Post-Match Thread and Ratings Dover Athletic 1-0 Southend United

[Billy Bests boot laces]

I’m hazarding a guess it was a collective issue whereby we had the kick off passed backwards and backwards again then sideways to Lennon who took too long on the ball got closed down and we conceded possession to a throw in in our own half 7 seconds into the game......

If we'd have started like that v Swansea 15 years ago, then a certain Mr. Eastwood would'nt have scored after 8 secs.
Can still remember that kick off, couple of passes, out to Che Wilson (?) on West Stand side of pitch, cross goes in, Freddie gets it, bang 1-0!.
Yet since then, how many times have we gone for the jugular straight from kick off?. Lost count of the times we'd KO, 2 or 3 passes then knock it down the pitch to the flanks, where the ball would go off for an opposition throw. And now a days just start passing it backwards etc.
Ok, the tactic v Swansea would have more failures than successes, but cant be a worse option than dithering with the ball in our own half after a few seconds, inviting the opposition to come at us?.

 

[RobM]

 

[Mad Cyril]

If I was Sol Campbell I’d be making this lot of s**thouses watch this.

So they can prepare for league Two football?

 

[Rayleigh boy]

ANYWAY ... time for a beer .... any of you Dover boys up for it ?

 

[stewart]

This match a day before remembrance day , I m just glad that the soldiers and others who gave their lives for us during the wars had more courage than this bunch of so called professional footballers.Lest we forget !

 

[Stuart W]

The players do care. They are suffering as much as you if not more.

Like you said in an earlier post, I don't know whether some people are being serious or just joking

 

[Tombstone Blues]

Like you said in an earlier post, I don't know whether some people are being serious or just joking

Well I’ll clear it up for you.....I’m being serious. If you honestly think pro footballers actually go out and not try you are deluded.

Granted some often don't look like they do but then come on, quite often people who looked perfectly happy commit suicide. Everyone deals with things differently and show how they care in different ways.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

We look a team devoid of confidence and are a fan base that has used up its patience. The fan reaction wasn't a reaction to that performance so much as a reaction to the last two plus years of losing under six different managers.

I actually think the team have bottomed out but people want instant gratification. This though is going to be a long road back to respectability. We're not going to suddenly start winning games - even against Dover. It's going to be a process. It'll start by only losing games 1-0, then we might grind out a draw or two and only then pick up that elusive win. And there will be more bumps along the way as that first draw and then win will likely be followed by more losses. Eventually we'll turn a corner so long as we stick with it.

Wednesday's game comes out a good time for us - we need low profile matches away from the more vitriolic fans. I get the frustration but the games at Bristol, Bolton, Accrington and Doncaster seem matches where we'll be more likely to grab a result than the matches in front of expectant supporters at home to Oxford, Rotherham, MK Dons, Gills and Tranmere and the away fixture at Wimbledon. By then we'll probably be as good as down and it will be about identifying players who can contribute next season.




He dropped Cox and Milligan for this game.

Didn't work though.

Hope I was wrong about a defeat following our first win and being as good as down. Win again v Donny and things start to get interesting.

 

[Strykr]

I bloody love that.

CHARGE!!!!!

Bunch of winners, no fear and a big f u to the oppo.

They went on to the pitch collectively with the mentality that they are better, they are going to win, and nothings going to stop them.

I remember saying to my dad at the beginning of that era that they are just winners, every one of them.
I desperately hope we see that again one day.

 

[RobM]

I got to that game 20 seconds late....

 

[RobM]

Notice we went Forward from the start!

 

[markw]

Notice we went Forward from the start!

We still attempt this kick off every game.. normally straight out for a throw.