North Greenford Utd.

[A Rebel and a Saint]

So disappointed after tonight. We were poor all over the pitch and never really looked like scoring. They got a sucker punch goal with the last kick of the first half and them a late penalty, though they should have had one earlier. They did seem to want it more and now we have handed the advantage back to St neots.

Wondering if we should have freshened up the team after Saturdays monumental efforts. What has Anderson got to do to get a game?

[Matt]

Truly woeful! And yes, mostly long ball rubbish. I feel for the boys, having to try and play on that pitch. But there were two teams out there and NGU were the better and deserved the win...

[saintgooner]

Don't think anyone thought tonights results would go this way !

Lots of football to be played yet !

Hope both teams go up, but I've got horrid feeling that the 2nd place team ( St Neots or Slough ) will lose at home in the play off's !

 

Hope I'm wrong , as I think both teams would make the premier league stronger !IMO

[Martin]

Utterly dreadful. Poles apart from Saturday and massively disappointing. We know we are better than that and we have to bounce back on Saturday. Think we need to win all eight now big ask but we are capable. COYR

[Ted]

A very poor performance with us putting North Greenford under very little pressure anywhere on the pitch. We did have chances, but missed them, and overall Greenford were by far the better side, and should have had another penalty in the second half.

 

I won't be popular for saying this, but for me, Lloyd Owusu adds little to the team.

[Nathan]

Well we might as well have not bothered with Saturday. All the hard work, all we achieved, all we did to claw ourselves back into the title race, all was undone tonight and we have only ourselves to blame.

 

This was the type of performance I always feel that we are capable of churning out. Again the line-up and tactics were too stubborn and immobile. The most disappointing thing was that we had absolutely everything to play for, yet North Greenford showed much more effort, desire and passion than we did. As we have seen in games such as Burnham, Hanworth Villa, Chalfont St Peter, Aylesbury and Daventry, we have a tendency to simply drift through games in the belief that things will sort themselves out eventually. And again we have paid the price for that attitude.

 

A quick word about Lloyd Owusu (and I realise I may get slaughtered for saying this, but here goes...) - what has he done to justify his place in the starting line-up since he has returned? He's far too slow and immobile, doesn't chase down balls, can't beat players or get shots in. He certainly doesn't strike fear into the heart of defenders. He's living off reputation and should not have started.

 

Rant over; here's to three points in what must be a must-win game on Saturday!

Edited March 13, 2012 by Nathan

[Ian]

Let's not forget that Owusu has scored vital goals away at Daventry and the winner at home to Northwood. That said our strongest starting strikeforce is clearly Sean and Danny and I think we should have started with them tonight.

[Tom]

To be honest Slough could have started with all 5 strikers and not scored. St Neot's chairman's comments about kick and run football were completely applicable tonight.

[Nathan]

You're right there Tom, though I wouldn't have included "run" in that description.

[Cookham Rebel]

Think the time has come for our attacking play of the previous 2 seasons to return, we need wins now. Saturday we should go 4-3-3 and play the following:

 

Warrington

 

Sweeney NBH Woozley Murphy

 

Burgess Coyne Swift

 

Sinclair Burnell Anderson

 

Time to go for broke!!!

[readingrebel]

Absolutely fuming!!

 

Not so much with the performance, because teams can have off nights, but with whoever selected the starting 11 tonight IMO wants Sha**ing.

 

After Saturday's monumental effort, what a great chance to freshen things up and utilise the great squad SB and everyone keeps saying we have.

 

What a great chance to give Jerome Anderson a start so that he can show us what he can do after the promise he's shown.

 

After tonight I wouldn't be surprised if Jerome buggered off to another club who appreciates him and gives him a chance when the opportunity arises.

 

Agree with the comments on Owusu.

 

I really don't know why we're persisting with a player who is clearly way past his sell by date and has a couple of games left before he goes to Australia.

 

FFS lets give Jerome some game time instead.

Edited March 13, 2012 by readingrebel

[Sir Rebel1965]

Agree with Ted - Lloyd Owusu is past it and when you have the likes of Anderson on the bench he should be on rather than someone who cant run or chase - Owusu's two goals were the only thing he did in those games - the rest of the team have to carry him for the other 89 mins!

[Ian]

I think people are being incredibly harsh on Lloyd Owusu. Our loss tonight wasn't his fault! No he hasn't got the speed he once had (who has at 33?) but him being here has had a positive effect on the squad and we should be grateful for his efforts.

 

Bad day at the office so let's move on without resorting to digs at individuals. The management picked the team.

[Cookham Rebel]

With 8 games to go, now is not the time to be singling out individuals for criticism people! We need to get behind the team now and believe, it was just a bad night at the office, it's not over until it's over!

[Mark44]

I too think we are beig a bit harsh on Lloyd

 

Yes I would have started Anderson rather than him but the effect Lloyd has had on our strikers is invaluable. Look at Danny burnell. He has picked up and looks more interested than ever since Lloyd ha been back.

 

 

[Rebel Yeller]

I understand that Steve Bateman wasn't at last night's match. Any idea where he was? I find it surprising that he isn't there at the sharp end of the season.

 

I was also told that Cummings and Lawford were in charge. This may account for the total lack of organisation and any ideas at all. We only need two more wins to guarantee a play off place, but playing like last night we'll be lucky to get anything at all.

 

Concerned that we may be entering the play offs in poor form. We all know what that will lead to. All the more reason to shake it up. Just as McDermott gave Owusu ( terrible last night) his chance all those years ago, Bateman should be giving Anderson a chance. Surely it's worth a try.

 

At least our play off games will be against good teams. We do better against them than against the lesser sides.

[readingrebel]

I think people are being incredibly harsh on Lloyd Owusu. Our loss tonight wasn't his fault! No he hasn't got the speed he once had (who has at 33?) but him being here has had a positive effect on the squad and we should be grateful for his efforts.

 

Bad day at the office so let's move on without resorting to digs at individuals. The management picked the team.

I think people are being incredibly harsh on Lloyd Owusu. Our loss tonight wasn't his fault! No he hasn't got the speed he once had (who has at 33?) but him being here has had a positive effect on the squad and we should be grateful for his efforts.

 

Bad day at the office so let's move on without resorting to digs at individuals. The management picked the team.

 

 

Your right Ian, it was not Lloyds fault he was selected and that we lost last night and probably unfair to single him out. He was just one player out of quite a few who never turned up on the night.

 

As I've already mentioned whoever selected the starting 11 last night IMO cocked it up.

 

I just hope the 3 points surrendered last night doesn't prove costly at the end of the season.

[3spirit]

Inept and embarassing performance turned in by the lads last night but credit to North Greenford for upsetting our rhythm from the start.If these long ball tactics was Fred Cummings idea's, he needs help mentally.We play our best football when we pass along the floor and move.The whole of the 2nd half,there was hardly a decent pass.What Fred said to the team at half-time, I do not know?!

 

The substitions were naff,too.Alex Brown shouldn't have come off[well-not the first substition],Ollie Burgess had a stinker.Obviously Paul Coyne was injured and being that he sets most of our attacking play,we were always going to miss him.Why we didn't put Stuart Swift in centre midfield I do not know,for he is far more influential there than stuck out on the left wing.

Obviously Danny Burnell needed to come on but why take a forward off when we are losing,we should have gone 3-4-3 to get us some goals. If we had adopted a positive attitude from the off of the 2nd half,we would have won that game but we choose to play the way North Greenford wanted us to by mixing it and just got involved in stupid melee's and kicking long high balls to no one.

 

Lloyd Owusu didn't have a great game last night and does look like a player coming to the end of his career,however I don't think we are getting the best out of him.I was surprised how poor Sean Sonner played off him and we all know Sean's workrate and tireless running but why,oh,why does he have to run out wide by the touchline when he is playing as a centre forward.He should be playing off the shoulder of Lloyd Owusu not totally out of position.Lloyd was very isolated.

 

After a superb performance on Saturday.What a shambles last night! Let's hope we pick a better balanced team with a proper game plan for a tough match against play-off contenders Biggleswade.

Over to you,Steve and Fred?!

[readingrebel]

Inept and embarassing performance turned in by the lads last night but credit to North Greenford for upsetting our rhythm from the start.If these long ball tactics was Fred Cummings idea's, he needs help mentally.We play our best football when we pass along the floor and move.The whole of the 2nd half,there was hardly a decent pass.What Fred said to the team at half-time, I do not know?!

 

The substitions were naff,too.Alex Brown shouldn't have come off[well-not the first substition],Ollie Burgess had a stinker.Obviously Paul Coyne was injured and being that he sets most of our attacking play,we were always going to miss him.Why we didn't put Stuart Swift in centre midfield I do not know,for he is far more influential there than stuck out on the left wing.

Obviously Danny Burnell needed to come on but why take a forward off when we are losing,we should have gone 3-4-3 to get us some goals. If we had adopted a positive attitude from the off of the 2nd half,we would have won that game but we choose to play the way North Greenford wanted us to by mixing it and just got involved in stupid melee's and kicking long high balls to no one.

 

Lloyd Owusu didn't have a great game last night and does look like a player coming to the end of his career,however I don't think we are getting the best out of him.I was surprised how poor Sean Sonner played off him and we all know Sean's workrate and tireless running but why,oh,why does he have to run out wide by the touchline when he is playing as a centre forward.He should be playing off the shoulder of Lloyd Owusu not totally out of position.Lloyd was very isolated.

 

After a superb performance on Saturday.What a shambles last night! Let's hope we pick a better balanced team with a proper game plan for a tough match against play-off contenders Biggleswade.

Over to you,Steve and Fred?!

 

 

 

 

Was it Fred or John Lawford doing the substitutions/team talk last night?

 

I'm also not sure that Danny Burnell was the right person to bring on. You would assume that he was on the bench last night to rest him for Saturday after his exertions over the last couple of weeks.

 

I think we needed someone to come on who was fresh, mobile with pace to get at the Greenford defence.

 

Also, i think when players are tired either mentally or physically IMO they tend to hoof the ball more as the easier option.

Edited March 14, 2012 by readingrebel

[3spirit]

Inept and embarassing performance turned in by the lads last night but credit to North Greenford for upsetting our rhythm from the start.If these long ball tactics was Fred Cummings idea's, he needs help mentally.We play our best football when we pass along the floor and move.The whole of the 2nd half,there was hardly a decent pass.What Fred said to the team at half-time, I do not know?!

 

The substitions were naff,too.Alex Brown shouldn't have come off[well-not the first substition],Ollie Burgess had a stinker.Obviously Paul Coyne was injured and being that he sets most of our attacking play,we were always going to miss him.Why we didn't put Stuart Swift in centre midfield I do not know,for he is far more influential there than stuck out on the left wing.

Obviously Danny Burnell needed to come on but why take a forward off when we are losing,we should have gone 3-4-3 to get us some goals. If we had adopted a positive attitude from the off of the 2nd half,we would have won that game but we choose to play the way North Greenford wanted us to by mixing it and just got involved in stupid melee's and kicking long high balls to no one.

 

Lloyd Owusu didn't have a great game last night and does look like a player coming to the end of his career,however I don't think we are getting the best out of him.I was surprised how poor Sean Sonner played off him and we all know Sean's workrate and tireless running but why,oh,why does he have to run out wide by the touchline when he is playing as a centre forward.He should be playing off the shoulder of Lloyd Owusu not totally out of position.Lloyd was very isolated.

 

After a superb performance on Saturday.What a shambles last night! Let's hope we pick a better balanced team with a proper game plan for a tough match against play-off contenders Biggleswade.

Over to you,Steve and Fred?!

 

 

 

 

Was it Fred or John Lawson doing the substitutions/team talk last night?

 

I'm also not sure that Danny Burnell was the right person to bring on. You would assume that he was on the bench last night to rest him for Saturday after his exertions over the last couple of weeks.

 

I think we needed someone to come on who was fresh, mobile with pace to get at the Greenford defence.

 

Also, i think when players are tired either mentally or physically IMO they tend to hoof the ball more as the easier option.

 

I agree with you about the starting 11. I thought we had a decent opportunity to freshen up the team last night and give a few players a rest.Danny Burnell is supposed to have an ankle problem.

On Saturday,we ground out a result but didn't play that well in an offensive way over the 90 minutes.It was more of a rearguard action.So we should have changed the line-up for North Greenford.

I would have played

Warrington

Brown NBH Woozley

Sweeney Logie Perkins Swift Murphy

Abbey Anderson

Subs Sinclair,Burgess,Herron,Sonner,Owusu.

Resting Burnell and Coyne for Biggleswade.

 

Last night,was depressing.We lost all shape and had few ideas.Dave Woozley tried to get the team going but many just ignored his advice.I think we need a captain in midfield,as the midfield seems to be the problem at the moment. You know I'm a big fan of Adam Logie as a footballer but I think we currently don't get the best from him,by what we want him to do.He is no longer a threat going forward because Steve Bateman has stifled his attacking game.Why is that Steve?

If you ever watch the warm-ups.He is one of the cleanest strikers of the ball we have at the club and yet we have this absurd idea that he should be our defensive holding midfielder. Coyne and Logie do not function well together mainly because we allow Paul Coyne to do what he likes and yet the rest of our midfielders have to be play a certain way.

 

In my opinion, they both could play together better, if they played to each other's strengths.Coyne is a great passer of the ball and Logie is a handful getting into the opposition box with the asset of a good shot from the edge of the penalty area.If one attacks,the other should defend[unless 3-man midfield] that's the answer.Paul Coyne is at his best when Stuart Swift is on the pitch with him,as they have a natural understanding.Steve Perkins seems to fit better with them than Adam Logie.That's because Steve Perkins is given a degree of freedom and allowed to get forward, Adam Logie is told not to.

Yes,Logie can play as a defender but he is not a defensive holding midfielder.He's better than that.

 

The problem we have is none of our midfield players like tackling and like to pass the buck to others.When our game plan falters,the whole team resorts to aimlessly hoofed high balls to no one in particular and we end up playing like poor teams like the North Greenfords,Marlow's,Aylesbury's and often come unstuck.We need to impose our football passing, attacking principles onto these sides not the other way around.

 

If we fail to win the Championship now,it's going to be down to our tactical ineptitude in getting the best from what is on paper, a class looking squad.