A couple of non league snippets

[GlenSTFC]

11 minutes ago, 3spirit said:

Yes but least it's positive, good news with Jonathan North and James Dobson back. These two are very experienced players and both would be in demand from other clubs,so to have them back is a big boost to our cause imo.

I'm starting the league season with

                                             North

        Dandy [right back]  Hollis Pruti     ?[ left back to be decided]

        Jackman    Togwell     Lench      Dobson

                               ?                           ? 2 new strikers !

Subs: Kuhl [if he is still at the club], Hunt, Davies, Kayani and George ........... or am I kidding? ha ha ha!

Kuhl won’t be sub if he stays!!! I’d also have Davies starting given his experience and he had a decent season last. Jackman should stay in defence for me. It’s likely to be a new striker partnering Kayani.

[Reading Rebel]

25 minutes ago, 3spirit said:

Yes but least it's positive, good news with Jonathan North and James Dobson back. These two are very experienced players and both would be in demand from other clubs,so to have them back is a big boost to our cause imo.

I'm starting the league season with

                                             North

        Dandy [right back]  Hollis Pruti     ?[ left back to be decided]

        Jackman    Togwell     Lench      Dobson

                               ?                           ? 2 new strikers !

Subs: Kuhl [if he is still at the club], Hunt, Davies, Kayani and George ........... or am I kidding? ha ha ha!

You're kidding.

If he stays there's no chance Aaron Kuhl won't be in the starting 11.

There's also no chance Josh Jackman will start as a wing back/wide right midfielder.

 

Edited June 6, 2022 by Reading Rebel

[Reading Rebel]

43 minutes ago, Irishadrian said:

It's only a few days since Neil told us that we may have to wait a couple of weeks to hear about NEW additions to the squad I'm happy to wait  for that news I don't consider Dobbo as a new player and although its good news that so many have signed again  so far it's more of the same I think we need to wait till the total composition of next seasons squad is known before we can make any considered reactions.

Dobbo wasn't with us last season so he is a new signing.

[3spirit]

32 minutes ago, GlenSTFC said:

Kuhl won’t be sub if he stays!!! I’d also have Davies starting given his experience and he had a decent season last. Jackman should stay in defence for me. It’s likely to be a new striker partnering Kayani.

It's only a fictitious side. No need to have kittens. I do, however like to see alternatives to the norm sometimes, and that for me is what pre-season is good for, testing out line-ups and building competition for places. We shouldn't be rigid in what can be done and what can't be done imo.

Edited June 6, 2022 by 3spirit

[SloughFlyer]

9 minutes ago, 3spirit said:

It's only a fictitious side. No need to have kittens. I do, however like to see alternatives to the norm sometimes, and that for me is what pre-season is good for, testing out line-ups and building competition for places. We shouldn't be rigid in what can be done and what can't be done imo.

I'm trying to work out what you want more 3spirit, a big tall target man striker or Josh Jackman to be a right winger???

[3spirit]

33 minutes ago, Reading Rebel said:

You're kidding.

If he stays there's no chance Aaron Kuhl won't be in the starting 11.

There's also no chance Josh Jackman will start as a wing back/wide right midfielder.

 

Of course Aaron Kuhl would be in the starting eleven most games but for me these days it's a squad game and it's good to find other alternatives.

I don't agree with limiting Josh Jackman to a right back role either. To me he isn't young Josh anymore and could easily play as an attacking midfielder on the wing, or even tucked into a midfield three within a five man midfield.

RR, you underestimate him, I don't.

Edited June 6, 2022 by 3spirit

[Irishadrian]

31 minutes ago, Reading Rebel said:

Dobbo wasn't with us last season so he is a new signing.

RR  To me a new signing is a player who has never played for the Rebels before  Ex players are re-signing imo Just to be clear I'm pleased he's coming back based on his historical performances and hope he can  rise to his old standards again.

[Reading Rebel]

1 hour ago, 3spirit said:

Of course Aaron Kuhl would be in the starting eleven most games but for me these days it's a squad game and it's good to find other alternatives.

I don't agree with limiting Josh Jackman to a right back role either. To me he isn't young Josh anymore and could easily play as an attacking midfielder on the wing, or even tucked into a midfield three within a five man midfield.

RR, you underestimate him, I don't.

I think Josh Jackman has been given a bit of licence to roam forward anyway.

I seem to remember seeing him foraging forward more times into the oppo penalty area at the back end of last season than at any other time.

I personally think that's the best way to use him. 

Edited June 6, 2022 by Reading Rebel

[3spirit]

6 minutes ago, Reading Rebel said:

I think Josh Jackman has been given a bit of licence to roam forward anyway.

I seem to remember seeing him foraging forward more times into the oppo penalty area at the back end of last season that at any other time.

I personally think that's the best way to use him. 

True. I was going to add that but was getting my dinner ready, ha ha !

My view of Josh Jackman is that he is that good, he should have, or could have [if he didn't have such a good job, or has not received the right offers ] to have been playing for a team in the National League like Woking or Aldershot by now. I'm well pleased he's not,though ! ?

This season I would favour Joe Dandy in the right back slot. Doesn't have to play there every game,and nor would Josh have to play right midfield every game but for me that's how I would use them in the main.

To me Josh Jackman is wasted as solely a right back but I'm not convinced I would use Joe Dandy as a centre back yet,as I like his running speed and that he is comfortable making his way forward and that he looks good enough to mark properly, and stop crosses and other potential threats from the wing. Also it's a good way to fit him into our line up and to work on his strength in holding opposition players off,battling with players, etc.

[3spirit]

49 minutes ago, SloughFlyer said:

I'm trying to work out what you want more 3spirit, a big tall target man striker or Josh Jackman to be a right winger???

I've given up mentioning tall target men or powerhouse strikers, as Bakes in particular, doesn't rate that type of player. In the modern game perhaps he's right.

SF, I'm just stuck in my old fashioned notions of what works up front.    

[Shredding Green]

11 hours ago, Curtis said:

Apologies, yes they did, somehow they have remained a big club despite being relegated from the Football League 11 years ago, and even falling into the National League North.

Just remembered that on 17th February 2018, I was in a Broadhurst Park crowd of 3,084 that saw FC United of Manchester defeated 0-1 by Stockport County in National League North.

The next season 2018/9, Stockport County won the title and FC United of Manchester were relegated after finishing next to bottom.

[3spirit]

Lower down the pyramid, Wayne Carter has split up his successful manager partnership with Chris Moore at newly promoted Hanwell Town to take sole charge of beaten play off challengers Chertsey Town FC.

Steve Bateman has quit as manager of Aylesbury Vale Dynamoes FC.

[Neil Baker]

44 minutes ago, 3spirit said:

I've given up mentioning tall target men or powerhouse strikers, as Bakes in particular, doesn't rate that type of player. In the modern game perhaps he's right.

SF, I'm just stuck in my old fashioned notions of what works up front.    

Not sure I have ever said I don’t rate that type of player… obviously the right player can be a big asset, however there are not lots of brilliant ones about, and the better ones tend to be very expensive.

[3spirit]

11 hours ago, Neil Baker said:

Not sure I have ever said I don’t rate that type of player… obviously the right player can be a big asset, however there are not lots of brilliant ones about, and the better ones tend to be very expensive.

I favour a squad having four strikers and being varied in what they do ie one- an out and out goal scorer, two- a power and pace man, three- the traditional big bloke/nuisance/strong against defenders in the box/not bad at heading/can kick a ball hard, four-, a livewire,creative player willing to run at someone and take a shot and to shoot from outside the penalty area and tricky to mark [could be a converted attacking midfielder/winger]. 

I don't necessarily think you need to sign the best target man around ie expensive but an average one would be ok to play now and again and be an impact substitute and alter what hasn't worked beforehand. The last one we signed turned out to be a damp squib up front,that of Ryan Bird but I can still see that if he had had the desire to play as a forward, he could have been useful to our cause in the National South. I haven't changed my opinion on this [though I have on Ryan upfront].

Neil,as your teams have proved, you don't need to have the stereotypical strikers I've described to win football matches and I'm obviously out of touch to some of the modern coaching methods and what works on 3g pitches, as I'm still an advocate for grass/muddy pitches and all !

To me playing on 3g is like watching 5 a side football, it's an imitation of the real thing but obviously I understand why non league clubs now favour it, and why the professional clubs have such immaculate grass surfaces that are being watered all the time so the ball zips across the pitch.

The essence of the game of football is still the same,though. The team that scores the most goals win ! How you get the goals is irrelevant. Can be a ricochet,a tap in,a belter from outside the box, a fluke header,a placement, a diving header,a side foot, off a knee, whatever. If it crosses the line and the referee awards it, it's a goal.

With a target man in the team it doesn't just have be about how many goals he scores. To me it's just as important that he can create space for others, ruffle the feathers of big defenders [so to speak] and actually cause havoc in the opposition penalty box for crosses and corner kicks and open play. Even if it is just taking an opposing centre half out of position.  If he has some intelligence and football nous that would certainly help,too.  To me when playing a player like this it doesn't have to be the prettiest of football,it's about being effective to lift a side out of it's slumbers and create chances to score. 

The last one that came close to what I like as a player was Brad Wadkins. He started well for the Rebels but injuries and his confidence because of them, seemed to take a battering and so he eventually left us. He had more to his game than just a target man but he is the type of player I like. Pity we couldn't find a player like his earlier self now. He wasn't weak or a deliberate fouler. He didn't get unnecessary bookings. He was no soft touch.He also could strike a ball cleanly to have a cracking shot and didn't shrink away from challenges [pre-injury].

[Rebellier]

The REBELS have signed Jake Robinson!!

 

 

Worthing....

[Irishadrian]

Prolific goalscorer when with Billericay  125/160ish but heading for 36years old  We'll have to see if that's a smart move by the other Rebels!

Edited June 7, 2022 by Irishadrian

[Reading Rebel]

Correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't it Jake Robinson who either was advised not to play on a 3G or doesn't like playing on one?

[Neil Baker]

1 hour ago, Reading Rebel said:

Correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't it Jake Robinson who either was advised not to play on a 3G or doesn't like playing on one?

No Tarpey

[Reading Rebel]

Havant have signed Gianni Crichlow from Braintree.

Hampton have signed Stefan IIic also from Braintree.

Have to say these are two very good signings.

 

[Shredding Green]

2 hours ago, Reading Rebel said:

Havant have signed Gianni Crichlow from Braintree.

Hampton have signed Stefan IIic also from Braintree.

Have to say these are two very good signings.

 

So the top seven will be Dartford, Havant & Waterlooville, Weymouth, Ebbsfleet United, Oxford City and Eastbourne Borough with Slough Town and several other clubs hoping to be the seventh.

As far as I am concerned, the Steering Group and Bakes and Unders have a sense of purpose and that is not avoiding relegation or being mid-table. Let's hope for a good start to the 2022/3 season and an FA Cup run ... after Christmas could be exciting!