[PhilAnders]

Still in Spain so haven’t heard Butler’s pre match interview. I have no idea which of the loanees will be permitted to play tomorrow. I presume the season long loanees will but the short termers? I do think if he plays Beck, I can’t see us getting more than a draw, Brogan and Eze and we will be defeated. However, if none of those 3 get minutes on the pitch zi would be optimistic of a win. By how many will depend on how long, Whitehall, Howe, Roberts and Ewing spend on the pitch!

[PhilAnders]

I’ve stopped listening to the podcast to be honest. Same shyte, different day

[PhilAnders]

Morecambe will come to scrap for a point and is possible to steal 3. I would expect similar tactics to Carlisle on Saturday, but probably not the skill levels to pull it off. We need to start with Whitehall and Howe, Dawson and TSF ( if Hull have given permission) could start in the cup game against Kings Lynn , and if TSF is not permitted to play, Carlton is in need of a game. I think we will win, and at the end with goals to spare, but half time could well be 0-0 or 0-1.

[PhilAnders]

It was Radagast the Brown. He had such big hair animals could have lived in it!

[PhilAnders]

For me, we are now playing as a team, with team goals supplanting individual ones. Roberts square ball for TSF’s tap in against Southend. Last year having done the hard work, he would have shot himself and may/may not have scored. This unselfishness makes us incredible difficult to defend against, York were completely blindsided by Boyce’s air shot”dummy” on Wednesday and he had the sense to leave his second attempt to Alfie Beestin. You can’t create this stuff easily, it needs a manager touched by magic. Last time we had a team like this was under Gandalf the Grey ( Nigel Adkin’s himself) is Andy Butler the new Merlin?

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lesgeo, Sanfran49

[PhilAnders]

I see Beck, Eze and Brogan are not making the bench. We need to ease these 3 out and extend TSF’s loan spell.

[PhilAnders]

In Spain on holiday at the moment so missing these crucial games and having to rely on Radio Humberside online for match commentaries. It seems AB has found a good playing style of a high aggressive press without the ball, and fast forward movement with the ball. Very difficult for opponents at our level to beat that, the best they can hope is to play it themselves and then it’s down to who converts their chances. I expect Carlisle to do this, hopefully we can score early doors and make things difficult for them!

[PhilAnders]

I agree with most on here that Borehamwood were the best team we have played this season, like last year, 8/9 games in teams have rumbled their opponents style of play and it was obvious in the first half that Borehamwood had done their homework on our preferred style of play at home. However, unlike last year Butler changed formation in the second half and demanded our high press game. The Wood didn’t look so good once we started doing that and while I accept they should have had the game in their pocket by half time, they didn’t and a draw was a fair result at the end.
For me therefore, credit to the management team for coaching in some flexibility to our style of play. My only criticism is that they now have to develop some way of initiating that change whilst the game is in play and not hang on until half time!
Looking at last night’s game and the game against FGR , I feel that we are not currently good enough to win this league. But, given a fair run without injuries or suspensions and the determination showed in the second half we will make the play off’s and my worst case scenario is a top twelve finish, not a relegation battle, which is good.
I had a sneaky tenner on us drawing all 4 of these top of the table clashes. It’s still on.

[PhilAnders]

Apologies, just looked at the official site. I want to know how somebody who works from home can leave a job for “family reasons”?

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Sanfran49, Rene Artois

[PhilAnders]

Who is he/was he?

[PhilAnders]

One of the things I like about Roberts is that in the time he has been with us I feel that he has become more of a team player. A reason why AB has made him club VC? It may be part of his/the teams game plan to get the ball into the danger area quicker, rather than shoot speculatively from distance, especially now we have a goal poacher like Howe

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Sanfran49, Rene Artois

[PhilAnders]

There are a couple of Fans with Tourette‘s Syndrome in that stand, I’ve seen them with their carer who struggles to keep them quite during a minutes silence.

[PhilAnders]

There are a couple of Fans with Tourette‘s Syndrome in the Moritz, I’ve seen them with their carer who struggles to keep them quite during a minutes silence.

[PhilAnders]

Well done Joey Dawson! This doubting Thomas delighted to eat Humble pie this evening. The next 4 games will show us exactly where we are in this division. Glad that we have defenders coming back ( JB should have completed his head injury protocol by Wednesday) and Whitehall is being nursed through. Happy days !

[PhilAnders]

Well that’s a bit of a shocker, selection wise. No Captain dependable, presumably Starbuck is at CB with Scales at RB. Whitehall on the bench (expected)but Joey Dawson starting!!! I never saw that coming, like most I thought he would be toddling off on loan next week for a bit of game time elsewhere. Personally I would have thought Carlton and TSF were above him in the Striker pecking order. Anyone else any thoughts on this?

[PhilAnders]

I could cope with Carlton instead of TSF. What I couldn’t cope with is Beck as his style of play slows us down. Truro have only just gone full time professional. They are still learning the ropes to that. As an added handicap, their away games involve substantial travelling so even coming up today they will be a bit leggy. We need to attack with pace, and their defence and defensive midfielders need to be running around like the proverbial blue bottomed flies! If we play at a high pace and press , then they will crumble. Play at Becks pace and they will get something from the game!

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Rene Artois, Cliff Byrne's Right Peg

[PhilAnders]

If you follow the Mantra, Attack is the Best form of defence, then, to a certain extent, having a couple of just about OK GK’s fighting it out for the number 1 slot should be fine this year if we are considering mid table safety the aim. However attack is only our best form of defence when we have our best 10 outfielders on the pitch and our scoring/creative 4 of Roberts, Whitehall, Ewing and Howe are on the pitch. What contributors are highlighting is that the GK’s and back up strike force /creative midfielders are nowhere good enough to sustain a promotion challenge and should long term injury rob us of one of the creative 4, we could struggle to survive outside the relegation places!

[PhilAnders]

I did mean Chadwick, apologies.

[PhilAnders]

AB is right to seek new signings. Both the substitutions during league games and the NLN games show that we have 14 decent outfield players. We are particularly struggling for a back up holding and a back up creative midfielder, as well as options up front with Carlton struggling for form. Dreze and Chapman can’t cut it and I would send them back. Beck, Brogan and Dawsonh don’t provide with options either!

[PhilAnders]

Each team is allowed 3 opportunities during play to make substitutions. Half time does not count towards the 3 opportunities. If extra time is played in a game a sixth substitute is allowed! Teams are also permitted a concussion substitute ( a 7th in an extra time game) but the opposition are permitted a further substitute to square things up.

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cassidystash

[PhilAnders]

I don’t think you can ever score to early, but it can change a teams mindset. For the team a goal up away from home, shall we stick with what we’ve got ( a fatal error with 80+ minutes to play) for the team a goal behind , we need to be more attack minded ( which can leave them open to counterattack!).

[PhilAnders]

What I would do if on the NL Board

1. Back the Referees decision in both games.
2. Given the late suspension of play in both games, Reinstate the results at the times of suspension as the final results and declare both fixtures completed ( Starbuck and Horton have thus served their disciplinary suspensions).
3. Refer any disciplinary action to the relevant committee for further consideration. This effectively separates any punishment on Wealdstone for not completing the fixture from the result of the game and allows them to plead mitigating circumstances for the mental health of their players in not completing the fixture. Any fine or points deduction is then mitigated in accordance with their supporting evidence.

This creates a split between what happened at Eastleigh (Referee Abandonment) and against Wealdstone (Refusal to obey Ref’s instruction to play). It sends a message to all clubs that getting a game called off won’t necessarily get you a replay and more importantly, ignoring the Ref’s instructions will lead to punishment beyond the points played for on the day. A Fine and a 3 point deduction should effectively take this play out of the Gamesmanship manual.

[PhilAnders]

For those that are interested, it was a “meat” pie. I use inverted coma’s because we have all experienced Football ground catering where the amount of meat can be questionable as to both quantity and animal of origin! I remember thinking that the Southend catering outlet had missed a trick not serving Jellied Eels. I recall having Black pudding and Mushy Peas at Bury!

[PhilAnders]

The National league have to act fast on this one, certainly before the York and Rochdale game on Tuesday evening, or a whole new area of “gamesmanship” has come into being. Leaving aside the decisions on our 2 suspended games, the league have to give guidance to Referees and Clubs on the following:
1. When a player stays down injured. When should a referee stop the game?
2. Who makes the initial assessment of the injury? The injured players club physio or the Match Doctor
3. Who makes the decision to treat the player on the pitch? Who makes the decision to move them off?
4. Once the player is off the pitch, what are the expectations on the behaviour of the remaining players?
5. In what circumstances should a referee abandon a game?
What sanctions will be placed on clubs who fail to follow protocol?

Of course, having done this, the league will then have to draw up a protocol concerning spectators. Far to many games are interrupted because of “medical emergencies” in the crowd!

[PhilAnders]

Well, when the league finally gets round to considering our suspended games then if they decide the Eastleigh game must be replayed , then Wealdstone will almost certainly argue that today’s should be as well. You could not make this shit up!

[PhilAnders]

I wonder. Just because the referee didn’t make the decision doesn’t mean that Wealdstone did. There is an England game tonight. Maybe all fixtures have to be finished by the time it kicks off and those that can’t be are abandoned! Then again, I could be talking Bollocks as Aldershot and Brackley Kicked off at 5.30!

[PhilAnders]

With regards to Eastleigh, League Management committee should have met as soon as it was known that both players involved were recovering. A decision should have been made regarding the status of the result, even if players were referred to the disciplinary committee for consideration. We would then have known how many future games we would be without Starbuck and Horton. It would also have put a stop to today’s shenanagans, as it would be clear and crystal what the situation re abandonment would be.

[PhilAnders]

I have always liked AB. First met him in the queue for a pie in the away end at Southend on a wet Tuesday night many years ago ( when he was travelling with the squad but not in the matchday selection). He spoke eloquently about pies! As people say, he seems clever enough, he has a football brain and when he tempers his bright ideas to fit the squad he has to work with (5 at the back!), he will be a very good manager!

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steelworks iron

[PhilAnders]

I think we are 5 at the back tonight with Chadwick and Denton as wing backs and Robert’s in the “hole” behind Carlton and DW.

[PhilAnders]

As commented in several posts by many contributors, our players appear to be more committed this season, throwing themselves in front of shots and passes to achieve blocks and disrupt the opposition. I think this sort of game lends itself to the sort of “knocks” we have been seeing. Makes me proud of the team to see them all putting their bodies on the line as they put in their “shift”.

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Iron-awe, Rene Artois, Deereyme66

[Author]

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