v Eastbourne 26th November

[Curtis]

Our next opponents, Ebbsfleet, are live on ITV in the FA Cup against Fleetwood.

[Reading Rebel]

14 minutes ago, GlenSTFC said:

For me there’s only 2 maybe 3 players I think would attract attention and I’d be disappointed to lose. Not sure if any of these are on contract (hopefully they are) and if they do leave we at least get some money (this time!).

I think we've got 3 or 4 that might attract attention, maybe more if the vultures are from a lower level.

I'd be very surprised if we've got any players on a contract with the possible exception of Rhys Forster.

[GlenSTFC]

1 minute ago, Reading Rebel said:

I think we've got 3 or 4 that might attract attention, maybe more if the vultures are from a lower level.

I'd be very surprised if we've got any players on a contract with the possible exception of Rhys Forster.

I would expect (and really hope!) Kuhl is on contract too.

[Ian g f]

53 minutes ago, Reading Rebel said:

This bit about vultures circling to sign our better players.

Not sure there will be too many vultures circling based solely upon our form and league position.

Now now Ian, that's not the spirit 😉

I'm still in trauma 😭

[Reading Rebel]

5 hours ago, GlenSTFC said:

I would expect (and really hope!) Kuhl is on contract too.

You'd possibly think so but sometimes players don't want to be tied down to a contract and possibly his record with injuries could be a justifiable reason if he's not.

Edited November 27, 2022 by Reading Rebel

[Curtis]

I would hope we have all our players who are under 23 on contract.

That won’t be many though……  4?

[GlenSTFC]

Just now, Curtis said:

I would hope we have all our players who are under 23 on contract.

That won’t be many though……  4?

I wouldn’t unless they’re decent! I’d only have Rhys from that group on contract. 

[Curtis]

1 hour ago, GlenSTFC said:

I wouldn’t unless they’re decent! I’d only have Rhys from that group on contract. 

Rhys isn’t under 23, from what I can see his DOB is 17th April 1999, but I think it was stated he is on contract.

Secondly, in my opinion any under 23 that is getting regular playing time at this level has the potential to improve to National League or Football League level within a couple of seasons, which is why I would hope they are on contract.

At the other end of the spectrum, I can’t see any of our players who are 30+ improving any further and playing any higher.

[Footyfan007]

1 hour ago, Curtis said:

I would hope we have all our players who are under 23 on contract.

That won’t be many though……  4?

It’s been commented on before in the forum who is from the younger age group in the squad.   As always people have differing views on players. 

 

2 minutes ago, Curtis said:

Rhys isn’t under 23, from what I can see his DOB is 17th April 1999, but I think it was stated he is on contract.

Secondly, in my opinion any under 23 that is getting regular playing time at this level has the potential to improve to National League or Football League level within a couple of seasons, which is why I would hope they are on contract.

At the other end of the spectrum, I can’t see any of our players who are 30+ improving any further and playing any higher.

Good post. 

[GlenSTFC]

1 minute ago, Curtis said:

Rhys isn’t under 23, from what I can see his DOB is 17th April 1999, but I think it was stated he is on contract.

Secondly, in my opinion any under 23 that is getting regular playing time at this level has the potential to improve to National League or Football League level within a couple of seasons, which is why I would hope they are on contract.

At the other end of the spectrum, I can’t see any of our players who are 30+ improving any further and playing any higher.

Ok if Rhys isn’t under 23, in my opinion any who are aren’t playing anywhere near the level required to warrant being on a contract or in danger of losing them to a higher level club. Of that group I’d only say Gabe has the potential but he’s still raw and has much to learn.

[Footyfan007]

2 hours ago, Reading Rebel said:

I think we've got 3 or 4 that might attract attention, maybe more if the vultures are from a lower level.

I'd be very surprised if we've got any players on a contract with the possible exception of Rhys Forster.

Along with the lower levels being able to offer more money, which in some cases is the driver for a player as it’s a short career.

[Curtis]

8 minutes ago, GlenSTFC said:

any who are aren’t playing anywhere near the level required to warrant being on a contract or in danger of losing them to a higher level club.

I think you might be missing my point, it’s not about them necessarily being good enough at the moment, but more about the future potential.

[GlenSTFC]

10 minutes ago, Curtis said:

I think you might be missing my point, it’s not about them necessarily being good enough at the moment, but more about the future potential.

Yes but they’ve all played a few games now and should be showing glimpses of potential or not? How long do you give a youngster to show what they can do? Sorry Imran to single you out but only as he’s been in and around the first team for a good season or more now. No doubting his effort or commitment but for me I can’t see his any future potential unfortunately. I really hope I’m wrong…

[Curtis]

23 minutes ago, GlenSTFC said:

How long do you give a youngster to show what they can do? 

Longer than 10 months, which was when Imran made his league debut, and at least until the end of this season.

[GlenSTFC]

24 minutes ago, Curtis said:

Longer than 10 months, which was when Imran made his league debut, and at least until the end of this season.

Ok fair enough let’s reassess at the end of the season (if they’re still here of course!).

[3spirit]

4 hours ago, Curtis said:

Longer than 10 months, which was when Imran made his league debut, and at least until the end of this season.

The trouble is Slough haven't got the time or the money to keep average youngsters. I'm not saying Imran Kayani can't have a successful non league career but he just isn't up to National South level currently. He needs to drop down a division and start getting regular games for a team down there. There's no shame in that. In a couple of seasons he may be able to make the step back up but it's just not happening for him at Slough, and Slough need to start getting value for money from the players they have in the squad. Imran has had plenty of chances but it just isn't working for him, or us but as I've already said he isn't the only player Slough are wasting money on.    

 

[3spirit]

9 hours ago, Reading Rebel said:

The first thing to say is that the players we had missing at the start of the game, Kuhl, Lench, Goddard, Hunt and Hollis would weaken any side especially as 4 of them are in the engine room of midfield.

Having said that, the formation we played yesterday was what I call a 'gung ho' formation. One that achieves a handsome win with lots of goals scored or one that gets you soundly beaten which unfortunately is what happened.

Our formation looked like a 3-4-3 with Josh Jackman and Gabe George out wide as the two wing backs, leaving Toggs and Fabio Sole in central midfield.

We started the game quite well, holding our own without any real supply from midfield to our 3 strikers and as such no shots on target.

Unfortunately Eastbourne were finding it far too easy to slice through our midfield with Toggs and Fabio looking over-run in central midfield.

Cue the first goal coming from a mistake from George Wells followed by an unchallenged shot on the edge of the area and a shot across our keeper from a wide position. All goals that Eastbourne didn't have to work hard for.    

With the introduction of Aaron Kuhl in the second half and then George Hunt our play improved dramatically and at last we started to look decent putting pressure on their back line and carving out some chances which eventually lead to our penalty.

Scoreline apart one real negative is that Aaron Kuhl was limping at the final whistle.

3 of our next 4 league games are against 2nd, 3rd and 4th in the table and if we line up and play like that against Ebbsfleet next week our goals against will be looking a lot worse than it already is. 

 

I thought it was a brave decision to go with three up top and saw this as a positive thing to do but I thought Scott was naive to go with 4 rookies in Gabe,Imran,Fabio and Arnold in the first eleven against one of the better teams in the division. To me 1 or 2 deserved inclusion but 4 is excessive in games of this calibre in this tough league. However,suspensions and injuries aren't giving him loads of options. A 3-5-2 may have  functioned better but that's with hindsight but you are right Reading Rebel our midfield struggled to cope with Eastbourne until Aaron Kuhl and George Hunt were introduced.

Against Ebbsfleet it wouldn't surprise me if we don't opt for a 4-5-1 as right now a draw there would be a great result for us.

[Mark44]

9 hours ago, 3spirit said:

The trouble is Slough haven't got the time or the money to keep average youngsters. I'm not saying Imran Kayani can't have a successful non league career but he just isn't up to National South level currently. He needs to drop down a division and start getting regular games for a team down there. There's no shame in that. In a couple of seasons he may be able to make the step back up but it's just not happening for him at Slough, and Slough need to start getting value for money from the players they have in the squad. Imran has had plenty of chances but it just isn't working for him, or us but as I've already said he isn't the only player Slough are wasting money on.    

 

To think about this another way....Imran is possibly on a lot less than any of the other strikers we have.
He is young and hungry and whilst not at National south level consistently has shown signs of brilliance getting in behind etc. Could it be he just needs a consistent run? 

If we start to lose players, i'd rather have someone like Imran than not

[Scott Davies]

People in my mind deserved their opportunity to play so that’s what I did. We were short on numbers and some of the more senior players weren’t fit to play from the start. We finished with 4 teenagers on the pitch which is never easy in this league especially during a difficult result.

 

If we add Guy, Lenchy, George H, Jonny, Elliot and Kuhly into the team from the start then gives us a hell of a lot of experience added to the team.

 

I don’t feel then need to panic at all. I actually think our squad is very competitive when everyone is available.

 

A bad day but lessons learned.

[3spirit]

2 hours ago, Scott Davies said:

People in my mind deserved their opportunity to play so that’s what I did. We were short on numbers and some of the more senior players weren’t fit to play from the start. We finished with 4 teenagers on the pitch which is never easy in this league especially during a difficult result.

 

If we add Guy, Lenchy, George H, Jonny, Elliot and Kuhly into the team from the start then gives us a hell of a lot of experience added to the team.

 

I don’t feel then need to panic at all. I actually think our squad is very competitive when everyone is available.

 

A bad day but lessons learned.

Scott, don't be so hard on yourself it is only one game.

As a new manager you are going to have to try new players and different formations. You will learn more about what's best, which players will wear their heart on the sleeve and want to do it for you and Togs, and which ones are not bothered, hide and feign injury to not to be in a struggling relegation threatened team.

I agree adding the above 6 players will make a huge difference to the starting eleven but will it be enough to keep Slough out of the relegation zone?  You don't know and nor do I.

My observation in one of my posts above was about our lack of goals from our strikers. To me this is the key to having the 'get out of jail' card. You can keep blindly doing the same thing up front using players who don't score enough goals or are always injured, and keep papering over the cracks with cheap 18 year old loanees[who are only capable of so much] or you shake up the pack up front by bringing in 1 or 2 quality attackers in to give yourself a real chance of moving up the table.

When I look at our squad I see plenty of options in defence and midfield but a damp squib up front.

I'm not advocating get rid of every attacking player we have but I do think it should be a straight choice out of Ben or Elliot as to which one is better to keep. Imran Kayani is a different case in point as he is still learning his trade but currently to me he would be better to be loaned out or released to play in the division below unless you think him good enough to be an impact sub. I'm also not sure Johnny Goddard is the way forward, as I would imagine he is one of the dearer players we have. He's a quality player when he's up for it but so far he has only managed a bit part since you took over. 

Scott, you make the decisions, not me but too long dithering will see Slough slip further down the table. Our team needs to score goals.          

Edited November 28, 2022 by 3spirit