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Post by jdl on Jan 6, 2019 22:45:51 GMT
If it isn't the pitch, it must be psychological - the pressure of expectation from the home crowd?
If so, it's very ironic, as we have such good home support - amongst the non-league clubs, only Salford have bigger gates this season. And, because we have the fourth smallest ground in the NL, but have big crowds, we have the second fullest ground - 56% of capacity on average (only Orient do better at 57%).
So, although we are a small club, with only 2.5k gates - to the players, it must seem like a near capacity crowd every home game - all sitting/standing there, mostly quietly, expecting great football and a win - and audibly moaning when this doesn't happen. And we don't sing. Sorry EE singers, you're fantastic when you're on song, but most games we are very quiet, only singing if we're winning - or for the last 10 minutes if we're losing.
Away, the team is usually playing in a nearly empty stadium (60% of NL clubs get less than a third capacity on average - 6 clubs get less than 20%), with a small(ish) group of our fans in just one section of the ground - and usually very vocal.
Is it easier to play in the second environment - and too intimidating in the first?
If so, I have absolutely no idea what we do about it!
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Post by sword65 on Jan 6, 2019 23:24:56 GMT
I was talking to Jason Lillis just before the big Brighton stadium opener and he said we were mad going 3G because our players lack the skill needed to play on it,he also said that we would lose many more games than you would win on it. Wise words?,or just a lucky guess. I will go for the wise words as although Lillis can be very adolescent at times he does actually know a thing or two about football.
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Post by Sennockian69 on Jan 6, 2019 23:48:46 GMT
If we could play at home the way we played against Hartlepool we would be fine, I’m struggling to understand what goes through the players minds when we are at the Gallagher, it’s truly baffling, one other bonus yesterday was the way we played a high line, there was no dropping back and back until the whole team are camped in and around our box, yesterday every time the ball was played forward everybody pushed out with WDH giving the instructions, let’s do this at home That is where we went so wrong against Dover on New Years day.
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Post by Sennockian69 on Jan 6, 2019 23:53:11 GMT
I was talking to Jason Lillis just before the big Brighton stadium opener and he said we were mad going 3G because our players lack the skill needed to play on it,he also said that we would lose many more games than you would win on it. Wise words?,or just a lucky guess. I will go for the wise words as although Lillis can be very adolescent at times he does actually know a thing or two about football. If that is true - then when we find a team that can play on it & also win away that will be known as the legendary Maidstone United team of the 21st Century.
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Post by hongkongstone on Jan 7, 2019 2:57:00 GMT
IMHO it is not 3G but the pitch width at the Gally that is a challenge. You will recall that we used to use Flischer's throws to create havoc in the box and that is ironically how Dover scored on NYD.
The narrowness allows for a greater propensity of opportunites within the penalty area and some have learnt to exploit this while we end up packing the box with last ditch defending which can go one oc two ways - usually against us. At the same time Stones no longer have a long throw expert.
My suggestion would be to have a wider pitch and as such play more expansive football. Can this be achieved if we build the new Riverside Stand with the extra few metres of footpath?
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Post by sword65 on Jan 7, 2019 3:39:26 GMT
IMHO it is not 3G but the pitch width at the Gally that is a challenge. You will recall that we used to use Flischer's throws to create havoc in the box and that is ironically how Dover scored on NYD. The narrowness allows for a greater propensity of opportunites within the penalty area and some have learnt to exploit this while we end up packing the box with last ditch defending which can go one oc two ways - usually against us. At the same time Stones no longer have a long throw expert. My suggestion would be to have a wider pitch and as such play more expansive football. Can this be achieved if we build the new Riverside Stand with the extra few metres of footpath? First of all we need to stay up cos if we go down the riverside stand will not happen for many years. Personally I am not convinced it will happen at all as too many flats have been built close to the ground and the Nimbys will be in full cry again.
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Post by jdl on Jan 7, 2019 9:20:20 GMT
IMHO it is not 3G but the pitch width at the Gally that is a challenge. You will recall that we used to use Flischer's throws to create havoc in the box and that is ironically how Dover scored on NYD. The narrowness allows for a greater propensity of opportunites within the penalty area and some have learnt to exploit this while we end up packing the box with last ditch defending which can go one oc two ways - usually against us. At the same time Stones no longer have a long throw expert. My suggestion would be to have a wider pitch and as such play more expansive football. Can this be achieved if we build the new Riverside Stand with the extra few metres of footpath? First of all we need to stay up cos if we go down the riverside stand will not happen for many years. Personally I am not convinced it will happen at all as too many flats have been built close to the ground and the Nimbys will be in full cry again. Given how narrow that strip of land is, I think we can either have a stand OR a wider pitch, not both. Buying the land just to extend the pitch would be a huge gamble. Although I suppose we could always try it and then build the stand if it doesn't work. Can't see that happening though. Basically, the new stand = more revenue, and is essential for any dreams of promotion, whereas expanding the pitch is just an interesting theory. Personally, I'd rather try grass first.
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Post by porkystone on Jan 7, 2019 9:28:39 GMT
IMHO it is not 3G but the pitch width at the Gally that is a challenge. You will recall that we used to use Flischer's throws to create havoc in the box and that is ironically how Dover scored on NYD. The narrowness allows for a greater propensity of opportunites within the penalty area and some have learnt to exploit this while we end up packing the box with last ditch defending which can go one oc two ways - usually against us. At the same time Stones no longer have a long throw expert. My suggestion would be to have a wider pitch and as such play more expansive football. Can this be achieved if we build the new Riverside Stand with the extra few metres of footpath? Great post this. We won't ditch 3G because it is Mr Ash's pet project & it is important for Revenue. Not relevant anyway, unless we can find £ 1,000,000 tucked down the folds of the sofa or a rich fool with more money than sense we'll never build a team or squad strong enough to worry League 2 .
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