v Concord

[Reading Rebel]

I thought I'd start this thread early.

Despite it being roughly half way through the season, this is a game imo we must not lose and ideally get 3 points from.

It's a game against a team that are one place above us and like us are not having a good season.

Forget the games against sides like Ebbsfleet who are full time and have big expensive squads imo this game will tell us if we have players at the club good enough to keep us away from the relegation trap door and in the NLS next season.

 

[SloughFlyer]

6 hours ago, Reading Rebel said:

I thought I'd start this thread early.

Despite it being roughly half way through the season, this is a game imo we must not lose and ideally get 3 points from.

It's a game against a team that are one place above us and like us are not having a good season.

Forget the games against sides like Ebbsfleet who are full time and have big expensive squads imo this game will tell us if we have players at the club good enough to keep us away from the relegation trap door and in the NLS next season.

 

I dont think it'll be quite as important as telling us how things will be for the rest of the season and whether we have the players to survive and thrive in NLS, BUT, I do 100% agree that it is a big game points wise. Still plenty of time/games to come, but as I said previously, for me this and the FA Trophy game are the important ones in December. If we can grab points in any of the others, thats a bonus to me.

[Reading Rebel]

5 hours ago, SloughFlyer said:

I dont think it'll be quite as important as telling us how things will be for the rest of the season and whether we have the players to survive and thrive in NLS, BUT, I do 100% agree that it is a big game points wise. Still plenty of time/games to come, but as I said previously, for me this and the FA Trophy game are the important ones in December. If we can grab points in any of the others, thats a bonus to me.

There's no doubt that so far this season we've not been good enough defensively and up front which is why we are on the cusp of dropping into the relegation zone.

Of course there are mitigating circumstances like having a small squad which magnifies things like injuries, illness and suspensions and not having a lot of money to put things right.

But we are not unique in this and other clubs around us are no doubt suffering from similar problems and are struggling to put some points on the board.

Whichever way you look at it losing a player with the experience and quality that Ben Harris can add to the team has put a massive dent in our forward line and has left us with 3 young players, two of which are on loan, who are still learning whats required to play and score at this level. 

Agree that Ben Harris had looked a shadow of himself in recent games but he was still a player who, when in reasonable nick, was a real nuisance to defenders and more crucially he knew where the net was scoring some important goals.

I'm not discarding Elliott Benyon but his goal scoring record doesn't suggest he is anywhere near prolific and until he comes back and proves his fitness, which I personally doubt, I think the answer needs to lie elsewhere.

Against Concord I want to see something from us, particularly up front, that tells me that we have the players that will score goals at this level that will keep us from the trap door and help to move us up the table.

 

Edited December 4, 2022 by Reading Rebel

[Sir Rebel1965]

3 hours ago, Reading Rebel said:

Whichever way you look at it losing a player with the experience and quality that Ben Harris can add to the team has put a massive dent in our forward line and has left us with 3 young players, two of which are on loan, who are still learning whats required to play and score at this level. 

Agree that Ben Harris had looked a shadow of himself in recent games but he was still a player who, when in reasonable nick, was a real nuisance to defenders and more crucially he knew where the net was scoring some important goals.

 

Ben had only scored 6 times in the last year in 37 starts - 1 goal in every 6 games is poor.

Add to that, he had not scored at home for over a year.

It was time for him to go as ref's were wise to his constant diving, to the point they were not giving fouls for genuine fouls - he cried wolf far too many times!

[Reading Rebel]

1 hour ago, Sir Rebel1965 said:

Ben had only scored 6 times in the last year in 37 starts - 1 goal in every 6 games is poor.

Add to that, he had not scored at home for over a year.

It was time for him to go as ref's were wise to his constant diving, to the point they were not giving fouls for genuine fouls - he cried wolf far too many times!

Can't disagree with him constantly diving.

I think the main problem apart from his discipline and diving was hardly ever being 100% fit which hampered his appearances/performances and ultimately his goals. 

 

[GlenSTFC]

I fear for what the crowd will be tomorrow night, I’ll be honest I’m in two minds about going! Can see it being in the 300’s which is pretty dire but I guess if you add all the factors it’s probably not unexpected. We desperately need to win to give us some cushion over the chasing pack. 

[Windsor Rebel]

After what I saw on Saturday I cant really see a win happening.

[Reading Rebel]

7 minutes ago, GlenSTFC said:

I fear for what the crowd will be tomorrow night, I’ll be honest I’m in two minds about going! Can see it being in the 300’s which is pretty dire but I guess if you add all the factors it’s probably not unexpected. We desperately need to win to give us some cushion over the chasing pack. 

Glen, if you don't go it'll be in the 200's  😒

The club needs all the support it can get. 

 

[Reading Rebel]

11 minutes ago, Windsor Rebel said:

After what I saw on Saturday I cant really see a win happening.

By all reports and considering the circumstances we put up a real fight against a full time team shelling out thousands a week in wages. 

This should give the team some real confidence going into the game.

 

 

Edited December 5, 2022 by Reading Rebel

[GlenSTFC]

6 minutes ago, Reading Rebel said:

Glen, if you don't go it'll be in the 200's  😒

The club needs all the support it can get. 

 

Hey I know I need to lose a bit but come on I don’t count for 100 people!!!

[Windsor Rebel]

Actually Reading Rebel it was the most one sided 2-0 I have ever seen. Yes, we defended well to keep the score at 0-0 at half time,

but it was like the Alamo all game, with Slough looking like boys against men. Worryingly, never looked like scoring

[Reading Rebel]

1 minute ago, Windsor Rebel said:

Actually Reading Rebel it was the most one sided 2-0 I have ever seen. Yes, we defended well to keep the score at 0-0 at half time,

but it was like the Alamo all game, with Slough looking like boys against men. Worryingly, never looked like scoring

WR with important players missing this was always going to be the case against a side that will probably walk this division.

[Scott Davies]

The lads are actually feeling pretty optimistic for tomorrow and so they should be. Ebbsfleet would compete extremely well in the league above so we have to be realistic.

 

With players missing at the weekend, I worked out that 40% of our budget wasn’t even at the game. To compete like we did with the 60% of the players that fill the rest of the budget that we did have, I take immense pride from that. The equivalent is that two of their players would equate financially to the whole of our squad that played! 

 

Yes it was backs against the wall for large parts of the game but that was our game plan to hit them on the break, we were always going to have less than 20% of the ball. If we had been a bit neater at times when we got ourselves into good positions from counter attacking, we might have a nicked a goal or two ourselves.

Tomorrow is a different ball game and one that we are more than capable of winning if we play to our maximum. Let’s try and keep the positivity if we can, I’m sure that first league win in a long time isn’t far away!

Also hoping to bring a couple in today to help take the pressure off the younger players in the squad. 

As ever, appreciate all the support from those of you who turn out each week! So thanks to those that do.

 

Edited December 5, 2022 by Scott Davies

[Holyport Rebel]

I have to agree with WR that Saturday was a bit like the Alamo but I personally was pleased to see us "park the bus" against Ebbsfleet.

A second heavy defeat in a row would I think have been extremely damaging to the team's morale, so  to come away with a 2 nil scoreline was to me damage limitation..

I've said before on here that our season is not going to be defined by our matches against  team's such as Ebbsfleet, but it definitely will be against team's such as Concord. 

Tomorrow is a definite must not lose game, and even in early December is probably a must win one.

 

[DonnyNo6]

45 minutes ago, GlenSTFC said:

I fear for what the crowd will be tomorrow night, I’ll be honest I’m in two minds about going! Can see it being in the 300’s which is pretty dire but I guess if you add all the factors it’s probably not unexpected. We desperately need to win to give us some cushion over the chasing pack. 

I completely get what you are saying Glen and there are a lot of different factors involved at this time of year, but this is where we need to get behind Scott and the lads more than ever so we need you and everyone else.

It's that old saying....'But can you do it on a cold winter Tuesday night in Stoke'......well it's on us now to do it on a cold winter Tuesday night in Slough....

[GlenSTFC]

9 minutes ago, DonnyNo6 said:

I completely get what you are saying Glen and there are a lot of different factors involved at this time of year, but this is where we need to get behind Scott and the lads more than ever so we need you and everyone else.

It's that old saying....'But can you do it on a cold winter Tuesday night in Stoke'......well it's on us now to do it on a cold winter Tuesday night in Slough....

Ok you’ve all convinced me to come! But yes in all seriousness every fan and pound counts plus the vocal support. Let’s hope tomorrow sees our first win and the start of our ascension up the table.

[Reading Rebel]

15 minutes ago, Holyport Rebel said:

I have to agree with WR that Saturday was a bit like the Alamo but I personally was pleased to see us "park the bus" against Ebbsfleet.

A second heavy defeat in a row would I think have been extremely damaging to the team's morale, so  to come away with a 2 nil scoreline was to me damage limitation..

I've said before on here that our season is not going to be defined by our matches against  team's such as Ebbsfleet, but it definitely will be against team's such as Concord. 

Tomorrow is a definite must not lose game, and even in early December is probably a must win one.

 

On the money as usual HR 😅

[Reading Rebel]

14 minutes ago, DonnyNo6 said:

I completely get what you are saying Glen and there are a lot of different factors involved at this time of year, but this is where we need to get behind Scott and the lads more than ever so we need you and everyone else.

It's that old saying....'But can you do it on a cold winter Tuesday night in Stoke'......well it's on us now to do it on a cold winter Tuesday night in Slough....

As long as the factor isn't watching other countries in the World Cup or Christmas shopping 😂

[DonnyNo6]

14 minutes ago, GlenSTFC said:

Ok you’ve all convinced me to come! But yes in all seriousness every fan and pound counts plus the vocal support. Let’s hope tomorrow sees our first win and the start of our ascension up the table.

Good man Glen

[GlenSTFC]

1 minute ago, DonnyNo6 said:

Good man Glen

Well I can’t let our new investor down can I?