Changes for Aldershot

[portugull]

CH is bound to make changes for Monday.

Drop Tonge who simply cannot do even the simple things. Obvious to me put Angus MacDonald at right back and play Pearse alongside Downes.

Drop Briscoe who is not fit and play Jordan Chapelle. Who should play up front with big Duane? Now that is the problem. I would give Sullivan a chance. If he gets a chance he seems like a good finisher.Bowmans stupid red card just gets worse as he really looks the business at Conference level.

This is an important game and Chris will appreciate how important it is to get the right men in the right position. Is Hawley a contender?

[Dave]

I'm sure we'd all like to see our back four a little tighter, conceded a few to many chances, however to be fair though they have gone 286 minutes with out conceding a goal and that's the important stat, change nothing there.

Thought Briscoe didn't look fit against Southport, but, the best way to get up to match speed is play, right now I would give Chapell a run out and bring Briscoe of the bench.

Upfront, was very impressed with O'Archie v Southport, trouble is, it seems he doesn't have 90 minutes in him as well, would start him with Yoeman, Yoeman I think would benefit greatly playing up top with a big strong physical player like Duane, Duane isn't goal scorer, agreed, but forward play isn't always about that, Duane will create chances and Yoeman is a finisher.

[PhilGull]

Change a back four who haven't conceded a goal in three games? Crazy talk!
As for up front, yesterday we had two strikers making their first starts of the season, give them a couple of starts together and I think they'll do well - as their fitness improves so will their form.
The only change I would consider is Briscoe where perhaps a more dynamic player like Chapel may improve us...

[brucie]

The problem is that we may not have conceded a goal but thats down to Rice as much as anybody else. He made good saves in both our home games.
Having seen Aldershot on the televison they are an infinitely better side than those we have played in the last three matches.
Its tough to leave someone else but really Pearce is by a mile our best centre half so has to come back in.
I don't understand the exclusion of Chapel/Thompson yesterday.
Clearly Dartford would been up for the game yesterday but being part timers were likely to struggle in the latter stages.
Surely the advantage of having a quick winger on the bench is obvious? Instead Ch brings on his latest Bournemouth signing on the wing (who is a central midfielder).
As I said yesterday it does seem that the manager is favouring his own signings but that looks to the detriment of the team at the moment.

[portugull]

We may not have conceded for 3 games but Phil have you seen Tonge play?

For such an experienced player he misplaces passes all the time. We are better without any doubt with Pearse in the centre and Angus does not deserve to be dropped but Tonge does.

Also Pearse may score from a set piece. Tonge will rarely if ever score. Crazy not to play Pearse in my opinion.

We may not have conceded but 2 games were we have failed to score. We need to play our best player to improve the team. Bet you Pearse plays.

[hector]

It is too simplistic to think that the back four shouldn't be changed because they have not conceded a goal for 3 games. The fact is we have played 3 very poor teams in Welling, Southport & Dartford (all three are likely to be relegated or be thereabouts) so no wonder we have kept clean sheets. Furthermore, there have been missed penalties and almost open goals by the opposition in those games, so it is not completely true to say that our defence has kept teams out, more that the teams we have played have been so bad that they miss gilt-edged chances that are offered on a plate for them.

Aldershot will be a different proposition to the previous three, although they struggled last year even if you ignored their points deduction. The case for Pearce is overwhelming and it would be folly to leave him out any longer.

[Dave]

Wouldn't argue either way here, I except the defending hasn't been good enough at times, so if CH decided to bring Pearce back in for this game fair enough, however the team which ever way we spin hasn't conceded a goal since the 74th minute of the opening day, so if CH left well alone, wouldn't argue with that either.

[MidDevon]

I have been impressed with Angus MacDonald this season, but would I move him to right back , no chance

Several people (perhaps even CH himself) has said he can play at Right Back, but I am yet to be convinced....he seems more natural in a central defenders position, and certainly does not seem so effective in close ball control, so I think saying he can convert to Right Back is probably said more to assure everyone that's OK "in case of emergency"

The only way I would currently bring Pearce in is if we moved to playing 5 at the back with 3 central defenders which I see as unlikely, especially with our naughty central striker still suspended. when he is back it could be an option

The defence is clearly not the issue here, unforced errors are part of players in the 5th divisions game and we should be spending more time concentrating on the opponents unforced errors and capitalising on them. I for one have been quite surprised at just how often Conference teams give the ball away....we need to learn that quickly

[MellowYellow]

Portugull - I agree that the back four have been solid. They were against Dartford, however,the congestion of central areas has not transformed our full backs into possession magnets and conductors of the play. Neither Tonge or Cruise have shown a physically imposing presence and are not hyper-mobile, modern full-backs should always want the ball, always want to be involved, convinced at all times that being a full back is no longer simply where the game ends up – a kind of plughole from where it must be discreetly tweezered out and re-set, but is instead the place where the real action starts and ends, a last ungentrified repository of space in an otherwise congested field.

Good attacking football starts with the defence, so our two full backs better start venturing beyond the halfway line a little more often as their role is vitality important in supporting our attack by pushing forward to supply crosses, so lacking in the Dartford game.

[Jeff]

Absolutely agree that we should leave MacDonald at Centre back. Yesterday, Downes' second half peformance was an embarrassment and deserves to be replaced by Pearce.

Niall Thompson must have looked awful in pre-season when tried at Right Back, as its hard to imagine things being a lot worse than Tonge who offers us nothing.

I also wouldn't advocate any changes to the centre of midfield. Courtney Richards was for me the absolute high point of yesterday. Did everything that Lathrope did, only at 1.5x the speed, much better range of passing and not afraid to take a shot on. There were glimpses yesterday that a Young-Richards partnership could be quite successful, so they deserve a run in the side together whilst Harding is out. Wakefield looked ok in his cameo, but nothing to suggest he should displace Richards.

I'd also persevere with O'Achie up front. He reminded me of Morike Sako in his early days - gangly and not fully match fit, but unpredictable and a bit of a handful. He is extremely raw, but improvement will only come from game time.

Yesterday was poor, but there are only a couple of things we can change due to the quality of the personnel we have. Ajala was a let-down; I actually thought Briscoe looked ok on the ball, but lacking a little bit of pace and fitness. Being quite a strong and stocky lad, I wonder whether he could do a job up front? Not sure if he's ever played there before?

Always was a fan of Chappel when he was in the team and doing well, I'd like to see him get a chance on the wing but you'd have to question whether he'd be fit enough to last 90mins and whether he could slot right into the side.

[nickbrod]

I attended yesterday's match at Dartford and like others who were there have expressed my opinion last night in a match report. Today I am astounded to read the ratings given by what I presume is a neutral reporter in the Non-League Football Paper as follows:
Rice 8
Tonge 8
MacDonald 7
Downes 6
Cruise 8
Briscoe 8
Young 7
Richards 7
Cameron 8
O'Archie 8
Ajala 7
From my perspective and the views of others who were there these ratings do not reflect what took place on the pitch.
There were a number of below par performances and if repeated tomorrow then Aldershot will be going home with the points.

[MellowYellow]

The Dartford forum ask how Richards was allowed to dominant the midfield and is given a 7 whereas Tonge's woeful display gets an 8. Aside from Rice I don't think I would have allocated anymore than 6 to any of the players and a few like Tonge would have got a 3/4 at best.

[arcadia]

We may not have conceded for 3 games but Phil have you seen Tonge play?

For such an experienced player he misplaces passes all the time. We are better without any doubt with Pearse in the centre and Angus does not deserve to be dropped but Tonge does.

Also Pearse may score from a set piece. Tonge will rarely if ever score. Crazy not to play Pearse in my opinion.

We may not have conceded but 2 games were we have failed to score. We need to play our best player to improve the team. Bet you Pearse plays.

Both fullbacks need improving!

[brucie]

As already stated Ajala (according to CH) sustained an injury during the game so I wouldn't imagine he would be fit for today.
There is no way that Hargreaves will drop Tonge and move Macdonald to right back - he doesn't look a natural fullback to me at all.
O'Archie is raw and probably isn't fit enough to play another game so soon. Thats why I would go for Benyon/Yeoman up front.
Hector is right though - looking at the Dartford highlights our defence continues to look all over the shop and keeping three clean sheets seems more by luck than judgement.
Downes played well against Southport but looked decidely dodgy against Dartford.
Pearce is simply better than either of our centre halves - Aldershot have better forwards than what we have faced so far and we won't keep a clean sheet today if we don't sort ourselves out at the back.

[ethantufcbaker]

Id go
Tonge Pearce Downes/Macdonald Cruise/Ives
Chapell Young Richards Cameron
Duane/Benyon Yeoman

Subs
Macdonald Benyon/Duane Thompson Seabright Wakefield