Thoughts on the Daggers game.

[Hempstead Gaz]

Well deserved 3 points. The score could have been 6-3. We played some really nice, pretty, effective football for 60 minutes. Then when D&R started clogging Moussa everytime he got near the ball we resorted to hoofing the ball upfield. it was only then we looked a bit suspect.

WILKO "THROW THE BALL OUT OCCASIONALLY!!!!!" When this happens we get possesion, and look very dangerous on the break.

 

Yop marks to the reserve centre half (Romoul?). Looked very powerful and composed. A debut to be proud of.

I'm not going to single out anyone else as I thought it was a solid team performance, with no dazzling stars on the night.

[Stu B]

Hmmmmm...i wasn't to convinced by old Romould Mcdonald( <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> )..i thought our best players were the three that needed to prove a point...wilko and manny for being dropped on saturday and moussa that he can play 90 minutes!I'm obviously very happy with the win but with no disrespect to Dagenham, against better sides we can't afford to gift the opposition that many chances,or indeed to miss that many..

[carjam]

Great game. Great entertainment. Both teams deserve loads of credit. Both should have had a penalty. Both had plenty of chances. Could have been 10-6 or 2-6. Dosent matter it finished 2-1 and the score was about right. New defender did well. So did Wilkerson. They all did.

[Hempstead Gaz]

FleetBoy said "Hmmmmm...i wasn't to convinced by old Romould Mcdonald"

. Considering it was his first team debut, was playing alongside Jay who is also a makeshift (albeit a very good) centre half, Romould did all that was asked. No obvious nerves, commanding in the air, solid in the tackle, and even tried to pass the ball. Don't forget, he was filling the boots of the likes of Porter, Moore and Shearer, all experienced and high class Conference defenders.

Our main problem was not the defence, but the 5 or 6 open goals we missed!!!

 

[Alan W (GNFC)]

Quote:

carjam said:
Both should have had a penalty. .

A penalty? Thought we potentially should have had 2 - the handball claim in the first half and the foul on Moussa in the second.

Equally, they had a handball claim (didnt look as clear, though) and their Centre Forward went down (perhaps rather too dramatically?) when he tried to turn Saunders(I think)

Wilko made two or three outstanding saves - that one from the header in the first half and the tip onto the bar in the second (although the ref didnt see it that way as he gave a goalkick), but what happened to him with the goal?? Looked a real gift to Moore.

I thought we looked good when Manny or Moussa had the ball pushing forward, but there were certainly several defensive scares - then to be fair, a Centre Half on debut and Saunders, who isnt a specialist centre half wouldnt be our first choice pairing.

This league really does seem to be wide open this season - Barnet have lost at home to Burton tonight, so we're now only 5 points off the top again (although still only 6th).

Our opponents on Saturday will again be missing one of their players, as Williams was sent off for Accrington tonight. I guess we will be back to full strength, as Moore will be available again, and potentially Shearer as well - even Porter will hopefully be close to getting back to fitness, although I guess its doubtful that he'd be match ready.

[Hempstead Gaz]

I agree, Alan that Manny and Moussa scare the pants of defenders. I wish they were a little more clinical in their finishing, though.

It would be interesting to see Pinns play in the hole behind Manny and Roy, with Mossa providing the width. I don't know who I would leave out though.

Who would be a manager?

[Graham S]

Thought we opened up huge holes in the Daggers defence at times, but once they muscled their way back & got a goal, you could see they are no mugs. Thought they looked good from dead balls throughout - apart from that classic ballsup in the last quarter.

 

With clinical finishing, Manny would have had a hat trick, Moussa would have put his chance away & we'd have won 5-1. Still, could have thrown it away after they equalized, so who am I to criticise? (Especially when I videod the stand roof for our 1st goal & some [***!!***] kid returning from the toilet/burger bar for the 2nd.)

 

Graham S

[Matt (GNFC)]

I thought Romauld looked highly suspect in the first 20 minutes but got better as the game went on and had a decent second half against a very good striker in Chris Moore of Dagenham. Thought Manny was outstanding tonight, he makes things happen and creates chances which is what u want. Good performance by Moussa as well who was superb down the flank. Good to have Skins back, still not convinced by Proths defending ability but we won and thats the main thing. We will need to be defensively tighter on Saturday though to get anything out of the game. Lets hope Roy scores on Saturday, no doubt with his head of course !!

[Richard C]

Thought Romauld? Was extremely good.... it takes plenty of games to settle in but he only needed 20mins or so... looked a good centre back... Wilko had a great game... could hardly fault him... their goal was a scramble and the keeper generally has no chance with those... Roy needs a goal you can see he is lacking confidence...

[smithyman]

Some great saves from Wilko when it mattered.

As usual Proths looked better going forward - bit of an up and down game.

Good to see Skins back in defence - hardly made a mistake all night.

Jay had a great game as make shift centre half.

Romauld also had a mainly solid game - won most things in the air and settled in well.

Thought Macca had an excellent game and great positional sense to score the first goal.

Another solid performance from Ben - definitely feel he's improving as the season goes on.

Great start by Jacko - overall good performance but I felt he tired towards the end of the game.

If Moussa had put his chances away he'd have been man of the match by a street.

Thought Manny had his best game that I've seen - really looked for the ball and did much more chasing down than he normally does.

And Roy had another really good game - shame he didn't score because he deserved it for all the effort he put in.

 

Ref left a bit to be desired - missed what looked to me like handball on the line, allowed too much pushing and shoving by the Dagenham players - but we have to be thankful that he waved away two penalty shouts that I'm sure other refs would have given, especially the one involving Moore and Jay.

Great first half by the whole team - lots of good passing and movement. Second half not so good - midfield tended to defend deeper and let Dagenham come onto us and we had to then resort to hoofing it up to Manny and Roy. But overall a good performance and we are back to winning ways.

[mikefleet]

well done Andy Ford on changing the side and bring in a solid team.

We now can see Moussa and Manny are perfect together and i didn't know Moussa was that fast, faster than i thought he was. and no subs used, really should of been 8-2 Moussa missed about 3, Manny 2 and Roy 1. How Wilko keep that shot out in the first was unbelivable.

 

WELL DONE

[James]

So Andy will probably drop Moussa, Manny, and Wilko for the Accrington game and bring in Louis up front Drury on right and Mitten back in goal then,

[Bill Kent]

Cynic

[jc]

Quote:

Alan W (GNFC) said:

A penalty? Thought we potentially should have had 2 - the handball claim in the first half and the foul on Moussa in the second.

I thought the handball shout looked more like chest really, whereas theirs when Moore went down looked a lot more plausible. Generally the rub of the green went against the Daggers - especially when Skins cleared one off the line and it just came too quickly at Tim Cole and he put it wide.

Nonetheless, the win's the main thing after two defeats. Generally in agreement with those above - as Matt says, Romuald improved as the game went on, and Manny and Wilko were particularly impressive. Nearly a great goal for Manny at the end, when he just took on one too many players before having his shot blocked.

[CC]

We passed the ball a lot better last night, and Manny was always the link- fantastic performance. Personally I thought he and Protheroe shone in the first half.

 

Very pleased to see Sidibe can play 90 minutes at the same pace, and doesnt abandon the defence like Kwashi used to! Great closing down by the forwards last night.

 

Macca and Ben were solid, and Skins produced his reliable hustling resistance.

Jacko- provided useful balance, and some great crosses. He may not be able to take on people so much, but we all know he carries the spirit of the team, and has a much better attitude than Lovell.

Saunders- a rock, in a less familiar role.

Bouadji- a decent debut, used his physical advantage in a duku/barnett-like way; no messing around.

Wilko- more than proved himself as the number 1

Essandoh- a reliable presence

 

Man of the match: He's short, he's quick, his name's a porno flick...

[James]

There was just a hint of sarcasim in my posting

[David Holden]

Quote:

James said:
There was just a hint of sarcasim in my posting

And what should we do to indicate sarcasm? <img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

[CC]

there was a hint of lemon in mine.

[Alan W (GNFC)]

Difficult to tell on both their penalty claim and ours at the far end, given that I was the other end of the ground. I thought the Moussa incident at our end was pretty clear though.

[Guest]

i look at your forum now and then you go on like you should win every game last nights game if you think you played well you could only win 2-1 against a poor team with players missing you win win against weak teams and you get carried away your world winners come up against 2 good teams and loose sat your lose again then your be on your forum saying it;s this players thougth you won;t make the play off;s and you could never make the leaque and there already talk that your manger as been talking to a top team in this leaque for 1-2 seasons on if don;t make it this season will win it next year i should no was there when meeting took place watch this space