Enfield Town v Lewes

[old towner]

1 hour ago, Bottoms Up said:

Sometimes you’ve got to hold your hands up and accept the better team/squad won on the day.

A very slick opponent that scored some fabulous goals.

Lewes midfield were strong and creative in difficult conditions, we looked as if we weren’t enjoying the day and the fact the game was on following a number of pitch inspections.

Our record v The top teams are not very good and teams below us have closed the gap and in the process have improved their starting X1 teams.

20 games remaining 60 points to play for and a long way to go with many twists and turns ahead that make every successful enjoyable season a memorable one whether a memorable one to forget or one to cherish.

Reality is this team isn’t good enough to stay ahead of 5 other teams and improvements are necessary, some players must be shown the door and better ones brought in for the task ahead- IF we are genuinely chasing promotion 

Our record V lower teams isn’t that better it is also our management team do not like midfielder 

[4wembleyfinals]

Most of the above posts could have been written any time in the past few years. With the exception of most games played prior to Christmas.

Many of members have express similar views to those which I have been making for several seasons. 

Added to them May I suggest that that it time for the management try to  bring into the side a team plan to which all players can be expected to contribute . Not just one or two. Plus more discipline and team organisation so that all squad members know what their job is whether in defence, midfield or up front. For a few months we appeared to have found a way to play together and it brought success. But true to form AL seems to have returned to his long ball game.  But, even at our level and below, coaches don't accept this method as shown by the like of Lewes. A club with a set up like ours. So please no mention of our lack of funds Etc. 

 Part of the current situation off a lack of fit players must be attributed to AL.. After all wasn't him who decided to form a small squad. 

Finally having been in the top three for most of the season I would suggest we are now going to have to face a big challenge. I sincerely hope all of us, on and off the field, are  up to it. Starting at Horsham Tuesday.

 

 

Edited January 9, 2022 by 4wembleyfinals

[Barney]

Long post and mini rant alert... Another game I attended, and kinda wished I hadn't - not a good day at the office, although a lot of credit needs to be given to Lewes, especially in the second half. I don't accept that we are playing any more direct / long ball than at any point this season, and although Cunnington is in the starting line up, I think he brings more at times to the team than the other forwards options we have, who are all quite similar.

First half, I thought was a fairly even contest, which we might have even shaded - Lewes were looking to play football from the back at every opportunity, which was almost their downfall a couple of times, and I thought we matched them for energy and effort all over the pitch, and looked fairly threatening, albeit with the wrong option taken by our forwards time and time again (sense of deja vu here). We really need players to stop trying to take on the entire opposition defence or score a 30 yard screamer and get their heads up and find a white shirt to work a better position. I do worry that some of our attacking players are more concerned with moving upwards and furthering their career, than they are with our league position - I really hope I'm wrong, but it feels that way at times. 1-1 at half time was probably fair, and Cunnington's goal was a very well taken header back across the keeper, after Della Verde showed what he should be doing more often and putting in am excellent ball from wide. Like everyone else, I'm baffled by Percy at RB - all the good work he does in driving us forward, and taking on players to create chances needs to be done in the attacking not the defensive third, and there were a few heart in mouth moments throughout the game. I was impressed with the midfield 3 first half, and they all put in a shift to close down and break up play, and more often than not all took the right decision on the ball to spread play, and retain possession when there was time to do so.

Then there's the second half... In fact we actually started OK for 5-10 minutes, with a couple of scrappy half chances, and reasonable possession around their area which came to nothing. And then we appeared to start to run out of energy (Thomas I don't think is fully match fit, and the same with Taaffe and possibly one or two others), which seemed to coincide with Lewes getting things very very right. The people I was watching with were all saying the same thing - we had to get some fresh legs on before they got completely on top, but once again we were reactive instead of proactive with the changes. This is probably the thing that annoys me the most, as we did have fresh midfield legs on the bench, but chose not to use them until the game was only going one way. That said, I think we have to give a lot of credit to Lewes - I can't remember seeing any side at this level playing such good football, and at times, it was just a case of standing back and admiring what they were doing. Their 3rd (or 4th - can't remember) goal was something else, with quick passing and movement through their entire team, cutting through us like we weren't there - we didn't get close, but to be honest, if they play like that, I don't see many sides in the league being able to live with them! There was basically a 25 minute period where we barely touched the ball, before we managed to get a semblance of control back for the last 10 or 15, and sometimes you have to say 'fair play' and applaud them.

Playing a side like this, we have to match them for effort over 90 minutes, and take all our chances to get anything out of the game. The effort was good for 50 minutes, then pretty awful for 25, and the game was gone. And this is very worrying. Yes we're missing Maja, yes we're playing Percy out of position, yes Thomas doesn't look to be 100%, but we have to recognise when a game is moving in the wrong direction, and change things quickly, which we just didn't do. And really it was more of the same from our forwards in the second half, running into blind alleys, taking the wrong decision, not retaining possession well, which just invites pressure and encourages the opposition. It's very easy to look at the defence when we concede 4, but keeping clean sheets starts from the front, retaining possession, making the right decisions and working hard, and our forwards are as culpable as anyone else in my view. We need people to step up in adversity, and I didn't see enough of that from quite a few players yesterday (there were exceptions).

If Lewes continue to play like that, I'd tip them to be pushing for the title, rather than just a playoff place, but this is a funny season, and no side seems to be capable of putting together a consistent string of results. As someone said upthread, there are 60 points to play for, which is a heck of a lot, and the season is a long way from over. We absolutely need to get back to how we were playing a couple of months ago, where everyone seemed to be working for each other, and we were churning out results. We need 11 players on the pitch making the right decisions and matching sides for effort - if we do that, we absolutely have the quality to win games and beat anyone on our day. Work the ball, retain possession, get Coker, Lyle, Percy and Mo one on one in threatening positions, and we will score goals. Start from the front in terms of defence, close sides down, win back possession, work as a team. I know these are basics, but they seem to be basics we've forgotten over the past few games.

Anyway - mini rant over, I do worry that our dip in form has coincided with me attending more games recently, so I hope to hear reports of an improved performance (and hopefully a positive result) from our trip to Horsham, which I'll not be making myself.

P.S. agree 100% - it's embarrassing blaming the ref - we need to look closer to home, and using that as an excuse and a reason to shout abuse at full time is not on, and leaves a bad taste. I do worry that there's a small element of fans who think it's OK to shout abuse at the ref and opposition players, and I do hope the club takes action where possible - it does us no credit at all.

[4wembleyfinals]

Barney I enjoyed reading your extremely well thought out comments. I agree with everything you say. But would add one more thing which is that is it is not only the players who are accountable but the person who decides the line up and runs the team.

 

  

[Barney]

10 hours ago, 4wembleyfinals said:

Barney I enjoyed reading your extremely well thought out comments. I agree with everything you say. But would add one more thing which is that is it is not only the players who are accountable but the person who decides the line up and runs the team.

 

  

Yup, ultimately the buck stops with the management - they are the ones responsible for assembling the squad, picking them team, keeping them happy, getting them playing in the style they want and looking after fitness, motivation etc. I do feel in the past few games that the players have let the management down, but it works both ways, and I also think the management are culpable with selections, and substitutions. That said, it's very easy to say all this from the sidelines looking in, there might be a whole host of factors we're not aware of, which they're working hard to address. With that in mind, they keep my full backing - we've shown enough in the first part of the season to say we have a talented squad, capable of competing with most sides in the league, and the management team should be judged on whether we can get back to that level of performance and secure a top 5 place.

[The Crowing Cockerel]

2 minutes ago, Barney said:

we've shown enough in the first part of the season to say we have a talented squad, capable of competing with most sides in the league, and the management team should be judged on whether we can get back to that level of performance and secure a top 5 place.

I agree that we've shown that we can compete with most sides in the league, my issue is that we're not as good as our league position would have had us believe. We've been thumped twice by Lewes 4-1, drew and lost against Folkestone, lost to Bishops Stortford, honours even with Cheshunt, drew with Worthing, scraped a win against Hornchurch and lost to Margate.

I'm not saying we should give up and go home, but I am saying that we're going to have to improve if we want to make the play-offs, and at the moment I cannot see us beating one (let alone two) of the top 5 sides were we to make it into the play-offs.

Watched the AL and Paul Reed interview last night. Had to laugh when AL stated the side 'were in good shape' as his camera symbolically keeled over!

[4wembleyfinals]

CC also amused at AL's delusional statement. Makes one wonder if he really means it or just another sign of the level of his judgement. But I did say in 2017* what to expect and got nearly lynch for it..... but that's all water under bridge. This now the reality!!!!

For me he has driven out to many good young plays from the club by putting them on the bench.

A couple which comes to mind is Mickey Purcell, one of the only two players who remained loyal to the club following the  mass Exodus.

However, I hope MP sent him a letter thanking him for helping him get his FA Trophy medal. But then perhaps the irony would be wasted.  

Another is Ray Charles who now has a 2yr contract with a National league side. I wonder who will be next.......Croker????? After all he scored a brace and then was left out.

PS. * Please no disloyal comments as I had them all 5 years ago. After all it's only an opinion.

Edited January 10, 2022 by 4wembleyfinals

[The Crowing Cockerel]

37 minutes ago, 4wembleyfinals said:

 

Mickey Purcell

Ray Charles

Croker

 

Whilst I agree with the sentiment, 4WF, I believe it is actually Mickey Parcell, Ken Charles (- Ray was more visually-challenged and better on the piano), and Andre Coker.

[4wembleyfinals]

Thanks CC for your very polite admonishment.  Please excuse me for my pickled head but I had just returned from hospital after some treatment and I think I am still a bit sleepy. I have also just turned the mid 80's mark and names seem to be the hardest for me to remember. Which accounts for my "Croker". Probably thinking about myself again.

However there was some logic in my thinking regarding the other two names which is of course music.... "Piano and Cathedral Organ "   your ref. to Ray Charles being one and the other "The Trumpet Voluntary" originally attributed to "Henry Purcell". 

I know this is really not football chat but a bit more useless information from me. Promise to stick to the purpose of the Forum next time.?

By the way Happy New Year to you and to all other members..

Haven't checked spelling as I'm off to have a nap so take it as it is.

Edited January 10, 2022 by 4wembleyfinals

[andyetfc]

I can’t think of any forward who is thinking of playing at a higher level.