My First Game

[Dave L]

For a variety of reasons, this was my first game of the season.

First, the positives. The overall team display in the first half was pretty good. We lacked width, but played some very clever passing football through the middle. Of the new boys (to me, anyway) McCombe was very impressive, as was McAllister. Showumni clearly wasn't fit, but scored a good goal, Jevons gave every impression of not caring very much, but also took his goal well after some good build up from Noble and Enoch. Jennison tried his best, but looked out of his depth for much of the game. I thought Lee Johnson looked very good indeed, particularly in the first half. An excellent first touch, and a good range of passing, both short and long.

Now the negatives. Because of the lack of width in the team we don't have sufficient attacking options when the opposition play to stifle us in midfield - which they did very effectively in the second half. GJ's tactics in the final 20 minutes were bizarre. To finish a game against a pretty poor side playing a formation something like 6 - 3 - 1, with 4 centre halves on the pitch and the attacking options resting on the shoulders of a willing but naive 12 year old was utter madness. The players didn't seem to have a clue where they should be playing. Alex Russell was reduced to shaking his head in seeming bewilderment when Fontaine was brought on to replace Jevons. I have never been as utterly bewildered by such an apparent lack of a formation and game plan as I saw in the last few minutes tonight.

But of course, we won, and got three points, for which we should be thankful.

[Godzilla]

I thought Jevons had an excellent first half. He linked the play very well, has an excellent touch and gets into positions that are difficult to pick up. I was delighted for him that he scored an excellent strikers goal.

[RedZepperin]

For a variety of reasons, this was my first game of the season...I have never been as utterly bewildered by such an apparent lack of a formation and game plan as I saw in the last few minutes tonight.

But of course, we won, and got three points, for which we should be thankful.

And how was your performance, David? Pre-match drink? Get a round in? Any wise cracks during the game or merry banter at half time? It's very easy to criticise the players but a major part of the football match experience is who you go with and how they perform on the day. (I'm sure you did well, of course).

Over to you, as they say.

[samo]

For a variety of reasons, this was my first game of the season.

First, the positives. The overall team display in the first half was pretty good. We lacked width, but played some very clever passing football through the middle. Of the new boys (to me, anyway) McCombe was very impressive, as was McAllister. Showumni clearly wasn't fit, but scored a good goal, Jevons gave every impression of not caring very much, but also took his goal well after some good build up from Noble and Enoch. Jennison tried his best, but looked out of his depth for much of the game. I thought Lee Johnson looked very good indeed, particularly in the first half. An excellent first touch, and a good range of passing, both short and long.

Now the negatives. Because of the lack of width in the team we don't have sufficient attacking options when the opposition play to stifle us in midfield - which they did very effectively in the second half. GJ's tactics in the final 20 minutes were bizarre. To finish a game against a pretty poor side playing a formation something like 6 - 3 - 1, with 4 centre halves on the pitch and the attacking options resting on the shoulders of a willing but naive 12 year old was utter madness. The players didn't seem to have a clue where they should be playing. Alex Russell was reduced to shaking his head in seeming bewilderment when Fontaine was brought on to replace Jevons. I have never been as utterly bewildered by such an apparent lack of a formation and game plan as I saw in the last few minutes tonight.

But of course, we won, and got three points, for which we should be thankful.

thanks for a good balanced review, very interesting.

the "willing but naive 12 year old" comment cracked me up!

i feel right now its a case of needs must. we just don't have enough dynamic attacking options, due to both 'porridge' and fitness/injury. maybe the subs were bizzare, but let us not forget old danny wilson's 'interesting' approach to subs, and he got away with it whilst we were riding high!

roll on saturday, lets hope this will push us toward a brighter spell of games. plus 3 wins out of the last 4 games ain't form to be sneezed at, and another would leave us at least in the top 7 with a positive goal difference. this time last year we were all sill recovering from the swansea 'incident' and the following fall out, so it's not the end of the world!

[Red`s Ashtonic Lustpit]

thanks for a good balanced review, very interesting.

the "willing but naive 12 year old" comment cracked me up!

i feel right now its a case of needs must. we just don't have enough dynamic attacking options, due to both 'porridge' and fitness/injury. maybe the subs were bizzare, but let us not forget old danny wilson's 'interesting' approach to subs, and he got away with it whilst we were riding high!

roll on saturday, lets hope this will push us toward a brighter spell of games. plus 3 wins out of the last 4 games ain't form to be sneezed at, and another would leave us at least in the top 7 with a positive goal difference. this time last year we were all sill recovering from the swansea 'incident' and the following fall out, so it's not the end of the world!

DW`s bizarre sub arrangement did not work too well at the MillStad!!

[BCAGFC]

Leyton Orient played the last 10 mins with 4 up front when they had the ball so we needed at least 5 at the back, 6 was over the top and only having 1 upfront was madness.

Poor 2nd half performance but 3pts is 3pts.

BCAGFC

[samo]

DW`s bizarre sub arrangement did not work too well at the MillStad!!

very very true, but it wasn't as if he didn't have form!

[Dolman_Dave]

Leyton Orient played the last 10 mins with 4 up front when they had the ball so we needed at least 5 at the back,

BCAGFC

[BCAGFC]

Leyton Orient played the last 10 mins with 4 up front when they had the ball so we needed at least 5 at the back,

BCAGFC

But which came first? Seemed to me that they only had 4 upfront towards the end of the game. You would expect teams that are behind to do this of course but I think it had more to do with the fact that their defenders had nothing to mark so thought 'what the hell' and piled forward. If we had kept 2 strikers on, even academy ones, then they would not have been able to commit as many men forward.

The penalty was brought on by us sitting back right from the whistle at the start of the second half. If you hand a team the initiative then sooner or later something is likely to go wrong - in last night's case an unforced error from Showunmi. What was he doing back there anyway? Says it all about our tactics last night for me.

Leyton Orient still had 3/4 defenders back for most of the last 10 minutes, the extra 2 strikers were their wide midfielders so they were basically playing 424 or 3124.

If Murray had the pace of old he would have certainly been brought on for Showunmi or Jevons but even a resident of West Street Retirement Home could easily catch him now so he is worthless to the team in that sort of situtation, we needed a fit/strong/pacy striker to come on.

As for the penalty Showunmi is back defending because we are not very good in the air from set pieces and haven't been for since Shaun Taylor stopped playing.

BCAGFC

[Dolman_Dave]

Leyton Orient still had 3/4 defenders back for most of the last 10 minutes, the extra 2 strikers were their wide midfielders so they were basically playing 424 or 3124.

If Murray had the pace of old he would have certainly been brought on for Showunmi or Jevons but even a resident of West Street Retirement Home could easily catch him now so he is worthless to the team in that sort of situtation, we needed a fit/strong/pacy striker to come on.

As for the penalty Showunmi is back defending because we are not very good in the air from set pieces and haven't been for since Shaun Taylor stopped playing.

BCAGFC

I'm sure thats why he was back too, but we had McCombe already at the back who is 6'7" and better in the air than Enoch. Enoch being the only person in the team likely to be able to hold the ball up in the (unlikely) event that we may actually be able to clear the ball and relieve the pressure on our overworked defence.

[Roger Red Hat]

- in last night's case an unforced error from Showunmi. What was he doing back there anyway? Says it all about our tactics last night for me.

I may be remembering this wrongly, but wasn't he covering because Carey was waiting to come back on - having had to go off after treatment on the pitch, what a stupid rule.

[potbelly]

For a variety of reasons, this was my first game of the season.

Part timer,

Old Timer,

Egg timer,

Lap timer

Lion Timer (in aussie accent)

[tompo]

I may be remembering this wrongly, but wasn't he covering because Carey was waiting to come back on - having had to go off after treatment on the pitch, what a stupid rule.

You are right. He was off the field and it is a stupid rule.

I know it was not the case but Carey could been injured as a result of a foul meaning that the sinned against team suffer whereas the sinners gain a numerical advantage.

Other thing I noticed on Tuesday was the ref's kit. Why did he wear black when Orient played in a very dark blue?

[Ian M]

You are right. He was off the field and it is a stupid rule.

I know it was not the case but Carey could been injured as a result of a foul meaning that the sinned against team suffer whereas the sinners gain a numerical advantage.

Other thing I noticed on Tuesday was the ref's kit. Why did he wear black when Orient played in a very dark blue?

We scored our opening goal whilst one of their players was waiting for the ref to wave him on