Match Thread: Lincoln City v Shrewsbury Town

[Mattytindraws]

I don’t see why everyone is thinking that Elbo, if he’d come on would have been the messiah. They were so deep in the last 30 mins there was no space for him to run into. If his strength is his lightening speed there was no where for him to run into. Strange how on the strength of a decent game against their B team all,of a sudden he is the answer.

 

[bristolimp]

I mean there is literally not a single paragraph I agree with in this with the possible exception of the first one. As Luke pointed out some if it just had no basis in the facts.

It’s been a disappointing 4 days but let’s not let that override 3+ months of excellent work.

We are a mid table side. We have played matches where we have been very fortunate to get a win we have also played teams that are in a mess like Oxford Mk Dons and Ipswich.

Don’t get me wrong I am not complaining we have come a long way and we are doing fair better then I expected. There were times last year when I thought we would be league 2 again soon.

I am just trying to temper people’s expectations - we are not going to finish in the top 5 but we will finish better then last year.

Appleton is growing on me and I think he is a good coach but his lack of in game flexibility is strange - we could have used 5 subs last night we used 1

 

[German Imp]

I don’t see why everyone is thinking that Elbo, if he’d come on would have been the messiah. They were so deep in the last 30 mins there was no space for him to run into. If his strength is his lightening speed there was no where for him to run into. Strange how on the strength of a decent game against their B team all,of a sudden he is the answer.

All valid points Matty, but I didn’t see shot after shot on goal, surely you try something different to win a game of football potentially in the last 15 to 20 minutes with a change of formation and style. Hopper on the left wing is not going to get you goals in the box. Goals has been a problem for a while but it’s the service that is the problem and having people in the box another.

 

[NorthNottsImp]

We were sluggish in our passing which has been our strength. We also seem to have more possession. I think this is because teams are sitting back a lot more

 

[The Imposter]

I don’t see why everyone is thinking that Elbo, if he’d come on would have been the messiah. They were so deep in the last 30 mins there was no space for him to run into. If his strength is his lightening speed there was no where for him to run into. Strange how on the strength of a decent game against their B team all,of a sudden he is the answer.

If you are struggling to break down a stubborn side, are losing 1-0 and time is running out, why wouldn’t you try something different, especially with another forward option on the bench? Elbouzedi is hardly the messiah, but the lad turned in a great performance on his previous outing - albeit against a second string side - and so why not give the lad a chance to show his mettle even if for the last 10 minutes? His direct running against some tired bodies, could (and that is, could) have been the answer. As I have said previously, he gave Howarth the full game and didn’t even deem Elbouzedi worthy of a few minutes. I just find that bizarre.

 

[Brendan Bradley]

yes I was driving from the radio it sounded like we gifted it to them and the chap (a blast from our non league games) finished no problem something we struggle to do

Yes, it was a gift goal. I don't think Shrewsbury created an actual chance themselves in the entire game though I stand to be corrected as although I watched the game there were times when my attention wandered.

On the other hand they defended very well, in the everyone-behind-the-ball sense, and gave their keeper very little to do as we manufactured nothing but half and quarter chances.

I thought our best players overall were the ones who'd been brought in from the fringes, Scully and Howarth, who were the busiest. Scully also looks like the only natural finisher in the squad so it's a pity he's always stuck out wide.

Edun was better and it was good for his confidence that he wasn't dropped. I didn't blame him for the Sunderland disaster but last night he wasn't at all exposed by a team trying to attack down our left. The problem, though, is that he's too slow moving the ball in possession and mostly seems to want to come back inside into the traffic. Last night would have been better for Roughan who's more dynamic.

And though it's a surprise Elbouzedi didn't get a run out considering how he terrorised Shrewsbury's reserves last week, I can understand why. Shrewsbury were very defensive so it would have been pointless to have someone whose asset is their pace when there wasn't any space to run into.

Had he been available it would have been more appropriate to have Archibald, who at least looks like he can cross the ball. Having someone to cross it to though is a different matter.

Still, things have gone much better than expected and I find comfort today that fans of Ipswich, Sunderland and Charlton will still be wondering how they are behind (to give the club its full name) Lincoln City FFS

 

[Ex-Ref]

A fairly frustrating and uninspiring game, and one which did very little to counter the negativity (including mine) following Saturday. Maybe they were in a state of shock that they were thumped 4 - 0 and this was a hangover . Once again we didn’t live up to expectations based on our early season performances (it’s amazing how a run of superb results and performances raises the bar of ongoing expectations) when we played some excellent, fluid, flowing football that bamboozled most of our opponents. Many of the players are young and learning the game and they are experiencing the downside at the moment, which is not a bad thing. I do wonder though how hard the relentless fixtures and injuries are taking their toll. It must be tough for MA as perhaps it is worse than he is letting on, and he has a responsibility to protect the young players as well as expose them, especially those on loan.
On the plus side, we’ve had an amazing start to the season - one I don’t think many of us saw coming. We have lost two on the bounce, which is not disastrous, but we have a game in hand which, if we won, would put us back top of the table . 18 Pts to safety before Christmas, when we’re not even halfway through the fixtures, takes much of the pressure off for the second half of the season. We are a work in progress so we just need to grit our teeth, see what January brings (a goal scorer and a LB please, at least ). MA seems to know exactly what he wants with players etc and he has shown us so far what an excellent coach he is so let’s just be patient and see what the next step is.

I feel a tadge better having read this.

 

[Skip155]

We are a mid table side. We have played matches where we have been very fortunate to get a win we have also played teams that are in a mess like Oxford Mk Dons and Ipswich.

Don’t get me wrong I am not complaining we have come a long way and we are doing fair better then I expected. There were times last year when I thought we would be league 2 again soon.

I am just trying to temper people’s expectations - we are not going to finish in the top 5 but we will finish better then last year.

Appleton is growing on me and I think he is a good coach but his lack of in game flexibility is strange - we could have used 5 subs last night we used 1

We have not been lucky - we've got exactly the number of points our XG suggests we should have.

 

[Ex-Ref]

If you are struggling to break down a stubborn side, are losing 1-0 and time is running out, why wouldn’t you try something different, especially with another forward option on the bench? Elbouzedi is hardly the messiah, but the lad turned in a great performance on his previous outing - albeit against a second string side - and so why not give the lad a chance to show his mettle even if for the last 10 minutes? His direct running against some tired bodies, could (and that is, could) have been the answer. As I have said previously, he gave Howarth the full game and didn’t even deem Elbouzedi worthy of a few minutes. I just find that bizarre.

The first half was so poor, it was almost footballing suicide not to make changes within the first hour.

 

[clanfordimp]

Unless there is something we dont know about, the last name the other lot would have wanted to see on the team sheet was Zac, must have been relieved when he was only bench warming. Didnt hear the post match stuff, but did anybody ask the question why not , somehow doubt it !

Here you are Mr. Hortin.
This shouldn't of been too hard a question to ask.
"After Zacks performance the week before in the Papa John's trophy away at Shrewsbury when a lot of the fans who hadn't seen a lot of him before thought he had an excellent game, was there any particular reason why he wasn't brought on tonight when we are a goal down and chasing the game."

 

[MaineRoad_96]

Armchair experts out in force again - doesn’t take much for some of our ‘loyal’ fans to turn. No wonder we were down to gates of 1900 a few years ago.

Last night wasn’t great but making sweeping judgements about players, tactics and the manager after a couple of bad results makes you sound like a five year old that has dropped all his sweets.

 

[Jules]

https://lincoln.vitalfootball.co.uk/three-things-we-learned-from-the-1-0-defeat-versus-shrewsbury-town/

 

[bristolimp]

We have not been lucky - we've got exactly the number of points our XG suggests we should have.

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Who is XG they seem a knowledgeable person! Do they also do lottery numbers and racehorses?

 

[NottyImp]

Armchair experts out in force again - doesn’t take much for some of our ‘loyal’ fans to turn. No wonder we were down to gates of 1900 a few years ago.

Last night wasn’t great but making sweeping judgements about players, tactics and the manager after a couple of bad results makes you sound like a five year old that has dropped all his sweets.

I didn't drop them, you stole them!

 

[bristolimp]

Armchair experts out in force again - doesn’t take much for some of our ‘loyal’ fans to turn. No wonder we were down to gates of 1900 a few years ago.

Last night wasn’t great but making sweeping judgements about players, tactics and the manager after a couple of bad results makes you sound like a five year old that has dropped all his sweets.

I think most fans are armchair fans these days!

No sweeping judgement or complaints from me I am just saying that we can not expect to win every match. We are probably a little higher in the league now then where we will finish but I can live with that.

Things are in the up, I can see us selling a few players for 7 figures soon which will set is up nicely for next lot of players to come through the coaching conveyor belt!

 

[Thaddeus Griffin]

Who is XG they seem a knowledgeable person! Do they also do lottery numbers and racehorses?

There is a horse racing version called WAX (wins against expected) though they use betting odds to predict the winner's probability of winning so you're not really gaining anything bar having the aggregated data.

 

[bristolimp]

There is a horse racing version called WAX (wins against expected) though they use betting odds to predict the winner's probability of winning so you're not really gaining anything bar having the aggregated data.

View attachment 44234

Christ no wonder people lose their houses to online betting! Dangerous stuff! I think I will stick to a game of cards and a box of matches!

 

[Jules]

https://lincoln.vitalfootball.co.uk/lincoln-city-0-1-shrewsbury-town-match-stats-highlights-views-from-the-forum/

 

[Luke Imp]

The intense fixture list does seem to be affecting us, and to be fair, everyone else. Lots of surprising results and teams struggling to keep up good form. As you have said, the injury list really hasn't helped (some key players). We seem to be more laboured, less energetic and missing that speed of attack.

Teams know how to defend against us and once we go behind it can be difficult to play counter attacking football and we look limited. If we go ahead in a game we will look dangerous again.... I hope anyway.

I think what we're seeing now with regards to the inconsistencies of sides is more rotation from everyone and therefore no-one is really able to get their best XI out enough.

 

[Luke Imp]

We are a mid table side. We have played matches where we have been very fortunate to get a win we have also played teams that are in a mess like Oxford Mk Dons and Ipswich.

Don’t get me wrong I am not complaining we have come a long way and we are doing fair better then I expected. There were times last year when I thought we would be league 2 again soon.

I am just trying to temper people’s expectations - we are not going to finish in the top 5 but we will finish better then last year.

Appleton is growing on me and I think he is a good coach but his lack of in game flexibility is strange - we could have used 5 subs last night we used 1

I half get your point but that happens every season where you play a side(s) that's having a mare, and it's the same for most others as well so we're not the only side that have played them - it's not something that's unique to us.

As said though, we have/had one of the toughest starts to the season in the division so even taking into account those sides you've mentioned it doesn't really show the full picture.