MATCHWATCH : Lincoln City (h)

[AthleticoSpizz]

Parking Nazis have closed one of the gates from the greyhound stadium. oxf*rd knows why but it’s going to take hours to get everyone out of here.

Crowd’s getting fraught. One gate has been forced, padlock chucked in the bushes. Not moved.

Ah man. Getting stuck in the car park after being subjected to that shit would have finished me off.

probably the highlight of the afternoon

[WestYorksRoyal]

Tbh, it's not surprising we struggle to score when you look at personnel. I don't think Wareham, Ehibhatiomhan, Campbell and Camara would get into any other top half starting XI. Wing can be creative but sits deep and teams mark him out. Knibbs is a very good L1 player, but I wouldn't say he is creative. He's a workhorse and good finisher, but won't unlock a stubborn defence.

Retain Azeez and Smith and have Elliott available this is a genuine top 6 side. All comes back to ownership situation that 2 of these have left with no quality replacement. I guess Elliott's injury is one of those things teams just have to cope with, but you cope much better if years of mismanagement hasn't forced out other creative players and squad depth.

GK, CBs, and CM are genuine top 6 quality. The rest of the team really isn't; it's remarkable we are where we are.

[morganb]

Campbell was fouled half a dozen times today and every time the ref gave nothing

[Gunny Fishcake]

Classic Reading , big game , must win, lots on the line and we play arguably the worst game of the season. Shocking performance from Reading who were out muscled and simply outplayed. It must't be forgotten what this squad has achieved this season which is beyond miraculous , sadly , we're simply not quite good enough for the final push , but I sincerely hoped I'm proved wrong. Must win at Mansfield now then set up a grand day out for all of us going to Bristol Rovers

[Orion1871]

Campbell was fouled half a dozen times today and every time the ref gave nothing

Never do. The officials in this league let these physical teams like Lincoln get away with murder.

[Snowflake Royal]

He was the only one who was doing anything

Well yes, but its not helpful if its losing the ball 95% of the time.

[Snowflake Royal]

Campbell was fouled half a dozen times today and every time the ref gave nothing

Never do. The officials in this league let these physical teams like Lincoln get away with murder.

Nah he was just bullied physically. Ref got most of it spot on

[windermereROYAL]

Looking like Orient are the least shittiest team chasing the last play-off place.

[Hound]

Campbell was fouled half a dozen times today and every time the ref gave nothing

Never do. The officials in this league let these physical teams like Lincoln get away with murder.

Nah he was just bullied physically. Ref got most of it spot on

Tend to agree here - the one obvious one imo was the push in the back just before half time

[windermereROYAL]

Never do. The officials in this league let these physical teams like Lincoln get away with murder.

Nah he was just bullied physically. Ref got most of it spot on

Tend to agree here - the one obvious one imo was the push in the back just before half time

Yes, and they got a direct free kick just outside our box shortly after.

[Fox Talbot]

I just don’t know what Noel expects from a forward line of Campbell Wifi Camara but I don’t expect anything positive. Same as at Northampton, we create very few chances, the two wingers do zilch, then Wifi moves to LW which works very occasionally and Wareham battles without much effect.

Why not start Wareham, try Wifi on left, sub him for Garcia if that doesn’t work - Garcia’s run today more than anything Camara managed - and Knibbs on the right. Give Carroll a go in midfield, no real idea what he can do yet. Right now we have two wingers with no confidence or ability to take defenders on and it’s costing us.

[Hound]

Where’s Akande currently - still injured?

[Vision]

Is Akande injured?

He's raw and in any logical circumstance "not ready" but needs must. He does however possess explosive pace which could work from the bench especially on a day like today when we're creating nothing else.

Edit. Lol Hound.

[Snowflake Royal]

Thought the same as both of you but didn’t bother assuming injury.

[Crowbar6753]

We really are struggling to create chances at the moment aren't we!! Campbell has been really poor since returning and Camara has no threat to his play whatsoever!
We have done amazing to get to this position but we really need to find some goals if we're going to get to the play offs!! Wifi has to be moved to the left, he isn't a lone striker and does nothing up top.
I get that Noel is protecting Wareham however, he needs to be playing up top to allow Wifi to create on the left.
Maybe Garcia should be given a go wide left? He has the ability to get past his man and would be more of a threat than Camara, and would be less of a liability further up the pitch and maybe put Yids or Abrefa at LB.
Mansfield is now a must win game especially as the Gas have everything to play for and will be fighting for their lives and hopefully Orient will slip up against Wycombe who are hitting some form again.
I think there may be a few more twists and turns before the season ends.

[Greatwesternline]

We really are struggling to create chances at the moment aren't we!! Campbell has been really poor since returning and Camara has no threat to his play whatsoever!
We have done amazing to get to this position but we really need to find some goals if we're going to get to the play offs!! Wifi has to be moved to the left, he isn't a lone striker and does nothing up top.
I get that Noel is protecting Wareham however, he needs to be playing up top to allow Wifi to create on the left.
Maybe Garcia should be given a go wide left? He has the ability to get past his man and would be more of a threat than Camara, and would be less of a liability further up the pitch and maybe put Yids or Abrefa at LB.
Mansfield is now a must win game especially as the Gas have everything to play for and will be fighting for their lives and hopefully Orient will slip up against Wycombe who are hitting some form again.
I think there may be a few more twists and turns before the season ends.

There will definitely be more twists.

[Royal Ginger]

After I had calmed down from the coup d'état which got us out of the car park (it wasn’t pretty) which had accidentally been locked, I had a couple of thoughts on the game.

1- What a snooze fest
2- Charlie Savage had an excellent defensive game
3- They shit the bed every time at a high press
4- Everyone was so isolated stood a mile away from, each other. Lincoln worked in packs

[bcubed]

They're just the type of team we really struggle against - big tall thuggish, classic League 1 cloggers, wear t shirts and have no recognisable sponsor.

[leon]

After I had calmed down from the coup d'état which got us out of the car park (it wasn’t pretty) which had accidentally been locked, I had a couple of thoughts on the game.

1- What a snooze fest
2- Charlie Savage had an excellent defensive game
3- They shit the bed every time at a high press
4- Everyone was so isolated stood a mile away from, each other. Lincoln worked in packs

We've been doing 3 & 4 for the last two seasons. And it amazes me that Hunt and his team don't recognise that if they fixed 4 they'd have a solution for 3. There is no midfield and no movement as in possession everyone bombs up front. Campbell is permanently miles away from his right back and therefore, as usual, is of little use.

Wing or Savage or someone needs to drop into midfield to pick the ball up to beat the high press on the defence. But no, the ball just goes long and we lose possession.

[Hound]

I don’t really remember Lincoln actually pressing very high or hard or us having any issue with it. Some basic stuff from our goal kicks but they never really committed to it

More that sat back and put in a mid block which we struggled to get through - hence keep going backwards