51 minutes ago, JoeB2 said:

The more I think about it, the more heartening it is that we can be within inches of an away point whilst only bothering to play for 45 minutes.

No cigar though.

You can't give yourself a mountain to climb every week and we will come up against teams who will deal with being two goals and a player up better than Rotherham did.

What we've learned is: what happens when we're on it, and what happens when we're even just a bit off it. Players and coaching staff alike.

2 hours ago, BradtheMiller said:

Some more images from today's game

Didn't realise you were sat with all the weirdos.

2 minutes ago, Santa said:

No cigar though.

You can't give yourself a mountain to climb every week and we will come up against teams who will deal with being two goals and a player up better than Rotherham did.

What we've learned is: what happens when we're on it, and what happens when we're even just a bit off it. Players and coaching staff alike.

This. Can’t start a game like we did, make mistakes, go 2 down and expect to get something out of the game. Yes the second half was more encouraging, but it had to be because we had to try and get something. 

17 minutes ago, darren1810 said:

With you on Debs. Apparently cos he's quick and young he's a prospect. Tie him down for years blah blah blah. 

An utterly abject first half from him. And it was literally a toss of a coin if he stayed or Smith. Couldn't keep both.

Found out big time already. As per 18 months ago. 

Did well v Bromley and Accrington though so all is good. 

45 minutes into a season. Good grief, mate. 

I do worry about folk.

7 minutes ago, Santa said:

No cigar though.

You can't give yourself a mountain to climb every week and we will come up against teams who will deal with being two goals and a player up better than Rotherham did.

What we've learned is: what happens when we're on it, and what happens when we're even just a bit off it. Players and coaching staff alike.

I can’t see us being that off it too many times. The first half was as poor as it’s been under Moore.

Just now, JoeB2 said:

45 minutes into a season. Good grief, mate. 

Nope. Consistently said it all last season along with a few others. Not jumped onto any bandwagon. 

He's not a League one defender whether he's 21 or 31, quick or slow. 

Never got the love in. I've never wavered in my opinion whether winning or losing. At least I'm consistent you could say. 

Just not good enough. 

8 minutes ago, JoeB2 said:

I can’t see us being that off it too many times. The first half was as poor as it’s been under Moore.

I think there were a good handful of times last season when we were under par first half, had a few let offs but kept the score at 0-0, and went on to win the game in the second half.

This league will be less forgiving.

At times it was as if nobody told the players they'd stepped up a league. We can't carry on doing League Two things in League One.

 

Edited August 2, 2025Aug 2 by Santa

Think myself, Powerline and Valiant 593 been often derided for our views on Debs. 

It's alright folk saying it's only 45 minutes. 

He lost his place last season as he turned to crap in a lower division. 

Of course he came back fantastically and gave some excellent performances, without which we may not of gone up.

However you cannot escape the fact much like Smithy, if we want to progress as a football club we need league one quality. Debrah isn't. Smith went, he stayed. Both limited players with a football. 

That's not based on 45 minutes today it's based on the previous relegation season and bits of last season. 

Negatives:

Debrah

Marosi

Croasdale

Our very very strange manager

 

Positives:

Ojo

Tolaj

The second half generally

The fact that we're a better side than Rotherham who I think could be in huge trouble

 

 

On on.

20 minutes ago, darren1810 said:

That's not based on 45 minutes today it's based on the previous relegation season and bits of last season. 

Yep totally agree here. He has until January ideally in my eyes to show that he can step up and has progressed, or the recruitment team are likely to be looking at replacements either then or end of season. Today wasn’t great, but there is time for him and he needs to sharpen up quick. I’d not judge so much on two seasons ago except to say he has something to prove that he’s gotten better since then under the coaching team. I’d like to think he has but maybe not enough yet?  
 

But regardless if we are ambitious and want to establish ourselves in this division and be at the right side of the table, you are not going to be seriously suggesting the likes of Jesse Debrah are at that level. Yet. 
 

I don’t think that’s being harsh or anything, but I do think we should be ruthless in our ambitions and not mollycoddle players or hang onto sentiment. 

9 minutes ago, Rory said:

Negatives:

Debrah

Marosi

Croasdale

Our very very strange manager

 

Positives:

Ojo

Tolaj

The second half generally

The fact that we're a better side than Rotherham who I think could be in huge trouble

 

 

On on.

I presume you put Croasdale as a negative due to him being on the bench and not his performance when he came on as I thought he was superb and him and Ojo bossed the midfield.  If we had played those 2 and Byers as a midfield 3 from the start, I have no doubt we would have got something out of the game, think the game was lost at 1.45pm when the teams came out.  Repeating what everyone has said before 343, we get overun in midfield especially at this level, was amazed when I saw it was going be Shipley and Byers as a 2, if you are going to have only 2, Croasdale is a must though I do hope we are back to a 3 man midfield on Thursday.

1 minute ago, valefan79 said:

I presume you put Croasdale as a negative due to him being on the bench and not his performance when he came on as I thought he was superb and him and Ojo bossed the midfield.  If we had played those 2 and Byers as a midfield 3 from the start, I have no doubt we would have got something out of the game, think the game was lost at 1.45pm when the teams came out.  Repeating what everyone has said before 343, we get overun in midfield especially at this level, was amazed when I saw it was going be Shipley and Byers as a 2, if you are going to have only 2, Croasdale is a must though I do hope we are back to a 3 man midfield on Thursday.

Thought Croasdale looked technically poor on the ball and it cost us a few times.

It was my opinion on today and not about him more generally. I think there's probably a time and a place for him at this level and I'm not sure that was it.

Croasdale changed the game

1 hour ago, JoeB2 said:

45 minutes into a season. Good grief, mate. 

 

I don't even think he was that bad. Yeah, he could have done better on their first goal. But that cross/pass took everyone by surprise, no doubt including him. He's the only one at the back who has a bit of pace and athleticism.