Post-Match Thread and Ratings Wealdstone FC 1-1 Southend Utd.

[CaptainSmudger]

 

[CaptainSmudger]

 

[Shrimp and two veg]

This incredibly poor assumption only works when you don't take into account intangibles like form, confidence, niggles, home advantage etc.

Unless you meant "3 or 4", in which case I retract everything I just wrote

Every club has those intangibles. I agree with Wiggy and we have given Barnet a tough game and dismantled Eastleigh who were flying, suggesting we have top 6 capability. Frustratingly, we aren't where we should be.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

The current tactic just isn’t good enough for promotion. Playing the lone defensive midfielder gives him too much ground to cover on counter attacks which continually gets exploited in the second half of games when him and the back 3 tire and can’t stay high whilst the attackers push forward leaving huge gaps.

For me after seeing how strong we finished the Dagenham game in the 442 pinning back a more rested team on the day, we got bridge and wood into far better positions and they put in multiple good balls creating chances in just a short spell, it seems crazy that isn’t considered an option or even trained at all

I love Kev, so please don’t twist trying to solve our problems as not being supportive

A word of caution: what works against one team playing one way won’t necessarily work against another team playing another way.

After all how we set up against Solihull worked well against them but wasn’t nearly as successful against Wealdstone. I think sometimes as fans we don’t think enough about how the other team impacts us.

We've had three consecutive weeks of playing Saturday and Tuesday, with almost the same starting line-up in every game. It's understandable that the performances haven't been consistent. We've now only got two midweek games in the next two months, so hopefully things will improve.

This is a really good point.

It’s not just about recovery time and freshness it’s about giving Maher time on the training ground to drill things.

When you’re playing Sat-Tue-Sat I’d expect training to look something like this

Sunday - recovery
Monday - light training ahead of match
Tuesday - match
Wednesday- recovery?
Thursday - full training
Friday - light training ahead of match
Saturday - match

With no midweek game you can get three times as many full training sessions done.

And I do believe in this coaching team as coaches. With time on the training pitch they have improved our shape and structure (remember the shambles that Phil Brown left behind and how much better organised we were after a couple of months). The likes of Bonne, Pepple, Moncur and Appiah-Forson however are all new additions who missed pre-season. Extended time on the training ground will help us build partnerships, play to their strengths and fit them better into the team.

 

[Liam AAS]

Every club has those intangibles. I agree with Wiggy and we have given Barnet a tough game and dismantled Eastleigh who were flying, suggesting we have top 6 capability. Frustratingly, we aren't where we should be.

The beauty of the league table is that is gives a measure of a club's standing at that point in time.

We have been inconsistent, given away sloppy goals, our best defender and best attacker are no longer available and have not yet been replaced and our most creative player is now being asked to perform a different role because of the situation.

We are EXACTLY where we should be.

 

[Holy Joe]

The beauty of the league table is that is gives a measure of a club's standing at that point in time.

We have been inconsistent, given away sloppy goals, our best defender and best attacker are no longer available and have not yet been replaced and our most creative player is now being asked to perform a different role because of the situation.

We are EXACTLY where we should be.

But equally it doesn't say (at least in Sept) where we will be come April/May time

 

[Liam AAS]

But equally it doesn't say (at least in Sept) where we will be come April/May time

Which is precisely why no one needs to panic yet.

 

[bluesfansince1952]

I did not watch the game.

One man's truth is another man's excuses so here goes:

This is a tough league to compete in;
other clubs care not we were founded in 1906 and have a large following;
there are few easy games and even less away from home;
four points from three away games in seven days will do me;
we are still playing catch up;
somehow we need to hang on and stay in touch until we have a full compliment and/or there are fewer mid week games;
grinding out results is not always pretty.

It may be my imagination but the NL of this season seems a good deal stronger than it was the first year following our relegation.

If, before the season started, someone had told us that going into October Miley Cards and OK would have barely played five games between them would our present league position and points total have been regarded as acceptable?

A cause for optimism: both of our last two goals were scored from inside the six yard box something no striker had managed so far this season. We will need more of that if we are to succeed.

Hopefully last night's injuries do not keep HT and NR out of action too long.

UTB.

 

[Rattus Norvegicus]

Every team has the occasional 'bad day at the office'. We've had three bad days in the last 5 games which is more than a blip so surely it's reasonable to discuss what is behind that without getting exasperated at anyone with a critical view of players, coaches, tactics or even the owners. The protracted sale, the disrupted training area refurb, the Kensdale affair and the injuries will all have had a negative affect but I don't think you can use contradictory reasons for poor form. On one hand defeats were explained as due to the players not getting paid. Then when they are getting paid it's because we've lost the siege mentality. A poor performance by a signing from part time football is because he needs a few months to adjust to full time football, then when our team of full time professionals need a last minute equaliser against a team of part timers with one win in eleven you can't express disappointment because this is the level we're at. It's starting to look like we can prepare for another season in this league and next season there will be a whole raft of new excuses. I'm in the camp that thinks it's too early to be panicking, changing coaches, 4-4-2 or any of that but I'm interested to read any view on how things could be improved.

As above - a balanced post I would say.

 

[londonblue]

A word of caution: what works against one team playing one way won’t necessarily work against another team playing another way.

After all how we set up against Solihull worked well against them but wasn’t nearly as successful against Wealdstone. I think sometimes as fans we don’t think enough about how the other team impacts us.


This is a really good point.

It’s not just about recovery time and freshness it’s about giving Maher time on the training ground to drill things.

When you’re playing Sat-Tue-Sat I’d expect training to look something like this

Sunday - recovery
Monday - light training ahead of match
Tuesday - match
Wednesday- recovery?
Thursday - full training
Friday - light training ahead of match
Saturday - match

With no midweek game you can get three times as many full training sessions done.

And I do believe in this coaching team as coaches. With time on the training pitch they have improved our shape and structure (remember the shambles that Phil Brown left behind and how much better organised we were after a couple of months). The likes of Bonne, Pepple, Moncur and Appiah-Forson however are all new additions who missed pre-season. Extended time on the training ground will help us build partnerships, play to their strengths and fit them better into the team.

That also makes it difficult for players that aren't fully fit to regain their fitness.

 

[IloveShrimp]

My concern is whether KM is capable / has enough experience of managing players of better quality and ability. Perhaps he could be struggling to man manage this group of players?

 

[nick12]

We've had three consecutive weeks of playing Saturday and Tuesday, with almost the same starting line-up in every game. It's understandable that the performances haven't been consistent. We've now only got two midweek games in the next two months, so hopefully things will improve.

So has just about every other team, why is it just us that can't cope? OK so we have lost a few key players from last season but we now have a much bigger squad who don't play like they are fighting for their lives, why?

I don't have the answer and I also don't slag off my team if they give 100% but I haven't seen very much of that this season and to me that is far more disappointing than the end result.

 

[Holy Joe]

I

Hopefully last night's injuries do not keep HT and NR out of action too long.

UTB.

Ralph is just a 1 match suspension.

 

[Napster]

My concern is whether KM is capable / has enough experience of managing players of better quality and ability. Perhaps he could be struggling to man manage this group of players?

I mean King Kev was a senior player in a double-promotion winning side. I'm sure he can manage some non-league players.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

This line is a strange one for me, a week or so ago there was talks of 2 to 3 new signings. Now no new players this side of Christmas. What has changed?

It’s definitely an unexpected and unwelcome line (IMO).

Perhaps what has changed are perspectives / understandings of what our budget can achieve outside the EFL transfer window? That would raise plenty of questions, but it still might be the case….

 

[Barling Magna]

Interesting. Their striker flattened Collin as he headed in their goal. I've seen refs blow up for a foul in similar situations. Not denying that it was a good move by Wealdstone though.

 

[dusterman]

Not KAF’s chip?

 

[overseas shrimper]

You’ve already cracked the case in the opening paragraph.

“3 bad days out of the last 5 games”.

Those 5 games have been played over the course of 14 days. With such a small squad of players, that’s a difficult task for anyone.

Take into consideration we’ve lost our best players whilst simultaneously trying to give new recruits a pre-season during games & you’ve kinda got your answer right there.

Yet some people on here refuse to accept this reality and call these facts 'excuses'.

 

[leeblue]

You’ve already cracked the case in the opening paragraph.

“3 bad days out of the last 5 games”.

Those 5 games have been played over the course of 14 days. With such a small squad of players, that’s a difficult task for anyone.

Take into consideration we’ve lost our best players whilst simultaneously trying to give new recruits a pre-season during games & you’ve kinda got your answer right there.

This sense and practicality simply won't wash on here lol

 

[leeblue]

Every club has those intangibles. I agree with Wiggy and we have given Barnet a tough game and dismantled Eastleigh who were flying, suggesting we have top 6 capability. Frustratingly, we aren't where we should be.

Sorry is the season over or do we have.....30 odd games to go....chill out. A.little patience.