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Post by os on Jan 23, 2011 20:45:21 GMT
I know the old saying nothing is won or lost in January etc, but this week is massive for our season and title hopes. Simply if we don't get the required 6pts it would seriously question our title credentials and not only that but a bad week could see us with a mountain to climb and we would have to do it against sides like Tonbridge, Cray and Lowerstoft.
On the other hand Lowestoft and Bury face a tough week and 2 wins for us could see us in a fairly strong position with matters almost totally back in our own hands.
Although we won't win anything in the next 7 days I believe we could all but lose the title both physically and mentally?
Whether people agree with me or not I think we face the biggest week in our season so far and what could turn out to be a pivotal one.
These 2 games are just massive and I hope that every player and every supporter makes sure we get the results we need!
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Post by Amber Aleman on Jan 23, 2011 21:38:04 GMT
The next two games give the players the opportunity to rediscover the winning mentality at home. A series of below-par performances since the turn of the year has created pressure that wasn't there four weeks ago, and the only way to relieve that pressure is to start winning again. Both Croydon Athletic and Aveley have improved lately, but these are teams that serious title contenders should expect to beat on their own ground. Although these matches are obviously important, there might be rather more "massive" weeks during February, a month in which we're due to play four of the seven clubs immediately below us. I really don't think we should get into the mindset of expecting the other leading sides to drop points against each other. We just need to concentrate on winning our own games.
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taz
Top Performer
Posts: 3,760
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Post by taz on Jan 23, 2011 23:41:58 GMT
The solution is simple. Sort the defence out. At the moment we look very iffy and liable to concede at any time and having glanced at the numbers, it looks like we've doubled our 'against' tally in the last 6-8 games. And were it not for Scrivs that and our overall points tally would have suffered more.
Start of the season, we looked unlikely to concede. Where's it gone wrong?
We don't really score hatfuls, it's a fact. So we HAVE to start keeping it tighter at the back or we're going to struggle to last the pace. We simply cannot keep giving away fecking stupid schoolboy goals like the first one on saturday.
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Post by Andy K on Jan 24, 2011 1:36:14 GMT
I think its a little more basic that that. If we cant beat 2 teams who combined don't have the number of points that we do or number of wins, and one of those teams has the worst defence in the league and the other has the worst attack in the league, at home, then we do not deserve to be going for the title. Its that simple.
6 points out of 6 is really the minimum we should take - and what we should be looking for is an opportunity to improve our goal difference. Both teams will come to us looking for a 0-0. If we are serious contenders (which i think we are) anything less that 6 out of 6 is unacceptable
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Rax
1st team Player
Posts: 1,171
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Post by Rax on Jan 24, 2011 9:15:23 GMT
Can we also please use our midfield a bit. We seem to be bypassing them of late.
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Post by Chalmers on Jan 24, 2011 11:27:57 GMT
It seems to be down the flanks we're struggling, get Murray in at right back and AJ on the left and I think we'd look more solid. I prefer kes in the middle of defence with page or downer.
Just my opinion.
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Post by Del on Jan 24, 2011 11:29:40 GMT
Not if he takes free kicks like the one on saturday!
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Post by os on Jan 24, 2011 23:25:00 GMT
I just don't want us to continue giving the ball away in midfield and finding we got 10 players upfield. I have watched in agony at, K's / Croydon / Horsham / Carshalton and the list goes on of our lone player being closed down in midfield. Then watching the oppos whipet take what seems to be about 6 hours to reach Kev, with all our guys trailing behind with lead in their boots. Will super Kev come to the rescue? K's NO / Croydon YES / Carshalton YES / Horsham NO, and nearly forgot Bury too Answer: Make sure we clear our lines properly, make sure we always have a covering defender ideally someone who has a bit of pace. One other thing I noticed is how many goals we are conceeding from rebounds etc, Concord, kev Spills = goal / Horsham ball back off cross bar = Goal and on Saturday from a Kev save, We have got to get there first! (AJ is the best I have seen at this level for getting there first).
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Post by holmes on Jan 25, 2011 6:49:52 GMT
Positioning and covering takes a little time to get right. The more consistent the back four lineup is, the better they will become at these aspects of defending as a unit. One of the reasons I feel that the defense has been poor recently is that ti seems to have been swapped around too much. Since the enforced winter break a think there are only one of two instances where the same back four have played consecutive games (please correct me if I am wrong).
As for Quarm's time here this season, he never reached the level of last season and his addition seemed to unsettle the squad not strengthen it. Shame as when he is on the money he is a quality player.
Back to the title of the thread. This is only a massive week because we have put pressure on ourselves. We can not gain any advantage with the next two games, only prevent further damage to our title hopes. Every game in the league is important and we need to find our winning mentality again.
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Post by exiledinandover on Jan 25, 2011 7:26:01 GMT
I think if we don't win BOTH games we can say goodbye to the title.we need automatic promotion because for some reason we can't seem to win the playoff's,always falling at the last hurdle.
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Post by meddles on Jan 25, 2011 8:28:12 GMT
always falling at the last hurdle. Shouldn't that be the first hurdle! You're right though, winning the title would be the preferred method of promotion. A dodgy 45mins in the semi or final, and it's a whole season of hard work thrown away (ref: Ks @ home!)
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Post by exiledinandover on Jan 25, 2011 8:49:18 GMT
Don't remind me,i've never felt so disappionted in a long time.And i had to drive back to Andover,a miserable trip.
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Post by holmes on Jan 25, 2011 18:42:14 GMT
Looking at some of the other games today there are some bannana skins for our nearest rivals to get past. Must win, nothing else will do. (no pressure lads )
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Post by holmes on Jan 25, 2011 18:44:18 GMT
And OK, so I may have been wrong about not gaining anything from these games
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Post by presssec on Jan 25, 2011 20:14:53 GMT
It's started well enough. A Tom Hughes own goal and a goal from Darren Ebsworth inside the first half hour.
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