Weymouth v Slough

[Reading Rebel]

Neil or Jon can correct me but I think we lined up 4-4-2 with Hollis right back Fraser right wing and Gokmen left back but changed almost immediately to 5-4-1 with Fraser dropping into right back and Mpi into right wing. Either way we played a very negative 5-4-1 up until 2-0 down against an attacking Weymouth line up. We simply invited them to put pressure onto us and they could only oblige and punished us for it. The third goal came as we were switching back to a 4-4-2 and they simply caught us out as players got into position.

 

We came out second half hoping not to be on the end of an embarrassing result and immediately consceeded. In the end we managed to keep it down to 6 and scored a consolation goal with our only shot on target.

 

For those who weren't there, Weymouth were very similar to a Chesham team from 4-5 years ago. Kept possession well and always had their wingers and wing backs out on the touch lines ready to switch the play.

 

We were totally outclassed today along with getting the tactics all wrong in the opening half hour and would have had no complaints had we lost by double figures. Sounds harsh but it is true!

 

Didn't see what Maloney was sent off for but it was disappointing as he was probably our best player on the day until then.

 

I know this post will sound like a bit of a rant but we were poor today and Weymouth were excellent and to be honest even if we had played our best we would almost certainly still have lost. All the credit from the game and score line has to go to Weymouth.

 

One positive I take from the game is the players still came over to clap the fans at the end of the game without needing to be asked, despite the fact us fans had been quiet almost all game. Respect to the players for that.

 

edit - Mark Scott needs to invest in some longer studs !!!!!!!!

 

 

Couple of things from this post.

 

OK Weymouth are in and around the play-offs but not exactly pulling up trees this season and we were in good form, so cannot believe we got our tactics wrong and played a negative formation.

 

Cannot agree with you that had we played to our best we would, almost certainly, still have lost.

Edited December 13, 2015 by Reading Rebel

[staines_rebel_Jr]

Were you at the game Reading Rebel ????

 

If not how can you comment on our performance or tactics ?!?!?!

[RebelDelaney]

RR sorry to say that SRJ is correct Weymouth did not have to get out of third gear for their win.

Even if we had a stronger team they would still have had more gears to go through to beat us.

The previous posters are spot on with there reports of the game to be polite very dissapponting from the first to last kick of the match.

[Reading Rebel]

Were you at the game Reading Rebel ????

 

If not how can you comment on our performance or tactics ?!?!?!

 

 

I was not questioning your opinion of our tactics because obviously you were there but more in the disbelief as to the reason why we would do that?

 

We were in good form and not playing a team that on paper were head and shoulders above us so why play a defensive/negative formation? 

 

Even tho I was not there I still maintain that you cannot say for sure that Weymouth would almost certainly have beaten us if we were at our best.

[3spirit]

Some points to add:-

 

on what looked like an excellent surface they coped with the conditions (very windy), we didn't.

 

once Webb went off we had virtually no midfield

 

loss of possession in defensive positions cost us for at least 3 of the goals

 

their shooting was incisive, it felt like 6 on target, 6 goals

 

our squad's too thin, far too many players missing today to have an impact.

 

Further to this why are they looking for a new ground? The existing one is very impressive for this level............

 

Wasn't at the game so can't comment on it, other than to say it was obviously a bad day at the office and now one to forget about !

 

Bernie Gogan , why I was responding to your post was your comment on the squad being too thin. It isn't too thin if you think of the players we have injured or missing but I do think you're asking for trouble going to the bigger clubs in this league, with such a bare boned squad,especially with subs not fit enough to play.

[staines_rebel_Jr]

Reading Rebel you said it yourself, you weren't there so you can't comment on performance and you have no idea how well they played!

[Sir Rebel1965]

It was one of those games where from 2 minutes in you could see we were in trouble and that is what paned out.

 

Are away games just a "day out" for the team as it looks all too relaxed and comfortable from Trents photos on the coach, and the away results are relegation form with 2 wins 3 draws 7 lost?

 

Quote from management "delighted our discipline is a massive improvement on last year" - next two games we have players sent off!

 

Also for the management to quote us being in "play-off form" in the Slough Express is either cock-sure or naïve considering yesterdays performance - maybe there is a need to be more controlled with what is said to the press.

 

As for the squad, there are players who are being carried and need to be let go, those putting in shifts must be peed off by those not up to it.

 

I thought footballers in the 70's smoked as they were none the wiser to it's effects, unfortunately looks like there are some in our squad who think it wont effect their performance.

 

Have the team and management got too comfortable now that we nearly have enough points to avoid relegation? 

 

Another "sea-side" trip next week - how many players will bring their boots and how many their swimming trunks?

Edited December 13, 2015 by Rebel1965

[HorshamRebel]

Rebel1965, those photos on the coach were taken while stuck in a long jam on the A 31 due to a bad motocycle/car accident which stopped all the traffic. This meant the team did not arrive at Weymouth' ground until 14:10.

 

I am not saying this as an excuse for them, just stating a fact to you.

Edited December 13, 2015 by HorshamRebel

[Jon Underwood]

I've done a rebels radio interview with my comments on the game and didn't intend to come on the forum but a few of the comments below have made me want to respond....

 

It was one of those games where from 2 minutes in you could see we were in trouble and that is what paned out.

 

- I disagree, there was nothing between the sides until their fantastic goal midway through the half.

 

Are away games just a "day out" for the team as it looks all too relaxed and comfortable from Trents photos on the coach, and the away results are relegation form with 2 wins 3 draws 7 lost?

 

All non league footballers enjoy their away days together on the coach. This has no bearing whatsoever on performance.

 

Quote from management "delighted our discipline is a massive improvement on last year" - next two games we have players sent off!

 

- Discipline HAS been massively improved and everyone agrees with the comment when it was made. The comment came before the two sendings off so not sure what the criticism of the management is here?

 

The Ryan Hope sending off was a moment of madness/frustration from a 19 year old. The sending off yesterday was a mistake from the linesman and if the video captured the incident it will be overturned.

 

Also for the management to quote us being in "

play-off form" in the Slough Express is either cock-sure or naïve considering yesterdays performance - maybe there is a need to be more controlled with what is said to the press.

 

- 23 points from 12 games IS playoff form. Some supporters (like yourself today) want to pick out a bad run and call it "relegation form", are we not allowed to comment in the same way? Should we not give our opinions when interviewed?

 

As for the squad, there are players who are being carried and need to be let go, those putting in shifts must be peed off by those not up to it.

 

- Won't comment individually on players on here but before yesterday we had 23 points from 12 games so things weren't too wrong were they? Why ignore the previous 12 games and judge the team on one awful performance?

 

I thought footballers in the 70's smoked as they were none the wiser to it's effects, unfortunately looks like there are some in our squad who think it wont effect their performance.

 

- I only know of one player in our squad who smokes and he is having an excellent season.

 

Have the team and management got too comfortable now that we nearly have enough points to avoid relegation?

 

- Not in our nature to get too comfortable. We want a top half finish and will do all we can to get this.

 

Another "sea-side" trip next week - how many players will bring their boots and how many their swimming trunks?

- Pretty sure they will all bring their boots.

[Neil Baker]

So in regards to the negative tactics, well we actually started with a 3 4 3 formation, anything but negative.... very similar to how we played when we beat Weymouth last year 3-0, however they threw us a curve ball playing only one up top, with Shepard in the hole, something they have not done all season, as they have played Yetton and Thompson (however Yetton was dropped).

 

After scoring a worldy first, we then conceded an incredibly soft goal, at which we then changed back to a 4 4 2, pushing Guy to right back and Sean to left back.

 

We were then extremely poor and defended poorly from front to back, and deservedly got a hammering, it was a bad day, where everything that could go wrong did go wrong, and a day we have to forget fast.

 

Rebel1965 I think your son bought up the stats on our discipline on the forum, not myself (I put something on my twitter a while back), and whilst Hopey totally deserved a red card, Kensley in no way shape or form deserved a red card, I even heard the assessor telling the referee after the game he made a mistake (not that it made any difference to the result) however I am pretty sure that when we get the video back we will be able to appeal it, as it was directly in front of us, and Kensley did nothing other than to try and get himself away from the situation.

 

In terms of the squad we were fully expecting Jhai to be fit, and because we got there so late and he did not have time to get any real treatment, and a proper warm up his decision was that it was too risky.... we then had Nathan who had got a slight twinge in his hamstring Thursday (but not at any point as a doubt) pull up in the warm up, however we decided to start him, however he only lasted 8 minutes which again affected us, as Searsy had also done the warm up and was not convinced he would get through it.

 

So in the space of 10 minutes we have lost from our squad Jhai Searsy and Nath (although we started him to see if he could get through it) having also not had Rummy or Warren (which we thought we could cope without on the day and were wrong).

 

Do people think we have not been trying to bring one or two in??? seriously???

 

I have been out this week looking at players, have been talking with clubs, had a possible player which didn't come off, but unfortunately there Is not loads about, we don't have a magic wand that we just wave and players just appear, and anyone who says that we are not doing enough, well that is just insulting, and completely wrong, especially if you knew how much time we put in for this club.

 

In regard to the paper comment, unfortunately I spoke with a guy I have only spoken with once before, and not Dan, the guy does not know a great deal about us, and made mistakes in the article, for example saying that we had been excellent in league except for back to back defeats against Frome and Stratford (Kings Lynn and Stratford), however my comment to him was that the form we had been in for the last two months had been play off form (as it has) however we as a side at no point thought we were a play off chasing side...

 

Papers can say what they want, and sometimes what you have said and how you have said it does not come over, and this was an article I was not that happy about...

Edited December 13, 2015 by Neil Baker

[David Carpenter]

As I have said previously I do not often come on this forum but I feel compelled to do so today. In a previous post I stated that whilst everyone has a right to express an opinion perhaps it is best that such opinion is based on fact rather than conjecture. We were all disappointed with yesterday's performance and normally Neil and Jon don't cite injuries. However just presently there are particular difficulties and Neil has explained the efforts being made to ameliorate the situation. We just recently beat Dunstable away 3-1 whilst Dunstable beat Weymouth 2-1 so on that basis a poor performance by Weymouth! Best Wishes to Jon,Neil and the team. COYR!

[Mr Rebel]

fair play Bakes and Unders for being open and honest like always.

 

it was one of those days where things started going wrong even before the game leaving us vulnerable and credit has to go to Weymouth who ruthlessly took advantage as many promotion contenders you expect would or should. 

 

lot of basic things weren't done well enough by those that played but its just 1 game against a team with massive ambitions to play at a higher level asap whereas we are still learning and pretty inexperienced still for this level. 

 

feel for Maloney who after seeming a bit overwhelmed to begin with put in a motivated performance before what a few have called totally incorrect red card. 

 

hopefully we have a few more squad options, whether it players back fit or maybe a new player if can find any suitable options, for Tuesday and the players can prove what they are capable of. tough fixtures run but I do fear we are prone to go on losing runs and with Poole to come getting something Tuesday could be a valuable boost. 

[Bernie Gogan]

I won't & don't criticise our mangers, so I hope my comments previously were seen as an observation on the match only. With the number of players missing and/or injured our squad does look thin and it was evident yesterday, plus we made

[Bernie Gogan]

....fingers!

 

bad mistakes in defence. Not sure we would have won the game with our full squad anyway because Weymouth had one of those days where almost everything came off, even when the goalie lost possession to Charlie Mpi and got lucky as it looked an odds on goal for us.

 

Looking for a massive improvement Tuesday, and am certain the players and management will deliver it.

[Bernie Gogan]

Just to add that the A31 crash was just being cleared up as I passed the scene, unfortunately it made me late too, just made kick off and didn't get a programme.......bah a bad day all round!!

 

Journey home punctuated by variable Radio 5 live coverage of Euros draw to take my mind off our result.

[Reading Rebel]

Reading Rebel you said it yourself, you weren't there so you can't comment on performance and you have no idea how well they played!

 

 

SRJ, I don't have to be at a game to know that what you are saying IMO is not correct.

 

When one team plays so well and the team plays so badly it will obviously make one team look like world beaters.

 

If we had a full squad available yesterday and played to our best the game would have been completely different and IMO would not have been a foregone conclusion in Weymouth's favour as you are saying. 

Edited December 13, 2015 by Reading Rebel

[RebelDelaney]

RR i believe you was at the away game last season when Dobbo was on fire the team fought hard to stay in the game and Dobs could of scored in the final minutes to but we lost 3-2.

Weymouth had many chances and if the final score had been 8-2 not many people would of complained.

They are a big club with top players a superb stadium and hane many resources that our managers and club can only dream of.

 

On to tuesday COYR.

[RebelDelaney]

Best part of the day away from the game Manor Park Rebel got his £10 out to pay at the gate and the wind blow it out of his hand only for us to see it sail over the main stand shouting oh no.

He paid with another £10 and i saw him again 10 minutes later.

After getting in he went to a steward told her what had happened and she sai this is what you are looking for what honesty.

To have lost that money and then see our display would of been a travesty.

 

So well done that steward.

[A Rebel and a Saint]

Having thought about it all, read the comments from the managers on here, and listened to Jon's interview, I have to agree with everything they say.  We had an off day with many players missing who you would want to be playing against Weymouth, which will end in disaster for a lot of teams, as they are an excellent team.

With losing Nathan we had a 20 year old and (I think?) an 18 year old making only his third appearance for us in midfield away to one of the most established teams in the league.  I was impressed particularly with the efforts of Maloney and it seems he was very unfortunate to get sent off (I was ready to give him the MOTM for us until that point).

This happens to most teams in the league, and a lot of the criticism on here seems incredibly harsh.  Yes we did gift some of the goals through mistakes but the big teams will do that to you either mentally or physically pressurising you into those mistakes, and Weymouth were certainly able to do that as they were excellent all over the pitch.  Personally I am not concerned about the result, it's when you get hammered by the 'mid table' teams (and I do not include Weymouth in that even with their actual position) or the bottom teams that you need to worry and that has not happened since the Biggleswade game.

Yes our squad is thin at the moment but as Jon says in the interview it's not only hard to get players in but also hard to know exactly when someone is going to be fully fit.

 

The reaction is important, and with hopefully a couple of players back for Tuesday I'm hoping that we will get that.

[Reading Rebel]

RR i believe you was at the away game last season when Dobbo was on fire the team fought hard to stay in the game and Dobs could of scored in the final minutes to but we lost 3-2.

Weymouth had many chances and if the final score had been 8-2 not many people would of complained.

They are a big club with top players a superb stadium and hane many resources that our managers and club can only dream of.

 

On to tuesday COYR.

 

 

RD, not sure on the relevance to the discussion.

 

Different season, different team.

 

When Weymouth came to our ground last season we comfortably beat them 3-0 and it could have been a lot more on the day.

 

We were excellent on the day but to be honest Weymouth, like us yesterday, didn't turn up. You wouldn't say based on that game that even if they turned up we would have beaten them because you just wouldn't know the outcome if both teams had been at their best.

Edited December 13, 2015 by Reading Rebel