Jimmie wrote:

---

OOph. Folks, this intro is relevant, so bear with me. I work in risk management, identifying risks, then working out how to solve or reduce them. Part of risk management is "risk appetite", which looks at how much risk one is willing to accept. I think Danny and his coaching team, maybe without realising it, as these things gradually build up, have become extremely (and unhealthily) risk averse, and have a blind spot about that. He said on his arrival his favourite formation was 4 2 3 1, and that rang big alarm bells for me, as that is so unbalanced with defensive players and hardly any guys in attacking positions.

I heard one of his coaches dismissing fans who want to play two up front. That negativity about putting out an attacking formation is a big part of our current problems, we have a group of coaches who have the same defensive mindset, so we dont get enough players up in attacking positions, so we dont score enough goals. The safety first approach showed yet again today, when we do substitutions of a striker for a striker, rather than either starting with two strikers, or adding an extra striker as the game goes on.

The problems of having coaches with too similar views so they can't see the problems in the team were shown in a chat with a coach, where I was saying we pass WAY too slow and need to take fewer touches on the ball, as that is how the most successful team play. This team has tons of pace, so we can, in theory at least, outrun other teams. But lots of this inherent advantages is wasted by us taking too many touches on the ball, not playing directly. Like I said the other match, I heard a player shouting "get the ball in the f-cking box" and he was spot on, we are far too slow in build ups, with not enough target players due to the overly defensive mindset. The coach I spoke with made the excuse the surfaces we play on arent good enough to support one touch football, but that is wrong, they are, and it is more the case the coaches have lost sight of the fact it is essential to play really quick forward passes all match long. It is that complacency, of being bottom 4 all season, yet not changing things.

I will leave the final word on this to Graeme Souness, who thinks identically to me on this, and I just wish our coaches did, as it would improve us enormously and help get us out of this mess:

"My football education was all about taking as few touches as you possibly could and being accurate with your passing. What that basically meant was, if youre taking all those touches, youre not seeing things as quickly as a top player does.

The whole game is based on getting the ball to the guys who score the goals as quickly and as accurately as possible. They are the people in the team who matter most, because they put the ball in the net. They need time and space. The longer you spend on the ball, the more it denies them that. I still believe my education was right then, is right today and will be right in 100 years time".

---

 FFS

Jimmie wrote:

---

Riverstown, what do you reckon are the things that are going wrong, and what are the solutions?

---

We dont score enough goals. We cant defend for toffees. Danny Bloor is in charge of sorting the solution. I pay for my season ticket. I enjoy football. I watch the games as entertainment. I dont try to get too wound up about it. I dont try to pretend to all the other forum users that Im a superior football tactician. I leave all the tactical ****e to the people who are paid to deal with the tactical ****e. I dont preach. I dont fall out with the manager because he doesnt listen to me. I try very very hard not to bore the living bejesus out of everyone. I have a life. Does that answer your question? 

Riverstown wrote:

---

Jimmie wrote:

---

Riverstown, what do you reckon are the things that are going wrong, and what are the solutions?

---

We dont score enough goals. We cant defend for toffees. Danny Bloor is in charge of sorting the solution. I pay for my season ticket. I enjoy football. I watch the games as entertainment. I dont try to get too wound up about it. I dont try to pretend to all the other forum users that Im a superior football tactician. I leave all the tactical ****e to the people who are paid to deal with the tactical ****e. I dont preach. I dont fall out with the manager because he doesnt listen to me. I try very very hard not to bore the living bejesus out of everyone. I have a life. Does that answer your question? 

---

 That is actually a pretty good response from Riverstown. Johnny take note as there is some sound advice in there. We still get wound up at football occasionally though and wouldn't change our beloved non league.

We weren't at the game today, so look forward to hearing from our fans who made the trip to Weston-super-Mare. Danny has our backing and we must get behind the boys. We will have a decent following on Monday night.

Trust Johnny didn't go to Bromley today (loves a bit of opposition from Lancs!)

Riverstown wrote:

---

Jimmie wrote:

---

OOph. Folks, this intro is relevant, so bear with me. I work in risk management, identifying risks, then working out how to solve or reduce them. Part of risk management is "risk appetite", 

 FFS

---

 Hey Riverstown, ease up mate, although I guess it is now the pantomime season 

Jimmie wrote:

I heard one of his coaches dismissing fans who want to play two up front. That negativity about putting out an attacking formation is a big part of our current problems, we have a group of coaches who have the same defensive mindset, so we dont get enough players up in attacking positions, so we dont score enough goals. The safety first approach showed yet again today, when we do substitutions of a striker for a striker, rather than either starting with two strikers, or adding an extra striker as the game goes on.

The problems of having coaches with too similar views so they can't see the problems in the team were shown in a chat with a coach, where I was saying we pass WAY too slow and need to take fewer touches on the ball, as that is how the most successful team play. This team has tons of pace, so we can, in theory at least, outrun other teams. But lots of this inherent advantages is wasted by us taking too many touches on the ball, not playing directly. Like I said the other match, I heard a player shouting "get the ball in the f-cking box" and he was spot on, we are far too slow in build ups, with not enough target players due to the overly defensive mindset. The coach I spoke with made the excuse the surfaces we play on arent good enough to support one touch football, but that is wrong, they are, and it is more the case the coaches have lost sight of the fact it is essential to play really quick forward passes all match long. It is that complacency, of being bottom 4 all season, yet not changing things.

I will leave the final word on this to Graeme Souness, who thinks identically to me on this, and I just wish our coaches did, as it would improve us enormously and help get us out of this mess:

"My football education was all about taking as few touches as you possibly could and being accurate with your passing. What that basically meant was, if youre taking all those touches, youre not seeing things as quickly as a top player does.

The whole game is based on getting the ball to the guys who score the goals as quickly and as accurately as possible. They are the people in the team who matter most, because they put the ball in the net. They need time and space. The longer you spend on the ball, the more it denies them that. I still believe my education was right then, is right today and will be right in 100 years time".

---

 Abrahams asked to be substituted due to injury, hence the striker for striker sub.

RonF wrote:

---

Polo wrote:

---

I unfortunately was there today, and it was a disgrace.

The players are quite happy to lap up the plaudits last week, and dance in front of the supporters, however today there were many of them who quite frankly could not be arsed. When they were told so after the game, some weren't happy to hear some home truths. Funny how some of them run their balls off last Saturday, but today suffer a severe case of Idontfancyititis

Onto Aveley on Monday, but if we play like today, start planning for the Ryman.

Disgraceful and for the first time this season, I'm fuming.

---

 Hopefully, such home truths will reap dividends! 

---

 Well, let's hope that the players that go out on the pitch tomorrow night fully understand that we back our manager. We expect them to do the same by putting in a huge effort. We respect players that try and will sing their names accordingly but, as Dean states above, how on earth can we play like we did against Yeovil and then produce yesterday's performance?

Danny is right up against it with injuries but we've just got to get on with it. It's a contact sport and the players that can still run must give blood, sweat and tears.