Rebels 2 NGU 1

[BFR]

A game we could have won at a canter in the first half had we put away some of the spurned chances. 2-1 was a lot closer than it should have been but at this stage of the season it is only the result that matters.

 

Hitchin and Arlesey both lose. The league could be Daventry's to win

[Chris]

but at this stage of the season it is only the result that matters.

 

Summed up perfectly and I think that's what most people will think. Winning is the important thing at this stage of the season as you get some funny results as Hitchin losing 3-0 to Ashford and Soham winning 5-1 away to Aylesbury tells you.

 

Thought we just about deserved it, but we were not good today but still could have scored a hatful. Must admit thought we looked a little tired at times. Saturday - Tuesday - Saturday games for the rest of the season will mean that the squad (of which we have a very good one) will be very important.

[Irishadrian]

I dont agree that at this stage of the season its the result that matters Its the nature of the result. We have slipped out of the first 5 again because we won by the smallest possible margin whilst Biggleswade scored a hatful We have to start routing the very poor teams. Other results today were :Arlesey 0 Daventry 1,

Ashford 3 Hitchin 0 , Atherstone 2 Burnham3 Aylesbury 1 Soham 5,Barton 1 AFC Hayes 2,Biggleswade 6 Northwood 2, Bedworth 0 Beaconsfield 0, Leighton 3 Bedfont 1, Marlow 0 Rugby 3 Uxbridge 5 Woodford 1

[Mr Rebel]

yes winning is most important thing but surely the fact we drop due to Biggleswade scoring more shows the scoreline is important?

 

yet again we made hard work of what could have been a much easier victory. a few of the midfield seemed to struggle at times today for some reason

 

excellently struck goal from Herron very very early but like normal we seemed to let them come at us once we were leading. seems to happen far too much. the team psychologically seems to believe a goal lead is enough

 

yet again we gifted a terribly soft goal with a suicidal cross field pass. soooooooo annoying that we can restrict teams to so few chances and yet still throw away silly soft goals. they missed an open goal with Bullivant laying on the floor at 2-1 also. somehow was fired miles over the bar and a big big let off

Edited March 19, 2011 by Mr Rebel

[A Rebel and a Saint]

Will you lot stop moaning!!

 

A win is a win, that is the important thing. Yes Biggleswade may have scored more, we cannot control that, but we did what we needed and got the 3 points. It wasn't a great game, but I would happily take the win!

 

We have still only lost 1 out of our last 8 games.

 

Well done Slough, keep it up!

[chris sliski]

Dan is right...a win is a win !

 

chris s

[Nathan]

Personally I agree with Irishadrian and Mr Rebel.

 

We have got to get into the habit of thumping sides like these: we should have been out of sight at half-time. But this is Slough Town, and yet again we make a right meal out of beating a side whom on paper we should be beating comfortably. We gifted them a goal (nothing ever changes, does it?), and they also missed an open goal which would have made it 2-2.

 

I also heard one of two of the optimists on this board at the game today saying during the 2nd half, that we were playing poorly and making NGU look good. Well I couldn't agree more!

 

Bateman's substitutions astound me again - taking off Herron (who IMHO was our best player today. The chanting of his name after the game I think said everything: he was the only one who looked capable of doing something creative with the ball!) whilst leaving Swift on AGAIN, despite the fact he had a real stinker (and not for the first time either).

 

Whilst I agree that the result is what matters at the end of the day, quite frankly had we been playing a side up the other end of the table and not NGU (who looked very poor I thought), we would have been stuffed. Our performances have GOT to improve.

[readingrebel]

I dont agree that at this stage of the season its the result that matters Its the nature of the result. We have slipped out of the first 5 again because we won by the smallest possible margin whilst Biggleswade scored a hatful We have to start routing the very poor teams. Other results today were :Arlesey 0 Daventry 1,

Ashford 3 Hitchin 0 , Atherstone 2 Burnham3 Aylesbury 1 Soham 5,Barton 1 AFC Hayes 2,Biggleswade 6 Northwood 2, Bedworth 0 Beaconsfield 0, Leighton 3 Bedfont 1, Marlow 0 Rugby 3 Uxbridge 5 Woodford 1

 

 

 

Disagree Irish.

 

It's results that matter.

 

Grinding out results on a Tuesday evening when you've got to travel as per Biggleswade losing to Bedfont i think will be the deciding factor. The Biggleswade manager said that their players were just not up for it and consequently got done.

 

Pitches are becoming firmer and with tiredness and injuries playing a part, size of squad and the ability to grind out results will determine who gets 4th and 5th spot.

 

My only critisism is our continuing ability to self destruct by giving away a poor goal every game. We have to cut this out because against the better teams, as per Rugby, we will not be so fortunate to be allowed back into the game.

[Stuntman Mark]

I felt ashamed to be part of the crowd today; there were times when I felt certain sections were willing our players to fail rather than get behind them.

 

 

[Chris]

What's (a couple and only a few it seems) people's problem with Swifty - thought he played OK today, but not at his best, but was anyone? Apart from Herron and Martin thought he was one of our better players today. Think he's a very good player and has been one of our best players this season easily.

Edited March 20, 2011 by Chris

[Ted]

I didn't think that Swift played well yesterday, however substitutions are also about balance and injurys.

 

We won our 7th league game out of 8 yesterday, something I didn't think would happen, and long may the good run last. The substitutions in any side are often debateable, but we won yesterday so Steve Bateman's call was at least a decent one. Thought that Ben Abbey lookied good when he came on.

[staines_rebel_Jr]

The main problem i have with Swift is he is no longer a left winger, as yesterday showed. Murphy was having to do most of the running (ant btw i think he has been brilliant recently) and he gives up on the "lost" ball far to easily unlike herron or sinclair who will pressure the ball and the ball carrier and 2/3 times will get a throw in.

 

Having said that the main thing at this stage of the season is getting three points as it is better to have 100 points and +42 goals rather than 50 points and +100 goals.

[Irishadrian]

Yesterday we won a game 2-1 and slipped down the table If we had won 4-1 we would have stayed in the first five This shows the importance of both winning and maximising the goals we score Remember last season we crept into the play-offs on the last day of the season by just one goal!

[HorshamRebel]

One good positive from the game. No yellow cards

[Bernie Gogan]

What's (a couple and only a few it seems) people's problem with Swifty - thought he played OK today, but not at his best, but was anyone? Apart from Herron and Martin thought he was one of our better players today. Think he's a very good player and has been one of our best players this season easily.

 

Can't understand this criticism of Swift - leave him alone and anyone else that plays for us for that matter.

[readingrebel]

I felt ashamed to be part of the crowd today; there were times when I felt certain sections were willing our players to fail rather than get behind them.

 

 

 

 

I find that hard to believe. Yes, at any ground you will get supporters who are negative, fickle, get on certain players backs if they think they are not performing etc. but willing our players to fail? I really can't believe that.

[Martin]

I think we are well known for being quite moany fans!

 

I don't have a problem with Swift, I think he is an excellent player with a good range of passing and he links the play well. But what I am struggling with is constantly sacrificing Herron and sticking Swift out on the left. I don't think it works. At times we were being overrun in midfield and I felt the substitutions were strange. Burnell for Abbey when we finally went ahead was strange. Byrne should have come on to strengthen the midfield and see the game out. Albeit Abbey looked excellent.

 

I think the problem is we have a tendancy to make things bloody hard work and frustration gets the better of us at times particularly when we should have put this game to bed before half time.

 

At the end of the day we got the points and that is the main thing. I really couldn't give a monkeys about goal difference at this stage. I can't see us sneaking us into the play-offs on goal difference two years running. We should be aiming to do it on points anyway.

 

We are in good form and hopefully we can keep this run going. COYR

[Matt]

Everyone has their opinions about who should and shouldn't be playing, but people are forgetting that Chris Herron wasn't originally in the starting line-up, and was a late replacement for Sinclair. I don't personally know why, and I'm sure most of you don't either. For all we know he could have been carrying a knock, been feeling unwell, etc. It seemed strange to me that he wasn't in the team, but the coaching staff are the people best placed to know these things, not us.

 

As for individual player performances, I really haven't seen or heard any evidence of fans wanting players to fail, but there does seem to be a mentality amongst a few (and it is a small minority) of picking on individuals when the team as a whole isn't performing at its best. In the past it has been Danny Murphy (which I've always found somewhat incredulous as he's one of our best players), and on Saturday it was Stuart Swift.

 

It's a team game, and we should have been out of sight by half time, but I wouldn't blame any one individual for that. For my two pence worth, I wasn't too surprised to see Burnell replaced by Ben Abbey, as I thought we needed to freshen up the attack. He looked a bit frustrated before scoring, as he'd missed a few presentable opportunities beforehand.

 

The one thing the team needs to do is stop conceding silly goals. Saturday's was a fine example. On another day that could have been a very comfortable 4-0 win.

[Chris]

One other thing that people have forgotten is it was a tactical substitution as Bateman wanted to go three-up front and have 3 in central midfield. He moved Swift alongside Seeby and Coyne to do this. Never seen Herron play central midfield.

Edited March 20, 2011 by Chris

[Martin]

I have no problem going three up top and understood the intiail change which was Herron for Sonner. But Burnell for Abbey after we'd gone ahead struck me as strange. But the coaching staff are in the know and we have to trust their judgement. They've done pretty well and I have every faith that we'll make the play offs. COYR