Bromley 1-0 Slough Town

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

Having been to Wembley twice in the last six seasons, and given Bromley’s National League promotion ambitions, you might assume an FA Trophy run wouldn’t be high on Andy Woodman’s priority list.

However, judging by the team he fielded against Slough Town, Woodman has every intention of taking this competition seriously. That said, the quality of the football didn’t match the quality of the starting line-up.

As ever, I reflect on The Good, The Bad and The Ugly from Bromley’s 1-0 win at home to Slough Town.

Have a read and let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

The team vs Slough Town

The Good

This game was the equivalent of brutalist architecture: functional but exceptionally displeasing on the eye.

The only positive was the speed at which Bromley started the game, opening the door for Ryan Jones to slot home in the opening minutes. But, to the dismay of the home crowd, that was as good as it got. 

There were glimmers of hope, like when Dan Lincoln in the Slough goal did well to deny Louis Dennis on the stroke of half-time, but the Ravens saw out this game with no further shots on target.

It’s hard to be positive about a performance that was so difficult to watch, but it was yet another example of Bromley earning a W while not performing at their best. Andy Woodman’s Ravens spent a lot of the game out of possession, yet they managed to grind their way into the next round of the cup.

Is winning in such an ugly fashion a price worth paying from time to time? 

You could argue that the team was patched together to some degree, but I don’t think that should be used as an excuse. The blustery conditions were also an obstacle, as Andy Woodman mentions in his post-match interview. While the weather certainly didn’t help matters, I think Slough adapted better to it. 

In his interview, Andy concedes that Bomley were “not particularly good with the ball.” That’s a fair reflection on a forgettable performance. But when Bromley can’t bring themselves to be easy on the eye, they still need to find a way to win. They did that in this game and, for me, that’s ok.

The Bad

What is Kido Taylor-Hart’s best position in this Bromley side? 

First things first, that isn’t meant as a critique of his performance. After all, Kido was asked to fill in at RWB for 68 minutes, before spending 9 minutes partnering Michael Cheek up front. This got me wondering how best to use Kido when we have our full complement of players.

Given he isn't noted for the defensive side of his game, I actually thought he was quite good at RWB. On the few occasions he got on the ball, Kido was able to drive forward and show some exciting transition play. Sadly, his ability to do this was inhibited by the nature of the team’s performance. 

But, in a team that naturally sets up in a 3-5-2, where does Taylor-Hart fit into the team? 

Todd Miller faces a similar issue. Both he and Taylor-Hart seem to be natural wingers, but unless Bromley switch to a 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 formation, there isn’t an organic place for them in the side.

In the modern game, there is certainly a case to be made for converting wingers into wingbacks. The threat they pose when running from deep positions creates a real headache for opposition defences. But, considering their all-round game, does Taylor-Hart or Miller offer more than Passley or Topalloj? No.

Where would you play the two?

The Ugly

As I understand it, Deji Elerewe was recalled by Charlton unexpectedly, which left Bromley scrambling to plug a big gap in their starting XI.

Coincidentally, on the morning of the match, I recorded the latest Power Rankings episode for FBwL. On the subject of Deji, I pondered whether there was any possibility of Bromley holding on to him past January, or whether they might try to sign him permanently in the summer. 

The big question was whether Charlton recognised the talent they had on their hands.

It took an injury crisis to answer that question, but Deji slotted straight into the Charlton bench for their 2-2 draw with Cambridge United and was subbed on in injury time.

Bromley now have a Deji Elerwe-sized hole to fill and it won’t be straightforward. Let me explain.

Defensively, his attributes can be covered. Chin Okoli and Alex Kirk are expected to return from injury in the near future, and Byron Webster’s three-game suspension has now run its course.

However, and hear me out, can we replace Deji Elerewe offensively? I'm not talking about the set-piece threat he offers (2 goals in his 9 appearances), I’m referring to his ball-carrying ability. Deji’s marauding runs have helped Bromley break down several sides who sat in a low block recently.

This attribute was one of the primary reasons Woodman was so keen to get Deji back for a second loan spell at the club. Unless he feels Kirk or Okoli can offer a similar threat, or he’s willing to give the exiled Cole Kpekawa another shot, I can see Andy dipping back into the transfer market. 

There is also the option of moving Bes Topalloj permanently into the back three. He can comfortably fulfil the ball-carrying role, but this change would depend on whether Woodman believes Ryan Jones is ready to play at wing-back week in, week out.

Wait a minute. Ryan Jones’s loan runs out in January... 

The loan market, eh?!

Anywho, let me know what you think about the above, get at me in the comments below.

Match ratings

Sharman-Lowe (8)

Kido Taylor-Hart (6)

Josh Passley (7)

Callum Reynolds (7)

Besart Topalloj (7)

Ryan Jones (6)

Jude Arthurs (6)

Corey Whitely (6)

Ben Krauhaus (6)

Louis Dennis (6)

Michael Cheek (6)

Subs:

Olufela Olomola for Kido Taylor-Hart 76’ (6)

Sam Woods for Louis Dennis 66’ (6)

Bim Pepple for Ryan Jones 86’ (6)

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Thanks for taking the time to read the match synopsis above.

Please note all photographs in this article are by Martin Greig - please follow him on Twitter here

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