CC's verdict

[Christies Child]

For what it's worth todays game between two different styles of football provided an entertaining encounter for a change.

Had it not been for a couple of fantastic saves by Baz in the first half the final result of 1-1 could have been so different.

Chelt prefered to play it short and on the deck but their midfield did put through some excellent balls for their strikers to capitalise on. As I said above thank goodness for Baz! Contract their style to ours which at times looked laboured and not direct enough. Too many high balls which their centre backs winning second balls time after time. And we looked a yard of the pace throughout, allowing them time and room to progress at pace without a challenge coming in from ourselves. We have to close down and dictate midfield play but there isn't anybody for me in our team who can do that. Even Stanners never dictated play.

However for a period in the second half when we applied some pressure their defence looked a bit suspect. But why bring Shuker on and continue with the high balls? Incredible!

Overall a draw was the correct result but I just wish we would play it on the floor to feet. Chelt gave us a lesson in passing prefering short passes to feet than long hopeful balls in the air. Their abilty to find their men time after time with accurate passing is something that I wish we could do.

Not sure I agreed with the MoM; Baz deserved it if just for his first half performance.

As for a MoM for Chelts, without doubt the referee wins that award!

An excellent game for the neutral and obviously not the result we all wanted. But at the end a fair one for me.

[ezz]

Seems were always saying 'had it not been for a fantastic couple of saves from baz'

[mrpotatohead]

we are allways saying this, if he had not had his nightmare in the televised playoff game last seaon , he would have moved upwards rapido

[shrimpnsave]

we are allways saying this, if he had not had his nightmare in the televised playoff game last seaon , he would have moved upwards rapido

Yes he would,could'nt agree more..........

it makes you wonder thou dont it why so many goals were scored against us.........eh

[ezz]

Not really, the rest of the team wern't very good

[Aspers]

Thanks CC I enjoy your reports. Would like a few more from the training ground though

[DMC]

I think we could have done with Stanners today- Brown looks a stone overweight and was way off the pace chasing the ball in midfield - although looked a more effective player on right wing. Jevons also looks unfit. Substitution of Spencer strange unless he is saving him for Tues but thought Jevons could do with rest more. I am not surprised we are struggling when you think of how many new payerrs have been brought in- only 2 outfield palyers in the starting line up who got us into the playoffs last year.

[Christies Child]

I think we could have done with Stanners today- Brown looks a stone overweight and was way off the pace chasing the ball in midfield - although looked a more effective player on right wing. Jevons also looks unfit. Substitution of Spencer strange unless he is saving him for Tues but thought Jevons could do with rest more. I am not surprised we are struggling when you think of how many new payerrs have been brought in- only 2 outfield palyers in the starting line up who got us into the playoffs last year.

Drummond
Wilson
Parrish
PJ although he didn't actually play in the play offs but was a main reason we got there with his goals

[Little Shrimp]

I think we could have done with Stanners today- Brown looks a stone overweight and was way off the pace chasing the ball in midfield - although looked a more effective player on right wing. Jevons also looks unfit. Substitution of Spencer strange unless he is saving him for Tues but thought Jevons could do with rest more. I am not surprised we are struggling when you think of how many new payerrs have been brought in- only 2 outfield palyers in the starting line up who got us into the playoffs last year.

Jevons went over on his ankle in the first 15 minutes. Think he might of twisted it a bit. That might've had something to do with him not getting around that quickly.

[RedRedWine1]

I thought we looked off the pace all day. I was a little surprised that Sammy started with the same team that played the majority of the match against Accrington. Sammy mentioned that the games are coming thick and fast now due to all the postponements over the Christmas period. We have 27 players on the books, time to start using the squad more effectively.

[seasonsinthesun]

[quote="RedRedWine"]I thought we looked off the pace all day. I was a little surprised that Sammy started with the same team that played the majority of the match against Accrington. Sammy mentioned that the games are coming thick and fast now due to all the postponements over the Christmas period. We have 27 players on the books, time to start using the squad more effectively.[/quote

I disagree with you.
Who else could have played yesterday?
The only other outfield squad members available who were not on the bench, on loan or not injured were: Bentley, Rundle, Hendrie, Clark, Cowperthwaite and Wraighte.
Who out of that list would you have played yesterday that's any better than the starting eleven or subs?

[RedRedWine1]

Why are you discouting the subs from the starting lineup? The point I'm trying to make was the starting 11 looked fatigued in comparison to Cheltenham. All of yesterday's lineup played at least 80 mins in tough match against Stanley on their cabbage of a pitch only a few days earlier. Hirst understandably tired dramatically at Accy, unsurprising given his stint out of the team at Carlisle. He didn't really get involved at all yesterday, which was a shame given how well he played at Accrington overall.

Perhaps freshening it up a little might have injected a bit more energy into the game from our part, given what I thought was quite a sluggish opening 45. It's Tuesday, Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday, etc for the next month or so. You can be the best player in the word, but if you're goosed there's not much point.

[james456]

And with such a large squad, you'd think that this would be where we come into our own...

[seasonsinthesun]

I understand what you mean, I suppose he could have had Hunter, Fleming Shuker or Mullin starting and therefore resting one or two. Fair point, but I still think he picked the best eleven available.

[mfcbro]

I totally agree we are playing tues sat every week till march.we have a big squad but sammy never uses them.I would like Fleming to start tuesday but i bet he keeps the same team.