Folkestone Invicta v Enfield Town

[lovely stuff]

I think the fact that only one team get relegated this season rather than 3 could mean the board wait until the end of the season before making any changes.

[4wembleyfinals]

You are probably right LS. That is so long as we don't keep on a downwards. Especially as Worthing have only lost one game in their last five. I had hope that we would get something more than we have from our games in hand. But we seem to be using them up rather quickly. 

[behind-the-goal]

A few stats:

 

Yesterday's was our heaviest defeat for three years (since 22 Dec 2014 v. Billericay: 0-5).

 

We’ve now failed to keep a clean sheet in our last 13 league and cup games (last time we had a longer run of conceding goals ended on 11 January 2014).

 

Number of points after 17 league games since we’ve been in the Prem:

 

2012-13: 18 points (Steve Newing’s first season in the Prem)

2013-14: 12 points (After the 16^th game Steve had been sacked. The 17^th game was Peter & Bryan Hammatt’s first as caretaker managers)

2014-15: 24 points (first six games with George Borg: 4 points. Next nine games with Bradley Quinton: 20 points)

2015-16: 24 points (Bradley)

2016-17: 26 points (Bradley)

2017-18: 20 points (Andy)

 

So in summary, the defence is more porous than it's been for the last 3-4 years, and points wise, we've doing a bit better than we did with Steve Newing but not as well as we did with Brad. Glass half empty or half full? Certainly feels half empty, but maybe it's not quite yet time to pull the panic button. (Having said that, feel free to pull the 'tedious and boring football' button.)

[Raingod]

My tuppence worth (not been present at last 2 games):

 

Positives:

- (Consider its a new squad this season)

- AL did change the line up in response to Sat, bringing in Blake and Wales (how did these 2 play?)

- Steph says Tues was an improvement on Saturday

- Yes still unbeaten at Home, best ever FAC run etc

- AL needs to have the season to prove himself (agree with LS - unless relegation became a true risk - and even then I think there would be a player exodus - I remain hopeful and supportive that AL can turn things around

- BTG stats very interesting - however I believe we had a better START to the season than in Brad  years if you ran the data maybe a month earlier?

- I do think there are a core of 7-8 players that we can build around .. eg Joe is the best keeper ever at ETFC in my view

- FWP predicts we will end the season on 56pts and in 14th position (  https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/isthmian-football-league-premier-division/league-table/predicted)

 

But there are plenty of concerns:

- VM says Mickey was only player to come away from Sat with any credit - so why drop him? This is not the 1st time? I would be gutted if Mickey left, and am sure Brad would take him with open arms

- No Liam Hope in the squad yet?? I saw on twitter he is fit and available - so can't understand?

- No subs at half time when 1-3 down?

- Playing style has got worse recently

- 1 point from 9 in last 3 games (and Wingate can feel unlucky it was just a draw)

- in previous years we started slowly but were flying and on form by now - this season we appear to have gone backwards in recent weeks, starting with Royston.

- The table does look worrying - if, as current form would suggest, we lose to Dulwich and Leiston,  our games in hand largely used up. And as pointed out, if Worthing keep their form up and pull away, we are only FIVE points from Harlow in 23rd!!

-  the goal we conceded direct from  a corner on Tues- on twitter Folkestone page there is a video of it - this is basic stuff - we should have had a man on the post, and secondly the player nearest should have thrown himself at it (cant be 100% sure who it is) When I used to run a team in the Edmonton & District league, that lack of effort would have resulted in a substitution immediately. Any signs like this from any player would be unacceptable. Joe Wright's angry reaction is fully justified.

 

So I am still trying to be optimistic about the season and there are some positives - but my optimism has dropped in recent weeks - we need to knuckle down now and move forward as a club.

[Barney]

Excellent summary Raingod.

[vauxhallman]

Brilliant raingod

[CD Towner]

Well said Raingod.

 

We are really lacking some width in our team without Greene also. When is he due back?

 

Why isn’t Liam in the squad if fit? Doesn’t seem to make any sense and we could really do with him to play with Thomas.

 

We seem to be crying out for a centre half or probably 2. If we can get Kirby back playing then maybe just 1 required and Mickey simply has to play, no question.

 

I do agree with other comments that there is the nucleus of a good squad but there are too many others in the squad who aren’t up to scratch I fear.

 

I really hope the squad is shaken up on Saturday as it’s a very tough match up.

[behind-the-goal]

Good post Raingod.As for your request ("I believe we had a better START to the season than in Brad years if you ran the data maybe a month earlier?") I looked at the first 10 league games of each season and you're right: we did.

 

2015-16: 8 points

2016-17: 12 points

2017-18: 15 points

 

But that does rather highlight the fact that we've managed just 5 points in our last 7 games.

 

Anyway, like me (and everyone else I've spoken to) you seem somewhat perplexed at AL's use of Mickey P. so I decided to see what the stats say and they appear to suggest what we all kind of knew: we're better with Mickey.

 

League games played with MP starting: 10. Points gained: 14 (points per match: 1.4).

Games played without MP starting: 7. Points gained: 6 (points per match: 0.9).

That's pretty significant: an extra 0.5 points per game equates to 23 points over the season!

 

And Liam! What the heck's going on there? A total hero who would, at the very, very, very least lift the crowd hasn't even made the bench three games after re-signing. There could at least be a club statement explaining what's happening. He's our record scorer for goodness sake, not someone no-one's ever heard of. I think we deserve to know what the situation is.

 

Anyway, like you RG I think we DO have the basis of a side. It will never happen for obvious reasons, but a side with Wright, Parcell, Kirby, Greene and Moore is one I think any of us would be more than happy to have seen (and AL brought in three of those). There are also two or three others who show signs every now and again, so glass half empty at the moment, but the bar is still open and a top-up isn't completely out of the question. (Just hope we're not humiliated on Saturday!)

COYT!

[behind-the-goal]

Hah! CDT-we were thinking much the dame thing at exactly the same time!

[behind-the-goal]

Sorry: 'same', not 'dame'!!!!!!

[behind-the-goal]

Sorry: 'same', not 'dame'!!!!!!

[CD Towner]

Couldn’t agree more RG!

 

Let’s hope AL reads this forum and its posts. His frequent updates and notes that were regular and well received earlier in the season seem to have dried up so who knows what’s going on!

[4wembleyfinals]

Agree with RG, CD-T and B-T-G,what is going on?

 

I know as mere supporters to some we have little say, ( so much for supporter owned club) but we are also quasi Share Holders.

 

Consequently, I deem it is only a matter of common courtesy that the playing management let us know what is going on or if not them someone on the Board. I feel that we are all entitled to at least to that, otherwise we might as well be a solely owned club!!!!

 

At least it would not hurt them to answer the following simple questions :-

1     Why, after all the hype written by the club hasn't Liam Hope even appeared on the bench?

2     Why does't the club make regular statements particularly, regarding injured players etc , like many other clubs do?

Surely the powers to be can deal with these two mundane queries. It's a well known doctrine in commerce and  known as keeping everyone in the loop. Otherwise the togetherness that has been built up within the club will start to wain amongst the  members. That is unless, from what I read on this forum, it hasn't already begun!!!!!

I hope someone, in whom we have given authority, reads all the above comments on this topic and gives them some thought.

 

I am also hoping to be there on Saturday. It's about time we beat Dulwich and I won't care how we play so long as we don't lose.

 

( Sorry if the above is a bit garbled but my PC is playing up again......well that's my excuse ) 

Edited December 1, 2017 by 4wembleyfinals