Papering over the cracks.

[Tampa Blue]

all the other 'top' teams have cracks as well - I can just imagine the criticism on this board if we had played Crawley at their place against ultimately 9 men and failed to win

 

[silentshrimper]

I believe we do....just look how we do away from home, we nearly always create chances away.

This is why (getting bored of saying this), we need Hall, Martin and now Sawyer in the same side for home games. Hall upfront with Harris, with Sawyer and Martin on the wings, could work.

 

[Southend Neil]

Not looking to be negative but I can't help but think tonight was yet another pretty dismal performance. Yes we did well with 10/9 men to get a point.

The fundamentals for me are that we simply don't have any creativity in the side and we don't look like scoring. Aside from the fact we held out tonight we had almost no chances. This was the same as previous games with Crewe, Rotherham, Swindon, Daggers, Bradford etc.

There is very little creativity in the side, the strikers don't for me look fit to task. Dickinson is just about ok at this level and I suspect he is out or a long spell. Short of that we Don't have anyone that can really be described as a danger. Benyon, Sampson, Harris, Sturrock etc have less than a handful of goals between them.

Barker on the radio tonight said it felt like a win tonight. I'm sorry chris but it does not. We failed to trouble a pretty poor terrible Crawley side. We failed to score or create anything at home. This is not the sort of form that gets you promoted. I worry about our chances if we don't start looking like a side that can put others to bed at home.

Couldn't put it better myself, completely agree with all of that. The best we can hope for in our home games is to scrape a 1-0 win.

 

[wiggy]

But is Sampson the answer? I've seen mixed reviews of his performance last night and I'm afraid I'm in the camp of those that thought he didn't do much. I was at Northampton when he came on to make his debut and thought we had a class player on our hands. Unfortunately since then I don't think he's shown enough to warrant a place in the starting XI.

As for last night, overall I was quite pleased. I thought Crawley shaded a very poor first half which was ruined by the weather. I was pleased with the way we got it down and passed it to feet, although it's got to be said, without creating much. It would be interesting to know whether this was our game plan due to the conditions or whether we're trying to get the best out of players such as Harris (at last). Going in at half time I thought if we could carry on playing it around then chances would come and felt we'd restricted Crawley to half chances and the game was there for the taking.

Second half Crawley started much better than us and had a spell of sustained pressure culminating in Barker's sending off. CB had looked off the pace all night and it wasn't a surprise that he was the player in the wrong place at the wrong time. That said it saved a certain goal and Belford saved the resultant penalty.

As for Belford he was absolutely immense last night and I really hope we can sign him til the end of the season. There's no doubt that his performance went a long way towards getting a point from an imminent defeat.

When Dicko came on I thought he showed what we'd been missing all night. Harris needed someone to play off and regardless of what u thought of Sampson's first half performance we looked more threatening with our top scorer on the pitch.

The injury looked a bad one and whilst it's not a fracture I'd still expect him to be out for a month if not longer. Without him, I worry that the ball isn't going to stick up front. We either need to change our style completely and go with Benyon and Harris or bring in another targetman on loan. I personally think blooding Anto Flood at this stage of the season would be a massive gamble when we desperately need results. Am I right in thinking we can only make emergency loans now?

I think the next 4 games are very winnable and think we need to win all 4 really to put us right back in the mix. I personally think that's a big ask for this side and why we might just fall short of the autos.

errrr....what is this Belford love in? He wasn't immense at all...he done well but most of those including the pen Morris/ Spildy/Emberson would have saved. Thought we were looking for a 6 foot 2 agile keeper to take us forward, not a bloke the same height as Ron Martin. As i say, he's done ok but lets not think he is a world beater, ask Bury what they think. Flahavan was the best short arse in the League and very few liked him so don't lets get another vertically challenged on board for abuse as soon as they fail to catch one in the air!
.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

errrr....what is this Belford love in? He wasn't immense at all...he done well but most of those including the pen Morris/ Spildy/Emberson would have saved. Thought we were looking for a 6 foot 2 agile keeper to take us forward, not a bloke the same height as Ron Martin. As i say, he's done ok but lets not think he is a world beater, ask Bury what they think. Flahavan was the best short arse in the League and very few liked him so don't lets get another vertically challenged on board for abuse as soon as they fail to catch one in the air!
.

Blimey, this is twice today that I've agreed with you (the other one being that Mohsni should floor that **** Evans. For good measure he should do the same to his assistant as well.).

I'm not knocking Belford for his performances in either game, but he's been more competent than immense. People are going overboard because he's not Morris and costing us a goal a game.

Whilst he's not optimally sized, his decision-making at least seems sound so far and he's playing with a confidence and an assurance that has eluded our nominal number one this year. On two games' evidence he looks decent enough but no Mildenhall and certainly no Royce.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Blimey, this is twice today that I've agreed with you (the other one being that Mohsni should floor that **** Evans. For good measure he should do the same to his assistant as well.).

Get a room you two, this is happening too often lately! :winking:

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

If we are going to play less hoofball then I think it would suit Benyon more and I think you might get to see the best of him..

Have yet to fathom out why we signed him, with the system we play?

 

[wiggy]

Get a room you two, this is happening too often lately! :winking:

I am afraid that the only reason that we have agreed is due to Yorkshire hating short arses and myself thinking that The keeper was nothing special, just very competant. He Loves Mildy cause he's a 6 foot 4 stick insect, personally don't care if they are safe and can be relied upon!

 

[BLUEBLOOD]

I am afraid that the only reason that we have agreed is due to Yorkshire hating short arses

The *******, though he's never been unkind to me :unsure:

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

The *******, though he's never been unkind to me :unsure:

I make an exception for you and Keith Jones:thumbsup:

I don't even like that Gervais comedy.

 

[footballlee1]

some great goals he needs to give hime a chance

 

[Rob Noxious]

I'm not sure that playing Hall in the hole - on the pitch, at least - is the answer as he has looked a little lost there previously (cf. Cheltenham, Plymouth - away) but we sure do lack creativity in this part of the team. I hope that the new gritty team spirit will help to see us over the line, but I too am pessimistic that we have enough invention to unlock enough games between now and the end of the season to make this a realistic proposition. I would be delighted to be proved wrong of course.

 

[canveyshrimper]

Gervais comedy.

Two words I never expected to see in the same sentence. :whistling:

 

[Fish]

Sorry, but I didn't think Monday was doom and gloom at all.

We spent 45 minuted kicking into a ferocious wind which meant goalkeeper clearances were struggling to make it past the half way line and were coming straight back again. Crosses into their box were getting blown back down the pitch. The weather made it a 'hang on til half time' job, which I thought we did superbly, doing what we needed to do.

We had a slight wobble in the opening salvos of the second half, culminating in Barker's cynical gamble which paid off. Once down to 10 men, chasing wind-enhanced balls down the pitch was unlikely to be a viable option, so we modified our tactics with shrewd substitutions resulting in a 3-4-2 formation. That was fine for the 15 minutes and we were beginning to look like pressing them seriously even with only 10 men, until we then lost Dicko which was more than unlucky.

No team can be expected to 'dominate' with only 9 on the pitch, even in normal conditions let alone Monday night's terrible conditions.

We did very well to reduce them to 2 clear cut chances the whole game, a game min which we were only 11v11 with the wind in our favour for a few minutes. For 75 minutes of the game we had either the wind or personnel numbers against us.

 

[Onion_Bag_Dave]

Sorry, but I didn't think Monday was doom and gloom at all.

We spent 45 minuted kicking into a ferocious wind which meant goalkeeper clearances were struggling to make it past the half way line and were coming straight back again. Crosses into their box were getting blown back down the pitch. The weather made it a 'hang on til half time' job, which I thought we did superbly, doing what we needed to do.

We had a slight wobble in the opening salvos of the second half, culminating in Barker's cynical gamble which paid off. Once down to 10 men, chasing wind-enhanced balls down the pitch was unlikely to be a viable option, so we modified our tactics with shrewd substitutions resulting in a 3-4-2 formation. That was fine for the 15 minutes and we were beginning to look like pressing them seriously even with only 10 men, until we then lost Dicko which was more than unlucky.

No team can be expected to 'dominate' with only 9 on the pitch, even in normal conditions let alone Monday night's terrible conditions.

We did very well to reduce them to 2 clear cut chances the whole game, a game min which we were only 11v11 with the wind in our favour for a few minutes. For 75 minutes of the game we had either the wind or personnel numbers against us.

Completely true.

 

[blue79]

Agree Fish I really do. but the circumstances we find ourselves in we really need to be looking to win as many games as possible and almost certainly most of them at least. This is why I said in the short term the Crawley draw will seem like a pont gained and a win. But reality is we didn't win and didn't pick up the other two points which might this is one of many games where not gewtting them might prove a frustrating difference in the long run at the end of the season. A time that matters most.

 

[Bromley Blue]

I personally think the next 4 games are more important that Monday night. At the end of the day we didn't lose against one of our rivals and results went OK last night. We need to get as close to maximum points from the next 4 to put us in a good position for the final stretch.

The biggest disappointment from Monday was not the dropped points but the injury to Liam Dickinson who has (like him or not) been a key player for us this year and the focal point for all our attacking play. We are going to have to adapt our style to get the best out of Harris and Benyon or play Anto Flood. Both are quite big gambles which may or may not pay off.

 

[Somerset Ex-TTB]

Sorry, but I didn't think Monday was doom and gloom at all.

We spent 45 minuted kicking into a ferocious wind which meant goalkeeper clearances were struggling to make it past the half way line and were coming straight back again. Crosses into their box were getting blown back down the pitch. The weather made it a 'hang on til half time' job, which I thought we did superbly, doing what we needed to do.

We had a slight wobble in the opening salvos of the second half, culminating in Barker's cynical gamble which paid off. Once down to 10 men, chasing wind-enhanced balls down the pitch was unlikely to be a viable option, so we modified our tactics with shrewd substitutions resulting in a 3-4-2 formation. That was fine for the 15 minutes and we were beginning to look like pressing them seriously even with only 10 men, until we then lost Dicko which was more than unlucky.

No team can be expected to 'dominate' with only 9 on the pitch, even in normal conditions let alone Monday night's terrible conditions.

We did very well to reduce them to 2 clear cut chances the whole game, a game min which we were only 11v11 with the wind in our favour for a few minutes. For 75 minutes of the game we had either the wind or personnel numbers against us.

Hurrah, a bit of reason, very similar to my post on the first page of this thread saying exactly the same thing which has got ignored amongst the debate about whether a goalkeeper has to be over 6ft to be any good.

 

[Fish]

Agree Fish I really do. but the circumstances we find ourselves in we really need to be looking to win as many games as possible and almost certainly most of them at least. This is why I said in the short term the Crawley draw will seem like a pont gained and a win. But reality is we didn't win and didn't pick up the other two points which might this is one of many games where not gewtting them might prove a frustrating difference in the long run at the end of the season. A time that matters most.

Also agree with you - I looked at the March fixtures at Christmas and thought that's the month that will decide our season.

 

[meerkat54]

Hope to god that we dont get this Sampsons back on loan again, what a waste of space he has been, at best his performances have only just been average. I thought he was brought in to give us an extra attacking option ! I think we should have played Benyon instead at least he would have had time to gel with Harris or Dickinson !:angry: