Sutton game

Here's an interview with Ross Stearn, looking forward to tomorrow's match...

http://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/sport/football/13872273.Sutton_United__Stearn_finds_the_perfect_time_to_pay_a_visit_to_his_old_club/

"your two strikers and two wide men"

Hope there's no repeat of last seasons corresponding fixture with us down to 10 men inside the first minute and losing 2-0.

"16 goals in 17 starts"
Lies, damn lies and statistics, eh?
How many goals did he get when he started v how many goals when coming on to change / win the game?

Amid all the doom and gloom of the last week it is time to remember we are still fourth so hopefully a return to winning ways will keep us firmly in the play off hunt.

And, Stearn can grab a late consolation goal if he likes.

and the players can look forward to a nice rest next week so can afford to really put a shift in.

Yes, game free Saturday in October,never a good sign.

BenE wrote:and the players can look forward to a nice rest next week so can afford to really put a shift in.

So can we!

Personally I can't wait for a break from all that's going on at the moment. Think the whole club needs a week off.

I wish I shared your confidence that it will make any difference.

It was an action packed game for all the wrong reasons. Sutton looked a good side and played to our weaknesses ie with width and pace. I was at least thankful that the lads put in a good shift second half even if it exposed our limitations.

It is difficult to foresee where we can go from here. We are left with a load of midfield plodders and a defence that is constantly on the edge of being fully exposed.

A lot was made of the referee's inconsistencies (by players and fans alike) but we didn't have the nous to trouble Sutton. We could have played all night and not scored.

It is looking ever more mysterious how we won those first six games. I hope Frankie's injury is not too serious.

Thank goodness for those 6 wins because frankly we look like a bottom of the table team at present. Continually hitting long balls for our mini strikers is pretty thick against six foot defenders, although I see the reasoning when the alternative is to pass the ball to a midfield lacking in pace and creativity. Let's hope Artus is back very soon if only for the fact that he looks our only goal scoring outlet.
Special mention to Stearn - I hoped he would be overwhelmed by the occasion but his goal probably won't be bettered at Twerton all season. And he got a good hand from the home fans when he was subbed.

Always said the wins early on were a bonus. I actually thought we did better today than I expected and cannot be critical of anyone for the effort they put in.
Ref was poor for both sides and seemed to make one error and then try and compensate for it by giving something soft in favour of the other team.
Fact is we are short on quality (as well as quantity) and need centre back, midfield and wide player if the free fall is to be arrested.
Watkins worked extremely hard with no little skill but does not get the return in front of goal his efforts deserve, but in the end I suppose a striker is judged on goals scored.
Another who is not sure where we go from here, but at the moment it only appears downward on and off the pitch.

Well, I guess we won't see a better goal or a worse referring performance at Twerton Park this season.

It is clearly a time for the management to prove their worth. Team showed early potential, but has now lost points and players.
Hopefully the enforced break will enable identification of new faces and tactics to play to the team's strengths.

The referee made two correct decisions - our penalty and their assistant being sent to the stand.

Aside from that the bloke made a series of errors in my opinion. Their red card was harsh, I thought it was a foul but denying a clear goalscoring opportunity? The ball had bounced above Watkins' head and he wasn't exactly clean through. I also thought Gallinagh and Ball were fouled in the build up to two of their goals but we didn't deserve anything out of the game regardless.

I thought that the ref did ok the first half - it was the linos that weren't great then - but then he seemed to want to show solidarity with his assistants second half and give loads of terrible decisions. It doesn't matter though, they were home and hosed at 2-1.

Let's face it, we flattered to deceive early on in this season. Phillips and the defence kept us in it for many of the games. I was actually quite surprised that we were able to put out such a good team with all the exits recently. We may not have strength in depth but we can still field a reasonable team. However, we are all at sea. We don't know our strengths. Actually, I say that, I think that we know our strengths but the management doesn't or they aren't conveying it to the team. Also, a reoccurring issue, we have a player in Barrow who can bring a different element to the game but when do we bring him on? 85 minutes. There was, at least, one player on the field that can recognise this 'tactic'

I think we played OK today, Sutton were strong defensively and took their chances. The officials were dreadful but we can't blame them for the defeat. Thank goodness there isn't a game next week.

Pretty much agree with all the above comments.
IMO we are much weaker since Kevin Nicholson left. I know that the slide in form started whilst he was still with us but nonetheless he is a very good footballer at this level. The thing is, I believe, that if a team is to compete in the top six of a league then some of the players need to be of such a quality that they could play in the league above. With the players we now have available I would suggest that only applies to Phillips.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not moaning or criticising and I'm certainly not knocking the effort and commitment shown by our players, no one has let us down, this is just how I see things.

Can't disagree with much of the above. Thought we played well in short bursts and for a period in the second half Sutton looked a bit rattled, but in reality once it went to 2-1 they never looked in danger.
Agree with others about the substitutions. Should have put Barrow on when Frankie went off and if not then as soon as Sutton went down to 10 - sadly his appearance with just 5 minutes to go was typical of similar decisions we have seen so many times.
As for the referee, must be one of the worst we have seen for a long time, and the assistant on the Popular side was no better. Didn't have any bearing on the outcome just added to a frustrating afternoon.

LB wrote:Can't disagree with much of the above. Thought we played well in short bursts and for a period in the second half Sutton looked a bit rattled, but in reality once it went to 2-1 they never looked in danger.
Agree with others about the substitutions. Should have put Barrow on when Frankie went off and if not then as soon as Sutton went down to 10 - sadly his appearance with just 5 minutes to go was typical of similar decisions we have seen so many times.
As for the referee, must be one of the worst we have seen for a long time, and the assistant on the Popular side was no better. Didn't have any bearing on the outcome just added to a frustrating afternoon.

Agreed.

I thought we maybe went for broke a bit too early. Thought we were knocking at the door a bit, then we brought on McCootie and think it left too many gaps in the midfield.

Plus he must have been exhausted playing half an hour having been on two holidays this week.

...and a visit to the RUH.

and jet lag

Yes agree our substitutions were completely wrong but they so often are.

I thought the management did well at half time to change the shape of the team pushing Chas up front and pressing higher up the pitch. We were totally on top. They then ruined it by bringing on McCootie.

But overall we aren't good enough. 4 points from 21 and an exit from the cup to Harlow is relegation form by anyone's standards.