That was a terrible refereeing performances, we've had some bad officials this season but he's the worst.
Never a penalty, but i suspect Lang may have said something for a second yellow but if the ref has given a secobd yellow for that then it's unforgivable. Also it was in the penalty area so he's mucked it up whatever way you slice it.
But at the same time there is absolutely no way we can just blame refs every week and shift responsibility for our failings onto them as there is clearly so much fundamentally wrong at the moment. We are poor at everything.
You didn't need any hindsight to see the team selection and tactics were completely wrong again - it was just playing into Stevenages hands. It was effectively 5-1-4, with a deep defence, no press, no protection for the defence, no one tracking back meaning we completely surrendered midfield. Every time they got wide we had no one there to stop the cross, every time they carried the ball they ran half the length of the pitch were unchallenged, every time they playrd a ball forward they had unlimited space and every second ball they comfortably picked up. Not just that but we had absolutely no way to get the ball to the forward players other than long balls that we lost every time or Godo or Humphrys picking up the ball in their own half and trying to dribble it past everyone single handedly. It was a tactical shambles before we even had Lang sent off.
Too many of the players themselves also aren't taking responsibility, their work rate, discipline and fight just isn't there. There is absolutely no cohesion in the side, no one showing for the ball to help each other, if we do get the ball half the team can't be bothered joining attacks and if we need to defend half the team don't bother helping. It's like the team is divided in half and neither side really helps the other.
The last 30 or so minutes after we made some subs we finally had a bit of a go at them and it still wasn't great but there was at least a bit of fight and intensity but it was too little too late.
The ref, manager and players were all awful today and even if we had a decent ref I don't think we were remotely good enough in our own right.
Those first few games we were doing everything right - all the little details that allow you to play good effective football were there. But we've stopped doing virtually all of that and it's now decended into Kolo Toure levels of terrible. I have no idea what has happened but I wonder for such a drastic collapse has something gone on behind the scenes? As after the Bolton game it's been like a switch has been flipped and we're a shadow of what we were previously doing. It's not like we are trying to play as we did but the opposition has got better and stopping it or we are trying to pass but getting it wrong we've just slowed the tempo right down, stopped moving, stopped working, stopped fighting. It's diabolical.
I don't think Maloney is going anywhere yet but it does look like he's losing the plot. We are getting cut adrift a bit and even without the points deduction we'd be in the relegation battle at this point. This is not a bad set of players, they've proven what they can do already and yes we've got some I injuries and some poor refs but these performances are horrendous and don't give any indication that we are moving in the right direction or we are even learning. Maloney will get more time but he needs to show us something to give us a reason to keep faith ASAP as this won't be allowed to keep going on much longer if there are no signs of light at the end of the tunnel.
Perfectly worded KdZ, couldnt have put it better myself.
My thoughts on this season where that we would be nowhere near the playoffs but would be away from the drop zone and easing into somewhere between 13th and 16th in the final standings even with the points deduction. I never got carried away early doors, even with the early Bolton and Derby away wins. Perhaps there was an element of other sides underestimating us or a feeling of nothing to lose due to being on minus points early doors from us. But i agree the Bolton away game has proven a big turning point for us. Compare and contrast the performances more than just the results since then, its been like watching two different sides.
Im not in the Maloney out brigade yet. Still think given all the mitigating circumstances of the summer with the takeover meaning we missed out on possible targets under the old regime and the minus 8 deduction that Maloney should be given time to turn this around. However, i dont think we can look to give him a sizeable length of time longer if results dont improve. What been concerning is not necessarily just the results but the performances too, i can live with some results like Bristol.Rovers away as an example being poor. But its even been the likes of Cambridge at home which we won but were hanging on for dear life at the end. We could have had zero complaints had we lost that game.
We will go into the Exeter game on the back of one win in seven games with six defeats inbetween the Cambridge win. Had it been only one win in seven but with 2 or 3 draws alongside a few defeats then you can accept it more as performances clearly would have been good enough to get us some points on the board which are a big help in our predicament. But the performances such as Burton away are giving you little confidence that we can turn this around at present. Exeter our next opponents in the league will go into that game on the back of a four game losing run. Normally id back ourselves to further the misery for them next time out. Alas given our recent performances i have zero confidence of even getting a point out of them in two weeks time.
I think the next four league games up until the Charlton home game are crucial for Maloney, failure to get a win from any of those matches would mean its then one win in 11 games. Whenever you get a run like that irrespective of pre season expectations, thats danger territory for any manager in any league as its relegation form. One thing i will say with Maloney is that given the disproportionate amount of away games comparative to home games we have had so far, that has perhaps meant that the recent poor run has not turned into a 'no way back for him' territory yet with home fans. However from Oxford at home on 24th October up until Barnsley away on NYD 2024, that wont be the case. I think its a run of games which will decide whether we are likely to face a relegation fight till the end of the season or not.
I say Charlton could be the tipping point game as after that we have Cheltenham away, Wycombe at home, Leyton Orient away, Fleetwood at home, Reading away, Port Vale away and Carlisle at home. A run of fixtures which are 'nicer' on paper than what we have had so far. Im also weary of fact that if Burton beat Cambridge at home on Monday then we will be 6 points adrift of safety. Already a sizeable margin and once it starts getting into 2 wins to get out of drop zone category for a manager, they are always in a vulnerable state.
International break has come at a good time for Maloney and we need now to use it well. Need to start going back to what we did early doors, a more settled team, more shots at goal and chances being created, thats a major issue for us at the moment. Barring Hughes' goal and Macca's chance we didnt create a thing against a relegation rival like Burton midweek. Which is extremely worrying.
Not in very worried mode and still behind Maloney for the time being but need some results and need them quick. As does Shaun, a few more bad results and suddenly the narrative and opinions of the fanbase could shiftly change
