Chippenham

[Sir Rebel1965]

They ripped us apart for the two goals and therefore created more goals.

 

We were less creative as we failed to score.

 

 

If however the very good chance in the first minutes had gone in then the game would have been very different.

[epicrebel]

They ripped us apart for the two goals and therefore created more goals.

 

We were less creative as we failed to score.

 

 

If however the very good chance in the first minutes had gone in then the game would have been very different.

So on that  at Histon there was no goal so we didn't create anything.

 

That don't work out

 

You can create chances and not score.

[Mr Rebel]

really really bad day yesterday. we started brightly but having missed from inside the 6 yard box a few times in a few seconds early on we never really fashioned more than 1 or 2 chances in the rest of the game

 

hard to be critical in our first season we have done a decent job but its definitely worrying when the managers say they want to aim for playoffs next season & the team looked way way short of being capable of that yesterday. we always seem to flatter to deceive on pitches like that but the truth is to push higher up the league we will have to get points on plenty of pitches that are far from great. desperately need to find a way to be effective on those pitches as its the sort of pitch we have struggled on all season

 

i fear quite a few of the players are in danger of keeping their places going into next season if Bakes and Unders are truly looking for the playoffs as since the turn of the year 8 games has produced only 7 goals 3 of them in 1 game 2 of them in another.

 

concerning that this becomes a more long term issue but at the end of the day personally I am happy to be comfortably away from relegation after so long waiting to return. slightly disappointing if the season fizzles out but not the end of the world

[Neil Baker]

Cant really disagree to be honest, was not much between the two teams on the day, except the two goals.... which at the end of the day is the all important thing, pitch as Mr Rebel said was quite tough, and therefore it was quite a direct game from both teams.

 

Keeper made a couple of decent saves from Jake, and we had 2 cleared off the line, Jakes attempted lob in second half and the chance for Eddie at the back post in first few minutes, but other than that we did not create enough, but with the chances we had, you would still expect us to score

 

It has been mentioned that the goals have dried up all over the pitch at the moment, and this sometimes happens (have no idea why or how, as last 4 games we should have scored at least 6-7 goals IMO), does it make everyone bad players, probably not, we just maybe need that bit of luck, that in turn creates confidence in front of goal.

 

You are right there are a number of people that will be playing for their positions etc for next year, we know exactly where we want to be as managers, and myself and Jon know we can identify a decent player, so we are confident that we will be in a stronger position next year, does that mean we automatically expect play offs, then nobody can expect it, we all want it, however there will be a number of sides in the same position etc who are probably in a stronger financial position than we are (and whilst we are ground sharing this will prove a similar theme IMO).

 

Hopefully we will have the buzz of the new ground coming, which will have an affect on what we can bring to the club, however we have already identified somebody for next season, that we expect to bring in the summer who will be a major asset for us, and we will have effectively 2 new signings in Warren Harris (who has been a major loss this year for his goals and creativity) and Adam Foulser.

 

I think everyone knows Jon and I now, that we will not just let the season fizzle out, from our point of view, every game is as important as each other, and we will be doing what we can to finish as high as we can.

 

Thanks for your support yesterday, was good numbers from us, just sorry we could not get us the win.

 

Cheers

 

Bakes

[Ian]

Before the game I said to Kay, "I remember this ground now, we came here in the trophy. We played ok in the first half and went in level then came out in the second and were dreadful."

 

Bit of déjà vu, sadly.

[jonblack]

Aiming for the play off's next year is easier to say than do.A lot will depend on the money available so that we can recruit players to do the job.We may get rid of Poole and Corby/Weymouth,but we may have to contend with Merthyr and Kettering!

Yesterday's game best forgotten( now where have I heard that before?).

[Jon Underwood]

Getting in to the play-offs in this league is an extremely tough task. At the start of the season there will have been at least 15/16 sides with those ambitions and not everyone can do it!

 

If you take a look at last season's table you will see Chesham came 2nd, Cambridge 3rd, Bideford 8th and Biggleswade 9th. You could argue that all 4 of these sides should be well ahead of us this season (after all we only came 5th in the league below) but we are competing with them as equals this season and ahead of 3 of them in the table currently after 30+ games. I think we all need to remember this sometimes (Bakes and I included) when we get frustrated by performances and results.

 

Bakes and I are hugely ambitious and we are used to winning matches, having reached the playoffs in each of the last 3 seasons, and we are not enjoying being a mid table side one bit. We have learned loads this season about this league, about ourselves and about our players. It's vital now that we take what we've learned and ensure we improve, both this season and next, and I am convinced that we will.

[3spirit]

I think our performances will improve,now we are past the worst of the weather.It's no co-incidence that we play our best football on better pitches.

 

There's no getting away from the fact that injuries to our midfielders have hampered our progress,latterly.Chopping and changing centre midfielders is always going to upset the rhythm of our fluid passing game.

 

My opinion is, we fans and management, have to take some of the blame for keep labelling our team as a mid-table side,as this seems to have had the effect,that the players have become complacent, and now believe they are just that !

I think they need a bit of a shake-up.  

 

That said,I feel that we should be addressing our lack of goals of late,by signing a new forward.To balance the books,we could let go one or two of our midfielders or defenders.

 

Noticed Ben Mackey has left St Neots. Not sure who he's signed for,now,but a player of his quality must be on our radar if we are to progress our striking options,for one eye on next season.

[Ian]

I think all of that is very valid, Jon, although my frustration is not from comparing us to others, it's comparing us to us.

 

We've been brilliant at times this season, yet games like yesterday we really failed to perform and it wasn't even against a good side. I thought Chippenham were average and we conceded two avoidable goals.

 

I've argued however that football is an art not a science so there's no guarantee that we'll perform every week. It can be frustrating however when we don't hit the heights we all know this group of players are capable of.

[Fulham Rebel]

On a bright note ref was good yesterday in actual fact SHE was very good

 

Obviously this is Sue not himself !!

[Jon Underwood]

I think all of that is very valid, Jon, although my frustration is not from comparing us to others, it's comparing us to us.

 

We've been brilliant at times this season, yet games like yesterday we really failed to perform and it wasn't even against a good side. I thought Chippenham were average and we conceded two avoidable goals.

 

I've argued however that football is an art not a science so there's no guarantee that we'll perform every week. It can be frustrating however when we don't hit the heights we all know this group of players are capable of.

Understand completely Ian. I think if I am honest there is a very simple reason why currently we can do it one week and not the next....and that is that as a squad (management and players) we are not quite ready/good enough yet to consistently win games in this league. I do however have total belief we will not be having this conversation this time next year. But talk is cheap and only time will tell! Edited February 22, 2015 by Jon Underwood

[3spirit]

Getting in to the play-offs in this league is an extremely tough task. At the start of the season there will have been at least 15/16 sides with those ambitions and not everyone can do it!

 

If you take a look at last season's table you will see Chesham came 2nd, Cambridge 3rd, Bideford 8th and Biggleswade 9th. You could argue that all 4 of these sides should be well ahead of us this season (after all we only came 5th in the league below) but we are competing with them as equals this season and ahead of 3 of them in the table currently after 30+ games. I think we all need to remember this sometimes (Bakes and I included) when we get frustrated by performances and results.

 

Bakes and I are hugely ambitious and we are used to winning matches, having reached the playoffs in each of the last 3 seasons, and we are not enjoying being a mid table side one bit. We have learned loads this season about this league, about ourselves and about our players. It's vital now that we take what we've learned and ensure we improve, both this season and next, and I am convinced that we will.

 

No team can expect to be in the top five come the end of any season unless you've got loads of money,to throw at it,by buying the best players.Like loads of teams have done and will continue to do. Doesn't always work, if you have the wrong manager at the helm or you upset the team morale in the process but most times,money buys success.

 

Here at Slough currently,think we have to be realistic in how we can progress our team. I have every faith in Bakes and Unders will continue to evolve our team to greater heights,as we are fortunate to have such good managers in charge.

 

Some fans are delusional, if they think we can wave a wand and make us champions elect of the Premier division,after one half-baked,injury-prone,up and down season.

However,we do have a decent squad to build on and given time,we will be one of the best sides in it.   

[Mr Rebel]

in all honesty I think the vast majority of fans are reasonably happy and can accept that we are not going to be a playoff side (yet at least). most of the talk regarding the hope of pushing for playoffs next season has come from the management and at the end of the day they are the ones who know what they believe could be possible.

 

if the managers are going to set themselves such high targets the fans will start to raise expectations also based on the trust in the managers. would much rather have an ambitious team than one that is happy to tread water and just survive season on season.

[Manor Park Rebel]

I totally agree with 3spirit's comment that we are fortunate to have a good management team in charge. Long may it continue.

[3spirit]

Don't want to be a party-pooper,Neil,but as much as I rate Wazza and Adam,both players are going to have their work cut out,getting back to their best,given their injuries and that they will be playing at a higher level.
Of course,we must keep both of them,to see if they can make it back to their best but I don't believe we should be pinning our title/play-off hopes on them.

 

We will need proven Premier/Conference South players to progress in the main.

[Reading Rebel]

On a bright note ref was good yesterday in actual fact SHE was very good

 

Obviously this is Sue not himself !!

 

 

She was OK for a girl  

 

She'll have to get rid of that squeaky voice though  

[Reading Rebel]

As so often on that pitch you have to take the chances that come your way going down the slope.

 

We missed ours and Chip'nham didn't.

[Reading Rebel]

Cant really disagree to be honest, was not much between the two teams on the day, except the two goals.... which at the end of the day is the all important thing, pitch as Mr Rebel said was quite tough, and therefore it was quite a direct game from both teams.

 

Keeper made a couple of decent saves from Jake, and we had 2 cleared off the line, Jakes attempted lob in second half and the chance for Eddie at the back post in first few minutes, but other than that we did not create enough, but with the chances we had, you would still expect us to score

 

It has been mentioned that the goals have dried up all over the pitch at the moment, and this sometimes happens (have no idea why or how, as last 4 games we should have scored at least 6-7 goals IMO), does it make everyone bad players, probably not, we just maybe need that bit of luck, that in turn creates confidence in front of goal.

 

You are right there are a number of people that will be playing for their positions etc for next year, we know exactly where we want to be as managers, and myself and Jon know we can identify a decent player, so we are confident that we will be in a stronger position next year, does that mean we automatically expect play offs, then nobody can expect it, we all want it, however there will be a number of sides in the same position etc who are probably in a stronger financial position than we are (and whilst we are ground sharing this will prove a similar theme IMO).

 

Hopefully we will have the buzz of the new ground coming, which will have an affect on what we can bring to the club, however we have already identified somebody for next season, that we expect to bring in the summer who will be a major asset for us, and we will have effectively 2 new signings in Warren Harris (who has been a major loss this year for his goals and creativity) and Adam Foulser.

 

I think everyone knows Jon and I now, that we will not just let the season fizzle out, from our point of view, every game is as important as each other, and we will be doing what we can to finish as high as we can.

 

Thanks for your support yesterday, was good numbers from us, just sorry we could not get us the win.

 

Cheers

 

Bakes

 

Obviously I don't expect you to name him Bakes, but you are talking about a player?

[HorshamRebel]

As much as yesterday's second half was disappointing, in the way the goals were scored against us, and that we didn't take our chances in the first half, I must admit that as a few have said on here many times, I am actually quite pleased with how Neil and Jon have got the team playing in our first season at the next level up.

 

Yes we have been second best sometimes, but that is to be expected while you are making sure you have a strong foothold on your first season.

 

It's great that we have two managers that are very open and honest in how and why they do things, and are not afraid to say things when they need to, and it is also good to see the high team morale this season, and the fact that you can see how much some of our games have hurt the players and management when they are walking off at the end (even after a win, sometimes), they are always looking to how they can do things better, and that can only be good for the club going forward.

 

I also think that sometime very soon, the goal floodgates are going to open in a game, they have to with the luck we've had in front of goal in recent games.

 

If this season is anything to go by, I'm really looking forward to next season where we can spring forward from our strong foothold we've created this season, even though there are a few games to go yet.

[Reading Rebel]

Most teams do tend to play more long ball on the type of surface that we played on yesterday because trying to play passing football is difficult if not near impossible.

 

This type of football for the players we've got i.e. generally small, especially up front, doesn't suit us.

 

Yesterday was a good example IMO of why we tend to struggle on these types of pitches.

 

Virtually every long ball played in the air to our forwards, especially playing up the slope, came straight back.   

 

We just don't have the right type of players to play that sort of game on that type of surface. 

Edited February 22, 2015 by Reading Rebel