Chippenham.

[jenko1967]

I don't think we can have excuses anymore, we just need points - 1 draw and 4 losses in 5 is inexcusable. The ref was atrocious today and they should have been down to ten, but he was awful to them too, just didn't have a grip either way. Yes, we were unlucky with injuries, but many of our players looked uninterested. Great decision to replace Sal with Nick at half time - Sal shows glimpses but much of the time looks out of his depth - the most notable thing he did today was trickle a free kick along the floor at the wall's feet - not good enough. O'Malley kept leaving us exposed down the right, Hastings tried hard when he came on but isn't on the same level as Mateusz, such a shame losing him - Hastings made a good account of himself today, though. Enol did well in the first half, shaky in the second and just kept blasting it rashly, probably through frustration! Nick, Ash and especially Eugene played well, so did peacock at times and a shame to lose Ben Sawyer to injury too, but felt Curtis Fulcher, the youngest player in the squad today, played well and showed what he can do. Stu defended well in the air but him and Rumens both left us open many times. Still, we are still young, still needing to gel and hopefully that won't take long. Also, Sanders - as he's (possibly) the tallest player on the team, the back line and enol just kept piling the ball forward - nick, Joe and rob we're trying to play good football and ash was linking up down the line in the first half really well, but we were just hitting it up and hoping, something that obviously isn't going to be effective with a small team - I think Matty waters and mateusz are our best attacking options, we should give Matty more of a chance. We simply weren't good enough today and I don't see how we're going to get anything against city if we play like we did today, but we are a spirited young side and we will do all we can, like every week. Some of the touches today were really poor, hopefully we can get that sorted too. Cone on lads, we will always be behind you, give every game all you can and bring back some points to show for how well we can play!

[ewstute]

After the heartbreaker on Tuesday we had this performance. No more excuses about youth, refs and money, it was awful! What is going on? One way we're going at the moment and it's only August!
All three goals we conceded were poor and should have been dealt with. The defending all game was poor. Looks like we've gone back to direct long ball again. The small bits of good play we had came during the few times we had the ball on the floor!
Enol in goal made some good saves, no chance with goals, kept kicking ball away though. Centre backs struggled and given the run around a bit, not commanding. Full Backs, Ash White was ok, Harry was very poor and looked a liability all game, two goals came from his side/player. Wingers, Freeman did nothing, Salim was rubbish and Joe was hardly in the game. Centre Mid, ok at times, but loads of wacks forward to nobody and out of position when defending. All three forwards did well I thought, especially considering the poor service they were given.

Pre season had lots of promise. It'd be great if we get the opposite performance and Monday and tear City a part. No more wacking the ball forward like a pub team, actual passing and some good defending so Enol has hardly anything to do.

[histonne]

Seriously, if we are going to get anything out of these games we have to ditch this long ball nonsense.
We aren't achieving anything! We have lads who have come through the academy playing the ball on the floor, but it seems that hoofball is now the name of the game. What's the point in a midfield when most of the game they are getting neck ache!
I appreciate that if its in their half they can't score but the trouble is it doesn't stay there for long.
These lads can play but Brian has to let them.
Hoping the opposition makes a mistake isn't creative football in my book!
Cambs City won't be worried at this rate!

[jenko1967]

It's becoming difficult now going into every game thinking we are going to lose.. our last competitive league win was 4th January, 7 1/2 months ago.

[ewstute]

Jenko I agree. This long ball stuff has to stop. It clearly doesn't work and it's awful to watch! Fair enough if you're clearing the ball when defending, but when they have time on the ball then don't just hit it forward. The other team can't score if we have the ball. The team is young, so we should be using it to our advantage by moving the ball around quickly and using the speed of our players, not just hitting the ball forward and having our players chase after it, or look for the old fashioned flick on.
I've seen the scholars play a few times over the years and they don't just hit the long balls forward, they build up play and are creative. We have a fantastic youth setup that is far better than the level we are at, where the players are taught about passing the ball and we have the Histon Way, why not use it!?

[jenko1967]

Couldn't agree more. We have so much pace, we should be skinning men down the wings, using our skill to beat men, instead we just keep whacking it up towards sanders every time, regardless if there's 1, 2, 3, 4 marking him.. We show glimpses of what we can do, but then it stops and we hoof it again.

[histonne]

Maybe the lads might be playing to management orders, have we thought of that?
Likewise I have watched the young lads play and they are better than this!
If they don't play like this for the scholars who is telling them to play like it now?
Maybe Brian has to have more belief in their ability, after all he brought them through the ranks. Nuff said.

[ewstute]

Joe showed it against Frome, his pace and skill was far too much for them and he scored a great goal, but he can't demonstrate that if the ball is in the air all the time and he has to spend all of his time making runs for a flick on that may or may not come (Other players too). Against City in the second half Peter and Joe Burgess ran the game when they were passing the ball around and we actually created some good chances, not half chances, we just got caught on the counter twice and missed the chances we created. With this long ball stuff we hardly ever create decent chances and have to rely on mistakes from the other team, or luck.

[jenko1967]

Histonne I agree. I understand Brian wants to relieve the pressure as quick as possible because our defence is still gelling, but we have some really dangerous attacking players and hopefully soon we'll change the tactics and show teams what we can do. Regardless, it's up to Brian at the end of the day and I'm fully behind him - he's done so much for this club through tough times and he deserves our backing down to his devotion and continuance to try and keep us competitive - many of us would have lost our minds in his role.

[ewstute]

Hopefully by Monday. If we play the same style as today against City then we will spend most of the game defending!

[histonne]

Jenko I would never doubt Brians commitment the cause and the grief he has had to put up with for the last couple of seasons would test the sanity of any manager. Shame he has lost his best creative player for 2 months at such an early stage of the season.
Just hope the lads don't lose faith in their ability and their confidence!
We all know what the difference a win would make.

[jenko1967]

Yep. He has done so much for the club.
Hopefully the lads can turn what before today, deserved more points from promising performances, like Dunstable and hungerford, we deserved more.
Come on you Stutes!

[ewstute]

They did foul and probably should have been down to ten, but we should not be using any of that as an excuse/reason for our poor display. We were shocking before the tackle and not much better after. Some of the abuse the ref received from some of our fans was shameful, my little'un learnt some words he better not repeat. Need to stop focusing on refs and the other teams and sort ourselves out. The performances - defending and attacking wise have not been anywhere near good enough this season and need to improve. The team playing the type of football the club was known for and putting in organised/disciplined defensive displays will be a start.

[hfc08stutes]

Couldnt make it but sounds like we simply didnt play to our potential! Was gonna say that theres no better game (agaisnt city) to get the lads going but one does wonder whether it ll be damage limitation unfortunately at the lower levels u need that extra bit of experience on the field to fuse a team together and to call the shots, but with no money we cant really have that. Would be nice to find another sponsor or backer that fancies taking a shot with us but with the bad rep previous directors have given us one can only wish !

I feel injuries to clark and wall are really killing us at the moment so I hope when they come back we ll start to look more solid and complete.

[countrybumkin9]

My worry is the crowds are poor at the moment and if things don't change it's going only one way and that's downwards which only effects the stability of the club and we end up in the same situation as last season !! The lads need backing yes the performances have been hit and miss so far but they are young and with no budget this is what we have !! They are players who have not even made the bench yet so let's stick by them and back them !!