I was frustrated watching, especially in the 1st half, but I also had to question myself a little and ask if I was being too harsh?
Had we not been 1-0 down to a freak early goal after approx 7 seconds, then it would have changed the nature of the game, (or rather the early goal changed the nature of the game). Immediately right from the off they had something to hang onto, and we were just a little bit stunned. In particular I note your comment about our passing, (not in front of a player to move onto), and think this was key. What it does is slow things down, kill momentum and give them a chance to recover. When we are at our best, (which usually involves Gorman being on the pitch by the way), the fluidity of our passing and the movement off the ball is levels above the National League. (Even a very good National League).
I also think that we missed Coker and I'm growing to really dislike Kanu playing there, (no matter how much freedom he is given to get forward). He really benefits from a runner getting up to him (and beyond), and without that against Fylde I thought they were able to double up on him and nullify our greatest attacking threat. Because Kanu is allowed to push up, it means RHJ has to be just a tiny bit more conservative, (which is the opposite way round when Coker plays), and that's not the end of it there because that in turn blocks the channels that Danny Collinge likes to move into and often when we;re in full swing, he's the spare man that causes absolute havoc. With Kanu on his own on the left, (and Potter/Pritch tasked with supporting him), we looked like square pegs in round holes at times, and in particular I thought Brunt struggled to find the space and get on the ball like he usually does, and Marv was very much on the edge of things, (in start contrast to his recent good form).
Coker mentioned that we had been working on hitting Nicke early, and that just didn't work at all. He battled well but it was really playing to their greatest strength. It seemed strange that we persisted with it for so long.
When you are in a title battle though, (and it remains to be seen if we've got the strength for that), sometimes you just have to win late and win ugly and it doesn't really matter how you get the job done, just so long as you get the job done. I haven't seen too many questioning Chesterfield as they scrape through with late winner after late winner after late winner so perhaps that should be our thinking a little more too.
Dorking were our bogey side last season and are in decent form now, (despite mid-week loss). I would expect Okimo & Gorman to come in, Potter to stay in and still we find ourselves without a fit full-back in the squad, (if as expected RHJ is out and Coker not quite back yet). There seems to be a long time to go to Jan, (and a lot of games), and I'm particularly looking at Beardy at Eastbourne Borough & wondering what the point is in him being at the club when we're playing 2 games a week, we have no full-backs and he's playing for someone else, (with Wynts also seemingly injured).
Lastly, I have a sneaking suspicion that Gorman's yellow, almost immediately after coming on against Kidderminster, was tactical so that he would be available for the Dorking game with a particular plan in mind. If it was and it works then brilliant, but I think we were lucky to get past Fylde without dropping points and our strategy for the game, (in Gorman's absence), was part of that.
Lesson one the game is played for 90 minutes dose not start in the second minute. Do not think the sending off did us any favors as they just sat back even further. Better in the second half especially Idris who spend too much time in the first half trying to beat the fullback giving them time to all fall back into position. Interesting to see if we can convert more of the pressure we create into goals once Hooper is ready to go, could be the final piece of the jigsaw our answer to Longstaff for Notts C last season.
Hi Trev I still think that you are being a bit harsh on our 2nd half performance in particular! I maintain that we could easily have scored a couple more if it hadn't been for their keeper! Also Nicke's finish was much better than I thought at the time! Enjoy Dorking!
I was frustrated watching, especially in the 1st half, but I also had to question myself a little and ask if I was being too harsh?
Had we not been 1-0 down to a freak early goal after approx 7 seconds, then it would have changed the nature of the game, (or rather the early goal changed the nature of the game). Immediately right from the off they had something to hang onto, and we were just a little bit stunned. In particular I note your comment about our passing, (not in front of a player to move onto), and think this was key. What it does is slow things down, kill momentum and give them a chance to recover. When we are at our best, (which usually involves Gorman being on the pitch by the way), the fluidity of our passing and the movement off the ball is levels above the National League. (Even a very good National League).
I also think that we missed Coker and I'm growing to really dislike Kanu playing there, (no matter how much freedom he is given to get forward). He really benefits from a runner getting up to him (and beyond), and without that against Fylde I thought they were able to double up on him and nullify our greatest attacking threat. Because Kanu is allowed to push up, it means RHJ has to be just a tiny bit more conservative, (which is the opposite way round when Coker plays), and that's not the end of it there because that in turn blocks the channels that Danny Collinge likes to move into and often when we;re in full swing, he's the spare man that causes absolute havoc. With Kanu on his own on the left, (and Potter/Pritch tasked with supporting him), we looked like square pegs in round holes at times, and in particular I thought Brunt struggled to find the space and get on the ball like he usually does, and Marv was very much on the edge of things, (in start contrast to his recent good form).
Coker mentioned that we had been working on hitting Nicke early, and that just didn't work at all. He battled well but it was really playing to their greatest strength. It seemed strange that we persisted with it for so long.
When you are in a title battle though, (and it remains to be seen if we've got the strength for that), sometimes you just have to win late and win ugly and it doesn't really matter how you get the job done, just so long as you get the job done. I haven't seen too many questioning Chesterfield as they scrape through with late winner after late winner after late winner so perhaps that should be our thinking a little more too.
Dorking were our bogey side last season and are in decent form now, (despite mid-week loss). I would expect Okimo & Gorman to come in, Potter to stay in and still we find ourselves without a fit full-back in the squad, (if as expected RHJ is out and Coker not quite back yet). There seems to be a long time to go to Jan, (and a lot of games), and I'm particularly looking at Beardy at Eastbourne Borough & wondering what the point is in him being at the club when we're playing 2 games a week, we have no full-backs and he's playing for someone else, (with Wynts also seemingly injured).
Lastly, I have a sneaking suspicion that Gorman's yellow, almost immediately after coming on against Kidderminster, was tactical so that he would be available for the Dorking game with a particular plan in mind. If it was and it works then brilliant, but I think we were lucky to get past Fylde without dropping points and our strategy for the game, (in Gorman's absence), was part of that.
Lesson one the game is played for 90 minutes dose not start in the second minute. Do not think the sending off did us any favors as they just sat back even further. Better in the second half especially Idris who spend too much time in the first half trying to beat the fullback giving them time to all fall back into position. Interesting to see if we can convert more of the pressure we create into goals once Hooper is ready to go, could be the final piece of the jigsaw our answer to Longstaff for Notts C last season.
Hi Trev I still think that you are being a bit harsh on our 2nd half performance in particular! I maintain that we could easily have scored a couple more if it hadn't been for their keeper! Also Nicke's finish was much better than I thought at the time! Enjoy Dorking!