Bideford Away on Tuesday Night

[Neil Baker]

Nothing done and dusted, though initial conversations very positive, and in terms of current squad we anticipate keeping the players that we want for next season.

[Irishadrian]

Thanks for that prompt reply Neil

[Curtis]

Lewis Putman has been excellent at left midfield, but I am surprised that with the combination of Jake Parsons being back and the loss of Mpi and Smith he hasn't been moved up front with Scott Harris..... after all he was signed at the beginning of the season as a prolific goal scorer, and the Harris/Putman pairing did score six against Histon early on in the season.

[Reading Rebel]

Neil  Thanks for your assessment of last nights defeat  Now we are in "dead rubber" "nothing to play for" mode Im sure our recent bad run has just been bad luck with our opponents all of whom have very much had something to play for Our last eight games 6points from 24 have been against 4 teams with excellent play-off prospects and 4 teams desperate to avoid the drop  ( even Bideford can still get 54)  But I think you and Jon are right to be concentrating on next season After the initial interest the type of crowds necessary will only come to the new stadium to watch a successful team Can I ask ( and have no problem if you dont want to answer) if the excellent striker you alluded to is just on a wish list or if subject to agreeing terms he has indicated a willingness to come on board? also are you and Jon confident of retaining all the members of the current squad you would wish to?  Thank You

 

 

TBH I don't like to hear the words 'dead rubber' 'nothing to play for' banded about.

 

If these players want to be part of our squad next season they have everything to play for. 

 

4 out of our last 6 games are against sides that are either going for the title or a play-off place. I want to see the players scrapping for every point in these games and not 'rolling over' and using the excuse that we lost because it's a 'dead rubber'.

[3spirit]

TBH I don't like to hear the words 'dead rubber' 'nothing to play for' banded about.

 

If these players want to be part of our squad next season they have everything to play for. 

 

4 out of our last 6 games are against sides that are either going for the title or a play-off place. I want to see the players scrapping for every point in these games and not 'rolling over' and using the excuse that we lost because it's a 'dead rubber'.

 

I don't think you can level at the players, that they haven't been trying in these 'dead rubber games'.

It's fine margins [loss of 'key' players in the run in].

 

We've got two very difficult games over Easter, which will be incredibly hard to get anything from but I have belief that our players will give it a go, whoever plays. 

Edited March 24, 2016 by 3spirit

[Neil Baker]

I think the term dead rubber is in terms of it makes little difference to the future, i.e we will be at step 3 next season.

 

Let me tell you now, the players are still fighting and want to win games, and I don't like using the term unlucky, but we have seriously been unlucky not to be sitting here with at least another 8 points at least since the Frome game, as we have been dominant in the vast majority of the games, and not deserved to lose one of them.

 

That is not blindness, just fact, we do stats at every game, in terms of crosses into box, shots on goal, and corners, and with the exception of Weymouth and Hungerford where both were very even, we have been miles out in front on all these stats, with the only important one not being out in front on the goals for column.

 

I challenge anyone who was at Frome, St Neots and Bideford to say that we were not completely dominant in all 3 games, and that we did not deserve to win.

 

The crazy thing is we have been playing some great stuff also, some of the interchange on a bumpy pitch at Bideford was really good to watch.

 

The word from us in the changing room, and it is a serious one,  you need to keep performing if you want to be involved with us next season, some will do that some may not, but that is a decision that we will make in the summer.

 

We just need to translate these performances into points now, however this weekend is probably as tough as you can get with both teams who will go very close to play offs if

[Irishadrian]

ReadingRebel Not my original words just repeating what has been said quite often recently Even though we are safe and nowhere near the playoffs I still think there are mini targets we could pursue  I suggested a few days ago that we try to end up with more w ins than losses or even an equal number  we could also aim to get a positive or neutral GD Your second sentence is interesting  perhaps some have decided they dont want to be with Slough next season? Im confident that during the summer our managers will assemble a stronger squad to take to the new ground.

[A Rebel and a Saint]

First half we were dominant, as I'm sure the tweets reflect, creating plenty of play in and around the Bideford box.  Second half started more even and then we managed to get sucker punched by two quick goals.  We were then back on top and got a goal from Joe Grant, who came on and looked really useful, even though he was on the end of a pretty shocking tackle from behind at one point.  We should really have been out of sight at half time but I can't really say we worked the keeper as much as our dominance suggested because their number 5 McGrath seemed to be everywhere In the box winning a lot of headers.

As Neil has been saying, these results have not been through not trying, we certainly deserved more from the game.  I was very impressed with Adam New at the back, who looked very solid throughout the match, and also with Joe Grant, especially after the team had to make such a long journey.

Tough games this weekend but we have certainly tightened up at the back in recent games, I'm sure this dry spell in front of goal will not last much longer.

The only thing that did confuse us a little was making the triple sub after 60 mins, and it did look initially after Joe went down injured that it could cost us, but obviously it was a case of giving the 3 travelling subs enough game time to make it worthwhile.

[3spirit]

First half we were dominant, as I'm sure the tweets reflect, creating plenty of play in and around the Bideford box.  Second half started more even and then we managed to get sucker punched by two quick goals.  We were then back on top and got a goal from Joe Grant, who came on and looked really useful, even though he was on the end of a pretty shocking tackle from behind at one point.  We should really have been out of sight at half time but I can't really say we worked the keeper as much as our dominance suggested because their number 5 McGrath seemed to be everywhere In the box winning a lot of headers.

As Neil has been saying, these results have not been through not trying, we certainly deserved more from the game.  I was very impressed with Adam New at the back, who looked very solid throughout the match, and also with Joe Grant, especially after the team had to make such a long journey.

Tough games this weekend but we have certainly tightened up at the back in recent games, I'm sure this dry spell in front of goal will not last much longer.

The only thing that did confuse us a little was making the triple sub after 60 mins, and it did look initially after Joe went down injured that it could cost us, but obviously it was a case of giving the 3 travelling subs enough game time to make it worthwhile.

 

How did Tom Williams play on the night, ARAAS?

[Reading Rebel]

First half we were dominant, as I'm sure the tweets reflect, creating plenty of play in and around the Bideford box.  Second half started more even and then we managed to get sucker punched by two quick goals.  We were then back on top and got a goal from Joe Grant, who came on and looked really useful, even though he was on the end of a pretty shocking tackle from behind at one point.  We should really have been out of sight at half time but I can't really say we worked the keeper as much as our dominance suggested because their number 5 McGrath seemed to be everywhere In the box winning a lot of headers.

As Neil has been saying, these results have not been through not trying, we certainly deserved more from the game.  I was very impressed with Adam New at the back, who looked very solid throughout the match, and also with Joe Grant, especially after the team had to make such a long journey.

Tough games this weekend but we have certainly tightened up at the back in recent games, I'm sure this dry spell in front of goal will not last much longer.

The only thing that did confuse us a little was making the triple sub after 60 mins, and it did look initially after Joe went down injured that it could cost us, but obviously it was a case of giving the 3 travelling subs enough game time to make it worthwhile.

 

 

Although the Bideford goals did seem to coincide with our three substitutions, I have no qualms with it because every player that made the journey deserved to get a game on the night.  

[staines_rebel_Jr]

I think the term dead rubber is in terms of it makes little difference to the future, i.e we will be at step 3 next season.

 

Let me tell you now, the players are still fighting and want to win games, and I don't like using the term unlucky, but we have seriously been unlucky not to be sitting here with at least another 8 points at least since the Frome game, as we have been dominant in the vast majority of the games, and not deserved to lose one of them.

 

That is not blindness, just fact, we do stats at every game, in terms of crosses into box, shots on goal, and corners, and with the exception of Weymouth and Hungerford where both were very even, we have been miles out in front on all these stats, with the only important one not being out in front on the goals for column.

 

I challenge anyone who was at Frome, St Neots and Bideford to say that we were not completely dominant in all 3 games, and that we did not deserve to win.

 

The crazy thing is we have been playing some great stuff also, some of the interchange on a bumpy pitch at Bideford was really good to watch.

 

The word from us in the changing room, and it is a serious one,  you need to keep performing if you want to be involved with us next season, some will do that some may not, but that is a decision that we will make in the summer.

 

We just need to translate these performances into points now, however this weekend is probably as tough as you can get with both teams who will go very close to play offs if

 

 

I do stats during the match whilst on commentary for Adrian so that he can write his report for MYFC and we do often have at least as many shots as the opposition but many of our shots are off target. In the last few games which we have not been scoring many as we haven't had very many "clear cut" chances and very few one on ones. Also most of our crosses don't actually find our players in the box.

 

Another stat in which we are higher than our opposition is fouls.

 

But at the end of the match the ONLY stat which matters is who has scored more goals, just ask Leicester !!!

Edited March 24, 2016 by staines_rebel_Jr

[Neil Baker]

I do stats during the match whilst on commentary for Adrian so that he can write his report for MYFC and we do often have at least as many shots as the opposition but many of our shots are off target. In the last few games which we have not been scoring many as we haven't had very many "clear cut" chances and very few one on ones. Also most of our crosses don't actually find our players in the box.

 

Another stat in which we are higher than our opposition is fouls.

 

But at the end of the match the ONLY stat which matters is who has scored more goals, just ask Leicester !!!

We also record fouls SJR, last 5 or so have been Bideford 18 to our 14, Weymouth 14 to our 10, Hungerford 2 to our 9, St Neots 7 to our 15 and Dunstable was 11 each (Didn't have stats for Frome), so up and down I guess.

 

I would agree we have not hit the target as much as we should have been doing, and that is the only way of making the keeper work, that will be something we need to improve on, however it has only been a recent occurrence, as up to a few weeks back I thought we might finish the league top goalscorers, however we know that we have lost Eddie, Charlie (apart from this weekend) and also Strutts to a degree who was with us 3 months..... and this will hurt a lot of teams.

 

I guess what I was trying to say, is we have been on top territory wise in a number of games recently and been playing well, but as you said just not finished with the thing that matters most, more goals than the opposition.

Edited March 24, 2016 by Neil Baker

[Irishadrian]

Puzzling claims re fouls  Slough were very poor from a disciplinary viewpoint almost all last season  and we started badly this season but I understand that Neil and Jon introduced some form of fiscal penalty system ( correct me if Im wrong) as a result of which we are currently 15th in the FA Fairplay League and almost all of the teams we have played recently are a lot higher (The higher you are the dirtier you are) Dorchester 1st  Paulton 2nd Bedworth 3rd Hungerford 5th Leamington 6th Bideford 9th Frome 10th Weymouth 12thThere will be individual games when we appear to be dirty but the results week on week this season have us as one off the fairest teams for   which the managers desrve some credit..

[staines_rebel_Jr]

Puzzling claims re fouls  Slough were very poor from a disciplinary viewpoint almost all last season  and we started badly this season but I understand that Neil and Jon introduced some form of fiscal penalty system ( correct me if Im wrong) as a result of which we are currently 15th in the FA Fairplay League and almost all of the teams we have played recently are a lot higher (The higher you are the dirtier you are) Dorchester 1st  Paulton 2nd Bedworth 3rd Hungerford 5th Leamington 6th Bideford 9th Frome 10th Weymouth 12thThere will be individual games when we appear to be dirty but the results week on week this season have us as one off the fairest teams for   which the managers desrve some credit..

 

That is only because we don't pick up yellows and reds. most at this level seem to come for verbals rather than the fouls themselves

[staines_rebel_Jr]

Neil and Jon have done a fantastic job stopping our players from getting stupid unnecessary bookings for dissent, there is only one player who still seems to pick yellows up for this.

 

Think back to the Bateman era and how many players got booked for dissent rather than physical fouls and how many suspensions we had and compare it to this season.

[Sloughboy]

I am not a big fan of stats being bandied about... They can be slanted in any way you want! Leicester are nowhere near the top when it comes to various stats and yet they are 5 points clear and no one would deny they look a very good side! It's something to hide behind in my opinion!

 

Fact remains we don't have a striker, no not opening the old wounds from last week but it's being proven right what was said... I like idea of putts up front and Jake wide, has to be worth a look!

 

Agree about dead rubber term, not sure Neil and Jon will have meant it like that or using it like that, players should be playing for their futures at club and in my opinion not that many should be feeling totally secure. ( just my opinion)

 

Tough weekend of games but more likely to do well in them than any sides hear bottom

[Sir Rebel1965]

Here is a stat that cannot be argued with - if you score more goals than the opposition you will get 3 points, if they score more than you, you get none, and if you both end up on the same score you both get a point.

 

When the points are added up at the end of the season the league positions don't lie.

 

So it does not matter how much territory you had, how unlucky you are, how many injuries you picked up, how much effort the players put in, how many fouls were conceded, how many cards were dished out, as none of this counts towards the league position.

 

So with 14 wins, 9 draws and 17 lost, we have picked up 51 points from a possible 120 points and are 15th.

 

There is maybe one very telling stat, and that is there are only 3 teams who have conceded more goals than Slough and we even have let in more than Bideford, so it is a good job we are not measured on this as we would be in a relegation position otherwise.

 

However if it was measured on goals scored we would be pushing for the playoffs!

[Curtis]

Rebel1965,

 

You are obviously old school and of the opinion that statistics in football (or maybe sports in general) are fairly irrelevant.

 

If so (and if you haven't already), it might be of interest to watch a film (or read the book) called Moneyball. The film is specifically about baseball and the use of statistics to maximise the performance of the team on a limited budget.

 

But apparently there are some professional football clubs who are attempting to refine and use the concept.

[Reading Rebel]

Looking at the teams who are vying for the league/play-offs, if we want to be serious players next season, we will have to score roughly the same amount of goals as this season and concede roughly half the number of goals we've conceded this season.  

[staines_rebel_Jr]

Curtis you might want to re-watch money ball as they DONT actually win the championship.