Can we Survive? 10 Games Remaining.

[Dave]

Laugh out loud indeed, yes, those pesky opposition defenders, how dare they cause such an inconvenience to our strike force.

[portugull]

merse I only played South Devon League Foot ball for 10 years but the National League Table proves my point.

Torquay United 41games 45 goals.

Only 3 teams have scored less. North Ferriby 27, Wrexham 39 and Boreham Wood 42. Says it all don't you think?

[merse btpir]

Says a lot; but football is supposed to be a game where everything you try is opposed so that real match situations are a lot different than repetitious practice.

Tell me about it; I've really stopped coaching these days, but took over a vacant situation before Christmas for a short time and half of it is giving players their drills and practices and then watching and take note whether or not they can execute under match conditions.

It's never as easy with an opponent breathing down your neck!

....and I'll tell you something else: Boreham Wood might be amongst the lowest scorers but their game management is such that they have turned an awful lot of those low scoring games into victories because they know how to keep their shape, retain as much possesion as possible, close down, stop crosses and remember that if you score one and do the rest properly; you don't often need to score two!

One thing that makes me wince is watching a side carry on chasing a second goal instead of doing all that and then getting caught when there really should have been no reason for it.

Get ahead, close a game down and win it!

[brucie]

You would think that if we were to go down that it wouldn't really be beyond the realms of possibility that we could make a fist of being promoted straight back.

But will that happen with our current owners? - not a chance I guess.

Its interesting that Maidenhead United who currently top the league (on gates of around 800) are managed by Alan Devonshire, who it seems manages to be a success wherever he goes. Then you have got Poole who are in the play off positions on gates of around 500.

I actually doubt if our crowds would decrease if we were top of the league - I mean I guess that our long suffering fanbase wouldn't really mind if we were winning games on a regular basis - whether its Tranmere or Truro.

However struggling below halfway in the league below is just too depressing to contemplate.

[merse btpir]

It'll all depend on who is appointed manager and who they are able to sign at the end of the day.

I'm a great believer in horses for courses and a manager inherently familiar with NLS is a must......one I know well is Harry Wheeler who walked out on Welling United yesterday due to interference from one Tristan Lewis (remember him in league with Kelvin Thomas & Thea?) Harry's soon been snapped up though ~ by upwardly mobile Billericay Town where he goes in as head coach.

A Uefa A Licenced Professional Football Coach who is the youngest ever in this country to attain that standard; he managed Saint Albans City last season and was my son's age group manager at Dagenham.

[SenorDingDong]

You would think that if we were to go down that it wouldn't really be beyond the realms of possibility that we could make a fist of being promoted straight back.

We'll either do very well or very badly.

Good situation: Much of the attendance is maintained as we hit the ground running and put together a string of wins (like the first Buckle season), GI put a little bit into the club, we employ a battle hardened lower league manager who attracts a good collection of up and coming youngsters and lower league pros, we stay full time (unlikely unless GI massively change their attitude) or move to a temporary part time base in the Bristol region and we go back up within a season or two.

Worst Situation: Crowds collapse as a result of the quality of competition and yet another season of shite served up, GI continue to refuse to invest into the club, we go part time but try to make it work in Torbay. As a result the club struggles in mid to lower table, continues to spiral further downwards and becomes either a shadow of it's former self and goes out of business.

Given the challenges of football at that level I don't feel we're going to end up milling around 7th/8th place and being average. We'll either make the right decisions and come back up to National League pretty sharpish or the club will continue it's death spiral.

[standupsitdown]

I've just noticed that tomorrow Torquay and the three teams above us (league places 18 – 21) happen to be playing the four teams placed 5 – 8, who are all in or fighting for the play offs, so we should be as likely as any to get a win.
York are at Chester so are the only ones of the four clubs battling to avoid two relegation spots) with an easier game.
Unfortunately because our other two away games are also difficult (and Maidstone have 2 games in hand) we really need to gain some points on the others tomorrow.

It’s quite possible that in one of the three away games we’ll go two or three nil down. If that happens we mustn’t go to pieces (don’t want a repeat of Dover last season) and at least keep the score down. A heavy defeat could equal minimum one point if we lose our goal difference advantage.

[merse btpir]

It’s quite possible that in one of the three away games we’ll go two or three nil down. If that happens we mustn’t go to pieces (don’t want a repeat of Dover last season) and at least keep the score down.

Our team on that shameful afternoon was:
Moore,
Berry,
Smith,
McDonald,
Butler,

Rees,
Richards,
Verma,
Ajala,

Harrad,
Blissett

Subs:
Allen,
Young,
Gerring,
Wright,
Fisher

A gutless and totally shameful display after Berry's injury and I was moved to write at the time: Whilst Chris Kinnear concentrated on keeping his players mentally tuned in his physio went to the aid of Berry and Gareth Laws. Nicholson and Herrera did nothing and now Nicholson is claiming all he could think about for the rest of the half was the injury and his player. That's not good enough indeed it is rubbish; the man has a job to do and he should have been doing what Kinnear did. Should have got a couple of footballs out on the pitch and kept his team focused and their attention away from the prolongued pantomime with Berry that followed. But no; he let them get cold, distracted and the inevitable result followed with absolute carnage for the rest of the half as four goals went winging past them. This team is being so unprofessionally managed it is a joke.


Read more: http://thelondonlabia.proboards.com/thr ... z4dbLvQN1a

Nicholson should have seen enough then never to have re-engaged some of those quitters and realised that the absence of his one and only 'street fighter' ~ Danny Racchi ~ was the key element of that waving of the white flag by a bunch of losers who refused to stand and fight for their stricken tem mate but instead were reduced to quivering jellies. A clear indication of just why this season those who remained have carried on in the same vein.

[Gullscorer]

Goal difference could save us. All of the other bottom nine clubs have goal differences at least three goals worse than ours. Of course, we must avoid doing a Solihull..

[Yorkieandy]

Assuming it's a defeat at Lincoln, the Braintree game becomes a must win or that's the curtain coming down IMO. North Ferriby despite being a small club and struggling, they are battlers and I wouldn't necessarily say that game is a guaranteed win. It will no doubt be their last at this level for a very, very, very long time and they might wish to remember it.

Braintree is the critical game. No win and that's it.

[hector]

I think it is between us, Braintree and Solihull for final two places.

That is the depths we have succumbed to; battling against relegation out of this tinpot league, against the likes of Southport, North Ferriby, Braintree and Solihull.

[Southampton Gull]

That's what a "top half" budget gets you!!!

[Plainmoor78]

Assuming it's a defeat at Lincoln, the Braintree game becomes a must win or that's the curtain coming down IMO. North Ferriby despite being a small club and struggling, they are battlers and I wouldn't necessarily say that game is a guaranteed win. It will no doubt be their last at this level for a very, very, very long time and they might wish to remember it.

Braintree is the critical game. No win and that's it.

Both the home games are equally vital. We need at least 50pts to stand a cat in hells chance of surviving. We must beat Braintree even if we win at Lincoln because we need to drag the Essex side down in order to survive.

[desperado]

Yes Braintree game is a must win for that reason, I see Woking play York , not sure if thats good or not,
cant both win but one or both will get points !
Hope to God Sparks is fit, expect Nicho will recall Anderson and play GG at right back. Personally I would play
Verma at right back where he did so well last season, GG at centre back and Reid wide right and Young
centre mid with Lathrope, Sparks left and Keating and Williams up front, Williams is not taking chances lately
but we know what he can do, but as long as he works his socks off

[tomogull]

Yes - I think it's now between two of three to join doomed Southport & North Ferriby - us, Braintree or Solihull. Maidstone's good win at Gateshead yesterday makes them virtually safe and Woking should be safe, although they have to play York (away) and Dagenham (away). Guiseley on 49 points should get over the line, but they have to play Braintree (away - on Good Friday) and Solihull (home - last game of the season) and Tranmere (home). But they also have have an away game at Bromley where they should pick up a point or three. Still several twists and turns, and still clutching at straws ......