Cheltenham 2 - 0 Morecambe f/t

[Mark S]

I fully expected a tough challenge today. I was always taught to be wary of injured animals fighting for survival.

Sounded to me as though they really brought the game to us today and the best team won. It happens all the time.

Six points from nine is hardly a disaster. Nine from twelve would be fantastic. We will bounce back.

[parceldave]

I fully expected a tough challenge today. I was always taught to be wary of injured animals fighting for survival.

Sounded to me as though they really brought the game to us today and the best team won. It happens all the time.

Six points from nine is hardly a disaster. Nine from twelve would be fantastic. We will bounce back.

Maybe the manager should have expected a tough challenge , and after saying at the end of the game the defence couldn't cope why not change things . . 6pts from 9 (6 from 12 actually) might not be a disaster but since Bournemouth we've gained 11 pts from a possible 30 pts , not exactly play-off standard is it . . Lets hope we can cope better on Tuesday , i think that could be tough too.

[Mark S]

I think it is my positive, sunny outlook on life that prefers to see the good side of everything.

Six from Nine is the way I like to look at it.

Top half for me = Outside of the play offs for others

Football League Football every week for me = Not League 1 Football or Not Man Utd for others

Brand New Stadium for me = No Premiership standard facilities in a stand I will never use for others

Looking forward to the next win for me = We have just lost and I was right all along for others


Its the way I roll!

[Blackburn shrimp]

Yes we just didn't play at all today and put in a very disappointing performance with to many players having an off day but lets put it down to what it was a bad day at the office. We play again on Tuesday and its the ideal opportunity to put it behind us and kick on for a play off place.
Keep the faith in the players and Sammy

[SW London Shrimp]

Just got back from the game.

We were absolutely aweful, hapless, hopeless. Couldn't pass to one another; kept slipping over; shot-shy; bullied off the ball all too often; didn't have a shot on target until 95th minute. We were half a yard slower all over the pitch, except in the middle of midfield - we were a good yard slower there.

Having said that, I didn't think that they posed much of a threat at all until they scored. Whilst we weren't bossing the game I thought we were in charge, but without much of goal threat.

To me the only positive was the performance of Parrish. Last year he looked like Bambi on ice; now he looks like a decent full-back, at least defensively. Today he lacked a bit going forward - I don't see him often enough to know whether this was an off-day or a normal performance.

Based on today's performance the play-offs will have to wait at least another year.

Mark

[Burnley Shrimp]

Just got back from the game.

We were absolutely aweful, hapless, hopeless. Couldn't pass to one another; kept slipping over; shot-shy; bullied off the ball all too often; didn't have a shot on target until 95th minute. We were half a yard slower all over the pitch, except in the middle of midfield - we were a good yard slower there.

Having said that, I didn't think that they posed much of a threat at all until they scored. Whilst we weren't bossing the game I thought we were in charge, but without much of goal threat.

To me the only positive was the performance of Parrish. Last year he looked like Bambi on ice; now he looks like a decent full-back, at least defensively. Today he lacked a bit going forward - I don't see him often enough to know whether this was an off-day or a normal performance.

Based on today's performance the play-offs will have to wait at least another year.

Mark

How do we explain performances like you have described above?

Did Cheltenham want it more? Is it psychological. You could argue that if Morecambe did go up to League 1 a number of our current players just aren't up to that level and may find themselves out of a job. Whereas if Cheltenham went down they would have far less income so many of their current players would be out of a job. However if both teams stop in League 2 then the majority are relatively safe for another year or two!

Does anyone else think that this sometimes has a bearing on what takes place on the pitch or am I completely wide of the mark??

[Number 1]

Question for Nerso.

It sounded like Morecambe were quite poor today, but in relation to your season so far, how did the Cheltenham performance rate? Was it one of your best? It might give a bit of perspective to the doom mongerers on here. Although I'm fully aware that in asking such a question it would be easy for you to throw in a curved ball and say it was your worst of the season! But if you can, please give an honest answer.

[Nerso (CTFC)]

Question for Nerso.

It sounded like Morecambe were quite poor today, but in relation to your season so far, how did the Cheltenham performance rate? Was it one of your best? It might give a bit of perspective to the doom mongerers on here. Although I'm fully aware that in asking such a question it would be easy for you to throw in a curved ball and say it was your worst of the season! But if you can, please give an honest answer.

The main thing that stuck out for me today is that Alsop won everything in the air ; your defenders couldn't cope with him. We have played better this season, and have lost....that's football.

I think your weakest link was Artel in the centre of defence.

[Harry]

Disappointing performance today. Didn't look like the players were up for it enough and 'expected' an away point with little effort. Cheltenham however looked like a team willing to fight its way out of the relegation battle by going for it, at least in their home games.

Sammy doesn't seem to have learnt from Wilson playing left midfield early on in the season. Play him there and he'll be tightly marked, not allowing him to play his attacking game. Starting at left back however he is afforded much more freedom to get forward and looks more threatening, whilst a more naturally attacking player (Duffy/Wainwright) can be used as foil. I'm sure Sammy will learn from this match though and make a couple of changes accordingly ready for Tuesday.

One positive though was the clubhouse under their main stand, no fancy dan malarkey with glass tables premium food and drink or a roaring open fire but a nice ambient area where fans can meet for a couple of pints before and/or after the game. Ideal facilities and I'd imagine we'll have similar at the Globe.

[campdave]

Can someone who was there let me know how we lined up in midfield?

[heysham_mfc]

match report
http://www.ctfc.com/page/MatchReport/0, ... 80,00.html

cheltenham manager comments
http://www.ctfc.com/page/LatestNews/0,, ... 06,00.html

[Heysham_Shrimp]

who was the player on the post when the first goal was scored from a corner with a header. He left it , thinking it was going wide and could have kept it out.

Will Haining is a fairly mobile player. How about using him as a holding midfield player to protect the back 4 and then bring Jim Bentley in to partner Arts ?

Is it time to give Darren Moss a chance at right back with Parrish playing left back and combining with Laurence Wilson ?

[Harry]

Can someone who was there let me know how we lined up in midfield?

Hunter - Stanley - Drummond - Wilson

[DTSJim]

Stanley was on the post for the goal if memory serves and really should have got in the way of a fairly soft header. Nevertheless, a free header from a corner is poor defending really.

Way I saw it today was that we weren't winning enough in the air, therefore I feel we should bring in Bentley, our midfield lacked guile and I feel we could have started with Duffy on the wing and Wilson sticking to left back where he has excelled this season.

I would say that Andy Parrish, who I've not been a fan of, was MOTM for me today, playing good positionally and also winning a good few 50/50s in the air. I think he's gradually bulking up which is key for a defender in this league, (Danny Adams may have taken that idea a little too much to heart) and is getting to be a better all round player. I think moving him to left back would be a mistake as he's still capable of a few mistakes positionally at right back.

Overall a poor display and I'll be hoping for an improved performance on Tuesday.

[Burnley Shrimp]

Having seen the highlights I really do wonder what Craig Stanley was thinking of when he gifted them the first goal. If you're defending the post the first rule is you make dammed sure you know where the post is! It's not difficult. Why the hell he swayed out of the way of the ball (quite clearly going inside the post) only he will know. It's really got me baffled after watching it several times I just can't work it out!

It must have really knocked the stuffing out of the rest of the team!

[morecambe mick]

match report
http://www.ctfc.com/page/MatchReport/0, ... 80,00.html

cheltenham manager comments
http://www.ctfc.com/page/LatestNews/0,, ... 06,00.html

Can't argue with their managers comments that they battled harder for the win.

[Martin]

I spoke to a Cheltenham fan before the game who implied that all we had to do to win was turn up.

He was wrong; that's exactly the tactic we employed and it didn't work!!!

[Keith]

well, I've seen us play worse...













...but I can't remember when!

Far too many players didn't turn up. Agree with the earlier comment that Parish was MotM as far as Morecambe were concerned. The midfield were all poor, frequently giving the ball away for free. No one wanted to shoot, at one point in the second half we just kept making passes in and around the edge of their penalty area until eventually they got a tackle in and cleared it. What happened to the Morecambe team that played Bournemouth and shot on sight? I think if Mullen had stuck his chance away in the first few minutes it may have all been so different.

But in the end, 2-0 flattered us