Bromley

[gazan]

I'm away in Turkey at the moment (where it's raining every day&#128580 and we're 3 hours ahead so I'm debating whether to watch the match on I-follow. If I don't, I'll probably be checking my phone every 5 minutes, so maybe I might as well watch it. It's just the question of whether it's worth it! I'm getting tired of the endless expectation and inevitable disappointment. I also know if I watch it, I'll be so wound up with anger and frustration that I won't get much sleep. Ah life as an Alex fan!!!
So what to expect this time? Well last time out against Bromley was the infamous occasion when Bell changed a winning formation to 3 at the back, "to counter the threat of set pieces". As it happened, set pieces were few and far between but the cautious approach led to the inevitable 1-0 defeat. It was a match that most of us thought the Alex could have won if they'd gone front foot. However, Bromley drew strength from the game and haven't looked back. We, on the other hand, have got steadily worse, clueless, muddled and lethargic.
After Saturdays game, I wouldn't be surprised to see Bell revert to type and bring back Connolly, either to replace Pond or for his natural inclination to play 3 at the back. Whatever the case, he needs to look at his midfield as Bromley will attempt to by-pass it. O'Reilly has been looking tired recently and has been nursing his hip. Holicek has been ineffective/anonymous despite his undoubted ball skills. Agius often disappears but can pop up with a goal now and then. Lunt eventually went off with an injury on Saturday so I don't know what his status will be. It looks like none of the injured will return so availability is limited.
Whoever is available, it is imperative that March is not, once again, allowed to be isolated up front. If O'Reilly is fit, I 'd play him through the middle (ACM) and not wide. This way his ball skills would be more telling as it will be an area where Bromley will not be particularly gifted. He can advance with the ball and pick out passes or even shoot on sight as he packs a wallop. March needs another person to play off. It seems the only person available is Moult so he'd have to do. We definitely need a 2 pronged attack. That would mean Agius and Holicek would need to support Sanders despite neither having much defensive ability.
In the end, it's all academic as Bell and Dicker won't change anything but will continue to over complicate instructions so that the team will not really understand their roles and then go through the motions on the pitch. 3-0 defeat - possibly from 3 soft goals/defensive errors.

[lukcour]

Let us face the facts. In the area including Stoke and Shropshire area we are considered a joke club. We hve 3 managers who maybe are nice people but in truth are totally cluless and not the correct people to be running a league2 club. They are LB, RD, and MJ..

I believe the majority of supporters who have some knowledge of football are now in such despair because of the poor selection on match day and beyond belief tactics they have lost all respect for the people resonsible for the future of the team we support.

I for one am completely fed up of LBa and RDs excuses for our displays, and their pointing fingers readily on the ones to blame. All to show they are not to blame. Total lies.

I fail to understand the position of our Chairman and Directors. Is it that they know nothing about football and believe that what they are watching is an acceptable standard. Well if you are chaps you are sadly deluded.

[Wartman]

Just seen starting line up and bench or should I say lack of a bench truly woeful it’s going to be a long night, be a miracle if we are not down and out by half time we are in desperate need of 5 or 6 players in the next few days 1 or 2 will not cut it I’m afraid.

[gazan]

So MickeyD on the bench and Connolly in. Lunt on the bench and Powell in. Those 2 on the bench are carrying injuries but I can't see the replacements helping much. That is unless the Powell appearing tonight is the one who appeared away at Fleetwood. Once again an 'imminent returnee' is a no show. Thomas not even on the bench. I would stick my neck out for tonight and say if we're still in with a shout towards the end then give Luca Moore some minutes. If we're well out of it from an early stage then definitely throw him on.

[lukcour]

Another brilliant tatical display which resulted in not 1 shot on goal.

I have to admit that I have been so wrong about our N,.17. I can now see why he is in the team. He falls over so beautifully.

[Harlzed]

Lots of the possession, most of it in our own half. I think we got a bit lucky in the end but plenty of teams have done that to us. Away at the league leaders and we weren?t blown away by them. Bromley fans will probably say they didn?t have a good game but I think we worked hard to blunt them. Can?t complain with all of the gaps we have at the moment.

[Timmy58]

Another brilliant tatical display which resulted in not 1 shot on goal.

I have to admit that I have been so wrong about our N,.17. I can now see why he is in the team. He falls over so beautifully.

Our number 17 was very good tonight. And The replacements for Lunt and Mickey D also played very well. In fact, apart from the first half when there was nothing in it apart from a mistake by Sanders and some indifferent goal keeping, we played pretty well away to the league leaders who are not there by accident. So a bit of credit where it is due wouldn;t go amiss.

[gazan]

Absolutely, credit where credit is due. Apart from the first 15 minutes, the Alex tried to play football. In the fist half this seemed to get them trapped in their own corners. Once again this was due to unnecessary passing backwards, especially when, on the odd occasion a turn to face their goal might have set up some attacking play. So an even first half spoilt only by Sanders not protecting the ball well enough and Pond backing off to allow the Bromley player time and space to shoot. The backing off occured again for the second goal as well. I appreciate that Pond was already on a yellow card and could allow the ref the chance to give him another but this backing off is not only a problem for Pond. Just occasionally, outside the box, a defender could stand firm against these L2 opponents who haven't the skills to easily go around every defender who takes them on.
Praise should go to Powell, who had a decent game, Billington, who doesn't get enough credit and, of course, Captain Fantastic who came on as a makeshift centre-forward and managed to get in 3 shots in a 10 minute cameo as well as burying the equaliser. I couldn't quite see why anyone would think Holicek played well, I have to say. What is clear is that O'Reilly needs a rest. He looks physically tired and his decision making is below par. He doesn't quite need to beat his marker(s) three times - once and a cross is probably enough.
McGarry mentioned that Bogle will be available next week/match (?). Place your bets now! No mention of Thomas or Lankester (soon be 2 months since he was due for a return).
However, the Alex made Bromley look ordinary at times, particularly during those last 10 minutes as they upped the tempo. The test will be, can they maintain that tempo on Saturday?

[lukcour]

What a difference in the second half.The players showed what they could do just like they did in the first 4 games, How did it happen? For the first time did the players rebel? So many questions need answering. One of the main ones is why did those 2 idiots we call managers insist on playing such a boring , ancient style for nearly 4 months? Mr. Grant nd Directors take notice.

This year league2 is a poor league and we should be in the top 3 except for the utter incompetence of Bell and Dicker

Sadly like me Gazan did not agree with you stating that Holicek had a good game. Come on Timmy , have a real go at him. Waiting in anticipation. I know you are the man. I would suggest at the next home game you start out early and visit Sherrats in Nantwich RD.

[Timmy58]

What a difference in the second half.The players showed what they could do just like they did in the first 4 games, How did it happen? For the first time did the players rebel? So many questions need answering. One of the main ones is why did those 2 idiots we call managers insist on playing such a boring , ancient style for nearly 4 months? Mr. Grant nd Directors take notice.

This year league2 is a poor league and we should be in the top 3 except for the utter incompetence of Bell and Dicker

Sadly like me Gazan did not agree with you stating that Holicek had a good game. Come on Timmy , have a real go at him. Waiting in anticipation. I know you are the man. I would suggest at the next home game you start out early and visit Sherrats in Nantwich RD.

In my view, Holicek did have a good game, especially in the second half. I would say, however, he does need to start adding goals to his game. I am not into publicly slating our own players especially the younger element. I think at one point during the game the commentator on Sky suggested that most of the starting line up were 22 or under and I think, bearing that in mind, I think the team does pretty well on the whole. Currently lying 12th and probably unlikely to make the playoffs because of so many players being absent, we are still looking at a top ten finish. Easy to forget Billington is still only 21 (22 next month). One of the reasons I enjoy watching the Alex so much is the endless procession of youngsters coming though and progressing to the first team. It is easy to say we should be in the top 3 and the reason we aren't is because of the management. I don't know if that is the case but I am not sure what else they can do. Missing players like Tezgel, Thomas, Shilow, Lankester and a few others is going to impact a club like ours. Similar losses would impact Man City and a few other prem teams.

Sherrats? Not familair. What is that?