If we do win today it will take us into the top six but with our home form it is a big if. Only five games in div1 got to be a better performance than the last two home games there is always hope.
Well that was 2 hours I will never get back glad we won but I saw nothing to convince me we stop in the top six. A very slow performance again we need to show more pace they must be poor any decent team would have beaten us today.
I think I wrote that one for.you this morning gwru! Sometimes you just need to win no matter how. It's an important win. Sixth with a game in hand that if won would put us third. And still they moan. It wasnt convincing today but at times there were glimpses of what might be to come and there was some good football played in patches. Pleased for Morris who showed first half what a threat he can be and he deserved his goal which was a really good header. We will improve and if we are in the top six without really firing we could do good things once we click. Another clean sheet which is always good. The referee was genuinely awful - totally random with his decision making and did his best to spoil the game.
We won DESPITE the worst referee I think I've ever seen...
It will be interesting to see the replays tonight, but if they confirm what we think, that ref should be struck off... but nothing will be done, it never is.
Luckily he didn't cost us the game, though he tried his best...
After the cross for the Goal, Wiles was back to his best and it seem to boost his confidence.
Agree with you on one thing referee unbelievable. Ogbene looked to me he'd been fouled if anyone. Good to see Robertson back looking fit. Morris just don't see him with any future with us. I wouldn't sign him permanent would you? I've only mentioned Morris cause smiler did. Nobody stood out. Ogbene started well but he's not a natural winger especially on the right so he runs out of ideas.
-- Edited by gwru on Saturday 16th of November 2019 07:00:14 PM
I think Morris is ok, and he took his chance today. I agree with you I wouldn't sign him perm, but I like having the number of strikers we have. I still think Ladapo will come good at some point, and more to come from Vassel.
I would make that pigeon that was on the pitch man of the match. Why wasn't the Accrington no 7 sent off for taking a kick at it in the 2nd half. Where did they get that ref from was he trying a new pencil out. Anyone who thought that was a great display must be living in La La land this league must be poor if we are where we are. Come January we need that holding midfield player in pronto or it is mid table.
-- Edited by TH MILLER on Saturday 16th of November 2019 08:26:31 PM
Good to get three points. Not a great spectacle - ruined by a pathetic referee - and I was disappointed that we didn't get a second goal as it would have released the players from the tension they're obviously feeling. As it was, we were lucky not to concede - AS will be very disappointed they didn't convert one of their many chances towards the end.
I think this side is crying out for a midfield general. Barlaser just doesn't do it for me - too lightweight and prone to losing the ball in key positions. I thought the subs were made at the right time but I was expecting Lindsay to come on for Barlaser and Ladapo for Morris - who seemed to be flagging badly towards the end. With Smith going off and Morris later replaced by Thompson for tactical reasons, we were left without a big man up front (Ladapo will never win a header during his time at RUFC) and that meant we were constantly on the back foot.
I'd like to hear from anyone who was close to the Ogbene incident. It looked like a clear foul on him from where I was sitting - but I couldn't have been further away. Their keeper should have gone in the first half for a clear red card tackle on Crooks - just one of many incidents which the Ref got totally wrong.
Ogbene man of the match for me. Natural winger, quick, beats his man well, puts in a good cross and works hard.
Not a lot of quality football on show today, but when you have the second best defence in the league and keep a clean sheet yet again, you have a chance of winning games. Not pretty but three points safely tucked away.
I thought Ihiekwe , Jones and Wiles were our best performers today. I predicted earlier in the week ( it didn't take a tactical genius) what the back four would be and in Jones we have a player who gives is all and is as tough as nails. If Hinds can get anywhere near his standards he will be a good full back for us.
Accrington had five players trying to press our defence and midfield at times and this stifled the game. We just don't seem able to move it quickly enough but as Smiler said there were glimpses of what this team could achieve. We have to be patient and back them. You could see why Accrington haven't scored many goals as they offer very little pace or skill in attack. They worked very hard all match and you have to give them credit for that.
Smith had one of his poor games today for us and had no influence on the game at all. Morris scored with a superb header, but just before that he was guilty of wanting another touch and instead of hitting it first time, he moved the ball onto his other foot and gave the goalkeeper chance to set himself. He is not a natural finisher but is somebody who will score the odd goal and gives you plenty in other areas. Would i sign him permanently? He is only 23,quickish,good in the air and is capable of bringing others into the game. At the right price, yes i would. Next game up is another team who cannot score. Good ground to go to with the best seats i have ever sat on at a football game. We are in the top six and my glass is still half full.
The more I see that sending off tackle, the more I think the ref is colour blind, biased, or both. Ogbene clearly won the ball and was caught (albeit unintentionally) by their player. Hope it is played back to the ref multiple times, it will be interesting to see on which replay he changes his mind.......
I'm not sure whether he got caught or not. What I am sure about is that there were at least ten other incidents in the game when other players (mostly theirs but occasionally ours to be fair - Morris in the second half springs to mind) went down too easily and the referee waved play on and told them to get up. One or two of them were clearly dives. Much more clear cut than Ogbene. Once or twice players blatantly dived and the ref gave fouls (their right back in the West/Norrh Stand corner under pressure from Wiles was laughable). Yet he picked the Ogbene incident as the only one in the game to produce a yellow card for diving, and the lad was back defending near our own corner flag - hardly trying to buy a penalty. If Ogbene did dive then he shouldn't have, but the inconsistency on the part of the ref was totally baffling.
Morris is a good footballer he is strong good on the floor and wins more headers than Smith ever will. Smith is ok for away games where his job is to run around a lot close down and battle, at home he hasn't cut it in any of the games so far. Wiles is becoming a lovely footballer and I agree about Jones when he is fit he is a great asset. I thought it was ok today, we needed a second goal to calm the nerves, they are a decent team there are a few in this league, it is a harder league than the last time we were here. The ref was awful a complete clown his average cards a game is 5 tells a story. Their number 28 should have had a straight red he slid in during the second half he lost control of himself his foot was up and it was reckless, he got a yellow because our players jump straight up, our gamesmanship is poor.
Overall a good three points and we need a run of games now.
It's so dull under Warney. When I saw side selected yesterday & the bench I knew I'd be in for another yawning afternoon. Smith if you play without wingers pointless playing him. Ogbene will never be a right winger, left side he favours & yes he can cross with his left foot unlike two we had playing on the left side yesterday. Morris isn't the answer or Ladapo. Vassell back can anybody tell me why, what's he ever done while he's been here. Accrington at home it's the ideal game for players with ability like Hinds & Lamy to gain experience & confidence. The one plus for me like I've said getting Robertson back a player with abit of scope. Also Iversen never does anything wrong same as Ihiekwe. Wiles worth going to see. Ogbene with his pace gives us something though he's played on the wrong side. Rest of the side can't remember much coming from them though Olosunde needs to get his confidence back after being played out of position further forward.
Accrington Stanley are considerably better than Doncaster reserves, gwru. And Lincoln reserves who Lamy did nothing against. Experiment against them at your peril. You're going to have to explain to me by the way how helping us to a 2-0 win at Ipswich by playing further forward (where he has played many times before if you check it out) has damaged Olosunde's confidence. Do you think Jones played well at left back yesterday, and do you think Morris had at least a decent game including scoring with a very good header?
Don't think Accrington Stanly 1st 11 had much more to offer than Donny side in EFL cup. How long did that last playing Olosunde further forward? No didn't reckon that much to Jones or Morris. Ask you a question if we really needed to win a game would you go with that side yesterday?
Surely, according to grus logic, it would be far better to, when there's a must win game, to chuck a couple of youngsters, with a few minutes first team experience, into the fray rather than experienced heads such as Jones and Wood, who have acquitted themselves admirably this season. We won yesterday. Would you have preferred to lose just so long as "your boys" were playing?
Gru, you know nothing about the game.
I'm confused now. Are saying that untried young kids, with a few minutes of first team experience, should be thrown to the lions against the top teams in the division, or the rubbish ones, such as Accrington "Stanly'?
