What we deserved

[Guest]

Yesterday showed why we have been relegated. Poor defending and an inability to take chances. We DESERVE to go down. Not because the other teams were any good (Grays apart) but because week-in, week-out we have shot ourselves in the foot.

Yesterday, Holdsworth apart, Havant were dismal and yet we lost 3-1. Our goal showed that. Just a big punt down the middle that their defenders allowed to bounce and Che ran on and scored.

Of course there is plenty of mitigation for our situation (the ground, embargo) but the fact remains we have players who have plenty of Conference National experience - we should have done better. That's why I have grown increasingly uneasy with the applause for them at the end of matches which we have lost.

[Guest]

No we must applaude our absolute failure and decline in the last few seasons

[Guest]

R E WHAT WE DESERVED sounds as if you got what you got what you deserved,have a nice day. ANGLE .

[TonyM]

OK,OK in the hard light of day you are right,our players did not perform well thats why we got relegated,the off field problems did not help thats for sure and most clubs would have folded but we didnt,whats happend has been done I still think that every one of our players who put on the blue shirt deserves respect we MUST stick together as fans support the boys and the boss.

[MargateFan]

I find it very strange that a supposed supporter of the club shoud be uneasy about fans applauding the team at the end of the match.

I don't know why other folk applaud, but I do because these guys have given everything, win or lose. They wear the blue shirt and they represent us, and in my book sport is trying to be the best you can on the day, and if they have done that, it earns my repect. They stand up for us every week, and yes, we have been poor this season, and yes, we have players who have conference national experience, but it is a team game, and if our team has not been good enough it is hardly the fault of any individual in it, more a collective failing driven by the circumstances that have been forced on us by external pressures.

I also know that they stand up for us with everyone knowing their names, history etc. and exposing themselves to all manner of comments and opinions, somewhat braver than folk that hide their poison behind a mantle of anonymity. I think it takes a lot more bottle to do that than to sit at a computer keyboard and think up snidey things to say in order to cover up one's own inadequacies.

I think the biggest prize in true sporting behaviour comes not from the game won, but for the fight fought.

[michael]

I've always said the table 'does not lie';but i've never seen so many games where Margate were the better side only to lose.

Normally this evens itself out, but has'nt seemed to this season

 

I think our only undeserved win that i saw was Carlshalton away early season.

 

Is it because we did not have enough 'steel' in the side.

I do think midfield was too lightweight.

 

Maybe our fitness levels need looking at aswell.

 

In the conference, we constantly seemed fitter than most full time teams(was this down to Kevin McHale).Pause for a second while i shed tears for those visits to Shrewsbury away .

 

This season , i dont' recall any match when we looked the stronger fitter side.

Perhaps that has alot to do with the lack of a pre-season.

(someone probably has the stats of first half/second half results in isolation)

 

It is not meant to sound a criticism ,because i equally remember us all just being grateful 10 months ago that CK had miraculously assembled a side.

 

If we can have a proper pre-season build up and proper friendlies against strong sides, then maybe we can have a decent new season.

[MargateFan]

I think a lot of your points are very well considered, MM, and yes, fitness overall has been a big problem this season. I think Gradley is a case in point, he was not sharp at the beginning of the season, but I watched him get better and better as the season progressed, and I think he is a formidable player now in midfield, pity that we lost him to injury during the season. Greg also, injured last year, and with a bigger squad could have been rested and sorted out, as having him missing/not fit enough for games was a big loss. But our biggest difficultuy has been the size of the squad, and the impossibility of resting players, or bringing unfit ones back to fitness in the right way. The fact that we had no strength in depth meant that if a player was injured, we more often than not had to play someone out of position, and under those circumstances it is not surprising that the shape and performance of the team was affected, and errors occurred.

My worry now is that the drop in league will decimate the team we have left, and we will be in the same situation at pre-season that we were last year. I do hope every effort is made to keep as many of our current squad as can be persuaded to stay, so that we have a solid base to build on.

[Guest]

Problem is, players who are good generally like staying in a good level of football. If someone like G&N come knocking at Margate's best players, especially if they are nearer their homes, what are the chances of them staying?

[michael]

I think there is fitness and stamina.

 

Well known that we have been playing with injuries, but also wonder whether there has been a bit of lack of stamina and more 'general' fitness levels

[Guest]

"I also know that they stand up for us with everyone knowing their names, history etc. and exposing themselves to all manner of comments and opinions, somewhat braver than folk that hide their poison behind a mantle of anonymity. I think it takes a lot more bottle to do that than to sit at a computer keyboard and think up snidey things to say in order to cover up one's own inadequacies.

I think the biggest prize in true sporting behaviour comes not from the game won, but for the fight fought."

 

Oh dear, oh dear. Personally, having spent a great deal of time and money following the team all over the place this season, I think I am entitled to be unhappy with the fact we have been relegated.

I'm not saying we should barrack the team, but clapping them off after some of their performances does rather take the biscuit.

[MargateFan]

Ah well, each to his own.