FA Trophy 10th November

[MbrunoB]

Basingstoke Town away.

[4wembleyfinals]

Once again we seem to have draw the short straw. Was hoping for a home tie for a change. Never mind we will have to do it the hard way!!!! 

Edited October 29, 2018 by 4wembleyfinals

[Raingod]

Agree not a great draw - was hoping for a low team!

 

A good friend of mine is a Basingstoke fan so  will be good to catch up with him at the game.

They've had ground and owner problems - likely to be leaving the ground soon so if you havent ever been good time to go ..

They sit mid table so no  reason we can go there and get AT LEAST a draw - especially if we wear our luck red/yellow kit (100% record I believe!)

[4wembleyfinals]

Glad to see RG that your as superstitious as me. 

Last time I went to Basingstoke was pre-Town days, when Peter Taylor was player manager.

[Raingod]

My last trip there was around 96 or 97 .. it was midweek, we played badly, and all I remember is we ate in the pizza express!!

[Tom S]

4 hours ago, Raingod said:

Agree not a great draw - was hoping for a low team!

 

A good friend of mine is a Basingstoke fan so  will be good to catch up with him at the game.

They've had ground and owner problems - likely to be leaving the ground soon so if you havent ever been good time to go ..

They sit mid table so no  reason we can go there and get AT LEAST a draw - especially if we wear our luck red/yellow kit (100% record I believe!)

Don't Basingstoke play in yellow?

[Raingod]

Good point ... blue with yellow trim ....

[4wembleyfinals]

It will be interesting to see how the paying management approach our set up this week. 

The reason for my remark is that I note that the top three teams in the country, all unbeaten so far, are playing 4-3-3. It is also reported that many top teams in Europe have decided to drop having only one striker. 

I tend to think that, talking about systems, is an over used indulgence by the so called  "Pundits" , and many reporters,  to create their own self importance by complicating what is really a simple game. For my part I don't care what you call the system we play.That said, however, I would be happier to see us try something different once in a while rather our rigid adherence to one way which we currently play. That is a job for the coach, or in our case coaches, to come up with a plan to beat the opposition. 

Even the correspondent for the Bostic League, this weekend, hinted that our inability to turn draws into wins is making us  lose ground. Perhaps now is a suitable time to try some change, considering the week we are in, and adopt the motto " He who dares wins". As I said many times before, 3 wins in 5 games is better than 1 win and 4 Draws. In 15 games your 6 points better off although the latter gives you no losses.

[4wembleyfinals]

Ooops !! meant to say PLAYING MANAGEMENT.

[Theodopolous]

He kinds of dabbles with the 4-3-3 when he pushes Taffe/Parcell and Greene forward wide but unfortunately AL can't seem to do it and relieve them of there defensive duties... we need Greenes energy up front where he could do damage but half the game he is in the left back spot... when we break out the midfield only have Billy up front to aim for most the time.... to be honest I don't think it's in the managers football DNA to adopt a who dares wins approach... whats Kevin Keegan up to these days ....

[4wembleyfinals]

Your probably right Thoe, but having got at last a real proven striker a system has to be devised to assist him to play to his full potential. I don't mean everyone charging up front but someone to bear part of his load.

I know it's hard to criticise when we have the highest goal difference in the league. But it is our win/draw ratio which is the point of my argument. Our results from the next few weeks fixtures are going to be a telling point.

 

 

 

 

Edited November 8, 2018 by 4wembleyfinals

[Theodopolous]

I agree with you 4WF... yes we have put 12 past two weak teams but we are also not winning games we should... and Billy is not getting the support... it's the Greene thing that really bugs me though coz not only is he wasted for a lot of the game it also encourages the oppo to throw men forward when we have ten men defending... stick him up front and give the opposition a problem... do they take a chance and leave him one on one which is what we want or do they leave an extra man back to double up on him thus nullifying their attacking options....as it is we just encourage the opposition to attack in numbers knowing we only have one striker isolated.... let's play to our strengths rather than setting up to nullify the oppositions.... 

[Raingod]

I agree - valid points 4WF & Theo on Bricknell & Greene... both fantastic players that we are not yet consistently getting the best out of.

So, really excited about tomorrow's game .. few interesting snippets on the Basingstoke forum about tomorrow:

 

1 The Pitch:

"Hi all have been down to check the pitch this morning all looking good after wednesdays 24mm rain.
The ground staff have worked hard cutting and rolling pitch.
Looks like a fast pitch at the moment but the problem is rain due this evening and lots of it.
Hope its game on."

2 They have a "new" manager -  Terry Brown (after Jason Bristow’s decision to take a larger role at Eastleigh Town mid week) back in the reins - will this hamper their preparations?

3 Our Squad ?

It says "Enfield Town, announced that Defender Taofiq Olomowewe has been recalled by Wealdstone and will therefore not be in the Towners squad."

I assume this is an error and someone has wrongly googled something from last season? Isn't Taofiq our player fully now?

And will Dan Rumens be suspended tomorrow? If so we are down to  2 fit centre backs so assume we'll put one of our young defenders on the bench? (BTW whatever happened to George QC?)

Expecting a similar line up to last Saturday, but with Blackman back in the team, and will be happy to come away unbeaten.

Despite the yellow trim of the Basingstoke kit, can we play in our lucky red/yellow kit again??!!

Now going to watch Mark Kirby on national TV (small bet on 100/1 for Kirby 1st goal & Haringey win!)

Up the Town!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[DerekR]

16 mins:

 Basingstoke Town 0-1 ETFC   Lewis Taaffe

Edited November 10, 2018 by DerekR
correct name

[DerekR]

HT:

BTFC 0-1 ETFC

[DerekR]

66mins:

BTFC 1-1 ETFC

 

Att: 310

[The Crowing Cockerel]

66 mins:

Basingstoke Town 1-1 ETFC

(BTFC twitter attributes goal to Joe Wright after a cross slips through his fingers and into the net)

[old towner]

2-1 down  that's that all over

 

total prize money this season a very poor £3250

 

[The Crowing Cockerel]

90+ mins:

Basingstoke Town 2-1 ETFC

BTFC break and score.

FT.

As they say: we can concentrate on the league now.

Not a lucrative year as a result of the major cup competitions.

[4wembleyfinals]

Makes sad reading. Once again we seem to drop off in the last third of the game.

Will just have to wait and see what happens for the rest of the season. For what it's worth I have given my views on what I would like to see but do not hold out much hope for change. As I believe someone else said, Al's DNA does not allow him to accept that he may have to think another way.

The results of the next few games will have a bearing on the outcome of the season. 

Edited November 10, 2018 by 4wembleyfinals