MotM: 24-02-26. Marine (H) Devine

[Dan]

Only player who get in last eyars 11 out of this crop for me is Evans. hes an 8-10 most weeks, Caleb as good as he was more of a 7-10
It will be the same old today, but he MUST for 3-5-2 and partner Hemmo up there with Waldron and drop the whippet

Agreed, who knows where we’d be if we had Owen Evans from the start of the season

[tonythescout]

Agree with both Pershore and Max. Uninspiring manager, uninspiring football. I’d take issue with Max’s comment about the bulk of the squad being the same. Morrison, McNally, Richards, Brown and Kouhyar would walk straight into this season’s starting XI. So in addition to Murray’s coaching and tactical shortcomings, the quality is simply not there. If we were to manage to get promoted via the playoffs, how many of the current squad do you think could hack it in the National League? I’m thinking probably two.

Dibble, Foulkes, Evans, Devine, obi, Kalambayi. Basically the defence

Dibs Foulkes Evans Devine PK and Davis (surprised hes not got mentioned) would start for me in league above IF ( and big If) we ever got there with this current crop
I'd keep Obi as a squad, too many errors in him but good when hes on it. Kandola would be good to have around too. Walker for the future.
Its poor, its bland and it looks like the knives are out again on Murray for not addressing or seemingly getting the issues right in front of him which occured first part of the season with his constant bullshit chopping and changing.

[Krasnyi]

Big fan of Digger but not sure he’d have the legs for NL now.

[Sheffield Harrier]

Credit to AM, bar the odd match we are a very well organised team, difficult to score against and beat. Data driven, risk adverse, one dimensional football will only take us so far though.

Teams preparing to play the better sides in the NLN must do so with trepidation, knowing they can play well and still be comprehensively beaten. The same teams preparing to play us must think you know what, if we play well the Harriers are unlikely to score more than once. We are not a side to be feared, the body language of the players yesterday suggested they are not enjoying their football. We play with a high intensity style that is likely to take its toll on the players physically during a busy schedule, the squad lacks depth and game changing options off the bench.

Something has to change now. Walking away from Aggborough following the last two home games I've overheard the words 'Murray out'. Nobody wants to return to the dark days of last November but it is up to AM to adapt before it's too late, the excuses are wearing very thin now.

Very well balanced comments.

I think we’d have been a lot more progressive with a fit Mooney in the side and if Adigun had have been able to do what Murray wanted him to do. As others say, we don’t have a Maz Kouhyar, Worrall, Austin or Brown type player coming to the fore at the moment.

Most important thing tonight is three points. Yes we’d love to win by 2/3/4 but a win is top priority. I’d take a one nil.

Interesting comment re AMS being involved in good performances. We all agree his powers have diminished but at least he occupies defenders with his physicality. It’s very 22/23 but I’d play Amari up top with Waldron or Hemmo. Why not?

Seen a bit on SM about shirt pulling referencing the Alfreton Merthyr game. Seems Merthyr fans have realised what Alfreton are all about.
However, it’s endemic in the game. I’ve seen comments about whistle happy refs in recent games. I get as frustrated as the next fan but if the ref blows for a load of fouls, the chances are that players are committing loads of fouls. I’m going to slightly contradict myself here but referees seem to miss / ignore a huge amount of shirt pulling. Some teams are worse but we aren’t angels. Joe was constantly at it on Saturday and ripped their lads shirt in the first twenty minutes. I get that as a player you’re going to try and get away with what you can try and get an advantage so it’s up to refs to punish. The issues with fans frustration often comes with inconsistency and ref’s going on a booking spree in the last twenty minutes for offences they’ve let go (not booked) for the first seventy.

I’m finding myself increasingly annoyed by the gamesmanship all teams employ.

- time wasting - Dibble is as bad as any keeper I’ve seen
- throw ins and free kicks from the wrong place
- feigning injury
- appealing for stuff / getting in the ref’s face
- falling over at the slightest contact / conning the ref

I watched that clip on X the other day of Martin Weir scoring v Southport in 1994. Richard Forsyth runs across to take a corner. No messing about. It’s taken within a few seconds, Weirdo plants a header on the run in the far corner and without breaking stride waves his arms a bit and runs straight back to his own half giving a couple of high fives. No over celebrating. No elaborate corner routine taking two minutes. No need for the ref to delay the corner due to argy bargy in the box. Just getting on with it. Halycon days.

[Mirage Molby]

Interesting points Sheffield.

This kind of nonsense (feigning injury, time wasting etc etc) is bad at all levels including the prem, but the amount of times the ref stopped the game on Saturday was an absolute joke.

Perhaps the refs are easier to con at this level?

As for what constitutes a foul, none of it would have been given in the 80s / 90s

It certainly spoils the event for paying customers. Some games are worse than others, and I think as a ‘pressing’ team as our identity we will be on the wrong end of a lot of these decisions.

Anyway, I hope we see some football tonight and maybe a few goals. I for one would be happy to see AMS in the side. We’ve hardly been better without him. Could be au revoir to Hemmo too. The guy’s a legend whatever happens.

[harry211]

Insanity is doing the same thing again and expecting different results.

So despite calls to play two up top, or Hemmo off someone - he's swapped Hemmo for Waldron. Same formation and other 10 players.

[Mirage Molby]

I hope this works, I really do.

[Krasnyi]

Starting with one up front again. Not able to make it tonight. Don’t feel desperately bad about it. Fingers crossed for three points and maybe more than one goal.

[Phil]

[Harrier1994]

Can't wait for 2 chances created and relying on set pieces... Again

[Dan]

Won’t be much creativity going off Saturdays system, stuck by it today which is surprising. Marine will fancy themselves here

[maxspeed]

Its an old cliche, but this is a must win game, for so many reasons, I'll take an og if it gives Harriers the win !!

[tonythescout]

How Walker starts baffles me.
Reynolds has been shit for over a mknth
I’d have dropped the pair of them gone 352 with hemmo in the ten behind seb and waldron
Loosing faith in murray again. Seens tone deaf to obvious things again.
Hemmo loan up and is cuptied for saturdsy. This might be his last game. Murray clearly dont fancy him and has any idea how to get the best out of him

[Phil]

Marine are starting with 4 strikers

Xanzala, Sinclair-Smith, jolley and Newall

[harry211]

Williams says Walker is roaming in more off the right wing. Exactly what we've argued Hemmo should be able to do for weeks.