Worthing 2-0 Slough Town

[GarySTFC]

Never really got into the game. Their keeper made two great saves when we were 2-0 down and somehow got awarded man of the match for it, but apart from that it was another poor showing from Slough.

 

Was disappointed to see people getting on debutant Lee Riddell's back so early on, it's hardly going to help the lad's confidence.

 

We created little, continued to look suspect to pace on both flanks and through the middle and thoroughly deserved to be beaten despite a healthy travelling contingent who seem hellbent on being punished each week.

 

I'm not quite sure what the missing part is, but something is clearly lacking from the side. Williams certainly wasn't or isn't the answer and should not have come back or been allowed to return. I felt Willow had little influence on the game again today as part of a midfield which wasn't at the races.

 

Still, sadly enough, we'll all be there on Tuesday no doubt <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

[Matt]

I think you hit the nail on the head, we turn up every week, whether it's somewhere local or further away like Worthing, but the result's the same - we end up looking like muppets, wondering why we bothered.

 

When are the players going to do our support justice - not many other non-league clubs in the 'London' area would take 100 fans to places like Lewes and Worthing.

[Ian]

Quote:

Gary-STFC said:
I'm not quite sure what the missing part is, but something is clearly lacking from the side.

Tactical competence in my opinion. Other than the Windsor game I can't recall any team whose players are individually that superior to ours. What we lack is any sort of tactics or ability to play collectively. Once again we made an average team look much better than they were and, in my opinion, that's down to the manager.

On a separate subject, am I the only one who questions what Miller adds to the team? He doesn't score, he doesn't set up goals, he doesn't hold the ball up, he can't cross the ball and he doesn't win headers. Hodgey got booked today out of sheer frustration at having to do all the work himself. I'd rather give Bakishan a run out than Miller on his current form.

[Matt]

Miller seems to have no confidence to dribble and run at defenders. If I was a defender at this level I wouldn't be overly worried if I was marking him - which might sound a bit harsh, but I feel that lately he's contributed little. Hodge is prepared to do everything, but a) he shouldn't have to and he can't. The starting line up should be Boot and Hodge, every time.

[GarySTFC]

Miller works hard and defends from the front, but perhaps needs a rest from the side as he has looked out of sorts for some time now. Boot is more likely to create something from nothing and appears to work better with Hodgey, but he won't really do much for the side in closing down defenders.

 

As for the side, today made it clear with all due respect to Lee Riddell who isn't a right back, we need a pacy right back - we never really replaced Howard. That and some pace down the wings. Haddow looked tired in the second half as he stopped chasing back and has looked better playing in the middle this season rather than the wing. Why not put Steer on the wing and Haddow and Wilkinson in the middle?

[Matt]

Two more things,

 

1) Why the hell take Miller off for Boot when we really needed three strikers out there? (unless he had a little injury)

 

2) Why leave Deaner on the bench (same reasons)

[Ian]

After being fairly critical of Haddow earlier in the season I have to say I was wrong. He's got the potential to be one of our best and most influential players this year and with the lack of creativity we have in the side, I'd play him in the centre. Like Hodgey though, he cannot do it all on his own and needs other players brought in who can help.

[GarySTFC]

I always stick with the rigid 4-4-2 thinking. Pace down the flanks in both full backs and wing backs who overlap one another. Two tall commanding centre backs, at least one of which should be comfortable in bringing the ball out and playing balls to feet. Two central midfielders, one in the Wilko mode - competetive ball winning midfielder, the other the creative spark who is able and willing to run and hassle as required. Forwards - one aerial ball winning striker, one 'fox in the box'. The basis for this is right at Slough and it's a winning formula at this level but we just don't have the pace <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

[Ian]

Spot on Gary - exactly the same formation and tactics that has seen me take Doncaster Rovers to second place in Division One in CM03/04!!

[Guest]

hi gary dave here the only foxes in the boxes were their defenders who scared are rabbits away and did enougth to keep us at bay like i said elsewhare.

 

god help us rabbits we will be put into pies if not carefull as there will be and allways are tough and sometimes naughty tackelers at maidenhead.

 

see you there gary and emma

 

dissapointed dave programes

<img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

[Matt]

Highlight of the game possibly the drunk Wolves fan in the first half who stood with us and declared that he would be supporting 'Sluff' and kept shouting, 'GIVE IT TO MILLER' !

[Guest]

From deaners form at the beggining of the season and millers form now- i would pick deaner any day to work with hodge. He knows he cant hit goal so he plays the balls for his strike partner. Miller is pants and i have always thought that, i dont see why anyone ever rated him. Boot and hodge all the way for me with deaner as backup.

[Nathan]

You know, he has been top scorer in Division One North for the past two years...

[GarySTFC]

The role that he is playing at the moment is not the same role that got him that title for the past two years. Watching his game, how often does Miller now receive the ball facing the opponents goals? Answer, not very often and effectively this is nullifying his threat. He still works hard for the team and runs himself into the ground, but agreed, he's not creating much or adding to the side at present. Would much rather see Boot start, and this will be the case on Tuesday as Miller is working.

[Martin]

I thought we were dreadful today. Desperately poor. We created next to noting. With the exception of super al, our midfield was entirely anonymous.

 

As for the debutant(?) Riddell he was woeful. After last week when we reverted to 4-4-2 I commented that we needed a right back. I understand that Riddell has been involved with our reserves for a while, there is a reason for that, it is because he is cr@p. Eddie would have been better off randomly selecting someone from the crowd.

 

Riddell did not cost us the game single handedly, but in my view he was the worst player we have seen this season and I defend my right to criticise him, particularly when he turns out in our colours. He had no pace, was beaten easily and his distribution made Ad Brown look like Beckham. I blame the boss for selecting him against one of the best teams in the league. If he truly is a squad player why has he not been involved before, particularly against the likes of Epsom?

 

Anyway, we were very poor and I have no hope for the rest of the season. I will still be at every game I can and I will still support the team. But I found today's performance very depressing.

[Chris]

1) Haddow should play with Wilko C/M if we get no other creative midfield playmaker.

 

2) We desperately need a right back.

 

3) Miller scores goals by getting on the end of crossses into the penalty area - how many times have we got decent crosses in this season.

 

4) We need some0one with pace to play alongside Daly at the back

 

5) As much as I like Wilko I feel we need someone with a bit more energy and movement in the middle of the park.

[Guest]

Although I was not at the game yesterday (Work commitments) and did not see Riddle, why was Rav not used.

 

He is better than Browne and Bartley and more committed, and when he has played shown that he is prepared to get stuck in, including when the opposition are twice his size!

 

As for the mid field we have lots of "small" players who are unable to jump for the ball against 6 foot oposition, and tend to get knocked off the ball by the same neandatals that play at this leavl (Jarvis).

 

As for Miller - same problem, short so will never win high balls, lacks the pace of Boot and is too "nice".

 

Ian Hodge has got the hight and has learnt to be tougher and more gready in the box and look how many goals he is now scoring compared to last season.

 

I agree with the comment previously that we have the squad to be at the top of this leauge, but they are not being used correctly.

 

Individualy we have Spencer who has hight but Steer, Haddow, Harris, Rat catcher, Barras, Rav and Payne are all short.

 

What we have is Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

 

Wilko Has the hight, strength and bottle but lacks the speed and skill to control the middle of the park.

 

Denton needs to look at his squad and use the players we have to their full. As Gary said 4-4-2, tried and tested. Stop Foster putting long balls into the middle that the dwarfs will never win, but keep the ball on the ground where they can use their speed and skills to get the ball to the by line, having turned the defence, cross into the middle where Boot and Hodge can do their magic.

 

At this level thats all thats needed.

 

P.S.

 

Hope Eddie remembers to issue the extra large shin pads and bullet proof jackets for the Maidenhead game.

[Guest]

Disapointed and we all know we can do better !

well done to the support from Slough ...again helped to get the 3rd best attendance for the season so far in div 1 south...

 

keep at it....we need support to the end...

 

rgds chris <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

[Radders]

Martin,

 

While I agree that Riddell looked poor yesterday, I do feel it is a bit unfair

a) to get on his back in his first game

to go on about him more than any other player at that pitch yesterday.

 

As you say you, as a fan, have the right to say what you feel about a player wearing Slough's colours, but from my personal view, if Riddell plays in the next game I will give him full support and hopefully he can settle down. As you also say it was strange that as he has been hanging around the squad for a while now, that his first game was yesterday in one of the toughest games of the season, and also why he played at right back when most people around the club seemed to believe that he was a midfielder, but that's not his decision but the manager's.

 

Anyway, mini-rant over and I hope to see everyone at Maidenhead on Tuesday. Going back to Matt's argument about the Reserve Cup in the honour's list, I think if we win on Tuesday then that game should be given a page of its own!

[St Leonard]

Was MUTV good last night Radders?