Monday 2nd May : Hampton & Richmond Borough v Slough Town

[Reading Rebel]

17 minutes ago, 3spirit said:

'Fishing in a different market'.  Who is Neil, comparing Slough with?

We are a Conference South team, aren't we? Have we got as much money as Enfield, Harrow Borough, Chesham, Beaconsfield, Hendon  etc etc?

I don't mind this 'unearth one or two gems' but why have Slough got to do this all of the time? Why can't Slough save a few bob on a few players they have,or have got rid of, and put that money into buying a proven striker?

I actually think with the addition of two good players up front, we could be a force to be reckoned with in this division,more than we are now. That would then bring money into the club. Speculate to accumulate is how I see it this pre-season. Not by breaking the bank but being shrewd with who we recruit up front next season.

Goalkeeper,defence and midfield I don't see a problem with,so why worry about those positions.  

I would guess compared to at least half the teams in the NLS.

 

[3spirit]

2 minutes ago, Reading Rebel said:

I would guess compared to at least half the teams in the NLS.

 

Perhaps Neil will enlighten us on who he is comparing Slough to, without revealing too much.

I'm all for our club living within it's means but it's daft, after what has been a good season for Slough,to not spend a bit of money on our forward line. I bet Farnborough do. 

[Reading Rebel]

33 minutes ago, 3spirit said:

'Fishing in a different market'.  Who is Neil, comparing Slough with?

We are a Conference South team, aren't we? Have we got as much money as Enfield, Harrow Borough, Chesham, Beaconsfield, Hendon  etc etc?

I don't mind this 'unearth one or two gems' but why have Slough got to do this all of the time? Why can't Slough save a few bob on a few players they have,or have got rid of, and put that money into buying a proven striker?

I actually think with the addition of two good players up front, we could be a force to be reckoned with in this division,more than we are now. That would then bring money into the club. Speculate to accumulate is how I see it this pre-season. Not by breaking the bank but being shrewd with who we recruit up front next season.

Goalkeeper,defence and midfield I don't see a problem with,so why worry about those positions.  

Of course we could look at all those clubs mentioned including H&Y who failed to get promotion this season but they probably won't be a proven striker at NLS level and they've still got to be the right player and fit for the club.

[Shredding Green]

37 minutes ago, 3spirit said:

'Fishing in a different market'.  Who is Neil, comparing Slough with?

We are a Conference South team, aren't we? Have we got as much money as Enfield, Harrow Borough, Chesham, Beaconsfield, Hendon  etc etc?

I don't mind this 'unearth one or two gems' but why have Slough got to do this all of the time? Why can't Slough save a few bob on a few players they have,or have got rid of, and put that money into buying a proven striker?

I actually think with the addition of two good players up front, we could be a force to be reckoned with in this division,more than we are now. That would then bring money into the club. Speculate to accumulate is how I see it this pre-season. Not by breaking the bank but being shrewd with who we recruit up front next season.

Goalkeeper,defence and midfield I don't see a problem with,so why worry about those positions.  

"Goalkeeper, defence and midfield I don't see a problem with, so why worry about those positions." 

Slough Town, 3spirit, have kept just 8 clean sheets in 40 National League South matches this season. That is a very big problem.

By comparison, your other team Tottenham Hotspur have kept 13 clean sheets in 34 Premier League matches this season.

[Reading Rebel]

1 minute ago, 3spirit said:

Perhaps Neil will enlighten us on who he is comparing Slough to, without revealing too much.

I'm all for our club living within it's means but it's daft, after what has been a good season for Slough,to not spend a bit of money on our forward line. I bet Farnborough do. 

I think the term 'reasonable' was used for our season.

Obviously I don't know but I would guess that Spencer Day and co at Farnborough will have more money to spend than us.

[3spirit]

1 minute ago, Shredding Green said:

"Goalkeeper, defence and midfield I don't see a problem with, so why worry about those positions." 

Slough Town, 3spirit, have kept just 8 clean sheets in 40 National League South matches this season. That is a very big problem.

By comparison, your other team Tottenham Hotspur have kept 13 clean sheets in 34 Premier League matches this season.

Yes but look at the young players we have. Clean sheets are not really my concern, as Bakes and Unders are good at sorting out defences. I would say it is among their biggest strengths when building their teams. I tend to favour attacking teams, so if the opposition score 3 goals, I want our team to get 4 or more goals to win the game ! That's the Spursy in me. If we can find a Jimmy Greaves and a Teddy Sheringham for Slough,that a do for me ! ?  

[rebelbrewer]

3 hours ago, 3spirit said:

Sorry about the wording 'disingenuous' RebelBrewer but how else could I say it?

I know Neil is sincere and honest, and, of course, he knows better than me about the finances at our club and what strikers cost but I wasn't disagreeing with him about that. I was disagreeing with his statement that it could be impossible to acquire strikers.

To me he has lost the plot, if Slough decide not to bring in a striker or two ! Football is a game about scoring goals, not about defending at all costs.

Instead of having a team full of defenders and midfielders, we should next season favour our forward line, and not get bogged down with the affordability of players. If we want to save money, release one or two of our squad/first team players to fund a striker or two. We have players nearing their sell by date and players who are beginning to be injured more than are able to play. There's ways of finding money. 

We know Sean Fraser is leaving.

We've also lost Warren Harris, Max Worsfold, Mark Nisbet and Guy Hollis through the season. Where have those wage savings gone?

All I want to see next season is Slough blending what they have, with a goal threat, and in this way putting away the chances the team is creating. What is wrong with that?   

Disingenuous is literally the opposite of sincere and honest so almost any other way would have been better.

Because the senior players haven't been on contract whilst we save wages we get nothing when they leave. Nothing is wrong with your desire to see a goal threat blended with the current team I just think we are unlikely to have the resources to attract one - more likely a loan (as in Matt Stevens) or finding someone on the way up.

This season has also shown that one or two injuries make a big difference so we have to have a big enough squad to cover defence and midfield as well.

Our uncompetitive goal difference this year is far more to do with goals conceded (18th) than scored (13th.)

I would like to see a great striker added to our team too, I just recognise that it's going to be tough for the managers.

[3spirit]

2 hours ago, rebelbrewer said:

Disingenuous is literally the opposite of sincere and honest so almost any other way would have been better.

Because the senior players haven't been on contract whilst we save wages we get nothing when they leave. Nothing is wrong with your desire to see a goal threat blended with the current team I just think we are unlikely to have the resources to attract one - more likely a loan (as in Matt Stevens) or finding someone on the way up.

This season has also shown that one or two injuries make a big difference so we have to have a big enough squad to cover defence and midfield as well.

Our uncompetitive goal difference this year is far more to do with goals conceded (18th) than scored (13th.)

I would like to see a great striker added to our team too, I just recognise that it's going to be tough for the managers.

Well, what about either Nathan Minhas at Beaconsfield or James Ewington at Harrow Borough. Both have scored over 20 goals this year and are playing at 'smaller clubs at Step 3. James Ewington nearly came to Slough a few seasons ago and has been around awhile. He fits the profile of a proven goal scorer. Didn't he play for St Albans in the Conference South at one time?

Surely these sorts of players aren't on more money than our better players. They may be on the radar given their goal scoring this season by other clubs but these sort of players ought to be attainable for a team of Slough's status.  

   

[SloughFlyer]

6 minutes ago, 3spirit said:

Well, what about either Nathan Minhas at Beaconsfield or James Ewington at Harrow Borough. Both have scored over 20 goals this year and are playing at 'smaller clubs at Step 3. James Ewington nearly came to Slough a few seasons ago and has been around awhile. He fits the profile of a proven goal scorer. Didn't he play for St Albans in the Conference South at one time?

Surely these sorts of players aren't on more money than our better players. They may be on the radar given their goal scoring this season by other clubs but these sort of players ought to be attainable for a team of Slough's status.  

   

Having seen both this season 3spirit, Ewington isn't good enough IMO, Nathan Minhas on the other hand is 100% a player I'd be looking to give an opportunity to. 23/24 years old, quick, strong on the ball, knows where the goal is and decent in the air. 

[3spirit]

37 minutes ago, SloughFlyer said:

Having seen both this season 3spirit, Ewington isn't good enough IMO, Nathan Minhas on the other hand is 100% a player I'd be looking to give an opportunity to. 23/24 years old, quick, strong on the ball, knows where the goal is and decent in the air. 

Why do you believe James Ewington isn't good enough, SloughFlyer? He has scored goals wherever he's been. I wouldn't write a player like him off, and besides beggars can't be choosers. Some players just don't get the chance to prove people wrong.  It's funny with strikers how many are flash in the pans/ one season wonders. I wouldn't put James Ewington into that category. 

[SloughFlyer]

9 minutes ago, 3spirit said:

Why do you believe James Ewington isn't good enough, SloughFlyer? He has scored goals wherever he's been. I wouldn't write a player like him off, and besides beggars can't be choosers. Some players just don't get the chance to prove people wrong.  It's funny with strikers how many are flash in the pans/ one season wonders. I wouldn't put James Ewington into that category. 

32 years old, too small for me, lost a yard of pace which was his big asset earlier in his career and was pocketed by both Hayes and Beaconsfields defences in the games we saw last year. Can only go on what I see and you know what they say about opinions??

[Reading Rebel]

Wasn't James Ewington a flop at St Albans a few years back?

[3spirit]

11 minutes ago, SloughFlyer said:

32 years old, too small for me, lost a yard of pace which was his big asset earlier in his career and was pocketed by both Hayes and Beaconsfields defences in the games we saw last year. Can only go on what I see and you know what they say about opinions??

He may not be suitable for our artificial grass either. I don't focus on his lack of speed, though. I'm just looking at his goals ratio and his experience playing at a good level, and that he may be a cheap signing !  He scored 24 goals last season for Harrow, so he can't be all bad.  

[3spirit]

17 minutes ago, Reading Rebel said:

Wasn't James Ewington a flop at St Albans a few years back?

I'm not sure about that,RR. It could be down to Ian Allinson decisions and what he asked him to do, plus what other strikers were in the reckoning.

[Reading Rebel]

6 minutes ago, 3spirit said:

I'm not sure about that,RR. It could be down to Ian Allinson decisions and what he asked him to do, plus what other strikers were in the reckoning.

He also signed for Hampton playing only one game.

We could always be proved wrong but it does seem that at the age of 32 his chances of playing at step 2 level have now gone. 

[3spirit]

Just now, Reading Rebel said:

He also signed for Hampton playing only one game.

We could always be proved wrong but it does seem that at the age of 32 his chances of playing at step 2 level have now gone. 

Blimey, you're writing a player off because he is 32 ! That's hilarious. ?  

[Reading Rebel]

1 minute ago, 3spirit said:

Blimey, you're writing a player off because he is 32 ! That's hilarious. ?  

He could be a late developer ?.

Of course there could be other reasons why it didn't work out for him but as SF has actually seen him play a few times, I'll be more than happy to trust his judgement. 

[SloughFlyer]

3 minutes ago, Reading Rebel said:

He could be a late developer ?.

Of course there could be other reasons why it didn't work out for him but as SF has actually seen him play a few times, I'll be more than happy to trust his judgement. 

Thanks RR, the tenner is in the post??

Let me say before there are plenty of other players listed, seen or otherwise, if Slough sign any of them, I hope they score 50 goals regardless.

I can only speak as I see from watching the games I do. Wouldn't offer an opinion on a player I've not watched at least a couple of times and then it is of course only an opinion?

[3spirit]

11 hours ago, SloughFlyer said:

Thanks RR, the tenner is in the post??

Let me say before there are plenty of other players listed, seen or otherwise, if Slough sign any of them, I hope they score 50 goals regardless.

I can only speak as I see from watching the games I do. Wouldn't offer an opinion on a player I've not watched at least a couple of times and then it is of course only an opinion?

It doesn't matter a jot what opinions Slough fans have on this forum[as long as they are within the confines of the rules], the opinions that matter are Bakes and Unders, as managers of our team they make the decisions. However, it is good for the forum to get a wide choice of fans views, as that is what makes the forum flow, and what the forum is for. Long may it continue.

Edited May 5, 2022 by 3spirit

[3spirit]

11 hours ago, SloughFlyer said:

Thanks RR, the tenner is in the post??

Let me say before there are plenty of other players listed, seen or otherwise, if Slough sign any of them, I hope they score 50 goals regardless.

I can only speak as I see from watching the games I do. Wouldn't offer an opinion on a player I've not watched at least a couple of times and then it is of course only an opinion?

I haven't seen any other non league clubs[besides Slough Town] for over two years,so my judgement on players currently is limited, so I welcome your input SloughFlyer, as you are watching a lot of clubs at different levels regular. Next season I hope to get to see more games at various levels, I've just not been able to for awhile.

On James Ewington and Nathan Minhas, I looked through Step 3 divisions goal scorer lists and saw these two had scored 24 goals at Step 3 at smaller clubs at that level. I take on board that Nathan Minhas sounds the better player given his age,dynamics,speed etc and the close links Slough as a club have to Beaconsfield,that he may already be on Bakes and Unders shopping list.

As for James Ewington I can accept your opinion on him but like your opinion on Jonathon North, I don't agree with it. Though, I accept what you said about the games you watched James Ewington in, against Hayes v Harrow and Beaconsfield v Harrow. The thing is he may have been carrying an injury in those games or wasn't getting a lot of service. There could be unforseen reasons for those off days. Take Elliot Buchanan for example, I watched the live stream of the play off match between Hayes and Farnborough[it is never as good as actually being at the match for real] but in that match I didn't think Elliot had one of his better games,although he did get an assist for their winning goal. If I went by this game I would have concluded he isn't up to much but I know that isn't the case with him. He isn't getting any younger either but I don't write players off because of their age. To me Slough are crying out for forwards who score goals, James Ewington does. He might not get 24 goals in our league but if he weighed in with 10 it would help. I think we get fixated on strikers chasing down everything and running around after everything, Nathan Minhas may be ideal for that and fit in well for a Bakes and Unders side but to me if Slough signed James Ewington as well, I would say to him to use his loaf with offside traps and to solely concentrate in being in the box and putting the ball in the net how ever he can,shoot instinctively and only pass if there is nothing else on for yourself. I wouldn't get him doing loads of running. The odd close down but nothing overexerting. We have plenty of others who can do that.

Of the games I've seen this season with Slough we have plenty of possession and chances to score but we are not clinical enough,as we ask our young strikers to track back,close down players and battle for everything, which to me isn't wrong on the whole given this division and our resources and the tactics we employ but for all our industry getting up the field of play we haven't a player who is experienced in scoring goals on a regular basis and is waiting to do just that. Where is our wily fox in the box? We haven't one and haven't for a good while. Ben Harris pops up with goals now and again but his goals are drying up and with him he seems more intent on winding up the opposition. Alfonso Tenconi would have got better and it is a shame he won't be with us next year. Imran Kayani is an up and comer but isn't ready to be it yet,so where does that leaves us up front?

As has been said we have no money to buy 'star names', so if this is the case we should take chances on strikers who have been around the non league game for awhile. and if it doesn't work out with them [say a 3 month trial under scrutiny of our managers] we just release them [ especially if we no longer offer contracts]. An older striker wanting to prove something to himself [if going up a league] may see it as a challenge but one worth taking, while he still can. We get in older centre backs and midfielders,so what is the difference?