12-08-2018, 11:29
I said I thought this could be a difficult game and I really appreciate the fact that for 45 minutes our lads went to such lengths to prove me right.
I`ve been trying to think of a word I could use to describe that first half that wouldn`t send the reactive moderator on this site into total meltdown and I have to admit that I`m struggling. I suppose `dire` and `bloody awful` will have to do. The main problem, as I saw it, was our midfield. We didn`t have one. We had a back line and we had the rest of the team standing around on the edge of their area waiting for the ball to arrive. Nobody was coming to pick the ball up off the back line, nobody was coming deep to receive a pass and move their defence around and nobody in the back line was prepared to bring the ball forward themselves into the empty space in front of them, which was vast at times. Instead, they spent most of that first half hoofing long balls with a level of inaccuracy that at times was truly spectacular.
At half-time, to his credit, MA clearly had words. In the second half we decided to play with a midfield and, lo and behold, played much better. I thought the goal was well-worked and, to be fair, we should have one just before that went in. Mind you, I`m still a bit concerned about the level of creativity from midfield. Is Danny Whitaker still playing? I realise he must almost be a senior citizen by now, but I still think he could add a hell of a lot to this team.
The upside, as Blue says, seems to be the defense. Apart from Drew`s howler in the first half, which should have been put way, we really didn`t do anything wrong defensively. Braintree only really put us under any pressure in the last 10 minutes but even then they didn`t look like scoring. As the bloke next to me said, they look a lot more resilient than last year - and that has to be a good thing, surely. I still think, though, we need to play better on Tuesday or we could get turned over; Ian Evatt seems to be doing a decent job at Barrow.
One more gripe to get off my chest. Could we please get ball-boys willing and able to move a bit quicker than a geriatric tortoise. There were times when I was tempted to hobble down from row P and give `em a hand; I reckon I could have got to the ball before they did.
I got a programme though.
That`s it then. I`ve had my rant and I feel ever so much better now. I`m amazed to see this morning that we are now favourites for promotion at 2/1 or 9/4. Unbelievable really - clearly the Proact must have been a bookie-free zone yesterday. You can still get get 12/1 on Halfax, if anyone fancies a flutter and is that way inclined.
I`ve been trying to think of a word I could use to describe that first half that wouldn`t send the reactive moderator on this site into total meltdown and I have to admit that I`m struggling. I suppose `dire` and `bloody awful` will have to do. The main problem, as I saw it, was our midfield. We didn`t have one. We had a back line and we had the rest of the team standing around on the edge of their area waiting for the ball to arrive. Nobody was coming to pick the ball up off the back line, nobody was coming deep to receive a pass and move their defence around and nobody in the back line was prepared to bring the ball forward themselves into the empty space in front of them, which was vast at times. Instead, they spent most of that first half hoofing long balls with a level of inaccuracy that at times was truly spectacular.
At half-time, to his credit, MA clearly had words. In the second half we decided to play with a midfield and, lo and behold, played much better. I thought the goal was well-worked and, to be fair, we should have one just before that went in. Mind you, I`m still a bit concerned about the level of creativity from midfield. Is Danny Whitaker still playing? I realise he must almost be a senior citizen by now, but I still think he could add a hell of a lot to this team.
The upside, as Blue says, seems to be the defense. Apart from Drew`s howler in the first half, which should have been put way, we really didn`t do anything wrong defensively. Braintree only really put us under any pressure in the last 10 minutes but even then they didn`t look like scoring. As the bloke next to me said, they look a lot more resilient than last year - and that has to be a good thing, surely. I still think, though, we need to play better on Tuesday or we could get turned over; Ian Evatt seems to be doing a decent job at Barrow.
One more gripe to get off my chest. Could we please get ball-boys willing and able to move a bit quicker than a geriatric tortoise. There were times when I was tempted to hobble down from row P and give `em a hand; I reckon I could have got to the ball before they did.
I got a programme though.
That`s it then. I`ve had my rant and I feel ever so much better now. I`m amazed to see this morning that we are now favourites for promotion at 2/1 or 9/4. Unbelievable really - clearly the Proact must have been a bookie-free zone yesterday. You can still get get 12/1 on Halfax, if anyone fancies a flutter and is that way inclined.