Thurrock

[Rob_the_Saint]

0-0 so far.

 

Susprising returns from injury by Lee Clarke and Matt Hann, Davis and Graham on the bench.

[Rob_the_Saint]

1-1 at HT

 

Cracknell (1) them (11)

[EFC_Callum]

still 1-1?

 

Havant 0-0 i think?

[Webbo MFI]

lost 2-1 then

[Rob_the_Saint]

No disgrace losing away at Kettering, Sutton and Thurrock, the 4-0's were a bit of a shock though.

 

Easy five games to come now: Newport, Carshalton, Eastleigh (sorry, Callum!) Yeading and Maidenhead. Get a couple of decent defenders in cover the suspensions and I'd expect us to win all of those. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

[clarke is god]

im sorry but i think were definately capable of beating thurrock away

[cityman]

apparently the team played really well, had 1 goal ruled out and a penalty shout turned down so yes maybe we should beat a team like Thurrock but taking this into account and the defence issues it's not surprising.

[Nos]

A much improved performance from Saturday and we deserved at least a draw out of this game. I feel the current run of losses will soon be over. A blatant penalty denied to us at the end. Both teams had a goal disallowed. Dean Cracknell's goal on 40 secs was a great strike from the edge of the box but he also missed a sitter in the second half from about a yard out as did Richard Goddard for them in the first half. Their two goals came from Steve Harper. I was amazed Matt Hann and Lee Clarke were back so soon. Clarke looked nowhere near 100% fit and Hann, although looking better was not at his peak. Nick Roddis was Saints MOM in my book.

[EFC_Callum]

Quote:

Rob the Saint said:
Easy five games to come now: Newport, Carshalton, Eastleigh (sorry, Callum!) Yeading and Maidenhead.

No,that's fair enough!

[EFM The Firm, The Voice]

The goal we had disallowed was 100% ok. The pen in the last min was also cast iron, Clarke had walked tnrough half their defence with only the keeper to beat before being hacked down from behind. The ref was crap all night which was quite annoying as the standard has been better this season.

We were getting more and more into our passing rhythm while Thurrock resorted to long balls, we looked very dodgy at the back especially to long balls where both their goals came from. Ada is obviously a confidence player as he's been rock the last few weeks but seems to be paniking a bit at the mo. I heard we got let down by some defender from Aldershot on Friday hence our shortage but we have two defenders arriving tomorrow.

Newport County is just what we need at the moment, if we lose to them I'll review this and say that we are in trouble now <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

[cityman]

I wouldn't say we are in trouble win , lose or Draw the next game.

Our central defense has been an issue so far this season and it is a real shame that we couldn't sign Jimmy from lewes as he looked a real find . (Infact I think it took his time with us to show Lewes how good he was).

I am 100% confident that in time CL will get the right partnership in defence and then hopefully the rest of the team can play with confidence again. Despite the recent results we are still playinf decent football and I'm certianly enjoying this season more than last.

[Nos]

Right on the money, R2. I'd agree with all of that. Sort the defence and the results will come.

[AFF]

For me, we are certainly not 'in trouble', and we wont be, regardless of the outcome on Saturday. We are 3rd in the League, for Heaven's sake. Even to mention this kind of stuff gives Gibbo the opportunity to refer to 'doom merchants' in his programme notes. I haven't heard any, have you? In the same way, I haven't heard of anyone arranging the open-top bus to tour the City centre next May when we are promoted as Champions so he doesn't need to exhort me to keep my feet on the ground. I soetimes wonder where he hears this stuff.

 

I am firmly of the view that Colin Lippiatt knows more about football than I do.

 

He will know that Chris Seeby is a fine young player but, given choice, t'lad can't play at left-back at this level. He will know that Scott Cousins has bucketloads of skill but, given choice, he can't play at centre-back at this level. He will know that his best partnership up front is a fully-fit, confident Lee Clarke alongside a committed Simon Martin. He will know that he has two right-sided attacking midfield players in Mark Graham amd Matt Hann, but they can't both play there. I guess that he selects Mark on the left as there's no-one else, and I have hung up my boots. He will know that Allman, Cracknell and Hakim are excellent players within a squad to cover and keep the pressure on the first choice players. He will know that Tom Davis has to deliver on a consistent basis.

 

He knows that the side has to continue to play an attractive passing game and it will come good again soon. The side continued to play that style of play on Monday night and never returned to the 'Route 1' stuff, [however popular it may be with UEFA 'A' coaches or in Cambridge], even when it wasn't 'happenning' against Thurrock.

 

I never pass on rumours but I hear that two new signings are in the offing this week.

 

Bring on the Welsh!

[Webbo MFI]

4th actually

[AFF]

DRAFT:

 

"Firstly, a warm welcome to the players, Officials and fans from across the border in Wales for this Conference South clash with Newport County, a club with long and proud tradition. We all remember their last visit to Clarence Park when we dumped them out of the F.A. Cup. A similar outcome is expected today although it's the League not the cup. In a manner of speaking. Three points. If you know what I mean. I believe that they have lost 9 on the trot and hopefully that run will be reversed, but not today.

 

As far as Colin Lippiatt and t'lads are concerned, I've read the trash on the message board this week. Widespread talk of being 'in trouble'. Some eejit calling himself Webbo gleefully charting the club's plummet down the League. Plummet? We're fourth for the love of Jesus! Doom merchants.

 

It's this kind of negative stuff that puts off 50 fans a week from coming through the turnstiles and costs the club £27 million pounds a year.

 

Get behind the lads today. Pulsating. Champion."

[Laz]

Wasn't it the FA Trophy?

[AFF]

A minor detail Laz. It's like fine art. Get the overall drift and don't worry about the minutae. 'The Fighting Temeraire'. So what if the sun is setting in the East? It's a great picture. Not to my personal taste but highly regarded generally. Trophy? Cup? What difference does it make?

[Laz]

50 fans a week is the difference it makes!

[EFM The Firm, The Voice]

Quote:

AFF said:
We all remember their last visit to Clarence Park when we dumped them out of the F.A. Cup.

I remembered their last trip as being a dull defeat in the league under Castle
I don't remember the FA Cup (Trophy) game as we were very very drunk!

[AFF]

You see? We are surrounded by negative people who accentuate the less than positive.

 

How are we going to return to the days of full houses at Fortress Clarence Park, a poster on every tree, a scarf tied high on every lamp-post, small groups of people standing in front of every shop in the City Centre discussing Matt 'Matty' Hann's latest wonder goal, a warm welcome in the saloon bar and free ale for every Saints player, every delivery boy on his bycycle wearing a yeller&blue bobble hat, leather straps on the windows in railway carriages, little blue packets of salt in crisp packets?

 

Negative trash.