I think a couple of things stood out to me about the game.
The first is that Leigh and Congreve need to be in the side *somehow.* We really started to play and up the ante on Tranmere with them on the pitch, and offered control in the final third, rather than us hoping it stuck with Levi (which it rarely did).
The second is the back three. I'll preface this by saying I'm fans of all three to varying degrees, but it's the first time in a long time that I look at our back 3 and think "there's a mistake in there."
Now look, I'll never slag off a player for making a mistake, they're human, and that's football, but the combination of the three at the back looks to be breeding mistakes. Grant had a shocker a couple of weeks ago (I think against Dons, maybe Notts?), Cal has had a few errors creep into his game, as has Omar. Omar, to me, is most at risk of a benching. He looks uncomfortable under the high ball, doesn't offer the rampaging runs from the wide centre half position, and (thanks to our bizarre new corner routine) isn't offering much of a threat at the top end of the pitch either.
I'd like to see Byron back in for Omar, with Cal shifting left or right.
Always said I’d see 3rd from bottom as a successful season and after yesterday I’m feeling that more than ever! The game followed the classic pattern of teams in a relegation scrap. Started well but missed opportunities resulting in tension creeping in as the game progressed followed by defensive errors ultimately costing us dearly. Two tough games this week and if we get nothing out of those then the pressure continues to build. This will then start the inevitable terrace talk of ‘Woodman Out’ etc, which personally I find a bit ridiculous but as we well know, that’s football!
Will be interesting to see the back 3 on Tuesday, only Grant really came out of Saturday with any credit so we could potentially see the return of Byron and maybe Jenkinson will make his debut?
I can’t see us getting anything out of that so Saturday is now a massive game
A frustrating afternoon. Bromley had chances aplenty against a distinctly average opponent, but we all know that a failure to take chances while on top can come back to haunt you. If Bromley had gone a goal up then a comfortable win looked possible.
Again, individual defensive errors cost dearly. In my opinion this is a ' mental ' issue. The players need to be fully concentrating and focussed in order to stamp them out. Those goals on Saturday were examples of players not being quite at it.
To end on a positive note, the team showed enough in their forward play to suggest that they still have confidence in themselves. Not easy when on a difficult run. I think there is a need for some more leadership and quality at the back which hopefully Jenkinson can provide once he's up to speed.
I accept this will not get a “liked by Machel Hewitt” tag cos I fundamentally disagree with just about everything you say, old chap. With games against high flyers Donny and Barrow ahead we could well be propping up the league this time next week, and for one very good reason. As fellow contributors have suggested, half a dozen of the present squad simply aren’t good enough for League Two. Two of them, Omar and Reynolds, have already cost us dear, Whiteley and Charles clearly struggle at this level, even Idris is nowhere near the powerhouse he was last season, and none of Cheeky’s strike partners are anywhere near our talisman’s level - or League Two level for that matter. God help us if he is out for any length of time. All of which begs the question of why AW continues to leave players like Leigh, Congreve, Thomas and Jenkinson - the latter two both recognised internationals never mind League Two journeymen - on the bench. Then there is the talented Mr Imray who is great powering forward but who leaves glaring gaps that the less capable defenders behind are simply not good enough to plug. Hopefully all the above will be rectified on Tuesday. But if the worst comes to the worst there’s always the January window to look forward to when hopefully we will be able to recruit at least a couple of higher calibre defenders and recall the young one AW seemed to rate so highly before packing him off on loan to Southend! Sorry to be so blunt, folks, but don’t see the point in wearing rose tinted glasses when a a rough spell looks likely!
There was a performance that had highlights and definitely places where we were lacking.
Yes, there were mistakes in the back but the same people that might’ve made mistakes were also the ones that saved us numerous times as I was listening on Bromley F.C. plus I heard the same names being mentioned over and over over saying great header clearance key, defensive move, and then the same players made one or two mistakes and Tranmere Rovers capitalized upon it.
The truth is, we did not capitalize on their mistakes as clinically. We had many more chances that we could have scored.
This is a growing experience for the club League 2 is the real deal and our entire team needs to grow into this league building upon successes, learning for mistakes and perhaps being in a few more key players from higher leaves looking for more time on the ball.
I think a couple of things stood out to me about the game.
The first is that Leigh and Congreve need to be in the side *somehow.* We really started to play and up the ante on Tranmere with them on the pitch, and offered control in the final third, rather than us hoping it stuck with Levi (which it rarely did).
The second is the back three. I'll preface this by saying I'm fans of all three to varying degrees, but it's the first time in a long time that I look at our back 3 and think "there's a mistake in there."
Now look, I'll never slag off a player for making a mistake, they're human, and that's football, but the combination of the three at the back looks to be breeding mistakes. Grant had a shocker a couple of weeks ago (I think against Dons, maybe Notts?), Cal has had a few errors creep into his game, as has Omar. Omar, to me, is most at risk of a benching. He looks uncomfortable under the high ball, doesn't offer the rampaging runs from the wide centre half position, and (thanks to our bizarre new corner routine) isn't offering much of a threat at the top end of the pitch either.
I'd like to see Byron back in for Omar, with Cal shifting left or right.
Always said I’d see 3rd from bottom as a successful season and after yesterday I’m feeling that more than ever! The game followed the classic pattern of teams in a relegation scrap. Started well but missed opportunities resulting in tension creeping in as the game progressed followed by defensive errors ultimately costing us dearly. Two tough games this week and if we get nothing out of those then the pressure continues to build. This will then start the inevitable terrace talk of ‘Woodman Out’ etc, which personally I find a bit ridiculous but as we well know, that’s football!
Will be interesting to see the back 3 on Tuesday, only Grant really came out of Saturday with any credit so we could potentially see the return of Byron and maybe Jenkinson will make his debut?
I can’t see us getting anything out of that so Saturday is now a massive game
Woodman is one of the top ten longest serving managers in the football league. Insane how quickly clubs sack managers!
There were plenty of groans around me in the North Terrace -- wholly unjustified, despite a poor run of form.
Only County have outclassed us, but I'm not sure what some of our fans expected this season.
It’s a tough call to make changes ahead of a very difficult game at Doncaster. But I guess it’s a free hit given nothing is expected from the game.
If Cheek is out then I would go with this:
Smith
Jenkinson Grant Odutayo Topalloj
Imray Leigh Thompson Whitely
Olomola Amantchi
I’d be tempted to give this a try
Smith
Jenkinson Grant Webster Topalloj
Thompson Leigh Arthurs
Imray Congreve
Thomas
A frustrating afternoon. Bromley had chances aplenty against a distinctly average opponent, but we all know that a failure to take chances while on top can come back to haunt you. If Bromley had gone a goal up then a comfortable win looked possible.
Again, individual defensive errors cost dearly. In my opinion this is a ' mental ' issue. The players need to be fully concentrating and focussed in order to stamp them out. Those goals on Saturday were examples of players not being quite at it.
To end on a positive note, the team showed enough in their forward play to suggest that they still have confidence in themselves. Not easy when on a difficult run. I think there is a need for some more leadership and quality at the back which hopefully Jenkinson can provide once he's up to speed.
I accept this will not get a “liked by Machel Hewitt” tag cos I fundamentally disagree with just about everything you say, old chap. With games against high flyers Donny and Barrow ahead we could well be propping up the league this time next week, and for one very good reason. As fellow contributors have suggested, half a dozen of the present squad simply aren’t good enough for League Two. Two of them, Omar and Reynolds, have already cost us dear, Whiteley and Charles clearly struggle at this level, even Idris is nowhere near the powerhouse he was last season, and none of Cheeky’s strike partners are anywhere near our talisman’s level - or League Two level for that matter. God help us if he is out for any length of time. All of which begs the question of why AW continues to leave players like Leigh, Congreve, Thomas and Jenkinson - the latter two both recognised internationals never mind League Two journeymen - on the bench. Then there is the talented Mr Imray who is great powering forward but who leaves glaring gaps that the less capable defenders behind are simply not good enough to plug. Hopefully all the above will be rectified on Tuesday. But if the worst comes to the worst there’s always the January window to look forward to when hopefully we will be able to recruit at least a couple of higher calibre defenders and recall the young one AW seemed to rate so highly before packing him off on loan to Southend! Sorry to be so blunt, folks, but don’t see the point in wearing rose tinted glasses when a a rough spell looks likely!
There was a performance that had highlights and definitely places where we were lacking.
Yes, there were mistakes in the back but the same people that might’ve made mistakes were also the ones that saved us numerous times as I was listening on Bromley F.C. plus I heard the same names being mentioned over and over over saying great header clearance key, defensive move, and then the same players made one or two mistakes and Tranmere Rovers capitalized upon it.
The truth is, we did not capitalize on their mistakes as clinically. We had many more chances that we could have scored.
This is a growing experience for the club League 2 is the real deal and our entire team needs to grow into this league building upon successes, learning for mistakes and perhaps being in a few more key players from higher leaves looking for more time on the ball.
I would put Danny Imray on as a striker
He can and should score goals and with his speed and weaving runs get a penalty
Put Bes on as a wing back.
Especially if Cheek is injured
Absolutely woeful defending for the two goals. Other than that Bromley looked good and made a huge number of chances.
The deflection off fela's leg over the bar in the first half was insane. He can't have been much more than 50cm from the goal line!
Woodman has to change up the defence. Both Reynolds and Sowunmi have made bad errors in previous games too.
Incidentally in terms of options up front what has happened to Kader? He looked good at the start of last season. Surely he isn't still injured
Kader isnt near full fitness yet