Why are we Bottom of the National League?

portugull · Post by **portugull** » 05 Oct 2022, 13:57

Well the obvious reason is just 2 points from 6 Home games. That is 2 from 18.
Only one team in the NL has scored fewer goals to our 9 and that is Halifax with just 8.
We have a very bad habit of "ball watching" instead of "thinking on our feet"
What do I mean? If you watch the Highlights of all our matches the strikers know that Dean Moxey fires in low crosses which are begging to be converted in the 6 yard box. But the strikers watch the ball but do not anticipate the need to move in for the kill and the result is a great ball is not converted. A good and experienced striker will anticipate the pass and get on the end of it.
I know I am only a fan but when you have watched Pro Football for over 60 years it is obvious to me.
Our defenders are also ball watchers just like last night in the final minute of added time.Ali Omar and Dan Martin were watching the ball but they should have been marking the ONLY Maidenhead player in the 6 yard box tight and then we would not have conceded a dreadful goal.
These are just 2 examples but I do not want to be harsh because I firmly believe all our players want to win BUT Gary and Aaron need to address fully our obvious shortcomings.
Do not get me started on Corners and Free Kicks and aimless long balls which are so overhit they go out of play on a regular basis.
For heavens sake we are a Full Time Professional Club and I see the same errors week after week.
Training and tactics HAVE TO IMPROVE SOON.

DevonBee · Post by **DevonBee** » 05 Oct 2022, 15:44

Bottom for the simple reason.....take your pick from the following
Poor recruitment
Inadequate fitness
Ridiculous Injury list and must question why ?
No solid Spine whatsoever
Schoolboy defending
A manager who is too stubborn to change the formation

It is all a recipe for disaster .

On another note and this sums up the small mindedness of our club......on the back of the programme last night it lists the kick off time for
Altrincham as 3pm for 22nd October !!!! Someone , somewhere is responsible for updating this and duly deserves to get there arse kicked.

Bristol_Gull · Post by **Bristol_Gull** » 05 Oct 2022, 21:55

532 / 352 is not working.

There is no positioning or pressing amongst the back or middle 3 - the shape is completely dysfunctional.

There are signs the attacking play is coming together, but with inadequate supply (or experience) we’re not going to be getting 3-4 goals a game to make up for our defensive ineptitude across the squad.

Boycott 532

lucy6lucy · Post by **lucy6lucy** » 05 Oct 2022, 22:05

Recruiting young unknown U21 championship/league 1 academy players and losing the experienced back backbone from last season. It’s as simple as that. Many booed little last season oh boy do we miss him. The same could be said with Johnson.

MellowYellow · Post by **MellowYellow** » 05 Oct 2022, 22:17

lucy6lucy wrote: ↑05 Oct 2022, 22:05 Recruiting young unknown U21 championship/league 1 academy players and losing the experienced back backbone from last season. It’s as simple as that. Many booed little last season oh boy do we miss him. The same could be said with Johnson.

Spot on!

Jpr · Post by **Jpr** » 06 Oct 2022, 11:50

Because we’re not Good enough simple.

Midlandgull · Post by **Midlandgull** » 06 Oct 2022, 12:29

We are missing:

1. Pace

2. Wide attacking options which gives us options around formations

3. A bit more experience

4. Some luck with injuries and results (could've so easily won 3-2 instead of losing 3-2 on Tuesday, extremely fine margins)

toastkid · Post by **toastkid** » 06 Oct 2022, 13:58

Keeping hold of the ball in midfield. Too many loose passes - accuracy and decisions, prevents us controlling that midfield and finding the pass to create openings. That'll help!

culmstockgull · Post by **culmstockgull** » 06 Oct 2022, 14:56

Many of our problems this season have been in transistion, I think thats the modern way of saying the opposition is attacking, that in my book is the primary objective for having a midfield is to stop such attacks, if not play five backs and five forwards , Hall is the only one capable of reading the game and he is permanently on the ill and injured table, Lapslie does his best but exudes a lot of energy to little effect, the other children we class as midfielders still do not understand the league although Evans has that ability.I would bring back Moyse not so much for his obvious ability but he is a stronger version of lapslie without the injury prone tag, it is obvious our defence is porous but they get very little protection compounded by the unfathomabe reasoning that Johnson expects his left and right back to spend more of their time in the opponents half.

Chelston TUFC · Post by **Chelston TUFC** » 07 Oct 2022, 06:30

On the point of recruitment....

Its worth comparing our squad with Weston Super Mare's. I'd take Weston's any day. They have experienced pro's (good ones too) mixed with young players and loanees.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weston-super-Mare_A.F.C.

Interesting comments from Joey Barton which ring true with some players....

https://trainingground.guru/articles/jo ... e%E2%80%99

Jpr · Post by **Jpr** » 07 Oct 2022, 10:35

Chelston TUFC wrote: ↑07 Oct 2022, 06:30 On the point of recruitment....

Its worth comparing our squad with Weston Super Mare's. I'd take Weston's any day. They have experienced pro's (good ones too) mixed with young players and loanees.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weston-super-Mare_A.F.C.

Interesting comments from Joey Barton which ring true with some players....

https://trainingground.guru/articles/jo ... e%E2%80%99

How true Joey Barton is, just the same as are under 18s year in year out No good. In Torbay just look at are Saturday afternoon games on local pitches we had 7 divisions in total in the 1980’s but now 3 or 4 if that, and on Sunday we had 4 divisions now none. Kids want to play football from a young age so join a team to play but the coach will only play players he wants to win with or his best mates with so if your child doesn’t fit in then They sit on the bench week in week out after time the child leaves and never plays football again. The more we let kids play football of any ability this May bring back teams to local park football then we may get other Mark lorams in are team and many others. And not ones from a teaching course from south Devon College same old training same old coaching and No personality in players just a plastic look of No interest.Just think in 1966 we had more or less working class men in that team now we are meant to have athletes and better players but have we won a competition like they did, No did George best stick to I diet to make him great, so do are players of today need to, things need to change from the factory of football players stop trying to mould them the same. We have gone backwards just trying to get the Pele of the future instead of the hard working everyday player who wants to just play football for the love of it. And that starts at the grass roots from primary schools and on wards.

DevonBee · Post by **DevonBee** » 07 Oct 2022, 10:41

Chelston TUFC wrote: ↑07 Oct 2022, 06:30 On the point of recruitment....

Its worth comparing our squad with Weston Super Mare's. I'd take Weston's any day. They have experienced pro's (good ones too) mixed with young players and loanees.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weston-super-Mare_A.F.C.

Interesting comments from Joey Barton which ring true with some players....

https://trainingground.guru/articles/jo ... e%E2%80%99

Personally cannot stick Barton for being the total .... he is. However his comments on the majority of under 21 rings true. It certainly is in our case,so many will just disappear from full time football completely quicker than they think.

toastkid · Post by **toastkid** » 07 Oct 2022, 12:52

When I took my lads team through the pioneer league there were only about 3 managers who stuck with it all the way through. As you say, too many for their own egos. We had a bunch of local kids, every single one played the same amount of time per game, all 16 kids played every week. It wa a laugh, and I remain good friends with many of parents. You are right, many parents and coaches wanted their kids to be the next Beckham, and they probably survived for 2 seasons. Inclusion is the key.

Sesimbra · Post by **Sesimbra** » 07 Oct 2022, 15:55

Can someone please provide an answer to this question:
Why does GJ leave the signing of players for the forthcoming season so late?
This has happened in the last two seasons and means he has to choose from what is left after other clubs have had their pick
If this is to avoid a month's wages then it must surely be a false economy as has been proved over the last two seasons

Minneapolisgull · Post by **Minneapolisgull** » 08 Oct 2022, 14:34

Sesimbra wrote: ↑07 Oct 2022, 15:55 Can someone please provide an answer to this question:
Why does GJ leave the signing of players for the forthcoming season so late?
This has happened in the last two seasons and means he has to choose from what is left after other clubs have had their pick
If this is to avoid a month's wages then it must surely be a false economy as has been proved over the last two seasons

We were told last year the late signings was due to the playoffs being later and we were not sure what league we were going to be in. Understandable!
This year we were told full preseason should bode well for getting all our ducks in a row for the season. How wrong was that.
Seems our recruitment has been terrible. I thought GJ would have a little more draw been a round for so long must have built some contacts. All we seem to get is people who play one game then out for 3.
We must focus on recruiting from the football rebilitation centre if there is such a place.
I also don't buy this no one wants to live on the English riviere. Have you seen where some of the other national league teams are. Bad enough visiting some of these places for a sat afternoon think of nothing worse than living there.!
Must all be down to really poor budget.

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