[ Sat 24th Jan ] v Holbeach Utd, KO 3pm UCLP AWAY

[fentiger79]

I'm sorry but gearing is not a good crosser of the ball, especially on the run. Too much floaty nonsense which cause absolutely no worries to a defender. People like gearing for some reason but take a step back and look at the amount of assists the 2 have had in similar game times. As a player I would happily mark gearing, not so with ElJ. However if gearing plays I support him, if gyasi plays I support him, if ELJ plays I support him. Need to stop this nonsense, I can't believe people were starting to slate Declan Rogers in the first 10 minutes of his home debut, you couldn't make it up. If you want people like chand and drury to stop making stupid comments including how the fans put pressure on the team stop this targeting of players. For 10 bad games ELJ has played I can show you 10 for gearing, Taylor, Lorraine, bunting, koriya, etc. no one is a football superstar and as someone has already said they would be nowhere near the ucl if they were as good as people are slating them for not being. He is 18' I remember people slating tomlin for similar things with the attitude and boy he hasn't turned out too bad. Cut him some slack and get behind him.

[rudolph_hucker]

There seems to be a point missed here. Dunkley won next to nothing in the air against the number five so it doesn't matter how good the crosses could have been, he'd have been second best regardless.

Out of curiosity - how did Berwick look as an aerial threat?

According to the radio he had difficulty looking across the line to stay onside.

[James Beil]

It's important to remember that no player ever got to his best without making mistakes. I'm sure there was a time when Russ Dunkley couldn't finish his breakfast, but he learnt from it and now we all know how good he is. If we want to retain players long-term as they develop, we need to realise that we won't always see their best, but that over time they will improve.

I know we all want to win the league, but just remember that if ELJ gets his 100th cap, he should be light-years ahead of the sort of player he is now. Good things come to those who wait.

[Trek]

Out of curiosity - how did Berwick look as an aerial threat?

First time that I'd seen him and don't think he will pose an aerial threat. He's quick and will work the channels and strikes a good ball. He'll score a hatful for us.

As for Mattie's 'floaty' crosses they're the ones a match fit Dunkley has and will score from. Can't see Russ getting near the 100mph driven crosses that EJL favours.

[SouthRushdenJFC]

There seems to be a point missed here. Dunkley won next to nothing in the air against the number five so it doesn't matter how good the crosses could have been, he'd have been second best regardless.

Out of curiosity - how did Berwick look as an aerial threat?

According to the radio he had difficulty looking across the line to stay onside.

Yep, he looked like what he was, a player lacking in match practice playing in a team that he learned the style of play as he went along.

[Bob's Bitch]

Maybe a fair way to solve the ELJ problem would be to say he's one for the future, but at 18 maybe isn't cut out for the pressure of a title race. He'd probably thrive more if we get to Step 4 and have fewer expectations, certainly in the first couple of seasons. Then when we get round to challenging for promotion again, he'll have a bit more experience under his belt.

[fentiger79]

Floaty crosses are easy for a defender and hard for a striker as they have to work the ball to get power and direction, look at the ball the ELJ put in for scotts goal last week, no need to do much but direct the ball into the far corner. Defenders can not deal with balls like that.

[Trek]

Floaty crosses are easy for a defender and hard for a striker as they have to work the ball to get power and direction, look at the ball the ELJ put in for scotts goal last week, no need to do much but direct the ball into the far corner. Defenders can not deal with balls like that.

I don't think Russ would have got near that cross which was excellent. Struggle to remember many crosses that Elliott has delivered like that and I've seen every match this season apart from Hullbridge.
Russ is able to finesse headers from softer crosses as he's prooved previously.

[SouthRushdenJFC]

Any winger will have delivered plenty of perfect crosses that haven't found their man, it could be that the striker has mistimed the run, misjudged the flight or been impeded by the a defender.

By the same tokjen as striker can be in a great position but not get the ball because the wingers misread the run, not seen the striker or had the cross charged down.

[Trek]

I would like to see more crosses from our wide men on the ground towards the penalty spot. I suspect the reason that Jason Turner is struggling to score from open play is he's not getting this type of service. A cross doesn't always have to be air borne.