in the know
Newbie⭐⭐
Always watch the players warm up, usually from close to the away team. I find you can see the type of game you're up against by the size speed and specifically the drills the opposition do. One particular drill today had 2 of their players opposite sides of around a 6yd distance. Properly smashing balls fast balls to the opposing player who sprinting forward had to lay it off first time back to opposing second player then repeat etc. All one touch. It was really very impressive and highlighted for me our weakness in quality. Our first touch barring Ralph moncur and bonne is awful. We end up taking so many touches either because the pass was poor or the first touch was bad. It's not hard for teams to press and close us down playing like this. I think it's down to the quality and inexperience of who we now have.
Secondly, we had no leader out there today. Ralph isn't naturally vocal anyway and collins lost his mojo at the noment. Kensdales gone leaving nobody to organise and lead at the back. What I saw lots of today was most of the players moaning at each other and questioning each other.
We simply aren't a 'team' at the moment. No cohesion, familarity, no practiced routines, no favourite one\two partners or drilled triangles. We're a bunch of 'all we could get' lower league left overs with a couple of left out experienced misfits thrown in the mix.
Its not kevs fault kensdale imploded and cards fancied more money, or Taylor's hamstring went or Cavs discs flared blah blah, but I think more management of getting the final yellow before suspension should have happened, I think something should have been done by now about the medical department (I use that term lightly!), I think when faced with our player availability problems this week it was questionable trying to continue with the same old style and formation when there's been no time to gel or players to utilise to do it. We had nothing to lose today by trying different things.
I think we hugely miss Dave Martin's experience coaching not just Collin but the back line too, which he was so good at. Had he and JDs contracts been discussed early and not just left to last, there was a high chance both would still be on the books as player coaches. Those two wouldve made a massive difference on the pitch in recent games.
Of course kev and co have done amazingly last season with all that went on. Luckily the threadbare squad we had were all close knit and 100% familiar with each other's games. Unfortunately what he has now as a threadbare squad is about as opposite to that as you can get. He's going to need every ounce of luck to have a half decent next month or two. I hope we get some injured players back, a handful of pens and some decent performances to regain conficence. But I feel it's going to take more than one week without a game to get any familiarity within the team.
Secondly, we had no leader out there today. Ralph isn't naturally vocal anyway and collins lost his mojo at the noment. Kensdales gone leaving nobody to organise and lead at the back. What I saw lots of today was most of the players moaning at each other and questioning each other.
We simply aren't a 'team' at the moment. No cohesion, familarity, no practiced routines, no favourite one\two partners or drilled triangles. We're a bunch of 'all we could get' lower league left overs with a couple of left out experienced misfits thrown in the mix.
Its not kevs fault kensdale imploded and cards fancied more money, or Taylor's hamstring went or Cavs discs flared blah blah, but I think more management of getting the final yellow before suspension should have happened, I think something should have been done by now about the medical department (I use that term lightly!), I think when faced with our player availability problems this week it was questionable trying to continue with the same old style and formation when there's been no time to gel or players to utilise to do it. We had nothing to lose today by trying different things.
I think we hugely miss Dave Martin's experience coaching not just Collin but the back line too, which he was so good at. Had he and JDs contracts been discussed early and not just left to last, there was a high chance both would still be on the books as player coaches. Those two wouldve made a massive difference on the pitch in recent games.
Of course kev and co have done amazingly last season with all that went on. Luckily the threadbare squad we had were all close knit and 100% familiar with each other's games. Unfortunately what he has now as a threadbare squad is about as opposite to that as you can get. He's going to need every ounce of luck to have a half decent next month or two. I hope we get some injured players back, a handful of pens and some decent performances to regain conficence. But I feel it's going to take more than one week without a game to get any familiarity within the team.
