Today at Beaconsfield.

4 down at half time. Didn't see that coming!

All i can say is we were fxxxxxx crap,look like a team of hasbeens,no effort no passion in fact no nothing
sorry but true

APPAULING

Last Saturday we laughed as Bedfont strikers fluffed chance after chance wondering what would have happened if they had had their shooting boots on.

Well today we found oppo strikers with more than an eye for goals and we were punished time after time. Back to the drawing board and that's putting it very politely.

This is not simply a case of me saying 'I told you so', but what the hell am going to any way.... I told you so!

I suggested a few matches ago that the test for these youngsters will come when they go a couple of goals down or in yesterdays case four down!

Only then we see their metal, resilience, capabilities and which if them would show any penchant to go missing

I also suggested that the one thing these boys so obviously miss is a leader, one that can talk, scream and and bicker at them through 90 minutes, and my wasn't that so evident, first Saturday and even more so again yesterday

It was 90 minutes-certainly 45 minutes- of total and utter naivity.

Beaconsfield played a very old fashioned but very effective 4-3-3 with all three forwards being very sharp and very nippy, and no-one appeared to have a notion how to deal with them

Over and over again their midfield trio (and thats what really pissed me off, how the hell were there midfield trio allowed to completely boss and dominate our four)simply played through or more accurately over us

The time they all had, the space they were given was bluntly, embarrasing to all involved. They were continually sending long rapier like balls over the the top of the back four and over and over again we couldn't deal with them.
Thats not saying they were hoofing the ball they weren't, these were passes directed into specifically and pre-determined areas of the pitch and designed simply to turn our back four which they did and for the forwards to run onto which again they gleefully did

For some reason the back four continued to play almost on the half way line and time and time again their three forwards exploited the huge volume of space behind them.

It really was painful to watch.

Though the first goal came from a corner when the boys gave their number 8 the freedom of Slough to unchallenged, head the ball home, the other three all came from our opponents long diagonal tactic and whilst most certainly we still had a glaring opportunity to clear goals two and four, in fairness, as he did pretty much for 90 minutes the only reason it wasn't more, and trust me, it could have been a lot more, was the heroics of our custodian who was probably the only player to come out with real credit

The two M's up front might as well had deckchairs.

We have spoken many times before about the lack of creativity and lack of service to whichever combination of players starts up front recieves, well yesterdays first half surpassed all previous levels of ineptness in this department by bloody miles.

I lost count of how many times the midfield tried to bring the ball 'across' the park where inavariably they got dispossed.
How many times they then gave the ball away, either because they seem incapable of playing an easy ball 'when what the hell' a 50 yard one will always do much better, and worse because they think they all have the dribbling attributes of Ronaldo...let me tell you boys....you dont!

At least we didn't capitulte though. When they came out for the second half at least the back four dropped a lot deeper which restricted the areas their marauding front line could sprint into, and somehow even though being frank, 4-2 probably flattered us the boys managed to sneak back into the game

Halfway through the second period Miller played a great one two with Keiron and my word didn't the skipper finish with aplomb, what a finish.
Ten minutes after that Miller then had a half hearted attempt at goal which to me as it travelled at about 3mph was obviously mis-hit and though on target it looked to all that it would be a simple case for the left back to clear the ball. Obviously not the case as he somehow contrived to smash the ball into the back of the net...well thank you kindly sir.
Not sure as a forward though I if Miller will want to claim it, by definition I guess he is entitled to, but regardless of that irrelevance somehow we were now 4-2 down and in truth could have closed the gap even further in the last ten minutes when we had several half decent albeit scambled chances, which to be fair though would have been a very unfair reflection on our opponents overall dominance

I do actually take some positives, some heart from the fact that collectively the boys heads didn't go down though and I hope they do as well because they easily could have
After 45 minutes what I feared most was a total mauling didn't materialise,and that is to their credit, and if the lessons are learnt from that first 45 minutes, which they bloody should be, this performance, certainly the first half old fashioned gubbing they took could prove to be a blessing in disguise

With an average age of twelve, who when Liz is called into action get treated with the biggest bottle of Calpol I have ever seen, they are obviously still learning their trade and indeed have much to learn, but if this, and to be fair Saturday prove to be an important part of their education then I am happy to accept what was the most embarrasing 45 minutes I have seen in many a year

Maybe the club, like Arsenal will give all us travellers who were there, free entry into the next event as a gesture.....then again maybe not!

Come on boys regroup for Saturday and from somewhere please god someone find us a skipper.No reflection on Ben who like everyone I rate very highly but an old wisened pro who knows every trick and who will be the influence these kids need

Biley wasn't at the last two games and in both we should have been stuffed. Saturday we got away with it but at SYCOB we didn't. Am I the only one to think that's the only thing that has changed? Mark and the Assistant Manager spent a lot of the game on Monday discussing between themselves tactics, or I assume that's what they were discussing BUT there was no communication with the players on the field that I could see, absolutely none!

In the words of Mr Fish "BBB"

mikefarquharson wrote:Biley wasn't at the last two games and in both we should have been stuffed. Saturday we got away with it but at SYCOB we didn't. Am I the only one to think that's the only thing that has changed? Mark and the Assistant Manager spent a lot of the game on Monday discussing between themselves tactics, or I assume that's what they were discussing BUT there was no communication with the players on the field that I could see, absolutely none!

In the words of Mr Fish "BBB"

If you thought that after Monday Mike, god knows where you sit on the subject. Is it a pure coincidence, who knows mate, but the constructive commentary coming from the touch lines hasn't been overly uplifting, and to be more frank it hasn't been that constructive either

Alan likes Mark, and vice versa they appeared to compliment each other, but as I dont think AB will be coming bak, and am sorry for sying this but I think Mark needs a different assistant, someone who can help spot all the things that are going wrong at the moment, of which there are loads

...and they do still need a captain!

"...and they do still need a captain!"


Must admit I find Kieran to be a strange choice for skipper in Ben's absence, given his history with the club last season when he went missing for a while. But regardless of that he doesn't strike me as a leader on the pitch, especially when Greg Williams is around.

Meady for me.

Imp wrote:"...and they do still need a captain!"


Must admit I find Kieran to be a strange choice for skipper in Ben's absence, given his history with the club last season when he went missing for a while. But regardless of that he doesn't strike me as a leader on the pitch, especially when Greg Williams is around.

Maybe a few years ago Greg would have been a natural choice, but to do so now, as popular an individual as he is being Captain pre-supposes that he is in the team, and being honest I dont personally see how that can happen.

He simply isn't mobile enough and most certainly as he did a couple of times, not upfront

Even Ben regardless of his importance when playing to me is not captain material, forget all that lead by example malarkey what a crock of shite.

Dave Mckay or Dave Beckham?
Tony Adams or Theiry Henry?
Steven Gerrard or Cesc Fabregas?

Thats what we are missing especially with our youngsters you need someone who verbally can embrace, rally, cajole and organise...and all for £100+ a week

For an application form contact Aylesbury FC immediately!