Losing the record might be a good thing...

[BlabyFox]

We seem afraid to attack in the worry that we might concede and lose the record.

Maybe if we lose the record then we will start playing more offensively?

Do you actually care about the record? I don't really care about it at all tbh. Draws aren't good enough even if they are extending a club record.

[tewkesbury-fox]

We seem afraid to attack in the worry that we might concede and lose the record.

Maybe if we lose the record then we will start playing more offensively?

Do you actually care about the record? I don't really care about it at all tbh. Draws aren't good enough even if they are extending a club record.

perhaps i think it may becoming a achilles heel,its making teams be even more determind to park a bus in front of goal,and nick one on the break,

having said that we do lack strength in depth,allthough im mystified why Gradel didnt get a start tonight

[Flynny]

I doubt any of the team have it in their minds. The record has already been broken, I don't see how it's a concern.

[Corky]

The record has nothing to do with us drawing matches, we are drawing because we aren't getting that deciding goal.

The players just want to win, the record probably doesn't even enter their minds.

[Legend_in_blue]

We seem afraid to attack in the worry that we might concede and lose the record.

Maybe if we lose the record then we will start playing more offensively?

Do you actually care about the record? I don't really care about it at all tbh. Draws aren't good enough even if they are extending a club record.

I disagree. We were afraid to attack last season. Not this season. And not tonight.

There was lots of endeavour out there, plenty of effort, application, desire, the will to win etc., but the final product, cross, pass... wasn't there.

We seem to be losing ideas when getting into good positions.

Gilbert is the perfect example. Willing runner, full of desire, great engine, always looking to get forward. Gets into the position and what happens? Terrible ball.

[Ultra]

But while the record survives, it gives Pearson, the Mercury and the happy-clappies the chance to excuse the dross we have witnessed in the last FOUR home games.

I'll still be mightily pissed off if it ends on Saturday, though.

[maddog]

The record has nothing to do with us drawing matches, we are drawing because we aren't getting that deciding goal.

The players just want to win, the record probably doesn't even enter their minds.

You must have seen us suddenly stop attacking with a few minutes left, i think they were trying to increase the record.

Losing a game may benefit us just like getting relegated seems to have done.

Its been such a weird season, we are top of the league by a long way with our longest unbeaten record ever yet it doesn't seem to feel like we are, dont think weve played that well, have we really earned such a huge league at the top through decent football

Lose a game, gives us a kick up the arse, we start playing with urgency and hopefully start winning games, especially the home ones, 4 draws in a row now.

[lildave3]

I care. I love saying we are unbeaten in 22 games.

[Super Arj]

couldn't agree with this thread more...

I believe the ghetto term for us at the minute is "pussy"...

[Stuliasz]

How can losing be a good thing under any circumstances? Some of the players seem a bit devoid of confidence as it is. A defeat is hardly going to help matters.

[syston_fox]

Whilst we remain unbeaten, we continue to pick up points and that's the main thing! We've hit a bad patch and are still not losing whilst our closest rivals are also failing to take advantage.

[Lovejoy]

Without meaning to sound like a miserable git, I think however we play between now and the end of the season, we really need to strengthen in the summer to compete next year.

[JoeyB]

I care. I love saying we are unbeaten in 22 games.

Whilst we remain unbeaten, we continue to pick up points and that's the main thing! We've hit a bad patch and are still not losing whilst our closest rivals are also failing to take advantage.

Exactly.

Our main problem i think is the fact that we are trying to walk it in, too often we get around the box and pass the ball once to much or hold onto the ball that little bit too long instead of shooting. You don't shoot you don't score.......

[Matt]

I'm not sure throwing money at the players would be a good thing or not but I think they need to be sat down told that they need to start performing just to get us over that finishing line because at the moment we are crawling over it and set a target of say 100 Points (Maybe that is abit ambition now? Maximum points we can gain would be 33, putting us on 108 for the season, so maybe 100 points is abit ambition i'm not sure :dunno) and should they reach that target dangle the carrot of a bigger bonus, as I said not sure just throwing money at it would be a good thing though - We want them to play for us and win for the us the fans, the club, and the team not the money.

[maddog]

I'm not sure throwing money at the players would be a good thing or not but I think they need to be sat down told that they need to start performing just to get us over that finishing line because at the moment we are crawling over it and set a target of say 100 Points (Maybe that is abit ambition now? Maximum points we can gain would be 33, putting us on 108 for the season, so maybe 100 points is abit ambition i'm not sure :dunno) and should they reach that target dangle the carrot of a bigger bonus, as I said not sure just throwing money at it would be a good thing though - We want them to play for us and win for the us the fans, the club, and the team not the money.

100 points looked certain 6 weeks ago for me.

Now its going to be tough.

Rekon we need 8 wins to do it now, 7 if we draw the other 4 and remain unbeaten.

[leftsideoverhere]

But while the record survives, it gives Pearson, the Mercury and the happy-clappies the chance to excuse the dross we have witnessed in the last FOUR home games.

When has Pearson ever "excused" below-par performances by reference to the record unbeaten run? I don't care what the Mockery says: I can't believe it has any impact on MM, NP or the team. So it's irrelevant.

And I'd rather be a 'happy clappy' than a miserable git who gets on the backs of my own team even when they're top of the league. Sure, we're not playing well, and it has been tough watching the last few games, desperate to see some spark of initiative or skill, and just feeling the frustration growing, but the idea that losing a game or two would be good for the team spirit is like something out of public school - the beatings will continue until morale improves!

What would be good for team spirit would be putting six past Cheltenham on Saturday, and then doing the same at Tranmere in midweek.

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

Losing the record could also just get the knee jerk bunch even more wound up.

[RAFRUDY]

We need to have a fooking shot at goal and not try to walk it in the net.

There keeper had a nervy start tonight,but he didnt have a save to make.

We should of been peppering his goal and made him work.

[Thracian]

We seem afraid to attack in the worry that we might concede and lose the record.

Maybe if we lose the record then we will start playing more offensively?

Do you actually care about the record? I don't really care about it at all tbh. Draws aren't good enough even if they are extending a club record.

There's no excuse. All Pearson needs to do is tell his team to go out there as if they've already lost the record and focus on scoring as many goals as they can.

At the beginning of the season I wondered who could stop us scoring two goals a game. Now, it's hard to see where goals are coming from because we have no width, no movement and no-one driving forward at pace from midfield.

Pearson has not developed our side at all. We've gone backwards since the first few games and the whole approach since just after Christmas has been pathetic including those cup games against Palace.

Apart from Walsall I don't think we've really committed ourselves wholeheartedly to winning one single game.

Pearson is typical of too many managers. He is so concerned with simply accumulating points and not losing that he seems to ignore his responsibility for giving the fans something to see and get excited about.

Several of our recent additions to the side have offered very little and certainly nothing by way of improvement and poor King, as the fulcrum is starting to suffer from having no movers around him offering pass and move opportunities. He needs some proper help.

Times I took a general look at the pitch tonight and the whole team was static. Any pass to anyone was going to leave the recipient trapped. Too many of the players look tired and that's the managers fault for not using them more sparingly and not having sufficient youthful energy in reserve and not using the little he does have properly.

Perhaps he should ring Sire Alex Ferguson up and beg for a lesson in squad usage and inspirational psychology.

Cos then our team might regain some zip and not be neutered by silly thoughts about silly records. We need to get back to what we were doing earlier in the season...closing down quickly and putting teams under real and sustained pressure by getting the whole team to give proper support.

Instead our current attitude was reflected in our reaction to scoring.

We stopped closing Stockport down quickly and instead conceded ground far too readily. At one stage Stockport were even playing the ball around their back four without a City player within 10 yards of them to the disgust of our fans.

I've rarely been so disillusioned. It was a sodding disgrace.

If Pearson can't send a team out with a determination to win by scoring goals and looking as if they enjoy their job then he's not the manager I hoped he'd be.

Five draws in six matches against perfectly ordinary teams, three of them at home, is no advertisement for this club.

Particularly when we're top of the League and have no reason whatsoever to be nervous or devoid of expression.

[Ultra]

I care. I love saying we are unbeaten in 22 games.

But what division is it in?

The record says more about League 1 than it does about us.

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

But what division is it in?

The record says more about League 1 than it does about us.

"You can only beat what's put infront of you," and all that.

[Ultra]

At home lately, obviously not..

[MPH]

I Just think the players are under no pressure to win ( 12 points clear) yet have too much pride to lose...

[Number 6]

There's no excuse. All Pearson needs to do is tell his team to go out there as if they've already lost the record and focus on scoring as many goals as they can.

At the beginning of the season I wondered who could stop us scoring two goals a game. Now, it's hard to see where goals are coming from because we have no width, no movement and no-one driving forward at pace from midfield.

Pearson has not developed our side at all. We've gone backwards since the first few games and the whole approach since just after Christmas has been pathetic including those cup games against Palace.

Apart from Walsall I don't think we've really committed ourselves wholeheartedly to winning one single game.

Pearson is typical of too many managers. He is so concerned with simply accumulating points and not losing that he seems to ignore his responsibility for giving the fans something to see and get excited about.

Several of our recent additions to the side have offered very little and certainly nothing by way of improvement and poor King, as the fulcrum is starting to suffer from having no movers around him offering pass and move opportunities. He needs some proper help.

Times I took a general look at the pitch tonight and the whole team was static. Any pass to anyone was going to leave the recipient trapped. Too many of the players look tired and that's the managers fault for not using them more sparingly and not having sufficient youthful energy in reserve and not using the little he does have properly.

Perhaps he should ring Sire Alex Ferguson up and beg for a lesson in squad usage and inspirational psychology.

Cos then our team might regain some zip and not be neutered by silly thoughts about silly records. We need to get back to what we were doing earlier in the season...closing down quickly and putting teams under real and sustained pressure by getting the whole team to give proper support.

Instead our current attitude was reflected in our reaction to scoring.

We stopped closing Stockport down quickly and instead conceded ground far too readily. At one stage Stockport were even playing the ball around their back four without a City player within 10 yards of them to the disgust of our fans.

I've rarely been so disillusioned. It was a sodding disgrace.

If Pearson can't send a team out with a determination to win by scoring goals and looking as if they enjoy their job then he's not the manager I hoped he'd be.

Five draws in six matches against perfectly ordinary teams, three of them at home, is no advertisement for this club.

Particularly when we're top of the League and have no reason whatsoever to be nervous or devoid of expression.

I think Pearson has a points target in his mind and I have no doubt he will get there. He is playing it safe yes but I am fairly confident that his 1 aim was promotion. If he gets us up then he has done his job. It's understandable that he doesn't want to try anything too out of the ordinary with our chairman. I don't blame him at all. He seems the kind of man who knows what has to be done and will carry it out, his way. If he gets us the title what more can anyone ask really?

With regards to last night, Stockport are a decent side. They have a very good away record too. Much softer sides will come to the Walkers this season. It seems a lot of sides are finding times tough. It's the time of the season where that there is that little bit more incentive. Teams at the bottom will be battling harder, and lots of teams will come to The Walkers and play for a point. Our form at thew moment is poor, but so is everyone else's. Peterborough lost 3-1 at home to Yeovil not too long ago and edged past L Orient 3-2 last night. We are not the only so called better team finding it tough and we still have the best home and away record in the league.

[harpendenfox]

There's no excuse. All Pearson needs to do is tell his team to go out there as if they've already lost the record and focus on scoring as many goals as they can.

At the beginning of the season I wondered who could stop us scoring two goals a game. Now, it's hard to see where goals are coming from because we have no width, no movement and no-one driving forward at pace from midfield.

Pearson has not developed our side at all. We've gone backwards since the first few games and the whole approach since just after Christmas has been pathetic including those cup games against Palace.

Apart from Walsall I don't think we've really committed ourselves wholeheartedly to winning one single game.Pearson is typical of too many managers. He is so concerned with simply accumulating points and not losing that he seems to ignore his responsibility for giving the fans something to see and get excited about.

Several of our recent additions to the side have offered very little and certainly nothing by way of improvement and poor King, as the fulcrum is starting to suffer from having no movers around him offering pass and move opportunities. He needs some proper help.

Times I took a general look at the pitch tonight and the whole team was static. Any pass to anyone was going to leave the recipient trapped. Too many of the players look tired and that's the managers fault for not using them more sparingly and not having sufficient youthful energy in reserve and not using the little he does have properly.

Perhaps he should ring Sire Alex Ferguson up and beg for a lesson in squad usage and inspirational psychology.

Cos then our team might regain some zip and not be neutered by silly thoughts about silly records. We need to get back to what we were doing earlier in the season...closing down quickly and putting teams under real and sustained pressure by getting the whole team to give proper support.

Instead our current attitude was reflected in our reaction to scoring.

We stopped closing Stockport down quickly and instead conceded ground far too readily. At one stage Stockport were even playing the ball around their back four without a City player within 10 yards of them to the disgust of our fans.

I've rarely been so disillusioned. It was a sodding disgrace.

If Pearson can't send a team out with a determination to win by scoring goals and looking as if they enjoy their job then he's not the manager I hoped he'd be.

Five draws in six matches against perfectly ordinary teams, three of them at home, is no advertisement for this club.

Particularly when we're top of the League and have no reason whatsoever to be nervous or devoid of expression.

Harsh. We destroyed Orient, beat Yeovil comfortably, then did Walsall. Okay so these are hardly giants of English football. Whilst the last four or five games have been disappointing this is hopefully just the second blip in an otherwise successful season. We were static last night, though, and I've no doubt if we start running at teams again they'll descend into panic. I remember Morrison going on a 'mazy' run about half an hour in last night. It was like watching the Red Sea parting, even if his end product wasn't good.