Worthing 1-0 Enfield Town

[No bull Towner]

Well that was a shame as neither team created much. Worthing as expected had lots more of the ball in the first half but we broke up the play and defended well. The goal was from a great cross and finish so can't really complain about it. Second half we were still in it and Rhys made a couple of saves to still give us a chance of getting something but it wasn't to be. Not too disappointed as it could have been a lot worse and the fact we were only beaten by one goal is promising against a decent team. Roll on Boxing Day

[ETFC2001]

Surprised there’s not more comments on here about yesterday’s game as I thought people were getting more engaged with the forum again due to the last couple results.

Nevertheless - a really poor game with not a lot of quality in it and I thought both teams were poor for most of the game. We had spells, like they did where we looked promising but it’s a results game and we didn’t get that yesterday, like we have from Weston and Tonbridge.

What is worrying me the most is the gap to Bath now being 7 points. We also have to be much better at home if we want to stay up. Boreham Wood and Chelmsford aren’t perfect games to start, but there’s points to be taken. Our first home game (atmosphere should help hopefully) with this new look formation and I hope we take it to them from minute one. I look forward to New Years Day though, think that’ll be a proper test of where we are/where we need to be to have a chance of staying up. 

Gavin, the management team and the players have got my full backing but I’d like a couple new signings if we are given an opportunity also.

[Raingod]

Not there yesterday so difficult to comment apart from the 4 mins of "highlights" and the worthing commentary - which was very good.

 

Previously we would let in 4 goals in these games - instead we are staying in them which is a big improvement. This was a free hit in my view - 4 from 9, 1 win, 1 draw, 1 loss,  is a better return than we expected and is the sort of form we need consistently to be in with a chance of staying up.

No shots on target is a concern - but Gav is acknowledging - perhaps we go 2 up top for home games/ games against teams in bottom 8?

Seems like we defended well generally - the goal on the stroke of HT was a killer - from the video it looks like Cox and Hawkins on the same man in the middle leaving the guy to run in at the back = Lennon is a winger so I would expect the back 3 to be picking these runs up.

It was results elsewhere that was the bigger disappointment for me though, with teams in 19th and 20th both winning - meaning we are effectively 8 points from safety with our poor GD. I would have preferred Aveley to beat Bath and keep them closer .. 

However, on the plus side we are getting better, the other 3 in the relegation zone show no signs of running into form, and we just need to overtake a Salisbury, Welling, Hemel or Bath in addition to them.

Whilst the footballwebpages predicted final table is just an algorithm, it does suggest there could be a lower points tally required to stay up ..

 

January will be a pivotal month : St Albans - Chelmsford (Maidstone) Bath Weymouth - 4 wins from 5 here and we could be out of the bottom 4 ... 

 

Merry Xmas to all!

 

 

 

[Towningaround]

1 hour ago, ETFC2001 said:

Gavin, the management team and the players have got my full backing but I’d like a couple new signings if we are given an opportunity also.

Maybe try and sign another centre forward? 

[The Crowing Cockerel]

43 minutes ago, Raingod said:

January will be a pivotal month : St Albans - Chelmsford (Maidstone) Bath Weymouth - 4 wins from 5 here and we could be out of the bottom 4 ... 

Absolutely no guaranteed points there.

St Albans will be very tough. They've had a change of management and were inches away from going 2-0 up against Truro yesterday and perhaps sealing the points.

Chelmsford have been under-achieving so far - and really should've seen off Weymouth with the chances they had.

Maidstone - was interesting to see the Farnborough manager commenting on the huge budget they have at Maidstone.

Bath and Weymouth will be very very tough - as will full-time Eastbourne at the end of the month.

You're right though - January will probably decide our fate.

I reckon we need at least 12 points from the next 21 available to still have the faintest sniff of a chance.

[ETFC2001]

1 hour ago, Towningaround said:

Maybe try and sign another centre forward? 

Not sure why you bother to reply to me when you have nothing constructive to say to be honest. 

Edited Sunday at 19:26 by ETFC2001

[ETFC2001]

35 minutes ago, The Crowing Cockerel said:

Absolutely no guaranteed points there.

St Albans will be very tough. They've had a change of management and were inches away from going 2-0 up against Truro yesterday and perhaps sealing the points.

Chelmsford have been under-achieving so far - and really should've seen off Weymouth with the chances they had.

Maidstone - was interesting to see the Farnborough manager commenting on the huge budget they have at Maidstone.

Bath and Weymouth will be very very tough - as will full-time Eastbourne at the end of the month.

You're right though - January will probably decide our fate.

I reckon we need at least 12 points from the next 21 available to still have the faintest sniff of a chance.

Boreham Wood are a funny team. Obviously a full time team, with an outrageous budget for this league but some weeks they are on it, others you can take points away from them. Let’s hope Boxing Day is one of those days.

St Albans is really the tester for me this month. I want to see how well we fair up against another team that is struggling but are performing well. Their defense is clearly struggling, and there’s 3 points to be had there too.

Something is wrong with Chelmsford this season, whether that’s management issues or other things so I don’t see why we can’t win on the 4th aswell or get a point.

Maidstone, another full time team with an outrageous budget are unbeaten in 100 or something days in the league. Not very optimistic for that game, hopefully we can smash and grab a point or something.

We need to beat Bath at home, and hope the gap is somewhat close for that game so we are closer then what we are now. Weymouth the week after I am expecting 3 points too, with the way they played at ours in October. They were genuinely woeful. I can’t see this manager change helping them at all.

It depends on how Aveley/St Albans and Bath do over the course of the month. I already think Weymouth are down, with the manager they appointed. He doesn’t look promising to me at all. Like you say, Chelmsford should of saw them off comfortably.

[Towningaround]

2 hours ago, ETFC2001 said:

Not sure why you bother to reply to me when you have nothing constructive to say to be honest. 

Just a joke fella. Seeing as you see each new forward (apart from the ones we’ve had) as the answer to all our prayers based on very little evidence 🤣😉

We broke up a partnership on Saturday that had scored 6 goals in the previous 4 games together (3 each) and didn’t muster a shot on goal….in this constant quest for something better….when actually now we’re in a position where we need to improve and gain some understanding among those we have. 

[The Crowing Cockerel]

On 22/12/2024 at 18:07, Towningaround said:

Maybe try and sign another centre forward? 

Mumblings coming out of Gillingham: 'Wylie needs to be loaned out - needs consistent games at National League level".

[No bull Towner]

40 minutes ago, The Crowing Cockerel said:

Mumblings coming out of Gillingham: 'Wylie needs to be loaned out - needs consistent games at National League level".

Surely we would have had first dibs on him as part of the deal when sold him?

[ETFC2001]

21 hours ago, Towningaround said:

Just a joke fella. Seeing as you see each new forward (apart from the ones we’ve had) as the answer to all our prayers based on very little evidence 🤣😉

We broke up a partnership on Saturday that had scored 6 goals in the previous 4 games together (3 each) and didn’t muster a shot on goal….in this constant quest for something better….when actually now we’re in a position where we need to improve and gain some understanding among those we have. 

I understand that, but I genuinely think the quality of the game was terrible. Worthing only had 3 shots on target in the game and scored from it. It just wasn’t a pretty day for both teams, and I was expecting more ‘action’. It was a cagey game and they got the luck of the draw on the stroke of halftime. It’s not a game you judge our team off in my opinion as Worthing are flying, granted not playing great on Saturday. 

Gavin is allowed to try new things, it’s paid off recently with the new formation. He’s obviously looked at Chukwu for 3 training sessions and ‘thinks’ he can offer more then Hutchinson up-front if he’s broken that partnership. If he decides Hutchinson should get the next start against Boreham Wood, then so be it! 

Both teams attackers were poor, Faal/Cashman both had a relative quiet game. Chukwu/Youngs didn’t really add anything, Peake didn’t do a lot either. 

I’ve got some things wrong with signings like Shakpoke etc, that’s fair enough. I imagine every time Chukwu starts and doesn’t score, you’re going to be on here talking about Hutchinson and not being constructive. This also means you can’t be quiet if Chukwu does start scoring though in place of Hutchinson! I don’t think you should be agending against players just because you feel another player should be playing in place of them, you back the 11 on the pitch and hope we win the game..

I’ve been harsh on here about Hutchinson, definitely. But I’ve also praised him massively at times when he has turned up. I hope you do the same for Chukwu if he does start showing why we signed him.

46 minutes ago, The Crowing Cockerel said:

Mumblings coming out of Gillingham: 'Wylie needs to be loaned out - needs consistent games at National League level".

It’s obviously not been this dream move other strikers before him and Wyllie thought it would be. Anywho, I do think that ship has sailed. I imagine they’ll be looking at a playoff NL side that can offer full time resources.

[The Crowing Cockerel]

51 minutes ago, No bull Towner said:

Surely we would have had first dibs on him as part of the deal when sold him?

I'd suggest it would be more likely he'd go somewhere like B****t.

But just imagine the lift it would give supporters - and the club as a whole - if he did come back.

Anyway, very very very unlikely, I'd imagine.

Edited 22 hours ago by The Crowing Cockerel

[andyetfc]

It wasn’t that long ago that some fans were wanting Mo back.

[Towningaround]

4 hours ago, ETFC2001 said:

I don’t think you should be agending against players just because you feel another player should be playing in place of them

Far from it. But I see and have seen absolutely no reason for either Shakpoke and then Chukwu to come in and replace a player who has clearly needed a strike partner that’s all.

What I will add is it seems nothing other than completely foolish to me that you can sign a player who has a goal scoring record at this level and the one above, but who was clearly lacking game time and would require some patience and minutes to get up to speed…..only to give him that and then bin him the week after he actually starts to show what he’s capable of and shows signs of being the goalscorer we’d wanted…and then to compound the problem by replacing him with someone who was in exactly the same boat that Hutchinson was in 6 weeks ago and start all over again was mental !!!!

Ludicrous. 

I’ll say it again, I liked the look of Chukwu when I saw him v Welling  and think he’d be a good fit to play with a Hutchinson. However as I said, my pal plays for Welling and he said Chukwu had been bloody awful. The fact they chose to list him and not Taylor Crossdale who’d been equally as awful suggests they at least felt Taylor Crossdale had more to offer longer term. 
 

Again, repeating myself, Sam Youngs is not a forward and the goals he gets are from later runs into the box unmarked. As a forward he gets in the way. As an example (and I wasnt their Saturday but saw it on the highlights) a cross from the right was easily cleared before it reach Chukwu because Youngs made his run too early. He got in the way and alerted a defender to the danger who reacted and got back on position to clear.