Lost [ Tue 20th Aug ] v Anstey Nomads, KO 7:45pm NPLD1M HOME

[rickthediamond]

A truly woeful display, albeit against a very strong visiting side.
Outpaced, outfought all night and just nothing in reply.
Desperately need an injection of something up top .

I’m of the opinion that we need a full back (maybe Dickens once he’s fit although hardly seen any of him), a Ryan Inman esque midfielder (hard to come by), and definitely a forward. If the Northampton loan isn’t going ahead anymore we desperately need to look at other attacking options.

[YoungDiamond]

Heath
Ch.Green Wilson Hughes McNeil
Thomas Ca.Green
Corden
Taylor Johnston Adams

[Olly]

As good as Anstey were, the speed of their play, the movement and accuracy of passing all being a step above most teams at this level, we made it too easy for them, too many silly mistakes and we got punished and could easily have lost by more, it sadly felt like watching the team that started last season again.

We know we are not going to be at a level to compete with the top sides in this division at the moment, but to see us this far behind is worrying for sure, I went into this season thinking with retaining Tarik and Jarvis, along with getting Hughes back that we would at least be solid in defence, but that isn't showing from the last few games. Such a great start to the season, but now while other teams are gelling and getting stronger, we seem to be going backwards, need a good showing and result Monday otherwise we will find ourselves back in a relegation battle!

100% need strengthening going forward, hope we make some signings soon, you have to give Harriman credit for some of the signings he managed to bring in last season, all from lower levels, hopefully he can continue that and improve the team.

[BartonRaz]

Sometimes you just have to hold up your hands and say the other team was better. No shame in it, but Anstey were top drawer, they passed and moved with quality at speed and a high tempo and scored some superb goals. If they play that well for most of the season, they'll challenge for the title no problem . We're not going to be playing teams of that quality every game and i thought we did try to compete even when losing heavily.
Get your heads up lads and try to play the same way, we actually did play at a better speed near the end.

Conscious i may not be looking at it from the view of a regular fan, but put me in this camp.

Off the back of a horrible showing at the weekend I think we were all looking for a bounceback tonight. Then it transpired we were up against probably one of the best teams we've ever come up against at this level of football on that showing. They were a class above and I think you have to hold your hands up and say fair enough. If anyone finishes above them they'll do very well.

I'm confident Monday against Loughborough and the following weekend at Shepshed won't play out like that. I am not genuinely concerned to be quite honest. Maybe I'll end up with egg on my face for that comment but I think we've got more than enough in there to be fine. Tonight gives us an unwelcome injection of realism in terms of what the very best at this level looks like though, and how far away we are from that.

[rickthediamond]

Such a great start to the season, but now while other teams are gelling and getting stronger, we seem to be going backwards, need a good showing and result Monday otherwise we will find ourselves back in a relegation battle!

Have we put in potentially our best performance of the season already against Corby? I hope not, but as you’ve said, each performance has been a step backwards since. Maybe with the exception of Lye, although we know they are going to struggle and it’s not like we eased passed them. We need to try and find a way to bring the performance levels from Corby every week.

[sussexdiamond]

I agree play Hughes at left back. Wilson and Dallas as CB's and Charlie Green at RB.
It has to be 442.
Corden and Thomas but who else is there?

Up front Johnston has had one minute of fame in his entire time with us and Emery not much more.

As was feared too many Step 5 Sunday League players.
Only Charlie Green up to standard needed.
Brutal but honest!!!

[rickthediamond]

I'm confident Monday against Loughborough and the following weekend at Shepshed won't play out like that. I am not genuinely concerned to be quite honest.

I would imagine the Students will try to play a similar style of football as Anstey, maybe with slightly less execution. I think it’s 100% a stumbling block and a unique challenge for sure.

With Shepshed I’d agree and would hope that we will be able to compete.

[rickthediamond]

Only Charlie Green up to standard needed.
Brutal but honest!!!

I will concede that these thoughts have briefly crossed my mind when caught up in the disappointment of defeat, but I would suggest it’s unfair to make these kind of comments so early on. As I said, we have to be cautious of course, but the next two games will definitely give us even more of a feel for where we are at.

[YoungDiamond]

I agree play Hughes at left back. Wilson and Dallas as CB's and Charlie Green at RB.
It has to be 442.
Corden and Thomas but who else is there?

Up front Johnston has had one minute of fame in his entire time with us and Emery not much more.

As was feared too many Step 5 Sunday League players.
Only Charlie Green up to standard needed.
Brutal but honest!!!

How many games have you watched this season?

[Curly]

I agree play Hughes at left back. Wilson and Dallas as CB's and Charlie Green at RB.
It has to be 442.
Corden and Thomas but who else is there?

Up front Johnston has had one minute of fame in his entire time with us and Emery not much more.

As was feared too many Step 5 Sunday League players.
Only Charlie Green up to standard needed.
Brutal but honest!!!

How many games have you watched this season?

To be honest what this guy knows about football can be written on a stamp.

For what it's worth I thought that we did ok for half and hour or so. Anstey are a very good side who have been together for a while and you can see that on their play. Two individual errors either side of half time did the damage and the heads went down at 3-1.

One issue that I have a real problem with though us the real lack of attacking options especially out wide, the bombing out of Dylan and Miguel has left us with no wide options in case a change is needed which has been the case in the last two games. Personally I don't think that either Charlie or Bleu are natural wing backs and it really showed at times tonight. Losing Ryan was always going to be a blow and it really shows now with a complete lack of bite in the midfield, hopefully there might be some loan options to remedy some of what we're missing soon.