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

[COYRedder]

Sorry, not enjoyable for me. I agree with garthrockett who I suspect must sit near me in the East Stand. I came away thinking I had watched a poor game of football in which one side with little energy and joy about its play was a class above a team with even less nous. Harriers must be the league's record-holders for passes and ball-retention across the back line. Devine and Walker must be pulling their hair out about the number of forward runs they do only for the player with the ball to turn round and play it back to Dibble. (Devine was notably frustrated by this on a couple of occasions.)
We had more than one corner (surely one of the best scoring opportunities in the game) where we played it short and, within fewer than ten passes, the ball was back in Dibble's hands. It's safety-first football and frankly I think it's boring.
As for the half-time entertainment comedy routine of the three guys and the boy with the forks, I can only hope they are not being paid for aimlessly wandering around chatting away while they pitty-patted the turf's surface with their shiny new toys. What is the point of them?

[harry211]

On the half time forkers - Murray mentioned in his interview that the sprinklers were broken? Haven't the foggiest how a fork would do the same job as a sprinkler, but could it be linked if they have only just (re)appeared?

Then again, we had the forkmen for years - not sure what happened to them for them to depart!

[Bud G Smuggler]

Sorry, not enjoyable for me. I agree with garthrockett who I suspect must sit near me in the East Stand. I came away thinking I had watched a poor game of football in which one side with little energy and joy about its play was a class above a team with even less nous. Harriers must be the league's record-holders for passes and ball-retention across the back line. Devine and Walker must be pulling their hair out about the number of forward runs they do only for the player with the ball to turn round and play it back to Dibble. (Devine was notably frustrated by this on a couple of occasions.)
We had more than one corner (surely one of the best scoring opportunities in the game) where we played it short and, within fewer than ten passes, the ball was back in Dibble's hands. It's safety-first football and frankly I think it's boring.
As for the half-time entertainment comedy routine of the three guys and the boy with the forks, I can only hope they are not being paid for aimlessly wandering around chatting away while they pitty-patted the turf's surface with their shiny new toys. What is the point of them?

Surely we can't be critical about a 4-0 win? Yes we were aided by a Marine side that showed barely any ambition until they were 2-0 down and the most competent Ref we've had all season but overall we have to be happy.

Plenty of positives to be taken in light of Saturday's benign performance. The gameplan looked to be executed to the letter and we witnessed a killer instinct that we've not seen for some time. Every player contributed a minimum 7/10 and if the subs can replicate tonight's effort in matches where things might not be going our way perhaps the squad is close to the requisite depth after all - a supercharged AMS was a terrific sight to behold.

One can't help but feel we may have been flattered by Marine but if we wanted to re-energise our season this performance was definitely the way to go about it.

[George1968]

Sorry, not enjoyable for me. I agree with garthrockett who I suspect must sit near me in the East Stand. I came away thinking I had watched a poor game of football in which one side with little energy and joy about its play was a class above a team with even less nous. Harriers must be the league's record-holders for passes and ball-retention across the back line. Devine and Walker must be pulling their hair out about the number of forward runs they do only for the player with the ball to turn round and play it back to Dibble. (Devine was notably frustrated by this on a couple of occasions.)
We had more than one corner (surely one of the best scoring opportunities in the game) where we played it short and, within fewer than ten passes, the ball was back in Dibble's hands. It's safety-first football and frankly I think it's boring.
As for the half-time entertainment comedy routine of the three guys and the boy with the forks, I can only hope they are not being paid for aimlessly wandering around chatting away while they pitty-patted the turf's surface with their shiny new toys. What is the point of them?

Surely we can't be critical about a 4-0 win? Yes we were aided by a Marine side that showed barely any ambition until they were 2-0 down and the most competent Ref we've had all season but overall we have to be happy.

Plenty of positives to be taken in light of Saturday's benign performance. The gameplan looked to be executed to the letter and we witnessed a killer instinct that we've not seen for some time. Every player contributed a minimum 7/10 and if the subs can replicate tonight's effort in matches where things might not be going our way perhaps the squad is close to the requisite depth after all - a supercharged AMS was a terrific sight to behold.

One can't help but feel we may have been flattered by Marine but if we wanted to re-energise our season this performance was definitely the way to go about it.

Well said. At the end of the day does anyone remember a performance or a scoreline at the end of the season. Its all about points especially at this time of the season. 4-0 abd it's like we have lost again to some. No it wasn't the best we have played but we wanted a win . We got a win . Cheer up all!

[Phil]

Following my earlier comment about Waldron being subbed then he couldn't have been happy about the incident, in the first half, when he was obviously told to defend a corner while two players were told to stand on the h/w line.

The ball was cleared up field. I think it was Joe that collected it, They moved into Marines half with no one to give the ball to and Danny racing up out of defence at full pelts but by the time he got there Marines defence were back in control.

Murrays instructions? That didn't go down too well with any of them.

He does the same with AMS. Why?

[tonythescout]

It’s basic tactics to bring all players with height bsck into the area for a corner whether it’s defending or attacking. Pure basics
You then leave the less innaffective in the air out to launch an attack if the ball is cleared
Murray said waldron was subbed because of a spasm in his back and they almost bought him off sooner over it but said he was pleased with the performance from him

[King Monkey]

I didnt see anything in that performance that was much different from Saturday aside a poorer opponent.

Can someone give me an argument for Riley Reynolds playing in an advanced position like he has done for the last 6 or 7 games. Appreciate on the eye it looks good with his work rate and snapping into tackles but for me he doesnt effect the game there. I likened him to a Labrador chasing a ball a few weeks back and was mocked for it but clearly i see it different to others. Playing in the no.6 fine i see the value in that, but in that advance position i see no positive impact. I must be wrong as I'm clearly in the minority, i just dont see it. Someone help me out.

[tonythescout]

A midfield trio of Davis Cooper and Reynolds - they are all too similar.
We desperately need a number ten to play infront of Davis and Cooper. Given Reynolds current form he is the more droppable of the three.
Hall and Clarke are terrible. Kandola unluckly not to get in but the form of Cooper and Davis is keeping him out but again is he more defensive than offensive in midfield.

[Grumpy old man]

I didnt see anything in that performance that was much different from Saturday aside a poorer opponent.

Can someone give me an argument for Riley Reynolds playing in an advanced position like he has done for the last 6 or 7 games. Appreciate on the eye it looks good with his work rate and snapping into tackles but for me he doesnt effect the game there. I likened him to a Labrador chasing a ball a few weeks back and was mocked for it but clearly i see it different to others. Playing in the no.6 fine i see the value in that, but in that advance position i see no positive impact. I must be wrong as I'm clearly in the minority, i just dont see it. Someone help me out.

I'm with you KM. Feels like a square pin in a round hole trying to solve the problem of a lack of effective strikers in the squad.

[marcus garvey]

Why are we signing strikers like KW / DW and trying to play them in the same role as AMS. Waldron is another who looks better facing goal then trying to play as a battering ram, back to goal.
Could he play wider alongside AMS?
Hemmo looks a different player with AMS alongside him too.
Square pegs round holes ...Riley the same as mentioned above. Bizarre.

[harry211]

On Ryley, I've been saying for weeks, play Hemmo off AMS. Basically the same role but a bit more advanced. Difference is Hemmo won't press in the same way and that limitless labrador is a part of what Murray values about Reynolds.

[andrewb]

prediction league - most people picked up a point for the win ; no-one said 4-0 though !

next league match is in MARCH - have your predictions been made?
https://www.harriers-online.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=394

[garthrockett]

Look. We won 4-0 so let’s not be too negative!

I haven't finished yet.

-can someone explain how passing a goal kick out towards the corner of our own half is advantageous to our team? Apart from playing the opposition attack onside?
Answers on a postcard.

-and when an opposing player goes down injured on 48 mins why does the whole team trot over to seek pearls of wisdom from the coach (and much needed rehydration ) just 3 minutes after half time?

- we did leave three players up on the half way line for a Marine corner one time. Was it a one-off aberration or after a phone call from Graham Allner? On the counter break actually forced a corner of our own.
Might we try that sneaky underhand tactic again sometime?

....and the soap in the gents has run out too..........

[Harrier1994]

It's very telling our best performances have been against Telford, Fylde, South Shields, Marine and Morecambe. All teams who try to play a bit more possession based football and less lump it route one.

Yesterday the first 15 minutes were slow, one we got the goal it was comfortable. The second half we didn't need to play at pace as Marine weren't troubling us. I have no issue with us going backwards if it means keeping the ball and trying to draw the opposition out of their half especially when we're leading.

Yesterday was comfortable, Thompson put in the best cross I've seen all season and Morgs definitely got a touch, slight as it was it was enough to guide it just inside the post.

[maxspeed]

I think its important to put last night's game into context, it was all about the result, Murray alluded to it in his interview, we are at the stage of the season and on the back of a poor run of form - where getting the points is more crucial than the performance, a much needed boost in confidence and to some degree the manager getting things back under control. It can't have escaped his notice that the mood in the fanbase after some poor displays was turning against him again something he referenced after the game using the word 'patience'. Whatever the reasoning as to why Marine didn't turn up is a bit academic, lets just be grateful that Harriers may have turned a corner and can go on to make the play offs. Having said all that, I'm still not convinced in my own mind that AM is going to get us promoted.