Therfield 3 Knobs 0

Lovely day- wind too strong, bare 11 of those signed on available and a bit of a defeat.
Individually many struggled in the wind and numerous filled in rabbit holes. We actually only conceded the second goal with 15 minutes left and then all spirit- such as it was- evaporated.
We could have scored a few but didn't. Hit the bar in first minute (my gammy leg though I caught it too well). One terrific move saw a cross- at last- by John, square to Steve who hit a sweet shot low which was well saved by their keeper. The latter played well. A run of 60 yards by Chris Wilson was a highlight and it ended with a raking shot just wide.
Our crossing was either non existent (over playing with extra touches) or lamentable. That means utter shite.
On the positive side, players who rarely get a sniff of a run out never mind a whole 90 minutes were afforded a chance to graft and craft. I realise that football for all our members is the rationale of the club- so this somewhat abated my disquiet at the performance and the result.
First time I've ever kicked off to the accompaniment of a referee smoking a fag. There's a first. I thought the ref was pleasant but one sided and altogether quite crap. But there you are, Sir Alex would have gone red, peuce and black before spontaneously combusting. "It was only a shove!"
Must remember that rule.
Rumour mill.
One member, unavailable for work reasons, was in Manchester closetly watching something called "Pink"!
One member's family commitments seems to require him to drink all afternoon in The Roebuck, deigning the opportunity to drink a social pint with the oppo after the game.
A poor turn out in Therfield's re-opened pub after the game, but a content if contentious turn out. Realise everyone has a view, must remember that.
Four league games on the trot now, enjoy it may be the end.
Bring back Roy- even Big Bob got a mention yesterday but then Therfield was the scene of his oratorical fame. "Call yourself a camel"!

Aunty Social

Knobs 2 Saints 2

Good point in the end and on the whole an enjoyable, competitive game played in good spirit.

A little bit of tactics before the game- 4-3-3! (or rather 4-3-1-2- with Steve B the more withdrawn of the front 3 pulling a few strings).

This ultimately means clamping the middle of the field, relinquishing some of the width, so that we defend somewhat narrowly and unfortunately, unless the full backs are charging forward into the vacant wide spaces, attacking by playing through a narrower, somewhat congested middle of the pitch. This was working to an extent in the first half, though feelings develop among defenders that too much space is been given out wide when they attack. Central midfielders start to feel uneasy and want to drift out to combat the threats wide and often get caught half and half. The answer is hold your nerve- give them that space and defend inside of it by sheer energy and extra weight of numbers. Another downside is that things can get a bit cramped through the middle, people getting in each others' way, sometimes an inability to make passes through a crowd, and the frustration of trying to run with the ball in such congestion.

This can be alleviated by practice at the system, having the fullbacks regularly attacking down the wide spaces of the wings (and having the guts and some sort of fitness to get back again quickly if a move breaks down), and having the front two making arcing runs out into the width anticipating occasional balls knocked into spaces there. After we woke up and realised the game had started this is what happened on a few occasions and Matt and Gavin's speed proved hot to handle. I thought we would at least score a sackful with our attacking against their not too robust defence!

We took a 2-0 lead- hey this is easy. First an inadequate goalkeeping clearance was taken up by Gavin who slid across for Matt to coolly slot home from 10 yards. Shortly afterwards a nice move saw the ball arrive to Matt who lashed goalwards, the ball ricocheting to Chris W at the far post, who netted easily. They got in a few times but squandered their chances before pulling one back from a goalmouth melee just before half time.

While I was removing a dog turd from the pitch at half time an active debate was taking place about systems. Please stick with the one we're using and we did. However let's not forget they are a useful, pretty fit side who were unbeaten and up for it. Perhaps it was their play and their fitness that in the end accounted for more than any particular system we adopted (I'm sure it was- please disagree) and they duly achieved an equaliser- an excellent finish and missed a hatful. I don't know what everyone thinks about the way the game unfolded but I reckon there is a general lack of belief in each other as individuals within the system and the fitness of each other leading to people fretting about teammates ability to do a job rather than concentrating on their own performances positively, that was and is the main drawback. Believe young men believe!

One incident of note. We defended and attacked, leaving an opponent "injured" in the wake. We knock ball out. They give us the ball back via one of their blokes (someone called cunt) who hits a rather too hard too wide ball at our goal- Trevor, in goal, is evaded and the ball trickles home for a goal. Their passer throws up his arms in elation- as I said, cunt. I as referee reluctantly blow for their goal. To their credit they refuse it. I don't know- getting too old for this modern morality. OK- we play on and am accosted by their captain , no it's a goal and then we'll let you kick off and run down and score. Is tis an actual rule or some bliddy extra complication devised from this daft etiquette grey area that has developed in the game? I don't know- oh just play on 2-2, and that's how it ended.

Huge turn out by both sides in THE FOX. Them in the pub and us in the 'garden'. Sandwiches were a scuptural masterpiece- how can nutrition be squeezed into something so exquisitively thin? That fat guy from Ipswich would struggle on this diet! The sliced cucumber tasted nice! Congratulations to Bill and Paul- twenty four hours late- I gather Danny Griffiths had announced the event to come under Knebworth 1st teams's 'fact of the week' the day before.

Knobs 'fact of the week'- John Boyle commits to family- misses game to go to Southend to watch a game with brothers, Ray and Rob. AAH there's nice boyo!

Harpenden Rovers 1 Knobs 1

First the game. A fairly fought innocuous sort of affair, I thought, from my position as linesman throughout. Apart from some blatant hacks on Gavin and a slap in the face by Phil, for which he was booked, it was a torpid affair. Some may see it as a good result in hindsight- I thought, with our personnel we should have wiped them out. There you are- opinions. Their keeper saved five times brilliantly and denied us certain goals. They rarely threatened. With a distinct advantage, second half, downslope and a burgeoning wind behind them their sole tactic seemed to be their own goalkicks. Their fleet footed forward stood 30 yards beyond our back four awaiting a titanic launch which rarely came and when it did Trevor simply teased it from his toecaps in the area. Well I suppose they had a tactic. Did we? Gavin, first half on the left was breathtakingly fast, leading to keeper saves and a hack down for a penalty from which Steve missed- it bobbled with goalie going wrong way and trickled past the post! We made some changes with Dave deputising at centre forward, right back, centre half and left back, the boy was all over the place and hacked noone. Chris Wilson had an outstanding game and John Boyle proved to be an excellent right back when placed there. We took the lead when Matt charged down a goalie's clearance with the ball falling invitingly to Mike- he doesn't miss those- often. They equalised with a soft one- admittedly- but apart from a a couple of saves from Trevor and a head off the line from John they hardly threatened. Man of the match? Their goalkeeper.
We retired for excellent snacks and bottles of beer to their clubhouse where MFI furniture is having a renaissance, then went home. Just as I was approaching my front door I was accosted by John and Phil and we adjourned to the Station for a couple. Same clientele, perhaps a little fatter and it still stinks, more so without the fragrant masking of tobacco fumes.

Tactics. It's vets football so you have try hard but also be aware of the limitations nowadays of your teammates. Like slowing down a bit and not being available. Understood!
In Gavin we have a resource not likely to be matched by oppositions. Agreed? Now Gavin might want to be a bit more involved in footballing build up play of a purist sort but above all else he is a Billy Whizz awaiting the welly up and over or around or anywhere in the last third. I'm sure some will not agree, well they are wrong.
Somehow, even though we are unbeaten in the last five games, we are not playing as well as last season and it's not due to individual foibles. I recognise that Steve is not the Martin, Richard or Phil type of midfielder but who else passes short or long with such zip and accuracy? Noone.
Playing Steve as one of two forwards, on the other hand reduces his effectiveness markedly. So what to be done.
In a 4-4-2 the two wide midfielders have to tuck in far more and support and rule the middle. Give them the space out wide, most teams don't know what to do with it. We want a compact centre and if they progress down the wings we will have enough players in the middle, behind the ball to move over and cover or in the ulikely event of them creating a crossing opportunity wide, we will have numbers in the middle to deal with any threat.
Another method, 4-4-3. Again we would depend on personnel. This would have Steve lurking behind the front two with 3 midfielders behind him. This would be fine if the two fullbacks were fit and eager enough to keep filling the wide spaces up AND back again. See who is available.
Then there is the diamond. Fabio said to me........ perhaps we should forgo this.
The best tactical set up would probably be 1-4-4- 3 but we don't cheat but it's worth a thought when playing underage sides.
Fair wind to your arses.

Ron

Knobs 2 Birchanger 1

The rain has arrived thus ending dessicated, bouncy pitches the likes of which we played on yesterday- until some other climatic excuse arises!
Four wins in a row, is that right, and we haven't played remotely well as a team yet!
Next week a league tester away to Harpenden Rovers and a number of absentees already announced.
After Friday's team meet and tashin session those that attended emerged fit and rashless.
A couple of lads carrying injuries on the day made subbing a little easier but not much.
The first 15 minutes most of the players were individually poor and 'playing' at walking pace thus as a team we were not there.
Things improved so much so that by the end of the game I noticed players bursting guts with pace and effort and it made you wonder what triggers this effort that wasn't there 'early doors' (don't you hate that phrase).
We were very much in control for a large part of the game and when we did play simple football from front to back, there was so much space and control it looked easy. Steve Bull is there for a reason keep using him or he'll take root and turn into a very pretty tree.
A reasonable move saw the ball present itself to Alistair, a few yards out, he desisted from the first time lash with the right and after a series of contortions in and and around his left foot he let fly and netted comfortably , to his intense pleasure.
The second arrived mid second half when from a Bully corner, Dave 'hacker' Jordan sidefooted home before hobbling back to the half way line, boot in hand!!!!
They scored direct, more or less, perhaps less, from a corner, with 10 minutes left. We were left with the unedifying sight of a handbags exchange between bristling Dave and their non bristling full back. The final whistle went in lieu of the first bell but everyone went home. Pub poorly attended in the last of the summer sun.