Slough v Woking 17th November 2018

[GlenSTFC]

That’s a harsh and quite negative reflection, you obviously forget what leagues these 2 sides were competing in last season! We’ve just come up so you can’t expect us to automatically be as good as seasoned teams like Woking who have been at the top of the tree for a while. Take away the soft goal and first 30 minutes I thought we competed on a par with them and a draw would have been a fair result. To me that shows how far we’ve come in a short space and gives much encouragement for the remainder of the season as we gain more confidence and experience of this league. If we can play like we did second half and be a little more ruthless I think we’ll beat Sutton United.

[Sir Rebel1965]

Pity some people live in the past.

[3spirit]

9 minutes ago, GlenSTFC said:

That’s a harsh and quite negative reflection, you obviously forget what leagues these 2 sides were competing in last season! We’ve just come up so you can’t expect us to automatically be as good as seasoned teams like Woking who have been at the top of the tree for a while. Take away the soft goal and first 30 minutes I thought we competed on a par with them and a draw would have been a fair result. To me that shows how far we’ve come in a short space and gives much encouragement for the remainder of the season as we gain more confidence and experience of this league. If we can play like we did second half and be a little more ruthless I think we’ll beat Sutton United.

No, it's not harsh. It's your interpretation of what I've said.

I said I thought we deserved a draw but didn't do enough to win.

I agree, we have to measure that we have stepped up a league and Woking have come down but we shouldn't be in awe of that.

To our managers credit we matched Woking in terms of possession and shutting them down but as Unders said 'we didn't have a great first half ' which I agree with him about, as our midfield had trouble coping with theirs. However, we were still very much in the game at half time.

I just happen to view our attacking play in the second half  'as not much to write home about'.  Woking weren't any better in this department either. 

So I don't see that as a harsh,negative reflection, as you insinuate,Glen, it's probably just, you are more easily pleased than I am.

 

[Jafooly]

47 minutes ago, 3spirit said:

Agree totally with how you viewed the game SloughFlyer. I was underwhelmed by Woking and thought Slough made hard work of it. We missed Dobbo without a doubt,as we had no one who would do the unorthodox, and so our play was the usual run down the line and play the long cross to the largely untroubled Woking centre halves, or we resorted to the short midfield passing/interplay on the edge of the box with no penetration on goal.

Our forwards were easy meat for them yesterday, yet saying that,though, our team did get chances but failed to take them.Problem was, we were very predictable in what we were trying to do.However, I still thought we deserved a point from the game. Trouble is we weren't deserving of the three points on offer.

The goal we conceded to Woking was a soft one to give away, as the ball across the box had a low trajectory and no Slough marker got anywhere near to the Woking player, who then had free reign to head into the net. Disappointing to give away that goal but I consoled myself that we were only one goal down at half time and still had enough time to get something from the game.

It's a shame we've had to play Woking so near to the Sutton replay, as that certainly hasn't helped the cause to get a positive result from Woking but perhaps that's just making an excuse from not getting something from the game yesterday.

The truth is we created little in the way of clear cut chances in the second half and even our substitutes made little impact,so the game just fizzled out. Oh,for a spark of invention !    Louis Soares can not be blamed for our defeat but as an impact substitute he offered little and from the games I've seen of him this season have been disappointed with his lack of creativity, to an extent where I think we ought to look for someone else. It's never easy to be a substitute and come on and change the game but I think Manny Williams would have been better on the wing, than what Louis Soares offered.         I expect Manny is being saved for the Sutton match.

How Wazza got man of the match,I don't know? Not saying he didn't try, as he always does but the confidence to take the ball and run into the penalty area to trouble opposition defenders, wasn't there yesterday.

Ben Harris is money for old rope as far as I'm concerned.We're moaning about Woking players going to ground easy,how many times does Ben fall over or dive? When he stays on his feet and put's his mind to it, he isn't a bad player ! but he's certainly a frustrating player to watch, as currently he's offering more things negatively than he does positively.  

I'm peed off losing to Woking on our home patch,as I remember the momentous games we've had with them at Wexham Park and Kingfield in the past,and it's been twenty long years since we've played them.

How we were crying out for a Thommo or Clive Walker yesterday to make the game come alive. To me yesterday's game failed to ignite, despite the very good turnout by the fans.  Hope the Sutton game gives us better.

Had to double check who wrote this as I never remember Kirk rambling on for so long.

[GlenSTFC]

Of course you’re being harsh maybe read what you wrote! Why don’t you think back just for a minute and visualise where our club was 5 years ago... yesterday would have been a dream! Just try and be more realistic and not expect so much too soon. 

Edited November 18, 2018 by GlenSTFC

[Reading Rebel]

The difference is Kirk is mostly always negative with an underlying agenda.

 

[3spirit]

5 minutes ago, GlenSTFC said:

Of course you’re being harsh maybe read what you wrote! Why don’t you think back just for a minute and visualise where our club was 5 years ago... yesterday would have been a dream! Just try and be more realistic and not expect so much too soon. 

I still don't believe I'm being harsh. For me it has nothing to do with where we were five years ago,ten years ago.fifteen years ago,twenty years ago etc etc. All I'm talking about is yesterdays game [and the second half in particular], no more no less, it's got nothing to do with being realistic. I think the Slough squad have exceeded expectations so far this season, though, with the cautious caveat added, that we still have someway to go.

I'm well aware how far we have come under Bakes and Unders stewardship and I'm not knocking them at all .

All I'm stating is what was apparent from my angle watching the game. It seems to me that some on the forum are allowed to say anything and some are not but that won't stop me expressing my opinion, when I see fit, as that is what a football forum is about.

The fact that I've named names in the Slough team, who I didn't think did enough, doesn't matter a jot. All football fans have opinions on what they see from players. Bakes and Unders make up their own mind on players.

So GlenSTFC, I am very happy to be playing Woking again, after all these years under the bridge but that doesn't mean we should make excuses, for why we lost to them yesterday.  The fact is, we lost because we didn't create enough to win !                                                                           

NB, it is only one derby game, not the end of a season which I do know the difference on.

 

[Jafooly]

14 hours ago, Reading Rebel said:

Fantastic support today, puts us in 5th place with an average attendance one short of 1,000.

Our average league attendance this season is 940.

 

Roughly a 41% increase on last season. (Last season was 666)

[SloughFlyer]

Glen - it should never me understated how far we have come in the last 5 year's under Jon and Neil, but I'm not sure what relevance that has to yesterday's results. Nor what league the teams were playing in last season.

Im a bit more positive (as much as one can be after a loss) than 3spirit, as I believe we more than competed with them. Had we have taken our chances we would have won the game.

Whilst I agree with having realistic expectations, the results we have had this season should have lead us to expect at least a  point from yesterday, and I believe the performance (with perhaps a bit more luck) could have lead to 3.

3spirit - agree totally about missing Dobbo and his creative ability. Ben Harris certainly is a marmite type player, and I actually like Marmite quite a bit LOL. I'd like to see some more goal scoring output from him moving forwards though. I would also question Warren Harris as Mom, I thought there were some better deserving candidates than him (although I agree he had a decent game and that's not a knock on him). I also agree about Louis Soares, I'd certainly like to see a bit more impact from him off the bench in those types of games.

I still believe there were lots of positives to take from yesterday and plenty to learn as well. Hopefully those lessons will be learnt quickly and we can finish the job we started 10 days ago at Sutton on Tuesday.

[GlenSTFC]

What??? It’s relevant because some fans seemingly expect us to beat a team who have a superior fan base, finance and recent league history to us! So in your mind it doesn’t make any difference that these 2 teams were leagues apart just a year ago but now a narrow defeat is not acceptable? 

Edited November 18, 2018 by GlenSTFC

[Mark44]

13 minutes ago, SloughFlyer said:

Glen - it should never me understated how far we have come in the last 5 year's under Jon and Neil, but I'm not sure what relevance that has to yesterday's results. Nor what league the teams were playing in last season.

Im a bit more positive (as much as one can be after a loss) than 3spirit, as I believe we more than competed with them. Had we have taken our chances we would have won the game.

Whilst I agree with having realistic expectations, the results we have had this season should have lead us to expect at least a  point from yesterday, and I believe the performance (with perhaps a bit more luck) could have lead to 3.

3spirit - agree totally about missing Dobbo and his creative ability. Ben Harris certainly is a marmite type player, and I actually like Marmite quite a bit LOL. I'd like to see some more goal scoring output from him moving forwards though. I would also question Warren Harris as Mom, I thought there were some better deserving candidates than him (although I agree he had a decent game and that's not a knock on him). I also agree about Louis Soares, I'd certainly like to see a bit more impact from him off the bench in those types of games.

I still believe there were lots of positives to take from yesterday and plenty to learn as well. Hopefully those lessons will be learnt quickly and we can finish the job we started 10 days ago at Sutton on Tuesday.

I'm not sure how you've worked that out?

If I look at the top 10 as it stands we have now played 6 of them, having won 1 drawn 2 and lost 3

Against the rest we have played 10 winning 6 drawing 1 and losing 3

So yes, we are competing and its fantastic to see but lets not get ahead of ourselves just yet.....

I actually think the last 5 years are very important, Neil & Jon are also on a learning curve having never managed at this level, having had a squad capable of promotion to Step 3, it tooks a few years of understanding that league and adapting the squad to compete and then become successful.......It will take a bit of time but I'm more than confident they will do the same at step 2

[SloughFlyer]

Glen - What makes you think I thought it wasn't acceptable? I thought the better side lost the game yesterday, based on the performance of yesterday. My expectation heading into the game was that it would be a tough one, and it was, but I thought the 4 we had cleared off the line and the couple of good saves their keeper made gave us more than enough to beat them.

And no, to yesterdays game it makes no difference at all that they were a conference national side last season and we were in the southern prem. As we proved at Gainsborough last season when we were actually 1 league lower than then and nailed them for 6. It's about how you perform game to game, recent form and overall performance levels. I certainly didn't think that Woking looked like a side that were "2 leagues better than us" last season. I also didn't think they were the best side we have played this season. All of that is a testament to how well Jon and Neil have the team playing and the overall ability of the squad we have now, nothing to do with what happened last year or 20 years ago.

Edited November 18, 2018 by SloughFlyer

[SloughFlyer]

Mark - the reason I draw (please excuse the pun) that conclusion is because even in the 3 games against the top 10 we have lost, we have competed with each one of them and not been "outdone". I felt going into yesterday that a draw was on the cards due to the performances and levels we have reached this season thus far and I thought the way we performed against them, we were certainly good enough for a draw at least. I also don't think that was an unrealistic expectation. Perhaps some do and think, like my Dad did, that we would get stuffed 4-0, but that didn't happen either. Out of interest, what did you expect to happen yesterday?

[Irishadrian]

IMO the most relevant info is the most recent Before kickoff yesterday Woking had played 16 league games In the first 8 they got 21/24 points(only a Matt Lench penalty spoiled a perfect start) in the second 8 they struggled to get 10/24  They didn't turn up yesterday full of confidence The main theme on their social media recently has been "what's gone wrong?" We lost as most accept due to failure to convert chances Our defence was as good as ever Why do you think last years leagues are relevant? Woking came down because they weren't good enough to stay higher we went up because we proved ourselves too good for the league we were in  I said I'd be disappointed if we didn't get a point and I am I hope some of the lads have allowed the excitement and potential of the FA Cup to distract them and there will be an optimum performance on Tuesday and a Rebel victory!

[GlenSTFC]

There were about 8 places between us and Gainsborough so that argument has no merit.

[SloughFlyer]

Ok, we played West Brom last year and beat them 2-1.

Your comment about it not having relevance is spot on, but not for why you think it is. Irishadrian is spot on.

[GlenSTFC]

9 minutes ago, SloughFlyer said:

Glen - What makes you think I thought it wasn't acceptable? I thought the better side lost the game yesterday, based on the performance of yesterday. My expectation heading into the game was that it would be a tough one, and it was, but I thought the 4 we had cleared off the line and the couple of good saves their keeper made gave us more than enough to beat them.

And no, to yesterdays game it makes no difference at all that they were a conference national side last season and we were in the southern prem. As we proved at Gainsborough last season when we were actually 1 league lower than then and nailed them for 6. It's about how you perform game to game, recent form and overall performance levels. I certainly didn't think that Woking looked like a side that were "2 leagues better than us" last season. I also didn't think they were the best side we have played this season. All of that is a testament to how well Jon and Neil have the team playing and the overall ability of the squad we have now, nothing to do with what happened last year or 20 years ago.

Probably where you wrote “expect at least a point...”

Just now, SloughFlyer said:

Ok, we played West Brom last year and beat them 2-1.

Your comment about it not having relevance is spot on, but not for why you think it is. Irishadrian is spot on.

Now you’re comparing friendlies against youth sides to the biggest competitive games in a season? 

[SloughFlyer]

Glen - what about when we be at Hereford at their place? Are you starting to see how last season's results are irrelevant to this one? 

 

[Irishadrian]

I think the salient point about the Gainsborough game wasn't that we won but that the margin  with us the away team was so large  The top teams in their own league weren't turning them over like that!

[kirk]

I think we were unlucky not to have won the game, having said that, why was our top goal score on the bench second week running and Matty not been rotated at -all.Also seems to me(I might be wrong)Warren does not get rotated as much as others...Still role on Sutton I feel a win coming on.

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