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[oneedham]

Sorry I got carried away typing again ........haha

This was my first game of the new season as I do not attend pre-season games it will be hard to give a solid opinion but from what I saw tonight I thought there were positives and negatives. Thought we played better in the second half, stepped the tempo up and in patches throughout the game we passed very well, especially in  midfield.

My thoughts on the team and new players are good and bad. Ignoring the fact that he is a legend and putting history aside I feel we might need a more agile keeper. I still think Coburn is good, a great shot stopper, but his appears reluctant and maybe a lack of confidence at coming out for the ball or getting down to shots.

Defence – For me the sooner we get Leather and Havern back together the better. Marshall is still not fit enough and his distribution is woeful. I have previously said this but we need a stronger and quicker left back, I don’t like saying it but Griffin will get destroyed in this league and positionally he is poor. He only over lapped our wide man once in the whole game ( the penalty claim ). I personally think he isn’t good enough and there was no difference between him and buzz apart from a dodgy knee. I heard from pre season that Densmore has been off the boil and until he got injured he was getting beat too easily as well, it was cross after cross. I think we definitely need to look at a left back.

Midfield – Williams and Cavanagh will be our best partnership. The amount of energy Williams had was unbelievable even if he did run out of steam towards the end. Cavanagh is a calm character, which we need and will also put a tackle in. My only concern about this partnership is the big gap between them, Cavanagh sits very deep and Williams looks to run through up top, massive area between the two. There will be games in which we have to play three in midfield and that will make this partnership even more productive, but I was very impress with those two.

In the first half it seemed like we had no wide men, Lawrie and Crowther were not interested, there closing down was poor and neither wanted to take the full back on out wide.  They both appear too soft for me,Lawrie did one challenge and won the ball in the second half. We were getting battered down our right side, for me Lawrie needs a permanent rocket up his bum to stay in this team and I think he doesn’t have the energy or determination to play wide at this standard. Lawrie is only dangerous in a central role, I think he will get bullied and basically doesn’t do enough over 90 mins. Their left back was jogging past in him in the first half. Crowther looked nervous in the first half but was brighter in the second with a couple of driving runs but I still feel from one game that is a sort of player who will let his head drop, a bit too softy softy.

Forwards – Really impressed with Gillespie, what a touch that lad has and close control is excellent. Again I am sorry to say this but Perry is a waste of time, he is there to hold it up and be the muscle but his ball retention percentage is awful. If he doesn’t win the flick on’s or even hold the ball up then it is pointless. The old fashioned big centre forward died 5 plus years ago, you need pace and energy up top. You need your forwards closing down the defenders, forcing errors or even winning the ball off  the full backs like Gillespie did a few times in the first half. Perry is no where near good enough for this league and should have been released.

The physical condition of Perry and Marshall is disgraceful in my opinion, they are unfit and both over weight. Their condition alone does not warrant and team selection.

I think we showed that we can pass the ball around but we need to gain that extra energy and belief but I feel there will be a settling in period and I am not too disheartened. Sinnot please do not tinker each game unless you have too. I am still soooooo happy to be back in this league, away fans on a Tuesday night :-)

If we must play 4-4-2 then my team would be

GK Coburn ( or new keeper )
LB NO IDEA
RB Densmore                     
CB Leather
CB Havern

LW Clee
CM Williams
CM Cavanagh
RW Richman ( for his closing down and energy )

CF Gillespie
CF Reeves

[brian1925]

I agree with practically all of that.

[Jimmy]

Not sure richman good enough at this level but most of it fair enough

[Hale Alty]

I wouldn't write Stu off just yet. Like you said you didn't see him pre-season. If you had you might have different opinions on his agility. Some of his saves against Shrewsbury were first class.

[oneedham]

Not sure richman good enough at this level but most of it fair enough

I think you could be right Jimmy but at the moment I feel he would be our best option.  I always thought he was better out wide, even though he clearly isn't a wide man. I think we need to look at a left back, right winger still and another mobile forward.  Marshall, Perry and  Griffin wouldn't have made my conference squad but it's all about opinions. I am still really excited about the season ahead!

[oneedham]

I wouldn't write Stu off just yet. Like you said you didn't see him pre-season. If you had you might have different opinions on his agility. Some of his saves against Shrewsbury were first class.

I love Stu so fingers crossed he's up to the challenge mate

[Jimmy]

I seem one of the few that thinks griffin is ok.

[brian1925]

No one is questioning Stu's legend status or shot stopping ability. I saw him make three world class stops at Aldershot, but I also saw their number 9 and Lincoln's number 11 exploit his physical weakness by basically standing on his feet from corners. Neither Bittner of Aldershot, or Townsend of Lincoln (from opposite ends of the goalkeeping age/height spectrum) seemed to have any such difficulty commanding their six yard area. We WILL concede goals because of this.

[Hale Alty]

We'd all love better players in every position, but we've got what we've got based on the funds available. I'm happy to see this team develop over the season, but then I've learned over the last twenty years to keep my expectations under control.

[oneedham]

I seem one of the few that thinks griffin is ok.

He's not an awful player but gets beat often! I've only seen highlights apart from tonight and against Shrewsbury he was beaten so easily for the cross that led to their second goal and he had no idea where their man was for their second goal tonight. I also feels he offers very little going forward! I raised my concerns even before those mistakes so my lack of faith has come from the back end of last season!

[Hamilton]

If we must play 4-4-2 then my team would be

GK Coburn ( or new keeper )
LB NO IDEA
RB Densmore                     
CB Leather
CB Havern

LW Clee
CM Williams
CM Cavanagh
RW Richman ( for his closing down and energy )

CF Gillespie
CF Reeves

Dens now injured - how would this change the defense?

Leather rb, Marshall cb?

[oneedham]

If we must play 4-4-2 then my team would be

GK Coburn ( or new keeper )
LB NO IDEA
RB Densmore                    
CB Leather
CB Havern

LW Clee
CM Williams
CM Cavanagh
RW Richman ( for his closing down and energy )

CF Gillespie
CF Reeves

Dens now injured - how would this change the defense?

Leather rb, Marshall cb?

We have many centre mids and this isn't ideal or a long term solution but I'd play sean williams at right back because he's fairly mobile,  a terrier and appears to have a good low sense of gravity which hopefully means he wouldn't get turned easily.  Would be a shamr to lose him from midfield until Dens is fit but we need Leather centre back and quickly!

[taxi Phil]

No one is questioning Stu's legend status or shot stopping ability. I saw him make three world class stops at Aldershot, but I also saw their number 9 and Lincoln's number 11 exploit his physical weakness by basically standing on his feet from corners. Neither Bittner of Aldershot, or Townsend of Lincoln (from opposite ends of the goalkeeping age/height spectrum) seemed to have any such difficulty commanding their six yard area. We WILL concede goals because of this.

Only a detail, but Smith was in goal for Aldershot.

[Hamilton]

Maybe we weren't so far from where we need to be:

Shots
16   Alty                15  Lincoln
On target
8     Alty                 4   Lincoln

[roytonmike]

We'd all love better players in every position, but we've got what we've got based on the funds available. I'm happy to see this team develop over the season, but then I've learned over the last twenty years to keep my expectations under control.

Thank God for some common sense. I agree wholeheartedly - in my case 45 years' experience tells me to temper my expectations!