vs Cirencester

[Chris]

I feel sorry for the defence. As the ball is coming back at us too quickly as we're not keeping the ball. Lately it's all up in the air & were one of the smallest sides in the division!

 

Last night & for the last few games we've stopped playing football - probably since Paulton (Barring Chippenham 1st half).

 

IMO we have nobody in central midfield who is creative & keeps the ball. George Short did, and I'd say that's the problem area more than the defence. Too many of our central midfield are tough tackling rather than creative.

 

I have felt so sorry for Johnnie Dyer the last few games he's been far from himself. But why? Because he's been up against 6'5 central defenders & it's all up in the air. Keep it on the floor Slough!

Edited December 3, 2014 by Chris

[Reading Rebel]

Whilst I agree that Cirencester were impressive in their speed and movement, I don't think we helped ourselves, especially in the center of midfield.

 

We were playing too deep far too often allowing Cirencester to control the midfield, which in turn nullified any creativity to our forwards.

 

Both of Cirencester's goals were disappointing to concede. I've lost count of how many goals we've conceded from the right hand side of our defence and a free header, I think from a corner. 

 

It's only one game and we know we are better than what we showed last night so lets not get carried away with one performance against a good Cirencester team.

 

COYR!!

[Graham Cox]

Usually you can shrug your shoulders after a 2-1 defeat to a good side BUT.........

 

We were outhought, outpassed, and outplayed for most of the game..........Cirencester regularly put together 6/8 passes, we were struggling to put together 2/3. They seemed totally aware of where each other were which made that passing much easier.....we looked lost too often.

 

Balls going straight to them was often the result of a bad first touch making a good pass impossible to carry out..totally agree with RR on midfield-he and I discussed it last night and said that surely you need both defensive and attacking midfielders in a tactical battle. After the rest on Saturday we hoped for better !

 

Having said all that, last season came alive after Xmas so fingers crossed.....look forward to Dunstable at the weekend. 

[Irishadrian]

Nothing to panic about yet every team will now and then have an inexplicable "stinker" As Unders says we have lost one league game in 7 Our next opponents after a good start have lost 6 of their last 7 league games and Tuesdays opponents St Neots have managed just 1 win in their last 7 league games and were dumped out of the FA Trophy last night by a team from a lower league so whilst showing them due respect we should be confident of producing good performances against them imo Its pleasing to see 3 of the 4 new boys to the league currently in the top half of the table Incidently I noticed that Merthyr lost their replay last night at Didcot.

[Reading Rebel]

Nothing to panic about yet every team will now and then have an inexplicable "stinker" As Unders says we have lost one league game in 7 Our next opponents after a good start have lost 6 of their last 7 league games and Tuesdays opponents St Neots have managed just 1 win in their last 7 league games and were dumped out of the FA Trophy last night by a team from a lower league so whilst showing them due respect we should be confident of producing good performances against them imo Its pleasing to see 3 of the 4 new boys to the league currently in the top half of the table Incidently I noticed that Merthyr lost their replay last night at Didcot.

 

 

I really don't think we should place much emphasis on past performances in this league.

 

Yes Dunstable have been on a bad run but beat Chesham away in their last game and will be buzzing by that win.

 

St Neots have class players and losing away to lower league opposition in a cup competition is no real surprise.

[Irishadrian]

RR I agree that in this league there are no easy games but I do think that trends that have developed over 6/8 weeks should be taken note off Its a lot about confidence really and we should be able to start against these two in the knowledge that our recent league form is considerably better than theirs.

[Reading Rebel]

RR I agree that in this league there are no easy games but I do think that trends that have developed over 6/8 weeks should be taken note off Its a lot about confidence really and we should be able to start against these two in the knowledge that our recent league form is considerably better than theirs.

 

 

All good teams go through bad patches, Dunstable have gone through theirs, perhaps they are now on the way back?

 

Not trying to be negative, just think past results don't mean a lot, it's on the day that matters.

[Bernie Gogan]

Don't think I can recall a game where we've had no corners, no shots for 89.5 minutes and never got into their penalty box. I know you make your own luck, but we didn't get the run of the ball either.

 

Cirencester can take the credit for preventing us from creating anything and if they'd had their shooting boots on would surely have won by more.

[Stuntman Mark]

It has to be said, although he didn't affect the result at all, the ref and his assistants did nothing but contribute to 90 minutes of unrelenting misery last night.

[HorshamRebel]

We just need to figure out in this division, what we did so well most of last season..... Keep the ball without giving it away cheaply

 

That takes time on the ball and lots of movement from other players to give the one on the ball an easy pass.

 

One of the main reasons why we have been under the cosh so much this season is that we have given the ball away so cheaply too much, which is mainly down to being in the higher division (maybe)

Edited December 3, 2014 by HorshamRebel

[jonblack]

As much as I of course want Slough to win all games you have to admire a team like Cirencester. They hardly pay much money and take on a community attitude, which is surprising when you consider their attendances are pretty poor.

Really they should have won by more with the amount of the ball they had,whoever or whatever motivates them are doing a grand job .

[Irishadrian]

Just taken a look at the updated form guide covering the last 6 league games We are 7th St Neots 21st and Dunstable 22nd Cause for quiet optimism imo.

[HorshamRebel]

With everything that has been said on here about last night, I thought the choice of Jake Somerville had a really good game, making some great saves including a full stretch one from a close header, and of course the penalty save.

[3spirit]

With everything that has been said on here about last night, I thought the choice of Jake Somerville had a really good game, making some great saves including a full stretch one from a close header, and of course the penalty save.

 

Nothing else went right much on the night but Jake's penalty save was top drawer. Jake may be small in stature but he's big on talent.

 

He has been one of our best signings so far, since Bakes and Unders took up their managerial post.

[HorshamRebel]

I didn't realise how good a save it was until I went through the photos this morning, and seeing where the ball was when he palmed it away

[HorshamRebel]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/horshamrebel/15936536995/in/set-72157647259552833

[Mark44]

I believe that we need to get our wingers playing and spread the ball out wide more........

 

Last season Wazza was chucking balls in the box for fun and with strikers like JD and smithy who get stuck in you will always score goals...........at the start of this season we had Dobbo on fire doing the same but from down the left but since his injury he hasnt quite been back to his best imo

 

Jake Parsons has been in and out of the first team and is still not 100% match fit but does offer something different on the wing.

 

In the last few games we have then been playing the likes of Knighty and Rumbold who will naturally play more narrow which means a lot of our play has been through the middle or over the top. This results in the ball coming back much quicker, I think this is why we conceed goals and feel a bit sorry for our defence.......

[Mark44]

Just to reiterate this is not a cheap shot at us not going guing ho and signing 15 wingers, i just feel we need to get dobbo and jake back to their best and the rest will take care of itself

[3spirit]

Just to reiterate this is not a cheap shot at us not going guing ho and signing 15 wingers, i just feel we need to get dobbo and jake back to their best and the rest will take care of itself

 

While I understand that wingers can be really effective.

I think all three of our ones currently,Jake,Dobbo and Warren are better players than just archetypal wingers.All three can score goals in their own right and I think sometimes we limit our attacking options by obsessing on wide play and crosses.

 

Occasionally I would like to see one of our so called wingers play as a forward[in a three forwards, pronged attack] or behind the front two strikers,breaking from the middle or even a radical three up front with two wingers ie Dobson Dyer Parsons.

 

On an attacking front we are a bit predictable at times.Now we're playing such clinical teams in the Premier division,we need to maximise our attacking options especially when games aren't going to plan.  

[Reading Rebel]

While I understand that wingers can be really effective.

I think all three of our ones currently,Jake,Dobbo and Warren are better players than just archetypal wingers.All three can score goals in their own right and I think sometimes we limit our attacking options by obsessing on wide play and crosses.

 

Occasionally I would like to see one of our so called wingers play as a forward[in a three forwards, pronged attack] or behind the front two strikers,breaking from the middle or even a radical three up front with two wingers ie Dobson Dyer Parsons.

 

On an attacking front we are a bit predictable at times.Now we're playing such clinical teams in the Premier division,we need to maximise our attacking options especially when games aren't going to plan.  

 

 

Now where have I heard that before...ah yes, the old Steve Sinclair analogy