Woking v Rovers

[Sparky]

Totally unacceptable. They get our hopes up with a half decent display on Saturday and then concede 4 at Woking of all places.

GB clearly cannot get enough out of us on a consistent basis, despite him claiming what a great squad we had.

As stated above, NcNulty for me hasn't done too well and I felt Sutton/Riley was ok in the first place. Similarly GTF hasn't done enough. Even Jenno should have been dropped by now.

Andy Doyle drives me up the wall.

 

[Ian]

4-1. We can do it!

 

[Ian]

Ohh, FT.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Brilliant goal from Norwood. First we have scored from open play in about eight hours.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

What does Palios make of all this ? He can't believe performances are acceptable, but will he drag his feet like he did with Adams ?

 

[drwhoman]

Immediate reaction - completely unacceptable not to say total rubbish. Brabin out!! How far have we fallen!

 

[Ian]

Let me guess, they'll work hard on the training ground and take each match as it comes.

Sick and tired of this mess now.. Players like Norwood should be banging them in every week. What is going on?

 

[Sparky]

I still don't think Palios will sack GB just yet. Thinking about the 2 options:

1. Keep GB. Palios will know the vast majority of teams don't bounce back straight away and therefore are our expectations too high? It is understandable we will be inconsistent and after 2 relegations, is a season of consolidation to be expected? We have signed numerous players both pre season and in recent weeks e.g. mcnulty and GTF so shouldn't GB be given a couple of seasons at least as hardly any team goes straight back up first time of asking.

2. Sack GB. The league is difficult but he should be getting more out of the players at his disposal. Players he has signed such as Jackson, Tomlinson, McNulty & GTF have not been good enough. He has persisted with the likes of Jenno who has captained us during 2 relegations and has been poor this season overall. Plus his tactics are questionable and his decision to put players out of position e.g. Hogan at RB, Maynard at RB. It's one thing losing and taking time adjusting to the league, it's another putting square pegs in round holes. Whilst no one said the league would be easy, losing to the likes of boreham wood, Dover & barrow all at home and conceding 4 at Woking is disgraceful.

I'd give him the next 2 games and unless we get 4 points minimum, we bring in someone else. Dave Challinor who has cut his teeth successfully at non league springs to mind.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I think all most of us expected was an improvement, particularly at home, and some semblance of consistency. When you consider the financial advantage we have at this level, I don't think we have had either.

Speaking personally, I have lost faith in his ability to turn things round and that is why I want us to make a change, not because I expected an immediate return to the Football League. It is difficult to rouse yourself to go to Boreham Wood on Saturday when the management team - and players for all their ability - seem as incapable as ours do at the moment. I am sure a lot of home supporters will be thinking the same way now and all the positive feeling from the summer has evaporated.

 

[Boz]

I wasn't expecting that. While Rovers are not good enough to assume we'll win games like this, being hammered by Woking is hard to take.

Like RLC, I don't have any confidence in Brabin turning things around. If we change things now, there is still a chance of fighting for the play-offs and end of season positivity. The status quo suggests mid-term mediocrity and that will have a knock-on effect in terms of season-tickets bought for next season.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

I said earlier this would be a good win or a miserable defeat, although in the end I predicted a win. Why do nearly all our games end up as one or the other? Looking at the BBC livetext, we could surely have won it in the first 20 minutes with better finishing. In the end we had an incredible 20 shots including 7 on target. How bad were we? We were certainly positive. I'd like to wait to hear a report from someone there.

I had a quick look back at the season and those 20 shots were the most we'd had in a single game all season - an amazing total for an away game. Analysing further, I've found a strange pattern. For the first six games (which started well but ended in defeat by Boreham Wood and Altrincham) we averaged just over 10 shots per game. For the following nine games (during which we were unbeaten) we averaged just over 8 shots per game. Finally, during the recent seven match run (including five defeats) we averaged over 14 shots per game. So, it seems the more shots we have, the worse the result. Can anyone else explain it?

 

[drwhoman]

It is only a theory BBTC but I just wonder whether the stress of the current situation is resulting in the team being very adventurous going forward, and hence the number of shots, but with poor finishing and the age and lack of speed in the midfield they are not getting back quickly enough to defend the opposition riposte. Anyone who went to the game might have a view but reading the official report and GB's comments they may have been hit on the counter a few times to deadly effect. McNulty is not very quick either being reliant on his positional sense as much as anything.

 

[Brightonian]

Woking came out of the blocks quickly but once we weathered the initial pressure we were in control for the next 20 minutes and actually played some very neat and inventive football and looked constantly dangerous. We spurned a couple of very good chances most notably Norwood and Jenno but on numerous occasions almost got in with just some misunderstanding with the final pass. However it just seemed a matter of time until we scored: all those around me thought we would score and go onto a comfortable win. An Aldo, a Muir, or a Yardley would be tucking these away but our strikers are not and again the first meaningful attempt on goal by the opposition surrenders the initiative.

We visibly deflated having failed to turn our dominance into a goal and gone behind once again. There is little doubt we had technically the better players but Woking had much more athletic ability, seemed to win the fifty fifty balls, and broke out with determination and pace. Both or wide players had little joy down the flanks and with only two in midfield Woking took control and pressed us much more. Our defence was good at first with MC Nulty reading the game well but once they started running at us with not much protection from midfield it was a different story. I thought Jenno was poor tonight and whilst never the quickest is just not mobile enough now when we play this pattern and seems to be slower and having lost some confidence.

Must say Woking took their chances really well but perhaps Davies might have held or pushed away to safety, the crisp snapshot for the second which was followed up to score and our defence was also slow to react which was really the turning point. However Scott did make amends with a couple of second half stops (yes it could have been worse).

Lois did well enough at right back at first but did get beaten all ends up for the third and I thought Sutton was a better bet in this berth when he came on and Lois reverted to central midfield. GTF played some clever balls in the first quarter but quickly seemed to run out of steam and he certainly is not a striker to lead the line as he does not hold the ball up or compete enough. He moved out to the left wing but generally I am no longer convinced that he will get fit enough or motivated sufficiently to play the pivotal role we all hoped for. Andy Mangan started quite well but desperately needs a goal and maybe is not fully fit? Adam Mekki a player who has improved a lot worked hard but it wasn't his night and tried both flanks without much success and at times his positional play was not too good but no doubt he will come good again.

To my mind we just can't play three strikers away from home and certainly not GTF, STeve MC and Jenno in the same team as we are far too immobile through the core of the formation. Ben Tomlinson came on into a central striker role for Mangan but hardly got a kick and was completly ineffective being moved onto the right wing. We are woefully short of options in midfield. There was no MOM but Jay Harris perhaps being the pick if pressed but he needs a high energy creative partner. Yes we have some decent players but this debacle again underlined the unbalanced squad and the square pegs in round holes mentioned by you all many times before.

Whilst we pressed a lot at the end of the game to be honest we were ragged and they were happy once well ahead to get a lot of players behind the ball and hit us on the break.

On a final note I sat in a stand just behind our dugout with a group of Rovers supporters. What shocked me is how little constructive coaching emanating from GB or any of our support staff. Never been close enough before to notice that GB prowls the touch line forever berating the officials. The constant belly aching achieves nothing, sets a negative tone and is hardly an intelligent approach. We had two players booked for off the ball dissent

We have a much better resourced full time squad than most but as you have posted just do not seem to get the best out of it. Tonight was a really big wake up call!!!!!!

 

[drwhoman]

Thanks for this excellent report Brightonian. An unbalanced aging squad which is now low on confidence and with a Manager who seems incapable of motivating them. Maybe Gary should take a few lessons from Jurgen! Over to you Mark!

 

[Boz]

Many thanks for the report Brightonian.

The lack of pace and mobility in the side, which drwhoman highlights, wasn't helped by the introduction of McNulty and Taylor-Fletcher, talented though they are in other areas and this leaves us prone to breakaway attacks. As BBTC highlights, we had a lot of chances, something the Woking boss also mentioned in his post match comments, who concede they could have been a couple of goals behind before the Cards opener. Norwood is the only player exempted from post-match criticism by Brabin. If he stays, I would hope that there are changes in personnel and tactics for the BorehamWood game.

 

[Sparky]

Yes the lack of real and genuine pace is a real issue in the side. The likes of GTF, McNulty, Jenno, Hill etc are all comfortably over 30 and not quick at all. Even the likes of Mekki who is a real winger (and has done well of late), isn't particularly quick. Pace makes such a difference at any level although Jackson has pace so they do need some ability.

You do wonder if GB has become obsessed with bringing in experienced heads who have done the job at this level before. You can understand this to a degree, but most successful sides have a mixture of experience and young players with pace. If our own youngsters aren't good enough then there must be players out there who we could bring in. Also we haven't really had a settled formation this season. I've seen 4-4-2, 5-3-2, 4-3-2-1 and all sorts - whatever happened to Ronnie's philosophy of 4-4-2 with 2 wingers and 2 front men, especially at home!!

At least GB apologised to the fans but I'm starting to think he isn't able to inspire the players and won't be able to turn things round. Bet he wishes he had stayed in his comfortable job at Everton...

 

[Ian]

At least GB apologised to the fans but I'm starting to think he isn't able to inspire the players and won't be able to turn things round. Bet he wishes he had stayed in his comfortable job at Everton...

He did seem genuinely embarrassed by last nights showing but there was also a hint of resignation about him. I'm not sure he's got what it takes to motivate this lot, something I think he has now realised half way into the season. Let's be honest, it's not been great for weeks now. He may not be going anywhere in the short term but I can't see this ending well. With the budget and squad we have, we should be producing better performances than this. The manager and the players are to blame. Everyone needs to step up but can't see it with he current setup.

 

[Gray]

I'm at a loss, I really am. We've run out of things to change, there's been a change at the top, 3 managers in two seasons and a wholesale change of players. I'm not sure a change of manager will help, although I said this about Adams and look how that ended up! Perhaps what the club needs more than anything is a bit of stability. Having said all that, does anyone know what Ray Mathias is up to these days? Enjoying retirement?

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Thanks to Brightonian for the excellent report. There are some interesting points above regarding the lack of mobility in the spine of the side. The decision to select Jennings ahead of Maynard in centre midfield week after week is baffling when you consider that Lois is one of the few players we have with athleticism and height, as well as ability, the attributes you surely need in the centre of midfield at this level.

More generally, I wonder whether Palios and Brabin have just repeated the errors that were made under Adams last season, namely bringing in big name players mid season which disrupts the squad and leaves it unbalanced. When Adams only had Edwards' squad to work with he got them organised and we saw a steady improvement over a number of weeks. Then came the January spending spree, a succession of permanent and loan players, and a complete mess on the pitch and in the dressing room.

This season, we had good, settled partnerships at the heart of the defence and up front: Sutton and Hogan, Mangan and Norwood. When we suffered short-term injuries to two of those players and lost Dawson, McNulty and GTF were brought in almost as a knee-jerk reaction to the Barrow defeat. For all their undoubted ability, the effect on the team has been to make it worse. Would Palios have been better advised simply to tell Brabin to organise the players he had, bring Kirby back from loan until the injuries settled, and get on with things (I admit I supported the signings at the time) ? This season and last, our recruitment policy has been like that of a kid playing Fifa, rather than a manager constructing a team as opposed to a collection of individuals.

With regard to GTF, I think he spends too much time outside the box leaving a partly-fit Mangan isolated up front. Even worse, he actually operates in the deeper areas where Mangan likes to drift, inhibiting his game. At this level you are probably better off with two conventional centre forwards getting in the eighteen yard box, than the endless tippy-tappy stuff we have played to little effect in recent weeks (pleasing on the eye though it is). Bizarrely, at the moment we have four forwards on the pitch in some games, three of them operating outside the box.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

While the team seems to be having real problems, White Review goes from strength to strength. This thread must be one of the best I've seen. A well argued, comprehensive report from Brightonian with some excellent analysis in several posts including drwhoman and RLC.

It's interesting RLC raises a comparison with last season. I was thinking that too. I have mentioned before the lack of players who came through the youth team - only Jennings and he's not been exactly loyal over the years. Danny Holmes and Max Power were the last players I saw who actually seemed to care about the club. Most of the players I've seen recently have been little more than mercenaries, brought in on loan or on short contracts. I've changed my mind and I now think we could do with a limited number of youngsters in the first-team. They have energy, pace and ambition, love the club and would play without fear. I'm not saying we should flood the team, just blood one or two from time to time, possibly initially as sub. It must be very dispiriting for the likes of Gumbs, Duggan, Jago et al, knowing that even when the team has injuries or is playing badly, the manager will bring in loanees rather than give them a chance.