team v guildford

[readingrebel]

Agree with Mark 44 above.

 

I mentioned in a post before the season started about not having enough forwards and I was shot down. Danny and Sean will score if we make chances I was told. Well,last night there were virtually no chances ( none in the second half when Ollie's goal was our first of the half ) and Danny and Sean could have played until midnight and not scored. Don't think Danny had a shot all night.

 

I don't have a problem with us going long ball if that's our plan B, but going long ball to short forwards is bonkers. If long ball is the fallback then fine, but then we must have a tall forward on the bench to capitalise on it. Otherwise, as proved not only last night but many times before, long ball is pointless.

 

Guildford were a well organised and robust side who knew how to deal with short forwards, even good ones like ours. And they did. They all knew their jobs in the team and they did them very well. If they carry on like that they'll be in the shake-up and the end of the season.

 

Surely Ollie must start on Saturday. Rhone has been really disappointing, and quite rightly substituted twice. In pre-season he looked really good, but in the heat of battle he shows glimpses of skill, but then disappears from the game. His passing was not good - it was his woeful pass to a Guildford player which ultimately led to the first goal.

 

Perhaps the tacticians amongst us can explain what Dave Deeney's role is. He just seems to be out there - is he defensive or attacking. I just can't make it out. Ashley has looked the best of our three big signings so far.

 

And don't fixate on the ref. No he wasn't much good, but poor reffing is what we get at this level so we have to live with it. He booked seven players in a game with virtually no fouls, but Guildford suffered too and the ref is not the reason we lost.

 

What really concerns me is not that we lost, but that this forum has seen all of the above texts written on it before after other woeful showings. We all have bad days at the office from time to time, but I'd be happier if I felt we were learning some lessons from these defeats. I'm not sure that we are.

 

I personally don't think Rhone can be labelled disappointing as he is being played out of position, last night he looked a bit lost, not knowing whether to hug the touch line or move inside! Dave Deeney is a good player but he is no Paul Coyne, there lies the problem, I personally do not think Dave Deeney and Adam Logie can be played in the same central midfield, both are very similar!

 

In pre-season we played 4-4-2 unless I'm mistaken, and I think the players we now have suit this formation better than 3-5-2... On Saturday we should line up:

 

Grant

 

A.Deeney NBH Woozley Murphy

 

Fraser D.Deeney Burgess Rhone

 

Sonner Burnell

 

Or even put Rhone up front in a 4-3-3! Also, looking at the pitch at Holloways Park, can't help but think that Ashley Deeney and Steve Sinclair would tear teams apart on the right side and the same on the other with Murphy and Rhone!

 

Lastly, I'm not looking to blame the ref, he was as bad for both teams last night, just thought his decisions were surreal! Last night reminded me of the game at home to Burnham last season, it proved a catalyst but we were abject that night, and was the referee!!!

 

 

I certainly agree with you about Dominic Rhone.

 

He is a left wing back and it looks like he is predominantly being asked to play a floating role across the middle which he doesn't seem comfortable with. To get the best out of him I think he needs to be given a specific role out on the left.

[Mark44]

It must be a headache for SB though, sign a quality player in Dom Rhone as it was not looking good for Murphy signing on and then Murphy does sign on and so commands that left side (At least he is the best LB/LWB i have seen at slough in my time)

 

Very hard decision for Bates to keep both involved

[hotspur]

Best LB/LWB, you obviously not been watching Slough very long then .

[Cookham Rebel]

That honour would have to go to Allan Pluckrose or Paul Hardyman in my opinion!

[A Rebel and a Saint]

Best LB/LWB, you obviously not been watching Slough very long then .

 

What difference does that make?

 

Yes I would agree about Rhone, looks like he has a lot of potential but it cannot be easy for Bateman to fit in two players of their quality down the left when we play 3-5-2. The best way to include them would be to play 4-4-2 but that would then risk us throwing away the defensive stability that we have built up over the last season.

[Ian]

3-5-2 or 4-4-2. I'm not sure what we were playing last night but it looked more like zero in midfield. I still maintain we don't need another striker but only if we play to the strengths of those we have. Give Burnell, Sonner and Abbey chances and they will score goals. Last night Sean was having to drop to the halfway line to get the ball and the single player showing any signs of linking defence and attack was Dave Woozley. That's maybe a bit harsh on Ashley Deeney who tried to get down the line in the first half.

 

If that's how we're going to play without anyone willing or capable of stamping any sort of authority on the midfield then I agree.......let Sean and Danny go to a club where they'll score bucket loads and sign two 6 foot 5 strikers and just hoof it up.

[Mark44]

My first game was 1st Oct 2002 in an FA cup replay against AFC Totton

 

In that time Danny Murphy is the best left back I have seen at our club

 

As Dan has mentioned above what difference does it make how long Hotspur? Does the fact I wasnt born make me less of a supporter?

[Martin]

Exactly Mark, always a bit of a nonsense comment when people say something about how long you've been supporting. You can't help when you were born or when you were first introduced to the club. I was lucky and was around for the first conference spell but that doesn't make me a better or worse supporter than anyone else.

 

Whilst we were walking to Woodford, myself and Radders had a long chat about making the all time best Slough side (you need to while away the hours as you are trudging along A roads in the pouring rain). We decided we could only include players we had seen play (which rules out Ted Norris despite his incredible 343 goals in 226 games) and so we basically divided the last twenty odd years into four successful eras. Conference 1, Conference 2, Bryco Cup/Walsall/Promotion and the Bateman era. Selected the best player in each position from the respective eras for the shortlist and then debated their merits. The difficulty is that the standard of football has changed dramatically as has style and the set up of the pyramid. The Conference of the early nineties is miles away from the professional league we now see and how that compares to the standards in the old truly amateur leagues is impossible to say. It was quite fun doing it but a fairly futile exercise as it all comes down to personal opinion.

[hotspur]

Mark 44 just pointed out that as your selection of best lb/lwb was who you said it was-then your knowledge of former players must be very limited, does not mean you aren't an avid supporter,just means you were unfortunate NOT to see some of the past greats,but while on the topic and as you never saw them in years gone by-rest assured that NONE of todays players would make a top 22 best ever Slough team.

[3spirit]

Last night was very disappointing and has brought up a couple of points.

 

At some point the debate over a tall target man will come back.

 

My opinion of it is that we have far too much quality in Danny and Sean to need a target man......

 

However, if we employ long ball tactics that we did last night then we will lose every game without a target man.

 

Also, our midfield does not look anywhere near as good as last year when we had Coyne, Martin and Seeby. We need to sort this out as I think we have different options on the bench.

 

My team for Saturday would be the following:

 

Grant

 

Brown NBH Woozley

 

A.Deeney Fraser Mason Burgess Murphy

 

Burnell Sonner

 

 

Early days yet and we need to nip it in the bud now

 

I didn't think our first half display was that bad but in the second half we didn't get a look in and lost fair and square to a well-organised,hard-working Guildford side.

I thought Dominic Rhone was played in the wrong position[again] and Danny Burnell had one of those crappy games when he just falls over at the slightest touch.

 

Dave Deeney, I think is carrying a groin injury and with Rhone not understanding his midfield role, Adam Logie and Dave Deeney had their work cut out in centre of midfield.I thought the way Guildford were playing,we could have brought Sean Fraser on for Danny Burnell and pushed Dominic Rhone up alongside Sean Sonner in the second half, for a change of tactics.Thus using Fraser to chase and harry the Guildford midfield,which suits Sean Fraser's natural game,and bringing pace and energy to our attack.

 

Mark 44, I think your side you mentioned is too lightweight/lacks steel in midfield and the players are too small throughout midfield and attack.