Enfield Town 2 Wivenhoe Town 0

[Mini-Smith Towner]

Originally Posted By: lovely stuff

IF you are going to play Magona just in front of the defence (about two feet in front to be precise),then why the hell do we need Rudi sitting in another holding role just in front of him? and why the hell do we need to bring on Dave Hunt(another holding midfielder) in place of our only creative midfielder? Also why do some fans always single out the likes of Velendia and Edmunds for having some poor games but say nothing when many other Town players also put in poor performance after poor performance??

Exactly!! To a certain extent.

[Mini-Smith Towner]

He (Harvey) was playing at centre-back all game yesterday.

 

How much attacking do you want him to do??

[lovely stuff]

I wasn't talking about attacking.For me,he was the spare defender.One of three taking care of a lone striker.I don't doubt he looked comfortable in that role,but i rarely saw him pass or head the ball during the 90 minutes.Admittedly he did nothing wrong.

[Mini-Smith Towner]

Originally Posted By: Albury_Walker

Originally Posted By: Mr Happy

The result has papered over the cracks. It was a pretty poor performance against a poor side. As usual, Charlie played well and without him we could wel have lost. The officials were poor too with the ref seeming to not want to actually make any decision that was borderline. I accept that we had some important players out but at this rate I cannot see us make the play offs.

you even moan when you win. You people are dead weierd.

I tend to agree.

I was fairly disgusted and frustrated by some of the fans yesterday, and I was not the only person. I mean, most of them are moany at the best of times when we are not winning by 3 or 4 goals every week, but we are simply adding to the negative vibe at present.

In the 1st half when we were trying to get the ball down and play, every little loss of possession, even after a spell of good play, was greeted with moans and jeers. Why are you unable to support the players that are out there, and lend them encouragement? I too sometimes disagree with formation, team selection etc, but we will not help by directing negative shouts and chants at individual players. This does rub off on the players, and only helps to increase the frustration and lack of confidence being felt by them.

We can make a difference by getting behind the boys, especially when they are trying to play the game in the right way and they are lacking confidence, as is the case at present.

In the 2nd half, yes the game was pretty dire and frustrating, but the negative shouts, and in particular the chants being directed at players and the team from behind the goal was pathetic. Hope you are all proud of yourselves. I didn't agree with decisions made by JC regarding the subs that were made either, but we need to deal with that and get behind those players that are out there. It is not the time and place to voice your opinions in such a manner.

I quote two chants: "How long do you want the pitch? etc" when Georgiou miss-kicked a cross,
and, "We're gonna lose 1-0 etc". What is the point? It's just stupid.

Players don't intend on misplacing a pass, or losing possession.
Oh thats right, you pay your money so you can say whatever you like.

[lovely stuff]

To be fair,we don't expect players who are in the regular habit of losing possession or misplacing passes,to be playing for Enfield Town at all (Whether they mean it or not).

 

I accept injuries badly hindered our selection,but the quality of football we produced on saturday was nowhere near the minimum standard required by the fans of this club.

 

[Mr Happy]

I have to agree with MST re the chanting. It is fine to have a pop at the players and manager after the final whistle and during the game when a player makes a mess then fans are entitled to have a pop. However, I don't like negative singing and chanting and I did make that point to some fans on Saturday.

[The Invisible Man]

This is all very worrying and perplexing! I thought the idea of having a big squad and a reserve team was to be able to overcome injuries and suspensions (the latter being self-inflicted of course).

 

I am likely to have the opportunity to get to the Dratford (away) game. I'm not sure whether to bother after reading accounts of perfomances thus far, or whether I should to judge for myself.

[Arkwright]

Originally Posted By: The Invisible Man

This is all very worrying and perplexing! I thought the idea of having a big squad and a reserve team was to be able to overcome injuries and suspensions (the latter being self-inflicted of course).

I am likely to have the opportunity to get to the Dratford (away) game. I'm not sure whether to bother after reading accounts of perfomances thus far, or whether I should to judge for myself.

Go & judge for yourself of course.

[Barney]

Just read through this thread, and am a little surprised at some of the comments. Granted, I didn't think we were particularly good on Saturday, especially in the second half, and I think we can put much of this down to the fact that we seem desperately short of confidence. That said, at times in the first half we played some good football, and for the most part at least tried to get the ball down and pass it.

 

The formation from where I was standing was 4-5-1 (or possibly 4-3-3) with Harding and Campbell as wide midfielders getting forward to support Georgiou, who was a lone striker. As someone has said already, I felt a bit sorry for him too, as he wasn't getting the best service, but when we did play it into his feet, he held it up quite well, and brought other people into play. As for Magona, I thought he was the best player on the pitch in the first 45, and agree with Steph (I think) in that he broke up attacks, and gave a simple pass, keeping the ball. He also brings some height and strength to the midfield, which at this level is clearly needed. Whether we like it or not, we’re going to be defending long balls and set pieces for a lot of the time, and I’m happy to see him in a holding midfield role doing just that, whereas at the back, his lack of pace can be exposed. In the second half, I don’t think anyone came out with much credit, and we really got out of jail in the end, but I’m happy to take the three points, knowing that we should have a few more forwards available tomorrow night. For the record, I’m also in the ‘why isn’t Foster getting a game?’ camp, but I’m sure there are reasons that Jim isn’t playing him, so I’m willing to give the benefit of the doubt on that one.

 

I thought the back four were all very good, irrespective of the threat (or lack of) posed by Wivenhoe. The more I see of Bastian, the more I like him, as he’s got bags of energy to get forward, seems solid defensively and took his goal very well today (he was also unlucky not to score against Brentwood a fortnight ago), and an attacking threat from full back is an added bonus for me. I’m also a fan of Harvey, and am surprised and a little frustrated that people seem to have written him off after two full games. Whilst I’d like to see a Hannigan type player at the back for us, talking all game, and dominating, players of that standard are few and far between. In Gant and Harvey, we have two solid defenders, who win their headers, make their tackles, and most importantly don’t make many mistakes. Anyone who was there for the W&F debacle a couple of weeks ago must appreciate what these two bring to the side. As far as I’m concerned, if you don’t notice your centre backs for 90 minutes, then they’re doing their job - it’s when they’re making mistakes / getting outpaced / fouling / hitting the ball long that they tend to show up on the fan’s radars. Also, both of them look to get the ball down, get their head up and find a white shirt, which means that we can keep the ball for longer periods without it coming straight back at us, putting us under more pressure.

 

Anyway, I think it’s fair to say that no matter how much emphasis I put on the positives, we really weren’t good enough on Saturday, and have to improve if we’re serious about challenging this season. OK, so we got out of jail in the end with a 2-0 win, but we were a little fortunate to come away with that, especially after the second half showing. With Hammatt and Crace back in the team and playing as well as they can (assuming the latter doesn’t just try to kick lumps out of people like at Brentwood) I’m confident that we will improve. We’re 5th at the moment, which in my book is in contention; I wish more people would take the attitude of “OK, so we’re not playing well at the moment, yet we’re still in the hunt”, rather than focusing on the negatives. I say it every time, but if we (as a set of fans) get behind the 11 players on the pitch, be positive, don’t criticise every misplaced pass / wayward shot and encourage the team, I really think that the team will feed off that and start to play with a bit more confidence and belief.

 

Here’s hoping for a good performance against Canvey!

 

[lovely stuff]

Quote:

I wish more people would take the attitude of “OK, so we’re not playing well at the moment, yet we’re still in the hunt”,

 

 

We've been in the same situation for the past 3 or 4 years.We rarely play to our potential,but always seems to be in the hunt.I think some fans are fed up knowing the fact that if we could have got our game together this season, we could have walked this league. (as has been the case for several seasons)

 

Anyway.A Good constructive post Barney.Even if i don't quite agree with all your conclusions.As i said,i think Gant/Harvey could be a good balanced central pairing (if slightly lacking in height/pace).

 

I also have to agree with Mr Happy about abuse of individual players and negative chanting (although i feel this had a comic gallows humour element,rather than being vindictive.If you don't laugh ,you'll cry,sort of mentality).

 

Also coming back to Steve Magona again,I accept he is a fully committed player.As a utility man he is also usefull to the squad as a whole.He is combative ,good in the air..etc.My point is,he is soley a defensive player who hasn't got the range of game to offer anything going forward (the Wivenhoe keepers butter-fingers aside).If he is to be played in the defensive midfielder role,it can only be effective if we have two or three attacking midfielders to complement his role.

[Mini-Smith Towner]

You put it perfectly Bernard

[Barney]

No arguments from me about Magona, he's a good defensive player and nothing else... he does his job well, and we need players like him in the side in my view. Playing him in midfield with the likes of Velandia and Cambell should give us the right balance, especially if Rudi plays like he can do, but much higher up the pitch where his ability to keep posession and play a killer pass can hurt sides much more.

 

I think we probably played the best football at this level during the Southern League season, and were unlucky not to go up (I still have nightmares about that 2-2 against Rothwell!). Obviously I'd like us to be winning easily, and in style but at the moment, we're just not there yet. I'd take a few ugly 2-0 wins against the likes of Wivenhoe if it a) keeps us at the right end of the table, and in contention, and gives us the belief to start passing the ball and playing to our potential.

[Mini-Smith Towner]

Originally Posted By: lovely stuff

Quote:

I wish more people would take the attitude of “OK, so we’re not playing well at the moment, yet we’re still in the hunt”,

We've been in the same situation for the past 3 or 4 years.We rarely play to our potential,but always seems to be in the hunt.I think some fans are fed up knowing the fact that if we could have got our game together this season, we could have walked this league. (as has been the case for several seasons)

I fail to understand why everyone thinks that we should be easily walking this league? Tell me differently, but unless you have that little extra in the bank to hire the services of 1 or 2 players that are of a different class, this isn't going to happen.

AFC Hornchurch walked it last year because they have an owner who ploughs loads of money into the club, correct me if I'm wrong, but in relative terms we are not a wealthy club.

I sometimes feel that it is frustration coming out of us old EFC fans, who are far too impatient to see the club rise back to where the Es were. It will take a lot of hard work from the club to get back to that level and they need the support and faith of the fans.

The past 2 seasons finishing 3rd on both occassions and losing out in the playoffs was frustrating I agree, but still a good achievement by JC and the boys. We have been very unlucky, but in these divisions where only 1 team goes up automatically it is going to be tough. The club has made huge progress since it was formed and we need to show a bit more patience at times.

This season thus far I would agree the quality of football has been below par, but I think you are being a little harsh when you say that the last 3 to 4 years we have not played to our full potential.

[lovely stuff]

Quote:

I fail to understand why everyone thinks that we should be easily walking this league?

 

Simply because we can consitantly play mediocre football year on year and still always manage to be in the top 5 .We could win the league with the players we have .If we could ever improve on formation/line-up/tactics/motivation.I've no problem with the strength of the individual players in our squad.Jim has again assembled a set of players capable of winning the league (as he has done for the past six years).

[Mini-Smith Towner]

Fair point and a good argument.

 

We could debate the current positives and negatives forever.

 

Let's just hope for an improved performance from the boys tomorrow night, and 3 points against one of the more highly rated teams in the division to instill some belief in the boys.

 

JC and Co can still turn the season into a successful one with promotion - what's done is done and JC still has time to put it right. No point dwelling on the past.

 

The past 2 seasons we have peaked early and our form in the playoffs, and towards the latter half of the campaign, was our downfall. It would be ironic this time round if we scraped into the playoffs and finished the season on hot form to gain promotion. I feel our best is yet to come and we have too many talented players at this level to go all season long without playing to our potential.

 

 

 

 

[Hawkeye Pierce]

Originally Posted By: Mini-Smith Towner

I feel our best is yet to come and we have too many talented players at this level to go all season long without playing to our potential.

Most Towners sincerely hope you are right!

[Southport - TOWNER]

well done Wivenhoe, they nearly picked up theirsecond point of the season!

 

We WERE awful, YES we got 3 points, but against a mid table team we would have lost 4 or 5 nil.

 

The half term report is not going to look good.

[Gazza]

Quote:

....I also have to agree with Mr Happy about abuse of individual players and negative chanting (although i feel this had a comic gallows humour element,rather than being vindictive.If you don't laugh ,you'll cry,sort of mentality)....

Exactly, although I never heard any individual abuse, and I have to admit the "Hullbridge here we come" chant did make me laugh, that is terrace humour, right or wrong take it as its meant its called humour!

Don't recall the Newcastle fans (all 52000 of them) being moaned about after they booed their team off the park at half & full time recently against Pompey, its a natural reaction if your disapointed.

[the_wise_one]

this is a great club and i dont understand what you all moan about we could still achive promotion our reserves are 3 in 3 wins we have a good crop of youngsters coming through at u/18s and u/16s and the future is bright the present is stable and the past has shown that jc can win leagues i mean get behind the club because if your not part of the solution you are part of the problem.

[lovely stuff]

Many are trying to offer advice on what the sollution to improved performances would be.The problem just may lie in the fact that their opinions are rarely taken on board.

 

I am still personally backing Jim to get us promotion.We are just making very hard work of it at present.