Slough v Leighton

[Nathan]

Some teams go onwards and upwards following a play-off final defeat. We have taken several very large steps backwards.

 

 

Despite the increase of individual quality in the side, as a team what we have at the moment is just not working. As a whole, what we are serving up now is nothing short of (and I make no apologies for the use of the term), utter [****!!****].

 

 

We have not been performing for quite some time. I would go as far to say that we haven't played well at all in 2010.

 

 

I have refrained from saying this on this forum for quite some time now for obvious reasons which will become apparent. What I have seen over the past 2 months has made me consider that maybe Bateman doesn't have what it takes to take us forward. The potential is clearly there, but I honestly believe that the current management are totally bereft of ideas as to how to tap into that talent. Some of out tactics have been nothing short of bizarre; the obvious example being having 2 dwarfs as centre-forwards then playing the long high ball up to the final 1/3. Does Bateman honestly expect people like Sonner/Burnell/O’Connor to consistently out jump defenders who are 6-foot tall?

 

 

Some of the players need to take a good long hard look at themselves. If the management hasn’t already told them this, then they should. If need be then they can leave the club, because they’re no good to us the way some of them are playing at the moment. The only player who can come out of today with his head held high is Sean Sonner; for the obvious effort and passion he puts in. I can say that about precious few of our players at the moment.

 

 

I shall refrain from doing a player-by-player audit, mainly because I would be repeating myself. I also wish to avoid upsetting them.

 

 

Again I openly invite the players and management to prove me wrong on the above points. But if we carry on like we have been playing for the last 6 or so weeks, and if something behind the scenes doesn’t drastically change (the sooner the better IMHO), then that just isn’t going to happen.

 

 

 

 

I'm sorry Nathan but I think you are talking out of your backside.

 

Firstly, you say that 'we have not played well at all in 2010'.

 

Do you think that we played well against Biggleswade away or Marlow away in the Trophy replay?

 

You say that we play long ball up to Dwarfs like Sonner, Burnell and O'Connor. Firstly Sean Sonner can out jump most tall centre forwards also I don't know where O'Connor comes into the equation because he's hardly played for us this season.

 

To add some rationallity into the equation I think we looked solid today considering we restricted Leighton to one shot on target for 90 minutes and considering we played with 10 men for the first 45 minutes we came out second half and created some good chances.

 

I think most of the players gave 100% today and I think this is the time to stop slagging them and get behind the team and I'm sure the results will come.

 

 

 

Reading Rebel, 2 good performances in 10 months (one of which was against a side ravaged with injuries) is hardly good enough for a side that wants to get promoted.

 

I mentioned O'Connor because he is one of our 4 forwards who are expected to lots of running around when they should have somebody big to play off becasue thay just aren't big enough.

 

I think that given Leighton had one shot on target all afternoon shows how poor a side they were (they way they celebrated just shows how much it meant to them), and they still beat us and reduced us to the VERY occassional flicker of quality. Granted, for the first 10 minutes of the 2nd half, we came out with renewed vigour. Then we went back to running around like headless chickens and we didn't even look like scoring.

 

Even if all the players were giving 100% (which I don't think for 1 minute all of them were; Anthony Thomas clearly wasn't for starters), then surely the management are to blame for their tactics?

 

 

Nathan, where do you get 10 months from?. That would take us back to October of last season and quite a few more than 2 good performances.

 

I also said MOST players were IMO giving 100% with the exception being the player you've mentioned.

 

 

Reading Rebel, please stop nit-picking. When I said 10 months, I meant since January. Our form since the new year has been distinctly average mid-table stuff.

 

If the players are giving 100% and yet still churn out performances like that, then surely this points to the fact that maybe some of them just aren't good enough? Thats common sense I think.

[Rebel Yeller]

Agree with a lot of what is on here. That was one of the most boring first halves I have ever seen.

 

We are now I believe paying the price for a summer of relative inactivity. The management team worried and fretted about Adam Martin and NBH when they would have been better getting us a more balanced strikeforce. When Elliott left he needed to be replaced but he wasn't and we are now suffering for that. Only 2 summer signings are regulars in the team - Swift and Coyne - and neither of them are playing well. I thought Coyne was going to be good but I've never seen anyone pass to the opposition so much ( just watch him for a while) - well no-one since Edgeworth last year. Thank the lord we signed Logie.

 

The club cannot make wholesale changes to the squad so we are left primarily with what we have plus anyone we can pick up. The management have to get more out of them as a unit. I'm fed up with Bateman writing in every programme "sorry for our poor performance last week, we will work hard on the training pitch to sort it out." Whatever they're doing, it ain't working. His words keep reminding me of Capello at the World Cup, which is worrying.

 

It's not too late to turn it round but we need to see some improvement in the next month or it will be too late and we will be condemned to a season of mid table obscurity. I suspect that the Chairman may not be happy with that.

[Reading Rebel]

Some teams go onwards and upwards following a play-off final defeat. We have taken several very large steps backwards.

 

 

Despite the increase of individual quality in the side, as a team what we have at the moment is just not working. As a whole, what we are serving up now is nothing short of (and I make no apologies for the use of the term), utter [****!!****].

 

 

We have not been performing for quite some time. I would go as far to say that we haven't played well at all in 2010.

 

 

I have refrained from saying this on this forum for quite some time now for obvious reasons which will become apparent. What I have seen over the past 2 months has made me consider that maybe Bateman doesn't have what it takes to take us forward. The potential is clearly there, but I honestly believe that the current management are totally bereft of ideas as to how to tap into that talent. Some of out tactics have been nothing short of bizarre; the obvious example being having 2 dwarfs as centre-forwards then playing the long high ball up to the final 1/3. Does Bateman honestly expect people like Sonner/Burnell/O’Connor to consistently out jump defenders who are 6-foot tall?

 

 

Some of the players need to take a good long hard look at themselves. If the management hasn’t already told them this, then they should. If need be then they can leave the club, because they’re no good to us the way some of them are playing at the moment. The only player who can come out of today with his head held high is Sean Sonner; for the obvious effort and passion he puts in. I can say that about precious few of our players at the moment.

 

 

I shall refrain from doing a player-by-player audit, mainly because I would be repeating myself. I also wish to avoid upsetting them.

 

 

Again I openly invite the players and management to prove me wrong on the above points. But if we carry on like we have been playing for the last 6 or so weeks, and if something behind the scenes doesn’t drastically change (the sooner the better IMHO), then that just isn’t going to happen.

 

 

 

 

I'm sorry Nathan but I think you are talking out of your backside.

 

Firstly, you say that 'we have not played well at all in 2010'.

 

Do you think that we played well against Biggleswade away or Marlow away in the Trophy replay?

 

You say that we play long ball up to Dwarfs like Sonner, Burnell and O'Connor. Firstly Sean Sonner can out jump most tall centre forwards also I don't know where O'Connor comes into the equation because he's hardly played for us this season.

 

To add some rationallity into the equation I think we looked solid today considering we restricted Leighton to one shot on target for 90 minutes and considering we played with 10 men for the first 45 minutes we came out second half and created some good chances.

 

I think most of the players gave 100% today and I think this is the time to stop slagging them and get behind the team and I'm sure the results will come.

 

 

 

Reading Rebel, 2 good performances in 10 months (one of which was against a side ravaged with injuries) is hardly good enough for a side that wants to get promoted.

 

I mentioned O'Connor because he is one of our 4 forwards who are expected to lots of running around when they should have somebody big to play off becasue thay just aren't big enough.

 

I think that given Leighton had one shot on target all afternoon shows how poor a side they were (they way they celebrated just shows how much it meant to them), and they still beat us and reduced us to the VERY occassional flicker of quality. Granted, for the first 10 minutes of the 2nd half, we came out with renewed vigour. Then we went back to running around like headless chickens and we didn't even look like scoring.

 

Even if all the players were giving 100% (which I don't think for 1 minute all of them were; Anthony Thomas clearly wasn't for starters), then surely the management are to blame for their tactics?

 

 

Nathan, where do you get 10 months from?. That would take us back to October of last season and quite a few more than 2 good performances.

 

I also said MOST players were IMO giving 100% with the exception being the player you've mentioned.

 

 

Reading Rebel, please stop nit-picking. When I said 10 months, I meant since January. Our form since the new year has been distinctly average mid-table stuff.

 

If the players are giving 100% and yet still churn out performances like that, then surely this points to the fact that maybe some of them just aren't good enough? Thats common sense I think.

 

 

Nathan, I appologise if it seems like I was just 'nit-picking' but you were very vociferous in your condemnation of the team which you are quite entitled to be but some of the points you made were simply not true.

[Nathan]

Well I stand by what I said - we have been very average throughout the year (albeit with the very occassional exception, which quite frankly isn't anywhere often enough), and the team as it is is simply not working.

[Ian]

 

We are now I believe paying the price for a summer of relative inactivity. The management team worried and fretted about Adam Martin and NBH when they would have been better getting us a more balanced strikeforce. When Elliott left he needed to be replaced but he wasn't and we are now suffering for that.

 

Not sure I agree with that. We've more than replaced Elliott with Danny Burnell who is as natural a goalscorer as I've seen in a Slough shirt since Tony Boot. We certainly haven't got the right mix around him though to create the chances/get the results.

[3spirit]

Just to prove there is an exception to (two) rules, I give you Sean Sonner. He displayed the same never say die attitude when on loan for us as he does now and which deservedly got him the captain's armband yesterday after Logie went off. He also manages to outjump most centrebacks despite being a lot shorter alhtough I don't disagree a 'proper' targetman would be useful.

 

 

I thought Sean Sonner worked hard yesterday and at least,tried to prove his mettle unlike some.To my mind,though,he drifts far too wide in games,doesn't score enough goals and moans too much and swears at the ref for any little thing,which I don't like about him.

I think Danny Burnell is an ideal replacement for Elliot Buchanan and far more potent a striker than Sean Sonner.I would be looking to play a bigger,target man beside Burnell but would keep Simon Martin and Gary Sippetts for cover and different games.

 

Now that Craig O'Connor has left and Anthony Thomas loan isn't looking likely to work out,I would be toying with the idea of letting Sean Sonner, Paul Coyne,Rob Kean and Terry O'Connor go,to free up some money for improvements to the squad.Don't get me wrong I'm not saying that Sonner is a bad player,I just think we should be looking to go in a different direction and Sean Sonner's probably on more money than Gary Sippetts,so that would be the route I'd take,to try and rescue our season.

 

I would like to see a holding/defensive midfielder and another creative midfielder who can run/dribble past the opposition in the centre of the field rather than wide, also as I say - a target man.I would also be looking at some of the current youngblood playing for Chalfont St Peter[unbeaten in lower league].Three come to mind Terell Lewis,Charlie Strutton and our cast off Kyle Jeffery,a more than adequate player who can play in every position along the back line as cover .

What do you lot out there, think?

[HEAVY TRUCKER]

important message for the management............................ the paying fans are not happy!

[Ian]

Now that Craig O'Connor has left and Anthony Thomas loan isn't looking likely to work out,I would be toying with the idea of letting Sean Sonner, Paul Coyne,Rob Kean and Terry O'Connor go,to free up some money for improvements to the squad.Don't get me wrong I'm not saying that Sonner is a bad player,I just think we should be looking to go in a different direction and Sean Sonner's probably on more money than Gary Sippetts,so that would be the route I'd take,to try and rescue our season.

 

None of us know what any of the players get paid so it's a bit of a difficult argument. Irrespective of that I wouldn't let Sean go for one second. Having players who care is vitally important (and I'm not saying he's the only one).

[Tom]

I'm going to agree with Reading Rebel (for a change!).

 

The team is going through a slump in form and players are low on confidence. Let's not forget that the majority of the squad bar 2 or 3 players who joined from higher leagues all finished in the play offs last season. I am confident that this squad can deliver and importantly the management given their past experiences can get into that position yet again.

 

A change in management or players would do nothing to help that, if anything could put the club in a worse position. Things can easily turn around and a couple of wins would propel the team back into the play off positions. The games this week are the perfect opportunity to get 2 wins on the board and boost morale.

 

Let's just get behind the team.

[A Rebel and a Saint]

I have to agree with Tom and RR here. While I was not at the game on Saturday, and have been away for a month prior to the Chippenham games, I see no reason to start chopping and changing at the moment. You only have to think back to the start of the season when we were playing so well and scoring goals for fun and everyone was praising the team after every game. Bateman and the players will know that things need to improve, and we need to make sure we are behind them all the way through.

I believe it was Coyne who said in the paper that it is better to have a dip in form at this stage of the season rather than at the end (like we did last season), and I agree. I am sure that we will get past this and the team will fulfill the potential that we know these players have.

[Martin]

Whilst I agree with that to a certain extent the dip in form coming at this stage of the season almost certainly means we already can't win the league. Last season two teams finished with over a hundred points and Hitchin already seem to be on their way to matching that total. I can't see us picking up 85 points in 32 games to match that total! Add to that the fact we are already out of the cup and the trophy and the start has been pretty poor.

 

That said this team has shown flashes of brilliance and I am confident we are capable of stringing a run good results together and making the play-offs. The target now is to make the play-offs comfortably and to go into them with players in peak condition.

 

Over to Steve and the boys - come on you Rebels!

Edited October 25, 2010 by Martin

[Reading Rebel]

Just to prove there is an exception to (two) rules, I give you Sean Sonner. He displayed the same never say die attitude when on loan for us as he does now and which deservedly got him the captain's armband yesterday after Logie went off. He also manages to outjump most centrebacks despite being a lot shorter alhtough I don't disagree a 'proper' targetman would be useful.

 

 

I thought Sean Sonner worked hard yesterday and at least,tried to prove his mettle unlike some.To my mind,though,he drifts far too wide in games,doesn't score enough goals and moans too much and swears at the ref for any little thing,which I don't like about him.

I think Danny Burnell is an ideal replacement for Elliot Buchanan and far more potent a striker than Sean Sonner.I would be looking to play a bigger,target man beside Burnell but would keep Simon Martin and Gary Sippetts for cover and different games.

 

Now that Craig O'Connor has left and Anthony Thomas loan isn't looking likely to work out,I would be toying with the idea of letting Sean Sonner, Paul Coyne,Rob Kean and Terry O'Connor go,to free up some money for improvements to the squad.Don't get me wrong I'm not saying that Sonner is a bad player,I just think we should be looking to go in a different direction and Sean Sonner's probably on more money than Gary Sippetts,so that would be the route I'd take,to try and rescue our season.

 

I would like to see a holding/defensive midfielder and another creative midfielder who can run/dribble past the opposition in the centre of the field rather than wide, also as I say - a target man.I would also be looking at some of the current youngblood playing for Chalfont St Peter[unbeaten in lower league].Three come to mind Terell Lewis,Charlie Strutton and our cast off Kyle Jeffery,a more than adequate player who can play in every position along the back line as cover .

What do you lot out there, think?

 

 

3spirit, I think your stark raving mad to even think about letting Sean Sonner go.

 

He might not be scoring many goals at the moment but he has every other attribute you would want in a player.

 

As far as I'm aware Rob Kean has signed for Aylesbury United and Terry O'Connor probably won't play for us again and they are certainly not receiving any wages from us.

 

If these players at Chalfont St Peter are that good why aren't they showing some ambition and going for trials at other clubs higher up the pyramid (like us) and realise their potential?

[Reading Rebel]

I'm going to agree with Reading Rebel (for a change!).

 

The team is going through a slump in form and players are low on confidence. Let's not forget that the majority of the squad bar 2 or 3 players who joined from higher leagues all finished in the play offs last season. I am confident that this squad can deliver and importantly the management given their past experiences can get into that position yet again.

 

A change in management or players would do nothing to help that, if anything could put the club in a worse position. Things can easily turn around and a couple of wins would propel the team back into the play off positions. The games this week are the perfect opportunity to get 2 wins on the board and boost morale.

 

Let's just get behind the team.

 

 

 

Knew you would come to your senses sooner or later Tom

 

 

Good to see some positivity rather than the doom and gloom. The team are on a downer at the mo and we need to collectively get behind them.

[chris sliski]

Please please please...for hell sake... this job is for our manager ...

 

Moral is low and some personal comments about who should go and who should stay ..makes the team even more NOT wanted !

 

This is why we have a manager ...and a deputy Manager ..who call the shots....

 

This kind of debate will have us implode !

 

come on Rebels...sort yourselves..out ..play well and we will all be happy..

 

chris sliski

[Mark44]

At the end of the day we have a proven manager who WILL turn it around.

 

We have a good set of players and we will turn it around. As for selling Sean Sonner, I think you need to see a doctor 3spirit. He is one of our best players by a country mile

[Sue]

I dont usually get involved with posts like this, and as a lot of you know I dont agree with some of the negative posts about players playing abilities, but that is just my opinion and everyone is entitled to that, but to post that some players should be got rid of for improvements is going too far.

 

I think if I was Sean, Paul and Co. I would be well hacked off reading that.

[Nathan]

I made my comments about the players abilities based upon their performances both recently and since the start of the season.

 

We all know that individually they are capable of so much more.

[Staines-upon-Thames Rebel]

POSITIVITY

 

We will beat Leighton 10-0 tomorrow night!

[Sue]

There that's better, that's the Clive I like, nice smiley face.

 

 

[3spirit]

Just to prove there is an exception to (two) rules, I give you Sean Sonner. He displayed the same never say die attitude when on loan for us as he does now and which deservedly got him the captain's armband yesterday after Logie went off. He also manages to outjump most centrebacks despite being a lot shorter alhtough I don't disagree a 'proper' targetman would be useful.

 

 

I thought Sean Sonner worked hard yesterday and at least,tried to prove his mettle unlike some.To my mind,though,he drifts far too wide in games,doesn't score enough goals and moans too much and swears at the ref for any little thing,which I don't like about him.

I think Danny Burnell is an ideal replacement for Elliot Buchanan and far more potent a striker than Sean Sonner.I would be looking to play a bigger,target man beside Burnell but would keep Simon Martin and Gary Sippetts for cover and different games.

 

Now that Craig O'Connor has left and Anthony Thomas loan isn't looking likely to work out,I would be toying with the idea of letting Sean Sonner, Paul Coyne,Rob Kean and Terry O'Connor go,to free up some money for improvements to the squad.Don't get me wrong I'm not saying that Sonner is a bad player,I just think we should be looking to go in a different direction and Sean Sonner's probably on more money than Gary Sippetts,so that would be the route I'd take,to try and rescue our season.

 

I would like to see a holding/defensive midfielder and another creative midfielder who can run/dribble past the opposition in the centre of the field rather than wide, also as I say - a target man.I would also be looking at some of the current youngblood playing for Chalfont St Peter[unbeaten in lower league].Three come to mind Terell Lewis,Charlie Strutton and our cast off Kyle Jeffery,a more than adequate player who can play in every position along the back line as cover .

What do you lot out there, think?

 

 

3spirit, I think your stark raving mad to even think about letting Sean Sonner go.

 

He might not be scoring many goals at the moment but he has every other attribute you would want in a player.

 

As far as I'm aware Rob Kean has signed for Aylesbury United and Terry O'Connor probably won't play for us again and they are certainly not receiving any wages from us.

 

If these players at Chalfont St Peter are that good why aren't they showing some ambition and going for trials at other clubs higher up the pyramid (like us) and realise their potential?

 

 

Please please please...for hell sake... this job is for our manager ...

 

Moral is low and some personal comments about who should go and who should stay ..makes the team even more NOT wanted !

 

This is why we have a manager ...and a deputy Manager ..who call the shots....

 

This kind of debate will have us implode !

 

come on Rebels...sort yourselves..out ..play well and we will all be happy..

 

chris sliski

 

 

At the end of the day we have a proven manager who WILL turn it around.

 

We have a good set of players and we will turn it around. As for selling Sean Sonner, I think you need to see a doctor 3spirit. He is one of our best players by a country mile

 

 

I dont usually get involved with posts like this, and as a lot of you know I dont agree with some of the negative posts about players playing abilities, but that is just my opinion and everyone is entitled to that, but to post that some players should be got rid of for improvements is going too far.

 

I think if I was Sean, Paul and Co. I would be well hacked off reading that.

 

 

First of all,I never said Sean Sonner isn't a good player,if any of you, or even,Sean himself,read my posts properly. I just tried to give my honest assessment of where I think the current team is falling short and the way I would rectify it [from my supporter perspective].

It makes no difference.I'm NOT the manager but as this is supposed to be a forum for SUPPORTERS to discuss,debate and air their views,I don't care what the players think.If they or the management come on here to read our views,that's their choice.In a [supposed!] democratic country we all have the right to free speech and a forum for ALL supporters should be the same.

I pay my 8 quid like everybody else and I like Steve Bateman,as a player and a manager and I like his philosophy on playing free-flowing football and the way he conducts himself but at this current time,my view is that we need to be together as a team and grind out a few results and maybe,adapt our style for different teams/games. That's all I was trying to convey.

 

As for the Chalfont players,nobody knows if the three I mentioned could step up to this division and play well consistently.I'm not a mindreader either but sometimes taking a chance on one youngster of unproven talent can lead to more rewards for the team than players with loads of experience ie Mo Shariff to say Nick Roddis/Lee Charles etc.