Dredd]

After the Grimsby game (vowed never to go there again after seeing us lose 7-1 there) I was planning on doing the next 3 away games on the spin - at this rate that could derail our promotion bid entirely! Maybe I'll just watch them on iFollow instead...

 

[Kenneth E End]

I do have a bit of sympathy with Morecambe. They're going to get a battering next Saturday.

 

[BelizeHatter]

More over confidence

 

[Vanni]

All I'll say is this Kenny - Morecambe do tend to park the bus when they're playing away. That's what they did when they held us to a goal less draw, and they did the same at Lincoln as that's what all the Imps' fans said. It won't be easy unless you lot get an early goal.

 

[djs]

It'll be even harder with Ellison refereeing the game. (in between diving, fouling, moaning, etc.)