THIS IS WHAT HAS BEEN GOING WRONG:

[Chris1]

We are experimenting with players out of position at a crucial time of the season, and we are weak in midfield for reasons of our own making.

 

In both the last two matches we struggled to get the ball out of our own half. We were either losing possession after passes between the back four and deep midfielders, or else having to hoof the long ball up to the front men.

 

Why? The answer is no holding player in midfield. We have only got two (currently fit) players who can do this: Pinnock and Protheroe.

 

Pinnock was played on the wing because he is fast and was thought not to have been supporting Hockton well enough. That’s a fair point, but his failing as a forward (taking the ball away from goal to keep possession) is not such a fault if he is playing at the front of the diamond. Protheroe seems to be out of favour.

 

Standen is a good lad, and has tackled well the last couple of games, but he is a full back not a midfielder. We have been left with an enormous gap in midfield, which has been used by our opponents as a springboard to launch their attacks.

 

Of our present squad Protheroe has to play in order to give us some control in the middle. Assuming we are missing McKimm for the foreseeable future, and if Saunders can’t play there with Proths for whatever reason, Pinnock is the next best choice. It is hardly ‘out of position’ for him as that’s where he usually ends up from the no.9 position.

 

Places where we have good cover are: GK, full backs (Oates/Smith, Skinner/Standen), big centre back (Trott/Donovan), right wing (Abbott/Bagley). We also have a superb utility man in Jay, who can cover most positions.

 

Places where we haven’t got specialist cover: controlling centre back (Sappleton), holding midfielder (Protheroe), goalscorer (Hockton). I am not regarding the new journeyman as proper cover.

 

So we need to look for cover in those positions, NOT shoehorn the wrong people into the wrong positions.

 

Sacking the manager at this point would be ridiculous unless we had a real heavyweight lined up (Andy Ford etc.). Besides we would lose a bloody good central defender.

 

Mr Trott if you are watching: please get our midfield firmed up. We are not going up unless we do it. Also, get the guys playing for you. Make them realise how important it is. We don’t expect everybody to have MFC running through their veins, but it’s your job to fire them up and make them play well for you. Dropping people for minor misdemeanours is counter-productive; show the team you are behind them and you will get respect and results.

 

Now for other people’s opinions…

 

[Porka]

Provs was ill over the weekend which was the main reason behind him sitting on the bench on Tuesday. I'd imagine he'll be back in the starting line-up on Saturday and we need a big performance from him.

[Margate Martian]

we need a big performance from them all for the rest of the season really if we want any hope of getting in the playoffs!

[michael]

I agree its the midfield area that needs attention.

 

Games are normally won and lost im midfield, and we are not taking enough control.

 

Really we need 11 outfield players so we can play 5 in midfield !

 

Think we agree that we need two up front,so how do you get 5 in midfield ?

 

Dare you play just 3 at back-probably not.

 

That means you ate stuck with 4 in midfiled, but you need real control.

Do you therefore sacrifice one of the wide midfield players-JJ or Pinns. and get more control in the middle.The pay-off for having wide midfiled players is that you lose some control in the middle,and on Tuesday, Pinns and JJ did not see much of the ball, but by being wide, they left Dean and Jay on their own to control the game, and in such small numbers ,they could not do it

 

Rightly, RT wants crosses from wide, but even with JJ and PInns there its not being achieved.Do you therefore 'give up ' on one wing,and take more control in central midfield.

 

Maybe ,we sacrifice the right wide midfield,have 3 in in middle-Dean Jay and LP with JJ on the left.

 

Greg played well on Tusday, and looked fitter, so maybe we could get more from him in attack on the right to assist with crosses

Pinns to be super sub to replace DH or RH up front if its not happening.

 

Difficult one this for RT and have sympathy for him to solve it, but i think the 'problem ' lies in us not winning the midfield,and geeting more possession

 

[Cookie]

Couldnt agree more with all above comments.Midfield was our downfall last game.(Just two?)What was that all about?

We really do need to pack that midfield more & get them to cut out clearances by the opposition & also to pick up our own balls out of defence. We certainly need more than just TWO in midfield(Oates & Skinner can help out there,especially if we are on the front foot attacking) but whoever IS in there has to be prepared to work real hard,for 90 minutes(as others do of course) but be willing to sprint backwards & forwards when the need is required.There always seems to be too much of a gap between the forwards & the midfield. Squeeze up more & take the pressure of our defence.

Just one point I noticed from the other night Horsham,when they had that spell of attack in the second half were ALL up in our half & left just ONE,yes just ONE player on the halfway line. Some might say this is kamikaze stuff but they were queing up to score & it worked.I would like to see more bodies in that box, attacking,especially when we have set plays but most of all if these midfielders can be on the edge of the box to pick up those clearances from their defence then we should see sustained pressure in the opponents half instead of seeing it happening in our area.Sometimes you just have to go for broke & take a chance.Leave someone nippy back on the half-way line to counter any attack over the top.(possibly Jay)

Whatever way it turns out we MUST take the game to them & pressurise them from the off but maintain that pressure.We have to try & camp ourselves out in their half.Get a couple of goals to the good early on & they will wilt completely I'm sure of that.The rest of the game should be easier then for us too,but we mustn't let up! We need to also be quicker to the ball,attack the ball more & have better ball control.Goals after the win are very important too & may decide who's going up or staying down at the end of the season.

We have to go for more once the victory has been achieved.