18 Comments
Feb 26Liked by Machel Hewitt

Spot on analysis of the game as per.

It was abject across the board.

I totally take your point that AW has earned the right for people to have faith in him, but Iā€™m not sure anyone could turn this round quickly.

I wish him luck.

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Feb 27Liked by Machel Hewitt

So rarely have I agreed with you completely. This is one of those strange occasions. But I also worry about the type of game we set out to play. Some players try to adapt, but our system seems so rigid. However, if we get to 72 points in the league it'll still be our best season ever - that's just 3 wins and a draw, or two wins and 4 draws from our final 11 games! Isn't it strange how hope and desire turns to expectation?

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Feb 26Liked by Machel Hewitt

Thanks Machel. Yes it's difficult when there is a slump like this. For me it doesn't work bringing Charles on for Krauhaus unless we are winning as Charles is then playing out of position and he seems to be struggling to settle into the team anyway. I think it will take a while for the team to get back on a winning run and it may mean only scraping into the play-offs. The important thing though is to be in form when we do reach the play-offs. In AW we trust but as in the season when we won the F.A. Trophy things only came together right at the end of the season. We may be witnessing something similar this season. I think we were 4th in January that season and had a lot of new players and it took a couple of months to gel. A different challenge this season as we have to get over the fact we have been 2nd for so long but now have to go back to basics and try and get 3 points from the next game however ugly we have to play.

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Feb 26Liked by Machel Hewitt

I hate to concur when itā€™s a disappointment- I prefer to share your views and scores when we are celebratingā€¦ but once again, Spot On

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Feb 26Liked by Machel Hewitt

He will know better than anyone what the problems are, ā€œin Woody we trustā€

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I think an overlooked factor in the 2024 downturn is the loss of Lewis Leigh. Fela and Krauhaus losing their way hasn't helped, but Leigh's footballing intelligence was integral and hasn't been replaced.

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Seem to have these blips around the same time most seasons,I suspect January is a time of reflection for some players.

Still confident weā€™ll make the play offs but maybe not in the top 3.

So look at the teams around us and would you fancy beating 3 in a row ?

Look at Oldham playing in front of a crowd of 11,000 on Saturday thanks to the generosity of their Chairman.

Would we fancy that on a Tuesday night ?

I donā€™t think so.With the money bags of FGR coming down and the likes of Barnet,Oldham maybe the resurgence of Hartlepool,Southend.

Next season will be much of the same or quite possibly less.

Talk of the play offs if you like but are we anywhere near a position to get excited about it.

Enjoyed Woking last season but thats about it.

The Trophy game v Barnet gives a chance to lay down a marker,need to take that seriously now.

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Youā€™re correct, but you cannot rely on past achievements. Fronting up the problem is often the difficult decision but has better results than ā€˜hope it gets betterā€™.

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I put this on the forum, Iā€™ve had yet another nights sleep and still think the same.

So I slept on it, and it really is no better this morning. We have totally lost our way, it was a performance of abject ineptitude.Taking the Chesterfield game out of the equation, our performances this year have been dire and boring. The players look tired, leggy and lethargic take your pick, the increasingly animated dugout looking more and more desperate. Whatā€™s needed is a total reboot of our season, there is no reason this slump should be happening we have a really good squad with a few exceptional NL players. There is a wave of complacency that needs to be addressed. Itā€™s no different from the sales team in business not hitting their targets, whose fault is it the sales manager or the sales team. Perhaps itā€™s time for a motivational club meeting given by the company owner.

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