Dorking 4 Bath City 1

I wasn't there yesterday but we are conceding quite a few goals this season. I notice Wood wasn't playing. He seems crucial to the security of our defence. Our solid defence has been the backbone of our success in previous years.
What was the formation? Was it 3-4-1-2?

We did well to limit Dorking to just the four. They overran us for large periods of the game and went very close on several more occasions. I thought the keeper did very well and should be proud of his performance.

Wood was absent as he played in Wales' 5-0 defeat by Norway in Sandefjord yesterday. They play Kosovo in the same town on Tuesday. This is in the under 19 Euros qualifiers - Wales don't appear to have fixtures in this during the next international break but if they have (or friendly fixtures) and he's selected then he'll miss the match at Dulwich. We'll certainly need him at Ebbsfleet before then.

We started the game with three at the back. The report says the formation was changed but I didn't notice.

You are right to be concerned about the number of goals we are conceding...

I've said quite a few times that when Wood is out we need to have Ball in his place but this has never happened, he just doesn't seem to fit into Jerry's plans.Raynes was mullered yesterday at left back. He should go into midfield and going on yesterday's showing he could take anyone's place in that.

JG letting rip in his interview. Talking of personnel changes. Not sure whether it's defence or midfield or both but we haven't looked solid even from the get go this season.

Very worrying listening to the interview. It seems we have a weak team spirit and the players have no fear of/respect for their manager.

Obviously we don't know what goes on in the changing room, at training sessions, on the team coach etc but I don't think one can detect from that interview that there's a lack of fear of/respect for the manager.

As for team spirit, it always looks good when you're winning 5-0, not so much when you're getting hammered.

As most of you are aware I didn’t see the first half but have managed to watch it back as needed to give my report a bit of substance. Dorking had a few openings but on the ball I thought we looked pretty good, we got in behind them a few times and gave them some scares. Thought the penalty was soft, mind. Wouldn’t be happy if that was given against us. The first action I saw was Frear’s shot/cross on the turn just missing Smith at the far post.

Their change at the break improved them, McShane was more of a threat through the middle and instead of just Briggs we had Wheeler to contend with, who isn’t that quick but can whip in a good ball. Scoreline wise we were still in it but possession would have been in Dorking’s favour quite heavily. We had the odd glimmer but if you hit free-kicks 10 yards over the bar from decent positions it is massively frustrating. We will win a few but seldom test the keeper.

I’m sure I said in pre-season that we will score and concede a lot this season. In fact if I was predicting results so far I would only be three points off - we should be beating Chelmsford at home. I don’t mind losing to teams like Oxford, Maidstone and Dorking if we give it a go like against Dartford, who will get 100+ points at this rate, but in all three we’ve never looked like recovering a deficit. Instead of going to Ebbsfleet in a few weeks thinking ‘pressure is off, could benefit us’ I’m terrified we could be thrashed if we carry on defending like we have in some games.

I know I have banged on about this a few times but I think a lot of the problem stems from never having effectively replaced Frankie.

Jerry's explanation at the time as I recall was that Frankie is 32 and because of his injury record and the small squad he needed someone who could play 40 league games. I don't have a problem with that but instead we seem to have Ryan Harley who is 37 and has hardly been seen this season and Lloyd James who is 33 and does an okay job when he comes on but neither are that type of player. We have plenty of skilful midfield players, but they need someone to break up play and actually get the ball to them. This would also take some of the pressure off the defence which is better than the goals against would suggest.

Jerry's interview was as always very honest but we have lost 6 of the last 7 league games so you feel something needs to change and hard to think that Dan Ball won't be involved at Banbury.

LB wrote:
Jerry's interview was as always very honest but we have lost 6 of the last 7 league games so you feel something needs to change and hard to think that Dan Ball won't be involved at Banbury.

Haven't listened to the interview but I thought Dan was sent off to Swindon Supermarine on loan?

https://www.bathcityfc.com/player-news-dan-ball-harley-wilkinson/

Looks like the month is up this week so hopefully Dan will be available on Saturday even if it’s only as an option from the bench.

Get Ball on.

City 'til we're relegated wrote:It seems we have a weak team spirit and the players have no fear of/respect for their manager.

I wouldn't go as far as that. People can say 'it's only Frome' but we played a side off the park a week earlier that would have been full of confidence, so I can't see how in those days intervening there is suddenly no respect.

Big mistake letting Frankie go, all things considered - and where is Ryan Harley these days?

The interview is inferring that heads may roll - and before Saturday!

And what the hell was Jo doing at left back! Maybe the gaffer will bring Dan back specifically to play in that position, and release Jo into the mid-field .

Frankie has had three spells injured so far this season - he’s only made three or four appearances at Swindon S.

I was just listening to Jerry's post match interview and, he expressed his frustration with his players not carrying out his instructions. He said he tells them things and it goes in one ear and out of the other. What are we to make of such comments? I hope I am needlessly concerned at the managers's frustration with his players.

City 'til we're relegated wrote:I was just listening to Jerry's post match interview and, he expressed his frustration with his players not carrying out his instructions. He said he tells them things and it goes in one ear and out of the other. What are we to make of such comments? I hope I am needlessly concerned at the managers's frustration with his players.

Fair play to both Mark and Jerry for doing that interview. I guess post match Jerry was pretty despondent and maybe not the best time to get his thoughts recorded. Although if he hadn't too many people may have read too much into it.

I'm assuming after sleeping on it he'll be up with a plan to move forward. Onwards and upwards!!!!

Banbury went 14 unbeaten tonight. They’ll be confident but I back is on Saturday. They haven’t played many good sides in their run so far……..

pete mac wrote:Banbury went 14 unbeaten tonight. They’ll be confident but I back is on Saturday. They haven’t played many good sides in their run so far……..

Looking at their highlights v Nuneaton last Saturday their defence looks as unsettled as ours. Could be a goal fest.

Luton Roman wrote:

pete mac wrote:Banbury went 14 unbeaten tonight. They’ll be confident but I back is on Saturday. They haven’t played many good sides in their run so far……..

Looking at their highlights v Nuneaton last Saturday  their defence looks as unsettled as ours. Could be a goal fest.

I would settle for scrappy 1-0!

Prefer 0-1

Talking to a few people, there seems to be a conensus that Frankie has not been adequately replaced. I know fans were very fond of him but he genuinely made the team harder to beat.
I agree with JG that he was too often missing through injury so we could not rely on his presence.
As others have said the nearest we have in the current squad is Joe so he needs to be released from LB unless someone else can be found.
I'm sure JG knows this.

pete mac wrote:Banbury went 14 unbeaten tonight. They’ll be confident but I back is on Saturday. They haven’t played many good sides in their run so far……..

In the current league table the highest ranked team they've played this season is Bromsgrove on Tuesday, who are 11th. Best side they've faced this season on paper was Basford in the last round, currently 6th in Northern Premier.

That's not dismissing their run because it shows they've had a good mentality to see off all these sides and don't let their standards slip. It'll be interesting to see what they're like compared to Peterborough Sports, top of their division, who I thought were decent against us in the trophy.

BenE wrote:Talking to a few people, there seems to be a conensus that Frankie has not been adequately replaced. I know fans were very fond of him but he genuinely made the team harder to beat.
I agree with JG that he was too often missing through injury so we could not rely on his presence.
As others have said the nearest we have in the current squad is Joe so he needs to be released from LB unless someone else can be found.
I'm sure JG knows this.

Yes, largely agree with you BenE. I take Mark's fact about Frankie's current fitness (which us ordinary mortals would not have known about), but I must remark that one or two of our current squad have missed games this season too! Your point though is the most relevant - Frankie has not been replaced with a similar little terrier, and I think we are the poorer for it.

As you have also commented on my last point, I must add that Dan Ball came to us as a left back, so he could fill that position. Jo is a right back, so, even though Callum W is missing, I found it so strange to see that Jo was playing on his wrong side of the pitch. When Callum returns there must be a golden opportunity for Jo to strengthen midfield - even sooner if Dan returns and is in favour to occupy the left back position.

The team selection on Saturday will be most interesting!

Supermarine website says Dan Ball recalled by City on Monday.