Personnel or mentality?

[Aj1]

Got to look at the management in my view. To many examples of poor selection. For example how does Jenno get selected ahead of Raven? Our midfield Wedge is the safe bet, not unlike Rudders lots of running but no creativity, but plays every game. Rudderford, busy but contributes no positivity. Wright was good enough to sign ,but since then hasn't kicked a ball, Mackreth not even making the bench now, you can't tell me Deverdicks and Franks are better, the keepers been a problem all year, but plays every week, these guys aren't tactisions , it's the same ols same old every week, above all let's not loose, which will be interesting when we / if we get to the play offs, don't think you can draw your way through them !

[sparky]

Originally Posted by REDJB

It depends what they're being told what to do. I have visions of multiple clip boards,projector screens and videos constantly being shown. Players drilled and told where they should be when we don't have the ball...... too busy worrying about where they should be once our attacks break down than trying to break a neck and getting into the box. Its a lot easier to coach a team to not concede than it is to break teams down.

I imagine your right. I also imagine they are constantly reminded of the stat Darlington goes on about that something like 75% of teams who score first go on to win the game. One nil, job done sadly seems to be our mantra.

This club on the pitch can't get any lower so I just don't get the fear that we have played with over the years since that 98 point team (sorry pagl and yes I know budgets play a part). Apart from a purple patch under Mills the fair on offer has been shambolic from an attacking point of view and that's important because the last time I checked goals win your games.

I can't for the life of me see us going up so I just hope the first thing the new man next does next season, whether he be old or new school is throw away the shackles that have blighted our play in this league for far too long now.

[davewilli]

I don't think this run is necessary down to personnel, it is more phsycological. Despite not playing flowing football, our game has improved as we have gone through the season and there has been less and less games where we have been second best. We have had an extraordinary run of draws, which is costly in points, but isn't a massive worry as not losing games should only boost confidence. The big big worry is doggedness shown all season hasn't ensured we finish games strongly, we now surrender leads and don't score late goals.

People will argue we need better players but the stats show we have players doing the business, defensively no argument, Rutherford more assists than any Macc player ( a guess) and Holroyd more goals than any Macc player. We now have strength in depth and options in every position and with the forwards, we have, it's just baffling why we havent finished teams off when we have been on top.

Fans never agree with management on team selection, other than if a team has gone on a long winning run. Results like yesterday do happen and there isn't any more motivation than a perceived injustice of going down to 10 men, but the major worry is the outcome was a repeat of so many recent games. Successful teams are those who have the mind set to turn games around or nick late goals.

We have a novice management set up, dropped into very critical circumstances. Although they inherited players who in the main have worked hard for the cause and sitting 3rd with 6 to play, is better than we expected so all we can do is get behind the lads for these 6 cup finals. As the 12th man help the team overcome this phsycological barrier, secure a top 3 spot or in the very least a play off spot, as history will show the play offs, form counts for nothing and are anyone's who turn up on the day.

[pagl]

Originally Posted by davewilli

We have had an extraordinary run of draws, which is costly in points, but isn't a massive worry as not losing games should only boost confidence.

17 draws is no coincidence and it can be divided into 2 parts.

Personnel, the starting 11 has too many players that struggle to score goals as shown by how many Wedgbury, Rutherford, Kelly, Deverdics, Wright etc. have between them. Its a total imbalance.

Mentality, its obvious that tactics have been built around not losing rather than winning. Emphasised by how many goals we have scored and conceded in the last 10 minutes of a game. Don't know the stats but it cannot be good.

We also have the mentality of the management team when it comes to team selection and also use of substitutes.
Certain players have been bystanders for a few games now yet still retain their place in the starting 11 - quite bizarre.
Ainge brought in as a player that offers some thing different but not given the opportunity/time to provide that difference.
Raven sat on the sidelines for far too long despite his ability to fit into a number of positions, likewise Akil Wright given a 2 and half year deal and he continues to warm the bench which really is a waste of money.

DK took us forward with changes to the dressing room, minimum standards etc. but when is the coaching excellence of Darlington going to start showing. Pearson has been more of an influence than anyone recently.

[Redpensioner]

Can't argue with the above.

[billybersham]

Originally Posted by pagl

17 draws is no coincidence and it can be divided into 2 parts.

Personnel, the starting 11 has too many players that struggle to score goals as shown by how many Wedgbury, Rutherford, Kelly, Deverdics, Wright etc. have between them. Its a total imbalance.

Mentality, its obvious that tactics have been built around not losing rather than winning. Emphasised by how many goals we have scored and conceded in the last 10 minutes of a game. Don't know the stats but it cannot be good.

We also have the mentality of the management team when it comes to team selection and also use of substitutes.
Certain players have been bystanders for a few games now yet still retain their place in the starting 11 - quite bizarre.
Ainge brought in as a player that offers some thing different but not given the









































opportunity/time to provide that difference.
Raven sat on the sidelines for far too long despite his ability to fit into a number of positions, likewise Akil Wright given a 2 and half year deal and he continues to warm the bench which really is a waste of money.

DK took us forward with changes to the dressing room, minimum standards etc. but when is the coaching excellence of Darlington going to start showing. Pearson has been more of an influence than anyone recently.

Many fans are happy with mid table after four years of struggling,we are a top six budget and we should be in the top six,Keates did nothing special and bored me to tears with his football,i am sure Tranmere would not be happy with mid table football but as we have seen they are more ambitious than Wrexham fc.

[Foxy]

Originally Posted by pagl

17 draws is no coincidence and it can be divided into 2 parts.

Personnel, the starting 11 has too many players that struggle to score goals as shown by how many Wedgbury, Rutherford, Kelly, Deverdics, Wright etc. have between them. Its a total imbalance.

Mentality, its obvious that tactics have been built around not losing rather than winning. Emphasised by how many goals we have scored and conceded in the last 10 minutes of a game. Don't know the stats but it cannot be good.

We also have the mentality of the management team when it comes to team selection and also use of substitutes.
Certain players have been bystanders for a few games now yet still retain their place in the starting 11 - quite bizarre.
Ainge brought in as a player that offers some thing different but not given the opportunity/time to provide that difference.
Raven sat on the sidelines for far too long despite his ability to fit into a number of positions, likewise Akil Wright given a 2 and half year deal and he continues to warm the bench which really is a waste of money.

DK took us forward with changes to the dressing room, minimum standards etc. but when is the coaching excellence of Darlington going to start showing. Pearson has been more of an influence than anyone recently.

Pearson has been the biggest influence all season . Without him we would be in the bottom half of the table. If I was him, by this point I would be tired of carrying the whole club.

[billybersham]

Originally Posted by Foxy

Pearson has been the biggest influence all season . Without him we would be in the bottom half of the table. If I was him, by this point I would be tired of carrying the whole club.

Very true foxy,did we sell him the club by telling him we were bringing in quality players?

[Foxy]

Originally Posted by billybersham

Very true foxy,did we sell him the club by telling him we were bringing in quality players?

He won’t be here much longer. A club will come in for him and he will go. I half expected him to go in January because that’s what we usually do. Instead this year we excedeed ourselves by letting the manager go.