Enfield Town v Metropolitan Police

[Steph1]

I looked back over the posts and you are right in your posts.

 

"Along with the two previous comments I have recently heard from a reliable source that our new manager " can be a bit short on personality" but by admission from the same source has large contacts amongst our level of non-league football. Also that some other candidates may have had better credentials but little experience with working with in the parameters of our team budget.

 

In these circumstances the decision has been made and we can only await the outcome. After all it could have been Ricky's previous manager!!!!!!!"

 

To which ex Meadowender replied,

 

"He has an amazing little black book of non-league contacts. I'm concerned that he gets too emotional and it tends to cloud his tactical thinking. Would be an excellent coach alongside a level-headed manager but watch out for run ins with opposition managers and officials that cost games."

 

And your reply,

 

"What you say sounds familiar and I agree with you but, even if we could afford it, I don't think he would appreciate working as a number "2". It depends if he lets Darren Purse coach. After all hasn't he got his UAFA "A" Badge. Not that many of those are in this
country?"

 

Now my view, for what it is worth, after watching 2 friendlies and the opening 3 games in the league is that results have not been as good as I would have expected but it is early days. I would still like to know what happened at Heybridge as that was a better indicator of our early season form than the other friendlies.

 

However I have seen improvement in every game and we certainly play better after the half time team talk than we do earlier in the game. The substitutions on Saturday worked and brought us back to level pegging. There has been criticism of the defence but a defence that is under pressure for 75% of the game is bound to concede goals. Our forwards and midfield do not hold the ball and attacks break down too frequently and not by goal kicks or passes back to the keeper but in the third of the pitch between the half way line and our opponent's back line. When this happens defenders will be under pressure. Our forwards and midfield should not loose the ball so easily. I think this is due to the fact that they have played at a lower level and are not used to the lack of space that comes about when you rise up the football pyramid. One hopes they will learn but the first thing they have to do is start playing together as a team and not as individuals.

 

I also think that we have had a worse management team than this one, the initials SM stand out for me.

[townendleftside]

I thought on Tuesday we were simply outplayed by a far superior Hendon team; they moved the ball quickly , were well organized, had pace and a real threat up front and had two excellent full-backs who defended well and looked to overlap / join -up when the time was right. No problem with that. I left thinking 1. What an amazing job Hendon do building those sides on what must be a limited budget. 2. On the basis of that game maybe Joe Wright, Sam and Micky may have got in their 16.

Saturday was a totally different situation. Met -Police were limited and workman like at best. We failed to win purely because of the way we were 'set up'. Andy decided to play a ' Back 3' . The game as we know is all about opinions but that's not a formation that works outside of the elite level , let alone Step 3 of Non League game and especially if none of the ' 3 ' has any pace at all and can't defend on the half-turn. If we set up like that against a side like Dulwich we will get torn apart.

[littlehampton]

Totally agree with Steph1 and townendleftside's comments. We now know the size of the task facing our management team after BQ's legacy.

In an earlier post 4WF thinks "we need a minimum of 4 points next weekend to show progress". Progress compared with what I ask?

Just in case progress is being measured against early season results achieved by BQ's settled teams, during the past two seasons, the following findings, based on the opening seven league matches, might surprise even our most sceptical supporter(s).

2015-16 Season

First seven league matches (4 home, 3 away) we won 1, drew 1, and lost 5, which yielded 4 points. We scored 2 goals and conceded 10.

2016-17 Season

First seven league matches (3 home, 4 away) we won 1, drew 2, and lost 4, which yielded 5 points. We scored 5 goals and conceded 6.

2017-18 Season

So far we have played three league matches (2 home, 1 away) drawn 2 and lost 1, which have yielded 2 points. We have scored 5 goals and conceded 8.


With four more league matches to play, before we can make a straight comparison with the previous two seasons, another 5 points from a possible 12 would imply progress and improvement for our new team, compared with early starts in the past two seasons.

On and off the pitch everyone is working hard to make our club a success. They deserve our support.

Agree guys?  What do you think?




 

[4wembleyfinals]

<p>Thank LS for your reasoned and unemotional comments. Keep up the good work.<br />

<br />

Unlike you, our friend LH, does not seem to give me the courtesy of reading what I have actually written and who seems to be only hell bent on p<u>oint scoring </u>by turning my question into a statement. ( In view of his tirade "PUN intended")<br />

<br />

If he had he read my last two submissions with out bias he would see, the first ask him a question in the final paragraph. The second only being a correction, as an addendum, to that paragraph.<br />

<br />

Instead he goes into long comparisons regarding previous seasons, as if I am unaware.<br />

 </p>

<p>Obviously I am not one of the " guys " or a confident of "Andy", as he seems to be, so  why do I bother !!!!!!!!!<br />

 </p>

<p>But perhaps he could answer my question.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>( On a more serious note, in other circumstances, a note for the future to missquote some one in parenthesis constitutes a  libel ....</p>

<p>Just kidding but a little tip for the future)<br />

<br />

 </p>

Edited August 21, 2017 by 4wembleyfinals

[lovely stuff]

We shouldn't be bickering between ourselves..We are all true supporters who want the best for the club.No one person's viewpoint is more valid than the next..Some are unhappy with what they have seen so far this season.Other feel it is going to take more time to get things right ..But we all want the club and its new manager to be successful.I will continue to praise when i see good things and also continue to highlight things that i feel are not up to the level we expect.Constructive criticism can be invaluable sometimes.Just as positive optimism can also be.Between the pessimists and the optimists i think we have got a good handle on the current situation.

[4wembleyfinals]

Don't know what happened to my last submission my PC seems to be on the blink.

 

But I am with you LS and also Steph1 who seem to be on the side of reason. I will try to keep to the same standard in future

Edited August 21, 2017 by 4wembleyfinals

[MTHead]

Keep calm and play on..... Agreed not good at the present, but AL is experienced manager, give him time I'm confident he will get it right. He must see what we all see. He has forgotten more than most of us know about football. Give him time, and remember the dreadful games under BQs reign, but he got it right in the end.

 

Keep calm and stop bickering, show some trust in the Board and new management team... We appointed them let them get on with it.

[littlehampton]

Great post MTHead. Sure everyone will agree with your comments.

[4wembleyfinals]

My last word on this subject LH.Still haven't got your answer to my question?

 

Come put your head above the parapet for once do you agree or not that this weeks results will show if we are making progress? We then can all move on.

Edited August 21, 2017 by 4wembleyfinals

[MTHead]

This is a bit meaningless, what is progress ? What are you comparing with ? We have come a long way in our short history, we are now competing against well financed clubs. History tells us that lots of clubs emerge with good backing but many retreat when the backing ends. ETFCs philosophy was developed with good intent but it does restrict our progress up the pyramid as we are financed by supporters trust and loyalty and not by being a plaything of a rich local business owner. This model of a community based, supporter backed club provides a sustainable future providing we are run of financially prudent lines. We have made fantastic progress through the pyramid but there comes a point where further progress is very difficult and in fact consolidation could, indeed be seen as progress.

 

Keep the faith we've got the right model for our club, let's keep calm and consolidate the progress already made.

[4wembleyfinals]

I agree with what you say MTHead but my comments were not about the club in general but the about the standard of play by the current squad.

 

How ever LH infers I am disloyal by commenting on the standard of play from the team so far this season. Does he say the same about others who obviously have a similar view to mine. LS had some strong observations on the 19th AUg, which in my view were justified.

 

My fear is that it was similar complacent people that allowed the previous club to fall.

 

But then there will always be some who see the emperors cloths!!!!

 

But didn't Bill Shankley say " to some football if more than life it's self "

 

I believe a club is more than important than any individual. QED

Edited August 21, 2017 by 4wembleyfinals

[Benjrider10]

It's still early days - definitely a work in progress but it is important that we don't over-react. I read this forum regularly and it's the same 20 or so regular contributors. With crowds between 300 and 500, whose to say that we are representative?!

 

Met Police was the first game I have got to this season and I'm still not quite sure what to make of it. For starters, I need to go by numbers as I still can't remember half the names of this almost entirely new squad. So, here's my tuppence-worth:

 

1) goalkeeper: looked solid and wasn't at fault for any of the 4 goals.

 

2) back four: the Met Police left winger had an absolute field day. We stood off him, allowed him to run and he punished us twice. Same story on the other wing. Definite room for improvement. Darren Purse (I worked out who he was) showed excellent positioning and calm authority, but needs someone with pace playing alongside him. The no. 4, Bartlett, had (in my opinion) a dreadful game. Good in the air but played most balls out of defence long, high and to nobody in particular. Did try to keep the ball on the deck in the second half but I don't think I have ever seen such lack of pace in a centre back.

 

For me, we need Parcell to play as right wing back and he needs an extended run in the team in that position. I don't see him as a midfielder. Good ball winner but distribution can let him down. He would solidify the defence and help when we go forward with his pace and stamina.

 

3) midfield: I was encouraged. I agree with earlier posts re our numbers 7 and 8. 7 (Greene) looked threatening going forward, showed good pace and dribbling skills and put in some excellent crosses. Definite plus bringing him in. 8 (Youngs) looked a very good player indeed. Very skilful, combative, turned well - reminded me of Scott Parker. If he carries on playing like that, he will be player of the season. Very impressed.

 

4) front three: I thought the two "fast" forwards (Gabriel and Blake) worked hard and I think both will get chances. Remains to be seen how clinical they will be - if Blake had scored the 1 on 1 shortly before half time (after which Met Police broke and scored themselves), we may have had a very different second half. Not convinced by Thomas - yes he scored, but I didn't think he led the line very well. Good in the air but looked clumsy on the ground and, more worrying, I didn't see any of the link-up play that I guess I took for granted with Ottaway. Jury still out and I hope he proves my first impression wrong.

 

Entertaining game but difficult to argue that Met Police didn't play the better football. They left us chasing shadows for much of the game - but then we kept giving them the ball.

 

Big shout out to the fans behind the goal in the second half when we went 1-3 down. They really made a difference and I'm sure the players benefited from it.

 

I would say we are about 3 players away from having a starting 11 that can compete. If we get those players in (and a couple out), plus a couple of tweaks to the defence, I think we will end up solid mid-table. Considering we have practically a brand new squad in just 6 weeks, I will happily take mid-table at the end of the season (and a cup run or two!!!). Apologies to Lovely Stuff etc. if they just choked on their cornflakes

 

Was disappointed not to see Ryan Blackman and hope he gets a game while I am in country.

 

Keep the faith - we've hardly started. It's not as if our starts in the last 3 seasons have been any better!!

[PocketRocket]

Everyone get down to Donkey Lane on BH Monday v's Harlow Town and let's back the boys up big time . It takes time to gel and tweak correctly but it will come,

[4wembleyfinals]

Best report I have read B10 for ages. Your analysis was spot on.

 

I look forward to reading more from you before, from what you write, you go abroad. It's so great to get a balanced and an unbiased view from a purely footballing perspective.

 

No doubt you will be criticised by some for your comments on Bartlett but I am afraid what you say is unfortunately true.

Edited August 22, 2017 by 4wembleyfinals

[4wembleyfinals]

Ooops!!  B10 I think we both meant Bartley.

 

Apologies to Mr Bartlett who ever you are, but if you can play central defence and have some pace could you contact the club soon!!!

[andyetfc]

I wasn't at the game on Saturday, but well said Ben. I just hope people don't pick holes in everything he wrote. Probably will do though.

 

When we only had the report of games in the Gazette, we only had one view of a game. Now, with modern technology, we have managers and reporters coming out of our ears! Yes, everyone has their opinions and expectations, and they won't be the same, but at the end of the day it's up to the management to get the best out of the players who can then play decent football and get results we all want.

 

I still don't believe we are any different to any other club when it comes to managers and players. They will come and go and will kiss the badge until someone offers them more money. Let's just see what happens during the next few weeks and hopefully we will have a better idea of how the manager is coping with the resources he has.

 

Respect peoples' views and enjoy your football.

[andyetfc]

More changes as I type. It will take time.

 

http://www.enfieldtownfootballclub.co.uk/news/player-movements-1951657.html

[Steph1]

You type slowly?