Thoughts from Billericay

[Chris1]

Those of a nervous disposition look away now.

 

We were very poor and I was disappointed with the attitude of some of the players, especially towards the end. Billericay played well but we made them look better than they are.

 

Our defence was slow and disorganised, with players going for the same ball and wide open spaces elsewhere. Our so-called wingbacks hardly got a touch once the opposition realised they had the midfield to themselves.

 

Keister was back defending a lot of the time; Brayley was hanging around in the oppo half, so that just left Protheroe in midfield. He didn’t seem to know what he was being asked to do, and must wonder what he has let himself in for.

 

We played Yiga and Hockton up front, supported by Brayley, but it didn’t work. There was no understanding at all between the front two, and I think we should go back to Brayley/Hockton as soon as possible.

 

The game was fairly even for the first 20 minutes or so, although the warning signs were there. A misunderstanding between Behcet and Edwards left the keeper desperately clawing the ball away.

 

Not long afterwards the keeper made a superb save from Ryan, who had just walked through our defence. That seemed to be the turning point, because from then on Ryan was allowed to run things.

 

We pulled one back, but the result was never in doubt. Towards the end you were wondering how many they would knock in.

 

Their new coach was very vocal, but not a squeak could be heard from our bench.

 

The home support was excellent although they might have spent more time praising their own players instead of barracking ours.

 

Our little band of lads gave good support until about 3-1 when it petered out a bit. The drum is very loud and invited chants from the home crowd about where it might be medically inserted.

 

Man of the match? Well you have to say Ryan, but Danny Kerrigan on the left showed our boys what a wingback is supposed to do, and Flack had a great game just behind the front line. Behcet for Margate was less awful than most of his team mates.

 

Players:

 

Behcet 6. Some great stops but distribution not good. Kicking has improved since I last saw him.

 

Oates 4. Made an effort but Kerrigan had the measure of him.

 

Donovan 2. Half asleep in the first half. Totally asleep in the second until subbed.

 

Edwards 3. A few interceptions but usually found the opposition with clearances.

 

Trott 3. Made a few good tackles but let his head go down towards the end, which caused other players to lose heart.

 

Allman 2. I forgot he was playing until he gifted the oppo goal number 3. If he was also the guilty party for goal 2 then deduct one point.

 

Keister 5. At least he tried his best throughout. Played a couple of lovely through balls in the first half.

 

Protheroe 5. Had nobody helping him in the middle of the park most of the time. Badly needs a Deen or Gradley to play alongside him IMO. Troubled the keeper with a free kick in the second half.

 

Brayley 4. None of the creativity we usually see. Might have been rattled by the continuous chanting against him (what a waste of money etc.).

 

Yiga 3. Before this game I would have agreed with those who have been calling for him to partner Hockton, but believe me it didn’t work. He was not competing enough for the 50/50 balls, and when he did get the ball was dispossessed too easily (think Darren Watson). One nice flick in the second half could have led to something.

 

Hockton 5. Also got a lot of stick from the crowd, but at least kept trying until the end. Took his goal well, hammering it home from about 12 yards when the offside trap didn’t work.

 

Standen came on towards the end and played well in a hopeless cause.

 

Sorry about these negative comments, but I can’t think of much else to say. We all know the class of Brayley, Hockton, Trott and others, and hopefully when they have played together a bit more we will see them looking more of a unit.

 

CK still has work to do on the midfield and to get some flexibility into the system so that (for example) if the opposition start going through the middle we can counter it instead of sticking to a wide formation and letting a class player like Ryan run the show.

[Boney Crisp]

Good report of the game but i did not think we were poor today. We were very good going forward in which we should have scored 4 ourselves it was when we had to defend in which we had problems. The reason to why we had problems defending is because our defensive line was to far forward and because Billericay were very quick on the attack our players could not get back in time due to they did not have the pace. Lee Protheroe was our best player on the feild today i thought making some excellent crosses in which if we had more people in the box would have resulted in a goal. It does not help having Protheroe in the centre of midfeild. The referee was awful, turning down an obvious penalty for us at the beginning and making wrong decisions throughout the game. All in all we did not deserve to lose 4-1 a draw i thought would have been a fairer result. Any other team then we would have won but it was not to be today and we cant change that we now have to look to next weeks game against Heybridge. Oh Margate we love you!

[hangthedj]

Great summary Chris! <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/applaus.gif" alt="" />

 

Just to add one thing, I.M.O if Mitten had been in goal it would have been 4-0 by half time.

[Boney Crisp]

That was a bit harsh teabar. As it occured to you mate that he may read the forum as probably many other players do.

[Gringo]

Good summary Chris middle of the first half we played ok. The rest of the game we did not have a clue, the defence were clueless. After the the third heads dropped and it didnt look like anyone gave a sh#t. Managment included those of you who said youd put your mortgage on us staying up, panic. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/wall.gif" alt="" />

[Gate Watcher]

SPOT ON CHRIS. You have put it all better than I ever could as I just cannot believe how bad things were at times. I felt sorry for Protheroe who was desperately trying to instruct those around him and screaming at players to work. He looked like a coach trying to tell a bunch of kids how to play basic football, no exaggeration. Either give him some proper support in midfield or play him right back.

 

We looked awkward and disjointed.

 

Just gutted by how far we have fallen.

[Cookie]

Charlie has,until recently been a star in goal.

He will get his form back I'm sure.

Thank you Chris for that in-depth and detailed summing up of players and their efforts.Do not apologise for saying what you saw.It is not a crime to do so.Better to know the truth than to be ignorant of it.Pasting over the cracks will not help anyone in the long run.

I just hope that the better players we have signed lately dont get put off by all this bad form,especially from those lesser players around them,though they themselves wont always be excempt because of their "name" or previous experiences with higher clubs.If these players heads go down,as sounds is possibly happening then we really will be in trouble but I dont think we will go down as I strongly believe we have it in us to get the amount of points we need to avoid that but we really do need to start showing something soon. Just a couple of games ago it looked like we had turned the corner but it seems to have returned to what it was before..

Hard work & fitness levels need to be upped a gear on the training ground I think.A few skills need to be looked at and generally playing together with more anticipation & understanding needs to be emphasised more in training too.

[Boney Crisp]

Just been on the Billericay forum and even they thought that our formation was all wrong and that we should be playing a different formation. Funny that we have all seen most of Margates games this season and we have said that all season. They see 2 and they have said the same thing. Personally i would like to see us play 4-4-2 or 4-3-3.

[seasidesteve]

sounds like a good job i didnt go but i have tosay this. until kinnear goes we will not improve,he has his head in the sand living on past glories.give it to a senior pro(trott maybe) till the end of the season, god he can do no worse

[Boney Crisp]

I do respect your opinions SSS even though i disagree with some of them, but if we sack Kinnear then that would create more problems for us. I think we should make judgements on Kinnear when we get to the half-way point of next season. If we are struggling then Kinnear will have to go, but if we are doing well then keep Kinnear. Lets remember he is rebuilding a squad that we did not have before the season.

[I am Spartacus]

Spot on SSS. I would have no hesitation in giving it to Robin.

 

I think I am right in saying that CK's contract expires in the summer he should join Ian Holloway on Gardening leave.

 

Go on bring on the criticism of my comments. I can take it.

[Gate Watcher]

We should be able to see where we are heading by mid November. If it is going wrong still then we need changes. The policy of sticking with a failing formation no matter what is poor.

 

Joseba after today's performance I will agree with you. I cannot see it working with CK at the club. Even after my calls for positivity. My opinion, I'll take any criticism on the chin likewise.

[Drummer]

I think that the post by teabarmark was appalling and totally irrelevant.

[MIKE PERRY]

I think we should all chant 4 4 2 at the next game but then I remember hearing that chant in our last conference season when things started to go wrong. 5 3 2 served us well in the early years of CK's reign as we had committed players suited to the system and a strong spirit and camararderie within the side. We no longer have this and teams have wised up to it and realise we don't have a midfield or the quality of defenders to get us out of jail any more. You have to wonder why after all this time CK still refuses to change the system as it quite clearly does not work any more. Intransigence or tactical ineptitude?

[michael]

We have to stick in this league first and thats looking tough.

 

If-and it is now a big if-i cant see us getting any points against Heybridge-we stay in the league, i do think CK will get it right for next season.

It is frightening though, that Bilericay fans recognise exactly the same as us, that the formation is wrong.

 

We must must must play 4 in midfield-we can scrape 4 midfielders together.Does not matter who, but just play 4 in midfield to stop us being overun every game.

 

If Deen and gradley are not fit, play Protheroe Keister,Standen and Yiga.

 

Even play 4-5-1 with Brayley in midfield and Hockton up front.

 

Lets get a point every match by playing defensively and trying to nick a goal from a Protheroe free kick.

 

Play 3-6-1.

 

Play 5-5-0

 

Whatever we do ,we must stop playing just 3 in midfield and getting overun.

[Gate Watcher]

Looks like Wealdstone could be heading to safety after signing Roscoe D'Sane. On the bench today but could be their white knight. Remember him?

[Gate Watcher]

MM you are right. We must play 4-4-2 and get back to basics. Brayley and Hockton up front is a must with Brayley slightly deeper as usual.

 

Behcet

 

Oates Donovan(Deen) Trott Allman

 

Protheroe Keister Yiga Standen

 

Hockton Brayley

 

Deen should be back in 2 weeks.

[hangthedj]

Quote:

Drummer said:
I think that the post by teabarmark was appalling and totally irrelevant.

Just my opinion, no need to get all up tight about it! <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/boxing.gif" alt="" />

[michael]

2 weeks for Deen-disaster-the only one with any sort of pace.

 

4-5 -1 for me

 

Bechet

 

Oates Trott Donovan Allman

 

Protheroe Keister Brayley Yiga Standen

 

Hockton

 

Better still if PG is fit.

 

At least Protheroe and Standen can add extra cover for Allman and Oates-maybe they can 'interchange' positions to give us wide attacking options without neglecting defence.

 

7 nil- nil draws should just see us safe,and we may just nick a win soemwhere.

 

If you do not concede , you do not lose and get a point, and as importantly, do not worsen your goal difference

[hangthedj]

Totally agree MM. Five in midfield allows you to really take control of a game.