Team v Beaconsfield

[Ted]

I think Burnell is a very good poacher, but he would be better off playing alongside a good big forward, and feeding off the results. Sonner is good too, but as a partnership, I see little synergy when the going gets tough. They arn't bad together, as individually each is good. But if we want to get promoted, they need to be very good together.

 

Playing our best 11 players is not the same as playing our best team. Playing our best 2 forwards together does not necessarily give us the best striking option.They don't particularly compliment each other, especially when the service is as poor as it was today.

[Martin]

Really don't get the crticism of the Burnell/Sonner partnership - they've only got the six goals between them in four games - clearly terrible. They both have excellent individual goal scoring records for the Rebels and their partnership was the difference between the two sides against Northwood. I can also think of at least two assists this season where they have laid on goals for each other. Sonner for Burnell against Northwood and vice versa against Corinthin.

 

The problem is the lack of service from midfield meaning they have to create everything for themselves. Today we did revert to long ball too often - Sonner wins more than his fair share of the high balls - do the rest of you miss this? He is brilliant in the air but is often isolated and Burnell is left to chase lost causes.

 

The problem is that we are too narrow. Sonner today ended up frequently on the right wing slinging in crosses that he should be attacking in the box. Today the left side just did not function and we missed Murphy's lung busting runs to overlap.

 

I do not understand why we reverted to 4-4-2 today. We should stick to 3-5-2 to guarantee the width and the supply to our excellent forwards.

 

I do however agree that a target man is required as a Plan B - bringing on Abbey is too samey. Perhaps Ed Smith is the big man that we need?

[Sir Rebel1965]

Reflecting on today and the last few seasons I have to ask why Bateman even bothers sitting on the bench.

 

The "formula" (plan "B" ) is the same every game, 75 mins put on a striker, 80 mins change some one from the middle, 85 mins random sub.

 

He fails to marshall and motivate players from the line and might as well of stayed in the changing room for all the direction he gives on the pitch.

 

It looks like he has two books, one is his ex-hemel phone book, and the other a key stage 1 penguin book on coaching.

 

Any oposition manager only needs to scout one Slough game to see how we play as Batemans "tic-tacs" are as predictable as the phases of the moon.

 

As Ted says, we have a good group of players with the skills required, but the manager looks incapable of getting them to play as a team - how much longer will Bateman be allowed to continue this farce?

Edited August 27, 2012 by Burger and chips

[Mr Rebel]

anybody know how long it will be till Smith will actually be available to play?

[staines_rebel_Jr]

Goals scoring table:

Burnell - 3

Sonner - 3

Burgess - 2

Abbey - 1

NBH - 1

 

and we are joint top goalscoring team in the league. I guess their partnership isnt very good.

 

By the way nathan the penalty was for hand ball so we would have scored without it.

 

my team for the next match would be:

 

Warro (if back) otherwise grant

 

Brown(if back or Fowler) NBH Woozley

 

A.Deeney Logie Fraser Murphy (if fit otherwise Rhone)

 

Burgess

 

Sonner Burnell

 

3-4-1-2 / 3-5-2

Edited August 27, 2012 by staines_rebel_Jr

[Rebel Yeller]

I've seen some poor displays in my many years of watching Slough but that was down there with the worst.

 

SYCOB's goal epitomised everything we cannot do - run fast ( we have no-one who can accelerate, absolutely no-one), cross the ball ( we always insist on doubling back to cross - I thought when Sinclair went we'd seen the last of this) and a big bloke to battle against a tall defender ( our little blokes have done fine this year against the rubbish of Northwood and Corinthian but in the other two games they have had nothing but scraps).

 

What I saw today was 11 men who played like they had never met each other before, never attended a training session together and were simply unable to raise their game when it was required. What concerns me is that Slough has one of the biggest, if not the biggest, budget in this division. The chairman's money is being sadly wasted on performances like that. We look like a squad that has no idea what is going on and whose heart just isn't in it - and I include management in that.

 

Something has to change - and fast.

[Nathan]

The goals per game ratio means little if most of them come late on in games against lower-league opposition who, by all accounts, had long since run out of steam (I'm talking about the Corinthians).

 

Of the 2 games I've seen this season (again, Guildford & today), the partnership has been an epic fail on both occasions, with neither Burnell nor Sonner managing even a single shot throughout both games if my memory serves me correctly.

 

I agree about the service though, which today was so poor it might as well have not happened for all the good it did! Leigh Mason looks well short of match fitness, and I'm not entirely sure of where Dominic Rhone is supposed to be playing, but I thought he was very poor indeed today. Our midfield needs strengthening asap!

[readingrebel]

anybody know how long it will be till Smith will actually be available to play?

 

 

Ed Smith is only on loan from Met police. He was out there today, warming up with the players, he had dark blue socks on.

 

No idea when he will be fit but he is not a big forward.

[IanJ]

To be fair to SCYOB their goal was a cracker.

 

The only other point for me is that there was a target man, their centre half (no 4). Far be it from me to query tactics but his head was a magnet. I couldn't work out why there was so much aimed in that direction. He was easily beatable for pace but was never tested. Their keeper wasn't tested either.

[Mark44]

I fail to see how we are doing so badly when we looked lively pre season.

 

I have to agree that I have not seen one signing who I think is good enough to get into last seasons squad and that worries me. Are we moving forward?

 

Hopefully warro and browney are back for sat and can get some balls in our team.

 

Nothing wrong with burnell and sonner, both are quality and will get goals given the service, big problem is when the majority of that service comes from dave Woozley.

 

If I were Bateman I'd be tempted to get burgess in centre mid and build around that. Any idea on Steve perkins also?

 

[Ian]

Sometimes you need clever footballers. Leaders. I'd put Adam Logie in the middle.

[Nathan]

I fail to see how we are doing so badly when we looked lively pre season.

 

I think a large part of that is that we played mostly teams from the level beneath us, or in some cases 2 levels beneath us. When we came to playing sides from the level above us, we didn't have things all our own way, as we scraped a 1-0 win against Harrow (who struggled in the Ryman Premier last season) and were soundly stuffed 4-0 at Chesham.

[3spirit]

Really don't get the crticism of the Burnell/Sonner partnership - they've only got the six goals between them in four games - clearly terrible. They both have excellent individual goal scoring records for the Rebels and their partnership was the difference between the two sides against Northwood. I can also think of at least two assists this season where they have laid on goals for each other. Sonner for Burnell against Northwood and vice versa against Corinthin.

 

The problem is the lack of service from midfield meaning they have to create everything for themselves. Today we did revert to long ball too often - Sonner wins more than his fair share of the high balls - do the rest of you miss this? He is brilliant in the air but is often isolated and Burnell is left to chase lost causes.

 

The problem is that we are too narrow. Sonner today ended up frequently on the right wing slinging in crosses that he should be attacking in the box. Today the left side just did not function and we missed Murphy's lung busting runs to overlap.

 

I do not understand why we reverted to 4-4-2 today. We should stick to 3-5-2 to guarantee the width and the supply to our excellent forwards.

 

I do however agree that a target man is required as a Plan B - bringing on Abbey is too samey. Perhaps Ed Smith is the big man that we need?

 

The Burnell/Sonner partnership isn't the be all,end all,either,Martin.

 

Yes,both are good strikers but we need alternative ideas than the same partnership every game. Danny Burnell and Ben Abbey are goal poachers,pure and simple .Sean Sonner offers us a hard-working,shutting down opposite players game and a good engine,I don't,however agree with you that he is good in the air.He scored a cracking headed goal at St Neots and has got the odd headed goal since he joined Slough but is no way prolific with his head.He jumps well for a small man but these contributions are only in non-threatening situations away from the 6 yard box. He also drifts out too wide at times and so is out of position to be an effective striker in most games but Steve Bateman must be telling him to do this.

 

We are desperate to add pace to the team,with a need to find someone who can beat a player and offer us something different from the much of the muchness we have in abundance in midfield and attack.We also are crying out for a bigger,robust forward.

 

I'm feeling sorry for Steve Easterbrook as if we have got this terrific budget,that every other manager seems to think we have,then we are not getting value for money with some of the very mediocre signings we have signed this year.We have a large squad but the quality is nowhere near as good as last season.

 

I think Steve Bateman will need Steve Perkins before long in his midfield and should look at his own son as an alternative to Mason,Fraser,Burgess,as we need someone who is willing to chase down lost causes and has a good engine in midfield.Adam Logie should be pushed up to attack from midfield and to let fly with some shots from the edge of the penalty area.We waste him as a midfield defensive player IMO.

[HorshamRebel]

One positive from the match. Really good to see a Spitfire fly over twice

[Windsor Rebel]

Only three games into the season and the moaners are already out in force. Where will it end?

[Sue]

Yes a long way to go yet, also dont see the point in mentioning players that are not with us now. They have moved on for whatever reason and we have new players now that need our support. We all have different opinions on players, one person might think wish he'd stayed while another might think glad to see the back of him.

 

Anyway as for a target man, we have a brilliant one in amongst us if you only all but knew it. He hit the spot perfectly on Monday, be it a large spot, but beautifully on target. He is modest as well, he blamed his six year old son !!!!!!!

[Cookham Rebel]

Only three games into the season and the moaners are already out in force. Where will it end?

 

So your happy with these frequent abject performances WR?

 

If they were once in a blue moon no one would say a word and just put it down to a bad day at the office, thing is, we have witnessed them for the last 3 years!

[Windsor Rebel]

CR: and we have been in the playoffs for the last three years, so it hasnt been that bad has it?

[readingrebel]

At present, the way we are playing it would be far to easy to pick holes in the players, team or the management.

 

We are 3 league games into the season with a long way to go.

 

Expectations are high this season and I think we all feel a bit deflated after a resounding opening day win against Northwood despite not playing particularly well.

 

Steve Bateman is a top manager and will make the neccessary adjustments to the team at the appropriate time if he thinks it is required.

 

I think we should all get behind the players and management and see where we are after 12 games not 3.

 

COYR!!

[Cookham Rebel]

CR: and we have been in the playoffs for the last three years, so it hasnt been that bad has it?

 

I'm not saying that it has been that bad WR, I just struggle to understand how we go from good to bad so often, I don't class losing in 3 successive play off campaigns as success with such a talented pool of players I'm afraid!

 

Yes it's early but the tell tale signs are beginning to surface, I want us to be one the best teams in non league football and I just don't see how we are moving forward without replacing Sweeney, Seeby, Martin, Coyne and Sinclair, we need players who are equally good if not better to maintain a title challenge!

 

I want SB and the players to win this league, I'm just worried at the moment by the thought of not getting out of the division!