Mick Updates

[yeltz85]

What is apparent is that a lot of the players last night lacked the energy we have seen in previous seasons.

Jay Denny walked off the field last night and was apologising. If we play the constant long ball then how are we expected to play through the like's of Jay who is an experienced non league midfielder.

3-5-2 or 5-3-2 whatever we are playing is just not working. Numerous times last night when our defenders had the ball we had no where to go. Way too narrow on a big pitch.

Taking no credit away from Mickleover, they played football and worked hard.

[RaidenYeltz]

What is apparent is that a lot of the players last night lacked the energy we have seen in previous seasons.

Jay Denny walked off the field last night and was apologising. If we play the constant long ball then how are we expected to play through the like's of Jay who is an experienced non league midfielder.

3-5-2 or 5-3-2 whatever we are playing is just not working. Numerous times last night when our defenders had the ball we had no where to go. Way too narrow on a big pitch.

Taking no credit away from Mickleover, they played football and worked hard.

I'm at a loss as to why we played some good football early on in pre-season. Chasetown being a really good example. Great passing, good movement and end product. Calm at the back and playing it out and keeping the ball.

Why have we seemingly moved away from that and gone back to direct football? Direct football was ok last year, we knew it worked and it's what the players knew. Now we have brought in players who like the ball at their feel, like Denny, and completely negating their impact by not playing to their strengths.

I wouldn't be as kind to call it long ball atm. It's as if we're panicking and just clearing our lines. We don't have a Christie anymore, to hold the ball up and allow our three midfielders / two wing backs to get forward. It's worrying and frustrating.

[yeltz85]

I counted, we had 9 long throws last night. One of which caused Mickleover a problem.

The other 8 were cleared easily with no challenge on the ball.

[RobYeltz]

Had a little time to reflect since last night. It reminded me of the away game at Witton last season where we got well and truly beat. We came back from that and learnt a lot and came back stronger.
John has signed players from lower divisions and higher divisions and they're getting used to a very difficult NPL league. When he bought in players like Tonks, Tilt, Green etc he did it in a division lower so they almost had a bedding in season. Morrison, Cooper and Collins are going to have to learn quickly with the likes of Charles, Denny, Pearson etc stepping up a little more than we've seen. Only Hull, Sargeant, Bragoli, Griffiths and Connolly have played in the NPL before and on last nights showing Connolly ain't a wing back.
Much work to be done I think we all agree, and the players certainly need time. It's up to us as fans to support them as much as we can in this time, it's easy to support a team that's winning and playing good football but they need our support more after last night. Get behind the boys at Skelmersdale...

[Johnny Bud]

When discussing performances in early pre-season I think we have to remember the standard of opposition we were playing. Maybe it's going to take time to adjust to playing teams at 'our level'. I think it's going to take 6-8 games to really see where we are at. But, I am very concerned about the lack of chances we are creating.

[Yeltz27]

It's all very well keep saying in John Hill we trust. But he's the one that has signed these inferior players and sets the team up to play that way. We were dreadful for the last third of last season and it's now continuing. New players, new coach, but John Hill is the one remaining and it's still long ball and long throws. Eventually there comes a time when questions should be asked. The thought of watching another season of that is so depressing. It's ok saying get behind the manager and player, but they have to give something to shout about in return. I don't share the faith that things will miraculously just change

[HalesowenHarry]

The last two games have been very poor and JH has admitted as much (following on twitter, he's very honest). He turned it around last season, no matter the style, on the budget we had to finish 11th was pretty decent. But that final third of the season was poor to watch at times to say the very least (although, the Stourbr*dge win aside, we did only lose by a single goal in 6 of the 7 losses, and drew the other 8 ).

Which leads me on the fact that watching last night was similar to Witton last season (the same performance and score), but the big difference between last year and this is these players haven't just won us the league to get us into this division and so there's more pressure on them.
You'd hope he'd know as a club what to expect in this division now. I don't think he miraculously needs to change it too much, but I do wonder where our creativity is going to come from. A Neil McKenzie 20 years ago is basically what we're missing. But they don't grow on trees. Anyway, two games off for me now, so when I'm back we'll be top going into the Workington home game..........

[Dazzie76]

You only have to look at our team sheet and it makes you wonder where the goals are going to come from, thought we had lost all this long throw crap when Tonks left, if we are going to play this way fair enough sign players suitable for it (taller and bulkier) who can do some damage, myself i prefer to play with pace at the moment we have neither.

[dazzlingdazza]

It's all very well keep saying in John Hill we trust. But he's the one that has signed these inferior players and sets the team up to play that way. We were dreadful for the last third of last season and it's now continuing. New players, new coach, but John Hill is the one remaining and it's still long ball and long throws. Eventually there comes a time when questions should be asked. The thought of watching another season of that is so depressing. It's ok saying get behind the manager and player, but they have to give something to shout about in return. I don't share the faith that things will miraculously just change

If it was the same players you might have a point, BUT as you said new players, new coach, how about giving them a chance without writing them off already, we have played 2 games in the league, and yes I will continue to say In John Hill we trust and I am sure the very vast majority think the same.

Perhaps after 15-20 games if we are clueless and in the relegation zone then questions should be asked then, perhaps now is a little early.

[Yeltz27]

It's all very well keep saying in John Hill we trust. But he's the one that has signed these inferior players and sets the team up to play that way. We were dreadful for the last third of last season and it's now continuing. New players, new coach, but John Hill is the one remaining and it's still long ball and long throws. Eventually there comes a time when questions should be asked. The thought of watching another season of that is so depressing. It's ok saying get behind the manager and player, but they have to give something to shout about in return. I don't share the faith that things will miraculously just change

If it was the same players you might have a point, BUT as you said new players, new coach, how about giving them a chance without writing them off already, we have played 2 games in the league, and yes I will continue to say In John Hill we trust and I am sure the very vast majority think the same.

Perhaps after 15-20 games if we are clueless and in the relegation zone then questions should be asked then, perhaps now is a little early.

Fair enough and I accept your point. But I am placing quite a lot of emphasis on the dross at the end of last season so in my mind it's a continuation rather than it being a new season where you give 20 games to judge. With the exception of the Stourbr*dge game we are already approaching 20 games of really poor form. Me saying that might seem unfair but after the end of last season I think a few would have agreed we needed to get off to a good start after the results that we finished with. That might well materialise and I hope it does, but at the moment a lot needs to happen