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

[barton west]

I posted a couple of weeks back that the events of that week ( the loss of Cardwell and Kensdale, the injury to Miley) had turned us from an upper mid table side into one that might flirt with relegation. I was told to behave.
We are 17th.
It is said that you should wait for ten games into a season before you get an indication of how you’re doing, and how things are likely to go.
We are 17th, after 9 games.
If we lose on Saturday, we might well be lower.
I think the recruitment this season has been highly questionable. Compare Bonne, for example, with Fylde’s Haughton.
People have been unkind about Fylde, small club, not many supporters, no one’s ever heard of them, shouldn’t be in the same league as us. They played better football than us, were faster, more direct, quicker thinking. So we’re Sutton, for most of the game. Both deserved to win.
Am fed up with hearing: this player’s had no pre-season, that player’s not had many games, needs to get up to speed, needs to get used to how his team mates play, our training pitches have been poor, blah blah. The team in the first half at Fylde looked like they’d never met before,
The players recruited in the last six months are simply not good enough. I do not question Mayer’s tactics, although maybe the criticisms are justifiable sometimes. But I absolutely do question the quality of the players he has brought in.
No doubt I shall be told to behave again.

 

[Fitz]

It was one of the best times ever under Tilson until he was shafted by the scummer. Never should of gone.

Yes exactly and not wishing Maher anything but to turn this around and I have confidence he will. But Adam Barrett is very highly regarded at Millwall and will be back here one day I am sure! Chrissy Powell was massively unlucky.

After watching tonight's debacle on TV I am trying to reset my expectations. Boy do we need 3 points at Solihull!

 

[WillMay333]

And we have gained Moncur that would fit so easy in to any other team in this League.
He’ll be the next one to get tired of this dire football served up by Maher.
Goalkeeper loses us the game again but no mention of that?

if you want to blame Collin for that first goal, also blame the god awful defending from 5/6 in the box, not a single convincing central defender at the club

 

[ElliotAWS]

And we have gained Moncur that would fit so easy in to any other team in this League.
He’ll be the next one to get tired of this dire football served up by Maher.
Goalkeeper loses us the game again but no mention of that?

Genuine question: how is it Collin’s fault?

 

[fbm]

Wow... it seems the opinions on here are about as consistent as the team's performances.

This is the National League. We will play very well sometimes and very poorly sometimes. It's the way it goes. The better players play very well more often and that's what makes the main difference.

Tonight was criminal defending in injury time. The defending on Saturday in first half injury time was criminal.

Kensdale took some time to settle but after a season, he became rock solid. We had a real solid spine to the team, which has now been ripped out. Miley is the only one who will be back.

As much as I love Jack Bridge, he has done very little this season. In my opinion, we need an alternative.

Neither Bonne nor Pepple look like they are going to do anything yet.

Thank God for GSM, but it looked like he had a slight hamstring/thigh issue near the end of tonight's game. He battled on, but when it settles it wouldn't surprise me if it didn't need a couple of weeks rest.

Time to shuffle the deck I think. Maybe we miss Taylor in midfield... it may be an idea to try a 4-4-2 with a back four of GSM (or WInd), Crowther, Gubbins and Ralph, moving Taylor into midfield with Husin, Moncur and Bridge, leaving Pepple and Bonne up top.

Anyhow, we now have two toughish away games at Solihull Moors and Wealdstone before home games against Gateshead and Maidenhead. I'm not expecting more than 4 points from that lot, but you know what we're like; we'll probably get 9.

Keep the faith.

 

[palexander]

Agree recruitment has been so poor. On paper its easy to get excited by the likes of Walker, Moncur and Bonne. Alright, could argue Walker is unlucky, but tbf, hasnt looked good in the in the time he has had.

Bonne is still a few games away from being judged properly, but doesnt look good and signing someone basically with no fitness.

Similarly Moncur, tbf, he's looked decent - but again unfit and who knows how much better he could be.

Also, I've never seen a CB subbed so much as Gubbins. Ok, some of it is tactical, some not, but cant be good for confidence to get hauled off after an hour in most games as a CB.

Think we are bang in trouble honestly.

 

[LeedsSUFC]

Please please please, don't anyone suggest Gubbins plays in a back 4, let alone a back 5. He has to be far and wide one of the worst centre backs we've had in recent years.

I think Richard Taylor would make a better defender.

 

[GBJ]

First half I thought we started well & controlled the game. Moncur had plenty of space in the middle but very little movement around him & no pace beyond their defence, which often forced him to go back/square, which doesn’t play to his strengths. Bonne up front on his own did not work. Bridge scampering across the park did not work.

Fylde came back into it and finished the stronger. Poor goal to concede from our perspective. We didn’t stop the cross, nor did we get remotely near the second ball.

Second half we were much improved & had Fylde running ragged at times. We got a deserved equaliser but as we’ve seen time and time again, we couldn’t make our dominance pay. It felt like we didn’t want to take a chance, and too often opted for the easier pass, or one more touch, which slows our play and kills the momentum. Speed kills, yet sadly it’s something we desperately lack.

Towards the death and with us in desperate search of a winner, Fylde treated us to a couple of counter-attacking warnings. We didn’t pay much attention to them and eventually one paid off. A 25-yard potshot no less. It’d be nice for us to attempt one sometime, it would make a nice change from the usual trying to walk the ball in after 67 passes.

All-in-all this isn’t the humiliation some think it was. We’ve had far worse defeats in the recent past. A draw would have probably been fair although a win for us wouldn’t have been particularly unjust.

The manner of the defeat is concerning though. Once again, we are struggling to score goals. We have plenty of huff and puff, but very little end product. We haven’t been outplayed in any of the 7 games I’ve seen this season, but we haven’t looked like natural born killers going forward either. That is what is hurting us. Bonne is miles off it at present & Pepple won’t be prolific. With Waldron the jury is still out & Wood (who isn’t a striker) isn’t the answer either. All our hopes pinned on Walker, I guess.

In addition, lapses of concentration/professionalism before the HT/FT whistles isn’t acceptable at any standard.

Major work to be done.

 

[rigsby]

You're having a laugh.

I know he can do absolutely no wrong in SZs eyes, so I have to be careful - but classics like revealing "I actually think I might prefer Bridge out wide" like its some absolute massive tactical revelation just had me throwing up in my mouth.

Was a tough 90 mins listening for me.

It was tougher watching for 90mins.

 

[wiggy]

Genuine question: how is it Collin’s fault?

Well the goal he let in was a simple claim for most keepers from what I was watching

 

[fbm]

Please please please, don't anyone suggest Gubbins plays in a back 4, let alone a back 5. He has to be far and wide one of the worst centre backs we've had in recent years.

I think Richard Taylor would make a better defender.

There's no one else though.

 

[Sunnyshrimper]

Please please please, don't anyone suggest Gubbins plays in a back 4, let alone a back 5. He has to be far and wide one of the worst centre backs we've had in recent years.

I think Richard Taylor would make a better defender.

I never really had a strong opinion of him when he came on loan and played I think about 10 games. But this season totally agree, looks a very average non league centre half. He pinged a few straight out of play the other game. Genuinely thought it was deliberate so a teammate could take treatment

 

[palexander]

A 25-yard potshot no less. It’d be nice for us to attempt one sometime, it would make a nice change from the usual trying to walk the ball in after 67 passes.

Maher screaming "KEEP THE BALL" at any opportunity must eventually sap any creativity out of the players who want to try a high risk pass, or long shot.

 

[WillMay333]

Please please please, don't anyone suggest Gubbins plays in a back 4, let alone a back 5. He has to be far and wide one of the worst centre backs we've had in recent years.

I think Richard Taylor would make a better defender.

The only reason he came in, and i mean the ONLY reason is because he is left footed. Dreadful at defending but looks okay getting up the pitch.

 

[Shrimper4lifeCBS]

Just popped on looking for the Maher out poll?!

 

[Fitz]

Did anyone catch how many travelled?

 

[GBJ]

Powell was toast after Plymouth away, early in the season. Played for a draw when the win was there for the taking.

He got away with poor performances based on Ron and injuries.

What we need is the man management of Maher and the tactics of Sol. The fact that Sol won matches with Elvis, Gard, Rush, Clifford, Egbri, Kinali, Mitchnell Nelson in League 1 is quite an achievement.

Sol’s tactics?

I’d say they were terrible, but that would imply he had any to begin with. I know, I saw what his training methods were like.

No, those players earned those results in spite of Campbell, not because of him.

 

[LeedsSUFC]

There's no one else though.

Wind, GSM, Ralph. They could all drop back to be more defensive, when you have players like Wood and People on the bench who could start. Change of formations, if Maher wanted ()

Could even play a back 4, Gus - Taylor - Crowther - Ralph.

But we won't. And we will not leave Solihull with 3 points on Saturday.

Unless there is a big change out of nowhere, we are in big big trouble. Maher's northern win record is below 15% as our manager. We have Altrincham, Halifax, Rochdale and York all coming up before Christmas.

 

[blewbie]

I don’t think Maher going is the right call. They need stability. So many changes. Maybe there is not enough leadership in the team. I think Maher trying to overcompensate for lack of defence and attack at the same time. It’s impossible. If we play too attacking we might get more injuries which would hurt our shallow bench.

Thank the lort for Gus is all I can say

 

[thenobster]

Just popped on looking for the Maher out poll?!

Growing