Before everyone starts throwing in the towel, how do you feel about us setting up with a lone striker against this lot? Their recent form is poor, yet we go with Mills up front on his own? Sorry, but the blame on this one firmly sticks with the manager. If you offer up a 4-5-1 against a team in the form Dulwich are/were in, then you only have yourself to blame.
This loss lies firmly at the door of the manager. No excuses.
-- Edited by Hoof it on Saturday 9th of February 2019 07:23:07 PM
Never good to cut budget when in contention for play offs, psychologically the players think we have an excuse now Thats when the manager shows his worth and motivates the players, A good manager doesn't just go out and spend loads of money signing players.
We've been light all season up front apart from when we had Coombes. Down to the manager now to motivate the players and put the work in on the oppo to keep getting points and get in the play offs.
Good managers get results in adversity too, someone like Jamie Day for example on a budget half of what this seasons budget was at times. Yes i'm aware Daisy left a few times but i'm also aware he asked for a contract and never got one.
Please don't credit him with a goal, he missed from 4yards it cannoned back into a defender and then went in.
Changes maybe didn't help, but it got changed at half time and we were worse than the first half, infact Barham barely touched the ball let alone have a shot so maybe king did get it right in the beginning and the players just didn't perform.
We could of had plenty more chances in the first half if our wingers and full backs remembered they are semi pro and not Sunday league bottom division, absolute basic to put the ball either 6 yard box or penalty spot from a cross, you could teach a 12 year old to do it, yet time and time again ours go over everybody's head to the other side of the pitch.
Another thoroughly miserable Saturday afternoon away from PVR.
I have been advocating a change in formation and/or a more conservative approach away from home and I felt we were far more effective going forward in the first half with 4-3-3 than we were when we reverted to 4-4-2 in the second half. For once we started the game well and had them on the back foot - had Kiernan scored when clean through (as he should have done) it might have been a whole different game. Their first goal was far too easy and the guy ran through virtually untouched. The thing about playing 4-3-3 is that the most attacking midfield player needs to support the striker and get forward but Agyemang didn't or couldn't do that enough. He looked unfit to me and his set pieces were once again poor. Also the centre forward needs to stay in the centre of the field and not drift out wide. Too often Mills was in a wide position with nobody to cross the ball too?! A few times we got in down our left wing but the final ball was atrocious. Also we seemed to lose far too many 50/50 balls - maybe Dulwich were that bit sharper or the just wanted it more...??
Second half was pretty poor fare from both sides. We didn't have the guile to open them up and they seemed content to play on the break. Wilks didn't have much to do but credit to him for one quite brilliant save in the second half. Their keeper might have got away with a deliberate handball outside the area but how many times did we test him throughout the game?? Their 11 did look quite dangerous although I think he was given far too much time and space throughout the game. No surprise they caught us with a second goal near the end and I was walking round the ground to get out so didn't see our goal at all! So another defeat on the road and I don't hold out much hope for anything at Oxford tomorrow on their truly awful playing surface. I can see why the manager is tinkering with things (and we don't know who is carrying knocks and/or who need a break in such a threadbare squad) but we still have players capable of producing better than they are at the moment...
I am still trying to fathom just how Dulwich attract so many punters to their games especially as half of them don't seem to watch the game and/or know much about what is going on. However I wouldn't really mind what they thought once they had paid their money and also had a few drinks at the bar (very well organised and very efficient service on that front too) I am not sure how they have tapped in to the local community but there must be lessons to learn there somewhere...??
I've waited a while to come back to this one but thought as a local resident I'd give you a little take on what DHFC has done.
It's all about getting the community involved and reflecting what's important to them. Beyond being known for playing football what does the club stand for, what are its ethics and values.
The growth in attendances can be linked back to the Pay What You Like charitable initiative some time back as it introduced the club to the community in a positive way. Initially it involved a lot of community work that involved letting people in for nothing. We were often asked how much money we were losing but the truth was we lost nothing because they weren't coming.
What is important to the local community in Welling, Bexleyheath, Sidcup?
What makes a Welling game a good day out?
Is the atmosphere right for young families?
Does anybody really know about the club and what it does or is it just for those already in the know?
Does it openly welcome newcomers?
How does it work with local businesses, schools, charities, community groups?
Are the fans driving the club and its agenda, because whoever owns it legally the club always belongs to fans?
Yes, many people at games are there for a day out but those people are paying good money to have a social.
-- Edited by dhfc on Saturday 23rd of February 2019 08:23:10 AM
It's all about getting the community involved and reflecting what's important to them
I think that's the big difference. What's important to Dulwich fans isn't necessarily what's important to Welling fans, or our potential fans. The area we live in, can't and won't, be paying £4.50 for a small can of craft beer or spending four hours at a club when you might have to work or get on with other things. I admire Dulwich getting great support but can't see the same thing happening at Welling (or most other places around London). Dulwich is an affluent area where people have money to spend; £12 to get in - no problem, £4.50 beers - no problem, etc. I know that's not for all Dulwich fans but just the way it is for a lot who attend.
Personally I want my fellow fans at Welling to watch the game, see the tactics, know the formation, comment on the subs, have an opinion on the game. All things I didn't see at Dulwich the other week - many were just not interested. From the club's point of view it doesn't matter if they stand with their backs to the game - once they've paid. I want a fan to be a fan but maybe that's a selfish point of view?
I was in no way implying that what works at one club works exactly the same at others
However, the questions posed are relevant. I have lived in the area for 30 years and never seen anything that asks me to engage with the club or that makes it look different to any other club.
Well I can remember the time when the games were advertised in a lot of the shops, via A4 flyers stuck on the doors, when radio Kent came to give a live commentary and when we had to have a membership card to get into the bar. There did used to be a more friendly atmosphere, no E&B stand, and all the food fresh cooked. But then the old days were always better ...........
Who gives a feck about Dulwich, how many of their thousands of hipster fans got them out the crap or raised money to pay the ground owners their 120 grand they wanted for unpaid rent? Its a circus club and not football. Also for all of the players they've sold to league clubs and their huge crowds why are they basically a Ryman club without a pot to piss in?
