Hucknall latest

[andy]

AP and some of the players apologised to Kieran and myself in the bar after as well. All round hurt, I sense.

[oldboyblue]

DON'T take anything away from the Hucknell performance, they out played us, were more motivated and applied pressure, used the pitch and played good football. They deserved the win.

THE CURSE OF THE INJURED REF STRIKES AGAIN

[oldboyblue]

dejavue I remeber leaving Hook nail last year and a cheeky fan said to me 'that was quite easy really'

[colinlayland]

I wonder if Andy Preece would like to apologise to the fans,I think not because he will blame everybody bar his self.

[andy]

As said, elsewhere, Colin. AP apologised to Kieran and myself in the bar. There werent any other City fans in there. If you noticed, he insisted that the players went over to acknowledge the travelling fans at the end - no skulking off to the changing rooms.

[wh]

andy said:

As said, elsewhere, Colin. AP apologised to Kieran and myself in the bar. There werent any other City fans in there. If you noticed, he insisted that the players went over to acknowledge the travelling fans at the end - no skulking off to the changing rooms.

Preecey is a decent bloke, who takes criticism on the chin. He also apologised after the Alfreton game and said it was the then worse performance under him as manager, until this.

The performance trend is downwards though unfortunately and you do get the feeling that it is only a question of time before the next apology will be forthcoming.

As was said then (after Alfreton) the absence of a plan B is what hurt us most. Other CN managers have said openly that Worcester are easy to prepare for because everyone in the league knows how we play.

Truth is we are just not creating enough chances and in the end you will always get what you deserve. lets go back to 4-4-2.

Dare I say it but the last real attractive style of play I have seen at SGL was by JB's teams.

trying to look on the bright side.

We have a real good crop of players though so its not all doom and gloom, it will be interesting to see how Preecey can get the best out of them though, you would have thought the rollocking he gave them after Alfreton would have lasted longer in their ears.

[tim]

I suspect Preecey may be suffering a bit from the lack of an Assistant Manager - a different viewpoint, a second pair of eyes and football brain. I've never been convinced that he's the most tactically astute of managers in any case, but sometimes you can get too close to something and fail to see what is really there. Preecey is a decent bloke, no doubt about it, but he could possibly do with some help now. Of course the FA Cup stumble means there's no budget to assist on that front.

[blackpole]

andy said:

A result like that is very unlike Worcester City Football Club.

Reading your stas andy you are correct, but recently a performance like that is not "vey unlike" us.
We were outplayed, outbattled, out thought, out muscled, and any other "out" you can think of! I totally agree with JT's comment of Preecey needs someone to bounce ideas off - after Alfreton someone described him as a "lonely" manager and he is - he has to have someone like Jock back, and I for one would welcome the bloke back on board. We had some success with the two of them, we had good cup runs under the two of them, and AP needs help. I won't even go for the cull of the squad either, the only ones I would highlight are Doran, who seems to have lost his edge for whatever reason, (out of position, not interested), but I still think Cleggy is a luxury our position and performances can't carry any more - Nick doesn't have the skill of Cleggy, but more than makes up for it with work rate, committment, and above all pride in his own performance.
Paul Curtis whilst apologising said it's been unnacceptable, so what the board do will be interesting, but I really tghink AP needs help. Unload a player or two, bring one in, and use released budget to help AP.

[wh]

Paul Curtis is chairman of the football committee at WCFC so you can rest assured he will be getting to grips with whatever is needed to help the club move forward.

[andy]

I agree with you, Blackpole. Burscough, Alfreton and now Hucknall are all three games in which we 'failed to turn up'.

What I meant about it being 'unlike WCFC' is that there was virtually nothing to support, nothing really to get behind. I missed the Alfreton game, but I dont recall many evenings/games like that.

To their credit, Hucknall did well, and everything went for them on the night. In my book, they seized the initiative in the first 15 minutes, grew in confidence and went on from there. We trailed in their wake.

BTW, Preecey has said on the radio this am he will be making changes to the squad.

[niels]

He's said that before and then done nothing.

[B*ue dragonstander]

wh said:

andy said:

Dare I say it but the last real attractive style of play I have seen at SGL was by JB's teams.

You dare and it was.

[B*ue dragonstander]

andy said:

BTW, Preecey has said on the radio this am he will be making changes to the squad.

Hey its not that difficult to predict changes to the squad.

He should have sent Doran packing games ago. It was obvious within 10 minutes of watching him for the first time that he is not a right back at this level or even a player at this level.

The stand in goalie looks to be a waste of space given his performance last night (at least two of the first three goals were basic keeping errors by the sound of it) and in his previous loan spell at Kettering. This is a man's league and 18 year old "babies" dont cut it.

Changes to the formation and style of play are what the fans want. Supporters can put up with boring tactics and a lck of entertainment if the team WINS. If it doesn't then we may as well lose draw or win with some style.

At present we have some very decent players playing in a formation and style that does not make the best of their talents, who have won only 2 league games out of 6 at home and basically bored the supporters so much with the lack of football and action that gates have dropped by about 200 per match. Is it any wonder people are voting with their feet?

This is nothing to do with last night - as you say it is a once in a blue moon event and we should learn the lesson and move on - but a real long standing issue that has been rumbling on for the past two seasons with absolutely no signs of anything changing for the better on the pitch.

Excuses about budgets wont wash with me. We have the players to playe decent attractive and reasonably successful football. It is about time the existing resources were deployed to best advantage.

[wh]

Here is the WCFC report centre page with audio interview with AP from last night

www.worcestercityfc.co.uk/ReportCentre/tabid/129/default.aspx?gid=141

You can hear the anger in his voice.


Report center can be found either in "First Team" menu or by clicking on the "match report" on the last game tab on the front page of the site. All fixtures are listed there with links to relevant sources.

If anyone comes across any other post fixture related items please let us know and we will see if it can be added to the relevant page.

[B*ue dragonstander]

Anger at who?

It is no good blaming the players. They are with a couple of exceptions all his players after all.

If I managed people who were not producing the results I wanted I would ask myself why? and keep asking until I found the answer. Either they are the wrong people and need to be replaced or I am not doing a very good job in exploiting their talents. I need to decide what is what, come up with strategy and convert that to a sequence of short term plans to improve matters step by step.

[andy]

Irrespective of the performance last night, personally, I think the squad has become unbalanced, but I can understand fully why it has.

Looking at the defenders - we have nine. We have three options at right back - Ryan, Wardy and Doran. Three options in the middle - Smudger, Patrece and Rapid. Three options at left back - Shabs, Burlo and Paul Barrett.

Yet we also have only three squad members in midfield - Macca, Clegg and Nic. Gary Walker is there, of course, but I havent seen enough of him to comment.

That situation has come about due to injuries to across the back - Smudger, Rapid, Shabs and Burlo. Plus Nic, pushing Wardy forward. Hence the nine. We have some versatlity there - Shabs in the centre or left back, Ryan in the centre or right-back. Wardy right-back or right-side of midfield. Patrece has an advantage of being able to play on the left-side at the back.

Now that injuries seem to be clearing up, I could see two defenders going if the budget needs to be reduced (I darent say balanced - If it is balanced now, then I wouldnt be able to understand how we could add three to the squad for Danny Hodnett). If possible, I would like to see at least one new face in midfield, and ideally two, in their place (AP's decision who).

Even if we had seven defenders in the squad (barring a repeat of the earlier injury crisis) we should still have enough versatility in there to put out a strong back five. But with new options (drive/control/ball-winning/distribution/creativity) in midfield we've not had for a while across the line.

Danks, Wilding and Webster are too good a set of forwards not to be brought into games by an effective midfield/overlapping wing-backs.

[B*ue dragonstander]

We have won 4 out of 14 fixtures this season.

As for this "we have only lost once in our last eight league games" crap that AP came out with in Mondays paper does he think we are idiots?

If it was that flippin good there would have been 1,200 there on Staurday excluding the 100 who came from Southport.

The team need to play at least as well as they did last Saturday and at Boston a fortnight earlier EVERY MATCH just to be mediocre in this division.

[B*ue dragonstander]

Andy said

"Looking at the defenders - we have nine. We have three options at right back - Ryan, Wardy and Doran. Three options in the middle - Smudger, Patrece and Rapid. Three options at left back - Shabs, Burlo and Paul Barrett."

Bye Shabs. Bye Pete. Bye Burlo (assuming we can keep the Liver lad)

[blackpole]

blue0dragonstander said:

Anger at who?
It is no good blaming the players. They are with a couple of exceptions all his players after all.

If you had been there then you'd realise it IS the player's! Yes they may be his, but he got them because most of them are capable of something, and last night I would have put Worcester Colts under 11's in and seen more committment! It was utter crap, no heart, no pride in personal performances, no fight, and a lay down and die attitude, It'll be a while before I spend my money travelling away to watch that!

[sleepinggiant]

I think Barrett would be better used in a more forward role.

To me this side looks a good balanced one with players in their strongest positions;


Danny
Clarke Smith Patrice Burley

Ward Emeka Clegg Barrett

Danks Webster/Wilding

Subs - Webby/Wilding, Troy, Gill, Colley, Shab

[noel14]

I did not see last night but did see the Alfreton game and both starting line ups were the same. The thing that worries me is the lack of creativity in the attacking areas and is more marked when Danksy does not start.
I would release Webby and send Troy on season loan to Southern League to get games experience and goals and try to bring in goalscorer and an attacking midfielder as there is a lack of goals from there and has been for some time

[DrAgony]

I was truly shocked when I saw the result, for a while I thought they must have got the scrores the wrong way around. And after such a good result on Saturday! But I don't like being negative on a public forum like this so I've been trying all day to think of something positive to write. The best I can come up with is

[tim]

sleepinggiant said:

I think Barrett would be better used in a more forward role.

To me this side looks a good balanced one with players in their strongest positions;


Danny
Clarke Smith Patrice Burley

Ward Emeka Clegg Barrett

Danks Webster/Wilding

Subs - Webby/Wilding, Troy, Gill, Colley, Shab

That's exactly what my first choice starting XI and formation would be.

[villager]

Blimey ... just found out we lost 0-5.

Everytime I think we've turned a corner i.e. draw at Telford, win at Tamworth and then home to Southport ... it proves to be a false dawn.

Can't believe we can't string a few results together. Looking bleak.

[alwaysnextyear]

BBC Ceefax page 395 quotes Andy Preece " I need to change things around and, if I can get the right players in, then we might be looking at players going out ".
" If " and " might" say it all to me . Shouldn't that be " when " and " will " after losing 5-0 to the bottom team ?
As AP has signed most of the current squad, I find this comment amazing. Are the players he's signed ( best left back in the league etc ) not the " right players " then ? Contrast this with tonight's WEN where AP praises six new players for " settling in well " !
The Board have backed AP with money for transfer and signing on fees, and the results are no better than before. As for players " going out ", how many of the squad would command a fee ? On the crazy money contracts I suspect that some of them are on including AP ( or do they all enjoy 150 mile plus round trips to play home matches ), we couldn't give them away.
The FA Cup was bad enough, now this. Decisive action is required from the Board I'm afraid to say, as I think the excuses have just about run out.

[darrellbutler]

City: McKeown 3, Doran 3, Barratt 3, Smith 4, Liburd 4 (Danks 59, 5), Clarke 3, Ward 3, Nwadike 3 (Colley 63, 4), WILDING 5*, Webster 4, Clegg 3. Subs not used: Wood, Walker, Gill. Attendance: 246.

How on earth did anyone get more than a one?

[B*ue dragonstander]

blackpole said:

blue0dragonstander said:

Anger at who?
It is no good blaming the players. They are with a couple of exceptions all his players after all.

If you had been there then you'd realise it IS the player's! Yes they may be his, but he got them because most of them are capable of something, and last night I would have put Worcester Colts under 11's in and seen more committment! It was utter crap, no heart, no pride in personal performances, no fight, and a lay down and die attitude, It'll be a while before I spend my money travelling away to watch that!

It is certainly th eplayers on the pitch but it is the manager who is responsible for getting the best out of them. There is the nub of the problem.

[andy]

After some earlier posts on this thread. I would just like to go on record as saying that I am personally not pegging out any space in a 'Preece Out' camp.

If Tuesday's result is to be employed in that regard, then I am glad that I was at Hucknall in order to witness precisely what happened.

Despite a lot of encouragement to lift their game, make challenges, positioning, first-touch passing, using space (etc), quality delivery from free-kicks and crosses, there was little response from the majority of the players. The first goal was a very good one. The second appeared to be a mistake by an individual player. The third came from a badly-positioned wall combined with a well-placed free-kick. Heads had dropped so much by then that the 4th and 5th in the last 5 minutes didnt really matter to the result, except they made it all look a lot worse.

While I appreciate the sentiment of positions within the current squad, I wouldnt go with sleepinggiant's starting line-up because I wouldnt have all of those particular players in my squad in the first place. Although the majority I would very like to see stay, and respond short- and long-term. But of course I'm not in charge, and we trust matters to the management and Board.

[tim]

Nope, definitely no "Preece Out", instead a "better and more consistent football please, we have the squad and manager to achieve this, let's start doing it, and now!"

I think the key to Tuesday's result sadly lies with the goalkeeper situation. Young McKeown has a fine reputation as an up-and-coming keeper, and I'm sure we'll hear a lot more of him in times to come. But with head down after conceding the first goal, he's got it all wrong for the second one and it has destroyed his confidence. Third goal has come because he hasn't got the wall in the right place, again confidence, and from therein it just goes from bad to worse. Defenders get used to playing with a certain keeper, let's not forget that we have an entirely new defence this season in terms of who has played with who before, and until Tuesday they had only played together with Danny, who is one of the best in the business. It makes a huge difference to defending if you don't have the confidence in your keeper, and a huge difference to keeping if you think that the defence don't have confidence in you. Easy to say now, but all it would have taken to build that bond of trust and confidence between the defence and keeper is an early bollocking from McKeown to the defence, big voice loud and clear to let them know that he's in command back there. He would have grown in confidence and the whole team would have been lifted as a result. Then again, I wouldn't have known this at 18, or 25 for that matter, it's something that comes with experience. McKeown will learn from the game, and become a better keeper as a result. I can't help feeling that this is another example of where an assistant Manager is needed.

[andy]

Fair enough, TJ. Wouldnt disagree with a lot of that.

But if the Club is paying for the services of an Irish Under-19 'keeper who is in the reserve squad of a Football League side, you would hope that at least most of that non-shot-stopping stuff would come as part of the package.

He should at least be aware of what is needed. He's already played a number of games at this level this season, including previously against Hucknall.