Just back

Quoted from HertsGTFC

Because I have seen him play H&A on numerous occasions and play well like he did at Cambridge last year where he ran the game and scored the winner.

To say that "I don't understand football" Just because I don't share your opinion regarding a particular players contribution to the side is very patronizing to be honest. Then again last weekend it was Ginny that copped it from you because he didn't agree with you on something so why would I expect any better.

Why is it patronising? You put FFS alongside James Berrett in your review of the game and expect the anti Berrett brigade to slap you on the back. The bloke played well today, as did the whole team - get off the bandwagon and give the man some credit. I'm pleased to say that I was wrong about Hooper - he did good today but he wasn't the only one!

Well, I'm not one of these who thinks we can only be successful playing 442. But we looked a lot more comfortable in our system today than in any of the other games I've seen this season.

We tried to play more football from the off I thought, even if a lot of our passes early on were underhit or sloppy. And when it did have to go longer or more direct, having two up top meant it wasn't gobbled up by their defence as easily.

The other advantage the two up immediately gave us was that we weren't surrendering a big chunk of the possession share. When we have one up top we allow the opposition to have the ball at the back and patiently build play up. Hooper and Vernon often stopped their keeper being able to even give it to his defence in the first place.

1st half we looked pretty solid but didn't really create anything. Great to get the goal from a Dembele cross as I've thought for all his good approach okay, his end product has been poor in the last few weeks.

2nd half they had a couple of breaks forward but generally we contained them very well again. Clarke had his best game for us and Osbourne was fantastic - so dominant.

Mills defended brilliantly but put us in trouble with a poor ball from the main stand touchline to the middle of the pitch trying to force it with his right foot when his feet just weren't set for that.

Rose was very good but there were two moments that Slade will probably speak to him about. Firstly, his yellow card - absolutely ridiculous decision from him to slide in like that, especially considering our recent red card troubles. Secondly, with 5 minutes to go he dwells on the ball in the middle, turns into pressure, loses the ball and they counter on us. Slade was going bezerk on the touchline. Game management and decision making for both points. But otherwise he was very good.

Berrett was alright but I'd still have Clements in over him when he's fit. Could do with putting a bit more fizz on his passes and being more decisive at times when in decent areas.

Thought Woolford looked a footballer. A little short on match sharpness, but he was looking to feed it into the strikers feet and moved into some decent positions.

Hooper impressed me. Thought he was ok last week considering the service he got but today he was a handful. I don't see all the positive comments on Vernon today I'm afraid. I thought he won next to nothing in the air (something Hooper has been slated for recently), ran the ball out of play on the left when we had a decent break on, and 2nd half couldn't get his shot away despite having a 10 yard head start on their recovering defender. Wasn't awful by any stretch, but can't see him being a starter when everyone is fit and ready.

I thought today's subs actually made us stronger with DJ and Matt coming on. As Slade said afterwards on RH, the strength in depth showed in that we made changes and didn't lose anything, if anything being stronger.

Relieved to get the win as pressure would've started to mount had the winless run one on much longer. But it was well deserved and gave us plenty to build on. Positive day.

HERTSGTFC quote; "Macca -  Good if not commanding, why he does not come for crosses but is brave enough to go down at a strikers feet?"

Not sure about the crosses thing but I can fully identify with it as an old lower Sunday league keeper! I never went for crosses unless I was pretty certain I was going to get it but I didnt like it much. Diving at the feet of an on rushing striker was a completely different thing though, I bloody loved it despite many a kick in the head!!! Just the "crazy to be a goalkeeper" mentality I guess.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

Why is it patronising? You put FFS alongside James Berrett in your review of the game and expect the anti Berrett brigade to slap you on the back. The bloke played well today, as did the whole team - get off the bandwagon and give the man some credit. I'm pleased to say that I was wrong about Hooper - he did good today but he wasn't the only one!

I think it's patronizing because everyone is entailed to an opinion and just because it does not align with someone else's opined it does not mean that you "don't understand football".

To say I was expecting "the anti Berrett brigade to pat me on the back" is a really cheap shot that you cannot substantiate, It may even indicate that you know nothing about social media which thrives on posters having differing opinions.

Quoted from Badger57

HERTSGTFC quote; "Macca -  Good if not commanding, why he does not come for crosses but is brave enough to go down at a strikers feet?"

Not sure about the crosses thing but I can fully identify with it as an old lower Sunday league keeper! I never went for crosses unless I was pretty certain I was going to get it but I didnt like it much. Diving at the feet of an on rushing striker was a completely different thing though, I bloody loved it despite many a kick in the head!!! Just the "crazy to be a goalkeeper" mentality I guess.

Cheers for that, I thought that bit of keeping from Macca was excellent today as their striker did not expect him to be so assertive plus he made a really good second effort to send their player wide..

Quoted from HertsGTFC

I think it's patronizing because everyone is entailed to an opinion and just because it does not align with someone else's opined it does not mean that you "don't understand football".

To say I was expecting "the anti Berrett brigade to pat me on the back" is a really cheap shot that you cannot substantiate, It may even indicate that you know nothing about social media which thrives on posters having differing opinions.

And you accuse me of being patronising? Suffice to say I use social media at work and am more than aware of its' sometimes divisive outcome. As far as Berrett is concerned, I see enough ability to get behind him rather than put a petty 'FFS' next to his name.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

And you accuse me of being patronising? Suffice to say I use social media at work and am more than aware of its' sometimes divisive outcome. As far as Berrett is concerned, I see enough ability to get behind him rather than put a petty 'FFS' next to his name.

Shall we call this a draw?

Overall a fair better performance at home,industrious, gutsy, determined and battling, rather than showing any great creative endeavour. Osbourne and Rose were the standouts for me, and i think given time Dixon and Woolford can create a decent left-sided partnership. Woolford will be fitter and sharper over the coming weeks, and it's hard to see Kelly getting much of a look in now. Dembele tried a few tricks, but his first touch let him down a couple of times today, an average game for him by his standards. Hooper worked well with Vernon, proving that we need two upfront. And whilst Berrett turns back and slows the play down to much, that was his best home performance. Crewe didn't look much, and apart from a couple of scares in the last ten minutes, and a decent save from Mckeown, they didn't cause us to many problems, and it's hard to see them being any better than a mid table side. So to conclude, more positives than the previous home games, everybody battled hard and put a shift in, and whilst theres still alot of hard work to be done, we for once actually looked like a team. Hopefully the performances and consistency we need, will take us up to the next level.....Onwards and upward UTM.

Football is all about opinions,

Nobody can say they are right and you are wrong,

We are not managers so we should respect Slade is more experienced than us fans,

So if he thinks a players deserves his place in the team,

We should think do we know better than him ?

First game of the season and wasn't expecting too much tbh after the hammering the teams been getting over the last couple of weeks .
Well done lads if you're reading this . Difficult to single out any players for praise as I thought everyone gave 100% . Should've won it more comfortably as Crewe didn't offer anything really but happy with the 3 points .
Standout players were osbourne who won everything, hooper who chased everything and nearly got a goal and dembele who looks a real find . So many clever touches on the ball  to beat his man was brilliant to watch and always got himself back to do his defensive duties .
Don't know what all the panics been about !!