MotM: 09-11-24. Farsley (H) Devine

[Mirage Molby]

Beresford is a good box player from what I’ve seen and that’s something we’re missing. I don’t even know why we celebrate corners, the lack of threat we offer - he gives us something different and causes problems. Right place, right time as others have said.

[Swansea Harrier]

https://harriers-online.co.uk/khfc/09-11-24-kidderminster-harriers-1-farsley-celtic-0-match-report/

Totally agree that the ref was one of, if not the best, we have had this season. He let a surprisingly high amount of stuff for, but he was very consistent.

A bit subjective on the "incessant passing"... Some of us actually appreciate the control we had the first hour I'd happily see us pass teams to death - every time we went remotely direct today (as the moaners want) we lost the ball and the Farsley back line gobbled it up. Like it or not, we can't play that way!

[TWG85]

[tonythescout]

Just watched highlights. Definite handball on the line early in second half, only thing the ref got wrong in my opinion otherwise he had a decent game. Brown should have scored from foulkes ball in otherwise nothing really clear cut.
Nothing wrong with the goal either, just poor goalkeeping from a player who had a decent game aside from that.
As PB said, Beresford getting 45 under his belt is brilliant for us. He was clearly blowing towards the end, needs to work on link up as he wins a lot in the air but he’s 19. He also has a knack of being in the right place at the right time. So chances will come and he will bag.
Devine looks a decent find.
Going four at the back with three in the middle hemmo/cadogan the hole with ams and Beresford up top was in order for us to get a goal but quickly scored and then they were allowed to dominate as we seemed to have lost any pressing of their full backs, allowing them to come out. We defended well though. As I’ve said, kandola looks a real find. McNally has been brilliant since pb come through the door.
Looking at who wasn’t in the 16, Lambert penny and downing. If we can ship those three out we should be able to bring in three decent players on the wages we suspect their on. None of them add any value now sadly. Two struggle to remain fit the other doesn’t really seem bothered and turned up overweight in the summer which is just poor. He’s clearly not in the plans lambert. Shame as he could be a very good player.

[Grumpy old man]

Had not realised that Lambert was not on the bench. Would have expected him to get another opportunity on Tuesday with Maz K and Cadogan away.

[Pershore Harrier]

We were in total control of the game for the first 50minutes with Farsley showing no real intent to trouble our defence. They were clearly determined to keep a clean sheet. However, after we scored the balance of play changed and we saw Farsley mount a serious effort to get back in the game and to be fair we looked somewhat suspect. To the rescue came Dibbles requirement for some on the pitch attention and whilst this was being delivered our outfield players were receiving instructions from the bench and quite rightly so. The resumption in play then saw us pick up the tempo and offer some glimpses of a threat to see the game out.

A home win for which we should be grateful but hardly what I would call convincing but with the saving grace of we never looked like being beaten. A nil nil draw would have suited Farsley very well.

[marcus garvey]

Well I've left the ground feeling very entertained. Excellent first hour - Farsley didn't have any spell of possession till the half hour mark. Totally dominated the first half, and I don't think I've seen us control a game so much for some time.

The slightly fortuitous opener had a strange effect on the game - it seemed to galvanise Farsley and we had to weather a bit of a flurry as the visitors showed they could play, but we saw it out. Another three points, another clean sheet. Up to fourth.

I do think the subs again had a slightly negative effect on the balance of play. Very quick to sub the best of the attacking three in Kouyhar on 50 minutes, then the two quick subs left us with no place up top and encouraged Farsley to come out and play.

The only blot on that first hour was AMS and Hemmo - not once did they gamble on reaching a cross or remotely look like scoring. Our best chances all fell to wing backs, defenders and midfielders - and that sums up our problems in the goals for column. Sorting out the front end of the team will be the final piece in the puzzle - we look like a top seven team bare minimum.

Shame that there's still some miserable old curmudgeons in the East Stand who were moaning from the first five minutes up to the end. Frankly, go and support the opposition. You clearly have no appreciation for the qualities our side possesses.

Really pleased that we ground it out when things got tougher second half, bodes well. We still had the better chances in that last half hour too.

Onwards and upwards!

Maz was off it today and Beresford scored within a minute of being on the pitch. Right place right time. Nothing wrong with that sub at all.

He was better than Hemmings in my opinion - Hemmo and AMS were the problem with our attacking play for me.

But then Hemmo got the assist for the goal, so I can't moan, ha!

Maz didn't look very happy about being withdrawn though... And I think it wasn't so much about the goal, more that we had no pace up front from the hour mark onwards. We were much easier to defend against!

Oh for opinions. Maz looks to have lost his sparkle at the moment to me, any threat was largely Devine, Foulkes and Hemmo. Indeed I thought Hemmo had his best period when dropped behind the front two, finding pockets of space, keeping the ball and being a constant thorn in their side. Once he was (bizarrely to me) taken off, we lost any ability to pose a threat and retain the ball.
Oh for a midfielder who can break beyond the attack and give the opposition problems ala Austin.
Job done but frustrating all the same. Lack of movement, throw ins are especially embarrassing and plan a with no plan b. No matter the manager it seems same old problems continually exist but at least a solid base to build on.
McNally, Kandola and Davies all seem to be improving every game.

[maxspeed]

Once again the highlights reinforce my original take on the game, but for the error by the Farsley keeper it would have been Marine all over again - loads of possession but sorely lacking in creativity in the opposition box. Davies & Brown are too defensive minded, definitely need a midfield creator who can also score and the threat from the forward line is woeful, lack of genuine pace and accuracy is poor. Whilst the defence is looking tight (second best after Curzon) the goals 'for' is bang average for a team vying for promotion. The 1-0 approach is all very well, but you have to score the one !! Alfreton - Guiseley - Marine, all games that should have been won, what a difference wins in those games would have made - Harriers would be top of the NLN. Farsley were on a par with Marine and IMO will struggle to survive and we should have won both games easily but we didn't. I am surprised PB is so relaxed about Harriers inability to put teams 'away' when they are so dominant. Another defender in on loan (Foran) to cover for Downing/Penny is understandable but where is the cover/replacement for Summerfield? Come on Phil, sort it out.

[King Monkey]

Playing 3 at the back and Foulkes and Devine so high up the pitch suffocates the space that Hemmo and Maz thrive in.

When Maz went off on 50 mins it seemed Hemmo dropped deeper and was finding pockets of space and look like he would effect the game more. When he went off for Maliq though the shape totally fell apart and we didnt have any balance. Dont think that was Maliqs fault.

would be tough on Joe and Reece but against the weaker teams it makes complete sense to me to stick with the 3 Centre Halves and play Hemmo and Maz as full backs. Think about the times Saturday when Joe and Reece themself with time and space 40\50 yards out, imagine Hemmo and Maz in those positions.

Anyone else getting bored of PBs interviews? Never really answers the question, rolls out a load of cliches, very rarely gives any tactical insight and always manages to squeeze in some name dropping from years gone by without any context whatsoever.

McNally MoM for me.

[Sam ETP]

Oh for a midfielder who can break beyond the attack and give the opposition problems ala Austin.

Cadogan did that a couple of times but was ignored, or not found, by team mates.

Although he works hard is Cadogan far too lightweight to be playing central midfield. However he's techinically good, looks useful on the edge of the box (he's due a goal) and also can also break with pace. He need to be playing as a 10 or as part of the attacking 3 to do that and isn't getting much of a chance there.

My MOMs were Reece McNally (surely an NL or even league CB) and Joe Foulks who moved very intelligently and looked a cut above too.

[tonythescout]

I think Cadogan was put in the ten in a 4312 when we changed it around early in the second half. Just like maz he seems to have lost his sparkle from august. Agree he is too lightweight as people seemed to have cottoned on to us early doors. Think he would be decent out wide as he has pace and can get past players
Not sure hemmo and maz would work as full backs, they are ideal in a 3 pronged strike force so they should work. Maz as said is suffering a dip in form and hemmo is is usual inconsistent fustrating self. That’s the issue aswell as when we hoof it to ams and he has no one around him. He and Beresford will take time
To gel if they are paired togegher
Agree re being set up a bit
More differently at home against lesser sides in all for a 433 rather than have 3 centre halves but as the says goes if it ain’t broke don’t fix it and our home form hasn’t been due to us setting up negatively it’s been down to us missing some sitters.
PB’s long winded interviews started to infuriate when we were suffering a dip in form. I’m
Not interested in his Bolton wanderers days though his brownisms such as curing injuries by taking a dip in the North Sea can bring a smile
Out.
Things seemed to have changed for the better perhaps he’s had a bollocking and this has woken him up a bit. If he gets us promoted he can talk for as long as he likes lol

[harry211]

Oh for a midfielder who can break beyond the attack and give the opposition problems ala Austin.

This is a similar point I made in another thread though after the Peterborough or Needham game. It's why Devine has been so good. How often has he got to the byline and cut inside before pulling the ball back? It just stretches those lines that we so often face from opposition. We do need someoen doing that through the middle to really unsettle the opponents.

It's all getting a bit military strategy this. Form column!

[Harry Aire]

On the speculation about Maliq Cadogan, I wonder if we are getting the best out him. He has pace and a heck of a shot as he showed again on Saturday. Some keepers would not have got near his effort and we'd all be talking about a great goal. Is there a way he could be played further forward? He is clearly not great when being asked to break up play in midfield. If he could be played up front with some decent service he might just be the answer to our scoring problem, or part of it. At the moment we don't seem to have a system that accommodates his prodigious talent.

I keep waiting for some Premiership style tactics from our manager (and I like the chap very much) but the team looks to me much as it did with Russ in charge and the problems are much the same. Perhaps it's down to the limitations of the players we have but in Maliq's case I think we have a gem and we're just not maximising his potential.

[ograzebrook]

Very dominant looking display from the highlights. Just a bit more of a cool head [and perhaps an extra touch] is needed by whoever is lining up their shot.

It did look like a handball, but no bother...we won.

I'm very much in the 20min long interview corner regarding the manager's rambles.

The condition is that we have to having some measure of success (or fight as per last season).

If things are really bad, then fans will not be as forgiving.

[Harrier1994]

Don't think I'm giving that handball if I'm a ref. Looks like it hits the arm across the stomach. One where you're a bit ankoyed it's not given for you but you're fuming if it's given against you.