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Post by Bernie on Jan 25, 2023 5:36:09 GMT
I wasn't at the game but does anybody think that this performance is a result of yesterday's deflating news that the takeover is off. We're the players looking disillusioned? Also let's not forget it was our 3rd game in 9 days and the previous two would have taken a lot of effort out of the players. Or were we just shit? We’ve just lost eight league games in a row, so no, it’s not down to the takeover being off. Everyone’s hurting. The players who have tried their best but not been good enough. Both George and Hakan, looking for the alchemy to turn lead into gold. The owners facing the prospect of buying a new pitch for a club they no longer want to own. And a couple of thousand fans turning up week after week hoping in vain the corner has been turned. Time to start planning for life back in the NLS. Going part time sounds an attractive proposal right now.
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Post by Better things to do in life on Jan 25, 2023 7:00:37 GMT
I wasn't at the game but does anybody think that this performance is a result of yesterday's deflating news that the takeover is off. We're the players looking disillusioned? Also let's not forget it was our 3rd game in 9 days and the previous two would have taken a lot of effort out of the players. Or were we just shit? We’ve just lost eight league games in a row, so no, it’s not down to the takeover being off. Everyone’s hurting. The players who have tried their best but not been good enough. Both George and Hakan, looking for the alchemy to turn lead into gold. The owners facing the prospect of buying a new pitch for a club they no longer want to own. And a couple of thousand fans turning up week after week hoping in vain the corner has been turned. Time to start planning for life back in the NLS. Going part time sounds an attractive proposal right now. Part time may be a drop too far but sadly NS is almost certain now. Last night was one of the most disappointing games of my long long life as a Stones fan - and I’ve seen quite a few in my many years - as we had such hope after Rectum and with Big George in charge yet instead got one of our poorest weakest and hapless performances of the season - clueless and simply not competing with an average NL side in any way who hustled us off the ball too easily and had an easy night of it. Did the players pull it out of the bag on Saturday as with a new owner with money for new players they feared for their jobs but didn’t have the same motivation last night? Who knows? Deacon is no central midfield player Mersin is Isthmian league at best and Akabi and Lawson should have started Corne was as usual completely absent and Booty had all the confidence of a man going to the gallows. Only ever running Barham deserters any credit as even Galvin had a poor final touch. Fowler did well too but he’s not really NL level. Very very very disappointing as we are back where we were before the euphoria of a new owner with more money and a new manager with a tactically clueless NS side destined to at best be a yo yo club. Please Oliver and Terry and Alan or another investor find a way to come to agreement we so desperately need new investment. It won’t save us from relegation now after last night sealed our fate for this year but at least we can build for another NS promotion season and a better crack at NL next time around. Sadly this season now though is a repeat of the clown days and if George stays to the end of the season it will just be babysitting our embarrassment just like JS2 had to. Our song that goes “times they have been hard” really applies now!
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Post by 61666 on Jan 25, 2023 8:40:12 GMT
Aldershot have played five games in two weeks and done well. We have played just three games in that time, so it ain't burn out. As to what it is, who knows - other than the obvious. We just aren't good enough and got bullied all over the pitch. Deacon was in the wrong position and Lawson should have been there. Jerome is starting to look out of his depth, but rightly or wrongly it is our keeper that worries me most. Mersin was frequently out of position last night, but it seems is all we have until Sandford is fit. Maybe somebody with a bit of time could check Mersin's record, but am guessing it must be close to three goals a game. Regardless of everyone else, that is poor. We have conceded 65 league goals in 29 games. Do the arithmetic and we are on course to let in 103 goals by the end of the season. That is minor league nonsense. Survival starts with a consistent keeper, but unfortunately we have the wrong kind, plus too many of them. We could go and win at Torquay, but I doubt it. Sides know what we are like and must be looking forward to playing us now.
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Post by daveu on Jan 25, 2023 9:07:20 GMT
Aldershot have played five games in two weeks and done well. We have played just three games in that time, so it ain't burn out. As to what it is, who knows - other than the obvious. We just aren't good enough and got bullied all over the pitch. Deacon was in the wrong position and Lawson should have been there. Jerome is starting to look out of his depth, but rightly or wrongly it is our keeper that worries me most. Mersin was frequently out of position last night, but it seems is all we have until Sandford is fit. Maybe somebody with a bit of time could check Mersin's record, but am guessing it must be close to three goals a game. Regardless of everyone else, that is poor. We have conceded 65 league goals in 29 games. Do the arithmetic and we are on course to let in 103 goals by the end of the season. That is minor league nonsense. Survival starts with a consistent keeper, but unfortunately we have the wrong kind, plus too many of them. We could go and win at Torquay, but I doubt it. Sides know what we are like and must be looking forward to playing us now. While I agree Mersin was poor it wasn't all down to him. We defended horribly. Very few headers even cleared the penalty area and when we did clear the ball it was with long aimless hoofs that bypassed the midfield and came straight back. It wasn't all bad however. Bone still looks class and Jobe when he came on was a huge improvement on Ellul who just looks out of his depth against anyone faster than my granny, and was all to quick to blame someone else for his mistakes.
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Post by bear5 on Jan 25, 2023 9:09:19 GMT
I thought the worst when Pattison was named as a starter - he's, at best, an impact player who does well for 15-20 minutes - and Lawson wasn't in it. The Lawson-Corne-Booty midfield is the best we've had for a period and so it didn't make much sense to change unless he had an injury. I couldn't work out what Deacon was meant to be doing. All in all, the side looked wrong and they started badly and never got going. I thought Galvin was pretty poor, didn't look up for it and seemed to be annoyed most of the time, although to be fair high floated balls that went over him or nowhere near him can't have been fun.
As for the rest, Mersin doesn't inspire confidence, which is a problem, but none of the goals were his fault. I still think we don't really look like scoring much and so much of the best play is either Barham in the box or Barham out of the box - he obviously can't be both in places at the same time so it's a struggle to understand who is going to score other than him.
As for the table, I don't think it's worth looking at now - it all seems inevitable.
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Post by scooby on Jan 25, 2023 9:26:33 GMT
Aldershot have played five games in two weeks and done well. We have played just three games in that time, so it ain't burn out. As to what it is, who knows - other than the obvious. We just aren't good enough and got bullied all over the pitch. Deacon was in the wrong position and Lawson should have been there. Jerome is starting to look out of his depth, but rightly or wrongly it is our keeper that worries me most. Mersin was frequently out of position last night, but it seems is all we have until Sandford is fit. Maybe somebody with a bit of time could check Mersin's record, but am guessing it must be close to three goals a game. Regardless of everyone else, that is poor. We have conceded 65 league goals in 29 games. Do the arithmetic and we are on course to let in 103 goals by the end of the season. That is minor league nonsense. Survival starts with a consistent keeper, but unfortunately we have the wrong kind, plus too many of them. We could go and win at Torquay, but I doubt it. Sides know what we are like and must be looking forward to playing us now. While I agree Mersin was poor it wasn't all down to him. We defended horribly. Very few headers even cleared the penalty area and when we did clear the ball it was with long aimless hoofs that bypassed the midfield and came straight back. It wasn't all bad however. Bone still looks class and Jobe when he came on was a huge improvement on Ellul who just looks out of his depth against anyone faster than my granny, and was all to quick to blame someone else for his mistakes. Mersin was poor, WOW understatement of the year 1st moving around like a constipated chicken 2nd through his legs 3rd flapping like a bat No confidence in ya last line of defence equals mufc. Still makes it easy for the prediction league, we will always let in goals with the clown in goal. Difference of opinion, yes, but unbelievable 😳
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Post by daveu on Jan 25, 2023 10:16:56 GMT
While I agree Mersin was poor it wasn't all down to him. We defended horribly. Very few headers even cleared the penalty area and when we did clear the ball it was with long aimless hoofs that bypassed the midfield and came straight back. It wasn't all bad however. Bone still looks class and Jobe when he came on was a huge improvement on Ellul who just looks out of his depth against anyone faster than my granny, and was all to quick to blame someone else for his mistakes. Mersin was poor, WOW understatement of the year 1st moving around like a constipated chicken 2nd through his legs 3rd flapping like a bat No confidence in ya last line of defence equals mufc. Still makes it easy for the prediction league, we will always let in goals with the clown in goal. Difference of opinion, yes, but unbelievable 😳 The usual well considered and measured statement from you. He may have been at fault for the third, but left exposed by the defence for the second. And not through lack of confidence but by the total lack of anything resembling a tackle from Jerome.
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Post by 1018 on Jan 25, 2023 11:29:56 GMT
Sorry George but that was awful. As soon as I saw that Pattisson was starting I feared for the worst. He wasn't good enough to be a regular starter in the NLS & he certainly isn't at this level.
Ellul seems totally lacking in confidence; booking after a couple of minutes & subbed at half-time. With Jobe & Cawley on the bench we have plenty of central defenders so maybe Joe's time is up.
Deacon was invisible again. Corne not the player he was last season & his awful pass led to their first goal.
Galvin is not a left-winger. Their full-back was taking the p*ss out of him all the second half, "nice try son" & the like. Eventually Galvin reacted & got booked.
Alabi impressed again when he came on & undoubtedly should have been in the starting XI.
Where is Odusanya?
Mersin doesn't inspire confidence but I think that he's the only fully fit keeper at the moment.
The Club need to accept reality & plan for the NLS next season. Identify which players we want to keep & those we would like to bring in. There's also a big decision to take regarding the next Manager.
Looking forward to a promotion push next season.
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Post by holysmokes66 on Jan 25, 2023 11:59:32 GMT
I've seen Effiong (who put 3 past us) referred to as a donkey by Aldershot fans numerous times. A big portion of them really don't like him. What we'd give for a donkey who's nearly scored a goal every other game (13 in 27).
He worked hard last night and deserved his hatrick.
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Post by Harry on Jan 25, 2023 13:21:42 GMT
Never easy for a manager to give a good post match interview after a pathetic team performance. Lets be honest Georege did not get team selection right, the players looked leggy and uninspired, and as for tactics, don't even go there. So any realistic hopes have been dashed once and for all. Just like the 'Titanic' from the time it hit the iceberg, the ship was doomed. Players can only play now for renewal of contracts, escaping relegation is way beyond any sensible target. Just a scramble for the lifeboats of which there are not nearly enough.
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Post by jdl on Jan 25, 2023 14:25:39 GMT
It was a car crash. As many have said, as soon as you saw Christie starting, you knew it wasn't going to be a good night. But, even so, I couldn't believe what we saw for the first half hour or so - what the f**k happened??
So what now? We're down, no arguing with that. So our priority now must be to go down with as much pride as possible. Let's at least not be the first NL club to go down bottom two seasons running.
We've got to watch another 8 home games, so let's at least put on a display worth watching.
And then there's next season... The one advantage of being in this much shite, is that we have much longer to prepare for next season. No rush to get the next manager in place, and plenty of time to scout out new players.
On second thoughts, ignore the above, I'm just trying to cheer myself up...
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Post by Stonethecrow on Jan 25, 2023 14:47:35 GMT
Carcrash or the Titantic experience, they both ring true.
We are so absolutely doomed, reckon we must be favourites to be the bottom most club to be relegated.
Hardly the time to look around for new players, def not till we have the new management team in place.
In fairness some of the existing squad will be very competitive in the NLS.
But some, not most.
Roll on the rest of the season asap.
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Post by holysmokes66 on Jan 25, 2023 15:33:01 GMT
Nearly started to type out who I'd keep for next season but it's way too soon for that really, isn't it?
Just looked back at the list of players we've had at the club this season. I've tried to be as meticulous as I can with that list and Mamadou Jobe joining means we've had 39 players at the club this season with 33 of them making some form of appearance (remembering Luque and Browne have been injured all season as well). Insanity. That has to be something the owners and management have to address - recruitment has been abysmal this season.
For me, there's got to be questions asked of the following:
- Loan signings: some have worked out (Lawson, Galvin... maybe Lyons-Foster?), some haven't (all the others). We can't rely on the youth team players of bigger teams (Barkers and Vincent were shocking) or the cast offs of those around us coming here for a month or two to make us competitive. Our squad last season was built on a core group you could rely on week in week out.
- Squad retention: Injuries will be blamed for the influx of loanees but that's a guise for the poor recruitment in my books, unfortunately. Within this seasons team itself we've found Alabi, Woods, Fawole, Gurung, Odusanya, Hadler, etc. all in and out of the squad for one reason or another - should they not have been either moved on completely or sent out of loan to reduce the wage bill to source better players? We loaned Cawley for match fitness and that's about it (Walters, Iandolo, Jeche and Earle are probably not bothering the main squad).
- Communication: Henry Woods could have retired and be working in Tesco for all I know, the club certainly won't tell us. What's happened to Wanjau-Smith? Came back, played once or twice and has vanished again? I know capacity for this kind of thing must be an issue, but when you don't know who's in the squad anymore, it's hard to keep track of who may be playing each week. A blog once a month for squad updates is surely doable and arguably expected now?
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Post by 61666 on Jan 25, 2023 15:40:13 GMT
Bet any Dover supporter who looks at this site will have a wry smile after what they went through last season. The thing with our current squad, especially those who got promotion last season is - will they want to stay? Much depends on what MUFC can offer them, which will be less than now, you'd think, though who is in charge and the prospects they offer might make difference. Loyalty? Not sure that works for many these days, but we might have a few. All SHOULD be looking to impress for reasons of future employment, be it here or elsewhere, so at the very least somebody needs to remind them that, if we go down with a whimper, it is not likely to do much for their job prospects - at this level, or the one below. The above should mean we do not go down without a fight. Trouble is, I fear too many are not only not good enough, they are not up for it either. Sadly, just like last time, it has been proved that we are not ready for the NL. Without future investment, we are not going to be in future either. Yo-yo club, or consolidate (properly this time), for another go in a few years time? I know which one I'd prefer.
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Post by yorkshirestone on Jan 25, 2023 15:57:48 GMT
It was a car crash. As many have said, as soon as you saw Christie starting, you knew it wasn't going to be a good night. But, even so, I couldn't believe what we saw for the first half hour or so - what the f**k happened?? So what now? We're down, no arguing with that. So our priority now must be to go down with as much pride as possible. Let's at least not be the first NL club to go down bottom two seasons running. We've got to watch another 8 home games, so let's at least put on a display worth watching. And then there's next season... The one advantage of being in this much shite, is that we have much longer to prepare for next season. No rush to get the next manager in place, and plenty of time to scout out new players. On second thoughts, ignore the above, I'm just trying to cheer myself up... Dover have already managed that... 20-21 and 21-22 although they did only go down on the second attempt. I appreciate that is pedantic, but the closest other occasion is Telford who finished way down the table consistently a good few years ago. 2011/12 5th bottom (stayed up) 2012/13 bottom 2014/15 2nd bottom AFC Telford haven't been promoted again since.
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