Re: City v. St.Albans

by yuffie Sat Nov 01, 2014 11:06 pm

LB wrote:or actually acknowledge that it was the players who got the result?

so this week it was the players who got the result, but last week it was the management?

by Marc Monitor Sat Nov 01, 2014 11:33 pm

Today was obviously an improvement - well, the second half. Stearn relished his start and deserved it. He was easily the most exciting player who made things happen even without the goal. Watkins was again great but I would love him to score more goals. Wasn't as impressed with McCooty - he just isn't has hard-working as Pratt and looked knackered well before he was subbed. He did have a few chances and, sometimes with strikers, they can do nothing all game and just be in the right place at the right time and get a goal. I was impressed by Chris Allen when he came on.

All this is re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic though really. Who chose the team? Who was managing the team? Rollo looked like the only one giving instructions and tactics. The football in the second half was great and it was enjoyable but, like our '8 game unbeaten run', is it just papering over the cracks.

by LB Sun Nov 02, 2014 12:24 am

yuffie wrote:
LB wrote:or actually acknowledge that it was the players who got the result?

so this week it was the players who got the result, but last week it was the management?

I am not sure if Yuffie has missed my point deliberately or not...

The point I was trying to make was that management were quick to make it clear that the players were solely responsible for last weeks defeat so it would be ironic if suddenly this week they (ie that same management) wanted to take the credit for the win.

by the demon headmaster Sun Nov 02, 2014 1:05 am

Absolutely anyone watching over the last few weeks could see that Dave Pratt was not at his best. For whatever reason he needed a break so hats off to whoever decided to rest him today. It obviously worked well. Comrade is also spot on regarding Stearn. He cannot expect to be an automatic choice unless performances warrant it. So far they have not. Andy Watkins is a much more consistent performer and he doesn't command the same blind loyalty that Stearn does. Personally I think they are both good players but give the Stearn is God thing a rest, please. And leave Mc Cootie alone. He is young and still adjusting. It's a big step up and he'll need time. He absolutely looks the part and I expect him to find his feet. It's great to see a clean sheet and the prospect of a few goals with improved performances throughout and players returning from injury.

by Dave Sun Nov 02, 2014 3:00 am

I'm far from being Howells' biggest fan at the moment, but seriously who gives a flying toss whether he acknowledges fans or not?! So he went straight down the tunnel, doesn't pretty much every manager on all the plastic bollocks premier league games on telly on Sunday afternoons too? Regardless, good showing today, decent clean sheet for the defence, confidence booster, I'm content tonight. And drunk.

by comrade powell Sun Nov 02, 2014 9:17 am

Good point, Demon, re McCootie. I suppose some of us, myself especially, went ott after his debut. It's concerning that he seems to tire regularly after ht - presumably that leads to him lacking composure when chances like those which arrived late on are presented. Perhaps both him and Pratt need careful handling at the moment and can share the 90 minutes between them.

Also, well done to Mellor yesterday. Had we had the luxury of a 2nd keeper, I think he should have played . But Mellor made a great recovery from his cup nightmare and any threat presented by the feeble opponents were easily thwarted.

by Colin Voutt Sun Nov 02, 2014 2:39 pm

Palms wrote:I'm far from being Howells' biggest fan at the moment, but seriously who gives a flying toss whether he acknowledges fans or not?! So he went straight down the tunnel, doesn't pretty much every manager on all the plastic bollocks premier league games on telly on Sunday afternoons too? Regardless, good showing today, decent clean sheet for the defence, confidence booster, I'm content tonight. And drunk.

I stand on the poplar side.

However, someone, who I believwe is usually reliablre said:

"Lee was bgeing critical ofr the players"

"One player asked "What do you want me to do""

"Lee told a player to complain to the referee"

Perhaps someone on the main stand side can confirm .

If correct, these comments are pretty damning.

by Marc Monitor Sun Nov 02, 2014 3:23 pm

Demon, you are the master of the straw man there. No-one is calling Stearn 'God' just scratching our heads as to why he doesn't start more. You say that his performances don't warrant it but, yesterday, it would be hard to fault his performance. He worked hard, played well for the team, ran at the defence, scored and, but for their goalkeeper (who, I thought, was excellent), could have had a second from his free kick. McCooty, unfortunately, wasn't quite at the races - see Pratt's closing down of the defenders and goalie compared to him. Of course, Stearn has to start next week along with Pratt. Your comparing of Stearn and Watkins is illogical when you say that Stearn should be picked on his performances. I like Watkins and he is a great player but we all know that we are having to have faith that he will be scoring soon. Having said that, his crossing yesterday and especially the run and cross for the second goal were exceptional. I don't think there should ever be a Stearn or Watkins dilemma, the line-up that we finished yesterday with, especially with Allen in the team, looked fine to me. Exciting attacking progressive football.

by comrade powell Sun Nov 02, 2014 4:09 pm

Colin Voutt wrote:
Beau Nash wrote:I would expect you to at least double if not triple your average gate, we are a BIG club...

That may come back to bite you.

Colin Voutt wrote:
comrade powell wrote:
stillmanjunior wrote:Yes I'm aware, but from what I understand it's not exactly a huge step up in surroundings from Thurrock.

The ariel photo on Google shows it's on the edge of the town and next to open fields. I see it's 10 miles by road to Concord, yet about 4 as the crow flies. I'm getting excited about this potential trip!

sic

Colin Voutt wrote:
Palms wrote:I'm far from being Howells' biggest fan at the moment, but seriously who gives a flying toss whether he acknowledges fans or not?! So he went straight down the tunnel, doesn't pretty much every manager on all the plastic bollocks premier league games on telly on Sunday afternoons too? Regardless, good showing today, decent clean sheet for the defence, confidence booster, I'm content tonight. And drunk.

I stand on the poplar side.

However, someone, who I believwe is usually reliablre said:

"Lee was bgeing critical ofr the players"

"One player asked "What do you want me to do""

"Lee told a player to complain to the referee"

Perhaps someone on the main stand side can confirm .

If correct, these comments are pretty damning.

by comrade powell Sun Nov 02, 2014 4:14 pm

Marc Monitor wrote:Demon, you are the master of the straw man there. No-one is calling Stearn 'God' just scratching our heads as to why he doesn't start more. You say that his performances don't warrant it but, yesterday, it would be hard to fault his performance.

Quite, and yet had you seen the 90 minutes he was given at Bromley, you'd understand why he doesn't start more often. The reason we are mid-table (and will probably end up there) is because our team is full of players who don't perform consistently well. And sorry, but Stearn is one of them.

by Mcnulty Sun Nov 02, 2014 5:21 pm

I think the point comrade is that there appears to be a special set of rules for stearn and to be honest you have made that point yourself. We have lots of inconsistent performers this year but they don't all get dropped! personally I'd go with an inconsistent right winger rather than an inconsistent centre back say.
Ross divides opinion, Ithinks he gives us something that no-one else in the squad does but he doesn't produces every game.
Also agree on McCootie, I think he will come good and I thought he did well especially in the first half where he was feeding off scraps. He's big strong and quick. the goals will come.
It's the central midfield which concerns me most. adelsbury is just ineffective to me. Allen looked sharp when he came on.

by Eddie Hitler Sun Nov 02, 2014 7:42 pm

Stearn is amazing when firing on all cylinders, but that doesn't happen often enough or consistently throughout a single game. Yes he played well yesterday, but in the last 20 minutes or so got himself in good positions and made the wrong choices. If we had been trailing by a single goal, or looking for a winning-goal at that time. It would have cost us points.
But I also agree with those who say a run in the team would do him good.

by comrade powell Sun Nov 02, 2014 7:53 pm

Well as I said above, he could hardly complain about not starting last Saturday after his performance at Bromley. If Macnulty thinks otherwise, then I would suggest he's the one calling for a 'special set of rules' for Stearn! If he was consistently making a telling effect when starting games, as with the likes of Pratt, Mellor and Simpson, then he would be an ever present like them. But the stats do not bear that out. But more performances like yesterday's and they will change.
He's clearly a player who divides opinions - I get as excited by his running at defences as anyone (but spare us the stepovers when we're 6 goals down); I just fail to see why he should be an automatic selection.

by Eddie Hitler Sun Nov 02, 2014 7:58 pm

comrade powell wrote:....I just fail to see why he should be an automatic selection.

Well I'll be gobbed-smacked if he's not selected next week, and that's when he has to prove his point.

by Mcnulty Sun Nov 02, 2014 8:14 pm

Special set of rules?! Ok hands up, I like pacey, feisty little wingers, I was one myself ( minus the pace or any discernible talent). He makes wrong decisions, he steps over the ball too many times and he isnt the most intelligent of footballers when given too many options.
I only have an issue with him being dropped when we don't bring him on with enough time to make an impact.
I also think certain supporters judge him a bit harshly. If we were dropping players based on making bad decisions on the field we would be down to a five a side team ny now.

by the demon headmaster Sun Nov 02, 2014 8:17 pm

I don't see anything illogical about my comments over Watkins. I believe he set up both goals. If I was a defender Watkins energy and pace would worry me much more than Stearn. Having said that I think Stearn is great too. But what you get from him in any one game is harder to predict. I really like Allen too and with Artus back, who seems capable of dictating play it would be a massive underachievement if we ended up in mid table.

by the demon headmaster Sun Nov 02, 2014 8:19 pm

This all depends of course on being able to put out a settled side.

by LB Sun Nov 02, 2014 9:56 pm

I think next week's starting line-up will be interesting (and depending on the Board's announcement, who picks it of course!). If Allen is fit, and he looked okay when he came on yesterday, he has to start ahead of both Hemmings and Adelsbury. As for Stearn starting, Eddie Hitler should probably expect to be gob smacked!

by Marc Monitor Sun Nov 02, 2014 11:03 pm

Eddie Hitler wrote:Stearn is amazing when firing on all cylinders, but that doesn't happen often enough or consistently throughout a single game. Yes he played well yesterday, but in the last 20 minutes or so got himself in good positions and made the wrong choices. If we had been trailing by a single goal, or looking for a winning-goal at that time. It would have cost us points.

He produced some very good saves from the keeper and I didn't see one shot that he took where it would have been been better to pass. He created a lot that any other player wouldn't and I mean any other player. We put a lot of faith in Watkins and rightly so, he is a great hard-working player, but he isn't scoring presently. He wasn't dropped when he was in a barren run and it has paid dividends as he has become a great provider of passes and crosses. Can't say the same about Pratt as he just hasn't failed to deliver so far. However, were he to hit a barren spell, I expect we would give him a lot of credit as he is a hard-working player. As is Stearn.

by the demon headmaster Sun Nov 02, 2014 11:36 pm

You obviously didn't see Pratt at Bromley or Thurrock where he struggled with pace and his usually impeccable touch let him down. Of course no-one got on his back because he really is a consistent performer. It looked like he needed a break and was afforded one. Good management in my opinion. He then shows his quality by scoring within 5 minutes. Perhaps the team that finished the match should start the next one. I'd like to see McCootie come on late with the game in the bag to help him relax, but I don't suppose Ebbsfleet will want to be that obliging.

by Marc Monitor Mon Nov 03, 2014 7:47 am

I would agree with the finishing team starting next match.

by turnstyle13 Mon Nov 03, 2014 1:39 pm

One observation on McCootie, especially in the second half, is his reaction time.
There were a number of instances where Watkins was breaking down the left but it was 2 or 3 seconds before the lad was moving forward to be the target man in the box. Consequently by the time Watkins was in a crossing position he had to stop and cut back because Nick wasn't in there.
When Pratt came on the difference was evident and delivered the second goal. Both Watkins and Pratt attacking in tandem, the defence being stretched having to deal with the threat of a forward who, when the cross comes in, can hit that space between keeper and defensive line, rather than a forward who is just getting into the box.
Lets hope McCootie can learn from the other lads because he certainly has the pace to match Watkins or Stearn and strength to causes defences to panic if he can get into that space and provide the touch that Pratt demonstrated on Saturday.

by Marc Monitor Mon Nov 03, 2014 1:47 pm

McCootie looked off the pace all over the shop and his reluctance to chase down or chase after certain balls is, I hope, due to a fitness issue as Pratt's work ethos really showed him up when he came on.

by 2weirdtown Mon Nov 03, 2014 3:39 pm

Palms wrote:I'm far from being Howells' biggest fan at the moment, but seriously who gives a flying toss whether he acknowledges fans or not?! So he went straight down the tunnel, doesn't pretty much every manager on all the plastic bollocks premier league games on telly on Sunday afternoons too? Regardless, good showing today, decent clean sheet for the defence, confidence booster, I'm content tonight. And drunk.

Just arrived home from sunny Portugal so missed the St Albans game. I am also one of those who finds the amount of negative comments about Howells irritating.
I don't give a monkey's who is 'in charge'. I don't give a toss what Howells thinks of the fans either. What about the players? Do they have to be vetted before signing to ensure they have good PR skills?
I have attended non City matches where gesticulating and shouting at the players by the manager has clearly affected player's focus in a negative way.
I am no great fan of Howells but I have to acknowledge that after the Conf Prem adventure, the current management team have prevented City from sliding all the way back to the Southern League. Despite their faults, we do have a team worth following.

by pete mac Mon Nov 03, 2014 3:50 pm

Interesting that the Board are reviewing matters.

The biggest problem is the slide in attendances........what to do about that.......

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