Kettering at home 2nd May 2018 19.45 Play-off Semi-Final

[Radders]

Oh and my line up would be;

 

Turner

Fraser day Nisbet wells

W. Harris Togwell Davies Dobson

Flood Coles

 

3 of Williams, b. Harris, Dunn, lench on the bench with Jackman and Hollis.

[redwine rebel]

Well that's made me laugh on a Monday morning thanks radders XXX

[Reading Rebel]

Just watched a video with Kettering's assistant manager on their Twitter feed discussing Wednesday's game.

 

He re-emphasized what we all know that Kettering are very much a front foot/attacking team who are very strong in the air at corners, set pieces etc and have scored umpteen goals this season from these situations.

 

I'm not saying we are weak in these situations but we are not the biggest in the air and we do tend to give teams opportunities to score so we'll have to be on our guard.

Edited April 30, 2018 by Reading Rebel

[Mark44]

Will no doubt be a very close match......my team would be:

 

Turner

 

Smart  Day Nisbet  Wells

 

W.Harris  Davies  Togwell  Dobson

 

Flood  Coles

 

 

Bench - Dunn, B.Harris, Williams, Fraser, Lench (Blimey what a bench)

 

 

I think Ben Harris is not quite 100% and you cannot overlook Coles form of late. Also gone for Smart and Day over Hollis & Fraser as I feel they are better suited against the likes of Howe and O Connor 

[3spirit]

Just watched a video with Kettering's assistant manager on their Twitter feed discussing Wednesday's game.

 

He re-emphasized what we all know that Kettering are very much a front foot/attacking team who are very strong in the air at corners, set pieces etc and have scored umpteen goals this season from these situations.

 

I'm not saying we are weak in these situations but we are not the biggest in the air and we do tend to give teams opportunities to score so we'll have to be on our guard.

 

Interesting points.

Jack Turner has been phenomenal for us this season but if he has a weakness to his all round game,then I would say it is his coming out to gather crosses at corners. Thought he was unusually hesitant against Royston in this regard. So I hope Trent works with him on this when practising tonight 

The good thing is Jack doesn't seem a shrinking violet when it comes to the big games and in general,he is as good a keeper as anyone in this division. So le's hope he has a blinder, if Kettering find a way through.

 

My team for the Kettering match would be

 

                               Turner

 

        Fraser       Hollis     Nisbet    Wells

 

       W.Harris   Togwell   Lench    Dobson

 

                         Flood   B.Harris

 

Subs: Coles, Day, Williams, Davies, Jackman.

 

Attendance: 1,467  !      Score 2-1 to Slough

Edited April 30, 2018 by 3spirit

[Reading Rebel]

Interesting points.

Jack Turner has been phenomenal for us this season but if he has a weakness to his all round game,then I would say it is his coming out to gather crosses at corners. Thought he was unusually hesitant against Royston in this regard. So I hope Trent works with him on this when practising tonight 

The good thing is Jack doesn't seem a shrinking violet when it comes to the big games and in general,he is as good a keeper as anyone in this division. So le's hope he has a blinder, if Kettering find a way through.

 

My team for the Kettering match would be

 

                               Turner

 

        Fraser       Hollis     Nisbet    Wells

 

       W.Harris   Togwell   Lench    Dobson

 

                         Flood   B.Harris

 

Subs: Coles, Day, Williams, Davies, Jackman.

 

Attendance: 1,467  !      Score 2-1 to Slough

 

 

I was thinking more in terms that we are not a big side defensively as a whole rather than just one person. 

[3spirit]

Will no doubt be a very close match......my team would be:

 

Turner

 

Smart  Day Nisbet  Wells

 

W.Harris  Davies  Togwell  Dobson

 

Flood  Coles

 

 

Bench - Dunn, B.Harris, Williams, Fraser, Lench (Blimey what a bench)

 

 

I think Ben Harris is not quite 100% and you cannot overlook Coles form of late. Also gone for Smart and Day over Hollis & Fraser as I feel they are better suited against the likes of Howe and O Connor 

 

Not sure how you can say Smart and Day would be better than  Fraser and Hollis.

Fraser and Hollis are far quicker than the other two.

 

I do think it's a big call,though, at centre back  between Matt, Guy and Nis, in who the central pairing will be.

Nathan may make it at right back but can't see him getting in front of the other three at centre back.

 

I agree with you, Mark44 , about Ben Harris not being quite fit and Perry's super form. It's a tight call who gets the nod to start. I favoured Ben to start because Perry will run and run if he comes on as sub and if it has to go into extra time, whereas Ben will run out of steam, as he isn't up to speed.

 

The other big call is in centre midfield.

Simon Dunn, I thought was blowing hard on Saturday, so for me it would be Togs and Lenchmo to start with the experienced Scott Davies to come on as sub.

I went with Josh Jackman on the bench instead of Simon and Nathan Smart because he is younger,more athletic and  he's coming of age, and being part of a play off game is great experience for his development.

[3spirit]

I was thinking more in terms that we are not a big side defensively as a whole rather than just one person. 

 

I know that, RR, I was just adding my thoughts to your post, that came to me at the time.

 

It does tickle me,though, that since Bakes and Unders arrived on the scene, that fence has firmly been ensconced on your bottom ! ha ha ha !

[Shredding Green]

Confidence is a preference for the team that blew a 2-0 lead against Hereford in time added on of what is known as Park Life.

 

Matches like that during the season will have strengthened Rebels game plans for the play-offs.

 

We do not have the tall men for aerial domination of the midfield and the box from corners. That has been obvious ever since Dulwich Hamlet on 16th. September and I am surprised that it has not been rectified. We will have to rely on our strengths of otherwise strong management, fitness, keeping the ball on the ground, a strong and varied squad with no hierarchy and substitutes as strong as the starting line up and if we get to The Walks on Monday ... when did Kings Lynn last see away support like they will see then?   

[Reading Rebel]

Confidence is a preference for the team that blew a 2-0 lead against Hereford in time added on of what is known as Park Life.

 

Matches like that during the season will have strengthened Rebels game plans for the play-offs.

 

We do not have the tall men for aerial domination of the midfield and the box from corners. That has been obvious ever since Dulwich Hamlet on 16th. September and I am surprised that it has not been rectified. We will have to rely on our strengths of otherwise strong management, fitness, keeping the ball on the ground, a strong and varied squad with no hierarchy and substitutes as strong as the starting line up and if we get to The Walks on Monday ... when did Kings Lynn last see away support like they will see then?   

 

 

Good points SG but you've assumed that if we get to the final we will be playing Kings Lynn.

 

Weymouth will have a say in that and if they win and we win the final will be at AP on the Monday. 

[Reading Rebel]

I know that, RR, I was just adding my thoughts to your post, that came to me at the time.

 

It does tickle me,though, that since Bakes and Unders arrived on the scene, that fence has firmly been ensconced on your bottom ! ha ha ha !

 

 

Apologies for that 3spirit just thought you only meant Jack because you only said his name.

[Reading Rebel]

Not sure how you can say Smart and Day would be better than  Fraser and Hollis.

Fraser and Hollis are far quicker than the other two.

 

I do think it's a big call,though, at centre back  between Matt, Guy and Nis, in who the central pairing will be.

Nathan may make it at right back but can't see him getting in front of the other three at centre back.

 

I agree with you, Mark44 , about Ben Harris not being quite fit and Perry's super form. It's a tight call who gets the nod to start. I favoured Ben to start because Perry will run and run if he comes on as sub and if it has to go into extra time, whereas Ben will run out of steam, as he isn't up to speed.

 

The other big call is in centre midfield.

Simon Dunn, I thought was blowing hard on Saturday, so for me it would be Togs and Lenchmo to start with the experienced Scott Davies to come on as sub.

I went with Josh Jackman on the bench instead of Simon and Nathan Smart because he is younger,more athletic and  he's coming of age, and being part of a play off game is great experience for his development.

 

 

With Kettering having some big players and are particularly strong at crosses and set pieces I think there is a very strong argument for Day, Smart or Jackman over Sean, Guy or Nis.

Edited April 30, 2018 by Reading Rebel

[Shredding Green]

Good points SG but you've assumed that if we get to the final we will be playing Kings Lynn.

 

Weymouth will have a say in that and if they win and we win the final will be at AP on the Monday. 

I did write "if we get to The Walks on Monday" which was supposed to allow for the outcome of both semi-finals.

[3spirit]

With Kettering having some big players and are particularly strong at crosses and set pieces I think there is a very strong argument for Day, Smart or Jackman over Sean, Guy or Nis.

 

It's all about opinions. I would just go for the four defenders that have been pretty much ever present throughout the seaon. Had Guy not been at his sharpest on Saturday, then I might I have plumbed for Matt Day,due to his experience and seeming calmness in tense sitiations but Guy's my man for this one.

To me Guy and Nis seem a better balaced pair than Guy and Matt Day.

 

Think Sean Fraser and Warren Harris work well together on the right flank. They know each others game well.

Josh and Nathan good options for the right back slot but currently think Sean has the edge.

[Irishadrian]

We have to remember that Weymouth are the only team in the semis that KL didn't beat in the league games and they haven't performed well at Arbour Park so a home final with Weymouth is a huge incentive for Wednesday

[kirk]

My team would be Flood and 10 others.To me losing is not an option,after all we are the form team.

[3spirit]

My team would be Flood and 10 others.To me losing is not an option,after all we are the form team.

 

If only form dictated.....

[Shredding Green]

We have to remember that Weymouth are the only team in the semis that KL didn't beat in the league games and they haven't performed well at Arbour Park so a home final with Weymouth is a huge incentive for Wednesday.

Football is a funny game though. KL were the only team to do the double over Hereford although I went to watch another team who nearly did! 

 

Maidenhead United are not even playing on Wednesday evening whilst they have had over 1,300 at home so many times this season when we have had a big match on a Saturday. 

 

I'll go for 1,687 including 375 Poppies and 550 Maidenhead United fans who also like to come and see Rebels. 

[GlenSTFC]

Some say form goes out of the window for these games but surely if you’re on the run we’re on it’s got to count for something? Rather be in form going on into this match than not!

[3spirit]

What's good about these play offs, is that the four teams involved are the best footballing sides in the division,which is not always the case. Slough have as good a chance as anyone.

 

It will very much come down to who holds their nerve and doesn't freeze on the big occasion, and the team that wants it most and are willing to work for each other to get it.

 

All I ask is that we do ourselves justice.

No shame in losing to a better team but don't give any opposition an easy ride. Take our game to them, rather than invite pressure.