Stevenage (H)

[Johnnyrotten]

1 hour ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

All our youngsters need to be given time, and not judged after the odd substitute appearance.

They have had to come in when numerous senior players have developed softtwatitis, and the team is underperforming. 

Way to early to make such judgements until they've had a preseason and further coaching and maturing.

I think SS believes they've got a gem in Inwood too.

Agree on Inwood, I was impressed with his composure/passing and the fact that despite looking like he needs a good meal, he wasn't put off by physical challenges and won some headers against bigger specimens.

I made my mind up on Etete after 3 minutes, Dan after about 10 and Vic after half a game, so the 100 minutes or whatever Dave has had is more than enough 😀 (Saying that I still haven't made my mind up on Cogley!).

Dave may develop in the next year or 2 and good luck to him, but I'm only currently concerned with next season and to say we need much better is an understatement IMO.

[thebells]

4 minutes ago, Dr. Feelgood said:

You keep saying this but he chucked the towel in months ago.

Maybe he's only just admitted it to himself but he's not given a shite for a long time ... & it showed.

I’ll not get too deep into it, and everyone is entitled to an opinion. But IE basically broke him. Sanots’ biggest fault in the first half of the season was being too loyal to IE that kept playing when he shouldn’t. That’s the very opposite of chucking it in. He was genuinely injured for a long period. I totally accept the last two weeks he’s been in self preservation mode. But before that, I don’t agree he didn’t give a shite. 

I’ll leave it there and accept I won’t change your mind. 

[Johnnyrotten]

1 hour ago, Duck Egg said:

I don't think that's unreasonable. At the very least I was hoping us to look a little more robust at defending set pieces and more threatening from our own.  The personnel and injuries have undoubtedly stymied him but we've not seen enough of any new coach influence imo. 

Yes, its disappointing that we still look so vulnerable defending corners and set pieces because we seem to have an aversion to marking, we leave players in oceans of space on the edge of the box and we don't give ourselves a chance to counter attack.  

SS is talking a lot about needing better players, but he needs to look at himself too, its irrelevant who's defending if they are being instructed to avoid direct contact with any attacker not in the 6 yard box.

[Johnnyrotten]

Anyway, today's MOM was by a mile the chap in the South corner of WSL who brought a linesman's flag and raised it for every decision.  He even held the flag horizontal with 2 hands for substitutions, and continued after what looked like a serious conversation with a couple of bored stewards. 

He kept us all very amused throughout the game (even funnier than some of the on-field stuff), well played whoever you are and hope you carry it on next season.

[Kane57]

7 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

Anyway, today's MOM was by a mile the chap in the South corner of WSL who brought a linesman's flag and raised it for every decision.  He even held the flag horizontal with 2 hands for substitutions, and continued after what looked like a serious conversation with a couple of bored stewards. 

He kept us all very amused throughout the game (even funnier than some of the on-field stuff), well played whoever you are and hope you carry it on next season.

Yes! Superb effort

[ianofcleveleys]

27 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

Yes, its disappointing that we still look so vulnerable defending corners and set pieces because we seem to have an aversion to marking, we leave players in oceans of space on the edge of the box and we don't give ourselves a chance to counter attack.  

SS is talking a lot about needing better players, but he needs to look at himself too, its irrelevant who's defending if they are being instructed to avoid direct contact with any attacker not in the 6 yard box.

I've found very little to crib at SS about really, and he's had a free pass in the last few games to try what he wanted and who he wanted. The only thing I'm not keen on is his persistence with Schon in the inverted right wing back role, it added nothing at all today and things broke down off him far too often. That and how we seem to have crept back into full tippy tappy mode out from the back, when the bit of progress we were making under JD then in SS's first few games was based on us lowering the risk level and getting the ball further forward and quicker. We were right back in full-on dithering mode today. 

[Kane57]

24 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

Anyway, today's MOM was by a mile the chap in the South corner of WSL who brought a linesman's flag and raised it for every decision.  He even held the flag horizontal with 2 hands for substitutions, and continued after what looked like a serious conversation with a couple of bored stewards. 

He kept us all very amused throughout the game (even funnier than some of the on-field stuff), well played whoever you are and hope you carry it on next season.

On the topic of stewards, I sit about halfway ESL and one particular upset young man got an actual telling off by a steward today. The lad was just being passionate in his unhappiness and the arsehole steward felt it necessary to warn him 

[Johnnyrotten]

6 minutes ago, ianofcleveleys said:

I've found very little to crib at SS about really, and he's had a free pass in the last few games to try what he wanted and who he wanted. The only thing I'm not keen on is his persistence with Schon in the inverted right wing back role, it added nothing at all today and things broke down off him far too often. That and how we seem to have crept back into full tippy tappy mode out from the back, when the bit of progress we were making under JD then in SS's first few games was based on us lowering the risk level and getting the ball further forward and quicker. We were right back in full-on dithering mode today. 

Yes the tippy tappy crap was back in full swing today, Southwood hugely at fault on at least 2 occasions that spring to mind, and looked like an accident waiting to happen.  

I don't expect him to get any criticism because he's now fashionable again thanks to Baxter's horror show at Lincoln. 

I don't think Schon will be a concern next season, he won't be starting many games once SS has a squad more to his liking.  Saying that I didn't think he was awful today - won a penalty that the ref didn't give, had the only two shots that resulted in a save from their keeper, one in each half (aside from the goal).

I'm more concerned about tactics than Schon, as you say too much fannying around today and abysmal defensive tactics at set pieces.

 

[Dr. Feelgood]

12 minutes ago, ianofcleveleys said:

... and how we seem to have crept back into full tippy tappy mode out from the back, when the bit of progress we were making under JD then in SS's first few games was based on us lowering the risk level and getting the ball further forward and quicker. We were right back in full-on dithering mode today. 

This is my head-shaking thing & it's returned during the current poor run.

I accept the 'that's this bunch of players safety blanket' but it not fckg worked & it's clearly causing problems.

Schu HAS to get a grip on that or we'll be losing faith with the point of him.

Nowhere near that in this honeymoon period but he has to root it out.

[ianofcleveleys]

27 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

Yes the tippy tappy crap was back in full swing today, Southwood hugely at fault on at least 2 occasions that spring to mind, and looked like an accident waiting to happen.  

I don't expect him to get any criticism because he's now fashionable again thanks to Baxter's horror show at Lincoln. 

I don't think Schon will be a concern next season, he won't be starting many games once SS has a squad more to his liking.  Saying that I didn't think he was awful today - won a penalty that the ref didn't give, had the only two shots that resulted in a save from their keeper, one in each half (aside from the goal).

I'm more concerned about tactics than Schon, as you say too much fannying around today and abysmal defensive tactics at set pieces.

 

I'd cut Schon a bit of slack in the judgement stakes when he's being asked to play that role, it's alien to him and he's a fish out of water there, though he did have those decent impacts second half and obviously should have scored early on. Generally though he kept going inside into congestion or backwards.

Played as a LWB I don't mind him, though if SS decides to go with a 4 at the back, he and JDC might find themselves on the margins. 

[Rizlar]

SS looked really angry and he as realised our problems are big as we all are aware but I really hope this tippy tappy shit is not his preferred football style. 
The Bells question for you as Santos already agreed a contract with another league 1 team who could be in the championship next season? 

[Tombwfc]

3 hours ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

That's a bit extreme.

And impossible to prove. 

 

 

I'd like to think a few could have us better than 10th for sure (which is where we are since SS took over). Otherwise we've got real problems.

He's taken the same number of points since coming in as Nolan has at Northampton.

I'm sympathetic to his situation and he's obviously got some time. But if we do start badly he's not going to have a lot to hang his hat on after this end to the season.

[bolty58]

Great attendance again. Deserve so much more.

[Wanderlust]

Schuey’s career has been built on similar systems to Evatt’s but ultimately it only works if you have good enough players to execute it properly, and as Evatt pointed out, we don’t because we can’t afford them - we have players who occasionally exhibit the right characteristics. To get out of this league without breaking the bank we need everyone in the front six at least to be a proper goal threat and everyone at the back to be a solid defensive unit.

Fact is this season we have had neither so a lot needs to change so we score more and concede less even if it means sacrificing the system and the style. 
Because of that I have no idea what kind of team we will be next year.

I don’t have a problem with the coaching but I worry about our ability to recruit what we need. No doubt change is coming and I’m looking forward to seeing what we become.

[L/H White]

8 hours ago, bolty58 said:

Great attendance again. Deserve so much more.

15k.

Don't believe the official attendance nonsense 

[Farnywhite]

8 hours ago, Wanderlust said:

Evatt’s but ultimately it only works if you have good enough players to execute it properly, and as Evatt pointed out, we don’t because we can’t afford them -

I don’t recall evatt saying he was playing a system we couldn’t afford the players for otherwise we would never get promoted

. I think it was the other way round and he was sticking to a system and thought because of what he did at barrow . When he was “ told you can’t play football in the national league “ and he proved the critics wrong by coaching non league players to play like barrowlona he could replicate it league one and two . it worked for a while to be fair . 
is idea was to make us future proof once in the championship but he was to ridged to is philosophy and it became more exstreme with backwards sideways and slower tempo no defensive midfielder and poor signings 

[Stig]

13 hours ago, Johnnyrotten said:

Only my opinion but if Big Dave is starting games for us next season, we haven't strengthened and we'll struggle.  If anyone thinks he's good enough based on his few appearances, ask yourself if we'd rather play against him next season, or the forwards that other teams possess as demonstrated in the last few weeks if nothing else.  I'd be amazed if he plays regularly above National League level based on what I've seen, I think some fans are so conscious of how lightweight we are that they'll take any level of footballer that doesn't fall over in a stiff breeze.

I'm a big fan of promoting youth into the first team, but not expecting them to immediately be integral to the starting line up. More that if we integrate 1 or 2 a season to the squad then over time they will become starting options.

This should be the business model as over the long term we'd have assets to sell and a core of players in the squad who've not cost us transfer fees. 

The frustration under Evatt was there was a complete barrier between youth players and first team squad. If SS can integrate a couple next season then great.

We definitely need to strengthen with transfers though.

[ianofcleveleys]

19 minutes ago, Stig said:

I'm a big fan of promoting youth into the first team, but not expecting them to immediately be integral to the starting line up. More that if we integrate 1 or 2 a season to the squad then over time they will become starting options.

This should be the business model as over the long term we'd have assets to sell and a core of players in the squad who've not cost us transfer fees. 

The frustration under Evatt was there was a complete barrier between youth players and first team squad. If SS can integrate a couple next season then great.

We definitely need to strengthen with transfers though.

Agreed, if one, or maybe both, of Conway and Inwood manage to become part of the first team squad from day one next season that'd be good going. For the others, loans will bring them on a lot

[1969]

Just listened to SS interview and he looks as pissed off as most fans.Liked what he said I just hope he gets the financial backing from the board.The only time he cracked a smile when he talked about Inwood who looked decent.Yesterday was a dead rubber game so not reading too much into it but how poor was Jones

[Zico]

17 hours ago, deeane Koontz said:

 

Gotta be honest though SS would have gone some way to improving that in the time he's had since taking over.

Aye

He gets judged on next season 

I know the squad has issues and injuries

But

The way this one has finished has left me wondering what he's all about

Breath of fresh air when he came in with his in game management and changing games to come from behind and win and all that

Then it all just stopped

He needs to get rid of a few and bring new faces in 

But you'd expect most to still be here next season 

So really not sure what to expect 

[bwfc87]

Despite his poor performance at Lincoln, yesterday for me proved Baxter is a far better goalkeeper than Southwood. Luke’s attitude yesterday smacked of I know I’m number 1 next year so I’m gonna do what the fuck I want. Too much risk and pissing about. Might be an unpopular opinion but I hope somehow Baxter is retained and he proves he’s as good a goalkeeper as he was last season.

[Wanderlust]

It was refreshing to have someone putting themselves about up top but Big Dave is a long way short of the quality we need although he may get better - I was hoping the same for Nlundulu.

I think Evatt spent every bit of budget he was allowed to find players good enough to play his way and he got what he could afford with mixed results- but being dogmatic about fitting his recruits into a system led to imbalances and shortfalls that the opposition could exploit. 

[Johnnyrotten]

2 hours ago, L/H White said:

15k.

Don't believe the official attendance nonsense 

Seriously was it that many?

It looked about 12k, certainly the lowest on a Saturday that I can recall in last few years.

[FrancisFogarty]

4 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

Seriously was it that many?

It looked about 12k, certainly the lowest on a Saturday that I can recall in last few years.

I thought 13/14k tops. I waited until 90 mins and couldn’t take any more. Was first back to the bus.

[Zico]

Just seen we ended up ten points off the play offs in the end

Not even close 

Shocking season