NAGATIVE THOUGHTS

One of the most common features of negative thoughts is the fear of an event in the future (relegation).
A fear of something that perhaps will never happen. Indeed something that will never happen.
One way of fighting your negativity is to replace it with positivity, as simple as that.

My opening paragraph was brought about by the majority of FORUM postings over the past three or four weeks.
There appears to be as much (here comes the word again) negativity, as when the previous management team  were here. Okay you could be thinking that time is running out, so to speak, but this simply doesn't hold water.

The results have improved, we are a tighter unit, we now have a manager with passion and knowledge of the game. The players have a new belief, or should I say, now HAVE BELEIF.
Performances have without doubt improved, Gary Owers talks sense when speaking to the media instead of the crap that was spouted by both Britton and Howells.

It is a time for positivity, a time to believe and importantly a time for The Legion to make some noise.

We hear all about six pointer games, you can only actually get three and there is no reason at all why we can't get a result this afternoon against Ebbsfleet.
Yes I know they are undefeated away from home , so are they not due a loss .
There will be a turning point when strikers find their finishing touches, penalties go in and our results are positive.

So have a little belief and get behind the team and get you heads out of your-- or wherever they are.

Yep, all done and wiped clean!

Largely agree but for "and importantly a time for The Legion to make some noise."
It's time for ALL 500 of you to make some noise. The rest of the ground is a awash with negativity still, the singing boys have massively depleted numbers, if people want atmosphere it's time for you all to help them out (thumbs up emoji)

Fair enough about the rest.
No criticism intended, but The Legion must lead by example and hope the rest respond.

Ebbsfleet 0-1 Archie/Adie
Gary 1-1 Ebbsfleet

Yes, that was a poor response from our floating fans after the recent improved run.

Very very weird attendance-wise today. Turned up at the Oak with hardly anyone there. I genuinely wondered whether I had the right day. I can only put ti down to England/Wales in the rugby.

When we attack the Bristol end I know where to go but second half today everyone was split and struggled to get any chants going even when we had a big corner in front of the pop side at 80 odd mins. In the late 1990's (when i got my education in City chants) all the singers went behind the goal which was easier to organise I suppose.

Ebbsfleet were all over the ground as well.

It sort of confirms to me that people will only go if we're winning regularly, and it's probably the same for every club.

It doesn't matter who is in charge, what the style of play like or whatever sporting event is on the telly (you'd need to pay me a handsome sum to watch a second of rugby). We had around 800 I think against Dartford in September when we were top and winning a lot, with Arch in charge. Go on a dreadful run and people don't show. Weather was ok and everything.

I thought it was a terrific performance today and Taylor going off seemed to make no difference. We put the team at the top of the table under the cosh for long periods of the game. It is just a pity that no one is taking a chance of getting on the end of something in the box. Everyone seems to run away from the ball. They've got to get in front of the defenders.

I thought Gary made one mistake today. He should have brought Simmo on when Watkins went off. I am afraid Williams is just not cutting it. Maybe it is a confidence thing.

Everyone else has gone up a gear. Could we have played with such confidence in January? - no. We are now getting the performances we expected.

I think we are in a precarious position because the previous manager/s were retained for far too long. Of course we are concerned. But overall there is much to be positive about. (I guessed the crowd would be down because of the Rugby).

My guess for not bringing on Simpson is he's still easing his way back in. Last thing we needed was him out for another spell on top of our other mountains of injuries.

Therein lies the difference between us and Ebbsfleet. They had three players out suspended and one of their top scorers injured, yet still had players like Sheringham, Parkes (30+ goals for Hemel last season) and Kissock on the bench. I can only think of one or two occasions this season where our squad wasn't simply the regular players all available.

comrade powell wrote:Ebbsfleet 0-1 Archie/Adie
Gary 1-1 Ebbsfleet

Didn't Ebbsfleet have some notable injuries in the first game?

(Sorry about the one-liner)

Possibly.
(Sorry about stating the obvious)

I have to say that I think there is a very positive vibe around at the moment. It isn't quite enough yet to drag along the floating voters - especially on a 6N day - but we are headed in the right direction. As I say on the other thread, yesterday was crucial. A defeat - whether it be against the leaders or not - would have made our resurgence seem short-lived. As it is, the result was positive and positively received.

I haven't visited Mr Hacksaw in front of the tea bar for a couple of games so don't know whether the curmudgeons over there (not Mr and Mrs Hacksaw or BenE, I hasten to add) are happy or not but the atmosphere amongst the chip bar fraternity is positive. Maybe it's because we are in the sun. I am not a singer myself but am always glad to hear the singers and they seemed perfectly vocal yesterday.

I think that Owers is making some of the decisions that, perhaps, Britton and Howells would make in a confident first month - resting Pratt, resting Nick - and I can't see many mistakes being made. The only one I can think of is not letting Kelly take the second penalty when he has missed the first. As has been shown by his penalties before and since (and the subsequent failed penalty), he is an excellent penalty taker. I though Williams was ok yesterday, as it goes.

I also think there is more of a positive vibe around the old ground at the moment,Brought along a couple of hopefully new supplier associates to the game yesterday on the whole they were surprised by the football we played against ebsfleet belying our position in the league, (incidentally they both had kelly down as mom).
The football can only be put down to owers,it was refreshing to see both him and jimmer offering buckets of encouragement to young bowman from the touchline its a shame the core attendance has dropped to below 500 to see this

comrade powell wrote:Ebbsfleet 0-1 Archie/Adie
Gary 1-1 Ebbsfleet

and that win was after six league defeats.

Elmore James wrote:

comrade powell wrote:Ebbsfleet 0-1 Archie/Adie
Gary 1-1 Ebbsfleet

and that win was after six league defeats.

I thought it came after 2 league defeats. But whatever, it was very, very enjoyable and showed that the team could still play with spirit under the previous management. That's not to say that there probably was need for a change, it's just that I don't subscribe to this 'Adie/Archie = bad' stuff.

I don't subscribe to that view either but I have to say I have stood and watched some absolute sh*t from exactly the same players that are now a joy to behold and that includes last season in between the trophy games.

I put that down to fitness. Why did the players get unfit? I think the coaching has a lot to do with that.

A lot, it has to be said, comes from a new broom. I am enjoying the football I am seeing now and there are elements that can only be out down to Owers.

However, a little bit of me remains reserved. With us being at this stage in the season, even just the novelty of a new manager may carry us through to the end of the season. Next season becomes very very interesting though.

Agreed, but what comes in between is the key period. A strong finish to the season may see most of the present squad retained, but it needs strengthening in some areas especially if we're in this league next year.

Interesting comment in the Chronicle from Danny Greenslade "Since Gary's come in its been a lot more structure to our game and there has been a lot more idea about the way we're playing. Its been a lot better, so hopefully we can continue that and get out of the relegation battle".

Who would have thought that there had been no structure and not much idea about the way we were playing!

The way I look at it we are a part time club and once the season starts what with injuries, midweek games, some restrictions on training due to weather you are going to have limited time with the players. Hence you need to set up a style of play in preseason and stick to that, so that everyone knows what they are doing.
Adie and Mr Howells changed tactics, formations and team selection virtually every game, no wonder no one seemed to know what they were meant to be doing a lot of the time.