Newest article: Re: PA system at SJP by ktfcprogrammes7328/9/2023 23:09Thu Sep 28 23:09:24 2023view thread
Oldest article: "Hither & Thither"? by alan ainsworth24/11/2013 12:59Sun Nov 24 12:59:08 2013view thread
Next thread: Unfair advantage? by Mike Cox1/2/2017 16:26Wed Feb 1 16:26:22 2017view thread
Wingate & Finchley
Views: 3244
First of all I am coming down for today's game. It will be good to see a match again after a while since the 2-1 win over Merstham. Hopefully the result will be similar today but let's do a bit of analysis first.
After the disappointment of missing out on an easy three points at home to Billericay thanks to the fog, the team can enter this match in reasonably confident mood. They can take heart from that first half showing and take that form into the match today. Of course as we all know too well, this season's form is completely unpredictable. You never know which Hendon is gonna turn up. The one that goes two or three behind in double quick time has never been slow to rear its ugly head has it!
However things seem to be slowly improving. The problem is we don't have much time any more. Wins are needed now and battling draws won't cut it any more. Looking at the opponents today I see a team in very solid form and a very hard to beat team. They haven't lost a match of any type since a 0-2 reverse at Met Police on the 17th of Dec. That's a run of 10 games with 5 wins and draws respectively.
They are gonna be a hard nut to crack that's for sure. Their last match was a 1-0 win at home to promotion chasers Leiston so they come to SJP in pretty confident mode.
However I think Hendon are looking more assured at home and are competing solidly with all opponents. They are not getting mauled any more and losing games before HT in general. They seem to have put aside the horrible form for now. I expect a pretty feisty local derby between the two sides today. I hope it's played in a better spirit than recent games and at the end there is no repeat of recent scenes.
Predicting a score for today's match is difficult but if I have my greenest tinted glasses on I can see a narrow 2-1 win for the Greens but it's not gonna be easy! I think a loss would be pretty catastrophic in the relegation battle and a draw not too much use either. Let battle commence..but not literally like last time!
Edited by PF at 12:12:13 on 28th January 2017
Re: Wingate & Finchley
Views: 3041
Well it ain't over but it's not looking great. Not often you can say you saw a goal from near the halfway line is it? Maybe the sun was in the keeper's eyes but I'm scratching round for excuses for him but it ain't easy.
We've had a few sniffs and Karl was a bit unlucky but his touch let him down a couple of times. We need to press a bit higher up the pitch. Our long balls have been woefully over hit always going into the keeper's grateful arms.
Wingate look a very solid unspectacular side who hasn't lost for 10 games. If we turn this round it'll be a miracle but let's try to get it to 1-1 then push!
Re: Wingate & Finchley
Views: 3045
Second half has not been good so far. No one able to put his foot on the ball and show a bit of quality. Delivery from wide areas as poor as ever. Keep going while it's only one though!
Re: Wingate & Finchley
Views: 3108
Pressing hard and two chances go begging. One of those Should've gone in. No composure and desperate defence by them. Last 10.
Re: Wingate & Finchley
Views: 3167
Good luck finding positives out of that one Hendon fans! The goal was at least something to remember. Rest of it dross. W&F were a solid mid table outfit as I suspected beforehand. They won't hammer you, just sit deep and wait for the counter attack. The quality teams in this league will beat them 7-8 times out of 10.
Unfortunately we are very far from the required level. We could end up stone cold bottom of this league at this rate. The drawing board has taken constant damage this season. It will take a miracle of Leicester proportions to stay up and the points deduction might well be the final nail anyway.
Re: Wingate & Finchley
Views: 3062
Can't really argue with any of that. Opinion seems to be split as to whether Berkley could have done more to stop the goal, whether in terms of positioning before Abrahams hit the strike, or in back pedalling to make a save. Personally I don't think he could have done much more, but I'm well aware others disagree. I think most of us are in agreement that we'd prefer Tom Lovelock between the sticks. He was involved in warm ups before the game, so hopefully he's not far away from starting.
Quality of balls into the box was very poor today, far removed from the top quality we saw on Tuesday night against Billericay
I think the only positive for me was that we did look more solid defensively again, although that means nothing if we don't score at the other end.
Re: Wingate & Finchley
Views: 3037
Is Lovelock injured? If he isn't there is no excuse for him not starting.
Re: Wingate & Finchley
Views: 2926
Yes, he got a nasty cut/gash on his foot at Enfield Town in the county cup win which had to be stitched at the time - there was quite a long stoppage whilst he was sorted out.
He played on, but was unable to take goal kicks and was clearly in quite a lot of pain. The fact he appeared to be involved in warm ups yesterday suggests he's not far away from a return.
Whistling past the grave-yard.
Views: 3077
I am skirting past the traditional Wingate performance, that's not in the same universe right now.
We need a reality check. SJP, our home performances, we are sticking with a formula which is clearly flawed beyond any help. Wake up!
This afternoon, we were off the pace from the start, doesn't matter we have no midfield. That doesn't resemble a traditional Gary McCann template. No passing, no midfield, no creativity. We've thrown the towel in. Just long balls from the backs to the forwards, devoid of imagination. Bin it!
I timed the players this afternoon. Tingey went 18 minutes without crossing the half-way line - Lee, I gave up..
We are persisting with a system which smacks of desperation. We have no width. The flanks are non-existent.
Today was a complete mess. The reality is we have players of whom should be vying for promotion, our shape at home has disintergrated. We tried a more conventional forward approach at Dulwich. It looked congested.
Forwards need genuine supply, we have the forwards. One goal or one win does not elevate the predicament.
We need calm rational thought. We have yet to establish anything like a persona at home.
The key going forward is how best to unlock our potential. Regretably, today we were as about far from removed from that has was humanly possible. Take stock - we probably have most have what we need.
Edited by rwakeley at 00:15:41 on 29th January 2017
Yesterday
Views: 2917
Grim game. Barely anything of note to reflect on apart from a silly goal and another home defeat.
The starting XI looked strong but the formation looked iffy. Sorry but I don't see Sam Murphy as a centre midfielder (in any formation) and we were devoid of any significant width. Elliott Charles up front was a severe disappointment too (although he was unlucky to get hauled down when in on goal). Yes, we could've scraped a draw but ultimately the Wingate centre-backs & keeper were comfortable.
Re: Yesterday
Views: 2938
I thought that Elliott Charles had a raw deal yesterday. Sometimes big strikers with exceptional aerial/jumping skills and with the ability to hang in the air seem to me to be picked out unfairly for fouls, often for making the slightest of contact with opponents. After four such innocuous incidents, none of them remotely serious, the yellow card comes out and Elliott dare not make any challenge for the ball thereafter, thereby reducing his effectiveness. The yellow card hardly compared with Vilcu's yellow for denying Elliott what would almost certainly have been a goalscoring opportunity - red in my opinion.
Surely, officials cannot make a mental note of every infringement by any player and keep a count. Easily identifiable players are it seems more at risk.
Re: Yesterday
Views: 2777
Elliott was booked for being wrestled to the floor, yet another referee that was absolutely controlled by the opposition. Karl Oliyide tried hard but it wasn't his day, these things happen. I was disappointed when Elliott was substituted, yes he was on a booking but he was still our biggest goal threat.
What can't be looked past is a goalkeeping howler of Taibi style proportions, their bloke only tried the shot because Berkley had fumbled one and been lucky to land on it on the goal line immediately before hand. Shocking goalkeeping, the "wonder goal" description on the site is hugely generous.
Re: Yesterday
Views: 2890
Watching from side on, I am certain that Abrahams deliberately shot at goal because he could see Berkley was slow getting back into position. Abrahams may have been lucky to strike the ball so cleanly, but if you don?t buy a raffle ticket, you?ll never win a prize! Good fortune or not, it was a spectacular strike from 45 yards and thus a ?wondergoal?, even if it was utterly out of keeping with pretty much everything else in the game.
Re: Yesterday
Views: 2813
It must have entered his mind that the goalkeeper had just fumbled one that would have been even more embarrassing into his own net, taking nothing away from their bloke, but certainly more "goalkeeping mistake" than "great goal"
Previous thread: All match reports showing result as abandoned! by SteveHFC29/1/2017 21:42Sun Jan 29 21:42:26 2017view thread