Question Rebuilding for the NL season

[rigsby]

Don't think it's too light to say without the embargo we would have stayed up

Ron would say without covid there would have been no embargo.

 

[Shepshead]

More to the point Mullin scored 7 goals in 33 games in 2019-2020 and 7 goals in 29 appearances in 2018-19. This was the first time he scored more than 10 goals in a season and he ended up with 34. When he was signed do you think Cambridge fans welcomed him as their 20 goal a season forward, let alone 30+?

This is a pattern we see time after time. He'll no doubt earn a move to a bigger club where he struggles to hit those heights again.

If you want a 20 goal a season forward rather than look at those who did it last season look for someone aged say 23-25 so they are hitting their prime and have played let's say around 100 games of men's football so they have that experience. Then play to their strengths and put good players around them to create chances for them.

This is what we've seen with Corr, Ladapo, Hopper (sadly injury stopped him getting 20 goals but he was scoring 1 in 2 when he was injured)
This season's L2 top scorer fits into this pattern as well. How many players score 20 goals in consecutive seasons? There will be a few outliers but then narrow it down to how many manage to score 20 goals in consecutive seasons with different clubs? It is far more about the players around them than people credit.

I think the management team need to sit down during the close season and identify a number of targets, maybe from players currently playing within the National League. Alternatively, looking closely at the loan market and more senior players prepared to drop down from league 2. This exercise needs to be undertaken sooner rather than later as other NL clubs will be looking at the same markets. As far as strikers are concerned they tend to demand higher wages so they will need to look more closely at their goal scoring stats.

 

[Maldon Shrimper]

I think the management team need to sit down during the close season and identify a number of targets, maybe from players currently playing within the National League. Alternatively, looking closely at the loan market and more senior players prepared to drop down from league 2. This exercise needs to be undertaken sooner rather than later as other NL clubs will be looking at the same markets. As far as strikers are concerned they tend to demand higher wages so they will need to look more closely at their goal scoring stats.

Ricky Duncan said on the lastest zoom call that he is doing just that and making a list of targets.Lot will depend in the next few days whether PB is going to stay and the relevant budgets are set.As believe reading between the lines if PB is the next full time manager then we will will know who will be staying and those leaving.The NL has still a few weeks to go so we need to take advantage of getting a team together and make a real go of getting out of this league as the longer it takes the harder it will get.

 

[Blue Yonder]

Ron would say without covid there would have been no embargo.

...and he may well be right. The finances of the EFL and NL after the pandemic are a bit of a mystery to me. There were grants I know but a lot of cash flow seems to have come from emergency loans and deferrals of payments to HMRC in which case a lot of clubs, not just ours, could be storing up difficulties for the future. Will the state of EFL/NL finances suppress wages and therefore the transfer market ? Has Ron got the cash to see us through this next phase ?

We have a squad that post embargo and post change of manager showed the form of a league 1 team. You'd think that some re balancing of the squad and the addition of some better attacking options led by an experienced manager with 2 EFL promotions to his name along with the appointment of a full time administrator/CEO for the football side of the club that we would be in a pretty good place to be competitive in the NL. But, it all comes down to the state of our finances and the money available and I imagine there is only one person that knows the answer to that.

 

[sunnydays66]

I'll take your word for it.
But Kev was part of two back-to-back promotions and a win over Man U, and I certainly can't remember any carping over those two seasons.

As I recall he was rested from the first team to give him some respite from the boo boys. Some people (I won't call them fans) were very abusive towards him.

 

[Whispering Bob]

Question - how many artificial pitches are there in the NL? Although the jury is still out whether they cause more injuries, I think we performed better on the truer surfaces this season (that said if we go more direct under Phil that may prove irrelevant).

 

[Medway Blue]

Question - how many artificial pitches are there in the NL? Although the jury is still out whether they cause more injuries, I think we performed better on the truer surfaces this season (that said if we go more direct under Phil that may prove irrelevant).

Vaguely remember Phil having some pre-season sessions over at Gloucester Park in the past.....pretty sure they have artificial pitches? Would be good practice.

 

[GBJ]

Everything Matt Rush has done so far, leads me to believe that he is potentially a 20 goals a season man.

If he’s nurtured and allowed to mature at a realistic pace, then yes absolutely.

Sadly for us, allowing youngsters to develop their attributes at a realistic pace hasn’t happened for the last few years.

 

[Pak Power]

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Looks like John White may well be with us next season (i Hope)

God doesn't it look horrible being in the Non league Daily paper?

#itreallyhappened

 

[GNH]

Looks like my original post is starting to happen, there is clearly a desire to get things done on the player front early and ensure we are ready to go for a full pre-season.

CEO in place too which is also a positive step.

Keep this up and I genuinely feel we will be a force to contend with next season

 

[in the know]

Question - how many artificial pitches are there in the NL? Although the jury is still out whether they cause more injuries, I think we performed better on the truer surfaces this season (that said if we go more direct under Phil that may prove irrelevant).

I think there are two this sesason. Not 100% sure but around that number.

 

[Barry.C]

I think there are two this sesason. Not 100% sure but around that number.

Just a couple of thoughts

The artificial pitches are very limited as you point out, The big thing though is that they have changed quite a bit from what they used to be, using different science and materials, they replicate better a grass pitch with less bounce

Sutton claim there artificial pitch was a big contributor to their success on and off the pitch and bringing on the skills of their young players, Their Academy players used it all the time, but perhaps more importantly, as a Community facility over 500 players used it every week and more girls also joined in. This provision to the Community also brought in Income

They will need the income as they will now have to dig it up under League rules and that will sting them a massive £500k by all accounts, although they have been preparing for the hit

 

[Supa Shrimpa]

Looks like my original post is starting to happen, there is clearly a desire to get things done on the player front early and ensure we are ready to go for a full pre-season.

CEO in place too which is also a positive step.

Keep this up and I genuinely feel we will be a force to contend with next season

It's looking good. I wonder how he's managed to find £'s to get players in early, where he hasn't been able to in previous seasons ?

 

[in the know]

Just a couple of thoughts

The artificial pitches are very limited as you point out, The big thing though is that they have changed quite a bit from what they used to be, using different science and materials, they replicate better a grass pitch with less bounce

Sutton claim there artificial pitch was a big contributor to their success on and off the pitch and bringing on the skills of their young players, Their Academy players used it all the time, but perhaps more importantly, as a Community facility over 500 players used it every week and more girls also joined in. This provision to the Community also brought in Income

They will need the income as they will now have to dig it up under League rules and that will sting them a massive £500k by all accounts, although they have been preparing for the hit

I can see how important the extra income a 4g (or better) pitch would be to clubs at this level. Ive seent he injuries first hand though and they can be career enders. Especially when the artificial turf doesnt give or rip out like normal turf. Yes it will accept turning studs and is forgiving in softness, but Ive watched when someone I know has raced back down a wing to block an opposing wingers cross. Planted there boot (in a sliding fashion) in the ground at speed, only for the foot to stop instantly and the rest of the leg to keep going resulting in both lower leg/ankle bones broken. A block/tackle that occurs many times on a normal pitch and results in the turf 'giving' and tearing away instaed of the opposite.
Its the lack of give on the top part of the surface that traps the studa/blades/boot and causes ACL irritation too for those that have previous problems like that.
Its a trade off for clubs i guess. Income v potential injury at higher levels of the game I totally get the importance of that income all year round regardless of weather.

 

[tommy tucker]

Im sorry but as far as i am concerned Artificial pitches should be banned from all football .Its fine clubs using it in a training dome or training pitches .But to have them in a match day ground gives a home side a real advantage They cant be used in the EFL so why should they be in other leagues .

 

[Shepshead]

Im sorry but as far as i am concerned Artificial pitches should be banned from all football .Its fine clubs using it in a training dome or training pitches .But to have them in a match day ground gives a home side a real advantage They cant be used in the EFL so why should they be in other leagues .

That’s fine not many artificial pitches left at this level Bromley (3G) I’m never sure about Boreham Wood (4G) I believe. Not really an issue out of 44 games.

 

[Barry.C]

That’s fine not many artificial pitches left at this level Bromley (3G) I’m never sure about Boreham Wood (4G) I believe. Not really an issue out of 44 games.

I agree should balance out if only 2 games for us to play on but does it give a home advantage
A mixed bag of views on injuries I suspect...

At the elite level, the British Journal of Sports Medicine published a study of 202 players from the Swedish Premier League back in 2003-04 that showed there was no statistically significant difference between injuries sustained on the surfaces either during training. Additionally, there was no increase in the severity of the injuries.

While that study did find that there was an increase in ankle sprains, conversely it suggested there was actually a lower injury rate during match play.


Although artificial turf has greatly improved since its introduction in the 1960s, studies suggest it is still likely to cause more injuries among athletes than its more expensive counterpart: natural grass.

A 2019 study by Cleveland-based University Hospitals featured data from 26 high school trainers during the 2017-2018 athletic season who reported 953 injuries: 368 were on natural grass, while 585 were o


..

 

[southendkid]

They cant be used in the EFL so why should they be in other leagues .

Because maintaining a real pitch is expensive and not all non-league clubs have the money to do it. I do think there should be a rule though that if your club is professional then you have to have a real pitch.

 

[Shepshead]

I agree should balance out if only 2 games for us to play on but does it give a home advantage
A mixed bag of views on injuries I suspect...

At the elite level, the British Journal of Sports Medicine published a study of 202 players from the Swedish Premier League back in 2003-04 that showed there was no statistically significant difference between injuries sustained on the surfaces either during training. Additionally, there was no increase in the severity of the injuries.

While that study did find that there was an increase in ankle sprains, conversely it suggested there was actually a lower injury rate during match play.


Although artificial turf has greatly improved since its introduction in the 1960s, studies suggest it is still likely to cause more injuries among athletes than its more expensive counterpart: natural grass.

A 2019 study by Cleveland-based University Hospitals featured data from 26 high school trainers during the 2017-2018 athletic season who reported 953 injuries: 368 were on natural grass, while 585 were o
..

I guess the question is always there, does an artificial pitch give the home side an unfair advantage. In Bromley’s case, in a season where the reached the playoffs, it was noticeable that they won far more away games than at home.

 

[ESG]

Understand that physio Amy has departed the theatre of horrors. Anyone any idea where she's moved on to?