Northampton Town match thread

Thank you for answering. 

our summer transfer window is proper biting us on the arse. The lack of a forward is telling, who is at fault I am not sure. RW said he wanted one, he was never given one. Perkins and Kelman are not the answer I’m afraid. It’s time to play Dan A up top, he not going to press like kelman does so change the style slightly to accommodate that and let Dan a do what we saw he could do last season and that’s score goals.

kelman is Richie’s blind spot, all managers have favourites and it’s clear he is Richie’s. Kelman is not the answer and won’t be the answer either.

In the past we saw a clip of a team pre /post match / training session, in the dressing room when Drinan was being praised due his work rate and all other players knew it was going to be him named by RW

RW wants a centre forward to be physically capable to press on the basis it’s our first line of defence.

Maybe to save our league status we should go for hoof and run.

A fiver should cover it.

I think being 100 per cent switched on for 100 per cent of the game would be a start.

I saw that Dom was angry with himself for seeing his man get away to score. He needn't be, if a striker makes a dash for a space and the ball arrives at the perfect moment then a great chance has been created, there not much a defender can do about it.
The real problem is that we're not scoring goals and such moments are all it needs to take the points. It's like the world's most skilful boxer, he won't win unless he attacks as well as defends.

I’m sure we are all disappointed to put it mildly. If we were miles off the pace in terms of skill and application, then I’d be really worried, but we’re not. We are a decent side, but we are missing that mental toughness that can grind out results and keep clean sheets.
That’s one of the toughest things to turn around and when you need your most experienced players to step up and motivate those around them.
I don’t go with the line that perhaps Richie is not good enough at this level, or that his tactics are wrong. We have shown we can compete and that the players are good enough , but if they are scared of failure when they walk out onto that pitch, and they only get a bollocking from the crowd or the coaches when things go wrong, then they will struggle to get their minds in the right place to turn this around.
We need a bit of luck and some good finishing to get us a win and start to change the mindset. I’m hoping it’s Tuesday when I’m taking two of my shrimper mates along to the game.

Mental toughness is exactly right. Our core squad is as good as most others I’ve seen. RW has yet to prove himself at this level, Oldham and Doncaster being failures. But I’m sure he can. I’m not convinced about our tactics but he knows more than me so our position at the end of the season will answer that.

Primary motivation needs to come from Management. RW does his best. I’ve long felt we play with caution. Fear perhaps too strong. On those rare occasions we lose the shackles we are quite good. But something ain’t quite right and I’m not impressed when RW says on more than one occasion the players don’t do what he asks. Why not?

We need a good win, I believed Stockport was that, great result. But we haven’t kicked on. Tuesday will be an excellent time to repeat that.

We have heard too much talk Denis. Yet nothing really changes.  We are poor in the final third, the solution - keep doing the same thing. I’m no tactician, never played the professional game. But been round enough blocks to see something is wrong with the way we play. And I don’t believe it’s our core players. As witnessed by the second half shambles against Northampton, don’t seem the players are convinced either.  

Players ability is not the issue, running yourself into the ground to little effect is. Demoralising. mentally draining.  Maybe needs only a small change, starting Tuesday.