That friggin Midfield diamond

We've been forced to play narrow, because our wingers are all too fat.

That formation doesn't give any protection to our full-backs, who let's face it, are not the strongest department in the squad.

End result, conceding lots of goals, especially at home when are looking to attack.

Having said that, centre backs were just as bad tonight.

Looked good going forward at times, but how many do we need to score to guarantee wins? 4 or 5 or 6 every game? We are nowhere clinical enough to score more than the opposition, some poor finishing tonight again.

 

I think a massive part of this is because of the fans. People say they have a right to boo and I guess they do if they want to but it has a hugely negative impact on our very young and inexperienced team. There's got to be a reason why we are so much worse at home than away. Travelling fans are usually much more vocal in a positive way. Oakwell can be a horrible place to be when we are drawing or losing. I have no desire to go to a home game again in the recent future as I hate it. Not because of the football but because of the general hostile feel of the place (which I know is a product of the football but it isn't actually that that gets me down).

 

I didn't hear much booing until we went 2-3 down, which is understandable.

When you are 2-0 up against a fairly average Lg1 team like Notts County, and end up trailing 2-3, I think people have a right to express their displeasure.

Can't imagine Danny was giving them a pat on the back when they filed into the dressing room either, probably a lot worse than booing.

Do well, get praised/cheered; Do poorly, get rollocked/booed. Such is life

 

There were boos around us when we were passing the ball about. "Get ******* rid" "Gerrit up field" "Boo, ******* rubbish Barnsley" - 30 passes later we'd scored. I'm not exaggerating, it was happening. And it was still happening at 2-0 when we tried the same again.

I can completely understand the frustration and anger at full time, but the lack of encouragement and support when we were playing such good football in the first half I don't get at all.

Does that make any difference to the way the team plays? I really don't know. We lost for a number of reasons tonight: poor finishing, a team set up to attack but with a lot of inexperience in key positions when we have to defend, uncharacteristically poor defensive performances from Turnbull, Ramage and Cranie. I doubt the crowd made any difference, but I don't think it helps.

 

So you blame the fans but then admit to not going. Oakwell is no more hostile than any other stadium when the team is performing so wretchedly.

Have a look at their third goal and explain how the fans were to blame for that?

 

I don't think we are any worse than other clubs, it's football, you start playing poorly and you get some boos.

In fact our crowds are so sparse & quiet that the players probably wouldn't notice much. It's certainly not intimidating.

Get booed at Newcastle or somewhere similar and you'd probably be affected.

 

Absolutely, I can understand that and I don't have a problem with it. I don't do it, but like you say, you play poorly and you get booed, comes with the territory. My point is that there were boos tonight when we were winning and playing some great football. Not really a confidence builder that.

 

Ask everybodyt who I was in the Courthouse with, and they will tell you I said the very same thing. Go on, ask them.

 

Agreed, that's not very good if they were booing us winning! Heard a few FFS etc when we lost possession when we were winning, but not any proper boos.

 

Can everybody who was in The Courthouse tonight please confirm if Terry Nutkins said the very same thing?

Or reveal him as the fibbing scoundrel that he no doubt is?

 

A very valid point this. The diamond games us great movement and flexibilty going forward but offers zilch protection for the full backs when opposition wingers are running at us. Pretty football is great to watch but no good if we're losing games and sliding towards the bottom 4. The priority has to be clean sheets and becoming hard to beat. You build a team from the back but every manager we've had since Adam was a lad doesn't seem to get that. We've been a soft touch for more years than I care to remember.

 

I'm not fibbing...

I generally offer my thoughts for a penny but you ******* nicked them. You ******* thieving fcuker.

 

I stole and recycled those beautiful thoughts and made them my own. I'm like Wombwell's version of Noel Gallagher, but football tactics-based instead of music, which let's face it is not going to sell out Knebworth. Or The Reform.

 

Yep [MENTION=6703]BorderTerrier[/MENTION]

I've also just found out that their wingers have ebola and that was the reason why we didnt want to get near them so it didnt matter who was playing full back or what formation we played.

Its pretty poor tactics by Notts County in all fairness.