Post-Match Thread and Ratings AFC Fylde 2-1 Southend United

[Smiffy]

Several times Kev mentions the need to "get bodies in" and "we know what we need"....But here we are, still light. This isn't the first time he has said this either.

He sounds very frustrated at the speed things are going in the transfer department. Does he need COSU to relax the purse strings a little, so he can bring in the players he feels can turn our fortunes around? or does Kev and Co. need to somehow get a tune out of what is currently available?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1836306665320190199

 

[OldBlueLady]

Three main differences from last season, the loss of Kensdale, Cardwell and Fonguck and we look like a very disjointed side. I'm beginning to hope we can manage a mid-table finish because, the Eastleigh performance aside, we look very average at best.

Fonguck?!!!

 

[Target man]

Really don't know what is going on with the team. Sure losing Cards and Kens seems to be having a big impact and we seem to be struggling to find our way, but some things are obvious, that being Bridgey is not being used at his most dangerous on the left. Feels like round pegs in square holes at the moment. Sutton was a bad loss and making just one change didn't work. Kev deserves the season to get it right, but does need to think about changes. That means playing a system that works for these players, not picking a system they seemingly cannot respond to against weaker sides. 9 games in, there's been enough signs his favoured system is vulnerable.

 

[Barling Magna]

Fonguck?!!!

Yes, Wes was quick and pulled defenders away from Harry. So did Powell come to that. Of course Wes couldn't shoot for toffee but he is missed.

 

[Barling Magna]

Not sure what Kensdale has done and tbh I don't care. Ask him to apologise, shake hands and get him back in the team!
Nile Ranger was given so many chances so why can't we forgive and forget when it comes to Kensdale?

There are enough clues around on SZ to give a pretty reasonable idea of what the idiot has done and his whole football career is threatened.

 

[Shrimpergonzo]

I left it until this morning to post because I was so frustrated last night and guessed that many others would be too.

My opinion is as follows.

Firstly, given we are where we are with the squad available, Kev needs to make the best from what resources he has available and is failing to do that by trying to accommodate players who don't play well together or in certain positions.

For example he tried to accommodate Bonne last night, not surprising as he's a decent asset for any club at our level. However he deployed him on his own up front which really doesn't play to his strengths - presumably because he thought he'd tire and Bim is our only other fit striker. He also seems to want to play Gubbins and Ralph which means Ralph has to go LWB and if he then wants to start Jack Bridge too Bridge has to play in the centre behind the striker - not his best position.

In my opinion this is not going to work and it showed in the first half yesterday - Bonne couldn't hold the ball up, Bridge couldn't play off him and too many moves broke down in the final third.

Kev needs therefore to play Bonne alongside Bim and get them working as a pair, which means dropping one of Bridge, Ralph or Gubbins. He is unlikely to drop Ralph (captain and one of our best players) so Gubbins or Bridge needs to be benched - frankly I don't care which, but he needs to judge which one potentially on a game by game basis.

Secondly, we are missing Cav Miley in front of the defence at the moment and Morton is the best alternative we have. I think he's been doing OK, he's not Cav but in some respects he's a more forward thinking player. Appiah-Forson is a permanent signing, highly rated and did well at Daggers last season - however he's a little guy and not really going to be best placed to be the midfield enforcer. I agree with bringing him on or even starting him - however not in place of Morton which means Husin has to drop back to play the role on his own, when he's only really been successful there alongside Miley. Therefore mistake number two is taking Morton off - if he wants fresh legs then Husin should go off or even Moncur (I'd definitely go the former). The only other option is to utilise Taylor in the midfield enforcer role but that means messing up the back three.

I think mistakes were made in the set up and the tactical changes. These are not bad players but they've not got a lot of confidence at the moment and need to be played to their strengths.

Last season for Kev was tricky because of the embargo and the shadow hanging over the club. This season looks like it's going to be tricky for other reasons and he needs to step up to another level because our fanbase is notoriously fickle and a manager who could previously do no wrong can fall from grace pretty quickly.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Watched on the telly, thought Fylde played really well to be fair.

We are massively missing Cav in midfield. Morton and Husin were both poor.

Simple question from me, Bonne was absolutely blowing out his arse, we were getting success down the right wing, so why was Jack Wood not brought on to try and exploit that space with Gus moving into the box more for his crosses?

 

[Gorgy21]

Strikers cannot score, defenders cannot defend and there is no creativity in midfield, apart from that things look good

 

[Liam AAS]

He sounds very frustrated at the speed things are going in the transfer department. Does he need COSU to relax the purse strings a little, so he can bring in the players he feels can turn our fortunes around?

This is an good point because COSU have been prioritising the takeover and are now looking at the medium/long-term sustainability of the club.

They will not want to fall into the trap of short-termism but you can see why so many owners/clubs do it.

 

[Taters123]

It does feel a little bit like we are someone’s B team at the moment with the number of players we are trying to get match fit at the same time and potentially trying to get everyone in the team which may not be the best way to set up.

Midfield needs more energy as it is clear from last 2 games that Moncur/Noor tired in the last 25 mins and teams have been able to cut through us easily. As others have said, we need to be more direct and less passes for the sake of passing.

I would like to see Ralph back at LCB AND Bridge back out on the left but we do need a mobile striker who is match fit to play up top.

Our pressing game has gone backwards with exception of Eastleigh as it does not look like we have the legs to do this for 90 mins

I am sure it will come good but we need to have a couple of signings who are ready to go and not have to wait several games to get up to speed.

 

[rlb999]

Last season for Kev was tricky because of the embargo and the shadow hanging over the club. This season looks like it's going to be tricky for other reasons and he needs to step up to another level because our fanbase is notoriously fickle and a manager who could previously do no wrong can fall from grace pretty quickly.

A few boos last night at half time and full time. Seems to be the norm these days when we lose 45 minutes of a football match.
Also, when we equalised, one lad's immediate reaction was to start kicking in one of Fylde's advertising hoardings. Where do we find these people? Take up boxing or something - let the anger out!

 

[palexander]

A note for everyone saying GSM will leave in January. I would say it’s unlikely. Clubs do not sign a right back for the goals they score, they sign them for the assists and crosses.

As good as Gus is and as loved as he is, he doesn’t look up when crossing the ball and his crossing is not consistent.

Honestly, I've been worried about posting the same comments recently.

I really dont think he's as good as most of SZ thinks he is. Our system allows him to get into good positions and he's usually coming in unmarked/unseen to get a far post tap in or a header (Saturdays thunderbastard aside).

He's confident and in good form, but the repeated calls to "put him up front" are embarassing. Suspect he'd be absolutely awful. Also, I dont think he's that good of a right back (although we've rarely seen him there, but just from his attributes). He's not that quick, seems to gas out after 10 mins of a match and dont think he's that good defensively.

That said, I absolutely love him and christ knows where we'd be if it wasnt for his goals this season (bottom 3 easily). But the talk of massive release clauses, leaving in Jan and sure I saw someone say he'd be on Peterboros radar in League 1 are way off the mark.

Hope he proves me wrong!!

 

[Welly7]

There is a lot to digest on this thread!

Maher has played a certain way since he got the job and that isn't going to change all of a sudden. Whilst it's admirable to see us try and play a certain way every game, I'm not a fan of only playing one way, primarily because it makes easier to formulate a plan to play against us. Pick any random games out under Maher's reign and the style, set up and methodology will be pretty much the same. Let's be honest, it's always going to be something the hit Kev over the head with when we're not winning - not so much when we are. To keep hold of the ball, play through the lines and work into the top third and continue to do this successfully to get consistent results AND performances (Eastleigh last week or anytime during our long unbeaten runs in previous seasons for example) is not going to happen. Why? Because we are a non-league team, not Manchester City - and that is a huge part of the problem.

We are attracting non-league level players - some on their way down and some on their way up. The ones on the way down may not be able to perform to a level that took them to the EFL anymore, hence why we can attract them. The ones on the way up cannot deliver the consistency of performance required and a real lack of consistency is always going to be the result over a long season. Of course, there are exceptions to this - Cardwelll & GSM and the former went for a very reasonable fee - but they are rare and that is the gamble when signing players who are stepping up a level. Unless COSU suddenly inject ridiculous money into Kev's transfer fund, it isn't going to change. Bemoaning Gubbins, Morton, Bonne and Colin because they are not giving us 7/10 every single week makes very little sense to me because it's unreasonable to expect that. These players are playing in this league for a reason.

Should we get rid of Kev if things don't improve over the next month or so? Not for me. He will never have another job with as much pressure as he has done in the last few seasons. The difference now is the expectations of the fans. Maher and the players are going to have to learn to manage that and as fans, we would do well to bring that expectancy (and entitlement) down a notch or two.

 

[palexander]

...Should we get rid of Kev if things don't improve over the next month or so? Not for me. He will never have another job with as much pressure as he has done in the last few seasons. The difference now is the expectations of the fans. Maher and the players are going to have to learn to manage that and as fans, we would do well to bring that expectancy (and entitlement) down a notch or two.

B B B But... we are massive and Fylde are a farmers team!?!

 

[wiggy]

He wouldn’t play the bodies to there full potential if he ‘got them in’

 

[Morty01]

We would've been 9th at this stage of last season without our points deduction - and we had injury crises back then

 

[Pak Power]

I'm going to say something that not a lot of people will like;

2 of the problems I can see are from our better players.

GSM brilliant going forward (and goals) but hasn't got the legs to get back and defend (which is what he's
supposed to do. Too Gung Ho at going forward all the time (choose your moments).
I'm not just talking about late in the game when he held his hamstring, he was doing it Saturday too getting caught too far upfield. I know a lot of you won't like it and will say if not Gus then who will score?

Moncur it seems that everyone has been told give the ball to George at every opportunity and let him create, well in all honesty I havent seen too much of it all opposition have to do is get a couple round him and stifle our play, let Husin play his game and don't just pass to Moncur all the time.

Opposition tactics for next game. Put two on Moncur , and wait til late in the game when GSM gets tired and attack then

 

[blues exile]

Simple fact is SUFC will never be a sustainable club all the while it remains in this league. The problem is nothing is guaranteed to achieve promotion whatever model is used but it is becoming clearer game by game that the present regime and players do not have what it takes to get us out of this hellhole. We have no divine right to regain EFL status and some serious thinking needs to be done by the new owners as to the way forward. No doubt they are under no illusions about the scale of the mountain to be climbed. The siege mentality was effective last year and the year before but that is now history.

 

[Clinton Baptiste]

Kensdale was the lynchpin at the back, Cav in the middle and Cards up top. With all 3 missing we look rudderless. No pace or trickery either to pull defenders out of position. Its all too easy for opposition managers to play us.

 

[dusterman]

A few boos last night at half time and full time. Seems to be the norm these days when we lose 45 minutes of a football match.
Also, when we equalised, one lad's immediate reaction was to start kicking in one of Fylde's advertising hoardings. Where do we find these people? Take up boxing or something - let the anger out!

It’s the coke mate.