Today's game

[chris blanc]

What a load of crap!! Our worst performance this season so far IMHO. We looked like we feared their box, trying to get rid of the ball whenever we neared it. Some good performances, but overall we were rubbish.

 

Finally, why oh why do we continue to play Abbey?? He's rubbish! What's the point of him? I guess he makes the others look taller

[Jim the Dog]

ABBEY IS CRAP WHY DO WE PLAY HIM . WHY IS IT WE PUT HIGH BALLS INTO THE BOX AND WE CANNOT GET TO THEM COS ABBEY IS ONLY 4FT TALL WE ASK TO MUCH OF HAWORTH. WE NEED A DECENT STRIKER AND ONE OVER 5FT.

[KShep]

I agree. Was our worst performance of the season. Ben Abbey is just a lost cause, but what was up with Fridge & andy drury???

[Stu M]

Drury didn't win one tackle today on either wing. Their wingers had the freedom of the park. They were easily the best side we played this season, very sharp and quick on the break, but our performance was very poor.

 

What on earth was Perkins doing when they scored the third? He looked like he was doing some weeding.

[chris blanc]

I think he may have been doing up his shoes.

[Graham S]

I think we just have to be honest & take it on the chin. They were too good for us & won with something to spare. No point blaming individual performances; they made us look rather pedestrian through their ability rather than mistakes on our part.

 

They were stronger, quicker & better organized: as such there was always only ever going to be one result. Exeter were better than us by the same margin in the 1st half of the cup game, but we turned it round by taking advantage of their physical fraility & repeatedly getting behind them. Today, against Shrewsbury we couldn't do this, because they were physically strong & too well organized to let us get behind them too often.

 

Still we have some money to spare now; there's no way we're going down; the weak spots are obvious & we have a chance to do something about it at last. Thought Gibbs looked the business: yes, he was at fault for the 1st goal, exposing the left back slot with a tackle he never looked like making, but very sound otherwise, loads of time on the ball & a lovely left foot.

 

Graham S

[Stu M]

Anyone else heard the rumour Gibbs is off to Oldham for a trial this week!?

[Slartibartfast]

I agree with Graham S, there is no point in moaning that we were crap when we have been outclassed by a better team...sometimes you just have to admit that they were too good for us.

I thought they where pretty strong all over but their left winger was excellent throughout. Gibbs looked useful and McKimm played well. Wilko's save in the first ten minutes was brilliant but we were always second best and three nil was probably about right, it looked like a bunch of part-timers being given a lesson by a team of professionals, so no surprises there then.

Does anyone know when Francis Kumbur ( as we already have a fridge he will have to be the freezer ) is going to be match fit?

[KShep]

Gibbs done brill, theres no point blamin indiidual performances, theyll win the automatic promotion spot this season. Francis Kumbur should be match fit soon, a few ppl at the club have seen him in the reserves, he scored a couple of goals on tuesday vs Bishops Stortford, but he can't run with the ball, and hes really slow. Just the opposite of what we need...

[FleetFanatic]

....to be honest I thought the reserves were playing today.

 

Could anybody tell me when the first team will be in action? <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

 

Seriously we were far too lethargic up front.

If we could get a decent striker to feed off Haworth then we would be in business.

[Gordon T]

Bring back che!! <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

 

[John@TheFleet]

Bring back Louie Evans!

[Gordon T]

And not just for the last ten minutes of the game. Andy has the choice of abbey, pinnock or evans to play along side Haworth. Now abbey and pinnock have both had there chance and started games for us, i would like to see Evans given his chance, bearing in mind he is match fit after his spell at Bedford.

[Wobbly Wayne rides again]

Quote:

What on earth was Perkins doing when they scored the third? He looked like he was doing some weeding.

 

 

Well he certainly wasn't pulling his socks up !!

[Wobbly Wayne rides again]

Todays game , reminded me of some of our early season performances. We were poor and outplayed all over the park. Poor first touches, terrible passing and all to predictable. However in saying that, was impressed by the Shrews as they looked a composed well organised unit, whom will be there or thereabouts come April.

 

Its now a concern that we ain't scored in our last 4 league games, and to be honest we have not even looked like scoring in any of them. Lets hope that Kumbar comes good when he starts, else its time to splash some of the new found cash..

Its a massive game next week as we can't afford to lose to Tamworth, even from this early stage it looks like the relegation battle will be between the current bottom 5. And it will be how we fare when play them that will seal our fate.

So lets get as many up to Tamworth as we can ( Disappointing that we could not fill a coachload ) and get behind the lads and get them thru' this barren spell.

Its times like this that they need our support the most.

 

Up the Fleet

 

 

[Alan ( GNFC )]

Thoroughly beaten today but I've never seen a defender doing the gardening as a player waltzes past him to score . Well done Perko , that divot was certainly spoiling my view .

[JimGNFC]

Ade Pennock referred to the performance as "rubbish" on Radio Kent. Seemed about right.

 

Shrewsbury were quality but we need to play more "sexy" football not "Route 1" football. Hoofing the ball forward to Haworth is predictable plus un-entertaining to watch, when used to this extent.

 

Why can't we have more "Sexy" football - especially at Stonebridge Road? Ball on the deck, players passing and moving, wingers crossing into the box . . . Haworth nods into the net . . . Goal!!! Oh, the beautiful game!

 

All the top Conference teams, Shrewsbury, Chester, Hereford, Aldershot play classy, attractive, passing football. Why can we not emulate this? Even if its not quite to their standard.

 

Last season, we huffed and puffed, punted the ball long, gave the ball away far too easily, conceded far too many silly goals but we survived. Where's the progress this season?

 

The team may be stronger this time round but the style of play has to change if the Club wants to a) progress on the field in this League and attract more people through the gates.

 

Its about entertainment as well as 3 points! For this reason, my MOM goes to the Shrewsbury Mascot!

[chris blanc]

I remember one of the earlier games this season, when we played some lovely passing football. The crowd were making noises after every good pass, it was a great match

[JimGNFC]

I probably over-reacted a little in my previous post Chris. If memory serves me right, it was the Leigh game you refer too.

 

What I find so frustrating is the team can play good passing football so why do we resort to knocking the ball long against the better teams?

 

Against the better teams, Haworth's flick-on's get mopped up by the opposition defence, causing our midfield and defence to immediately come under pressure. Andy spends half the time from the touchline shouting "push-up", when the players are too deep.

 

Its the same when playing the ball out from defence - rather than a simple pass - the ball is hoofed forward and possession is lost.

[Jimmy]

Please attempt to at least type using both upper and lower case rather than bashing out rants in capital letters.

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