Points and performance are not mutually exclusive. We can have both.
In fact, we can have neither as well. Too often this season, we’ve set up defensively and played four football and still failed to pick up points.
The Official Grimsby Town Match Thread (Sponsored by Methylenedioxymethamphetamine "for all your wild optimism needs")
- Thread starter HerrLjunga
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In fact, we can have neither as well. Too often this season, we’ve set up defensively and played four football and still failed to pick up points.
Therealwaldo
Vital Squad Member
I think it’s psychological as much as anything. A bit of composure from Ogie and Mahoney would have won us the game but mostly our players seem to think there’s only one way to score, and that’s to hit the ball as hard as you can any time you get anywhere close to goal.
GillsBluenose
Vital Football Hero
Hi, Trashy. It is good to hear that we are having more attacking intent and I gathered that from the audio.
However, the short highlights that are on the Gills own YouTube channel show Grimsby's other big chance in the first half where a player finds himself completely unmarked and more or less on the penalty spot but Morris pulls off a good save, whereas Ogie's surge from the half way line, ending in a blast against the bar, seems to be the only effort against the woodwork that is worth showing. The other main effort is the one cleared from underneath the bar in the first half:
I don't whether it is Bloc that posts the highlights but certainly made it look fairly even. I can see it looks more exciting than of late, though.
The Surveyor
Vital Youth Team
Very true. But the bottom line it's the final result that's important rather than how you get there.
The Surveyor
Vital Youth Team
By product of not scoring. When goals are consistently flowing, the finish is instinctive. To be fair to Ogie his day job is at the other end. Love his lung bursting surges. Yesterday the angle was tight & not sure he could have done better.
Captainreblue
Vital 1st Team Regular
But you won't be successful if you can't score goals, as we're about to prove. Even NH after our first four games said as much.
We've had 59 shots in our last four games. It's clear where our problems lie. If we'd invested in that area, like we have in every other area of the pitch we'd be doing much better.
Bottom line is you need to score goals to win games and be succesful, we don't.
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The Surveyor
Vital Youth Team
The obvious lack of quality up front is solely the responsibility of the recruitment team. Our inability to score goals has been there since Evans departed. Plenty of time to find a solution & yet for all the good signings at the other end of the park the recruitment team has failed to deliver in the vital area. Heard the interview & the dig at the performance of the recruitment team was obvious.
bathnightattheminogu
Vital Reserves Team
OK, but you will have to have the tap end I’m afraid.
markinkent
Vital Football Hero
great question, if he does go for it then my thoughts on him for next season will change.
I dont think he will though, same as before but bringing Masterton back into the 5.
If he was adventurous we would have seen attacking subs earlier yesterday and put someone alongside Hawkins earlier than the 85th minute.
Much will depend on how serious Brad was about wanting exciting football, goal and wins. Clemence isn't delivering much of that.
Was actually reasonably entertaining for once. First time this season I've come away thinking we were unlucky.
In normal circumstances, such a result isn't a problem as a Promotion winning team will have such "blips". Unfortunately that doesn't apply to us as we've been so poor (given our squad) most of the time.
A shame Clemence settled for a draw by bringing Nadesan on.
In normal circumstances, such a result isn't a problem as a Promotion winning team will have such "blips". Unfortunately that doesn't apply to us as we've been so poor (given our squad) most of the time.
A shame Clemence settled for a draw by bringing Nadesan on.
Captainreblue
Vital 1st Team Regular
Do you genuinely believe this squad is capable of delivering exciting football (genuine question).
These players have played the same way under three different coaches/managers with the same faults/criticsms being aimed at them.
I honestly don't think anything would be much different if we'd brought in Lyndsey or A.N.Other as manager/coach.
If BG has a real belief in his (and he said the final decision was his in appointing SC) he needs to back SC, let him have a summer to recruit players SC wants, not players KJ, AH or PS think will be good and then judge him after a period of time. Is giving SC 6 months with a group of players that wern't of his choosing, probably playing a system he doesn't favour giving him a fair crack? IMO not.
If we get rid of SC how long do we given the new man, given he'll have a whole pre season, get to bring in his players. Is 3 months fair, if we're binning off a coach after 6 months who's working with someone elses squad, has had no pre season and may well be playing a system that is not his preferred system.
IMO we're setting a very dangerous precedent if we bin off SC in the summer.
For the record i'm not convinced SC is the answer but he needs to be given more time and the oppourtunity to do it his way before we can fairly judge IMO . There are also no guarantees getting rid of SC will make us any better.
wxgill
Vital 1st Team Regular
On reflection maybe SC deserves until xmas but not KJ and Hess.
They need to explain thier failure to recruit well.
I also think the midfield choices have been questionable.
When i read Hess was not attending the Q&A session that raised the alarm bells for me.
Accountability needs extend to those who fail and that's KJ & Hess.
Play up Brompton
Vital Youth Team
Do you genuinely believe this squad is capable of delivering exciting football (genuine question).
I see we are playing Morcambe next and as Eric said "I am playing all the right notes - not necessarily in the right order."
From what I observed yesterday Ogie is wasted in his defensive role and needs to be pushed up. When Masterson returns we can play a back four. We need to be trying new formations now we are all but out of the promotion race. It was exciting when Mahoney and Ogie ran through defenders and we need more of that.
I see we are playing Morcambe next and as Eric said "I am playing all the right notes - not necessarily in the right order."
From what I observed yesterday Ogie is wasted in his defensive role and needs to be pushed up. When Masterson returns we can play a back four. We need to be trying new formations now we are all but out of the promotion race. It was exciting when Mahoney and Ogie ran through defenders and we need more of that.
chris who
Vital Champions League
We don't know who was unwell it was half a dozen I believe.I would not mind guessing that at least one of the subs was not well .It very possible that a number of the starters weren't 100%.
I like Lapslie. He's an intelligent and skilful player, good on the ball and he's gets his foot in and wins the ball. I like him and Williams in the same team. We just need to find a way to get the best out of him and I think the freedom to get forward and support Hawkins yesterday did that
I listened on I-follow, then watched the extended highlights, then read all the comments on this thread. Live audio gave a very different impression to the highlights which showed a very entertaining game that we could easily have won with better finishing. The consensus on here seems to be that wr played ok, were entertaining and needed to finish better.
And all that with possibly our best two players so far this season, Masterson and Coleman, not playing.
We shall win easily at Morecambe, Harrogate, Bradford and Mansfield due to my “only go to away games up North” policy, but the game that will clinch our playoff berth will be Barrow as I shall be attending my first home game since before COVID!
And all that with possibly our best two players so far this season, Masterson and Coleman, not playing.
We shall win easily at Morecambe, Harrogate, Bradford and Mansfield due to my “only go to away games up North” policy, but the game that will clinch our playoff berth will be Barrow as I shall be attending my first home game since before COVID!
markinkent
Vital Football Hero
I had hopes that Jonny Williams, Lapslie and Mahoney would combine to deliver exciting football.
The key thing we are missing is pace. Our few forward passes are into Hawkins, who does really well to hold up and then lay it back. We are missing a fast striker where we can play balls into channels and play at a high tempo .
We have no real width. Hutton is a massive improvement on what we had.
So, to answer your question if we had pace then maybe this squad could. When we run at league 2 defences e.g. Ogie yesterday, at AFCW or Hurtardo v Swindon then exciting things happen. Problem is we don't do it and we don't have pace.
If we don't recruit that this summer then it will be more of the same next season
SteveTreacle
Vital 1st Team Regular
With the way he’s been breaking down the left, I’d be inclined to play Ogie at LB in a four. After a good run, Clarke is petering out at LB and Malone isn’t the player who started the season
madrid_gill
Vital 1st Team Regular
9 players according to this. Doesn't name them all, but mentions Morris, Lapslie and Dieng as being among the ones affected
Gillingham boss praises effort but team’s big problem persists
Gillingham head coach Stephen Clemence was disappointed his side didn’t finish Grimsby Town off - but saluted the players’ efforts after a tough week.
SteveTreacle
Vital 1st Team Regular
What’s disturbing me just as much is that there seems to be no intention of addressing the problem by bringing in free agents now which other clubs are doing. When asked about this a few weeks ago, SC said that we would turn to youngsters first. Well, we haven’t done that and it seems like we’re not looking at free agents either. So we’re just accepting that we’ve got nothing up top, doing nothing about it and trying to make the most of what we’ve got. What’s the definition of insanity again?
