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Post by msgribbin on Jan 1, 2024 23:12:29 GMT
Yes, agree re Folivi.....felt like he was one of the targets for the 'won't push through and play with a niggle', 'we need people who'll run and run' comments too. If we can bring in some money for Michael, he'll be on his way I'd think.
Will need to reinvest in a forward or two though
We also need to protect the defence better, maybe with a dedicated defensive midfielder. CJ could be an option for that, when fit.
But yeah, change has to come. Appreciated Spencer's words and apology too. Although as much as not the ideal result, it was a fairly entertaining match so hopefully some of the extra NYD folks will come back and take another look.
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Post by Tom Bowen on Jan 1, 2024 23:13:53 GMT
Yes we were second best. Yes it hurts to lose like that in front of such a big crowd.
And I appreciate taking a small portion of the responsibility!
However, he's been promising changes for weeks. "There's going to be some changes" or "it's just not good enough."
I don't think we were too bad today, we were just beaten by a better side who wanted it more, and we are like a walking hospital at the moment.
He spent five minutes answering one of Dom's questions, which is where the full brunt of the rant came, but it just seems to be the same things repeated again.
There have been many comments about "do the interview later when things have calmed" but in this digital age when people want the reaction, or whatever it is, at an instant, that's just not possible.
And while it does sound good that we have some players coming (including a right back!) it appears to me that if the revolving door starts, there is no, or limited, team cohesion. That can only mean one thing!
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Post by jumaiton on Jan 1, 2024 23:14:00 GMT
Apology quickly covered by slating of the entire team, so a little hollow. Where are the crowing fans now?!? In all fairness we can keep bating backwards and forwards but, let's be honest, it's the fault of everyone concerned.
We've ground out wins and we've been found out. Christ knows how H&W are where they are, one of the best teams we've seen at Cherrywood this season, albeit with a little help from us.
Midfield is really quite poor, Kuhl is being left high and dry by Penders and Maloney, especially, and I don't really blame him for getting a second yellow. Frustration would have gotten the better of me too. By all accounts Bally wasn't fit, Pruti is going back, Sid had a gaping wound, CJ was injured and Robbo seems to be on another planet currently but I don't want to dig him out as he's been great for us.
Connor Hall got a hattrick today which really should ring alarm bells for the management that they didn't utilise him properly. Instead we get excuses about him being an expensive loan.
Finally we're getting a right back (he really does read the forum) but we're going be short in midfield for Stale Buns if it's right we can't get the loans back.
It seems churlish to get upset after two straight wins but we all know they were pretty fortuitous. The fact that bottom of the table H&W can school us like that is either a show of how competitive this league is, in which case can we all get a bit of perspective, or how lucky we've been recently.
It's a sobering start to the new year, but we've got to be positive whilst being cautious. We aren't going up if we win the next two games and we aren't going down either. Steady as she goes
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Post by boromike on Jan 2, 2024 0:12:25 GMT
Yes, agree re Folivi.....felt like he was one of the targets for the 'won't push through and play with a niggle', 'we need people who'll run and run' comments too. If we can bring in some money for Michael, he'll be on his way I'd think. Will need to reinvest in a forward or two though We also need to protect the defence better, maybe with a dedicated defensive midfielder. CJ could be an option for that, when fit. But yeah, change has to come. Appreciated Spencer's words and apology too. Although as much as not the ideal result, it was a fairly entertaining match so hopefully some of the extra NYD folks will come back and take another look. I’ve been an advocate of his as he has shown moments of brilliance, but at the end of the day if he’s not even willing to come on from the bench in times of need, perhaps it’s for the best. We want and need players prepared to run through brick walls. I also like CJ in the holding role but I don’t think we should have to resort to that at home against bottom of the league! It’s a tactic I’d like to see deployed against stronger teams away from home. |
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Post by boromike on Jan 2, 2024 0:21:25 GMT
Yes we were second best. Yes it hurts to lose like that in front of such a big crowd. And I appreciate taking a small portion of the responsibility! However, he's been promising changes for weeks. "There's going to be some changes" or "it's just not good enough." I don't think we were too bad today, we were just beaten by a better side who wanted it more, and we are like a walking hospital at the moment. He spent five minutes answering one of Dom's questions, which is where the full brunt of the rant came, but it just seems to be the same things repeated again. There have been many comments about "do the interview later when things have calmed" but in this digital age when people want the reaction, or whatever it is, at an instant, that's just not possible. And while it does sound good that we have some players coming (including a right back!) it appears to me that if the revolving door starts, there is no, or limited, team cohesion. That can only mean one thing! I thought we were truly awful today and Spencer was a bit disingenuous when he said we were ok going forward. We scored from a goal mouth scramble and a JNW thunderbolt off a loose ball from a corner. I don’t think we created any genuine clear cut chances in the entire match. Behind Weston in the cup I don’t believe we’ve played worse at home this season. I agree about limited team cohesion if SD chops and changes again but what choice do we have!? We aren’t playing as a cohesive unit now, either defensively or in attack and we have some players not giving 100% when the going gets tough. One thing I do agree with Spencer is that this group won’t make the play offs, so it’s roll the dice or accept the seasons over. Might as well have a go for me. |
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Post by boromike on Jan 2, 2024 0:30:41 GMT
Apology quickly covered by slating of the entire team, so a little hollow. Where are the crowing fans now?!? In all fairness we can keep bating backwards and forwards but, let's be honest, it's the fault of everyone concerned. We've ground out wins and we've been found out. Christ knows how H&W are where they are, one of the best teams we've seen at Cherrywood this season, albeit with a little help from us. Midfield is really quite poor, Kuhl is being left high and dry by Penders and Maloney, especially, and I don't really blame him for getting a second yellow. Frustration would have gotten the better of me too. By all accounts Bally wasn't fit, Pruti is going back, Sid had a gaping wound, CJ was injured and Robbo seems to be on another planet currently but I don't want to dig him out as he's been great for us. Connor Hall got a hattrick today which really should ring alarm bells for the management that they didn't utilise him properly. Instead we get excuses about him being an expensive loan. Finally we're getting a right back (he really does read the forum) but we're going be short in midfield for Stale Buns if it's right we can't get the loans back. It seems churlish to get upset after two straight wins but we all know they were pretty fortuitous. The fact that bottom of the table H&W can school us like that is either a show of how competitive this league is, in which case can we all get a bit of perspective, or how lucky we've been recently. It's a sobering start to the new year, but we've got to be positive whilst being cautious. We aren't going up if we win the next two games and we aren't going down either. Steady as she goes The Connor Hall scenario is interesting. Is the reason for his success today - Because the National North is weaker than the South? Because of Brackleys style of play I.e. do they get the ball down and play, getting the ball in to the forwards feet rather than constant hopeful punts upfield? Are Brackley just a better all round team which create more chances? Answers on a postcard….. |
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Post by jumaiton on Jan 2, 2024 9:55:12 GMT
Apology quickly covered by slating of the entire team, so a little hollow. Where are the crowing fans now?!? In all fairness we can keep bating backwards and forwards but, let's be honest, it's the fault of everyone concerned. We've ground out wins and we've been found out. Christ knows how H&W are where they are, one of the best teams we've seen at Cherrywood this season, albeit with a little help from us. Midfield is really quite poor, Kuhl is being left high and dry by Penders and Maloney, especially, and I don't really blame him for getting a second yellow. Frustration would have gotten the better of me too. By all accounts Bally wasn't fit, Pruti is going back, Sid had a gaping wound, CJ was injured and Robbo seems to be on another planet currently but I don't want to dig him out as he's been great for us. Connor Hall got a hattrick today which really should ring alarm bells for the management that they didn't utilise him properly. Instead we get excuses about him being an expensive loan. Finally we're getting a right back (he really does read the forum) but we're going be short in midfield for Stale Buns if it's right we can't get the loans back. It seems churlish to get upset after two straight wins but we all know they were pretty fortuitous. The fact that bottom of the table H&W can school us like that is either a show of how competitive this league is, in which case can we all get a bit of perspective, or how lucky we've been recently. It's a sobering start to the new year, but we've got to be positive whilst being cautious. We aren't going up if we win the next two games and we aren't going down either. Steady as she goes The Connor Hall scenario is interesting. Is the reason for his success today - Because the National North is weaker than the South? Because of Brackleys style of play I.e. do they get the ball down and play, getting the ball in to the forwards feet rather than constant hopeful punts upfield? Are Brackley just a better all round team which create more chances? Answers on a postcard….. Interesting isn't it. It could be that the NLN is weaker or that Brackley are just better and play to his strengths but the fact he scored a hattrick on his debut is a bit gauling. He showed glimpses, a great finish against someone early doors in his initial loan but we didn't see it again. But it does seem to be the way with certain types of strikers that don't suit us. Alfie is clearly the type that works well. When we had Curo and Perry we were one of the best teams in the league so it worked but we seem to play differently the higher up the pyramid we go. Good luck to him but I can see why he wanted to terminate the loan early. Clearly had an itchy trigger finger |
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Post by northlondonboro on Jan 2, 2024 10:32:09 GMT
Really good debate on here. I couldn't make yesterday but, as Spencer said, it's not like these problems appeared overnight.
While I'm not a fan of the revolving door, it sounds very much like shipping Folivi, Maloney and Pendlebury out for a new striker, midfielder (or two) and central defender has to be the way to go. I don't think the absence of those three is going to have that much impact on our cohesion or effectiveness from what others are saying about recent performances and their overall form this season.
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Post by msgribbin on Jan 2, 2024 10:54:53 GMT
Personally would keep hold of Pendlebury - form's been up and down but we know he has more to give. Feels like his adventures in Aldershot and Ayr might have taken some toll on him. Would persevere with him, really could pay off.
As for Maloney, so frustrating. Great skills, just seems to flit in and out of games, never fully imposing himself....would love him to come good but doubt it's going to happen.
I've been fairly critical of Selim at times - that whole 'two touches too many' thing, time and again - but boy did we miss him yesterday.....
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Post by northlondonboro on Jan 2, 2024 11:17:35 GMT
Worth noting that Pavey isn't even making the bench under Woeking's new manager...
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Post by borobob on Jan 2, 2024 12:27:17 GMT
Worth noting that Pavey isn't even making the bench under Woeking's new manager...
Getting 30k for Pavey, was a great bit of business from our point of view, and they also gave him a 2 year deal!, so Unless they are prepared to dump 30k and pay off his remaining term, I think it unlikely to happen, but you never know in football?, and I would hope we have first refusal on hid return should they do it, without repaying the 30k of course!!
NL looks beyond him now, but he could still do something at NLS I'm sure. Would we have him back? undecided, but he does have an eye for the target.
My fear, if he did return, is that we would naturally revert to the big hoof to a big man which, to my mind, doesn't suit his style.
He's a far post poacher from crosses, and causes a lot of problems in and around the box, but needs someone quick and agile around him to pick up the layoffs etc. Reggie and Selim feeding him would be the best combination to my mind.
Folivi, has shown patches of pace, but appears to be brittle, or is something more in the mind that doesn't give him the jump through walls, burst a gut, ability? The talent is definitely there but maybe we don't have anyone to bring that talent out in him??
Would love to keep the lad from Shots, a really strong worker who runs the front well. Him and Connor, who really has been cast adrift a bit, would be a good combination up front and, if supported by Selim and Reggie, when allowed back, would be a tidy front row, especially now we have an incoming right back, hallelujah!! Thank you Santa!!
Spencer criticises our CB's, but they don't become bad overnight, they were all superb last season and, Yes, I know they were all held together by our biggest loss Lokko, but they aren't bad players, and none of them are right backs!! Our insistence with playing a back three doesn't help either!! How many times did Havant exploit the flanks yesterday??
Our main problem is constant chopping and changing of positions and formations. A change of any of them requires time and patience to sort it out.
I hope we can do a deal with Penders, and wonder if his knowledge of finishing his term is also playing on his mind.
Khul, is also a great addition, who lost his head yesterday purely through frustration.
So incoming presents? We have a RB, although a loan, we need one, maybe two Midfielders, and a striker.
Might need a big whip round to fund it though!! Smallest budget and all that!!
We do have the time, but do we have the patience, and ability, of Management and Coaches to do it??
Spencer's report last night DID accept a modicum of acceptance of responsibility, and he has to be applauded for that, and now is the time, as I've said before, to take an overall view of the Club, and it's future.
Yesterday had a great atmosphere with 1300+ in the ground, and we didn't perform, but got outplayed by a much bigger, stronger, and well financed opponents, who are playing well above the position the currently sit at.
How they came to be in that position, is well documented, but they will be much higher in May without doubt.
We have to make sure we are up there with them.
I know Spencer cares, and has the passion, we all know that, but sometimes care and passion are, to use his own words,....Just not good enough!
I leave you with those thoughts.
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY. On to St Albans.
COME ON YOU YELLOWWSSAA!!
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Post by betweenthesticks on Jan 2, 2024 13:27:28 GMT
These young lads we keep trying out might be cheap but can we add to the wish list, a big strong centre forward who can beat the increasingly tall back lines we seem to be coming up against to headers, hold the ball up and resist defenders tugging shirts and grabbing arms, who has some vision, pace and a natural scoring instinct.. Too much to ask for..?
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Post by northlondonboro on Jan 2, 2024 13:50:37 GMT
so Unless they are prepared to dump 30k and pay off his remaining term, I think it unlikely to happen, but you never know in football?,
I think they're going to offload an awful lot of players in the coming weeks and their American owners have assigned a 7-figure playing budget this season (not that you'd know it from their woe-ful league position) so I'm not sure the financial aspect is too much of a stumbling block.
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Post by boromike on Jan 2, 2024 17:20:20 GMT
I think Pavey will end up back here, even if it’s only on loan. He’s not wanted at Woking and he has unfinished business with us. For me it’s not a question of if, but when. I don’t see the finances being an impossible hurdle as Woking will want to get him off the wage bill and I think they will just accept the previous manager blew the 30k.
The real problem we have is even if we added Pavey and Hish to the squad, signed Ghandour and Connor Hall permanently, and kept hold of Folivi and Cullen, that would obviously be an embarrassment of riches in the forward department, but even then I don’t believe we’d make the play offs this season as the league is so strong, but more importantly, you can have all the quality in the World up front, but if there’s no creativity and cohesion in the team you won’t make enough chances to convert in to goals to be able to push up the league. I think the last 3 matches have really highlighted the lack of creativity in our midfield (as well as the defensive issues). I don’t think our forwards are the problem. They can’t score if they’re not getting chances (see Connor Hall).
I think what I’m really trying to say is we are never going to finish in the top seven whilst our attacking arsenal consists of the below -
1. Drop kick from JT - hope something happens.
2. Goal kick from JT - hope something happens.
3. Long throw from Robbo (or whoever’s deputising) - hope something happens.
4. Corner from Kuhl, Penders, Maloney (our set piece delivery has been atrocious this season) - hope something happens.
The above is literally all we appear to have in our attacking weaponry. It may be good enough to stay up, with a bit of luck it may even be good enough for a mid table finish, but it will never, ever, be good enough to get promoted, regardless of who we have up front.
For me the style of football has to change, we have to bring in a culture of playing on the deck, even if it costs us results in the short term.
I recall in pre-season Spencer saying the club had been supported (I think by Fulham & Crystal Palace) with some training content and documentation relating to effective patterns of play etc. for which he was very grateful. I can’t imagine that two established Premier League clubs provided documents on how to pump the ball up field, take awful set pieces and constantly attempt Rory Delap throw ins! From what I’ve witnessed so far this season, it would be far more imaginable that in fact Tony Pulis had sent the documents based on his Stoke team of yesteryear!
We have so much to be grateful for and positive about, but the season so far has consistently felt like one step forward, two steps back, and to me it has constantly felt as though we are at a crossroads and big decisions are needed to decide the direction we go. I have great faith in the club and faith in Spencer to get us there eventually, but I do feel like we are trying the same things over and over again and expecting different results, which is what they say is the definition of insanity!
For me, the ongoing success of the club on the pitch now hinges on whether Spencer can change the playing philosophy as I don’t believe you can be truly successful in modern football playing like 1980’s Wimbledon, those days are long since gone.
Can Spencer change the style, will he change the style? I believe he can and will. Unfortunately, I think it may take another couple of seasons for the necessity in doing so at this level to sink in.
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Post by betweenthesticks on Jan 2, 2024 19:02:57 GMT
It's hard to disagree with anything much on this thread, but in defence of our players, we have seen some moments of sublime brilliance at home this season when we've put the ball on the deck and played passing football. I can't recall exact goals or attempts but when we've pushed the ball out wide and then cut back in from about 25 yards with two or three slick passes we've torn holes in defences. A usual factor in this is a fit Ricky Holmes doing super-hero shit in midfield and testing defences. On Saturday we can also applaud JN-W's strike for our second goal and what about Reggie's run straight at their defences making it to the box before H&W finally got hold of him! We just need to hold the ball more, move for each other so players get available to receive a short pass, communicate and execute! I'll shut up now...  |
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