Stockport (A)

[Croc]

Glorious weather, plane spotting and a good performance from Ethan Ross. Those were the only upsides from yesterday. Sadly, I think on that showing we are in for a long painful season and nailed on relegation.

Seemed to rely too much on the long ball into the corners - but (barring a couple of occasions) we could not win a high ball all afternoon - on several occasions we didn't even bother try to compete in the air.

Losing Hutchinson early on was a big blow - took a hefty whack to the face, but in fairness to him, he did try to play on afterwards before going down again - forcing his substitution.

Was good to meet some of the Lancashire brigade as well...

[jupu]

Highlights/lowlights here:

[Woodenose]

They say that one man does not make a team,but this team does need a man,Mr H.I think the team miss him and if playing will always look like scoring.Had Lee been available to play in our last two games I think that the result just might have been different.On to the next two winnable home games.

[Mark]

I watched the first three minutes or so of the highlights then had to turn it off........far too depressing

[citytoon]

Well done Ethan to keep it just to one!

[althom]

You've got to feel sorry for Danny Jackman and Tyler Weir and maybe Ross, the only players of the required standard able to compete. Men against boys i'm afraid. Harsh, but facts must be faced before it's too late!
Alright our 40 year old striker is coming back, but for how many games before the next suspension and for how many games a week? Whose left? Well Gater but thats about it. The rest of the experienced players are obviously just playing out their careers at our expense! Carl has a massive job to turn this lot round I.M.O.!

[thesecondjack]

I'd add Hutch, Murphy, Keane and Nelson-Addy to the list of those certainly capable too. None have hit the ground running just yet, though I do think Hutch has improved recently. Murphy looks lost of confidence and I feel a goal would go a long way to bringing it back. Keane just needs to settle into his role, but I think he looks good.

Bishop doesn't look bad but needs someone to play with up front.

The one I'm most shocked at is Sharpe, who last season was Mr reliable, now looks utterly lost on the pitch.

There's a core group of players who are good enough and have the desire, but we do need a bit more ability in the squad, that's for certain.

[ibraslimavic]

Id add Steele to that list too, he's performed better then all of the above. The team has been in the process of gelling and the performances are better recently albeit the results aren't. Perspective is needed an the losses have come to teams from the higher regions of the league. The tests will come in the coming weeks when we play teams in and around us with the players now having some familiarity with one another.

[Brooksiders Return!!]

Yep, couldn't agree more. Carl has it spot on, the reality is that most of our present squad just don't have the necessary quality to perform for 90 minutes at peak concentration at this level, and not just for one game, but every game. They put in the effort but aren't quite good enough. This was always going to be the case, as it was last season, and the season before, and will always be whilst we carry on doing what we've been doing as a club for so many years. Poor old Carl has to do what he has to do every pre-season, wait for the better players to sort themselves out with clubs, see who is going to be released, and end up with those players who havent got a contract elsewhere. Gone are the days when we were one of those clubs who could go out there and bid the market! Players capable of playing at higher levels wanted to play for Worcester City, because we were one of the best in non-league, great ground, great crowds, and we paid decent money too!
Some of these players might be able to shape up, and others will have to ship out, that's Carl's unenviable role, he doesn't have the luxury to go through that process pre-season like previous managers have, he has to do it from season start to December.
I think Carl said it last season too, it really is men against boys, but its pretty impossible with the club in the financial situation it is in to see that changing any time soon.

[lancashirelad]

Aug 30, 2016 8:39:22 GMT Croc said:

Glorious weather, plane spotting and a good performance from Ethan Ross. Those were the only upsides from yesterday. Sadly, I think on that showing we are in for a long painful season and nailed on relegation.
Seemed to rely too much on the long ball into the corners - but (barring a couple of occasions) we could not win a high ball all afternoon - on several occasions we didn't even bother try to compete in the air.
Losing Hutchinson early on was a big blow - took a hefty whack to the face, but in fairness to him, he did try to play on afterwards before going down again - forcing his substitution.
Was good to meet some of the Lancashire brigade as well...

We were lucky that Stockport were a poor side too, or it could have been 3 or 4 nil. Its incredible that we have been there 4 times now (lost 3 and drawn 1) but not ever scored - or yesterday even likely to score.

I was surprsied that Stockport gave us the whole open (Railway) end behind the goal (which has around 2,000 seats in it) - for the 21 or maybe 22 of us there (including 3 from Lancashire) - lots of leg room though!

And finally good to see/meet Croc and have a chat with him over a pint in the Sir Robert Peel pub afterwards - your round next time.

[jupu]

Looking at all our league games in the month of August over the last 4 seasons we've played 25 and won just 2. That's an awful record and clearly relegation form.

But hey, we've been here before, as what has happened in each of the last three years is that some of the pre-season signings have been released or loaned out very quickly - last season Lloyd-Weston, Haynes, Campion, Rowe, Elvins, McDonald, Nash - and other, usually more experienced, players have come in to replace them - last season we saw Sharpe, Hughes, Burton, Harrad all joining around this stage.

I think it's inevitable that the same will happen again.

In some respects our current position is little different to last season, when at this stage we had 4 points from 7 games and were only one place higher in the table.

[madhatter]

Hello. Sorry to intrude but I thought I'd just like to comment on your team as I thought you were better than your league position yesterday. I didnt think we were that much better than you really. The big problem you have is creating chances, sort that out and you be fine. Thought our old player Jackman did well along with your left back. Your goalie looked a bit shaky though with crosses and high balls and we felt in cheadle end that he was to close to near post for free kick massive gap all Danny had to do was get it over wall and on target. Made a good block late on though.

Anyway all best for rest of season reckon you be fine

[Dodger]

First of all, well done to the fans that made the trip (24 away fans according to SCFC) - I assume no assistance from the supporters club was forthcoming.

Although pleased that we have 2 points so far (when my prediction was zero for the end of August), I wonder what tactics we adopt for some of these games. Do we start brightly for the first 10 minutes and hope to get a goal and then defend the rest of the match in the belief that we can win 1-0? Do we play for a 0-0 draw? If we go a goal down, do we play for the 1-0 defeat (after all it's better than losing 2-0)?

The problem with the 'go for a draw' tactic is once you fall behind, you need the capability to hit back - we don't seem to have that capability.

Following the match on twitter, it seems that we didn't get a corner in the 2nd half until 65 minutes......being 1-0 down we should have been pressing like billy-o. Did we?

I agree that the team is the level we can afford (based on the prediction of cash available divided by years left) but with no monies waiting to be parachuted in what can we do but go along for the 'very bumpy' ride that awaits this season. 

Of course, us supporters could buy that extra half-time ticket or programme to boost Carl's buying power.

Dodger.

[dcx]

Aug 30, 2016 14:52:53 GMT Brooksiders Return!! said:

Yep, couldn't agree more. Carl has it spot on, the reality is that most of our present squad just don't have the necessary quality to perform for 90 minutes at peak concentration at this level, and not just for one game, but every game. They put in the effort but aren't quite good enough. This was always going to be the case, as it was last season, and the season before, and will always be whilst we carry on doing what we've been doing as a club for so many years. Poor old Carl has to do what he has to do every pre-season, wait for the better players to sort themselves out with clubs, see who is going to be released, and end up with those players who havent got a contract elsewhere. Gone are the days when we were one of those clubs who could go out there and bid the market! Players capable of playing at higher levels wanted to play for Worcester City, because we were one of the best in non-league, great ground, great crowds, and we paid decent money too!
Some of these players might be able to shape up, and others will have to ship out, that's Carl's unenviable role, he doesn't have the luxury to go through that process pre-season like previous managers have, he has to do it from season start to December.
I think Carl said it last season too, it really is men against boys, but its pretty impossible with the club in the financial situation it is in to see that changing any time soon.

The declining financial position has also unfortunately coincided with the rise of teams with money through the non-league pyramid, and the decline of former league teams down to our level. I think we have hit the nirvana for that in this season's National North but it's been getting a lot more prevalent in the last few years. The whipping boys with no budget are slowly being relegated away and I fear its going to be our turn this year, with Stalybridge and Bradford who also haven't got a pot to piss in.

I'm fairly philosophical about things, realistically can we really expect to get some experienced heads in who haven't been snapped up who can really make a difference? Yes we did it last year, but those heads included Ash Vincent and Shaun Harrad (incidentally at Wrexham now) who didn't do anything and ended up getting shipped out themselves. Only Hughes really made a difference, and Deon popped up with a few useful goals (he still had it, his style of play just made him look lazy). Ironically it was Shaun Donellan that helped keep us up last year, and he was only 19. Superb player though, and great attitude.

Realistically I would bin off Gallinagh, English, Craig and Sharpe at this point. Spend the money saved on a midfielder who can tackle, put themselves about a bit but also distribute the ball with a semblance of accuracy, and a full back who can play both sides, plus a physical centre back (as long as they can run, sorry Clayton). Don't bother with another striker because if we can't play Hughes or Bishop then Jordan Murphy can play there instead. I half wonder if that's his best position because he was doing bits in pre-season for Harriers playing up front.

Carl needs to play these players in their favoured positions though, and stop shoehorning players places they don't want to be. They don't have the experience to adapt at the moment, start them where they are comfortable and you will get more out of them.

Ironically based on pre-season (excluding Redditch) we would be smashing it in the glue league with this squad!

[ibraslimavic]

Just read the article about new players and to be honest you can't expect strong wing play if we are playing people out of position there. We have had Murphy out wide whose not done great but he seems more of a striker then a winger, Steele has done very well out there considering he is a central midfielder who has caused problems for teams out wide and also through the Centre of the pitch. I think he has earned the right to be given a go at number 10 as Ebby hasn't really performed there or in a wide position also and neither did Murphy when placed there. Gloucester at home was great example when Steele came on and fed Hughes in to the box to square for Bishop along with first game of season feeding a great ball out wide to Fitzpatrick to cross for Hughes. Clark has also been out there more recent times with limited joy along with olukamni who hasnt had a good go yet who looks like the more natural winger of the lot so we will have to see what he can bring. I think the club should be looking into a couple loan deals for players from higher teams looking for game time to try and address the lack of quality along with making Steele a more focal point of the team due to his all round quality.

[thatloudbloke]

Sam Minihan's words