Just Back

Don't get much chance to do this but since I live in Bath....

Overall, lucky to get away with a win. Bath were the better team and had the better chances. Was it me or were we just slow - looked heavy legged. They won every 50-50 and always seemed to get to the second ball. As a Bath supporter said, they just don't have a cutting edge. How many attempts on goal did we have? 3? And scored with two of 'em, Their goal, bad mistake by Silk. Just let the ball hit him. Mckeown didn't have much chance. First goal was soft - goalkeeper came and got nowhere near it - funnily enough in some ways similar to Wilkinson vs Everton. Second goal was after the only decent move Town did in the match. Quick passing, actually got behind the defence and first time cross. Good chest control and left foot volley - thank you very much.

Won't do each player - just main points.
MoM - Elding. Won a lot in the air, scored the goal and worked hard. Also won the free-kick for the first goal.
Hearn worked hard with absolutely no decent service.
Pearson and Gardner looked solid - Pearson quite impressive with organisation skills - gave Townsend a right earfull at one point. Distribution not as good as Miller & I'anson?  
Disley&Thanoj - Pretty non-existent. Thought Disley was poor - midfield seemed a bit better when Church came on.
Coulson - Worst player - mis-controlled at least 3 times and didn't look interested. Is it me or is he going backwards at a fast rate of knots?

If the above sounds a bit negative - well that's the facts. Agree with others that even at 1-0 always thought town would get back. Did think it would finish 1-1 though. Second half closed down better and sheer effort, will and confidence won the game.  Very little decent football and only attacking idea seemed to be lob it into the channel for Hearn to chase. And what is this about poor conditions? Pitch looked OK, no wind and Bath seemed to be able to play decent footy.
Will have to play better vs York.
UTM.

Interesting about Coulson, because I thought exactly the same at the last home game! What is wrong with him?! Cheers for that.

Went to the game tonight, thought we looked slow in the first half. Second saw a reactions. Stand out performer was elding for me too, puts a real shift in scored 1 set other up with a nice flick for Duffy. Not hearns night, but is entitled to have an off night. Coulson looked poor on the night. Pearson/garner was outstanding. Macca didn't have much to do, when called upon did very well. Great win in the end. Well done everyone who travelled brilliant..UTM

Quoted from davmariner

Interesting about Coulson, because I thought exactly the same at the last home game! What is wrong with him?! Cheers for that.

It's been said by at least a couple of people after every game the last few months. He does have quite a few goals and assists though.

Quoted from davmariner

Interesting about Coulson, because I thought exactly the same at the last home game! What is wrong with him?!.

NOTHING!! Coulson plays a different game, (or is being asked to play a different game) to what he was asked to play last season, this season.

Coulson is always in the team for me but it's been a while since I've come away thinking, or been told, "Coulson had a good game today".

Perhaps unwise, in the main, to alter a winning lineup but I'd be tempted to look at Church and Thanoj in the middle - wasn't there tonight but Disley had the poorest game I'd seen from him against Telford - off the pace, weak passes and poor touch (all uncharacteristic), maybe he's carrying a niggle. Church has looked much hungrier and fitter in his cameos post Christmas.

Either way, with Duffy, I'Anson and KHM to throw into the mix with Church - it's a strange but fantastic feeling to have a wealth of options from our bench.

UTMM

Whether Coulo is playing well, i still think we would miss him. He has already chipped in with a few goals and his assists rate is high.

I suppose tonight once again proved how far we've come, not played well but still won, limited chances but took them, in days gone by we would have been the better side but bollocksed it up.

Onwards and upwards, starting with sneaking into the playoffs...

Yup, well done to those who flew the flag for Town tonight and I am glad you were rewarded with a victory.

Coulson needs to pull his finger out because Louis soares is waiting.....

Coulson has undoubtedly vastly increased his defensive work this season. His covering and defensive skills have come on no end this season.

IMO he is now a proper right sided midfielder rather than a winger! There is a huge difference

Whats Louis defensive workrate like?

Coulson needs a rest anyway IMO with his dodgy foot that he moans about on twitter..

Although not for the york game.

Was the pitch as shocking as Tondeur seem to be suggesting?

Coulo is a loyal servant think everyone should get off his back his goal/assist ratio speaks for itself and as Chris has said his defensive work this year has come on leaps and bounds.

Bad pitch shouldn't be an excuse any more. We've been playing on these awful pitches for a year and a half now, and S+H must have seen worse in the lower leagues.

The rugby can't help the playing surface. Really detest rugby being played on pitches used by football clubs during the winter months makes pitches like horse paddocks. Must be a clear advantage to home sides that train n play on such a bad surface, whilst the visiting team take a while to settle and adjust to the pitch. Any hope of free fast flowing football probably negated by the surface! All in all a very good result n a little profit perhaps from an additional game v York or Ebbs ??

who play rugby there???

and lets not forget, he must be doing something right to be in the england squad!

Quoted from WOZOFGRIMSBY

who play rugby there???

and lets not forget, he must be doing something right to be in the england squad!

No one as far as I knew Woz.

Bath Rugby club play at the Recreation Ground. Interestingly, they had nearly 12,00 attending the last game. Not a football place I guess.

thats what i thought! as bath play at the rec. just wondered as ticker was saying that rugby cant help the playing surface.

My mis info then someone said a local side shared the pitch. Anyway comments still stand in respect of rugby being played on footy pitches! Don't think the proposal for York to share will help York play good footy!

Quoted from RoboCod

Bath Rugby club play at the Recreation Ground. Interestingly, they had nearly 12,00 attending the last game. Not a football place I guess.

far from it! its rugby all the way. its the same here in gloucester. get 13000 avg week by week. cracking day out it is too. catering amazing (suppose it helps having so many farms round here!) they have a farmer called dave tomlins* that has a stall selling his own burgers and sausages at very reasonable prices. plus, it always helps when you can have a pint or 2 watching the game.


*(though am thinking this has changed to ben creese now!)

It's only Tondeur who was banging on about the state of the pitch.

When asked about it in his post match interview,Hurst said the pitch was fine and they had no problem with it,but he did say the players looked a bit rusty.

Cricket matches are also great the way that they allow consumption of beer in the stands, good food choices, especially at Lords, Trent Bridge wernt bad either! all day drinking and scoffing equated to a bit of banter n singing, where does footy go so wrong?

think its the hooliganism part of it. and the fact that football is more working class background. its not the same down henley regatta you know

but, then you look at american football (and i seem to think ice hockey/basketball/baseball too) and the fans all meet in the huge car parks (very similar to twickenham on international day) and have barbecue's/picnics etc in the backs of their cars

Quoted from ticker_1610

The rugby can't help the playing surface. Really detest rugby being played on pitches used by football clubs during the winter months makes pitches like horse paddocks. Must be a clear advantage to home sides that train n play on such a bad surface, whilst the visiting team take a while to settle and adjust to the pitch. Any hope of free fast flowing football probably negated by the surface! All in all a very good result n a little profit perhaps from an additional game v York or Ebbs ??

Bath is dominated by Rugby. Relations between the Football club and the rugby club are not good, and never have been there. Bath City play in Twerton which is the working class enclave in the city around the old Stothert and Pitt engineering works which was to Bath what Rushton-Bucyrus was to Lincoln. There's no chance they would allow an oval ball inside the ground.

Quoted from Super Clive

Coulson needs to pull his finger out because Louis soares is waiting.....

Exactly. I think Coulo can be great but for someone who allegedly sees himself playing higher up the leagues he's too in and out for me. He's either brilliant or non-existant. Hopefully Soares' presence will give him the encouragement required.

Good sign again though - not been on top of our game but came out winners in the end. I think our fitness is starting to show in the way we seem to really come into games towards the end of late rather than peter out like under Woods'.

I have to hand it to Duffy as well. Having been one of his most vocal critics on here it is a testament to his form that he keeps chipping in with goals from the bench. Unlucky for him but great for GTFC that the two starting strikers keep scoring as well. Keep it up though mate, well done.

That's how Elding got his chance,
Duffy was first choice at start of season but Elds kept scoring after coming on as sub,  Both Elds and Duffy scored last nice, good intresting and healthy competition for a starting place.

Coulson concerns me - doesn't seem as up for it as others.

This is shaping up nicely - with Duffy scoring in his last 2 games I wasn't sure who I was supposed to criticise after each win.

Nice to see all out strikers scoring. I personally think Duffy an elding could do a job together if the hit man fails in form. Same applys if elding fails to perform. It's great we got that sort of competition..thought Duffy an elding done well in the time they was on together.. Both scored great goal from elding and a lovely flick for Duffy to control an finish nicely..

Quoted from Total Football

Nice to see all out strikers scoring. I personally think Duffy an elding could do a job together if the hit man fails in form. Same applys if elding fails to perform. It's great we got that sort of competition..thought Duffy an elding done well in the time they was on together.. Both scored great goals. and a lovely flick from elding for Duffy to control an finish nicely..

As far as Coulson goes, he's doing alright for me.
After all he's a winger, they drift in and out of games and are the most inconsistent players in most teams.
His assist rate and goal tally shows how vital he is to the team in my view.

Playing in the position he does, MC generally relies on other players getting the ball out to him, as strikers do. If the defenders and the central midfielders aren't spreading the ball out wide, then as a winger, all you can do is work hard to get up and down the line occupying the opposition winger and also helping out your own full back. MC is doing this. And at the end of the day even in his quieter games, he still normally scores or creates a goal. The facts speak for themselves - 17 assists and 9 goals. And he had a chance early on last night i believe, so he's getting in the right positions still.

Don't understand the gradual turn against him from some in the last few weeks, maybe some aren't happy unless they can moan about someone, or maybe a few said it and it then becomes an easy bandwagon to jump on for those who don't really form their own opinions.

I like Coulson even in his quieter games he`s a threat,   like Tommy says its a fact (ask Elding)

Quoted from Tommy

Playing in the position he does, MC generally relies on other players getting the ball out to him, as strikers do. If the defenders and the central midfielders aren't spreading the ball out wide, then as a winger, all you can do is work hard to get up and down the line occupying the opposition winger and also helping out your own full back. MC is doing this. And at the end of the day even in his quieter games, he still normally scores or creates a goal. The facts speak for themselves - 17 assists and 9 goals. And he had a chance early on last night i believe, so he's getting in the right positions still.

Don't understand the gradual turn against him from some in the last few weeks, maybe some aren't happy unless they can moan about someone, or maybe a few said it and it then becomes an easy bandwagon to jump on for those who don't really form their own opinions.

Agree with this.  Also -- Coulson had to take an awful lot on in previous seasons, when his team-mates didn't have ability or attitude.  No wonder he seemed to shine more brightly in that environment.  The present team is SO much better so this season there is a) less need for Coulson to be a superman, and b) less opportunity for him to look like superman (even if he is).

He's still a great player for Town - doing the job that seems to be set for him this year.

Well I think The fans all meet in the huge car parks and have barbecue's picnics etc in the backs of their cars... Anyway thanks everyone for sharing all the informative anime.