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Stratford - home 21st November

Curtis

By Curtis
in Slough Town Forum

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Martin Rookie

Martin

Posted
Posted

I think disappointing is a fair assessment.

 

I was very pleased to see a strong starting line up and arguably one of the best benches we've had in a long long time.

 

Personally felt we started sluggishly and went ahead against the run of play. I hoped that the goal would settle us but the quicker equaliser snuffed that out. It should never have been a free kick with Hicks clearly winning the ball cleanly.

 

Unfortunately the wall was in my view misplaced leaving an inviting gap which their 8 curled the ball into with aplomb. He ran the show and had an excellent game.

 

Don't think we can expect teams to turn up to roll over and I am sure it was no surprise to the gaffers that they had plenty about them. Our errors and poor performance certainly contributed but for me it was a bit of a masterclass from their 8.

 

Hopefully a one off and we can bounce back tomorrow. COYR

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3spirit Mentor

3spirit

Posted
Posted (edited)

Wasn't there Saturday but a bit pissed off with the negativity towards hatchett starting matches both on this thread and the one from the frome game. Scott has been in great form this season and j have regularly mentioned to others how unlucky he is to not be a regular in our team because of the form of the Charlie's. I am a big fan of struts but don't think any one of the 3 really deserves to not be in the starting 11 ATM but given the formation one of them has to miss out. Ironically the one game all 3 started was at Chippenham which was a fantastic attacking display yet I was forced to listen to constant moaning about Charlie mpi being stuck out on the left.

 

On the subject of Mark Scott I think he's a very good goalkeeper but he does make errors and, even at this level, I have wondered if these are a little more regular than we would like. I still think he is the right person for us ATM but would love to see the errors irradiated.

 

My post is not meant to be about negativity to 'Hatchet'. He is a valuable player to our squad but on Saturday, he had a poor game, although the service to the front two wasn't a lot of cop either.

 

My view is that we had Charlie Strutton on a two month loan, a player who's played top non league football and a natural goal poacher and we stick him on the bench !

 

I can appreciate that Bakes and Unders have to alternate players to keep them happy and contented, which is never easy and that Charlie Strutton is not fully fit, so we can't expect miracles but from the games I've witnessed in the home matches plus the away match at Histon, I've seen enough to know that, as we have him for two month's only, we should be giving him a good run in the team as our number 9,as he's direct, instinctive in front of goal and not afraid to shoot.

Who we play as the other striker next to him is a straight choice between the other three/four [ Mpi ,Hatchet, Smithy or Putts].

 

The way I view players and games I want to watch may be different to other fans [and our managers] but one thing I'm adamant about is that I like to watch a team that tries to have at least ten shots per game, not the paltry offering we had Saturday.

 

Also what will we learn about Strutton, having him stuck on the bench?

 

Is his arse good for splinters ! !

Edited by 3spirit
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Reading Rebel Grand Master

Reading Rebel

Posted
Posted

Can't see how Mark Scott can be blamed for the Stratford defeat. He could have possibly done better for the free kick but hardly his fault.

Like all keepers he has strengths and weaknesses but his all round game has proved to be very effective at this level and I think it's very harsh to single him out for criticism, given the form of the outfield players on Saturday, and his match saving displays this season.

 

While I can see Dan Hicks has been quality since he arrived from Marlow, I do think some fans over rate him.

I'm not saying we should dispense with his services but I would like to see the pairing of Guy Hollis and Justin Clayton for a number of games to see what they can do.

 

Rummy has got 'hero' status here at Slough for his excellent displays of the past and we all appreciate his timely comebacks each season but on Saturday I was left wondering what he was trying to do, in the battle of centre midfield.

He can be such a major influence to our team but it came as no surprise to see him replaced by Nathan

Webb. Let's hope Rummy bounces back to his best.

 

Am I the only one, who thinks we ask Charlie Mpi to do too much. Yes, we want him involved in our attacking game, as our best attacking moves usually arrive off of him or a Wazza attack but should we expect him to run around like a headless chicken chasing lost causes?

I get peed off with a Slough fan who stands near me at our ground, who constantly goes on at Charlie to run his boll**ks off, when others are doing F all ! !

What's the point of Charlie running back into our half every other minute, when we want his speed as a goal threat? Could someone explain that logic?

 

The managers pick who they think will be the best on the day. Sometimes it pays dividend's, sometimes it falls flat. At the Stratford game, unfortunately for them, their gamble of playing 'Hatchet' from the start didn't pay off, as Scott had a game to forget in a hurry.

From my point of view, Charlie Strutton should have started alongside Charlie Mpi, as these two have been a good pairing to start a home game with and Charlie Strutton's fitness is better to use from the start than as a impact sub.

I can't see the point of getting a striker on loan for another month and then putting him on the bench.

Surely Hatchet and Smithy know each other's game better than the subs of Smithy and Strutton.

 

Anyway it didn't make a blind bit of difference in the end because we created little and defensive/midfield lapses cost us in the main but you can not take away Stratford's hard working approach and clever play that enabled a deserved victory.

Had we been on our A game I believe we would have beaten them, so it's three points dropped to me but these things happen.  

 

Some you win, some you draw and some you lose.

On to Dunstable, which looks like being another 'toughie'.          

 

 

I think Charlie Mpi has shown in most games this season that he has what it takes to do the 'donkey work' and be effective at the scoring end. I don't know but he is possibly playing to orders. Probably a bit unfair to say Charlie is doing all the work and other players are doing F all.

 

As for Rummy he was strapped up, which might be a bit of an excuse for his out of sorts display.

 

With Charlie Strutton, he came to us to replace Ed Smith, so if he is not staying with us I couldn't see the point of him starting the game instead of Ed Smith. 

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3spirit Mentor

3spirit

Posted
Posted

I think Charlie Mpi has shown in most games this season that he has what it takes to do the 'donkey work' and be effective at the scoring end. I don't know but he is possibly playing to orders. Probably a bit unfair to say Charlie is doing all the work and other players are doing F all.

 

As for Rummy he was strapped up, which might be a bit of an excuse for his out of sorts display.

 

With Charlie Strutton, he came to us to replace Ed Smith, so if he is not staying with us I couldn't see the point of him starting the game instead of Ed Smith. 

 

Firstly, I think Charlie Mpi needs to chase and close down players but for me, not back past the halfway line in his own half, unless marking for a corner but I wouldn't make him do that for every one of them,either.

To be honest, the fan that goes on about Charlie's running does my head in, as he never picks on anyone else and yet Charlie is one of the few who runs tirelessly until out of steam.  

So the f all comment wasn't so much directed at the team,as the aforementioned fan.

 

 Apologies to Rummy, if he has an injury problem. Fans don't always know the full facts, when they make their views known. 

 

As for Charlie Strutton, your observation that he came to replace Ed Smith has nothing to do with it.

The players you get in and the team you want to play must produce the  best results possible.

 

I don't know if Charlie Strutton will ever play for Slough again but tell me the point of getting any player, with good pedigree and a local bloke to boot, that's not worth giving a chance to.

We've given Dan Hicks plenty of games but the player we've only got for two months, who will get you a goal, we've let sit on the bench [in his final month]. To me that's plain daft.

 

We know all about Ed Smith's qualities but we can only find out about Strutton's if we play him !

 

Progressing this squad, I would try to sign Charlie Strutton and Paul Stonehouse. Maybe for next season, rather than this one, although very much depends on our forthcoming results up to the end of January.

As we may end up nearer the bottom of the table than the top and then different types of players may be needed.

 

Just one thing, what's wrong with having Strutton, Smith, Mpi and Hatchet as your four strikers in the squad, with the added benefit of Lewis Putman if need be.

It can only be a budget constraint.      

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Graham Cox Newbie

Graham Cox

Posted
Posted

The thing is surely that it is about the squad as much as the team and all those mentioned are important members of a squad.

 

From the squad players are presumably chosen on the basis of their current form and fitness but also on the basis of the jobs that need to be done in specific fixtures against maybe specific teams..............maybe even against specific players. the sort of teams against which Ed may be great are not always the same as those where Strutton (for instance) may be a better bet. We know how often our managers look at other teams/opponents and they are surely looking for this kind of situation as part of their mission.

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Neil Baker Enthusiast

Neil Baker

Posted
Posted

also heard the word lazy stated in the game where he was up top on his own for the last 30, ran his arse off and scored in the 90th. Can't remember the game!

I cant believe ANYONE could question Charlie's work rate... that is just crazy, the guy is so honest, and works himself into the ground.

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SloughFlyer Experienced

SloughFlyer

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Posted

Charlie Mpi is IMO one of the stand out players of the season thus far. He works harder than most and certainly never stops running and putting in the effort.

 

When we re-signed him the only concern I had was his previous few seasons of goal output, but after last night he now has 10 league goals so far so no problems on that front. The guy doesn't ever give up on a ball and that has give him 2 goals this month (Kings Lynn and Stratford) and gives 100% every game, can't ask any more than that.

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Reading Rebel Grand Master

Reading Rebel

Posted
Posted

very sure I have the right man. Have a listen behind the goal.

 

 

Sorry DJD, I thought you meant on this thread.

 

Still find your accusations impossible to believe.

 

If there's one player you can't accuse of being lazy it's Charlie Mpi. Works his socks off every game!

 

Along with Putts, my player of the season thus far. 

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Sloughboy Newbie

Sloughboy

Posted
Posted

Charlie Mpi is IMO one of the stand out players of the season thus far. He works harder than most and certainly never stops running and putting in the effort.

 

When we re-signed him the only concern I had was his previous few seasons of goal output, but after last night he now has 10 league goals so far so no problems on that front. The guy doesn't ever give up on a ball and that has give him 2 goals this month (Kings Lynn and Stratford) and gives 100% every game, can't ask any more than that.

 

Absolutely spot on about Charlie Mpi!

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Reading Rebel Grand Master

Reading Rebel

Posted
Posted

Charlie Mpi has been immense for us since his return and has proved a lot of doubters wrong. You could certainly never question his commitment or work rate. 

 

 

IMO Charlie Mpi' strengths weren't used properly by Steve Bateman.

 

Coupled with the fact with a few more years experience at Hemel and Hungerford, IMO Charlie Mpi has become a better player for the experience. 

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