Darlo Uncovered

First half Darlo were the better side and should have been ahead, perhaps even out of sight. The Southport keeper made some good saves but the Darlo forward line looked short of confidence. Plenty of chances created but not put away. Some fine football played by Darlo with Gillies putting in some great crosses, but the finishing touch was lacking. At times though there was a lack of anticipation from the players when Beck won a flick on and players getting in each other's way and running into the same areas as a team mate.

Second half, Darlo were asleep for the first 20 minutes and Southport could have scored 3 or 4 times. Yet both Southport goals were down to individual errors, hesitancy from Burgess for the first goal and Bartlett wrong-footed by what appeared to be a straight forward shot from distance.

During the match the formation was changed several times, players positions were changed several times, which definitely seemed to confuse the Darlo players and reduce the flow of the team.

Strange game really because Darlington didn't deserve to lose 2-0. At times they looked superb but the goals just aren't coming.

Portas looked excellent when he came on, whilst Syers in a deeper role doesn't look the same player.

Also I feel that Gillies and Thompson are luxuries, both look good when the team are playing well, but both disappear when the team needs them to dig in. I'm not sure both in the starting XI works.

Agree on the luxuries point, but it feels like Gillies produces a lot more often than Thompson at this level. I like Thompson, and he's been with us for so long, but he just doesn't seem as effective at this level.

Back to basics required formation wise. Still believe we can make the playoffs this year, but I think any grand ideas of automatic that maybe came about after the first couple of results were just that. Grand ideas, but ultimately unrealistic.

Thompson like some of our defenders have found there level unfortunately we need better to get promotion, I could not understand why some were given two year contracts when barely good enough for this league.Lets hope we can turn things around somehow.

ex-exile wrote:Thompson like some of our defenders have found there level unfortunately we need better to get promotion, I could not understand why some were given two year contracts when barely good enough for this league.Lets hope we can turn things around somehow.

Barely good enough for this league. We made the play offs last season you melt.

We threw everything at them in the last 10 minutes and I really thought we would score. I thought Bartlett was unlucky with the second-it bent wickedly!

ex-exile wrote:Thompson like some of our defenders have found there level unfortunately we need better to get promotion, I could not understand why some were given two year contracts when barely good enough for this league.Lets hope we can turn things around somehow.

No we don't, we need some more covered seats to get promotion.

Darlogramps wrote:

ex-exile wrote:Thompson like some of our defenders have found there level unfortunately we need better to get promotion, I could not understand why some were given two year contracts when barely good enough for this league.Lets hope we can turn things around somehow.

No we don't, we need some more covered seats to get promotion.

"Darlogramps in talking sense" shocker!
This is so much more important than anything on the field. Because if those seats aren't achieved and we finish in a play-off place, then the fall-out for the club, players, management and fans will be far far greater than last time's.
And unless the club has something up its sleeve in terms of completing Phase 2, then it's looking unlikely.


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don'tbuythesun wrote:We threw everything at them in the last 10 minutes and I really thought we would score. I thought Bartlett was unlucky with the second-it bent wickedly!

It bent but Bartlett was unsighted as well. Goal cam on the replay shows it quite clearly unfortunately.

QuakerPete wrote:

Darlogramps wrote:

ex-exile wrote:Thompson like some of our defenders have found there level unfortunately we need better to get promotion, I could not understand why some were given two year contracts when barely good enough for this league.Lets hope we can turn things around somehow.

No we don't, we need some more covered seats to get promotion.

"Darlogramps in talking sense" shocker!

I always talk sense. I just like baiting people as well.

But I completely agree with you (another shock) about the fall-out. We got away with it last year. We won't this time around.

Darlogramps wrote:

QuakerPete wrote:

Darlogramps wrote:

ex-exile wrote:Thompson like some of our defenders have found there level unfortunately we need better to get promotion, I could not understand why some were given two year contracts when barely good enough for this league.Lets hope we can turn things around somehow.

No we don't, we need some more covered seats to get promotion.

"Darlogramps in talking sense" shocker!

I always talk sense. I just like baiting people as well.

But I completely agree with you (another shock) about the fall-out. We got away with it last year. We won't this time around.

Spot on.

Whether we have the seats or not will be academic if performances don't pick up soon.

Darlo_Pete wrote:Whether we have the seats or not will be academic if performances don't pick up soon.

It might be academic for this season (although I still think we will finish top 7), but it won't be for the long term future of the football club

Darlo_Pete wrote:Whether we have the seats or not will be academic if performances don't pick up soon.

Incorrect - because having the seats mean that even without promotion this season, we can go into next season knowing with no uncertainty that our target is to achieve promotion. All attention can be diverted towards that - we can sign players giving them the guarantee of competition.

al_quaker wrote:

Darlo_Pete wrote:Whether we have the seats or not will be academic if performances don't pick up soon.

It might be academic for this season (although I still think we will finish top 7), but it won't be for the long term future of the football club

It.........
Yes I was talking about this season.