HomeA very dispiriting performance in my opinion.
I thought we were poor at Cradley on Thursday,we should be dominating teams of this level ( even in pre season ),i'm not a fan of the old "it's the fitness gained that counts" mantra that get's trotted out by managers at all levels,class should show through but we are only seeing it in fleeting moments during pre season and those moments invariably involve Insall,Kristien Green and Lee Chilton.
Today we were rescued late on by another clinical piece of opportunism from Jamie Insall ( our only real shot on goal in a dreadful second half ),without Jamie on the pitch our forward line is non existent,the paucity of striking options is alarming to be honest.
I know i'm regarded as a moaner,glass always half empty,yet today i overheard a conversation between two stalwarts of the club support staff who were both saying we need not one but two quality strikers and fast!
Sadly,the remaining players from our halcyon days of the last few seasons are for me some of the weakest links during the five pre season games i've watched so far,solid squad members yes,first team regulars from this point forward…….sadly no.
The Alvechurch goal came as a result of "schoolboy" defending by right wing back Conolly.
On a sloping pitch like Alvechurch,even when my Sunday League side played there a few seasons ago,the defenders were warned to make an allowance for the slope when the opposition were looking to play a ball "in behind" down the line or on a long diagonal,you have to drop off just a tad to allow for the slope but Conolly was done like a kipper with the ball over his head and the run and finish for the Alvechurch lad was made very simple.
Peirpoint was constantly having to remind his forwards to close opposition defenders who were getting all the time in the world to pick their heads up,carry the ball forward and find a pass,at least when Insall is on NO defender get's a free pass,he chases everything.
I was particularly disappointed to see McPike turn his back on a defender having gifted him a ball with a poor pass,there is no excuse EVER on the pitch at any level not to close a player down and to put a shift in,if people like Ian Rush and Mark Hughes could do it then for anyone playing at Stour's level it should by the minimum requirement.
I think the time for experimenting is now over,the remaining friendlies should be about getting a settled side ready for the Whitby match.
For me the players that have cemented a place for the first eleven are,
Charlie Price g/k
Kristien Green r/b or wingback
Peirpoint c/h
Tonks Defensive mid
Louis Harris
Chilton
Dodd
Insall
For me only those 8 are nailed on starters in whichever formation we go with,Haywood also looks like he may be a cut above and might break in and although young Baldwin has been quieter in the last two games he'd definitely be on the bench for me and getting a run out after 70 minutes.
I think we need to find another quality centre half,a left back of the quality of Green and at least one proven 30 goals a season centre forward before we kick off.
If we don't find that forward and we go with what we've presently got i think the season is going to be a massive struggle.
Just my opinion of course but i am concerned at present.
By the way,great to see Ben Billingham in his kit having the pre match kick about today.Credit to Ben,he looks like he's in very good shape physically and once he get's that leg built up again i very much look forward to seeing him flying out there again.
I thought we were poor at Cradley on Thursday,we should be dominating teams of this level ( even in pre season ),i'm not a fan of the old "it's the fitness gained that counts" mantra that get's trotted out by managers at all levels,class should show through but we are only seeing it in fleeting moments during pre season and those moments invariably involve Insall,Kristien Green and Lee Chilton.
Today we were rescued late on by another clinical piece of opportunism from Jamie Insall ( our only real shot on goal in a dreadful second half ),without Jamie on the pitch our forward line is non existent,the paucity of striking options is alarming to be honest.
I know i'm regarded as a moaner,glass always half empty,yet today i overheard a conversation between two stalwarts of the club support staff who were both saying we need not one but two quality strikers and fast!
Sadly,the remaining players from our halcyon days of the last few seasons are for me some of the weakest links during the five pre season games i've watched so far,solid squad members yes,first team regulars from this point forward…….sadly no.
The Alvechurch goal came as a result of "schoolboy" defending by right wing back Conolly.
On a sloping pitch like Alvechurch,even when my Sunday League side played there a few seasons ago,the defenders were warned to make an allowance for the slope when the opposition were looking to play a ball "in behind" down the line or on a long diagonal,you have to drop off just a tad to allow for the slope but Conolly was done like a kipper with the ball over his head and the run and finish for the Alvechurch lad was made very simple.
Peirpoint was constantly having to remind his forwards to close opposition defenders who were getting all the time in the world to pick their heads up,carry the ball forward and find a pass,at least when Insall is on NO defender get's a free pass,he chases everything.
I was particularly disappointed to see McPike turn his back on a defender having gifted him a ball with a poor pass,there is no excuse EVER on the pitch at any level not to close a player down and to put a shift in,if people like Ian Rush and Mark Hughes could do it then for anyone playing at Stour's level it should by the minimum requirement.
I think the time for experimenting is now over,the remaining friendlies should be about getting a settled side ready for the Whitby match.
For me the players that have cemented a place for the first eleven are,
Charlie Price g/k
Kristien Green r/b or wingback
Peirpoint c/h
Tonks Defensive mid
Louis Harris
Chilton
Dodd
Insall
For me only those 8 are nailed on starters in whichever formation we go with,Haywood also looks like he may be a cut above and might break in and although young Baldwin has been quieter in the last two games he'd definitely be on the bench for me and getting a run out after 70 minutes.
I think we need to find another quality centre half,a left back of the quality of Green and at least one proven 30 goals a season centre forward before we kick off.
If we don't find that forward and we go with what we've presently got i think the season is going to be a massive struggle.
Just my opinion of course but i am concerned at present.
By the way,great to see Ben Billingham in his kit having the pre match kick about today.Credit to Ben,he looks like he's in very good shape physically and once he get's that leg built up again i very much look forward to seeing him flying out there again.