Match Thread: Lincoln City v Fleetwood Town | Page 25 | Vital Football

Match Thread: Lincoln City v Fleetwood Town

We can stress and worry about the first 60 minutes but I'll look beyond that. Positive substitutions and half an hour of Sanders and Morton have shown a way forward out of a difficult week. Those two are going to give us a lift and I'm going to call it, the worst is over.

Take the last half hour into the first half hour on Saturday and I can see the good ship Lincoln being steadied sooner rather than later.

Yep.
Pleasing performance.
We're looking good.
 
As has been mentioned, sanders has to start next game, even if he can only 60 minutes. We need to tighten up at the back and offer the defence more support. Playing counter attacking football and constantly going 1 0 down is not going to end well.
 
Wary of being overly critical, got a young squad who have performed above expectations. But agree with most, Sanders should come in and Rogers needs a game or 2 as an impact sub. I’d also get Eyoma in and go back to him and Edun as full backs. Morton a trickier call, Hopper been doing well and not sure we can play both, perhaps another game or 2 ftom bench before he seriously pushes Hopper for place.
 
We're "a mid table team" because our best "top of the table" players are out injured, off form or in at least a couple of cases, clearly struggling to regain stamina to pre- covid levels.

Still in a position to finish the season strongly, keep the faith.
In my mind we’re always mid table
It’s all I’ve known
 
Considering all the injuries not a terrible performance but 2-1 a fair reflection overall. Standards are high in this division and 30 minutes or so either side of half time we were poor. Rest of the game we created chances but although we were on top towards the end we weren’t playing our normal incisive passing game and at times just lumped it forward. Forgiveable with all the injuries but currently we don’t have the strength in depth to go up. We have some very good players though and when some of the injured players come back we’ll improve and might just scrape into the play offs. Next season will be the big one if we can build on the strong base MA has built, Up the Imps
 
I thought Sanders for the short time he was on the pitch was excellent apart from one over hit pass. Very encouraging going forward.

No criticism of Poole , but apart from a game or so before he arrived Eyoma was getting great reviews, then to be fair he looked a bit jaded. I was surprised he hasn’t been brought back into the side after a couple of games rest, unless he isn’t fully fit.
I think we look weak defensively down the left , Rodgers isn’t doing the covering work for which ever left back, Bramell and Edun seem to give the ball away for fun which means we are constantly under pressure down that side.
 
I will make this observation: We've been made to look pretty ordinary defensively by two sides in a row now both playing three at the back and with 2 very progressive wing backs.

That formation means they have an extra man in midfield, and if our wide men are not committing to tracking the wing backs runs there is ample opportunity for them to link up with either a forward central midfielder or a striker coming wide to assist, or often both. If they lose the ball in or around our 18 yard box they also have plenty of bodies to put around our player with the ball and try and win it straight back or make it difficult to play it quickly and accurately to counter...

We saw it time and again tonight...
 
Too many injuries to key players. The starters looked jaded and a bit down on confidence - seemed too scared of getting done over again. The subs all looked good and we did look better with Johnson and Rogers on either flank. We go again. Onwards
 
The main issue is pretty obvious. Since we kept a clean sheet v Hull, in the league we've conceded 2, 2, 2, 4, 2 and we've conceded the first goal each time. Basically you don't win or even draw too many games if you combine conceding first with conceding that many.

Actually to go draw, win, draw in the first 3 was a decent response but you can't keep scrapping like that over a sustained period.
 
What is the ETA on injuries - Grant aside.

As I have said a couple of times winnable games coming up. Net result 2 pts from 12:(. After that a mixture of tough matches.

Those missed penalties v Donny & Posh & that last minute equaliser would have cut us some slack. Top two is starting to look to be ebbing away.

So back to my question ETA on those injured?
 
We don't look like a team that's headed for automatic promotion, and it pains me that supporters of the self-proclaimed big clubs will consider themselves proven correct.

I don't really want to say that in the aftermath of another mediocre home performance as it looks like the sort of reaction to a result I argue against usually, but our home showings just aren't good enough and you can't keep playing badly for long spells and conceding the first goal and expect to win.

It's a shame because apart from being unable to defend on Saturday I thought the team might have turned the corner, but some of the passing tonight in the first hour was absolutely terrible under no pressure.

If they can hang in till the last half dozen games we don't know what might happen but it's hard to think we'll be consistent enough to pull away in the top two.

I blame whoever started that 82/3 comparison thread.
 
I thought Sanders for the short time he was on the pitch was excellent apart from one over hit pass. Very encouraging going forward.

No criticism of Poole , but apart from a game or so before he arrived Eyoma was getting great reviews, then to be fair he looked a bit jaded. I was surprised he hasn’t been brought back into the side after a couple of games rest, unless he isn’t fully fit.
I think we look weak defensively down the left , Rodgers isn’t doing the covering work for which ever left back, Bramell and Edun seem to give the ball away for fun which means we are constantly under pressure down that side.
To be fair, virtually every player in red gave the ball away tonight. A simple lesson for some, you cannot play the ball through the body of an opposing player, and he isn't going to step aside for you.
 
Well, it will be a year on Saturday since we all got to see a match at The Bank. What a difference a year makes. Then we were all nervously looking over our shoulders at the likes of Wimbledon and Tranmere and hoping they wouldn't catch us and send us down. This year we are all looking nervously over our shoulders and hoping Sunderland don't catch us and stop us going up! It is times like this that you can't help but feel that this is when the players miss the fans at The Bank the most. With a full house baying for a second goal for us tonight it could just have made the difference. Dont know about anyone else but I just can't wait to get back in the ground and do my bit to support the lads. Hopefully, that day isn't too far away now. I've just started to practice standing up again in a confined space for 90 minutes when we do get the go ahead to return.
 
Feeling for the team at the minute, a lot of pressure when you hit the top spot. Not going to have a go at any of the team but will offer a few of my observations. Eyoma has been missed great ball retention and offers plenty going forward, Bramhall doesn't like a tackle, not sure if i've seen him make one yet, when Edun has a stinker he sure has one, missing Walsh big style, Morton looks to be promising, Brennan is at least trying that bit more, Rogers still only does the bare minimum, yes if you're talented fans will see that when it looks great but need to look at the bigger picture, why do you think our left side has struggled recently, Sanders is very one footed and looked to be in a rush with the ball at his feet, Jones is struggling. Hang on in there, a couple of wins to keep us in there and need some players to return otherwise by the time we play Oxford on sky it might be a battle between two teams trying to make the play offs. Fingers crossed and feeling the pain with everyone that supports, plays for and runs the club. Need to stick together and if we make the play offs it will still have been a success with all that has gone on this season.
 
Few personal thoughts this evening..

Rodgers has to improve his passing and pronto. I never like judging a player too quickly but he must have played around 8 games for us so far and if anything his passing has gotten worse

Sanders looked very tidy tonight and Morton showed me what he was about tonight, more so than his cameo at the start of the season. If both are fit and raring, Appleton should start them both

Its 7 or 8 games since we scored the first goal, correct me if i am wrong but i think Portsmouth was the last time. We cant afford to play catch up every game, i think missing Bridcutt may be a factor but still we have conceeded some weak goals

Still 15 games to go, i believe if we get the confidence back we can find our strength. Heres to hoping the blip ends agains Crewe.