Wigan Athletic (H) 01/01/18

[SteveRiches]

It was a better performance but with points the only commodity of value it was in that sense a failure. If the expected new blood starts to bring in points we have hope but it's going to be a massive ask. Essentially we need to spend the money now that we shall otherwise lose by being relegated.

[Vintage Cobbler]

No lack of effort but no cutting edge once again. We are incapable of putting a side under sustained pressure, so chances are few and far between and usually missed.  We are going to have to put together a very good run of results to stand any chance of avoiding the drop.

[guest2995]

Although we probably deserved a draw , it was another game in which too many of our players just didn’t do enough.
Grimes, Foley, Powell , Long , Hoskins , Crooks all could have done a lot more to influence the game .
No one really imposed themselves on the game in the way that McWilliams and JJOT did .
Our delivery into the front players was appalling and dead ball execution very poor .
Wigan weren’t great , but you don’t need to be against us because we give the ball away so much .
People seem to think we were okay in that game .
I don’t think so .

[Tabasco Kid]

Also, with a squad our size, I can't believe their isn't a single professional footballer amongst them who can't deliver a better set piece than Grimes. I'd rather have someone who can consistently deliver an average ball in than someone who might deliver a peach in 1 of 20 attempts but is godawful with the other 19!

To be fair, Jacobs consistently failed to get past the first man/near post from his corner kicks, during his time here.

[everbrite]

Although we probably deserved a draw , it was another game in which too many of our players just didn’t do enough.
Grimes, Foley, Powell , Long , Hoskins , Crooks all could have done a lot more to influence the game .
No one really imposed themselves on the game in the way that McWilliams and JJOT did .
Our delivery into the front players was appalling and dead ball execution very poor .
Wigan weren’t great , but you don’t need to be against us because we give the ball away so much .
People seem to think we were okay in that game .
I don’t think so .

Not ok but deserved a point!

[Irchy cob]

I suppose if you wish to find fault you will gleefully take the opportunity. I heard the interview and heard JFH dismiss the Howson rumour. What on earth makes you think she meant James Hanson who maybe training with us. Clueless opportunism.

What are you talking about you horrible little troll - do you even read the posts properly before you post your holier than thou judgemental drivel. I was only commenting on what your darling Caroline mentioned in the post match interview and as others have suggested it looks like she has completely mixed up howson with Hanson.

[Wolvo]

I think I'd just said 'Smith is really looking non-league at the moment', precisely one second before he was announced as the sponsors man of the match 

[TownOwl]

It was a reasonable performance against apparently the best team in the league, from a squad with the well documented failings.

I also don't get why Grimes is so undroppable.  I would have preferred Crooks to stay on as I thought he was doing ok, but I also understand why JFH decided he wasn't doing enough. I also thought McWilliams could have lasted longer. The set pieces from Grimes were awful, the crosses and the shot. Shame he can't learn from McGugan. Surely we have someone better and more consistent.

And as for Densley with the Howson link... Embarrassing.

[Charlatan]

I think I'd just said 'Smith is really looking non-league at the moment', precisely one second before he was announced as the sponsors man of the match 

I said the same thing!

[Irchy cob]

I said the same thing!

I think the majority of us probably thought the same - I said to my mate that he had one of those games when nothing goes right and then he got motm! Having said that radio Northampton were positive about his performance too so maybe it looked different from an elevated position.

[guest2995]

I think the majority of us probably thought the same - I said to my mate that he had one of those games when nothing goes right and then he got motm! Having said that radio Northampton were positive about his performance too so maybe it looked different from an elevated position.

The question is , would Buchs have stopped the cross that led to the goal ?

[Irchy cob]

The question is , would Buchs have stopped the cross that led to the goal ?

We'll never know. I'll have to wait until I see the goal again but I believe the suggestion is that McWilliams and smith failed to close Massey down for the cross and then Powell had a free header getting in front of Poole?

[Coolcat]

I was wondering why she picked a player I never heard rumoured. Did flummox Jimmy with the name. Horrific blunder if that’s what she meant.

Then when talking about McWilliams, JFH said along the lines of: "yeah, a great lad, did really well but he's young and ran out of steam"
Caroline: "Is that why you subed him?"

No, his mum was on the phone Caroline!  

[Manwork04]

The question is , would Buchs have stopped the cross that led to the goal ?

Not a chance he's so slow these days a real liability IMO
We desperately need a left back and a right winger as well as the couple of strikers.
As for Caroline Dimsley ........Howson    what can she do?

[Irchy cob]

Just remembered another radio Northampton classic from the post match - this time from Tim who actually seriously wondered if the reason Buchanan had been left out was because he was in line for a move to Sheffield united. When I heard that gem I nearly swerved off the road.

[Coolcat]

Take the claret tinted specs off!! It was the same aimless hoofball that we have seen for months. Wigan didn’t need to break a sweat and they did a professional job on us, came for the win and got the win.

We had a couple of glimmers of chances, but the flash ball across the box when our two forwards wouldn’t put themselves out to stretch for it, and the one Wigan defender made the clearance.

Did you notice Jimmy’s reaction when Crooks gibbed that challenge and then went down ‘injured’? That was the cue to get JJ on, and to be fair he put himself about.

Smith got roasted time and time again, where was he for their goal??

We are so lightweight, so toothless, so aimless and so rudderless....

Sorry, disagree. You don't know what gear they were in or how many they have! It's not you on the pitch or your energy levels. Unless you specifically ask Jacobs, Grigg, Powell et-al, you can't know! Their keeper panicked on several occasions, having to boot the ball out of play.
However, the most telling point to counter the fans' soundbite rhetoric of 'didn't get out of 1st, 2nd gear...' can be evidenced at the Kassam a week back. Wigan were 3-0 up by half time...scored another four in the second half!
Sound like a club happy to settle for 1st gear and a 1-0 win?

[guest47]

I got the impression from the JFH interview that he thought the Wigan game was a lost cause and he was keeping JJOT and Buchs fresh for Saturday's game against Southend.

[Manwork04]

Just remembered another radio Northampton classic from the post match - this time from Tim who actually seriously wondered if the reason Buchanan had been left out was because he was in line for a move to Sheffield united. When I heard that gem I nearly swerved off the road.

More like Sheffield FC, seriously Tims heart is in the right place but he talks soooooooooo much sh1t, I burst out laughing when he said that, he's still better than Dimsley though 

[DrillingCobbler]

Whilst I think we played alright against the league leaders, and were perhaps a tad unfortunate to lose (a draw would have seemed fair) - a big part of me thinks that because Wigan scored so early they just pressed the game management button, didn't need to take risks/bomb forward etc. Basically an initial attacking intent became a priority to contain. I wonder what would have happened if they'd nicked a 2nd goal, which they easily could have done amongst our handful of chances? We obviously will never know but what we do know is that we lost 1-0 and didn't force their keeper into one meaningful save once they had taken the league.

Smiths getting some flack but I thought he did ok, first 20 minutes aside. He *may well have contributed to their goal, not sure where the marker for their Wigan was! That said, there were 3 of their players queuing up to head in the cross so all round poor defending from the team. Same old…

Now I've said this before, I do not get this love in with Grimes. Id have played him on the wing months ago, where he used to play for Exeter (and excelled). A central midfielder he certainly isn't. His passing is atrocious, his set piece delivery is terrible (even allowing for them being 'risky ones') and he doesn't physically compete. Id be looking to end his loan tomorrow if its a possibility. Same as Poole….

I could understand the Crooks sub, he was a red card waiting to happen. And it was a toss up between him and Grimes who was the worse player. Didn't get the McWilliams one though. Fair play for switching Foley and Powell after 20 minutes, it improved us. Proactive management from the bench for once!

We will know on Saturday if we stand a chance of staying in this league. Lets see what Jimmy's 'name' brings to the party!

[The Rauldinho]

I don't think we were as bad as some have made out today, there was definitely more effort and fight about us than normal.

We played some okay passing stuff at times, then resorted to hoofing the ball up to Long when chasing the game late on. He did well up on his own, feel sorry for him that we don't give him much supply.

I felt Smith did well after a poor first fifteen or twenty minutes, put some decent balls into the box and was certainly no worse than Buchs has been lately. May do better if he can get a run of games. The rest of the defense were okay, Poole and Ash didn't look that comfortable with each other and Moloney seems to be picking up form again.

Grimes had a bad game today, his delivery and passing were poor. He was totally shown up by our own McWilliams, who should be one of the first names on the teamsheet from here on in as he actually seems to give a f***. Powell and Foley had decent games once JFH swapped them over, that's the first positive tactical change I can remember him making. Crooks was average but got stuck in, a little too hard which led to him going off. JJ was his usual self once on.

Hoskins tried in the middle didn't really work for me and I think chucking Rico on instead of McGugan was bizarre.

Maybe Wigan were coasting a little, but their fans seem to think we gave them a bit of a game so I'd be happy enough with that. If we have no fit and ready superstars signed up by Saturday then I would give this team another shot unless Pierre or Barnett are fit enough to play CB.