Standon 4 Knobs 1

I felt it from the outset, but I hope we all enjoyed the morning out. A game is about pitting wits and strength against an opposition and hopefully winning, well we didn't win and more importantly we lacked wit and strength to compete against what to my mind is a rather agricultural opposition. Highly unenjoyable in all respects.
Chris was late and we started competently against a physical opposition. Shortly from a flighted Steve free kick an alert Matt put us ahead. All to the good for a while. They wriggled free and scored from a lovely flighted chip from their young man- mountain centre forward and then Chris was brought on. In match flow they were not really threatening until a speculative shot from some little distance fell from Trevor's grasp- hero one week villain the next- it would probably have gone over my head!
For the next 40 minutes the match was in the balance till they grabbed 2 goals later on. But really, in the intervening time, we didn't feel as if we wanted or could turn things round.
Why? Simple- lack of playing time together of the players on show today plus a drop in effort and will among the more regular players. No names to be mentioned. But we're better than that, if not jack in while yer ahead.
Several players unavailable such as M. Boyle, Gavin, Chris G and Paul, and injured such as Mark M, Martin, Phil led us to the side we had out. Yet if we are to adhere to the principle of giving everyone a game we are gonna have to get used to playing in a system using players who are better, fitter, less fit and old to compete against sides. Not an impossible situation. You hear a lot of shit talked about these bloody foreigners viz. Ramos and Capelli struggling to speak English therefore unable to properly transmit ideas to their charges but I would have thought that is a distinct advantage in the simple game of football- instead of psycho gobbledy gook from the likes of Hoddle and mangled English from the likes of Wilkinson (I used to be a teacher- by the way yi talk like a fuckin crap one) - you can plan the game in the simplest possible terms. For example, yesterday one simple thing we didn,t do was play as a unit. I watched most of the game from the side and I could see no physical togetherness, isolated challenges with no back up for loose balls and isolated attacks, leave it to 2 players to do something with noone busting a gut to get up in support and a wholesale lack of anticipation all around the pitch to situations which might and did occur. Now it could be that all these things were a temporary blip due to Christmas excesses and lack of desire on the day but that's how we lost. A group of individuals on a football match, oh ghee whiz I'm playing a game that I love, but lacking energy application and that necessary extra interest.
Tactically 4-2-4; it's simple, we defend narrow and attack with width. We didn't do it. We attacked with width alright, in the sense that people were already wide and non involved from the opposition's initial attack, but when they subsequently attacked we were far too wide. Far far too wide.
TUCK IN. Get behind the opposition and make it difficult for the opposition to compete and create in the penalty area. Bodies in the box. After all someone coming from wide, in our standard, is gonna be confronted with our bodies in the vital area and requiring something special from their bodies (probably outnumbered) to snatch a goal. Again, after all, how many goals do teams concede from corners. Anyway the ultimate spectacle was one of isolated pockets of Knobs and no togetherness, particularly relevant for their final 2 goals. Nowt to do with individual ability and fitness on our part. We must, to thrive in old age, be more cute or else we'll be depressed on our way home.
One incident to highlight our lack of togetherness was the incident with Steve Bull when he got his bollocks stamped on- I saw the scar. He was on the ground struggling to retrieve the ball for what seemed an eternity and not one player moved to his side to assist him. When he ultimately lost his battle and hooked the player's foot to foul him (slightly and harmlessly) he was stamped on on the ground by the offended sheepshagger. Plenty rushed forward then to break up the handbags that ensued but to my mind that was a reaction too little too late. TOGETHERNESS.
Width in attack and narrowness in defence. Talking sensibly to each to effect this and listening and reacting to the talk. I supposose we were just not at the races yesterday. I enjoyed the rest of the day mind.
Five of us sampled, to my mind, the best away grub of this season, and last, at the pub, chilli and rice- remember this fixture next year. Oh and yes let's beat them at our place in March.
Next week I would like us to win at home to Old Owens and I would like as many players to participate as possible. Some hope you might think. So what.
On the 30th of December we have a game at the Rec against the coaches and Dads of the youth team and those of us not wandering off to leave a huge carbon footprint on the planet might enjoy a run aroud to ease the Christmas excesses before the New Years Eve refuelling.

Ron