Welling v Slough. 11th Nov

[Irishadrian]

Result

WELLING. 4.     SLOUGH.  3

As a result we are at 20th and there are now3 teams including us on 16 points 

Edited November 11, 2023 by Irishadrian

[GlenSTFC]

Why oh why Slough? It’s bad enough giving Welling a comfortable lead but to do all that hard graft to get back into the game we then gift them another goal to get sod all. So so frustrating especially when it’s a relegation rival. Such a come down from our midweek result/performance and I really thought that high would see us win today to give us a nice cushion from the bottom 4. I guess this squad still requires a bit of tinkering…

[Nathan]

This is a calamitous result, and one that (if the league is anywhere near as tight as it was last season) could have major ramifications come the end of the season.

I didn't comment after Tuesday night's excellent result, as I am treating that and today's match as almost a "make or break" double-header, because both Truro and Welling are in the mire with us. I stand by what I said on here shortly before the Truro kick-off: 4 points was a bare minimum if we're to be seen to be keeping our heads above the water, and I'm afraid we've fallen short of that.

I don't want to go in depth about today (as I wasn't at the match, but listened in on Rebels Radio), but nonetheless there are a few things that are becoming habitual. Once again we gave the opposition a two-goal head-start (could have been 3 but one was disallowed) before we start causing problems ourselves. Once again our strikers aren't scoring (Alexander simply isn't firing at all). Once again, having given ourselves a shed load of work to do, we manage to pull ourselves level with the momentum to go on to win the game. Once again, that momentum dissipates, and we're left ruing what might have been.

I was surprised to see Ogbonna and Platt on the bench today given their performances on Tuesday night, as I felt they added flair and creativity that we've been lacking. Nonetheless it didn't sound like their introduction late on today changed the game.

[Sir Rebel1965]

Are too many players being distracted by the game coming up on Tuesday?

Will the cup run ruin the league outcome?

[Irishadrian]

Grimsby 1-0 down after 2 mins had a confidence building 3-2 win against high flying Morcambe so we must be at our best on Tuesday.

[Reading Rebel]

Yes we showed great character to get back into the game after going 2-0 and 3-2 behind but I'm afraid that's where the praise stops.

There's no dressing it up, we put in a really poor defensive display.

Our midfield have to take some of the blame but primarily defensively we were poor. 

By my reckoning all 4 goals were gifted to a fellow relegation threatened side who themselves looked vulnerable at the back.

I've heard some  mutterings that we were unlucky but if you concede goals like we did there's no 'unlucky' about it just rank bad play. 

Defend like that on Tuesday and we will get battered.

Defend like that in some of our remaining league games and we will end up in a relegation scrap.

Edited November 12, 2023 by Reading Rebel

[Guest Wycombe Rebel]

Just listened to Scotty’s interview and as always very honest… Think he knows we need to revert to a back 3 at least away from AP to stop leaking goals!

[Scott Davies]

Mickel has been out for 6 months so to start 3 matches in a week would be a big ask. David had a tight calf so didn’t want to risk him. Nashy and Lenchy are both having to be looked after too!

We don’t have a huge squad and have already played 5 or 6 more matches than a lot of the other teams in our league with our progression in the FA cup but also with those games going to replays.

Theres no doubt about it, we are going to have to freshen it up when we can.

No excuses from yesterday though. The boys know that we have to do better all round. We look forward to a massive week in both cups on Tuesday and Saturday! 

[Sir Rebel1965]

Sorry Scott, we have not played 5-6 more matches than other teams.

Just picked a few random teams and this is how many they have played:

STFC - 22

Farnborough – 21

Hampton & Richmond – 19

Hemel – 21

Bath - 20

Yeovil – 22

Aveley – 24

Yeovil and Aveley don’t seem to be suffering playing all those games.

[GlenSTFC]

1 minute ago, Sir Rebel1965 said:

Sorry Scott, we have not played 5-6 more matches than other teams.

Just picked a few random teams and this is how many they have played:

STFC - 22

Farnborough – 21

Hampton & Richmond – 19

Hemel – 21

Bath - 20

Yeovil – 22

Aveley – 24

Yeovil and Aveley don’t seem to be suffering playing all those games.

You’re right Yeovil shouldn’t be suffering at all seeing as they’re full time professionals with a highly paid (at this level) and massive squad.

Aveley on the other hand are having a blinder and even more so having just sold two of their best players! Be interesting to see if they can sustain a play off challenge. They obviously have a very good management team and have recruited extremely well as they don’t have a rich sugar daddy or massive crowds.

[Reading Rebel]

4 minutes ago, Sir Rebel1965 said:

Sorry Scott, we have not played 5-6 more matches than other teams.

Just picked a few random teams and this is how many they have played:

STFC - 22

Farnborough – 21

Hampton & Richmond – 19

Hemel – 21

Bath - 20

Yeovil – 22

Aveley – 24

Yeovil and Aveley don’t seem to be suffering playing all those games.

Of course Scott did say a lot of the other teams not all of them. 

Squad size must come in to the equation as well. 

[GlenSTFC]

Just now, Reading Rebel said:

Of course Scott did say a lot of the other teams not all of them. 

Squad size must come in to the equation as well. 

I know Scott says others are chipping in with goals which of course is great but he must be very concerned privately that his 2 main strikers just aren’t scoring. How many more games do you give them before bringing in someone new? It’s been 11 games since Minhas scored and 13 since Alexander scored. Not many strikers would still be getting starts with those stats. Yes I know I’ll be told they do other great work but a striker is signed to primarily score goals and these two for whatever reason aren’t.

[Scott Davies]

If you compare us to Yeovil then god help us all! Aveley are the only exception from that list who are surprising everyone. The rest of those clubs should be right up there with resources.

But, maybe I should’ve said 3 or 4 in comparison to other teams, but we’ve still played more matches and it’ll take its toll with a small squad.

[Scott Davies]

On the striker front, George hasn’t scored in 10, he didn’t play in 3 of the FA cup matches as he wasn’t eligible. Having said that, strikers know that they have to start scoring, it’s as simple as that.

 

[Reading Rebel]

On the striker front, we have to go back to Sept 23rd for either George of Nathan Minhas to have scored a goal.

Contrast that to Mickel Platt who has scored 2 in 2 games since his comeback.

I know Mickel is a completely different type of player to either George or Nathan but does that tell you that the Alexander/Minhas combination is too similar, don't compliment each other and basically just doesn't work?

When they play together Nathan Minhas seems to take on the number 9 role at the spearhead of our attack and possibly because of his superior pace and mobility George does the floating role picking up the loose balls and trying to create and make something happen rather than just getting on the end of a move and scoring.

Either way I've always believed that if you play two up front those two players have to compliment each others play and so far I haven't seen it.

 

 

 

Edited November 12, 2023 by Reading Rebel

[Sir Rebel1965]

For completeness and a full picture the number of games played by teams:

24 games – 1 team

23 games – 1 team

22 games – 5 teams – how many Slough have played.

21 games – 4 teams

20 games - 10 teams

19 games – 2 teams

18 games – 1 team

So number of games Slough has played is only slightly above the average for the league of 20.7

 

The argument about squad size is one which Scott needs to be have with the club owners and how they are funding the squad – there is now money in the pot from the FA cup games.

[Scott Davies]

If Truro have only played 16 matches then where are they on that list? 
Also, nobody has played 24 games. Aveley have a fixture on their list which was a friendly.

Anyway, my point was that with a small squad and having played more matches than a lot of other teams with relatively big squads…

Im sure most of you understand what I was getting at. 👍🏼

[Sir Rebel1965]

6 minutes ago, Scott Davies said:

If Truro have only played 16 matches then where are they on that list? 

Counted 2 postponements which were in the list!

Ok one of Aveleys in the season was a Freindly - but still a match.

 

However we have not "played 5 or 6 more matches than a lot of the other teams" - only one or two.

[Reading Rebel]

Have to say over time Welling's ground doesn't get any better and is a real pit. 

Only one food and a separate tea bar as you go in so if you want a burger and a tea you have to queue up twice.

The toilets on the far side haven't been working in all the times I've been to the ground. Despite a notice saying they were out of order I had to use them in an emergency as I was leaving and the state and smell was bloody disgusting. 

I know money is tight but there's no excuse for not doing something with the facilities on offer.  

[Ian g f]

What was wrong with the floodlights I couldn't see the ball when it was down Slough's end?