Canvey updates

[Brickie]

Don't really think that Wilson is such a good player that we can afford to bring in another just to do all his dirty work, i think Stubbs should be replacing him not covering for all his short comings.

If anyone should be afforded such luxury then thats got to be Keister, far more ability than Wilson and never any doubt over his commitment to the team.

No disresect to you Michael but living where you are i wonder how many times you've actually seen him play this year?

[chelsea boy]

My opion Nev should have still some post in the club

 

 

Maybe as a no 2?

[Wellsie]

I feel we have been crying out for another CENTRAL midfielder to play alongside wilson-and have wondered whether wilsons downturn in form is simply because he has been asked to do too much.

 

Stubbs can do a great job 'protecting' and assisting wilson -giving wilson more space and freedom-so it could work really well .

 

I think your spot on Michael, about someone to play along side Wayne. People seem to forget that it's a team game and that players relate to each other on the pitch. I have been looking forward to seeing JK in the midfield alongside Wayne, but Danny can also pay that role. Perhaps the only issue is that Wayne is better going forward rather than playing a deeper midfield role that Danny can play, although I know that he preefers to play in a more attacking role. Time will tell I guess but I certainly do not belive that Wayne is suddenly a different player to the one that was so popular last year.

[michael]

I'd like to see a 3 man CENTRAL midfield of Stubbs,Wilson and keister so we really control the game.

 

Its ok having 'width' but 75% of the ball in all games goes via the centre of the pitch -so thats where you have your numbers to have control.

Play the percentages-it may not excite but its effective and works

[Franny]

Some fair comments there, although I don't agree about the goalie. It was a top free kick and I don't think any keeper in our league would have stopped it. Penalty incident: yes, a bit harsh, but the ref had failed to give a sure-fire penalty to them a couple of minutes earlier, and it was a case of making amends for his error.

 

Sorry to go on, but it seems to me that playing 3-5-2 we are not man-marking. Time and again there was a player free in the box, and nobody knowing who was meant to be marking him. At least with 4-4-2 you know who you are meant to be on, and I don't think these players have played together enough to cope with this system.

 

The midfield (including wingers Lacey/Robinson) were spending most of the time in their own box defending, and when we got the ball there was a huge gap between them and the front two. Consequently we had to either punt the ball upfield for their tall defenders to deal with easily, or try to hold the ball up and give them plenty of time to get back and regroup. Not only that, but when the wide players did get up the field we were being caught on the counter attack with their wide men getting in behind us.

 

Canvey were pretty good really. They have height in defence especially, and that's something we couldn't counter. Also you could see how they had played together long enough to feel comfortable together, unlike us. For example, comedy moment, Keister takes a free kick shouting a player's name. The player doesn't have a clue where he is going to put it, and the ball ends up going straight to the opposition, who very nearly score from the move.

 

Some other comments: I don't know what has happened to Wilson, but he was so good when he started with us. He didn't have a shot today, or hardly a pass to his own side. Stubbs: top quality, made things happen, and I would like to see him start if he is going to stay with us, because we do need an attacking midfielder. Lewis: not a team player really, but did some great work today, and I would say our best player overall. Blackman gives up the chase too often, claiming a foul. Just get on with it man, and work on your fitness too.

 

When Harwood is back I would play him central defence with either Lewis or Young. Either side of them we should have Lacey and possibly Robinson, although he needs to convince me of his defensive tackling. Both of these offer the long throw option. No, I take that back: Lacey and Haverson.

 

Forward-wise I am concerned that Blackman might just be passing the time and picking up his wages, in which case we need a big fella late 20s/early 30s with a proven record who is still hungry for goals, plus a real skilful ball player who knows where the net is, like Sam Cliff in a couple of years' time. Oh for the likes of a Collins/Braithwaite pairing. I do not think that speedy little guys are the answer.

 

Thoughts on the manager: well he has not done too badly so far, but as stated above did not seem to have a plan B today. I think Nev should be given a chance, but if he cannot turn things round by Xmas let's try to attract someone with a proven record at our level of football.

Im afraid I dont agree with alot of what youve said Chris. As I mentioned in an earlier thread I have seen this Goalie before and was concerned when we signed him. IMO he was appalling again yesterday and most definitely out of position for the free kick. I think it could prove a massive mistake not pushing the boat out to sign Nicholls . As for the rant about Blackman , if anyone isnt just passing time and picking up his wages then I think its him. Hes had no support up front all season and the service from midfield has been woeful at best. Yes he does seem to like to induce a foul every now and again but show me a forward who doesnt, also I dont see him giving up the chase too often and has to be one of if not the the hardest worker in our team, maybe thats why in your eyes he's always knackered , lol . I think Stubbs will make a difference to the team when he gets a regular starting slot , and I also thought Keister was particularly poor. Overall I think we flattered Canvey and made them look a better team than they are. And for what its worth I dont think Nev is the man or will get the job on a full time basis. Oh well rant over , lets move onwards and upwards !

[Brickie]

Was told yesterday that Nicolls was a close friend of Steve West so that may explain his departure, i'm sure the club will enlighten us

 

Lets get back to a 4-4-2 formation, packing out the midfield is only gonna choke the life out of the game.

[margateshot]

What I can't understand is how the hell we can play so good one week and play so bad the next. This seems to be a reccurring theme. When did we last get a run going? We have failed to get past three unbeaten games for nearly two seasons now, so what is the mindset of the players. Are the teams we have played and beaten been so bad that they have made us look good, because going by some reports, that is not true, Avely for one example. Supporters don't mind the team losing so much if they play well and lose, but it appears that too often over the last two seasons we just haven't turned up.

 

I don't know what the state of play is with the players at the moment, but are there many on contract, because we seem to have players coming and going nearly every week. If players aren't on contracts and are playing from game to game, then its no wonder theres no real passion. Players need to know where they stand and at least know that if they any chance of a game each week. We have failed to put the same team out more than once this season and it appears that the manager doesn't even know what his best team is.

 

We have the last chance to get a cup run going next week in the FA Trophy ( pleeeeease nobody tell me we are still in the Kent Senior Cup!!!) which we have failed to do since God knows when. We must start to get some consistancy going, and at least get one cup win under our belts, and some much need prize money, or I can see us slumping and being relegated again this season, and how many more relegations can a club have in such a short amount of time.

[Porka]

4-4-2 please. Don't agree with Michael's idea of playing narrow. Teams soon work it out and start moving your midfield men around anyway. Jermy wide left, and Boureau wide right. Playing Robinson in a holding midfield role doesn't work. He's alien to it, and we lose his attacking threat.

 

Any idea what's happened to Louis Smith? Harwood and Haverson flanked by Robinson and Lacy next week seems solid enough.

 

Central midfield is the toughest call to make. Does Wilson keep his place in the hope he can play himself back into form? Keister and Stubbs looks the best pairing to me, with Stubbs encouraged to get forward. Healy up front alongside Blackman. Bit of a concern that could leave Lloyd isolated, but Stubbs has attacking instincts. Not convinced by Edusei.

 

I don't think Blackmore is the answer between the sticks. He struggled yesterday. Not sure a goalkeeper at this level is worth huge wages, and by all accounts Nicholls only plays for mega bucks (by Ryman standards). I guess whoever gets the job will have to keep looking.

 

Yesterday's game was always gonna be a tough one. No disgrace in losing there, but the real worry was failing to test the Canvey keeper until the last couple of minutes. Have a shot lads!

[michael]

You are right questionning the inconsistency MargateShot-.However -i think the same applies to 80% of the teams in this league.

 

As the cliche goes-'anyone can beat anyone in this league'(and they often do ) so apart from normally top 2/3 and bottom 2/3 everyone is much of a muchness.

 

At this level with part time players who have done a days work-you inevitably get inconsistency in all teams and results often go to the arguably the team who don't play best, but maybe get the first goal against run of play or a favourable refs decision(who are also inconsistent at this level)so very few teams are either good enough or bad enough to be dead cert winners/losers.

 

In summary-i don't think we are unique.

 

helluva frustrating just the same.

(and helluva opportunity for a team who does put a run together (tonbridge season before last after christmas for example )

[freefred]

Getting a lot of conflicting reports about Saturdays game. Starting at the back, I think its too early to say wether the new keeper is poor or not, by all accounts Margates defense was non existant on Saturday and a bad defense can make any keeper look bad (Rio Ferdinand). On top of that Blackmore is still a very young keeper, with very few competitive games under his belt. Give him 6 games and then make a judgement. The defense fell to pieces, only Liam Harwood missing which is quite worrying. Mid field again seemed missing, and there was no support at all for strikers so they were not in the game.

 

Once again it was inconsistence that hit us badly, and finding single players to blame is neither helpful nor constructive. The club and management need to somehow track down the reason for the inconsistency, even if it means playing a team that does lose a few games, but isnt changing every week so they get a chance to learn to play together.

[BlueGate Alan]

Dan Young also missing Fred, once we have those two in harness am convinced things will improve.

[freefred]

True Alan, think those two could be a very strong defensive partnership, and again once we get a consistent settled side I'm convinced the results will stop being a couple of good results and then a couple of disasters.

[Jake]

Well, next weekend we'll have Liam Harwood back so hopefully that alone should make a difference to the defence. Anyone got any ideas when Dan Young is due back?

[BlueGate Alan]

About a couple of weeks hopefully Jake.