elmsford today

[Red Neck]

What is it with us and the FA Cup in recent years? A sickeningly bad performance today, an embarassing display. No desire, no effort and no killer instinct. We should wipe the floor with teams like Chelmsford City, but what we got was a side that hadn't done it's homework and wasn't interested in winning. As for City being more up for it, b*ll*cks. They are a sh*t side who won't be leaving the Isthmian League for a long, long time. They didn't beat us, we gave them the game. I wonder if our players had been told before kick-off, that the league was more important. If so, then next year can the fans be told in advance, so we can save our time and money.

[Monty]

'They are a sh*t side who won't be leaving the Isthmian League for a long, long time.'

 

Where you watching the game. The Chelmsford city i was watching were excellent

[Stu M]

Of course Harry and Mighty Fleet are right in that this was only one cup result and disappointing as it may be, we need to move on.

 

But that said, I think we're also entitled to be VERY VERY pi$$ed off with the lack of fight we showed today. It's the FA Cup, it's a break from the norm and I would have no problem losing to a better side - as we did today - whatever league they are in. But when we don't perform, when we don't even show a shadow of our normal selves, I am embarrassed, dismayed and disappointed and it takes some weeks to regain any form of positivity.

 

So much of a season can rest on a good cup run, and now ours rests on what we do in the league... and with games against Morecambe and Oxford coming up, we have to show spirit to lift the fans again.

 

And as FF said above, our chance to entice the armchair fan is over for another year, short of us challenging for promotion.

[Stu M]

Quote:

Slartibartfast said:
Todays performance was the same as the Stafford match

Though I recall we had the odd shot on goal against Stafford.

And until they went 3-1 up we looked interested.

We didn't even look interested in the long walk to the pitch today at 2:55pm.

[Jessica]

We had a slight problem with a supporter after the match who when challenged to name a Chelmsford player freely admitted he was a Chelsea fan who just happended to live in Chelmsford, if anyone had stayed a little after the final whistle they would also have heard those people behind the goal second half singing Chelsea songs as well. Chelmsford deserved their win and all genuine Chelmsford fans I wish the very best of luck, but having drunk fans on the terrace, actually drinking from cans which I thought was not allowed although I am probably wrong did them no favours. As with all cup runs you hope to attract the floating fans, I hope for Chelmsford's sake their next game clashes with a Chelsea home game,as clearly the fans there today do not follow their team away. But having though about it they probaly have never been to a Chelsea game either.

As for being a bad loser, of course I am I never want Fleet to lose, but I did not chant or swear at genuine Chelmsford fans, they were all busy celebrating, pity they did not get a better draw in the next round.

[Jimmy]

It was shambolic and appalling at times with a clear lack of any sort of determination or ability to change things.

 

A few players need to have a hard look at themselves before the Morecambe game - the system did them no favours at times but aimless distribution and giving the ball away is unacceptable.

 

They wanted it more than us which makes it all the more disappointing - it looked as if a few of our lot just thought they had to turn up and Chelmsford would lay down.

 

The reaction is now the important thing - the next run of games is a difficult one so it's up to the squad to get back on track.

 

Also, Luke Moore needs a rest and we need to play 4 at the back as Ross isn't a left back and Keeling isn't a left wingback hence why Hodges had the run of the pitch all game.

 

Slatter also would benefit from a rest.

 

The only good thing was Sam Mott's performance when he came on - one save early in the second half exceptional.

[Mighty Fleet]

I think we all knew the prats behind the goal weren't Chelmsford fans, and clearly there should have been some kind of stewarding - as Jessica says, standing drinking Stella out of a can can't be good, but who from Chelmsford was there to stop them?

 

Interestingly when we tried to stand outside with our plastic beer glasses before the game (as we do at home) we were told drinking wasn't allowed outside - obviously unless you're already pissed drinking from a can!

 

My commments re our behaviour were not at the morans but the city fans on the balcony as we left. I am a terrible loser, and will have the hump for days, but I just felt we let ourselves down by acting like that.

[1 F in Fleet]

Nothing to add to any of the previous comments , all have their own merits ... nobody is going to be happy until after Morecambe , if we get a result we can look at the table and feel some satisfaction . Then we have two clear weeks to prepare for Oxford ... would a win against the leaders satiate the most hardnosed of us ? For me , yes and no ... if we beat them we really do the Daggers a favour , even though we may maintain our playoff place , which surely now is our grail this season IF THE CLUB WANT IT . In hindsight the two weeks between Morecambe and Oxford may be very beneficial to Lance , depending on the extent of his injury ... no complaints about Sam Mott , but I'm sure we would all want Lance back between the sticks against Oxford . Up the Fleet .

[Fezpian]

And Maidstone United beat them there last week...

[Selbz5]

Hi all,

 

I have just taken in all of what has been written on this thread and here are my thoughts.

 

Personally, I like Gravesend as a club. I remember our old league and Trophy encounters and enjoyed the banter the clubs had in those days. Since your move to the Ryman League you have been a bit of a success story and are doing very well to hold your own in the Conference.

 

You brought a fair few fans along and for those that were there they did a good job in getting behind your side...

 

As for the game itself, City were more up for the game. We were not expected to win and the players really felt they had a point to prove as many of them were playing at your level just last season. It was a stunning performance from a City side that really wanted it and obviously I am delighted...

 

As for the crowd issues...apologies to anyone if there was any bad banter from City 'supporters' behind the goal. I can assure you that this is not what City are about and never will be. City fans are passionate but don't behave in the ways you described. I can assure you these people are in the minority.

 

City have developed a core of very passionate fans over the last decade due to the problems we have encountered with losing our ground and playing at Maldon and Billericay. We are delighted to be in the First Round but any bad blood between the supporters is unnecessary...

 

Good luck for the rest of the Season and I hope you are successful in your quest to consolidate your place in the Conf...

 

Hopefully we may meet in a league game again in years to come!

[jc]

Quote:

Harry J Allstars said: Chelmsford are welcome to their Aldershot game, I'll look forward to playing them later in the season. Had they drawn a league one club then I would have been pissed off but as they didn't I don't really care.

However, such a tie provides them with a realistic chance of another victory, and the possibility of a much more financially lucrative draw in the following round(s).

Quote:

Stu M said:But that said, I think we're also entitled to be VERY VERY pi$$ed off with the lack of fight we showed today. It's the FA Cup, it's a break from the norm and I would have no problem losing to a better side - as we did today - whatever league they are in. But when we don't perform, when we don't even show a shadow of our normal selves, I am embarrassed, dismayed and disappointed and it takes some weeks to regain any form of positivity.

Indeed - and it's even more galling when you consider that we've been largely playing well, which makes yesterday's display all the more inexplicable. At least last year's cup exits made more sense, given that we'd been playing poorly on more occasions than we have been this time around - in particular, note our desperately poor display at Tamworth last season the week before the Kettering match.

Unfortunately, you have to wonder whether our rise into the play-off positions last week has done more harm than good at this point. Rather than instil the players with the confidence that would help us see off Chelmsford with relative ease, it's plausible that it only served to distract them from the task in hand yesterday.

Quote:

Stu M said:And as FF said above, our chance to entice the armchair fan is over for another year, short of us challenging for promotion.

In addition, yesterday's match had a number of fans who rarely travel away in attendance, and the performance was hardly a good advert for them to do it on a more regular basis.

Quote:

Jimmy said:The reaction is now the important thing - the next run of games is a difficult one so it's up to the squad to get back on track.

Indeed. A win at Morecambe is far from essential - after all, it's no disgrace to lose up there - but a much improved performance is, in order to prevent the possibility of repeating last year's post-FA Cup exit slump.

P.S. All of Jimmy's comments on yesterday's game are absolutely spot-on in my view - excellent analysis.

[jc]

On a positive note, great to see that Mr Jarnail Singh was as good a referee as he was when he refereed a couple of our games four seasons back.

[Stu M]

I barely noticed he was out there.... which means he had a good game. Again.

[Bernard]

I have to say I have very few arguments with what has been said on here following the shambolic performance yesterday. One thing I will say, in response to the comments about our league postition putting us off the job in hand today, is that the club don't seem to care a jot about the FA Cup anymore. Perhaps they need reminding that the fans love nothing more than a day out where the result of the game matters 100% to our survival in the competition. Perhaps the managerial/board-room team needs to listen to the fans and actually put up a fight next year. Either that, or watch what are already poor home attendances turn into Ryman level ones.

[cockneyred]

after reading the comments listed i will add my bit-why do fleet defenders hoof the ball to strikers who want it to feet?(getting worse the last 3 games) why was midfield bypassed when we all know they can play? why is nobody encouraged to go wide to pull opposition defence out? why were macarthy and coleman subbed when they were as good as anyone else? long dont look fit and agree moore needs a break-ref was too fussy and slowed the game down, with not needed bookings.for 1600 in ground there was little atmosphere coz of track.

[Bernard]

I think many of us were originally baffled by McCarthy going off rather than James Smith. However, I spotted later that Paul was getting treatment on the bench, having obviously recieved a knock.

[John Pearce]

I'm sorry, despite my optimism and hopes, but yesterdays result was as predictable as today being Sunday and night following day!!

 

You can blame the ground (and yes there is probably more of an atmospehere on the moon), you can blame their supporters chanting (I cannot beleve that so many so called 'Fleet fans can be so bothered by opponents chants, and I've heard worse at Stonebridge Road anyway but its the game that is important) and you can blame the 3-5-2 or 3-5-1 system or whatever.

 

The truth of the matter is that a professional team, currently 4th. in the Conference should have had no problem in seeing off what was really a very ordinary side, even on a bad day (remember they lost to Maidstone only last Saturday) even if it did need to go to a replay. The reality is that they clearly were far better motivated and more importantly wanted the result more. To use that horrible term " they were simply more up for it"

 

What on earth did Daish expect, of course a team from a lower division is going to raise its game, that is what happened yesterday but the 'Fleet players quite simply did not appear to know how to respond. More worryingly neither did the manager?

 

Far too many 'Fleet players simply didn't bother to 'turn-up' yesterday. I was going to go through the team individually and make a comment about each player but in reality it's no good pointing the finger at any one single player, they were all equally as bad as each other.

 

The result of which however has cost the club dearly, lost money (win money and potential attendance cash) and equally important media exposure. A good result yesterday just might have got some new visitors to attend a game at Stonebridge Road in the coming weeks. But once again, as in the previous seasons, the club has blown it.

 

As one Chelmsford supporter was over heard to say "and this lot are 4th. in the Conference?" On the day you simply could not argue.

 

A fair number of 'Fleet supporters travelled yesterday and once again returned from a FA Cup match extremely disapointed. Yes, no doubt the players are also disapointed, but they will still get paid at the end of the week. I suppose it would be simply too much to expect to hear an official apology on behalf of the club to those that made the effort to travel?

[Stu M]

I'd imagine that Coleman was sacrificed because of his yellow card and Daish wanted to keep 11 men on the pitch... that's Coleman's third yellow in not many more games.

[Slartibartfast]

Quote:

cockneyred said:
ref was too fussy and slowed the game down, with not needed bookings.

Which of the bookings didn't you agree with?
I thought that once again Mr Singh demonstrated what a good ref he was, rightly turned down a couple of spurious penalty appeals and booked the players that deserved it. The only quibble I would have was the amount of time added on at the end, so much of the game was spent waiting for the ball to be returned from the running track that four minutes hardly seemed enough....not that it would have made any difference, if Chelmsford had left the field on ninety minutes and we had stayed out there on our own for eight minutes injury time we wouldn't have scored.

[Hempstead Gaz]

Mr Singh is probably the best ref outside of the Premiership - many would say that's where he should be plying his trade.

Top ref, and from reports, top bloke.

Respect.