Home V Newport County Saturday 7/12/2019

I think the constant change of personnel so far this season has gone against us having a fluid attacking system. If GB was able to pick the same starting 11 for, say, 3 or 4 games on the trot then they would start to knit together and get some fluidity into their play. Unfortunately mainly because of injuries but also suspension and loss of form by some players he hasn't been able to do this.

 

I don't think it has anything to do with money. Crewe and cheltenham don't have big budgets in our division but play the most attractive football I've seen this season.

 

Both not in great form and will likely drop down the division as the season progresses

there’s a real balance needed at this level. I’d rather win 1-0 than draw 2-2 to be entertaining

 

We had the free flowing attacking football under McCall.

It's the poorest I can remember the atmosphere, and the frustration was aimed at an inability to keep clean sheets and see out games.

Lol.

 

I agree with you that Forest Green and Newport played in a very similar style - totally awful to watch, but effective in accumulating points I suppose. Oldham were struggling when they came to us they had a team full of individuals who collectively didn't make a team and a manager totally unfamiliar with English lower league football. Their central midfielder, whose name I can't remember looked a really useful player. They played attractive football going forward on a few occasions but completely vulnerable in defence.

 

You surely cant be talking about the playoff final season surely?

You know that season where we had the second best defensive record in the division and valley parade was bouncing every week, ultimately leading to being unbeaten all season. Our only problem being going half a season without a goalscorer until we signed wyke.

 

Interesting that they have exactly the same points as we have, so that negates the more attractive football gets better results theory. I wonder how well they would cope with an extensive injury list like we have endured.

 

I pay very little regard to what the match updates say on BBC/elsewhere. They’re provided by a 3rd party and often don’t get the terminology right (which, as a ref, annoys me no end!).

Need to split the issues here to be clear on it - the penalty is for a foul in the area, irrespective of how it comes about.

The punishment is the key bit and this is where the terminology is important. It wasn’t a serious foul by the keeper and you wouldn’t call it serious foul play (i.e. endangering the opponent), therefore wouldn’t be a red/punished under that part of the laws.

Think we all agree (including the ref) that the challenge denied an obvious goalscoring opportunity, but it’s then interpretation under the revised bit of law 12 as to whether the attempt for the ball was genuine. The ref must have decided it was, as he gave the keeper a yellow. I think we all feel it had no chance of getting the ball, so should still have been red.

 

In three years if we go up you'll be laughing at the idea of people whinging now too, but here we are!

 

But you can decide on a system and stick to it, playing the best players available at any given time. We change our system every match, with predictable results.

 

Yep we don't seem to be doing so bad, I can't wait till we get the injured players back

 

I was referring to the quality of football on offer, not the results achieved. Although we're in a good position I don't look forward to going to VP.

 

The player I noticed was called Fage, he seemed to play 'wherever' like he was a schoolkid, but he had ability. He hasn't played since they got mauled 6-1 in October, but hey I guess some would rather they picked him because he's entertaining even if he doesn't have any discipline or understanding of the game as a competitive sport.

Honestly, this is League Two, discipline, organisation and co-ordination are key to beating teams like Oldham who come here without a game plan.

It takes a bit more to beat teams that also have discipline, organisation and co-ordination like Forest Green and Newport, so it's obvious people are kidding themselves when they claim they are the worst side to ever visit VP...

One of the silliest claims I remember reading.

 

You really need to lower your current expectations massively. This is 4th division football you are referring to.

 

It's funny isn't it.

People hate the sides we face, hate watching the games, hate the football on offer, and hate the fact we're in League
Two, but are keen to tack on an additional demand that we play in an unnecessary, totally arbitrary 'style' of football.

No thanks.

Get out as quick as you can, nothing else matters.

 

Silly because its different to your opinion?

 

Well for me, the worst sides finish bottom of the table.

Like us last season.

You've potentially got four or five sides that saw us play last year and given that we absolutely walloped a few teams, they might say we were wonderful and the best side in years, etc.

And yeah, I'd consider that silly.

The reason I think the criticism of Newport and FGR is silly is because there isn't a single way to win a game of football, they came with a plan, executed the plan fairly well, FGR more so than Newport obviously, but neither are anything like the worst side to visit VP this season, let alone 'in years'.

If the only criteria for judgement was stylistic, I'd suggest probably keeping it quiet at least for one season, since the priority is promotion not looking flashy and scoring 4 games one week then conceding 4 the next.

 

I guess this is one where we're gonna have to agree to disagree.

 

I'm intrigued to know what you're disagreeing with, but fair enough.

My guess would be you value your time (and want to be entertained) above that of the club gaining promotion by any means necessary?

I would find that short-sighted, given you're more likely to enjoy L1 football more than L2 football, but perhaps there's another reason?