Current Player Eastwood time's up

[RyanioBirdio]

If you watch it back - painful I know- he looks to pull out of the challenge - if he'd got part of his body making contact with the ball, he'd have cleared it - looks to me like he didn't fancy getting a whack from the Swindon player in the process.

Quiet little boys. We are so mentally weak and so lacking in any sort of bottle this season. After the steely doggedness we’ve come to expect from the way we compete in derbies under Wilder and Appleton, it’s difficult to accept. Eastwood literally jumping out of the way and letting the ball skip into an empty net really did epitomise where we’re at now. Most troubling, though, is that he knows what this game is about and has fought in a couple of those wars in the past. So what’s changed? Why did he mentally fold having stood up to the task previously? What has gone on to make that decision an option, let alone a reality? There is a huge problem with him which seems to be getting bigger and bigger, and whether it’s purely internal or whether it’s the product of a wider issue / conflict concerning all manner of other people isn’t really the main concern. Ultimately the guy is shot to s**t, but he isn’t the only one displaying signs of weakness and extreme vulnerability. It’s just that when he makes an error there’s nowhere to hide, and the results are more immediately catastrophic. But nearly the entire squad is at it. From the pitch to the dugout there is barely a set of balls between any of them, so while I can’t and won’t defend Eastwood and think he simply has to be dropped and ultimately let go in a few months, I won’t pretend that he’s our only major issue. The entire mentality is poor. Look at how many games we have won inside 90 minutes since Shrewsbury, across L1 fixtures and the two major cup competitions - the ones that aren’t just glorified reserve games. 16 league one games (playoffs included), three FA and Carabao cup games. 19 games total. Four wins inside 90 minutes. Fail to win tomorrow night and it’s a flat 20% win ratio across nearly half a season’s worth of competitive games. That’s our main issue, because that sort of record involves much more than the goalkeeper losing the plot.

There are deeper issues than one man between the sticks.

 

[Eaststanding]

Quiet little boys. We are so mentally weak and so lacking in any sort of bottle this season. After the steely doggedness we’ve come to expect from the way we compete in derbies under Wilder and Appleton, it’s difficult to accept. Eastwood literally jumping out of the way and letting the ball skip into an empty net really did epitomise where we’re at now. Most troubling, though, is that he knows what this game is about and has fought in a couple of those wars in the past. So what’s changed? Why did he mentally fold having stood up to the task previously? What has gone on to make that decision an option, let alone a reality? There is a huge problem with him which seems to be getting bigger and bigger, and whether it’s purely internal or whether it’s the product of a wider issue / conflict concerning all manner of other people isn’t really the main concern. Ultimately the guy is shot to s**t, but he isn’t the only one displaying signs of weakness and extreme vulnerability. It’s just that when he makes an error there’s nowhere to hide, and the results are more immediately catastrophic. But nearly the entire squad is at it. From the pitch to the dugout there is barely a set of balls between any of them, so while I can’t and won’t defend Eastwood and think he simply has to be dropped and ultimately let go in a few months, I won’t pretend that he’s our only major issue. The entire mentality is poor. Look at how many games we have won inside 90 minutes since Shrewsbury, across L1 fixtures and the two major cup competitions - the ones that aren’t just glorified reserve games. 16 league one games (playoffs included), three FA and Carabao cup games. 19 games total. Four wins inside 90 minutes. Fail to win tomorrow night and it’s a flat 20% win ratio across nearly half a season’s worth of competitive games. That’s our main issue, because that sort of record involves much more than the goalkeeper losing the plot.

There are deeper issues than one man between the sticks.

The one phrase that is entirely outdated now but never been more appropriate for this squad of players to adhere to is;
‘It‘s a man‘s game.’
They need to step up and play like it is.

 

[Teddydee1980]

Said it before on other threads, but didn't realise how much of a mental loss Mackie would be from the changing room. Saturday, with characters like him, the drive of someone like Brannagan, Mous not getting on the pitch for some reason, left us, as has been said, looking like boys against men. We not only lack the stones for it, we also seem to lack a bit of football intelligence. Such poor decision making by all three subs, defenders....and it goes through the side. The game started with Henry giving away possession on 2/3 occasions...sets a precident...

 

[Oxymoron]

If you watch it back - painful I know- he looks to pull out of the challenge - if he'd got part of his body making contact with the ball, he'd have cleared it - looks to me like he didn't fancy getting a whack from the Swindon player in the process.

More like he had a "Wembley flashback" and didn't want to make contact with the Swindon player for fear of giving away a penalty in stoppage time - would the flack for doing that be worse than what he's getting for leaving it and hoping for the best.....

 

[Oufcrealist]

It is time to bring in Stevens. I'm just worried that if things go wrong he'll go to pieces as well. He'll be under pressure and with one of the dodgiest defences we have had for years in front of him it doesn't bode well!!

 

[Oxymoron]

It is time to bring in Stevens. I'm just worried that if things go wrong he'll go to pieces as well. He'll be under pressure and with one of the dodgiest defences we have had for years in front of him it doesn't bode well!!

You do wonder if the decision to persist with Eastwood has as much to do with protecting Stevens as it has to the expectation that Eastwood could bury his demons. Replacing him with the understudy is effectively ending his Oxford career -possibly more. If the same lapses from our defence pan out in a similar way for young Jack, it could be the end for him as well.......

However, I think after Karl's comments that that time has gone.

 

[Thomas/Brock/Jones]

You do wonder if the decision to persist with Eastwood has as much to do with protecting Stevens as it has to the expectation that Eastwood could bury his demons. Replacing him with the understudy is effectively ending his Oxford career -possibly more. If the same lapses from our defence pan out in a similar way for young Jack, it could be the end for him as well.......

However, I think after Karl's comments that that time has gone.

Stevens is 23 ,looked confident this season more than ever and needs to be given a chance , if he does fail he cannot be any worse than Easty at the moment.

 

[Peterdev]

Stevens needs a few matches. Eastwood needs time to refocus.
We also badly miss Cam and players are not performing as they should.
I don’t think now is the time either to change the manager. He did very well last season only denied by the last game, with the slimmest of margins. Our recruitment hasn’t been the best and unfortunately we should have brought in a couple of loan players but unfortunately didn’t

 

[Victor1986]

Excellent post ryaniobirdio.

 

[Daviddidcotexile]

To be on the bench for a spell isn't the end. All players have spells where it goes wrong. A bit of respite refocus and who knows....

 

[Mad dog87]

I've defended Eastwood a lot recently, as he's been a great keeper for us, and I was hoping he'd rediscover that old form, but he's making too many mistakes now, and it's clear that he needs to be dropped to the bench, and Stevens should be given his chance with a proper run in the side.

Ideally, you'd like a strong, settled defence in front of him, to help him settle in, but our defence is a pathetic mess, which, thanks to Robbo's pig headed arrogance, won't be getting better anytime soon, so it'll be a baptism of fire for him, but a change of the guard is needed.

However, this is just one of a number of issues that needs addressing, throughout the team, and Robbo needs to have the balls to make some big, ruthless decisions, for the good of the team, even if that means taking a dent to his ego in the process

I won't be holding my breath...

 

[CheltenhamYellow]

I've defended Eastwood a lot recently, as he's been a great keeper for us, and I was hoping he'd rediscover that old form, but he's making too many mistakes now, and it's clear that he needs to be dropped to the bench, and Stevens should be given his chance with a proper run in the side.

Ideally, you'd like a strong, settled defence in front of him, to help him settle in, but our defence is a pathetic mess, which, thanks to Robbo's pig headed arrogance, won't be getting better anytime soon, so it'll be a baptism of fire for him, but a change of the guard is needed.

However, this is just one of a number of issues that needs addressing, throughout the team, and Robbo needs to have the balls to make some big, ruthless decisions, for the good of the team, even if that means taking a dent to his ego in the process

I won't be holding my breath...

Not a man who is prepared to dent his own ego, I’m afraid ....

 

[mooro]

Now we have the opportunity to keep the same back four and gorrin in place for a few games together then having Stevens in there as well shouldn't be a major issue.
It might have been tougher for him to come in when it was the mix and match defence we had a few weeks ago, but should be ok now.

 

[Junior_1]

Would love to hear from Wayne Brown on the troubles and issues Eastwood is going through.

He’s the GK coach and you’d like to think he’d have not only recognised the issue(s) he is going through, but then have sort the right avenues to get it bloody sorted one way or the other.

We know Robinson is not on mental health through his wife and Gary Bloom. So we have the people on place to help deal with that side if that is what’s bothering him and others for that matter.

 

[Ricky Otto]

I like Stevens but we can't be relying on him right now if we're serious about challenging next season.

Dont worry I don’t think we’re serious

 

[m]

Dont worry I don’t think we’re serious

I hope you're right Ricky, everyone's so serious all of the time at the moment. :-(

 

[Paul Cannell]

A win tonight'll perk us up no end

 

[Victor1986]

After Saturday's s**t show do you really think a win is likely? A draw would be a miracle IMHO.

 

[Witneyoldfella]

Take a 0 0 draw now with Stevens in goal

 

[Foley]

After Saturday's s**t show do you really think a win is likely? A draw would be a miracle IMHO.

Just trying to give a bit of perspective but he game before last we deserved a point away at Pompey in a battling performance.
There are plenty of surprise results in football every week (one of the reasons I love the game)
The bookies will have the odds about right, but if you are that certain of the result get a few quid on Ipswich.