Gas v Crawley MDT

You need to start putting emojis or something on your posts so everybody knows you're being sarcastic? 

We can’t press when we are carrying an unfit and overweight centre forward - no doubting he’s a great finisher but when we’re out of possession he’s a liability to the team. 

Like Akinfenwa or Harry Kane?

The stereotypical gane of 2 halves, thought we were really good 1st half lots of attacking intent, pressed well and the only negative was that we hadn't put the game to bed.
In fairness to Craeley they were so much better 2nd half but for some reason everything we did well in that 1st half we stopped doing.
In the end a game we should have had wrapped up we could easily have lost but I still can't get my head around the boos at the end. It's almost as if they just can't wait for any excuse, embarrassing

And 2 of those 8 games have been teams in lower divisions than us

Perhaps it's because we were rubbish in the 2nd half against a team very likely to be relegated, unless they finish about us! I'd have thought today was a must win for MT but it was Crawley who looked more likely to do that in the second half.  

I think there was a reasonable expectation we would get 3 points today. Didn't happen and we defended well to keep a clean sheet.

Dangerous times for a manager, gaps appearing on the terraces, crowd quiet, on a mild autumn afternoon. Winter coming, I'm just beginning to feel a period of stagnation around the place. Hope I'm wrong.
I wonder what points target the owners set for end of December.

FROM THE CTFC FANS FORUM.


Well, what a game in the end!

1st half, we were hesitant and their wingers caused us problems. With Forster not playing, Kelly was playing wide right and he just about dealt with Hutchinson, but that meant he didn’t get forward too much, so we didn’t have much threat down that side. Similar with RH-M on the other side.

Truman kept us in it with 2 excellent saves, because we didn’t really cause their keeper any trouble.

At half time, I was wondering whether we’d be able to hang on for the full 90 minutes, but 2nd half we were by far the better side and really should have taken all 3 points - if only we could hit the target. Pity Roles’ shot was his first touch, otherwise you’d expect him to score.

When Adeyemo came on, he went wide right and Kelly moved more to the middle, which made a huge difference, as did all of Elliott’s subs. At the end, we were running circles around them in search of the winner, rather than holding on to the ball for a draw.

The 3 lads at the back had an excellent game - we didn’t give the ball away, which must be a first for a while.

We need to play like we did second half for a full 90 minutes.

ps. I wonder how much the slope on the pitch helped us second half.

Just got back so FWIW:
Good first half when we should have won it comfortably. But if you don’t score then expect it to come back and bite you.
Connor T or Macca were my MOM followed by James W or Josh G. It’s really good to see how well CT is now playing. Always composed and when others in front gave the ball away he always came to the rescue. Well done him. I presume Macca was substituted because he must have been knackered after the shift he put in. 👍
Crawley looked good but until the 82nd minute they only had one shot to save but they could have won it. But in the final third they didn’t threaten too much until the last 10 minutes when they realised how poor we became.
If Scott S had just lifted the through ball over the keeper instead of trying to break the goal we’d have won and MT would be congratulated for his subs instead they seemed to make us weaker.
At least we didn’t lose and I think it just confirmed that we are big standard middle of the table at best and our central defence is looking stronger and stronger. Would probably have lost that in September. And Bryant Bilongo had a good game but I’m clutching at straws tbh.

On a positive note, a large party of us today, not all gas fans who were watching us for the first time and they loved the day. Want me, grandad, to get them the new third team shirts. They really liked them. Spent their money in the shop and really enjoyed the day despite seeing no goals. (Although they should be used to that supporting and watching Everton!) So not all bad.

UTG!