Braintree v Rovers

[Gray]

A trip to Essex for the Super Whites this weekend. On paper the easiest of our three opening matches with Woking and Gateshead being considered amongst the better teams in the league and Braintree without a win in their opening two games.

As ever with the Rovers, expect the unexpected. Hat-trick from the goalie and one from the ball boy? Who knows?

Would love us to get a win and develop an air of invincibility, it would be nice to have teams fearing us for a change. Keen to see some of the new signings getting on the score sheet too.

After a start to the season that most of us thought unlikely, can we win our third game in a row? Woking and Gateshead were good sides and won their other game this past week. Meanwhile, Braintree are at the bottom of the league with no points. However, they reached the play-offs last season and I expect they will be tough opponents. I don't expect GB to make any team changes, as Liam is expected to be fit, but I am cautiously predicting a 1-1 draw. For the third time this month, I hope I'm being pessimistic. Unfortunately, I won't be there because of family commitments, but I'm sure I won't be missed as I anticipate we'll take at least 500 fans.

On paper its an away win for sure!! But given their efforts last season Braintree will surely kick on at some point so we can't take this lightly and I don't think GB will.

Hopefully we can name an unchanged side and a striker will get on the score sheet.

I'm going for a 1-0 win with Cole opening his account for the season.

I think it was the season before Braintree made the play-offs, they finished mid-table last season. The first question must be is there any risk of the weather preventing this game going on? It has been rather damp in the SE and Rovers have had a game postponed at Braintree before. Obviously, given our good start, I'd hope the game goes on. It seems Ridehalgh and Norwood are both fit enough to be in contention, so I'd hope for Liam in an unchanged starting xi, with Norwood getting a chance off the bench. BBTCs suggestion of a 1- draw feels about right.

We'll hammer them 3-0!

Think be quite close 2 1 to us

While I would not take any opposition lightly, and we are still finding our feet at this level, there are some curiously negative predictions up above. Braintree punched above their weight under Alan Devonshire (although I don't believe they ever reached the play-offs ?), but he has now departed and they are likely relegation candidates this season, certainly the kind of side we have to beat away from home if we want promotion. As Boz points out, their pitch is prone to flooding but the game does not seem to be in doubt at present.

I would play the same team as Tuesday in a 4-4-2 and I think the outcome will largely depend on the attitude of our own players. If we turn up, particularly in midfield, I think we will win the game.

Braintree are expecting up to 700 Rovers fans, so it should be a great atmosphere again.

I'd agree. If our midfield are on form, we should control this comfortably. At the moment it seems everyone is keen to get on the score sheet, so let's hope for a couple more tomorrow.

Would only settle for a win - even a scrappy one, although have felt optimistic from the start of the season - so going for a 2-0 win for SWA. Was going to say same side apart from Margetts or Norwood in for Cole (not a fan), but given some positive reports from Gateshead we should run with it for another week.

Would only settle for a win - even a scrappy one, although have felt optimistic from the start of the season - so going for a 2-0 win for SWA. Was going to say same side apart from Margetts or Norwood in for Cole (not a fan), but given some positive reports from Gateshead we should run with it for another week.

I'm a little surprised Margetts hasn't had any match time although it's early days. I would expect Stockton to start this one.

This is not the last two seasons with a majority of losers in the team. I expect a win. it is Braintree!!!!

 

[Ian]

Oops, sorry guys, I merged the other thread to this one by mistake.

Anyway, weather looks a little brighter this morning so shouldn't be any problem with game going ahead.

 

[Mal]

Anyone at the heart of Braintree pub?

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Disappointing, but who wouldn't have taken seven points from our first three games? The OS said it was scrappy and we didn't create many chances. I look forward to the reports. I notice the gate was only 838, which probably means the SWA outnumbered the home support. What was the atmosphere like?

 

[Ian]

Game sounded dreadful on radio. Hardly any chances for both teams all game. Still a point away from home and we are doing well. Seven out of nine.

 

[Mal]

A ghost of Adams' team past. The unemployed Braintree goalkeeper could afford to keep drinking from his water bottle during attacks. Sorry, the attack!

Too much hoofball, I am afraid. However, guess that 7 from 9 including 2 away games isn't bad. We seem to be accidentally hospitalising key opposition players at the same time.

 

[Boz]

It doesn't sound like we created much today. GB will need to look at how to unlock defences and create something different. Margetts still didn't get a debut though it doesn't sound he'd have made much difference.

 

[Ian]

GB will need to look at how to unlock defences and create something different.

I think this will probably be the key to us winning promotion. I don't think many teams will come and roll us over, but what they will do is frustrate and like you say it's up to us to step it up and take it to them. Another clean sheet is pleasing and I think defensively we are OK. Midfield need to be on the game and linking up with our forwards creating chances. Early days but it will be interesting to see how this pans out over the season.

 

[Sparky]

GB has said it was a drab affair but a clean sheet away from home isn't bad and 7 points from 9 is ok.

Still early days but we need our strikers to start scoring but naturally this will depend in part on formations and how many chances they get.

The tactics against Woking weren't great but we won. With 2 home games coming up I'm hopeful we may go 4-4-2 and get our front men scoring.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

A pretty awful performance. Braintree really raised their game today, treating the match like a cup final, but we did not respond. The positive is that we were defensively sound, defended our eighteen yard box doggedly, and Braintree's first shot on target was in stoppage time, although there had been a couple of close shaves prior to that.

The first five minutes set the tone for much of the game. Braintree threw everything at us and their aggressive approach seemed to surprise us. We did not really play with any compsure all half and sat way too deep, inviting pressure. As Mal says, everything was hit long by the defence and midfield was completely by-passed.

The second half was a bit better. The ineffective Stockton was replaced by Norwood, and he was quite impressive, looking sharp and mobile and finally giving us the threat in behind we were lacking. We had a good fifteen minute spell of pressure, but strangely Brabin then subbed Mangan for Mekki and switched to 4-5-1. Norwood was left ridiculously isolated, we reverted to hoofball and the game petered out. It almost seemed that Brabin accepted we were not at the races and settled for the point. That said, we might have undeservedly won it when Mekki shot straight at the keeper form six yards in the 95th minute.

Individiually, it was a game where seven or eight players were below par, Maynard in particular having a real stinker. However, Harris and Jennings do come out with credit for their tireless work in protecting the back four.

More generally, I think we need to move on from the idea that Stockton is going to be the lynchpin of the side in the target man role. He was by no means only to blame for the poor performance, but he encourages us to hit everything long and was completely anonymous again in the first half. We would be much better off with a pairing of two of the other three strikers; we simply won't score enough goals if we persist with the tactics we used today and against Woking.

All that said, we could not play any worse than we did today, yet we have another clean sheet and remain unbeaten. Six points are now required from the coming home games.

 

[Boz]

It's interesting that you're fairly positive about Norwood's contribution RLC. I'd read some fairly adverse comment that he made little difference and was often caught getting offside. Would agree that we need to move on from a pivotal role for Stockton.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

The officials were crap today. A number of Norwood's and Mangan's runs were good but were wrongly flagged offisde.

What Norwood's critics obviously did not notice was that our only decent football was played when he and Mangan were the front pairing. I would start with those two up front on Tuesday.

 

[Ian]

Thanks RLC. I think this really sets the tone for the season. Apart from maybe a couple of teams at the top, we shouldn't be under too much pressure. So what went wrong today? Wrong selection, tactics or just below par performances? The irony with Stockton is that although he encourages playing the long ball as the target man, he's useless in the air and is much more comfortable with the ball at his feet.

 

[Boz]

The officials were crap today. A number of Norwood's and Mangan's runs were good but were wrongly flagged offisde.

What Norwood's critics obviously did not notice was that our only decent football was played when he and Mangan were the front pairing. I would start with those two up front on Tuesday.

Hardly saw Norwood pre-season due to pre-existing injury and played out wide v Woking which is not his favoured position, he made little impact. On what you saw yesterday, is he now ready to play a full game either as lone striker or (preferably) one of a front pair?

I'm a little bemused at Brabin not giving Margetts any match-time thus far. Pre-season he was probably our best striker and while I don't think he was recruited to start, must be denting his confidence not getting any opportunity, in effect losing form through inactivity. It's not as though the other 3 forwards have been creating a shedload.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Perhaps this was a reality check which confirms GB's claim that we are not yet the finished product. I agree with RLC that we are only likely to get better, whereas when RE and MA were in charge we just got worse.

How big was the SWA and what was the mood of the fans?

 

[Higgy]

Concur with most comments re Stockton. Having bought some forwards, I cannot see how he is in the starting eleven - only a squad player for me. Ian is spot on highlighting the misperception that he can play a target man role...............I don't like hoof ball, but if that is what we are going to do - lets have someone who can do the job in the squad.

Clean sheet was a positive

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Hardly saw Norwood pre-season due to pre-existing injury and played out wide v Woking which is not his favoured position, he made little impact. On what you saw yesterday, is he now ready to play a full game either as lone striker or (preferably) one of a front pair?

I'm a little bemused at Brabin not giving Margetts any match-time thus far. Pre-season he was probably our best striker and while I don't think he was recruited to start, must be denting his confidence not getting any opportunity, in effect losing form through inactivity. It's not as though the other 3 forwards have been creating a shedload.

I don't think it really matters whether Norwood or Margetts starts, but we need to play one of them to give us a threat in behind. I thought Norwood looked decent yesterday, others clearly disagree.

Until Stockton went off all of our play was in front of the Braintree centre-halves and we were too deep as a team. When Norwood came on his movement and pace gave us a threat in behind and turned their back four round for the first time in the game. When Stockton plays we are far too predictable: long hoof up to Cole, who grapples with a physical centre half and loses the ball, inviting pressure on the Rovers defence.

I think Mangan, Margetts and Norwood are all top quality at this level, and I agree that it is strange that two of them are benchwarming at the moment at the moment while Cole - who is no better than average, even in the NL - starts every game.

I answer to BBTC, it looked like about 400 Rovers fans yesterday, so approximately 50% of the gate. Cressing Road was smarter than I expected and the locals were friendly. However, it was a strange atmosphere, the only noise from the home fans coming from a bloke with a megaphone, singing a few songs on his own !

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Thanks, RLC. From the evidence of the first two away games, the team won't lack support on their travels. It was incredible the size of the SWA last season, even in the darkest times. I just hope this support gets its reward at the end of the season.

 

[Ian]

Crazy times when 50% of the attendance is from the away end!

I suppose we are only three games in and might be looking too deep into selections etc.. GB may also be trying to find his best XI and what works best. It's a decent start and I do think we'll get better with a bit more tinkering.

From what I've seen so far, we shouldn't be afraid of anyone in this league. Let's hope the hoof ball settles down and we see more football on the floor.