Who are the passengers Maher is referring to?

[amsemp]

Results are proving iam right

Not really though as results could’ve been worse under Currie

 

[gatecrasher]

Whats happened to Crowhurst, boy look mustard and could fill in for GSM until he gets full time fit. I don't buy into the too young crap, he played two games and looked handy

 

[Rob1920]

I would think Mahers comments were made partly out of frustration and partly to put a collective rocket up all of them that the honeymoon is over and they now have to prove their worth. They’re no longer youngsters with future potential, they’re now in the first team at NL level at a club expecting to be at least upper half at this level. So either prove you’re up to it or you’ll be back in part time football before you know it. It’s time to stand up and be counted, needed to be said by the sounds of it. As for Maher, he’s part of a management team. I doubt he makes all the decisions on who plays, tactics, formations and so on alone. He’ll discuss all these things with Currie and Benno, and also get input from John Still I’m sure. Anyone thinking Currie taking over would change things is kidding themselves. Hopefully some honest words have been spoken behind the scenes and let’s see what the next few games bring. Anything V Wrexham would be a bonus but after that we need to start gathering points.

 

[KiwiRob]

We need a Timlin/ McCormack - that could well turn the tide

I think Harry Taylor has been brought in to play a defensive midfield role. Once he is fit, we will soon find out if that is the case.

 

[Dutch Branch]

My bad!

A rather uncultured swine of a reprobate in midfield would be most satisfactory.

David Battey

 

[Blues ‘n’ twos]

You literally said in this thread that we went 15 games unbeaten.

Ah but this is SS ! He doesn’t let the facts and truth stop him spouting his “truths”

 

[Kris]

Possibly more out of curiosity than anything as I've yet to see us play this season for various reasons, but I've noticed Tom Clifford, whether rightly or wrongly, is getting a lot of grief on here. Is he fully fit?

His performance levels seemed to have nosedived and it wasn't long ago that he was our dead ball specialist and scoring some great goals like the one away at Wealdstone (?) last season. I just ask because it reminds me of Ben Coker's dip in form in the latter stage of his time with us. I saw him wince throughout games and needing protection ahead of him because he couldn't play at full speed, and it affected his use of the ball as well.

I'm not suggesting people are wrongfully criticising Tom but he was injured earlier this season and maybe he hasn't recovered fully enough to be playing.

 

[SuffolkShrimp]

All this criticism of lack of bottle, fight and character reflect very badly on our fantastic new recruitment team. If these qualities are missing from the current squad then questions about Those words are banned need to be asked.

 

[Jai]

Agreed the poor man’s Timothy Diang for some reason people think he’s good but I see a man that spends the game being second to every ball tackle and second ball … gutless journey man lay years modified was bundles better than this seasons

Journeyman?

 

[Jai]

I think Harry Taylor has been brought in to play a defensive midfield role. Once he is fit, we will soon find out if that is the case.

Taylor's absence has hurt us because his presence would allow us to change systems far easier. Most of us can see that we need to be matching the better sides in the middle but at the moment we lack an adequate option to do this. Taylor would allow us to do this and also can occupy other positions too.

 

[Massimo Giovanni]

Possibly more out of curiosity than anything as I've yet to see us play this season for various reasons, but I've noticed Tom Clifford, whether rightly or wrongly, is getting a lot of grief on here. Is he fully fit?

His performance levels seemed to have nosedived and it wasn't long ago that he was our dead ball specialist and scoring some great goals like the one away at Wealdstone (?) last season. I just ask because it reminds me of Ben Coker's dip in form in the latter stage of his time with us. I saw him wince throughout games and needing protection ahead of him because he couldn't play at full speed, and it affected his use of the ball as well.

I'm not suggesting people are wrongfully criticising Tom but he was injured earlier this season and maybe he hasn't recovered fully enough to be playing.

I have thought the same about him and also Jack B. Both seem to have lost that last 5% of performance. Long covid? Or just longer recovery still needed, several " famous" players never got back to the level they were pre injury with Micheal Owen being a prime example.
I am inclined to be patient and also understand that a public "outing" of fitness concerns isn't a good thing generally.
And I think both soldiered on thru initial injuries, playing not recovery, which may have done added harm.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Possibly more out of curiosity than anything as I've yet to see us play this season for various reasons, but I've noticed Tom Clifford, whether rightly or wrongly, is getting a lot of grief on here. Is he fully fit?

His performance levels seemed to have nosedived and it wasn't long ago that he was our dead ball specialist and scoring some great goals like the one away at Wealdstone (?) last season. I just ask because it reminds me of Ben Coker's dip in form in the latter stage of his time with us. I saw him wince throughout games and needing protection ahead of him because he couldn't play at full speed, and it affected his use of the ball as well.

I'm not suggesting people are wrongfully criticising Tom but he was injured earlier this season and maybe he hasn't recovered fully enough to be playing.

He was a late withdrawal just before kick-off on several occasions the last few seasons with back problems.

If that’s a longstanding problem- and the lack of a permanent physio probably won’t have helped if it is - it may have hindered him not just in games but his ability to train.

But this dip in form isn’t a new thing. I remember pointing out that all the goals we were conceding were down the left when Elvis was getting a lot of stick.

Not only is he a defensive weak link but I think he’s currently also our outfield player least comfortable on the ball. He doesn’t look like he wants the ball and seems too often to just play it straight back to where it came from or knock hit and hope balls down the line. How much that’s down to confidence I don’t know but along with our defensive problems down his flank that’s not a great combination.

He’s also been removed from set pieces which was such a strength of his when he first broke into the side.

 

[rigsby]

He was a late withdrawal just before kick-off on several occasions the last few seasons with back problems.

If that’s a longstanding problem- and the lack of a permanent physio probably won’t have helped if it is - it may have hindered him not just in games but his ability to train.

But this dip in form isn’t a new thing. I remember pointing out that all the goals we were conceding were down the left when Elvis was getting a lot of stick.

Not only is he a defensive weak link but I think he’s currently also our outfield player least comfortable on the ball. He doesn’t look like he wants the ball and seems too often to just play it straight back to where it came from or knock hit and hope balls down the line. How much that’s down to confidence I don’t know but along with our defensive problems down his flank that’s not a great combination.

He’s also been removed from set pieces which was such a strength of his when he first broke into the side.

I can understand loss of form by how can your set piece delivery dip so bad.

The problem is not helped by to many chefs standing over the ball. Powell needs move away and let Mooney decide. this has been a problem for way to long and over several mangers... including pens.

A player need s to know that its his free kick the moment the whistle goes and even if he delivers a howler he will be tacking the next and the one after.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

So Clifford dropped from the squad entirely. Powell and Fonguck drop to the bench and Maher got the reaction he was after.

 

[Leigh_Seasider]

So Clifford dropped from the squad entirely. Powell and Fonguck drop to the bench and Maher got the reaction he was after.

We definitely looked a lot more balanced without Powell.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

We definitely looked a lot more balanced without Powell.

Will be interested to see what the xG was for this game. I felt we created fewer but better chances. Not so many hit and hopes from outside the area but creating chances for Hyde (the phantom disallowed goal, the one at the near post), headers for Dackers, that header from Ralph near the end etc

 

[Leigh_Seasider]

Will be interested to see what the xG was for this game. I felt we created fewer but better chances. Not so many hit and hopes from outside the area but creating chances for Hyde (the phantom disallowed goal, the one at the near post), headers for Dackers, that header from Ralph near the end.

Yeah we looked more solid and purposeful with Ralph on the left and the two strikers up front to aim at. I was really impressed with both, I’m now thinking can we carry Mooney and Powell in the same side? Mooney floating behind maybe suits him better but that only works if the wing backs get forward and we aren’t left short at the back .. ie the “back 3” do their jobs. Plus we need the two centre mids to hold shape and graft. They did today.

Corners were much better, not always short, clearing the 1st man and some added threat in the 6 yard box. Kacper was immense and Hobson looks so much more confident with him alongside so that helped too..a good spine and no real obvious weak spots for them to target.

 

[Strykr]

Yeah we looked more solid and purposeful with Ralph on the left and the two strikers up front to aim at. I was really impressed with both, I’m now thinking can we carry Mooney and Powell in the same side? Mooney floating behind maybe suits him better but that only works if the wing backs get forward and we aren’t left short at the back .. ie the “back 3” do their jobs. Plus we need the two centre mids to hold shape and graft. They did today.

Corners were much better, not always short, clearing the 1st man and some added threat in the 6 yard box. Kacper was immense and Hobson looks so much more confident with him alongside so that helped too..a good spine and no real obvious weak spots for them to target.

I see powell as an impact sub coming on when everyone is knackered at the end. Pure speculation on my part but my guess is thats what maher sees too. For me we looked much better with 2 strikers up front.

 

[CaptainSmudger]

As long as they dont every week become the passengers of a phil brown type bus.

Phil Brown got us promoted. Can’t be all that bad!

 

[KiwiRob]

So Clifford dropped from the squad entirely. Powell and Fonguck drop to the bench and Maher got the reaction he was after.

Was Louis Lomas also dropped from the squad as well? If so, I think he can consider himself treated harshly. I think he certainly deserves to be in the squad.