Billericay 1 Horsham 2

[Onthesidelines]

After recent good performances, we played like relegation candidates tonight. With no mid field we were outplayed in the first half and were lucky to go in at half time 0-0. Simon Thomas,on debut, provided some moments of promise. Our long balls down field paid off early in the second half and Billy Bricknell fired home. Our play improved for a while but we continued to struggle to put a few passes together. Horsham equalized when their smallest attacker got his head to a cross and Walker seemed to save the goal bound effort but let it squirm over the line. In the last minute of stoppage time another stray pass by our defence let Horsham in for the winner.

Edited January 19, 2010 by Onthesidelines

[Rick the Dick]

I don't think you could fault the players for effort tonight, but they were let down by poor tactics. We've done pretty well playing 4-5-1 lately, even though we've been forced into that formation. So why, when we find ourselves spoilt for choice up front, do we need to play all our strikers in one match? If it aint broke, don't fix it. Playing the whole game with 3 up front was bordering on suicide.

[Sticks]

Three points nicely gift wrapped and presented to Horsham courtesy of yet another injury time goal conceded.

 

Overall a disappointing display after the recent upturn in fortunes. The passing was poor with too many touches often wanted. The two goals conceded were both worryingly soft and the winner was especially poor, a real lack of concentration.

 

Hopefully it'll come together again on Saturday as three points are vital now.

 

Poor turnout too.

 

Where's Macca?

 

COYB

[richards]

I agree that there was no lack of effort from the team and Billy's goal was real quality but we were let down by poor managerial tactics. I've said on this forum before that I hate 4-3-3 and have never seen it work properly for us. We were overrun in midfield and had no proper width from wingers.

 

I thought Simon Thomas looked good but he should have been in the middle of the park alongside Billy making his height and pace tell. I agree with Rick that our 4-5-1 has worked well recently, 2 strikers would be fine but 3 just does not work. Bit concerned as to why Matt Hall didn't start and again where is Macca.

[GazzaBTFC]

I think it an understatement to say, that was poor. Whereas against Canvey, we all could see we had a game plan, last night, I certainly couldn't see one...unless it was all about giving the ball away and lumping the ball towards our forwards. 4-3-3 looked ineffective for most of the game and there appeared to be very little inclination to change it.

 

I think it an understatement that we all feel disapointed.

[Paul J]

Nothing like conceding a last minute winner to pull your guts out is there!

 

The game was there for the taking and I thought we ended up beating ourselves in the end. Still, its not the end of the world (even though it felt like it at 9.35 last night). We have to remember that before last night we had won 3 of our previous 4 games. We just need to re-group and prepare for a tough game on Saturday. Although the 3 up front looked quite dangerous it unbalanced the team and made it all a bit disjointed.

 

We’ll achieve nothing if we start feeling sorry for ourselves again as we did earlier in the season. We have a much better team than we had in September/October and the supporters need to stay positive and view this as a blip.

Edited January 20, 2010 by Paul J

[GazzaBTFC]

Wise words Paul and I agree. What really guts me out is that, the lessons learned from the September/October period apparantly were forgotten.

[Brightside Bloke]

We’ll achieve nothing if we start feeling sorry for ourselves again as we did earlier in the season. We have a much better team than we had in September/October and the supporters need to stay positive and view this as a blip.

 

 

 

 

Such a shame as we did seem to have the better of them in stage's.

It seemed to me that we lacked leadership on the pitch. (IMO)

 

Move on to Saturday and put this one behind us.

[Top Cat]

A bit disappointed after our performance against Canvey, we did play well at times, the last 20 mins of the first half and first part of the second but as others have said very little mid-field, some poor passing which gave them their winner, and some long 'hoofing' up the field. We were playing very narrow, unlike Horsham, however the team did put in a lot of effort but looked tired at the end.

 

Both new signing looked good although Malton didn't play for long, and Thomas needs to pass the ball 'sometimes', so we have a very promising squad and possibly some difficult choices for the management.

 

Looking forward to Saturday...........

[The Town Crier]

yep, 4.3.3 didn't work for us last night. we never really got going and found it difficult to take control of the game.

Saturdays game has to be the focus now, its a masive game and the biggest of our season so far.

 

A very dissapointing turn out last night and a disater at the bar, lets hope we kick off in the right direction on Saturday.

 

Friday night, Saturday afternoon...A cracking weekend looms.

 

COYB

[GazzaBTFC]

Against Canvey we were forced to play a 4 -5 - 1 or a hybrid 4 -3 - 3 (depending on what opinion you have) and we went wide. Our stregnth apparently is going wide when we attack. I can understand why we played three up front, with our new striker but with James Baker looking tired in the second half, I was hoping that we could've brought on Wareham to give us some width. It didn't happen...And we paid for it IMO. I was also concerned that Matt hall wasn't included in the starting line up. He is by far our best midfiled player...fair enough he is young and perhaps, after saturday needed to be rested but he has shown time and again he has the shoulders to carry the responsibility (anyone remember the game where he was injured - he was running the midfiled).

 

before our enforced break, we were on a crest and with injuries and suspensions, forced into a system and we looked good. beating boreham, tonbridge and Canvey is no mean feat. Horsham were there for the taking or so I thought. Nothing is a given in football but I think the lesson learned from last night is, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. 4 - 4 - 2 or 4 - 5 - 1 (switching to 4 - 3 - 3 when attacking with a recognised wide player) works.

 

We're still 3rd from the bottom and you don't take risks in that position. Stay with what was working and bed new players in.

 

Having interviewed some of the players and taken part in their Xmas party, they have a great spirit and I expect them to bounce back from this. They have something to prove to us and now, they have something more to prove this Saturday. Rant over...lets get behind 'em and cheer them on to what will be a tough three points this Saturday.

Edited January 20, 2010 by GazzaBTFC

[Rick the Dick]

 

A very dissapointing turn out last night and a disater at the bar...

 

 

December Credit Card bills are about to land on the door-mat. If you're paid monthly you've still a way to go 'till the next pay-packet, & it's been a while since the last if you were paid early in December. The normal January "belt tightening", but with added recessionary "vim".

[Ryan.c]

Attendances are generally shocking across the board at this level as people continue to lick the buttocks of the Premiership clubs. Clubs at our level simply can't compete against big match football on the TV. Non-league football in general needs to react and change accordingly or it's going to be a slow death for a lot of clubs. Reduce ticket prices for midweek games? Monday night football?

 

Lets hope for a better turnout from our so-called 'supporters' Saturday

Edited January 20, 2010 by Ryan.c

[Paul J]

I agree Ryan. As much as I hate to say it the likes of Billericay Town v Horsham on a damp, wet, Tuesday night is never going to be able to compete with a big free to air TV game for the casual non league football follower.

 

The only way non league football can strengthen their position in these times is to incentivise the casual supporter. I doubt whether the club would go for reduced midweek admission, but it may be worth experimenting with a kind of buy one get one free scheme? As long as you make the ‘get one free’ aspect for a specific midweek game then you can hopefully make some money back once you have people in the ground.

 

An experiment with Monday night football is also worth a punt.

[jl]

I'm sorry but I felt pretty depressed after that.

 

I agree with the above comments about the tactics. I can understand starting three up - being positive and all that but it was abundantly clear after about 15 or 20 minutes that it wasn't working. Horsham were playing through us with ease and all we had was a long punt up field. I was surprised we didn't change the system at half-time, so when Bill scored I thought great, at least we'll go 4-4-2 now but it still didn't happen and despite the personnel changes we bizzarrely elected to keep the same shape. 4-4-2, 4-5-1, 4-3-3, it's too many changes - how often do the top sides change their basic start out formation - not often.

 

Despite all that, it's true to say that again individual mistakes have cost us points - we've really got to try and cut these out as we don't have much margin for error now. I hope that the team selection is a bit better on Saturday - not just a case of picking your mates come what may - because we are up [censored] street. 3rd from bottom, 16 goals in 18 games, 2 wins from 10 home games = crowd 232.

 

On a marginally more positive note, I like Simon Thomas as a player and am pleased he has joined. Hopefully he'll he be one of a pair with Bricknell (striker in form) on Saturday.

 

Desperately needing three points Saturday. Come on you Blues!!

[Bill of Shenfield]

4-3-3 doesn't work, most players played pretty well and I felt we derserved a draw. I believe that Macca is injured and Matt Hall took a knock on Saturday so assume that is why they are where they were. Dom't change to Monday as Ryan suggested as I cannot go, other commitments.

[Simon BTFC]

 

Very disappointing. It was painfully obvious that the tactics were not working, yet Brian did nothing to change it despite having options on the bench. Simon Thomas is a player I always rated highly when he was at Boreham Wood, but sticking him out on the right was just a waste. Without Green, Hall and Slatter there was no quality to our passing.

[GazzaBTFC]

I believe that Macca is injured

 

Really?

[kt:@btfc]

I agree, I felt pretty depressed. I think it was a very poor match :-( I can't help think that Thomas was great at getting the ball but could not pass it well. Maybe it was a one off??

I do hope so. I do remeber Matt Hall getting injured and yes remember him holding it midfield and we relied on that (incorrectly putting it down to one man) and look forward to his proper return! Other than that I think at times we lacked shape midfield and think that a lot of our games are never consistent with respect to the players on the pitch, in order to progress. BTW I think our fans let the team down.... Sorry folks but there was a lack of singing and encouraging (especially from us naughty boys). Yes I know when we are playing particularly poorly we feel down but to be honest our players thrive on our noise! Billy encouraged this when he scored. Come on boys I'm a Women (genetically) and I've noticed it so surely you must have too! Hoping Saturday is better. COYB!

[Brightside Bloke]

Well bugger me kt:@btfc a woman is it? what next.

 

I must agree with regard to Billy it's an unusual sight seeing the players trying to get the fans lifted as opposed to us trying to lift them.

 

Still onward to Saturday and 3 points