MATCHWATCH : Northampton Town (h)

[yuomi]

It wasn't great but seemingly for the first time this season it built on some of what had worked in the match before - and that's an improvement, right?

There's still too much hoofing going on, but we're playing the ball on the deck more. The thing we're noticeably still lacking is movement off the ball and runners trying to find/make space and/or take defenders with them. We ping the ball back and forth sideways because far too often no-one in front of the midfield seems to be doing anything, which makes it painfully easy to defend against.

Bar the moment where they let Wheatley have the freedom of RG2, I like the look of Williams and O'Connor as a CB unit. That was Jacob's best game so far, and Yiadom looked very good.

[Mr Angry]

Solid and deserved win.

Northampton are no mugs; Nolan has them very well organised and they had a threat with Fornah and Wheatley all night.

A clean sheet was excellent, and that stemmed from a really confident performance from Stevens in goal (whose distribution was intelligent and created opportunities, and to the CB partnership of Conner and Williams; if they can stay fit, that's our 1st choice central pairing.

We played some really nice one touch football, with Savage possibly having his best game of the season.

WiFi was a handful all night and deserved his goal for his work rate, but we did miss Marriott.

More encouraging signs after Cardiff that we are heading in the right direction.

[Sutekh]

Wasn`t intentional and the lino and ref agreed. comes under the category of seen them given though.

Speaking of the ref, she was very good again tonight.

Agreed. The game is so much better when it’s not stopped for every slightly questionable piece of physical contact. She was consistent with it and the game flowed as a result.

Most other refs in L1 would have made it into another terrible watch.

Kudos to her.

Same level as other refs in this division; no worse, no better. She (thankfully) made an utter **** up on the one decision she had. No doubt Northampton fans and management wouldn't want her back in a hurry.

[Linden Jones' Tash]

Could you summarise?

He blames himself for not being ruthless enough. Says that is not about being ruthless with each other inside the club. Towards the end he speaks very well abut the duty of care to treat people, players managers and staff, with dignity and to always remember they are people with families. Acknowledges it's a results based business, but has good arguments to mitigate the on-pitch problems.

Overall, if I could have written a ten minute speech for our owner to make that would reassure me it was this. He comes across so well.

I think Hunt is safe for now, but Rob says Hunt understands the way football works, which I think we all know means that eventually if you're not showing an improvement you lose your job.

Great thanks. Will try to have a listen later

Having been in countless senior leadership meetings, where words tend to be carefully chosen and often weighed with different meanings, my take away was:

we are 25% of the way into the season - results on the pitch are not where the ownership expected them to be - but there is 75% of the season to go and things can/need to turn around...

LW, JP and PoC were the key signings they wanted to make - only two 'major' signings were not concluded - one who went to Austria and another who stayed in the states. They are going to a tribunal regarding AM to get the optimal compo - the two 'young ones' who left to go to clubs in the same division did so to get game time that was not envisaged here...

Its a results business - NH doesn't need to be told this.

but a run of good results can turn everything around and RC is hopeful that this can happen

RC is conscious of the duty of care to employees and things will be dealt with internally...

My take on these last three points is:

The ownership are still very much aiming for a > 7th place finish...

Current form isn't what they expect - and if the team don't go on a run of results and climb the league, changes will be made swiftly without lots of leaks to the media...

[Sutekh]

He blames himself for not being ruthless enough. Says that is not about being ruthless with each other inside the club. Towards the end he speaks very well abut the duty of care to treat people, players managers and staff, with dignity and to always remember they are people with families. Acknowledges it's a results based business, but has good arguments to mitigate the on-pitch problems.

Overall, if I could have written a ten minute speech for our owner to make that would reassure me it was this. He comes across so well.

I think Hunt is safe for now, but Rob says Hunt understands the way football works, which I think we all know means that eventually if you're not showing an improvement you lose your job.

Great thanks. Will try to have a listen later

Having been in countless senior leadership meetings, where words tend to be carefully chosen and often weighed with different meanings, my take away was:

we are 25% of the way into the season - results on the pitch are not where the ownership expected them to be - but there is 75% of the season to go and things can/need to turn around...

LW, JP and PoC were the key signings they wanted to make - only two 'major' signings were not concluded - one who went to Austria and another who stayed in the states. They are going to a tribunal regarding AM to get the optimal compo - the two 'young ones' who left to go to clubs in the same division did so to get game time that was not envisaged here...

Its a results business - NH doesn't need to be told this.

but a run of good results can turn everything around and RG is hopeful that this can happen

RC is conscious of the duty of care to employees and things will be dealt with internally...

My take on these last three points is:

The ownership are still very much aiming for a > 7th place finish...

Current form isn't what they expect - and if the team don't go on a run of results and climb the league, changes will be made swiftly without lots of leaks to the media...

Do we know who the player that went to Austria was?

[yuomi]

Great thanks. Will try to have a listen later

Having been in countless senior leadership meetings, where words tend to be carefully chosen and often weighed with different meanings, my take away was:

we are 25% of the way into the season - results on the pitch are not where the ownership expected them to be - but there is 75% of the season to go and things can/need to turn around...

LW, JP and PoC were the key signings they wanted to make - only two 'major' signings were not concluded - one who went to Austria and another who stayed in the states. They are going to a tribunal regarding AM to get the optimal compo - the two 'young ones' who left to go to clubs in the same division did so to get game time that was not envisaged here...

Its a results business - NH doesn't need to be told this.

but a run of good results can turn everything around and RG is hopeful that this can happen

RC is conscious of the duty of care to employees and things will be dealt with internally...

My take on these last three points is:

The ownership are still very much aiming for a > 7th place finish...

Current form isn't what they expect - and if the team don't go on a run of results and climb the league, changes will be made swiftly without lots of leaks to the media...

Do we know who the player that went to Austria was?

Someone on twatter was saying it was this chap: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noah_Botic
And that the chap who stayed in North America was https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Owusu_(German_footballer)

[Royalwaster]

I watched Botic score against Rapid Vienna in the local derby game ... he looked alright.

[Snowflake Royal]

You don't get three separate "you don't know what you're doing" chants if you had a good game.

Given how thick, partisan and unaware of the rules many football fans are, this is a laughable statement.

[Royal Rother]

Wasn`t intentional and the lino and ref agreed. comes under the category of seen them given though.

Speaking of the ref, she was very good again tonight.

Agreed. The game is so much better when it’s not stopped for every slightly questionable piece of physical contact. She was consistent with it and the game flowed as a result.

Most other refs in L1 would have made it into another terrible watch.

Kudos to her.

Same level as other refs in this division; no worse, no better. She (thankfully) made an utter **** up on the one decision she had. No doubt Northampton fans and management wouldn't want her back in a hurry.

She made countless other decisions which allowed the game to carry on rather than creating the usual stop / start rubbish we have been endured in most L1 games.

All refs (particularly at this level) miss the odd thing during a game, but it's the approach to the game that helps make a decent spectacle.

Pundits are always bleating on about "it's clear the ref has never played the game..." - I thought she refd in a manner that suggested she HAD played the game.

Anyway, just my take on it.

[stealthpapes]

Thought we looked good. Would have been nice to score more - really wanted it to fall to O'Mahony tbh tbf.

[The Royal Forester]

16th

To all those who didn't take any notice of us who said "let's see where we are after we played our game in hand" and carried on moaning about being in the bottom four.
We told you so.

[South Coast Royal]

16th

To all those who didn't take any notice of us who said "let's see where we are after we played our game in hand" and carried on moaning about being in the bottom four.
We told you so.

Oh joy, 16th place in the 3rd division, let's get the flags out.
We have watched a lot of dross this season from our team and finally we have had a couple of games where we have been ok but not spectacular.

A cross from out wide and we score, surprise, surprise the team has discovered the oldest way to create a goal.
Why have we had to wait so long for this and not rely on worldies from Lewis Wing and snap shots in the box from Marriott?

Anyway, great result to give fans hope for something better and Hunt must be relieved that he stays in the job at least for a bit longer.

BTW with Williams, O'Connor , Stephens, Wing and Ritchie starting and Yiadom coming on are we now no longer to be referred to as a young side?

[morganb]

You don't get three separate "you don't know what you're doing" chants if you had a good game.

Given how thick, partisan and unaware of the rules many football fans are, this is a laughable statement.

You should try attending a match with a qualified ref then you would get a running commentary on how the on-pitch official is performing from another qualified professional's (slightly different) point of view.

General consensus was that she wasn't perfect by any means however we've seen far worse at the SCL.

And FYI he did join in with the "you don't know what you're doing" chants!

[Franchise FC]

16th

To all those who didn't take any notice of us who said "let's see where we are after we played our game in hand" and carried on moaning about being in the bottom four.
We told you so.

Oh joy, 16th place in the 3rd division, let's get the flags out.
We have watched a lot of dross this season from our team and finally we have had a couple of games where we have been ok but not spectacular.

A cross from out wide and we score, surprise, surprise the team has discovered the oldest way to create a goal.
Why have we had to wait so long for this and not rely on worldies from Lewis Wing and snap shots in the box from Marriott?

Anyway, great result to give fans hope for something better and Hunt must be relieved that he stays in the job at least for a bit longer.

BTW with Williams, O'Connor , Stephens, Wing and Ritchie starting and Yiadom coming on are we now no longer to be referred to as a young side?

Amazing what happens when the team has a core of defenders that the others trust
Apparently, it’s the very first time the CB partnership has been available this season … and, as far as I can tell, not because the manager wouldn’t select them

[Snowflake Royal]

You don't get three separate "you don't know what you're doing" chants if you had a good game.

Given how thick, partisan and unaware of the rules many football fans are, this is a laughable statement.

You should try attending a match with a qualified ref then you would get a running commentary on how the on-pitch official is performing from another qualified professional's (slightly different) point of view.

General consensus was that she wasn't perfect by any means however we've seen far worse at the SCL.

And FYI he did join in with the "you don't know what you're doing" chants!

I actually play regularly with several qualified refs. Least trustworthy players on the pitch generally.

One in particular I do occasionally ask for his view on some decisions. It can be quite interesting*

[jonnyroyal1871]

Interesting to see 3 of the 4 loans on the bench and the one who played easily replaceable by other options.

I liked the front line probably for the first time this season. Kelvin has his faults of course but I don’t think we can leave him out. With Kyeweera prob playing himself out the side and Ritchie injured, I guess Marriott will come back in and Kelv wide. But I actually would like Lane/MoM/Kelvin

We seemed to have a proper tactic of getting crosses in last night - you lose that option with Marriott up top really

Sorry it's almost laughable to suggest a fit Marriott doesn't start.

[South Coast Royal]

Interesting to see 3 of the 4 loans on the bench and the one who played easily replaceable by other options.

I liked the front line probably for the first time this season. Kelvin has his faults of course but I don’t think we can leave him out. With Kyeweera prob playing himself out the side and Ritchie injured, I guess Marriott will come back in and Kelv wide. But I actually would like Lane/MoM/Kelvin

We seemed to have a proper tactic of getting crosses in last night - you lose that option with Marriott up top really

Sorry it's almost laughable to suggest a fit Marriott doesn't start.

Nothing wrong with thinking" outside the box" and that is the area where Hound comes from in that Marriott does very little to link play.

With the limited choices that we currently have I would play him as I don't think MOM is much good at anything and Kelvin really isn't a central striker despite getting one of his rare goals last night.

[yuomi]

Interesting to see 3 of the 4 loans on the bench and the one who played easily replaceable by other options.

I liked the front line probably for the first time this season. Kelvin has his faults of course but I don’t think we can leave him out. With Kyeweera prob playing himself out the side and Ritchie injured, I guess Marriott will come back in and Kelv wide. But I actually would like Lane/MoM/Kelvin

We seemed to have a proper tactic of getting crosses in last night - you lose that option with Marriott up top really

Sorry it's almost laughable to suggest a fit Marriott doesn't start.

Nothing wrong with thinking" outside the box" and that is the area where Hound comes from in that Marriott does very little to link play.

With the limited choices that we currently have I would play him as I don't think MOM is much good at anything and Kelvin really isn't a central striker despite getting one of his rare goals last night.

Yeah for me, Marriott's nailed on because he's a nuisance in and around the box. Yes, he can't hold the ball up, but he's mobile, and he takes defenders with him.

Sticking my neck out, I thought MOM's cameo last night was better from him and he did well to get on the end Kelvin's cross. It was a tough chance and more a good save from the N'hampton GK than a miss for him.

[morganb]

Sticking my neck out, I thought MOM's cameo last night was better from him and he did well to get on the end Kelvin's cross. It was a tough chance and more a good save from the N'hampton GK than a miss for him.

He did look better and even though it wasn't obvious from 1871, after that attempt I received a text from my son who was watching from home saying "O'Mahony did a slide" (as having grown up watching the likes of Mark Hughes and Gary Lineker one of my bugbears is that modern strikers no longer slide like they used to,)

[WestYorksRoyal]

I think MOM played well at Wycombe too? I can see the raw ingredients, and I think he did everything right for his chance yesterday - fair play, great save. If it had gone in maybe it would have been the confidence spark he needed.

It's widely accepted that our opening 4 games or so were our worst, and he was in no way ready to lead the line. But not many strikers would have been. Marriott probably would have; an experienced striker well versed in being a nuisance and doing the basics. But I don't think any young striker would have done well.