Just Back

a gold star from me fishboy

I dont particularly have an issue with how we set up initially. They’re on fire at the moment, have the best striker in the league and on paper and in reality have a much better squad than us. On the flip side, we’ve got our best players out and we’re in diabolical form.

It’s the failing to change things to have a go at winning them on the 70ish min mark that’s frustrating.

I really do get people’s frustration and the points. But….we’ve got players unavailable, for illness, injury or suspension and confidence, for whatever reason, is shattered, so….I think, taking a pragmatic and balanced view, I can understand why we went with that shape. Clifton’s chance goes in and it’s a whole different scene tonight. I know ifs and buts don’t buy points, but I just don’t feel trigger happy. Getting rid of Hurst now would be a total reboot, and I’m not convinced that is the right thing to do on balance, and I’m as disappointed and p1ssed off as anyone. Think we need to hold on, stick together and persevere for now.
This isn’t Slade or Bognot territory where it’s evident that the squad is sh1t, nobody sees any method and where the man management and structure is all over the f@cking place. Our manager earned a championship job on merit recently. I can’t ignore that.

Quoted from chaos33

I really do get people’s frustration and the points. But….we’ve got players unavailable, for illness, injury or suspension and confidence, for whatever reason, is shattered, so….I think, taking a pragmatic and balanced view, I can understand why we went with that shape. Clifton’s chance goes in and it’s a whole different scene tonight. I know ifs and buts don’t buy points, but I just don’t feel trigger happy. Getting rid of Hurst now would be a total reboot, and I’m not convinced that is the right thing to do on balance, and I’m as disappointed and p1ssed off as anyone. Think we need to hold on, stick together and persevere for now.
This isn’t Slade or Bognot territory where it’s evident that the squad is sh1t, nobody sees any method and where the man management and structure is all over the f@cking place. Our manager earned a championship job on merit recently. I can’t ignore that.

19 wins in his last 100 games as a manager...let that sink in...

Quoted from oochiad

I’ve arrived back in Yorkshire feeling that we will still be there abouts come the end of the season. Top of the league and we matched them, soft free kick was the difference. I will remain optimistic until we have our full strength squad out and I think we deserve nothing from a game, then I’ll join you all with the doom and gloom….. UTM!

We were 4 points clear at the top but now we are in freefall. The forwards seemed as though they had been together for years with intricate passing especially between Mcatee and Sousa. Goals were coming from all positions of the park with the midfield pushing forward and supporting the forwards at every opportunity . Where has the flair gone ? - for me it got lost on the training pitch with tactics based on not losing with no thought to scoring goals  If we go behind we suddenly alter tactics and attack, similarly if a forward is red carded we seem to become more dangerous.  Let's attack, attack and attack especially at home and make B.P. our patch where others are feared to tread. At the moment we are boring and down right easy meat

Ok, well, I mean, that is stark and, without context, hard to oppose.

Quoted from Gaffer58

We have a number nine, LJL, but seriously we all know he is no longer good enough to be our main man.

I have no idea why Hurst gave him a 2 year contract as barmy as some of Holloway's contracts.

Worse than the performance was Hurst’s post match interview especially when he said if he were to sign a striker that would either mean replacing Ryan Taylor or changing our system. Well after watching that 90 minutes the system wants changing. We had no threat going forward and when we did get chance to deliver the ball into the box the crosses were appalling other than the ball for Clifton’s miss.

Crooked and Efete not suited to this system, not playing Towler meant we had no balance and no one to play a decent ball from the back. Ultimately our midfield just isn’t good enough and the early season promise from Fox seems to have disappeared as his distribution was very poor today. Thought Coke did ok but I have previously posted my thoughts on Clifton and am dumbfounded that some consider him MOM. I accept he works hard and makes good runs but his first touch is poor, he gives the ball away on a regular basis and isn’t the best passer of the ball. Add the sitter he missed and his failure to find Bell when breaking away in the second half and you have a number of reasons why he was nowhere near MOM.

The team lacked any sort of goal threat but despite this Bell had some great touches and looks worth a run in the side. Substitutions far too late and demonstrated that Hurst was more than happy with a draw. How he can change the free flowing football we witnessed in those first twelve games to the mediocrity we are now watching is some achievement but today reminded me why I stopped going regularly last time he was in charge.

On the plus side the back three all played ok and goalkeeper made the one save required of him but took a couof crosses that Macca may have flapped at or tried to punch. Not the best day and getting soaked walking back to the car just summed up the day perfectly.

So some reflection on the drive home. In no particular order ….

One thing certainly confirmed for those who didn’t believe it (I was one) you have to spend relatively big money if you want a serious crack at promotion, certainly a lot more than when we where down here before.

So if you’re going to set up not to lose then don’t lose, though the players worked hard you would imagine with 3 experienced CB’s on the pitch you’d be able to understand where their danger man is at set pieces.

Equally if they’re dealing with your attacking threat don’t make a like for like change too late in a game, I know people have at times labelled Hurst as negative and I’ve often thought it was unfair on the whole, not this afternoon though he was exactly that.

If we had been able to field McAtee, Sousa and Hunt today we’d have beaten what are a well organised functioning side but with better players in mid field one that could be played through.

Then again we was never going to play through anyone as we had too many players today who couldn’t pass the ball to a player in the same colour shirt, when we could some of our lads had problems controlling it…… today we had little quality and even less composure on the ball.

The ref was conned from start to finish, the free kick prior to the goal was a soft free kick in a game of soft free kicks.

Bell stood out for me today, I would like to see him in a front 3 at some point if he stays for a bit. He was the only real highlight for me but I can’t deny the players did work hard and overall deserved a point to be fair.

Still a long way to go but on the basis of what we’re seeing at the moment you have to say we’re play off possibles rather than probables.

Disappointing day……

UTM!

Quoted from HertsGTFC

So some reflection on the drive home. In no particular order ….

One thing certainly confirmed for those who didn’t believe it (I was one) you have to spend relatively big money if you want a serious crack at promotion, certainly a lot more than when we where down here before.

So if you’re going to set up not to lose then don’t lose, though the players worked hard you would imagine with 3 experienced CB’s on the pitch you’d be able to understand where their danger man is at set pieces.

Equally if they’re dealing with your attacking threat don’t make a like for like change too late in a game, I know people have at times labelled Hurst as negative and I’ve often thought it was unfair on the whole, not this afternoon though he was exactly that.

If we had been able to field McAtee, Sousa and Hunt today we’d have beaten what are a well organised functioning side but with better players in mid field one that could be played through.

Then again we was never going to play through anyone as we had too many players today who couldn’t pass the ball to a player in the same colour shirt, when we could some of our lads had problems controlling it…… today we had little quality and even less composure on the ball.

The ref was conned from start to finish, the free kick prior to the goal was a soft free kick in a game of soft free kicks.

Bell stood out for me today, I would like to see him in a front 3 at some point if he stays for a bit. He was the only real highlight for me but I can’t deny the players did work hard and overall deserved a point to be fair.

Still a long way to go but on the basis of what we’re seeing at the moment you have to say we’re play off possibles rather than probables.

Disappointing day……

UTM!

Pretty realistic assessment of who and what we are.

I must admit that I’m shocked that Hurst has only won 19 of his last 100 games. I’m therefore quite concerned that our chairman sees him as the long term solution as ‘he shares our ethos’. What ethos is that? I’m slightly surprised that having a manager that sets up not to lose is the right man for someone who creates successful businesses.

I’m thinking that we’re in the non league for some time unless significant changes happen to address what appears to be a lack of ambition on the playing side.