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Post by os on Jan 15, 2011 19:03:38 GMT
Today was a culmination of a number of cracks which have been slowly appearing over the last month or so. The slow starts are becoming a habit now, Wealdstone, Carshalton, Horsham, Canvey and today with the problems stemming from the midfield. The work rate today and last Saturday in the 1st halves were poor, no closing down allowing far to much space and no one who actually seems interested in getting the ball back.
We missed Forbes today, and Dundo had a poor game (he can be excused), Marsh-Brown has not improved our squad from what I have seen. We were lucky to get a point today as that was a dead cert pen for me in the first half and they created much more than us over the 90mins.
Whichever way you look at it, drawing against Tooting, losing convincingly at Horsham and barely deserving a draw today is not going to see us promoted. We have a squad full of ability but you have to earn the right to show it and as I said last week:
I would like to see our forwards and midfield work harder when they lose possession and not turn to see if someone else is going.
Concord today had the greater desire, as did Horsham and at this level on a bumpy pitch I don't care who you are, you are going to struggle if you don't match your oppos commitment. We improved at the start of the 2nd half but I lost count of how many headers we lost in that first half by Concord players running 20 yarrds to take the ball off the top of one of our players heads.
IF ALL PLAYERS WORKED AS HARD AS JOLLY WE WOULD NOT HAVE A PROBLEM!
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Post by sdavison on Jan 15, 2011 19:07:30 GMT
We need another striker who can score some goals because at the moment we are relying to much on Forbes and Bradley to get these goals. Wasnt at the game today but if it's true that we were that awful then we need to find a new striker especially if we dont get Forbes to sign the contract (although it seems likely that he will). Also if either Forbes or BWG get injured were starting to look short on players who can score!
I know Jolly still works hard but we cant keep carrying a striker who doesnt stick the ball in the back of the net!
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Post by os on Jan 15, 2011 19:36:37 GMT
I know Jolly still works hard but we cant keep carrying a striker who doesnt stick the ball in the back of the net! I don't think we are carrying Jolly at all!
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taz
Top Performer
Posts: 3,760
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Post by taz on Jan 15, 2011 19:37:54 GMT
Poor. I think we turned in a total shift this afternoon of about 15 minutes. Which would be fine if it was first 15 and we were 3 up.
Sadly, we were about as far from that as it's possible to be. Three AWFUL starts in the last 3 games. No shape, piss poor positioning, standing watching as oppo do what we should be doing.
I think a couple of people have been harsh on Concord. Whilst they were a typical tight away side looking to kill time etc when possible, they certainly set out to attack when possible. And they were FAR better organised than Canvey. More than deserved their point and really should have had all 3.
The fact we made 3 changes at HT said it all. And to be frank, we could have made 6 we were that bad.
I think the most disappointing part about this afternoon was actually having finally shown up and got ourselves level, we then tailed off horribly in the last 20 and they could easily have had 2-3 in that time.
Some people really need to pull their socks up big time. And f*cking quick.
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Post by Amber Aleman on Jan 15, 2011 19:37:56 GMT
To be frank, we were lucky to take a point from this game. The first half was arguably our worst 45 minutes of the season, and we could easily have been more than 1-0 down at half time. Scrivs made one fine reaction save, tipping a shot round the post after we'd given Concord acres of space on our left flank, but soon afterwards he spilled a shot and Harry Elmes pounced to put them ahead. They won a string of corners while we didn't manage a single one. I think we had one shot on goal in the entire half.
The dressing-room dress-down and triple substitution galvanised the team at the start of the second half and within ten minutes Bradley had equalised. But then we gradually handed the initiative back to the visitors and came close to losing the match late on, with Scrivs saving with his legs and Sam Page clearing off the line (perhaps atoning for last week's errant back-pass at Horsham).
Concord Rangers are a hard-working side who battle for the ball and close opponnents down quickly, but if we aspire to win the league then we have to beat teams like this. We're in something of a slump at the moment - only one win in four league games, two wins in our last eight first team matches, and no home win since November. And Richard Jolly, who played 90 minutes today, hasn't scored since October.
We're seven points clear now, but that's mainly because none of the teams below us has put together a decent run lately, and Ks, Bury Town and Cray are all playing tomorrow. Next Saturday's match at Bury St Edmunds is looking rather important.
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taz
Top Performer
Posts: 3,760
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Post by taz on Jan 15, 2011 19:40:50 GMT
Next Saturday's match at Bury St Edmunds is looking rather important. Turn in 90 minutes like today & Horsham and we'll get smashed out of sight at Bury.
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Post by sdavison on Jan 15, 2011 19:52:03 GMT
Ok if you dont think we are carrying Jolly then how do you justify playing Jolly when he's not scoring?
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frakey
1st team Player
Posts: 1,757
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Post by frakey on Jan 15, 2011 20:01:23 GMT
At the beginning of the season, we enerally started well, scored goals and put the pressure on our opponents to hase the game. In recent matches, probably stretching back to the K's game, we haven't done that, giving the initiative to the oppo.
Today it took till the second half to get going and then for only the first 20 mins or so. It can't be confidence, we're still top, so I'm not sure what it is. For the same reason, there should be no lack of desire either but there didn't seem too much for the first 45.
In the end but for Scrivs, we would have lost. Concord worked hard; won most of the 50-50's and practically every header at both ends of the pitch.
Fair play to Dos for making the 3 changes at ht. A bit of a gamble, especially as Kes commenced the second half hobbling but it probably got us a point.
Come on lads, we're better than this & have proved it for much of the season. A fast start is what we need to show the oppo why we are top.
As for the comment about we're only top 'cos of Scrivs, well, he is part of the team ffs - it is an 11 a side game, not a 10 a side one.
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taz
Top Performer
Posts: 3,760
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Post by taz on Jan 15, 2011 20:04:42 GMT
To be fair to Richard Jolly, there is a huge reason he's not scoring. And that's the quality of the supply. It's pony.
Problem is, because he's been such a consistently good scorer, when that one single lonely chance we've tended to give him over the course of a match for the last 3 months actually arrives, everyone expects him to stick it away every single time.
Seriously, if he was that good, he wouldn't be playing for Sutton United.
There's a lot more wrong at the moment than Richard Jolly not scoring. The defence suddenly looking like it's never kicked a ball before and the midfield getting handed it's arse on a plate concern me far far more.
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Post by garethl on Jan 15, 2011 20:07:32 GMT
Frakey, didn't say he wasn't. Just trying to work out how we are there and he is the one reason I could come up with.
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frakey
1st team Player
Posts: 1,757
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Post by frakey on Jan 15, 2011 20:13:33 GMT
No, he's one of the reasons. When we've won, we've scored more goals than the other team. Scrivs hasn't had to play out of his skin in every game & the opposition 'keepers have made some good saves during the season too.
Earlier in the season the midfield was ticking, winning the ball, using it well and supporting the forwards as well as defnding when we didn't have the ball. It's not been happening in recent weeks.
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Post by sdavison on Jan 15, 2011 20:17:23 GMT
Yeah I totally agree that the supply to him has been awful but when he has had a clear cut chance then he hasn't stuck it away...
But yeah there are more pressing matters like the defence that need to be sorted out because at least we are still scoring at the moment...
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Post by os on Jan 15, 2011 20:27:40 GMT
Ok if you dont think we are carrying Jolly then how do you justify playing Jolly when he's not scoring? Obviously I would like Jolls to score but he has a lot more to his game then that, his work rate is an example to the rest of the side and he has a really good eye for that final pass and can pick players out. He is the one forward who does chase back and to my mind is exactly the sought of player we want in the side right now.
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Post by garethl on Jan 15, 2011 20:34:00 GMT
No, he's one of the reasons. When we've won, we've scored more goals than the other team. Scrivs hasn't had to play out of his skin in every game & the opposition 'keepers have made some good saves during the season too. Earlier in the season the midfield was ticking, winning the ball, using it well and supporting the forwards as well as defnding when we didn't have the ball. It's not been happening in recent weeks. We are at least 10 points better off for having him in goal compared to an average keeper. IMO that is the difference between mid table and being top.
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Post by ewellchris on Jan 15, 2011 21:44:59 GMT
A vital issue - why dont we get the half time football scores in the bar any more?
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