24th July v Wealdstone (A)

[3spirit]

 

Not going to read too much into tonight's game as I thought Wealdstone were a very good outfit and showed us the way to score goals and play football. I would say that we do lack a creative centre midfielder in the mould of Paul Coyne or Adam Martin. We need someone to support the strikers and make runs through the middle not just out wide. Still early days though and im very confident that our manager's will get it right. COYR!

 

Have to agree with you,Barry.I,too,thought we lacked a creative midfielder or just a centre midfielder who could be direct.Thought we were very unlucky to lose James McClurg who was playing well.When he was down injured,they scored their first goal,which was no co-incidence.Is George Short carrying an injury? Seemed he was out of sorts.

 

No disgrace losing to a team like Wealdstone but we really gave it to them on a plate.Thought the substitions were the right calls.From my point of view,I thought we needed to change formation slightly and bring an extra man into centre midfield.Also thought our wingers got too deep and too often tried to beat the defender on the outside rather than the inside.Our forwards failed to upset the Wealdstone central defenders and so Koo-Booth and Cronin had a very easy night.

 

Still,it was only a friendly. On a positive note,thought Adam Foulser was our best player again and Michael Blount did well when he came on in the second half.

[Jon Underwood]

Hugely disappointing night for us last night with the only positive being a number of players completing 90 minutes for the first time.

 

Since the lads have started pre-season their workrate, attitude and quality has been excellent but clearly last night the performance fell way short of our expectations and the squad has been made very aware of this. 

 

Having been involved in senior non-league football as a player and manager for over 20 years now I must say it is unusal to go through pre-season and not have one "off night" and this was certainly ours. It would be easy to jump on everything that was wrong last night (it would certainly be easier than focusing on the positives) but as Bakes said we didn't go overboard with the big wins against lower opposition and we shouldn't be doing so now either.

 

We have drawn our own conclusions from last night, just as we did from the previous 4 games, and it's our job to ensure lessons are learned and we improve as a result of this. We have another 3 weeks until we start the league campaign which is a very long time in football and Bakes and I remain as confident as ever that we are going to have a good season.

 

We have a few injury problems which we will be checking on today and tomorrow and will post the squad for Saturday's trip to Biggleswade at some point tomorrow.

[PremiershipJoyRider]

Nice to get updates from Neil & Jon regarding last nights match. I think Satudays game at Biggleswade will give us a truer picture of how the Rebels are shaping up as the players now have a few days rest and we are playing a team that is of a similar standard to ourselves. I also think that Saturdays team will closely resemble the team that kicks off our league programme.  

[readingrebel]

Nice to get updates from Neil & Jon regarding last nights match. I think Satudays game at Biggleswade will give us a truer picture of how the Rebels are shaping up as the players now have a few days rest and we are playing a team that is of a similar standard to ourselves. I also think that Saturdays team will closely resemble the team that kicks off our league programme.  

 

Not too sure about that PJR with the injuries that we seem to have picked up.  

[readingrebel]

Not going to comment on the game last night as Bakes and Unders have said all that needs to be said.

 

Better to get these performances out of the way in pre-season than the league. 

[Stuntman Mark]

Haven't seen any preseason games yet so can't comment on performances but I'm more worried that we seem to be picking up injuries. The dry, hard pitches won't be helping but I wonder if two games in two days in these conditions was asking a bit much of the lads?

[readingrebel]

Haven't seen any preseason games yet so can't comment on performances but I'm more worried that we seem to be picking up injuries. The dry, hard pitches won't be helping but I wonder if two games in two days in these conditions was asking a bit much of the lads?

 

 

In hindsight I reckon your right SM.

[Mark44]

So I the squad still being cut before Saturday then?

[Hammer_rebel]

Would be good to get a few pre season games with 'the chosen' squad! Be good to get to know them!

[readingrebel]

Would be good to get a few pre season games with 'the chosen' squad! Be good to get to know them!

 

 

Hammer, I would take an educated guess that most of the players that started the game last night would be in the starting eleven.

 

Also, maybe minus a couple the 'chosen squad' I would say will consist of the players that have attended the last 2 games.

 

Obviously need to add in Jake Somerville who is on holiday.

 

All my own opinions of course.

Edited July 25, 2013 by readingrebel

[Don Juan DeMarcus]

Quick question to the gaffers... Where did woozley play 2nd half? Was he in midfield or was he just getting forward a lot?

[Neil Baker]

Nope Wooze went to left back, as we were struggling last night midfielder wise, Ben was struggling from previous night, Clurgy had got injured, and Ollie and Logie were both unavailable.

 

This meant with the subs we had to make second half (due to injury to Guy, Warrens hernia and Clurgy) we had to shuffle the pack.

 

We brought Blounty on who has not played in 3 months after his medial ligament tear at centre back, when we were not expecting too, hence why Wooze went to left back, and with Warren coming off we put Wheeler out to the right and Blakey to the left, with Sean in central midfield with George.

 

So in reality had a number of people playing out of position......

 

However the reason for the 2 games in 2 days was Wealdstone could only do that day, and we felt that if we had 18/20 players then it would be good for everyone to get 90 minutes....

 

We could not legislate for injuries though

[Hammer_rebel]

Well since a few have not signed yet..... Like Sean Fraser and Ryan Blake that's what I mean by chosen squad!!! Would be nice to have a few games with players we know are staying!

[hotspur]

Just a thought maybe playing to many games and not enough basic training

[Neil Baker]

Well since a few have not signed yet..... Like Sean Fraser and Ryan Blake that's what I mean by chosen squad!!! Would be nice to have a few games with players we know are staying!

 

Still working on our final squad to be honest... couple more decisions to be made....

[Jon Underwood]

Just a thought maybe playing to many games and not enough basic training

 

Hotspur,

 

The lads trained very hard prior to playing any games with the majority having 5 hard sessions under their belt before the first friendly and then they were only playing for 45 mins initially in the opening games. 

 

I'm satisfied that our fitness levels are as good as anyone's at this stage of pre-season and the only 'injury' that could potentially be put down to over-use would be Guy's tight hamstrings. Other than that they are part and parcel of football and cannot be helped.

 

The frequency of games will begin to reduce after the weekend and we have a number of training sessions before August 17th where we will be able to work with the final reduced squad on a lot more tactical aspects of the game. Until now we have not been able to do this as we've focused on the fitness which is absolutely the right way to do it.

[Sue]

I suppose that is the thing with friendlies you can iron out all the lumps and bumps before the season starts.

 

On a positive note I now know who Darren Wheeler is and George Short !

 

Eat your heart out Eddie !!!

[3spirit]

 

Nope Wooze went to left back, as we were struggling last night midfielder wise, Ben was struggling from previous night, Clurgy had got injured, and Ollie and Logie were both unavailable.

 

This meant with the subs we had to make second half (due to injury to Guy, Warrens hernia and Clurgy) we had to shuffle the pack.

 

We brought Blounty on who has not played in 3 months after his medial ligament tear at centre back, when we were not expecting too, hence why Wooze went to left back, and with Warren coming off we put Wheeler out to the right and Blakey to the left, with Sean in central midfield with George.

 

So in reality had a number of people playing out of position......

 

However the reason for the 2 games in 2 days was Wealdstone could only do that day, and we felt that if we had 18/20 players then it would be good for everyone to get 90 minutes....

 

We could not legislate for injuries though

By what you've said here,Neil,it explains why your hands were tied regarding changing the team around for the 2nd half.Had James McClurg been able to stay on,I don't believe we would have been tonked as much as we was.

 

Do you ever use Darren Wheeler through the middle rather than him out wide?

I thought we were rather wasting him out on the wing 2nd half, being that his high crosses into the box were a total waste of time,given the size of Nathan Koo-Booth and our rather miniscule forwards in comparison.

If he was going to keep crossing,why didn't he try fizzing them across low or at least mix it up a bit.

 

Not sure why everyone is in such a hurry to get an 18 man squad.I would have thought it could keep till just after the Harrow game.Still think 18's light for a serious promotion challenger,though.

[readingrebel]

 

 

By what you've said here,Neil,it explains why your hands were tied regarding changing the team around for the 2nd half.Had James McClurg been able to stay on,I don't believe we would have been tonked as much as we was.

 

Do you ever use Darren Wheeler through the middle rather than him out wide?

I thought we were rather wasting him out on the wing 2nd half, being that his high crosses into the box were a total waste of time,given the size of Nathan Koo-Booth and our rather miniscule forwards in comparison.

If he was going to keep crossing,why didn't he try fizzing them across low or at least mix it up a bit.

 

Not sure why everyone is in such a hurry to get an 18 man squad.I would have thought it could keep till just after the Harrow game.Still think 18's light for a serious promotion challenger,though.

 

 

 

I'm sure the 18 squad figure was mentioned because with their contacts, getting players in on loan in emergencies wouldn't be a problem.

 

Also, how do keep telling players who are good enough to play in the starting eleven not to even bother bringing their kit?

 

Yes, there are times when players won't be available through injury or other reasons but I suppose in that case there would be fewer numbers on the bench.

 

 

I think the reason behind getting down to the squad number required as early as possible is to be fair to the players who are not required so that they have as much time as possible to find another club.  

[HEAVY TRUCKER]

one thing for certain last night and the night before proved that there is still a lot of work to be done before the 17th