Today's Result

[enfieldiansr]

From Ryman League Website

 

Town 0 - 1 Wingate & Finchley

 

[Mini-Smith Towner]

As opposed to last week when I actually thought we deserved the 3 points and conceded at the death, this week we didn't deserve anything!! W&F thoroughly deserved the 3 points and they were clearly more up for it.

 

Another sloppy goal conceded, and we didn't have any real creativity. 3-5-2 has been working well in recent weeks, and having gone 5 games unbeaten, why on earth change things so drastically for today's game? I back JC, but today I believe he got things wrong, and these decisions made things twice as hard for us. Starting with Crace upfront on his own was an error from the start, and he had a thankless task, having very little support. The Foster and Crace combination up top need not have been meddled with!!

 

We still miss Bryan's link-up play between the midfield and the forwards (is Bryan injured I take it?). Deane looked very good in the 1st half and was probably our best player, but 2nd half he was the complete opposite - maybe it was because they doubled up on him?? 1st half we were dominating the midfield with numbers, but there simply wasn't an outlet going forward so it was coming straight back, and Clarke with pace to burn was feeding off long balls giving Kofi a hard time.

 

Based upon the players on the teamsheet I would have played the following in a 3-5-2:

 

Heald - Harvey - Tickner

 

Campbell - Velandia - Nyamah - Deane - Bastian

 

Crace - Foster

 

Harvey (one of our better players to be fair) has played all season at the back, and Kofi has experience in the centre-mid, so why swap them over for today? Nyamah I feel would have given us more in the middle of the park, and Harvey at the back more pace against Clarke.

 

Campbell again was off the boil for some reason and I can't argue with that substitution, but why was Velandia playing out right for most of the 2nd half? and why on earth was Georgiou (personally don't think he is good enough, but he should not be played up front anyway)brought on for Foster, who was our only real presence in the air and was one of our better players today?? RG brought us nothing.

 

From starting the game with a packed midfield, we ended it with what seemed like a team full of defenders on the pitch, and 2 holding players in centre midfield.

 

I very disappointing day and one to forget!!

 

Oh, and would just like to add, how f**king awful was the ref today? He was definitely the worst I've seen this season.

[Gazza]

Appalling performance, the penalty miss (which was Waddle-esque) is still coming down! It summed up the game & the season so far.

 

[football fanatic]

Danny Clarke?

[Gazza]

Yep he scored, left his attitude in the dressing room today which made a nice change.

[football fanatic]

he enjoys scoring against your lot!

[andyetfc]

Steve V does not have pace yet is the only player we have who can accurately pass a ball and it showed in the first half. Although we went in 1-0 down, we were able to have width in our play because he was able to spray the ball around. In the 2nd half he did very little apart from nearly getting himself sent off. Was it because he was out on the wing? Why on earth was he out there?

 

Why did we give the ball away so many times?

 

Why did we just belt the ball up the field so that W and F could set up their own plays?

 

At 1-0 down, why was Ozie taken off? If we were to continue belting the ball up the pitch, then why not put Greg Heald up front to try and use his experience and height to at least try to secure a point?

 

As`for the penalty conversion!!! Have we got the ball back yet?

 

Commitment, passion, determination, heart, belief, all missing as far as I am concerned.

 

Even the crowd were quiet, especially in the first half.

 

 

[waggamick]

10 shots...new shoes?

Getting a better kick out on to the fairway?

What's happened to Greaves?

[Gazza]

Originally Posted By: Mini-Smith Towner

3-5-2 has been working well in recent weeks, and having gone 5 games unbeaten, why on earth change things so drastically for today's game? ......

Starting with Crace upfront on his own was an error from the start, and he had a thankless task, having very little support. The Foster and Crace combination up top need not have been meddled with!!.........

Harvey (one of our better players to be fair) has played all season at the back, and Kofi has experience in the centre-mid, so why swap them over for today?........

.....but why was Velandia playing out right for most of the 2nd half? and why on earth was Georgiou (personally don't think he is good enough, but he should not be played up front anyway)brought on for Foster, who was our only real presence in the air and was one of our better players today?? RG brought us nothing.

Very good points, well made MST, Why, even after all this time do JC & the gang still have to "tinker" is beyond me, for crying out loud if its not broken why change it?, It is so frustrating as a fan to watch, what appears to be team selection based on the opposition rather than to our own strengths.
I cant believe after all this time they have not learned that simple lesson, remember the Enfield home game last season for one.
Also one up front at Home?? What was that all about?

[lovely stuff]

The truth is,players such as Foster,Harvey,Hodge,Georgio..etc, are not of the quality required to challange for honours in this league.

 

Heald should have started with Kofi put in centre midfield (which i still feel his his best position anyway).The new keeper is doing nothing to suggest he is any improvement on Hasler.

 

New signing Deane looked very good in the first half,but had a quiet second half (this may have been down to fitness).We missed Jones,Rudi,Hammett in midfield.

 

Campbell had another poor game,as did Bastian.

Our home form is the longest running joke of all time.Its in its 7th year now

 

How come we are the only club who Clarkey manages to score regularly against? Surely as we know him so well we should be able to deal with his one dimensional style better than anyone.Also why do W & Finchley put so much effort and commitment into their game every they play us,but then regularly fall over and die against lesser teams in the league?Maybe clarkey and Co can only get motivated when playing against Town.I wonder why?

 

 

[Mini-Smith Towner]

I have to say personally I like having Foster and Harvey in the squad.

 

Hodge I have yet to make my mind up on.

 

Georgiou, well I think you know what I think of him.

 

Granted today was dire, but I don't think we should dwell on it - 3 points at Waltham Forest will go some way to brightening the mood. From past experience I think many on this forum will suddenly have a different attitude towards certain players if this turns out to be the case

 

Hey, it seems as though we have made 2 good additions to our squad, and we were missing 3 experienced midfield players today. There's a long way to go, although yes I also feel that it is all too close for comfort at the moment up the top of the table. Dartford was a far worse defeat and we followed that up with 4 straight wins so...... at least your not a Brentwood Town fan today lol!!

 

Well done Wivenhoe by the way!!

[waggamick]

What's happened to Greaves?

[martintowner]

Bring back Hassler he is "OUR" keeper the only player that showed loyalty was our new man deane all the rest were happy to put on the white shirt and collect there money at the end (correct me if i am wrong).

[Gazza]

Your wrong!! I would never question any of the current squads commitment & effort, Crace for one run his heart out today, it was just an awful overall performance, caused by very poor selection & formation.

[lovely stuff]

Heald,Kofi,Jones,Crace. All experienced players that have all played at a higher level.Lets build the team around that experienced 'spine'.

 

Although Jim has been trying hard to find a suitable longterm strike partner for Crace. (Grieves,Foster,Edmunds..etc..etc),he has not yet done so.He needs to find a young fast combative striker to partner Crace.It can't be that hard, we seem to have one playing against us in every other match.

 

For me, Campbell and Nay are out of form at present.As such, i would put Gant at right back when he is fit and have Tickner and Heald in central defense.Ideally i would like Kofi to parnter Jones in the middle,but with Bastian not showing much form (apart from giving his usual 100% ),i would put Kofi at Leftback for the time being ,and have Velendia or Rudi partner Jones in centre mid.With Hammett in the whole between midfield and the front line.Deane looks a good prospect for the left wing birth.With Crace + new striker up front.

[OldTowner]

Previous posts have raised the question, BUT, we never get any answers about the very poor selection week in week out.

 

Ok, lets put the W+F game down to "one of those days", but why oh why does Jim continue to sod about with selection and positional positions of Players ?

 

Against W+F we had Foster in midfield, Crace as a lone striker, Harvey in midfield, Kofi in the middle back and poor old Paul Campbell absolutely nowhere.

The Players attitude stinks, just look at their body language when they lose possesion - they drop their shoulders and let someone else do the work.

Jim needs to go on a Man Management Course NOW as his motivation of the Playing staff is non existant.

If you asked supporters there yesterday what the line up and team formation should be - I bet 9 out of 10 would all agree.

Play 2 up front, especially at home, get wing backs forward to support the front 2 and keep faith in the defence that did well ( apart from Dartford ) during Decemberand bring Charlie back.

 

It is no good saying we are in with a shout of the League - we are just not good enough. The current squad is not good enough and Jim's team selections are not good enough.

 

Let's be honest - the current team / squad would struggle BIG time if they got promoted - Tell me if I am wrong.

[MbrunoB]

Sorry I aint put any clips up yet but PC crashed yesterday and today I have been too busy with the girls team away to Cambridge City and writing the match report,We won 2-1 after trailing at half time in a bloody good game and boy does it help to get over a performance like yesterday's!!.

 

I will try to put them on tomorrow night and the penalty miss is worth seeing.

[the_wise_one]

I believe Mathew Mitchell should have been involved no center mids avaible at the club and we put a center half in midfield and drop a forward into the midfield as well. don’t tell me he isn’t up to it because if that’s the case why have we signed him.

[Arkwright]

Originally Posted By: waggamick

What's happened to Greaves?

Unused Sub.

[Landyman]

As a Towner fan since day one, i must admit the Saturdays game against W&F was the first time i have ever been tempted to leave before the final whistle. When the penalty kick attempted to take out an aircraft enroute to Stanstead....well. The old place does not seem to be the same this season, sadly lacking in atmosphere, hope and with fans getting increasingly despondant as games go on. Admitingly there have been occasions such as the Abbey away game which make it all worthwhile and i look forward to the home fixture to see if we can repeat. Whats the answer to our doldrums, reading the forums i cant believe that is as easy as changing Manager, but as other people have said "if it aint broke dont fix it" and some subsitutions make you wonder why. Not quite convinced with the new keeper and was told Charlie could be in goal for Forest tomorrow night, yet another let slip through our fingers?