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Re: Altrincham V Darlington

Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2018 5:41 pm
by divas
There is absolutely zero game management which is why we’re constantly conceding after scoring and can’t see a game out. TW even admitted the players he signed don’t know how to manage games. Until that changes the same thing will continually happen

Re: Altrincham V Darlington

Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2018 5:51 pm
by LoidLucan
I've been saying this for months til I'm blue in the face but I'll say it again. We've got a manager who can get us playing flowing attacking football for spells of games but cant organise and set up a solid, tough side to grind out wins. It's blindingly obvious and it won't change until we have a manager who knows how to do that effectively. For now a one or two-goal lead will never be enough whoever we are playing.

Re: Altrincham V Darlington

Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2018 6:13 pm
by Darlopartisan
LoidLucan wrote:I've been saying this for months til I'm blue in the face but I'll say it again. We've got a manager who can get us playing flowing attacking football for spells of games but cant organise and set up a solid, tough side to grind out wins. It's blindingly obvious and it won't change until we have a manager who knows how to do that effectively. For now a one or two-goal lead will never be enough whoever we are playing.
So what’s AW’s role in all this ? He was a very good defender, he has the knowledge he’s got to know what needs doing.

Re: Altrincham V Darlington

Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2018 6:16 pm
by al_quaker
A point away at one of the promotion challengers is not a bad result. It sounds like the loanees have at least given us a spark going forwards, although the same old faults at the back are still there seemingly.

I’m going to look at things optimistically - we’ve gone away to 2 of the best sides in the division and competed. Will however count for nothing if we don’t start winning games against teams further down the table. And our next 2 games are of that nature. 4 points minimum needed really

Re: Altrincham V Darlington

Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2018 6:27 pm
by LoidLucan
TW's win ratio in league and cup this season is now 17.3%.... 4 in 23 games. York i think will probably beat us but surely defeat to Ashton will be a step too far.

Re: Altrincham V Darlington

Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2018 6:31 pm
by HarrytheQuaker
theoriginalfatcat wrote:
HarrytheQuaker wrote:
Ghost_Of_1883 wrote:Ordinarily 3-3 would be a good result.

Except we were 2 goals up again. Except all of the previous draws and defeats are coming home to roost.

So no, 3-3 isn't good enough. Just like the whole season. Just like the manager.
It's a great point yes we were 2 goals up but come on we haven't lost the game..Keep the faith we are improving

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk
Yes Harry, personally I’ll take that position too. We have had 5 loan signings in, now have some strength on our bench, and it sounds like today all our players put in a good show. Hopefully the lowest point of our season was reached two weeks ago.

Come on Darlo - let’s smash York.
Some people on here God are doom mongers give the lads some credit for a battling point at a promotion chasing team

Re: Altrincham V Darlington

Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2018 6:39 pm
by LoidLucan
I think some people just have a more realistic assessment of TW's capabilities in producing enough wins to keep us up.

Re: Altrincham V Darlington

Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2018 7:07 pm
by Darlogramps
HarrytheQuaker wrote:
theoriginalfatcat wrote:
HarrytheQuaker wrote:
Ghost_Of_1883 wrote:Ordinarily 3-3 would be a good result.

Except we were 2 goals up again. Except all of the previous draws and defeats are coming home to roost.

So no, 3-3 isn't good enough. Just like the whole season. Just like the manager.
It's a great point yes we were 2 goals up but come on we haven't lost the game..Keep the faith we are improving

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk
Yes Harry, personally I’ll take that position too. We have had 5 loan signings in, now have some strength on our bench, and it sounds like today all our players put in a good show. Hopefully the lowest point of our season was reached two weeks ago.

Come on Darlo - let’s smash York.
Some people on here God are doom mongers give the lads some credit for a battling point at a promotion chasing team
Why do they deserve credit for throwing away a two-goal lead yet again?

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Re: Altrincham V Darlington

Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2018 7:13 pm
by bga
LoidLucan wrote:It was a spirited battling performance but god knws how many goals we will have to score to win a game. We were undone down the flanks yet again.

TW's triple subs after 64 mins didn't help our cause, we conceded seconds later and spent much of the second half on the back foot desperately trying to hold on. Again gave them too much space, stood off and invited pressure.

We also caused their defence a lot of problems in the first half but as said the old weaknesses remain which means we dont look solid enough over the full 90 minutes to win a game. However
Saunders came v close to nicking it near the end. Galbraith had a superb game at the back.
Could not fault the effort from the 14 who took the field and we played some good football in patches. Entertainment value was excellent. However in 54 years of football I have never seen a more stupid decision than to make that triple substitution when "The Management" did, especially as we had a player down being treated for an injury. Did TW & AW not even think to wait a few seconds to make sure the player was ok?...…………….No they didn't and of course they scored seconds later. Game Management from the Dugout non-existent again.

Re: Altrincham V Darlington

Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2018 7:53 pm
by Comfortably_numb
Looking from afar, the loan signings appear to have helped. Am sure we'd have been humped 3-0 had this game been played before the loan signings had come in.

But the loan signings....its TW having his hand forced. He's admitted he'd have not preferred to go down this route.

Something will else will have to happen to force TW and AW into fixing the defence inadvertently - injuries or suspensions will dictate this rather than their input. Am really surprised with AW on board that we can't fix the defence - it's the easiest area to manage - get defenders organised, knowing their job, safety first etc.

Glass half full for me. We're at least scoring and potent up front. Fix the defensive errors - and TW / AW onkybhave this to focus on and hopefully we turn defeats into draws, draws into wins..

I think the players will take more from this result than us. As a group they will take comfort we have an attacking threat and from this confident breedss

Re: Altrincham V Darlington

Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2018 7:53 pm
by Beano
Another instance of our own substitutions changing the game for the worse - I can't fathom it.

A much improved performance but indicative of our season as a whole; we can more than match anyone in short spells but cannot deliver over 90 minutes.

Re: Altrincham V Darlington

Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2018 8:02 pm
by 50 years
Saw some excellent football today, the team looked confident and first half we looked dangerous every time we went forward, with lots of effort and some great skill shown, and the whole team put a shift in. We struggle at the back with high balls as other teams seem to be able to out jump us with ease, will always cost us this season, but maybe we missed Hughes.

Team came out early again for the second half so had to stand around in the cold, but it was noticeable that a few of the loans were doing warming up routines, while the others just seem to stand. Altringham came out and did a little running routine to get warmed up, reminding me of the Telford game, and something you would have thought our management team would have picked up on?

Second half not quite as flowing, (would love to hear the half time talk), as few real chances for us and Altringham were putting us under pressure which I assume why the substitutions to go to a back 4, which didn't really work out in changing the flow of the game at that time.

Would have loved that header by Harvey near the end to go in, but overall a draw against a team that has been thrashing everyone at home lately is a good result. We just need to score 4 each game ;). Altringham were a very good team and we matched them for a lot of the game!!

The only thing that gets me is the throw in's, they are slow and we invariably lose the ball straight away, where Altringham hit there man every time with movement.

Re: Altrincham V Darlington

Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2018 8:24 pm
by Geordie Quaker
Darlopartisan wrote:
So what’s AW’s role in all this ? He was a very good defender, he has the knowledge he’s got to know what needs doing.
He clearly adds bot all. Based on his playing days and fitness coaching since, you would have assumed that as an assistant manager he would:

- Get the defense organised;
- Have them as fit as our opponents;
- Terrify the fuckers into playing with some physicality.

If he ain't contributing in those areas what is he adding?

Re: Altrincham V Darlington

Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2018 8:57 pm
by Darlofan97
LoidLucan wrote:TW's win ratio in league and cup this season is now 17.3%.... 4 in 23 games. York i think will probably beat us but surely defeat to Ashton will be a step too far.
And also, rather alarmingly, 2 of those wins came against teams reduced to 9 men.

I just can’t see us staying up, I really can’t.

Re: Altrincham V Darlington

Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2018 9:02 pm
by Darlogramps
theoriginalfatcat wrote:A “crap” team would of been well beaten though. Like at least the last 5 visitors to Altringham.
We've been well-beaten in plenty of games this season to more than counter-balance today. Good teams don't throw away two-goal leads.

Eight games without a win. Three points above the relegation zone. Four wins all season. Clutch at this one result if you want, but the season stats are abysmal.

For all TW's fanboys cheer "improvement", we've still conceded six in our last two games and taken one point. We can score all we want, but if we're needing to score three just to get a point, we're in trouble.

Re: Altrincham V Darlington

Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2018 9:12 pm
by theoriginalfatcat
“fanboy” :shock:

I’m not familiar with this terminology - care to elaborate....

Re: Altrincham V Darlington

Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2018 9:53 pm
by super_les_mcjannet
Well we certainly looked decent going forward but the same old problems defensively. At this stage other than trying to tighten up I would just leave us to play, at least it's entertaining.

If only we could have a few of these entertaining games at BM rather than away from home.

I just hope we get enough wins to keep away from the bottom three, but I don't have any faith in it happening.

Re: Altrincham V Darlington

Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2018 11:03 pm
by LoidLucan
I'd rather an ugly 1-0 win than an entertaining 3-3 draw when we were 3-1 up. We just need to win now however we get over the line but with a couple of home games coming our awful record of 2 wins in the last 16 at BM doesn't bode well. Most managers wouldn't still be in place with TW's terrible long-term record. But he knows that financially we can't take the obvious action.

Re: Altrincham V Darlington

Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2018 11:46 pm
by JE93
What to say. I can't discredit the players today. To a man I thought everyone of them put the effort in. They tried to do the right things although not always successfully but you've got to accept that at this level. We scored 3 decent goals. Impressed by Nelson, Saunders and especially the CM from Barnsley who put himself about well.

Unfortunately, the teams efforts we let down by the tactical ineptitude of our manager. They murdered us down the flanks. Every time they got the ball the got it to the flanks quickly and ran in the gaping hole behind our wing backs. Our Cm's looked constantly over run in the centre of midfield. And finally and most importantly how far do we allow opposition players to carry the ball before we engage them. Constantly today players were allowed to run into our 18 yard box before the defender tried to make a challenge. Triple substitution left us unorganized for a good 10 minutes and we struggled to recover.

I can't keep positive with TW. People will say it's a good point away to a side in form. But in truth we were 3-1 up. At BPA we were 2-0 up. At Leamington we were 2-0 up. All those games we got a draw. That's how you sleepwalk to relegation not converting points when they are in your hand.

Re: Altrincham V Darlington

Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2018 12:50 am
by piggy
Is Wright out of contract come the end of the season? I can only hope we manage survival then bid him farewell.

Re: Altrincham V Darlington

Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2018 9:11 am
by banktopp
Listening in to Darlofans radio yesterday with Liam Hughes on the commentary team, apart from being a natural and entertaining, Liam was able to analyse our deficiencies and see things that everyone apart from TW can see.
A caretaker player/manager in waiting and it won't cost us. Sack Wright now.

Re: Altrincham V Darlington

Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2018 9:32 am
by jjljks
Most people have picked up on some fundamental mistakes by the management already but it is the little things which are costing us points. If the lads can't / don't get to train together then arrange to get to the match earlier and do 20 mins on the pitch on game days. Granted this gives the opposition a chance to spy on us, but especially with 5 loanees, our team have got to learn about each other's abilities & limitations. Certainly don't send them out early for 2nd half as we obviously we're caught cold & not focussing (again). Substitutions need to be given more thought - when if ever have you seen all 3 being brought on at once by anyone in the upper professional leagues, especially when one of your players is being treated and did not wait to see if he was ok before making the subs? Throw ins - keep it simple by putting the ball down the line into space where our tricky wingers can run into. Opposition would usually be happy to concede another throw. It is not rocket science and we do have enough talent in the squad to keep us above the relegation slots, but we have to sort the defence NOW. 3 points against York would give us all a massive boost. Time also for the TinShed to get behind the team and support them in a positive manner for the full 90 mins.

Re: Altrincham V Darlington

Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2018 9:59 am
by don'tbuythesun
If I was a groundhopping neutral I'd have been ecstatic. What an effort from the players who deserved the applause at the end. First half we were great but we were all amazed at the triple substitution, especially with a player injured. Alty fans said that was why they got the draw. The second half was chaotic, so many bookings (10?) and to be fair they could have won 6-4. If Harvey's chance had gone in!...one of our crew said he'd take a draw at the start as they're scoring for fun. I'm not a TW "fanboy" but I won't abuse him or the team .Taking off your two excellent fullbacks is ridiculous when you're 3-2 up. Point proved when they scored almost immediately. Keeping the faith.

Re: Altrincham V Darlington

Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2018 10:08 am
by super_les_mcjannet
don'tbuythesun wrote:If I was a groundhopping neutral I'd have been ecstatic. What an effort from the players who deserved the applause at the end. First half we were great but we were all amazed at the triple substitution, especially with a player injured. Alty fans said that was why they got the draw. The second half was chaotic, so many bookings (10?) and to be fair they could have won 6-4. If Harvey's chance had gone in!...one of our crew said he'd take a draw at the start as they're scoring for fun. I'm not a TW "fanboy" but I won't abuse him or the team .Taking off your two excellent fullbacks is ridiculous when you're 3-1 up. Point proved when they scored almost immediately. Keeping the faith.
We were only 3-2 up, but your point still stood it was crazy.

It looked like he was only going to make 2 subs but done it whilst a player I presume Trotman was down injured, so then Trotman had to go off at the same time as a 3rd sub. Not sure why Wright didn't wait on the subs whilst someone was down, at least that's how it looked.

Re: Altrincham V Darlington

Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2018 10:10 am
by don'tbuythesun
Sorry, I amended that! As you said crazy. "We must manage games better" on the official site, should be "we must manage better"....but can he?

Re: Altrincham V Darlington

Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2018 10:13 am
by en passant
banktopp wrote:Listening in to Darlofans radio yesterday with Liam Hughes on the commentary team, apart from being a natural and entertaining, Liam was able to analyse our deficiencies and see things that everyone apart from TW can see.
A caretaker player/manager in waiting and it won't cost us. Sack Wright now.
Although I didn't listen in yesterday I can quite understand that Hughes would be worth listening to. Having heard his views in interviews and had a chance to speak with him briefly, he seems to be in a better position to captain the side than the attacking players chosen by TW. And you may be right that he has seen enough of football and of life to know how to handle himself in management, but that may have to wait.

As to the match, again I can only speak from the reports, but I think that had we been offered a draw beforehand we would have willingly taken it. Taken as an end result against their previous home record, you would be impressed until you see that we led by two goals just before half time. I see some who are full of praise with the attacking flair of the side and the equal disappointment that having got into such a good position and with half time approaching they couldn't manage the situation. It appears that the team almost achieved a similar result in the last away game against opponents with a similarly excellent home record. Against some positive signs the team is still uncomfortably close to the relegation zone, and the fear that in order to get another win we would have to score more than 3 goals is a disturbingly high threshold to hope for.

Last year we had similar problems when TW was bedding in and trying to find the balance between attack and defence, but back then he had the excuse of taking on a sinking ship and having to find ways to build on some situations that he had inherited. He also had Styche and Heaton to provide the outlet up front that could nick a goal in an ugly win and the rock in defence to allow us to hang on to results. This year, with a clean sheet to start from, we have gone from confident playoff hopefuls to shaky relegation fodder, and the loans we have made may give the dog a bone for Christmas but it will solve nothing if we cannot relearn the lessons of last year. Start with defence and make it sound, give them cover when we lose the ball, and get it forward, quickly and accurately to give the forwards a chance against teams that pack the defence. It appears to be simple but ever so difficult for the team to manage. It does appear strange that with over a year at the helm that the management still seem to want to play it differently and throw in the odd curve ball (like three substitutes to mess up the team flow when holding a narrow one goal lead). You sometimes feel that TW is some kind of mad but ingenious scientist looking to make the perfect football team, but constantly putting the bits together in the wrong order and ending up with Frankenstein's monster.

Re: Altrincham V Darlington

Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2018 10:15 am
by super_les_mcjannet
don'tbuythesun wrote:Sorry, I amended that! As you said crazy. "We must manage games better" on the official site, should be "we must manage better"....but can he?
I don't believe he can, in fact I have given up on Wright, largely stopped listening to his interviews and just watch the match now in the hope the players can pull something together and get us a few wins.

I enjoyed yesterdays game, we looked a threat and were entertaining enough, other than that we look like we just send 11 players out and hope they produce something.

Re: Altrincham V Darlington

Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2018 10:44 am
by tdk1
Where was Joe Wheatley yesterday?

Re: Altrincham V Darlington

Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2018 12:41 pm
by LoidLucan
Looking at the highlights Altrincham's second goal is a classic example of how easy we are to score against. Trotman is beaten on the flank far too easily and is very half-hearted in trying to block the cross. Their scorer has two Darlington players going up with him for the cross, the one at the front being Burn who should have got something on it but the ball sails over him and lands straight onto the scorer's head right in front of goal. Nice early Xmas present and it was a vital goal just before half-time to give them every hope of rescuing it in the second half.

Nicholson's goal looks even better second time around.

Re: Altrincham V Darlington

Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2018 1:32 pm
by Wiseacre
A good result ? A good performance definitely but badly undermined by Wright's cack handed management - he doesn't deserve the effort those lads put in for him - and us. Moaning about him is a waste of time now but I've noticed a few posters raising questions about Alan White. Why don't they get a defence ? I once questioned their common sense unkindly but you have to wonder. It's hard to credit the loss of two points several times now after we've led against decent teams by two goals. I think the players can keep us up in spite of this pair. York are beatable as well - just let the Quakers play and pack the defence once we've scored a second.