Fan's View Fan's View N0.16 20/21 - Wigan away

Still a way to go before it feels "comfortable" watching the boys. The number of wayward passes and errors still causes alarm. Thankfully there was a change in the result although against better opposition (Tuesday?) I suspect it would all have been a lot more hair raising. Let's hope that confidence has been partially restored and with players getting to play in their more natural positions, performance improves as well.
 
I enjoyed that as usual Paul.
You suggested that you couldn't recall any team being this bad since we came back up to L1?
Off the top of my head Southend and Chesterfield? I remember my mate and I seeing us hammer Chesterfield away a few seasons ago commenting that they would struggle to stay in L2 the following season...
I have heard a few people suggest that we just need 4 teams worse than us this season. I am by inclination a glass half full person and just think that we have been very under par so far and yet we are still not in the bottom 4. I assume we will lose Tuesday, but if Taylor and Henry start playing a bit more like yesterday together with Obida ( who I thought looked class at times) we really should push up to half way.
 
I listened to the match and as longer the match went on without a goal I was getting concerned as the coverage suggested that we were dominating the game yet with no reward, I was dreading a last minute winner for Wigan
 
Thanks Paul. Still a very long way to go to a decent performance. Thankfully a win. But I think the result makes it feel we are better than we are. Lots of mistakes and wayward passing. We would have been punished by a moderate standard L1 side.
 
Good write up as always, Paul. I too enjoyed the warm feeling of a win and acknowledge that it was a far from perfect performance

But we’ve all watched enough football to know that things don’t change overnight. Tweaks and form will dictate things and I think we at least saw a move in the right direction yesterday. A proper looking defence, chances created and some showings of what we can expect from Obita when he’s fully match ready. We’re not the finished article but it was an improvement and playing a team as bad as Wigan ensured we had the perfect opponent to get underway.

I just hope KR uses this performance to recognise what we’ve all been saying - keep Clare away from RB, play Long there, play people in their best positions and get the ball into Taylor’s feet to get the best from him. It was a small step in the right direction.
 
I enjoyed that as usual Paul.
You suggested that you couldn't recall any team being this bad since we came back up to L1?
Off the top of my head Southend and Chesterfield? I remember my mate and I seeing us hammer Chesterfield away a few seasons ago commenting that they would struggle to stay in L2 the following season...
I have heard a few people suggest that we just need 4 teams worse than us this season. I am by inclination a glass half full person and just think that we have been very under par so far and yet we are still not in the bottom 4. I assume we will lose Tuesday, but if Taylor and Henry start playing a bit more like yesterday together with Obida ( who I thought looked class at times) we really should push up to half way.

I'd chuck in Bolton as well last year.
 
Great to get a win and calm the nerves and worries a bit.
There is a good footballing team in there somewhere still, but..
Eastwood is not improving, two clangors yesterday, one you refer to and towards end he should have collected ball on 6 yard box instead our defender had to hook it out for corner in panic)
Clare and Maguane are a liability in defensive areas. Clare was standing still, 5 yards away, when the Wigan player crossed for their goal. But I can see Clare being a good player in opposition half.
We do not have a captain. Henry a great player, but captain material?
Atkinson will be a very good player but he is raw at this level, and needs time to develop a stronger understanding across back 4.
In effect we had Kelly instead of Brannagan. Not comparable in any aspect. Things will improve when Cam is back.
We lack a bit of pace which KR teams rely on. I liked the look of Obita, but not got great pace.
Where is Cooper?
Is KR missing the calming influence of Faz, does he have too many assistants on matchday - Short, Mous, Wayne Brown.
 
We also shouldn't forget that Wigan also lost by the odd goal at home to ... Chorley. So while our performance was a definite improvement on Tuesday and there were some promising signs, we really shouldn't get carried away. Let's see where we are at this time next week.
 
Great to get a win and calm the nerves and worries a bit.
There is a good footballing team in there somewhere still, but..
Eastwood is not improving, two clangors yesterday, one you refer to and towards end he should have collected ball on 6 yard box instead our defender had to hook it out for corner in panic)
Clare and Maguane are a liability in defensive areas. Clare was standing still, 5 yards away, when the Wigan player crossed for their goal. But I can see Clare being a good player in opposition half.
We do not have a captain. Henry a great player, but captain material?
Atkinson will be a very good player but he is raw at this level, and needs time to develop a stronger understanding across back 4.
In effect we had Kelly instead of Brannagan. Not comparable in any aspect. Things will improve when Cam is back.
We lack a bit of pace which KR teams rely on. I liked the look of Obita, but not got great pace.
Where is Cooper?
Is KR missing the calming influence of Faz, does he have too many assistants on matchday - Short, Mous, Wayne Brown.
Cooper has personal / family issues and is back in NI for a few weeks apparently.
 
I'd chuck in Bolton as well last year.
Yes agree these, Southend and Chesterfield were awful too. I'd forgotten and made no effort to remember.
And look at the state of them now. Just shows what poor ownership can do to a club although I know very little about Chesterfield.
Bolton were in the Premier League 9 years ago. Now mid table in L2.
Southend are bottom of L2 with 5 points from 12 games.
Chesterfield were in L1 as recently as 2016/17 now fourth bottom of the National League.

There's always someone worse off.
 
We also shouldn't forget that Wigan also lost by the odd goal at home to ... Chorley. So while our performance was a definite improvement on Tuesday and there were some promising signs, we really shouldn't get carried away. Let's see where we are at this time next week.
But they have also beaten Portsmouth away too.
 
We also shouldn't forget that Wigan also lost by the odd goal at home to ... Chorley. So while our performance was a definite improvement on Tuesday and there were some promising signs, we really shouldn't get carried away. Let's see where we are at this time next week.
They also beat Portsmouth away though.
 
Indeed. In September - since when they have lost eight games! Chorley was two weeks ago. Although they have drawn with Tranmere (13th in L2) since.

I'm not saying it isn't encouraging (because it was), but the more 'optimistic' on here just need to hold their horses a little before declaring that the revival is a foregone conclusion. I'd like to see a little more before buying a season ticket on the positive bus.
 
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