tonights debacle

[Deja Blue]

SPINELESS & EMBARASSING.

[bomberbass]

oh dear what happened

[richards]

Embarrassing yes but the players worked hard within the resources they had.

 

I would put this defeat firmly at the door of management. The forum has seem a lot of antagonistic debate about Chelmsford which added further spice to a local derby and motivation to a Chelmsford team who have been playing well recently.

 

We needed to come out with the best team available to match them. I suspect we had a number of injuries or not available but my heart sank when the team was announced. It seemed pretty clueless putting in 2 kids who have hardly played all season in a match that was always going to be very competitive. I felt really sorry for Jamie Smith and Chris Bourne who had no chance of adapting to the pace of the game. They were both lucky to stay on the pitch due to woefully mistimed but not malicious tackles.

 

Then we have the tactical nonsense of playing a very left footed Ross Wareham on the right wing. He had to cut in all the time on to his left and consequently did not get to the byline once and deliver any of the crosses he is capable of. Even when Chris was substituted, the logical reshuffle of Ross to the left did not happen even though several times he was in discussion with Neil Cousins a right footed player positioned on the left wing!! What sense is there in that.

 

Justin has shown on several occasions that he has little regard for some of the cup competitions. At a time when upper mid table seems our most likely position in the league, some good cup runs would at least give us something to cheer about ( particularly against our lodgers for Gods sake!!). Mr Edinburgh you seriously misjudged this one and the fans demonstrated this in a dignified way - there was almost a ghostly silence( a day late after Halloween) as our end of the ground emptied well before the final whistle.

 

So lets not spend too much time criticising the players who worked their socks of in the second half after a desperate first 45 minutes. It has been said before that they are a young team and what they need is clear tactics and guidance from the managgement team

[Tom_smalleyBTFC]

well... I thought long and hard last night about what i was going to say about the performance and generally moaned all the way home, Richards i agree with some of your points. But i thought Chris Bourne was our best player last night!

 

When i read the team sheet I was glad to see Jaime Smith given a start all though i wouldn't have played game in centre mid, very dissapointed with smith and i can see it being his last start for awhile so im guessing game will go back to right back and we will have a whole to fill in the middle, i think bourne more than proved his capability to replace dormer over the next few weeks/months he was positive!

 

Cousins i also fell ran his heart out most of the time and therefore created our ONLY chance of the second half... how many teams go in 3-1 down at half time in a cup game and create ONE chance throughout the second half! Justins supers subs reminded me or erikson..."hey were 3-1 down lets bring off our best 2 attackive players of the night (cousins and bourne) and replace them with players who should have started and hope the ref lets our have 90 minutes stoppage time to score 2 goals" Smith should of been off for poole and Elder on for Game... playing the 3 in defence leaving bourne left Wareham right hunter centre, elder, hockton, cousins and poole upfront... wareham and borune continually knock into the centre and someone is bound to get on the end of it!!

 

My Next comment is on Danny Hockton! All be it 18 months ago he was immense, scoring, running and looking like he wanted to be there... i now feel he thinks he is "better" than the others on the pitch cos he played for millwall, he is lazy, doesnt care and doesnt deserve to be in the starting 11.

 

was it a penalty or not? no one really knew what had happened from behind king's goal, i was told kerrers elbowed someone???

 

After 70 minutes i had decided that last night was by far worst than last years play-off final, when we all had a moan at justin and he threw his dummy out, last night proved he has no care for this club, he just turns up gets his cheque goes home and shags his wife!

 

last night was a shambles!!!! and as richards said it was all down to management!

[GazzaBTFC]

Quote:

Tom_smalleyBTFC said:
My Next comment is on Danny Hockton! All be it 18 months ago he was immense, scoring, running and looking like he wanted to be there... i now feel he thinks he is "better" than the others on the pitch cos he played for millwall, he is lazy, doesnt care and doesnt deserve to be in the starting 11.

Hang on, Danny is coming back from an injury. he hadn't played any football for 8 months and you want him at his best, before he was injured? It takes time. In a Premiership club, it usually takes a player 12 to 15 months to come back from that kind of injury and then they have the luxury of putting them in the reserves so they can get sharp. We don't have that luxury. The only way Danny can get his sharpness back is to play. Danny then picked up another injury and that has put back his "recovery" to form back. Better than everybody else?..I don't think so. Danny has done bloody well to get to where he is now and he is still trying to get sharper.

Were you at the Margate game where there was a marked improvement in his sharpness in front of goal which lead to him scoring the opening goal. That was an example of the progress he was making. And then he pulled up injured.

Danny wants to score goals. He is an a successful, agressive striker but one who is coming back from a long period of injury. Not a player who thinks himself "better" than anyone else...I suggest you look again.

As for the last comment concerning Justin picking up his cheque...how bloody insulting.

[Tom_smalleyBTFC]

Ifs he Not sharp enough..... Cousins and Elder should be starting ahead of him! simple as, i would much rather see 2 players who are sharp and capable of scoring goals than 1 who isnt sharp and is trying to score goals and when he doesnt is able to blame an injury! i havent seen a game this season where danny looks interested to be on the pitch!

[jl]

Chelmsford deserved to win the game, no doubt about that.

 

The scary thing for me is that if we accept that Trotty was genuinely injured then barring Pat and Nathan that was probably our best available xi.

 

I agree that Justin badly misjudged the importance to the supporters of a match against Chelmsford and the value of the "minor" cups to us now that given the apparent strength of our squad there is little else to play for. We shall see and time will tell but things don't seem to be improving (on the pitch that is).

[Tom_smalleyBTFC]

And on the edinburgh comment do you believe he is worth his money? Jones is more motviational than justin, reminds me very much or erikson/mclaren

[Paul J]

I agree with Deja Blue. That was the pits.

 

When you’ve got die hard supporters walking out at half time, some not even bothering to turn up anymore and others making arrangements to watch other local games you know something is very wrong.

 

That was a big game for the supporters last night. Not only was it against one of our fiercest rivals, it was in the County Cup (final to be played at Roots Hall remember) and it was a good opportunity to play our strongest 11 and build on an excellent first 45 minutes at Hendon last Saturday.

 

The team changes that were made were an insult to the competition and the supporters that paid to get in hoping to see us beat our local rivals.

 

We need to start seeing things change quickly or we’ll soon be playing in front on 150 people each week.

[Keith.P]

Quote:

jl said:
We shall see and time will tell but things don't seem to be improving (on the pitch that is).

Fair statement. If we were playing off the pitch this club would now be promoted. We have seen an incredible turnaround off the pitch and that is where I personally salute, and i know the good 400 hardcore do too.

It is not hard to see though that if we carry on like this on the pitch then we could be looking further down the table than up.

There did not appear to be much direction to the play last night and this cone business at half time! Please drop it.

At the end of the day it was a hurtful evening.

[GazzaBTFC]

Quote:

Tom_smalleyBTFC said:
Ifs he Not sharp enough..... Cousins and Elder should be starting ahead of him! simple as, i would much rather see 2 players who are sharp and capable of scoring goals than 1 who isnt sharp and is trying to score goals and when he doesnt is able to blame an injury! i havent seen a game this season where danny looks interested to be on the pitch!

So "better" than everyone else? And how else is he supposed to get sharp. Whereas I agree with some of your comment, he may be better off coming on with half an hour to play... but when you have a striker suspended and an 17 year old unknown, with little experienece, I would imagine that the thought process would be to go with your experieneced striker....

Wouldn't you?

[Tom_smalleyBTFC]

3 goals in 3 games is where my thought process would lead me!

[GazzaBTFC]

Quote:

Tom_smalleyBTFC said:
And on the edinburgh comment do you believe he is worth his money? Jones is more motviational than justin, reminds me very much or erikson/mclaren

So, how much is Justin earning. You appear to be putting a value on it, so you must know?

It was the personal reference I took as inapropriate. Whereas I would agree that it was a disapointing evening for us (an understatement), I see no reason to make that comment on this forum.

[GazzaBTFC]

Quote:

Paul J said:
I agree with Deja Blue. That was the pits.

When you’ve got die hard supporters walking out at half time, some not even bothering to turn up anymore and others making arrangements to watch other local games you know something is very wrong.

That was a big game for the supporters last night. Not only was it against one of our fiercest rivals, it was in the County Cup (final to be played at Roots Hall remember) and it was a good opportunity to play our strongest 11 and build on an excellent first 45 minutes at Hendon last Saturday.

The team changes that were made were an insult to the competition and the supporters that paid to get in hoping to see us beat our local rivals.

We need to start seeing things change quickly or we’ll soon be playing in front on 150 people each week.

I would agree with the sentiment. I always thought that the ESC was one of our premier competitions that we can win!!! Until last night...

[extaffyjim]

Personally i dont really care about the ESC that much. If we won it, sure id be happy, but the ones that really matter to me are the league, FAC and FAT. Doesnt look like well be having much success in these 3, so i can understand supporters being upset at losing last night. Still, i would never swap a win last night, for a win, or even a draw, on Saturday.

 

By the way, i wasnt there last night, 1st game missed this year, sounds like i picked a good one to miss. Thanks to Gaz for updating me on the old text.

[The Town Crier]

Why that team selection?

 

Well, we don’t have the luxury of a reserve side; this makes it difficult to asses individuals in a match environment, and makes it difficult for injured player to recover their match fitness.

 

This and the Eastern Floodlit competition, in this years early rounds, was and is always going to be used as a fact finding mission, the same was done last season, and from last seasons showing, we now have Tom Poole and John Simmons in our squad.

That said, It was disappointing that we have to use this game and this competition in this way. It certainly is a competition we would like to win, and one that we will give respect to when we have a reserve side. Disappointing, yes, wrong, no.

It was very important that we took a good look at certain players and give others a run out. The League will take priority over cup competitions.

 

Many comments have been made with regards to playing Jamie Smith & Chris Bourne in League games, others have said play the bench and fringe in it’s entirety for League Games. Well last night they got a game.

 

Richards felt really sorry for Jamie and Chris…why?

I bet when they were named to start they were made up, they have been with us all season, waiting for their opportunity, their opportunity to play men’s football, their opportunity to prove their worth and ability. Last night that opportunity was presented to them. Tom Poole had a similar opportunity a few weeks ago, albeit under different circumstances, and he grasped it, it looks like we may have found a gem. The ONLY way to find out a players true ability is to play him. It was the right thing to do.

 

THE most disappoint thing for me last night was the desertion by the fans, This is a non league club ffs, not the premiership!

 

So last night, Richards felt sorry for Chris Bourne and Jamie Smith, and Tom S was glad to see Jamie start, and thought Chris was our best player. It's all about opinion.

 

 

Last night’s team selection was about moving forward and improving our League position.

It was somewhat unfortunate that the draw paired us with Chelmsford, because if it had been another lower division club, our starting 11 would have been the same, but, we would not be having this debate.

[Keith.P]

Jim, the problem with last night was that we virtually had a full team out there. Chelmsford players/management wanted it more than us and that hurts. We can handle losing if we have played well, cos then we would all be saying things like "we hit the post", their keeper was outstanding, balls cleared off line" etc etc, but it was not like that last night apart from one good save.

 

Chelmsford came fully prepared and tactically spot on as they closed us down at every oppotunity, broke with speed and used the flanks well, sadly we did not. Consequently we were well and truly beaten by a better team.

 

As said before, we had the chance to progress in a cup competition that we had (lets face it) a more realistic chance of going a long way in.

 

So to Chelmsford good luck - I would like to think we will give you a game next time.

[The Agent]

Well I was at the game watching a couple of the Ricay new lads and was quite impressed with what I saw. Strikes me that your supporters want too much too soon. New clubhouse looks grand I must say. Bet that cost a few hundred grand, place looks nice and tidy as well to what it was when last I visited. All in all a club moving very firmly in the right direction. You can't have everything all at once said me old granny once when I was a youngster. She was always right.

[delboy]

I like many others was dissappointed when we did not name our 1st team squad and felt thatwe would be hard pressed to beat cmc but on reflection what choie did justin have. various peole have come on this forum saying why dont we play x and y. last night we did as je had to find out if they were up to the task in a competitive situation. What a chance they had jamie chris and Dobbo could prove how good they were and win a regular place by giving their all and impressing against a stong cmc side. They didnt more is the pity and also cousins and danny had the chance towin back their places from tom and nathan, they also did not manage to prove their worth but despite the result which we all would have loved to have been the other way round je has at least learnt which players he can rely on to take us onward and upward.

the fans who left early did not help the players or the club and I hope on reflection will return on Saturday to give their full support ( as we desperately need it).

richards comment about justin was crass and totally unnecessary and i think deserves an appology on this forum to je. whatever we think about fotball personal abuse is not the way to get things changed and I had hoped was not how civilised people of billericay acted. My advice to richards is to be a man and appologise and come down on sat and talk to people sensibly and get the full picture before hurling abuse.

appologis for the sermon but come back on sat and help us start climbing back up the league. Its not even xmas yet and nothing is ever won or lost before then.

[The Town Crier]

Quote:

The Agent said:
. All in all a club moving very firmly in the right direction. You can't have everything all at once said me old granny once when I was a youngster. She was always right.

Good point. We will win the League, maybe not this season maybe not next season, or the season after, but it WILL come our way.

Foundations have been laid on and off the field, but there's still a lot of building to do yet.
So lets be patient, and enjoy the ride. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />