[PhilAnders]

I can’t forecast the result until I know which iron team has turned up. If it’s the one that presses the opposition and gets the ball forward quickly and accurately, then I can’t see us losing. If it’s the one that looks like it’s never played together before and therefore it must be someone else’s job to mark, press or shoot, then who knows the result. Truro 2-0 or 2-1 or will we be lucky and get a draw!

[PhilAnders]

If I won 181 million I’d buy the Ground and The Training Ground and give the deeds to the Trust. Together with a few million quid to improve both and run it day to day. I would allow the club offices, shop and matches rent free ( the club can keep the revenue from the shop, games and programmes) but haven’t decided about other cash generated at the ground ( parking, refreshments, iron bar). I’m sure the board would give due deference to the Trust if they were the Landlords!

[PhilAnders]

Looking at the team, the defence will leak a couple of goals. Further forward, it’s a question of where Roberts and Smith play off Whitehall. Roberts as an out and out winger, Smith close to Whitehall us scoring 3 or 4 is not impossible. Roberts in a midfield diamond or in a defensive midfield 5 we won’t have the firepower up front so a defeat is on the cards. Subs play a part. If we are a goal down at halftime and AB’s subs and tactical changes are more attacking, then it’s possible we could nick it second half. However if we are leading with 10 mins to go and there are a raft of subs aimed at Sitting on the lead or holding on the draw then we will probably lose or at best, escape with a draw.

[PhilAnders]

I think Saturday’s result depends on which AB turns up to do the team selection and team talk. If it’s the aggressive “I demand a win” AB who plays Robert’s Wide on the right Whitehall and Farrell as a front 2, we will probably get it! If it’s “let’s not lose” AB who plays Whitehall up top on his own with Roberts at the top of a midfield diamond, then we will concede early goals and lose. If it’s “in two minds” AB then a raft of second half subs will ensure a draw or defeat! Renee will set the odds on which AB it will be!

3 users thanked author for this post.

lesgeo, Sanfran49, Bhuna5

[PhilAnders]

This thread is one of the most insightful I have ever seen on this Forum and SODIron must be congratulated for his leadership in this matter. Now it’s up to the club to read and digest these comments which are a constructive criticism of recent events. Ignoring them or dismissing them as an idle rant would be a drastic error.

6 users thanked author for this post.

alcazar, Sanfran49, lesgeo, Rene Artois, Bhuna5, SODIron

[PhilAnders]

PS, for what it’s worth, we need to create a 4 point gap between our current points total and Braintree’s to be mathematically “safe” from relegation, currently, only the top three in our league have achieved that!

2 users thanked author for this post.

Bhuna5, SODIron

[PhilAnders]

This is an excellent lead post and mirrors my own sport coaching experience, not at an elite a level as SODIron. For my own part in framing the narrative. I confidently predicted last July on this very Forum that we would comfortably finish 16th with 60 points, without being involved in a relegation battle. For that Mea Culpa! I cannot therefore bring criticism to bear on the board or AB and his management team for setting the same narrative! Although I would agree that in Elite sport that one should be constantly refining and reframing objectives based on the current situation/performance levels and this has not been done. It is a strategic learning point ( rather than a tactical point that Robert’s is better as a right winger than a classical 10) and something the club and the team manager will have to address quickly moving forward.

3 users thanked author for this post.

alcazar, Bhuna5, SODIron

[PhilAnders]

Tahir looks quick, suspect he will be at left back with Farrell in front of him on the left off Whitehall. If he clicks he may move more central when Whitehall departs. It’s a bit risky playing 2 young lads from the off when they appear to have just arrived, or have they been masquerading as Triallist’s A and B all week?

1 user thanked author for this post.

Bhuna5

[PhilAnders]

He’s a big lad (6’3” and quite broad shouldered on his photos) but not a great goal scorer. I suspect he will be coming on as sub for Whitehall. If the ball into him “sticks” and he plays it off to a Scunny player then I will be happy…. At least that will stop the ball coming straight back at our defenders!

[PhilAnders]

I was surprised that we scored a couple today. It would be easy to blame Butler,but he can only play the players that are fit and available and those that played today are not play off material. Butler’s only sin ( in my eyes) is that he fails to acknowledge this. In public, this can be put down to defending the “Team” but in private, if he is not aware, then he is a fool. I don’t think we will be in the play off slots in the New Year, and I will have a very nervy time this winter, until we reach 50plus points. My pre season prediction was we will finish 16th, but not be in a relegation dogfight ( and at the time I felt I was being positive!)I think my £10 is looking a safe bet at the moment.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Bhuna5

[PhilAnders]

Good call with the score Renee. Can only see us scoring from a set piece, no creativity otherwise.

[PhilAnders]

3points separate Top Six, and 7 Points to 7th. Southend and those below face being out of the race by NYE, with only the one play off spot to fight over!
And now it is a test of our nerve. Don’t blink just find away to win every game till NYE. We may not be top, but we will sure as hell be breathing down the neck of whoever is! UTI

[PhilAnders]

No Roberts or Ewing today, and no Evans. It’s been agreed many times on this Forum that we need our best 10 outfield players on the pitch to play and win well. Grinding out results when these 3 key players are not available is fine by me!

5 users thanked author for this post.

glanford, Cliff Byrne's Right Peg, Plymiron, MK Iron, cassidystash

[PhilAnders]

The most important thing to me is that we win. Will Carlisle get 4 at Southend tonight, I doubt it, will York get 4 against Rochdale on Tuesday, I doubt that! All 4 teams will be happy with draws from those games and the teams around us have those sorts of games in the next few weeks. I’ll take 1-0’s and 3 points any day over the next 6 games!

[PhilAnders]

At the Turn of the New Year, I think league positions 1-4 will be separated by a gap of no more than 3 points. There will then be a gap of 3/4 points and then positions 5-8 or 9 will also be separated by a small number of points(?3) there will then be a gap of 3/4 points to the rest of the teams in the league. I expect this gap to widen to 6-7 points by the end of March. We need to be in the 1-4 position at the end of the year. For the rest of the year we should strongly attempt to win every game! Home and Away! Didn’t think I would be writing that at the end of July!

1 user thanked author for this post.

Sanfran49

[PhilAnders]

Just seen the line up. Obviously not!

[PhilAnders]

I wonder if Ross Barrows might get some minutes this evening? If his rehab has gone to plan he must be ready to kick a ball in anger. However, he might take a look at the pitch and decide it is too dodgy to risk it! Wouldn’t blame him!

[PhilAnders]

Why am I perplexed? just like many on here I feel that we have a good preferred starting outfield 10 , with perhaps 3-4 more than adequate subs. In my mind, these “more than adequate subs” do not describe Beck, Brogann or Eze. Thus if they are in the matchday squad then those that are not are either injured or ill. My next question therefore is “How long are they likely to be out?” How perplexed I become depends on the adequacy of the answer to the question. For example, I am perplexed about the length of time Will Evans will be out as I’m pretty sure he is undergoing a Head Injury Protocol. If he is, we won’t see him in an Iron shirt until Yeovil at home!

[PhilAnders]

Given today’s lineup , I would be more than happy with a boring, flat 1-0 win!

2 users thanked author for this post.

Rene Artois, Northumbiron

[PhilAnders]

There are 2 key performance indicators that define promotion winning teams. The first is that you don’t keep losing to your rivals, and so far, we’ve done quite well on that! The second is you beat the poorer sides in the division and between now and Christmas we have a chance to display or credentials here ( with the exception of the Rochdale away game which fits into the first category. Thus, I’m not too concerned about how many we score today as long as we win. 1-0 is as good as 6-5!

[PhilAnders]

I agree we are looking a tad jaded, although that does not excuse some of the misses in front of goal last night! Saturday could be a difficult day, the Shots are probably much of a muchness with Eastleigh. Maybe the return of TSF may pep things up and Ollie Rose’s return may help the defence.

[PhilAnders]

I have to say I am hugely relieved at gaining a point at Boston. I don’t like to single out the goalkeepers for criticism because, in my view, they are the last line of defence, and if the defence doesn’t deal with the opposition’s attack first, they leave the GK exposed. Our defence is poor at defending high balls into the box. That won’t change with a GK from a “higher level” and while that defensive weakness continues opponents will always get “tap ins”. I will accept that the GK is part of the defense, and that having a keeper who confidently comes for crosses ( and manages them) may improve the situation, but our opponents counter is to put the crosses in deeper ( beyond the keeper’s reach) and pressurise the fullbacks. I suspect with our current fullbacks (Ollie Rose excepted) we may well then have a “fullback crisis”

[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!

1 user thanked author for this post.

ironfromafar

[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?

2 users thanked author for this post.

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.

[Author]

Posts