Merstham Match Thread

By PF7/1/2017 10:19Sat Jan 7 10:19:59 2017

Views: 3414

So let's get down to business. How are we going to plot their downfall and gain our first home win of the season?
The bookies have this match very tightly priced with both Hendon and Merstham at 7/5 and the draw at 13/5. Hendon have been second fave in each of their last 5 or 6 matches so to see them go off as equal faves means there's the bookies have no idea who's gonna win this game.

Problem is nor do we! Forecasting Hendon games is proving nigh on impossible. Well unless you back Hendon to lose every time and them you'll be quids in! Anyway I am more positive than that and have already backed Hendon a few times this season to no avail and I've even seen my bets as some kind of jinx on the team. I've sworn off betting on the Greens from now on but I know the home win is coming sooner or later whether I bet or not.

Anyway here are my tactics for the game. I think confidence is pretty low in the Merstham camp. They are terrible travellers and we are terrible at home so something has to give here. They are desperate to break their away hoodoo and we the opposite with our shocking home form. In fact are we the only side in the land to reach the half way point in a season without a home win in the league?

Anyway come the referee's whistle we need to adopt a pressing game. Gang up in threes and press and try to win the ball further up the field. I see teams in Europe and some in England adopt this tactic a lot and the success rate for winning the ball is quite high. Obviously you need very very fit players and that's not always possible at this level. We also need to be a bit more direct when in possession. Look to the immediate pass out wide. Don't dilly dally in midfield. One other things I noticed is that sometimes out two strikers Karl and Reis are playing too far apart. They need to be more in tandem and support one another. Also someone from midfield, not sure who exactly but someone needs to play a bit closer to the front two. They are too isolated at times. I noticed this in the Dulwich game where the midfield gets dragged all the way back to near our own box and there's a big chasm between them and the strikers. Unless they're super human fit they're never gonna be able to support the front pair if we regain possession.

We need to stay in games longer as well. We've got to stop the conceding in batches routine. That shit will get you relegated in no time. So all in all play a bit more direct, the Sam Allardyce way perhaps, may not be that pretty but take more shots, hit better free kicks and have better game management in tight situations oh and give the ref a few quid! oops!

Let's see what happens this afternoon!