Thanks Kev - but is a new manager needed?

[Exiled Shrimper]

Aaron Mitchell​

eonpStdors056201t1g1f78tgfg5a1ia565827h1770ufa32h3c0lchf34ta ·

A more daunting stat. We having gained one point from being behind all season. The worst in the league.

View attachment 35647

Not entirely accurate. We conceded first against Wealdstone (D1-1) and Forest Green Rovers (D2-2), so that's two points, plus we scored first against Dagenham & Redbridge (h) but then went behind before drawing 2-2, so we've picked up 3 points from losing positions, which - I must emphasise - is still not good enough.

However, we've only lost 1 and drawn 3 (so dropped 9 points) from the 14 games when we've scored first. When we get ahead in games we largely control them; sure, we might bore some teams to death with our possession football, but we get on the front foot when we get in front, and we don't generally lose, with the Sutton United home match being the anomaly.

Personally, I think it's about confidence and belief, which we don't have because we've been so inconsistent this season. You can look at the Charlton and FGR matches as games where we fought back from being behind, but they were - especially in The FA Cup game - to a large extent free hits where the pressure was off and we weren't expected to do well.

 

[Liam AAS]

So how long exactly do we hold onto that?

That's a great question! Everyone is different. I think it's still relevant, others might not.

 

[kentblues]

Now that is a damning stat, I knew it wouldn't be pretty but didn't realise it was that bad. Especially considering the opposition usually only need a chance or two to score and we need way too many.

And yet in the form guide over the last 6 games we are still 4th with 4 wins and 2 losses. Of course if we want to be negative this will simply be ignored…well in fact it largely is…with three home games to come maybe that will get even better which likely will mean it’s ignored even more intently.

Yes in isolation the results if we concede first are not great, but it is one stat in isolation…

 

[getintoem]

Aaron Mitchell​

eonpStdors056201t1g1f78tgfg5a1ia565827h1770ufa32h3c0lchf34ta ·

A more daunting stat. We having gained one point from being behind all season. The worst in the league.

View attachment 35647

Yes, purely the result of not scoring goals.

Our ‘goals against’ compares very well with teams in the top seven places but the ‘goals for’ would have us down among the bottom six. Hence we are anchored in midtable. Glen Pennyfather made the point on Saturday that if you’re struggling to score goals your defence needs to be watertight to stand a chance of getting a result. However, our Achillies heel is defending set pieces, so we are not as watertight as required.

I know much has been written in various threads on the Zone about our lack of scoring and the reasons for it. I share the opinion of those who say our build up is too slow and the lack of pace we have in the side generally. Defenders at this level are not that great, so if a player runs at them with the ball he will probably beat them or win a free kick in a dangerous area. Bim showed how that was done and Josh Walker’s goal against Fylde too, we just don’t do it enough.

I hear Kev frequently refer to the high number of balls we get into the box. That stat is meaningless really though if the quality of the delivery is poor, or the potentially receiving player is either static or surrounded by four defenders, as is often the case. Balls into the box are more productive if players on the receiving end are arriving late from mid-field or the wings and that is demonstrated by how Gus has scored many of his goals. Maybe, if you have a target man, like Barry Corr who can knock balls down for an astute strike partner, the balls into the box are more meaningful. I don’t think we are blessed with the type of personnel who can win aerial battles at present though.

If we can overcome this goal scoring weakness we will be moving in the right direction, but I’m not convinced we have sufficient incisive skill in mid-field or instinctive finishing ability among the strikers. Time will tell I guess.

 

[mattytheshrimper]

And yet in the form guide over the last 6 games we are still 4th with 4 wins and 2 losses. Of course if we want to be negative this will simply be ignored…well in fact it largely is…with three home games to come maybe that will get even better which likely will mean it’s ignored even more intently.

Yes in isolation the results if we concede first are not great, but it is one stat in isolation…

Maidenhead - Lost (no goals scored)
Sittingbourne - Lost (no goals scored)
Fylde - Won (2 goals scored)
Daggers - Won (2 goals scored)
Barnet - Lost (0 goals scored)

Hardly fantastic form, not shocking but not exactly great either. Not to mention the three games we did lose were VERY miserable.

 

[kentblues]

Maidenhead - Lost (no goals scored)
Sittingbourne - Lost (no goals scored)
Fylde - Won (2 goals scored)
Daggers - Won (2 goals scored)
Barnet - Lost (0 goals scored)

Hardly fantastic form, not shocking but not exactly great either. Not to mention the three games we did lose were VERY miserable.

4 wins and 2 losses last 6 league games- but you prove my point. If you want always to make things as bad as possible you do what you have done there. TBF there are many who want to always present things to be as bad as possible- it’s almost as if we are now conditioned to only exist in a state of misery where the glass must always half empty- this is what the previous owner brought us to…part of his legacy

One day we will learn to look on the bright side again…many years down the line….:-)

 

[Che's Left Foot]

4 wins and 2 losses last 6 league games- but you prove my point. If you want always to make things as bad as possible you do what you have done there. TBF there are many who want to always present things to be as bad as possible- it’s almost as if we are now conditioned to only exist in a state of misery where the glass must always half empty- this is what the previous owner brought us to…part of his legacy

One day we will learn to look on the bright side again…many years down the line….:-)

As you say yourself, stats can be used in isolation to prove any point.

As you've also said, we as fans know nothing about football, so who cares what we all think eh?

Football, however, is a product. Forget stats. Forget tactics. If the people coming through the turnstiles aren't entertained, they won't come back.

Are the majority of fans entertained at the moment?

 

[Shrimper]

Maidenhead - Lost (no goals scored)
Sittingbourne - Lost (no goals scored)
Fylde - Won (2 goals scored)
Daggers - Won (2 goals scored)
Barnet - Lost (0 goals scored)

Hardly fantastic form, not shocking but not exactly great either. Not to mention the three games we did lose were VERY miserable.

11 goals in our last 10 league games with 4 against Ebbsfleet says it all

 

[Cricko]

11 goals in our last 10 league games with 4 against Ebbsfleet says it all

Just need that one more touch around the area and all will be perfick.

 

[ColinMorrisWalksOnWater]

Just need that one more touch around the area and all will be perfick.

You are Charlie Kendall and I claim my 5p.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

You are Charlie Kendall and I claim my 5p.

thought he played pretty well for the O 's on Sat,fwiw.

 

[tottenham541]

Give Maher a longer and bigger contract please

 

[Uncle_Rons_Teapot]

One swallow doesn't make a summer.

My opinion currently is still yes

 

[Avl1983]

Anyone know what upset Maher near the end? He turned round shouting and swearing towards (I think) the directors box but no idea why. He was still fuming at the final whistle.

 

[SeldomSeenShrimper]

Anyone know what upset Maher near the end? He turned round shouting and swearing towards (I think) the directors box but no idea why. He was still fuming at the final whistle.

Probably another Maher Out comment

 

[Snowy]

Probably another Maher Out comment

Shrimpet Steve shouting taxi.

 

[MisterStubbs]

I haven't seen anything from the game last night as was up for work at 2am this morning. Obviously very pleased with the win first and foremost and by all accounts, it sounds like the performance was very good as well. That begs the question, why can we turn it on every now and then against the better teams in the division and yet, look so poor against sides we really should be beating. The biggest job for Kev right now is turning us in to a consistent team and until he shows me that he is capable of doing that, I'm still siding on the out side of the argument.

 

[* ORM *]

The fence almost buckled with the weight of the flip floppers trying to jump back on it

 

[Fairport]

Anyone know what upset Maher near the end? He turned round shouting and swearing towards (I think) the directors box but no idea why. He was still fuming at the final whistle.

I was told last night that the whole COSU team was there, also Barratt and Tilly. Maybe he thought that the vultures were circleing putting him under pressure and that was his reaction. The commitment shown last night seemed to dispel the myth that he had lost the dressing room. However I am not sure his recruitment and methods are what is needed for success. There was an occasion in the first half when we were attacking, our back three were rightly marking the front two of Halifax. About ten yards in front of them were Morton and Husin marking nobody and about 25 yards behind the ongoing attack. Why on earth they didn't join in the attack sums it all up. Instead we had just 5 attacking players v 8 defenders. Teams like Halifax suit as as they play open football. We played well no doubt about it and it was a relief to see success from set pieces. The last goal was a common one where a team chasing the game late on left themselves wide open. Good finish by Kendall though. Despite all that I am still not convinced that Kev is the right man in the long term.

 

[NZamba Legend]

Darkness my old friend