Post
by redandwhitemike » Tue Sep 16, 2014 11:39 pm
Well well 4-0 peeps,,,,,,who saw that coming?
Certainly not me after the first 30 minutes of drab/dreary 'Hoofball' which Altringham's C/B 's Marshall & Havern mopped up without
any real concern, it really was p*ss poor from Harrriers and the biggest culprit was the goal keeper, who repeatedly refused the option of laying off the ball to a defender to lump it forward - a tactic that was frustrating to watch as both Gash & Reid laboured to get half a sniff of a chance.
What I want to know is Danny Lewis playing to orders or has he just lost his confidence to pass the ball ten yards - the fact that as soon as the opposition went down to ten men he changed his approach,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,.
We shouldn't have been too surprised , as the team selection was once again defence orientated, with a midfield of Storer/Grimes & Byrne it was never going to be pretty - I feel sorry for Grimes who always gives 100%+ and didn't have a bad game, but he's never going to be the creative force needed to unlock the opposition to provide the ammunition for the forwards. Jack Byrne was once again disappointing and he struggles after the hour to have any impact, even against ten men, and Storer just seems to have lost his confidence on the ball.
On the plus side - all the goals were well taken, perhaps Marvin's was the best as he bent it with his 'wrong' foot, in fact MJ was the only real attacking threat all game and does seem to have finally begun to realise some of that potential we all know he has - he looks to have come of age and his work ethic has improved significantly.
Jake Green looked promising after a shaky start, and second half, I thought he showed some class, bearing in mind it was his full debut, he did OK.
Gashy had a good game and took his goal with a calmness a less experienced striker might have snatched at - I think his overall performance justified his return to the starting eleven, although I think he still comes too deep to get the ball, again perhaps an indictment of the midfield
Overall a good result but I do wonder if it might be papering over the cracks,,,,,,,,Saturday will tell us more.
Finally - any one know IF Gitto is injured?
SCORES ON THE DOORS
Lewis..........................6 Kept a clean sheet, but I did get annoyed at his mindless punts for 50 minutes
Green.........................7 Looks every bit as good going forward as Hodgkiss, time will tell if he's as good a defender.
Gowling.......................8 On the end of some rough treatment from the 'Donkey' Perry and look a studded challenge from Richman, but Josh soldiered on, usual solid commanding performance.
Dunkley ..................... 6 Strangely subdued game - looked out of sorts.
Nicholson.....................7 Reluctant to go over the half way line for an hour, again one assumes instructions, but did set up Styche for the fourth goal at the end.
Storer.........................6 Has lost his way - another needless booking and was somewhat anonymous until he got subbed.
Byrne..........................5 Struggled to get into the game and lack of stamina all too obvious, tired looking challenge resulted in a yellow card - amazed he played the full match.
Grimes........................7 Best of the 'minders' and had a thundering shot rebound off the post, kept going well, but he's bit of a fish out of water - which doesn't say much about the other two I'm afraid.
Johnson.......................9 The only real threat all match and scored a great goal to boot, still get's decisions wrong too often, and he needs to look further that the strip in front of him, but overall he looks to have 'grown up' - wonder if he's changed agents?
Gash...........................7 Bearing in mind this was his first start, think he had a good game, fed on scraps, but still got the all important first goal when things were not going too well, and took the chance with composure - a sign of a good striker.
Reid............................7 A goal and an assist, but looked frustrated at times with the lack of quality coming his way, and as a result did little else.
SUBS
Verma........................6 Gave the ball away to much for me, but did set up Johnson for his goal.
Styche........................6 Scored a goal which is always good, but not sure he's a lone striker - which is what he was asked to do for 18 minutes.
Obeng......................Little time or opportunity to credit a score, but he looks very quick.
The trouble with most of us is that we would rather be ruined by praise than saved by criticism. ~Norman Vincent Peale
