St Allbran

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Mar 9, 2024 11:27:39 GMT @oldboy1973 said:

Mar 9, 2024 9:01:06 GMT @61666 said:

Our last six homes are W3, D2, L1 - exactly the same as St Alban's last six away games. The goals tallies are very similar for both teams as well at slightly less than 2-1.
Given that our away form is dismal at the moment, thes next two home games could make a big G difference to how we end the season. Be a shame not to make the play offs, but given there is currently no sign of any outside interest in the club, does it matter?
Heart says yes, head says not really.

Play offs are exciting and will give us a few more games and given the FA cup run we may even win some of them. To not be in them at all would be disappointing and is a bit below our level.
To win promotion through them may be a step too far but I’m sure we would take it and accept being the big underdogs in NL even if we are destined to yo-yo back down again.
But with Big George able to make a silk purse from a sows ear who knows?
But let’s beat St Allbran first and get something out of the Chelmsford game as to fail in either makes all my speculations pointless.
COYS!

Playoffs would be fine but if we finish 6th or 7th they will all be away from home,3 away games in 7 days will not boost our coffers by much

[Deleted]

Mar 9, 2024 16:21:28 GMT @grovergreenstone said:

Yup. Playoffs slipping away.

Slight over reaction but we are not making it easy for ourselves.

[Deleted]

Playoffs are still on as it’s a funny league and loads will drop points but we will need to a) switch in at the back. Too little marking going on b) either find a way to pass from back to front or become much more effective at the hoof ball.

Our full backs rarely pass to their winger. It’s usually back to Reece or George or Lucas to hit the channel. It’s just about fine when we win but I can’t stand the tactic all game when it doesn’t work.

[Deleted]

Can't defend, can't score.

Playoffs? You're having a laugh.

[Deleted]

Mar 9, 2024 17:32:46 GMT @johndaubneyslegs said:

Can't defend, can't score.

Playoffs? You're having a laugh.

Oh dear oh dear
Very concerning
Was Fowler a straight red?
Did it matter?
Superhuman effort needed on Tuesdays
It’s not over yet but its looking difficult

[Deleted]

Why can’t we ever play out from the back. Long ball has its place, but every single time? So predictable. Just mix it up a bit from time to time.

Thought we were ok today until they scored. After that it was like watching a bunch of kids who’d never played the game before. We still created enough chances to have won but god, it was awful to watch.

They were better than us all over the pitch, and quite why their keeper felt the need to cheat is a mystery.

Officials were rubbish again, but you’ve come to expect that in this league. George’s red was probably right, in spite of how quickly their player recovered from a seemingly life threatening injury. But how did their player not get a second yellow when he pushed Faal into the hoardings. And at least two offsides given that weren’t, with the linesman clearly guessing where Rush was when the ball was played.

Not that I’m blaming them for the result. Poor finishing, shit defending and an almost non-existent midfield cost us today.

[Deleted]

Though we played quite well today. Shame it wasn't until we were 2-0 down. Certainly no doubting effort from the ten in black and amber, but all the tippy tappy football is not paying dividends. We have to move the ball quicker when in possession as it is too easy for defences to break down our attacks.
Highlights needed to confirm several decisions, like all the times we were caught offside, was it a red card, how did they manage to get the ball to Jeffers for the first goal etc.
At the end of the day though, we lost because of poor decision making at crucial times. This has happened too many times this season, which is why we are where we are in the league.

[Deleted]

Mar 9, 2024 17:58:01 GMT @61666 said:

Though we played quite well today. Shame it wasn't until we were 2-0 down. Certainly no doubting effort from the ten in black and amber, but all the tippy tappy football is not paying dividends. We have to move the ball quicker when in possession as it is too easy for defences to break down our attacks.
Highlights needed to confirm several decisions, like all the times we were caught offside, was it a red card, how did they manage to get the ball to Jeffers for the first goal etc.
At the end of the day though, we lost because of poor decision making at crucial times. This has happened too many times this season, which is why we are where we are in the league.

“All the tippy tappy football” …are you joking?

[Deleted]

No. Need to move the ball faster and forwards. Players have to run into space to create openings. Hanging on to the ball when you are ahead is one thing, but rarely create opportunities. Thought we gave it a go from 2-0 down, but too little, too late.

[Deleted]

Mar 9, 2024 18:50:36 GMT @61666 said:

No. Need to move the ball faster and forwards. Players have to run into space to create openings. Hanging on to the ball when you are ahead is one thing, but rarely create opportunities. Thought we gave it a go from 2-0 down, but too little, too late.

Right, I think of tippy tappy differently.

I agree we need to move the ball forwards and ideally through the midfield. As it stands we knock it into the channels and midfields job is the pick up the seconds. It’s percentage football.

Our midfield rarely pass to our wingers anymore. Neither do our full backs. We don’t pass into our forwards feet at all. Our wingers do not play as orthodox wingers. A few times they have against Bath and today, we have created chances.

St Albans, today, had several times where they passed triangles through our midfield and advanced on our back four. The first goal came from this. We never ever do this. We work left to right in our own half and knock it into the channels, over and over again.

I’d love to see what Rush could do with the ball PASSED into the channel from minefield and what Faal could do with a ball PASSED to his feet around the box. Rush is chafing long balls into the corner all day or holding the ball up on half way. Faal pretty much has to make his own chances or bring the ball in from the wings.

[andrewthehat]

Disclaimer alert: I am no expert. Football in many ways is a bit of a mystery to me, so my questions below are questions, not comments - and I’d genuinely like to know what you guys think the answers are!

1. Our crossing today seemed quite often to come from players who should have been in the box, receiving crosses. Is that right?

2. When we had men in the box, they seemed to me to be facing the ball. If they were facing the goal, would that be one less turn they’d have to make after the cross?

3. At Coventry, the home players seemed to know what they were going to do with the ball long before it got to them. Our players seem to start thinking about what to do with the ball on receipt, which seems to result in “tippy tappy” sideways passing. At Ipswich, the home side made 38 shots at our goal - admittedly unsuccessfully. Is there a good reason to not shoot whenever you can?

I’m sure my questions are attempts at oversimplification but as I said, I am no expert. I just want to know if I’m on the right track towards understanding this bloody game.

[Deleted]

Don't think you are far off the mark, though in the case of Ipswich and Coventry, the (much) higher level of football makes their superiority inevitable.
George is doing a reasonable job with the resources affordable to him, even somehow finding two decent strikers from nowhere, but until we can find creative midfielders and wingers, we will continue to struggle to reach the next level.
For all his efforts, Sam Corne didn't seem at his best today and no wonder when he was trying to be play maker, stopper and extra defender. He can't be everywhere at once.
Having seriously overachieved in the Cup, it appears we are getting found out by the other teams in our league and need more than just hard work to prosper.

[Deleted]

At the beginning of today's game we were discussing which players we'd retain if we went up to the NL.

By the end of the game, we were trying to decide which players we'd keep if we stayed in the NS.

Neither number came above 5 - and those were all 'possibles'. Corne was the only one we felt any real confidence in, and, even there, I have my doubts.

[Deleted]

Finding creative midfielders - I’m not sure we even want them. They’d watch the ball sail over their heads.

Corne is a holding midfielder for most of games. When he plays alongside Gurung he has a bit more license to get forward. Tanga and Reynolds are decent wingers we just need to get the ball to them in good areas.

[applesnstones]

Mar 9, 2024 22:26:31 GMT pwoodstone said:

Finding creative midfielders - I’m not sure we even want them. They’d watch the ball sail over their heads.

Corne is a holding midfielder for most of games. When he plays alongside Gurung he has a bit more license to get forward. Tanga and Reynolds are decent wingers we just need to get the ball to them in good areas.

George has built a good team. As others have said, the wingers and strikers seem to be good players, but the positioning and decision making was below standards previously set. I think today was a result of too many “off days” and some absolutely rubbish officiating.

The fact the officials felt the need to be escorted off the pitch by so many stewards, tells me that they know there were mistakes made.

We have another major midweek opportunity to leave these poorer performances behind us. Chelmsford are a good side and if we play like we did in the second half, we will be a good adversary.