Hemel latic

18 hours ago, Can Neil Redfearn Do It said:

Dickenson would be a better bet at wingback (on either side) than practically every name mentioned above, and certainly Hogan

With Dickenson, either his legs have gone or he just isn't fit enough. Either way there's no chance he could play wing back.

17 hours ago, Stainrod said:

Thought Walker is injured?

Walker was on the bench v. Eastleigh.

I think they announced it on the stream commentary, 2000+, obviously not authoritative enough for the stats!

Thanks for the clarification.

Am I right in thinking Eastleigh points haven't been added to league tables yet?

McGahey is the man in possession after the win over Eastleigh. Conlon is clearly a very good footballer but he was awful against Kidderminster (weren't they all).

Sometimes the best team is not necessarily your best eleven players. 

The midfield three against Eastleigh would stay for me until there's reason to change it. Would hope the three clear days between h=games means there's no need to rotate on Saturday.

1 hour ago, Lee Sinnott said:

Nothing new from McGahey. He'll play well for two games and revert back to the usual fat shit that he usually is...

Unnecessary personal abuse, you're better than that.

From a public safety perspective it would be sensible to give Chesterfield the whole of the Chaddy End. It probably still won't be enough but at least you're mitigating some of the issues caused by away fans in the home stands. 

17 hours ago, deckyd said:

Don't believe it is, or will be his best position by any means but certainly think he's our best option currently.  Played okay against Maidenhead at right back, worth another run surely. I've no clue where Lundstram would be best suited to get a game out of him.

Altrincham perhaps?

8 minutes ago, TheBigDog said:

What, not even the Play Off Final at Wemberlee?

Not sure Bromley v. Gateshead is that attractive a proposition.

56 minutes ago, andy_b_100 said:

The smaller clubs are treating thier time at Boundary Park as a cup final and constantly raise thier game and use our booing and silence as a weapon. If Kiddermister played like that every week they and those around them would all be in the top half. I dont care about the how or even who we play if we score more than the opposition or at the very least as many as them. I cant fathom though for the life of me why we appear not to be able to pass ot control a football or why we appear so laclustre or is it the runs are made and not seen ? I though Hammond was having a great game and was unlucky to come off before Lundstrom, unfortunately he had the best chance of the half, which if it fell to either Dallas or Garner maybe there wouldnt be a desire for the thread at all !! I dont care about the form table, I care about the table and this is the highest we have been for some time, so for now Im happy. 

 

I said after about 10 games that it appears when Kitching has a bad game .. they all seem to. He has not had a good February at all...... in fact we played better when he was injured/poorly last week. 

Lundstram's number was on the board to come off for Green just before Kidderminster went 2-1 up, when they scored they changed their minds and hooked Hammond instead.

I am very optimistic about Hammond. He's got a great engine, decent pace, progressive, decent footballer. Hopeful of great things from him over the next couple of years.

442 surely? Worked a treat against Maidehead. Garner should definitely play unless in the red zone, Fondop too.

Dallas looks like he desperately needs 90 minutes, bit like Willoughby, but I don't think he gets it unless someone else needs a breather.

Hudson

Sutton; Hobson (or Raglan); Hogan; Kitching

Green; Sheron; Conlon; Hammond

Fondop; Garner

I reflected on the points made by @BP1960 and @Worcester Owl as I watched a 16yo play for Barcelona in the CL last night. But I also remember the siren calls for Jake Forshaw to be given a go last season.

For me, I trust in the manager to decide when the time is right to blood Atherton (great name by the way, Alfie Atherton, could have come straight out of the 60s) and am similarly excited to see what he's got.

1 hour ago, BP1960 said:

 

Not so with this lad IMO. I saw him take a battering from 4  6ft + defenders who targetted him and came back for more, even giving some a taste of their own medicine.

Kidderminster won't be able to handle him I'm convinced of that.

Rarely seen such ability and desire in a young player.

MM needs the courage to start him I'd say on the right wing.

 

 

 

 

 

Given your endorsement I'm really excited to see him when he gets his chance.

7 minutes ago, BP1960 said:

 

Atherton is ready to start, he's no shrinking violet and despite being able to run at defenders, cross the ball and shoot on sight

his tackling back is tremendous.

I don't know why MM won't play him as in training he will be just the same. If he can take Manchester United u21s apart and score against them Kidderminster will hold no fears.

An 11, 000 crowd urging him on will be perfect.

I know you're a fan of Atherton, and I'm keen to see him play and do well, but lots of our loans have demonstrated there's a gulf between U21 and senior football, even at National League level.

9 minutes ago, yarddog73 said:

I know Kitching has probably done enough to be considered for player of the season but playing him so high up in midfield exposes him, you then have Raglan whose playing left sided centre back where he's just not as comfortable, it appears Mellon picks the eleven he trusts most and hopes they can then go out and do enough, we very nearly did the job last night and had little worry other than going asleep for the York goal, my gut was Hudson could of done better but I'd have to watch it back but nevertheless it was poor defending and it cost us. It's not the end of the world but it's another opportunity missed to close up on the top two. We're right in the mix still with some big players to come back so no real need to panic.

 

I notice Alfie Atherton is now in the matchday squads, he's the type who could come on in a game like that a make a difference a bit like Green last night, I'm hoping Mellon is brave and finds a place for him on the bench in the next couple of weeks, might add some value to him if others are sniffing around as well.

We are light in respect of game changers on the bench. Bit surprised Hallam Hope seems to have drifted out of the picture. Although game changer might be a bit of a stretch his legs and engine have been used to good effect late on in games. Haven't seen Atherton play but also noticed he was in the 18 at Maidenhead on Saturday. 

44 minutes ago, Lee Sinnott said:

Hopcutt has gone back to that team who he used to play for. The one Graham Potter managed...

Austerlands, or maybe Ostersunds. One or the other.

15 minutes ago, TheBigDog said:

 

Melon has brought in six players since he took over.

 

Three of them: Dallas, Walker & Sachdev were not even in the squad last night (the first two have hardly featured since joining).
A fourth player, Hammond, was hauled off after 52 minutes.

Garner played last night but seemed to spend most of the game either on his arse or embroiled in niggling altercations.

Conlon was average at best and doesn’t seem to trust his right foot…

 

Melons tactics, and the way he set up last night, were baffling. He also only used one of his three available substitutes - why? And there was no striker on the bench too - the Reid situation needs sorting.

 

The standard of football and style of play was desperate last night - horrible football.

 

Oh… and we still got a point

 

And yet, the longest active unbeaten away run (8) in the National Leagues.  

8 hours ago, Sloshed Joe said:

Mellon said in his post match interview that Green came off on Saturday with a knock, so couldn’t play 90 tonight but was always gonna come on at some point.

 

Also said none of the injured lot likely to be back for Saturday, maybe Dallas.

 

Has it ever been confirmed that Walker is injured? He just disappeared without a mention.

Walker has a thigh strain so longer term injury than either Dallas or Norwood.

Fondop first Oldham player to score in three consecutive games this season.

4 minutes ago, Bobledgersheart said:

Mellon said it was sickness when interviewed.

Thanks, I should never have doubted @trickyrickyholden. Hopefully nothing too serious and he'll be back soon. I notice York have signed a highly regarded youngster from Leeds, wide player, not sure if he's right or left footed. Might give Hogan a stiffer test at LB than Maidenhead managed, assuming Kitch is still ill. Tbf, Hogan has been one of our best players this season and he had a very good game on Saturday.

25 minutes ago, trickyrickyholden said:

Kitch was illness rather than injury.

I'll take your word for it but was described as injury on the official twitter feed when the team was announced.

Btw, does anyone know what injury kept Kitch out of the game on Saturday? 

Just hope we come out of the traps as quickly as we did on Saturday. No resting on laurels, no feeling our way into the game, get into it from the first pass, first tackle, first shot on goal. Think the inclusion of Sheron and Sutton helps in this respect, both positive players. Looking forward to see how Oli Hammond, the human perpetual motion machine, acquits himself after a stellar performance v. Maidenhead (would love to see his GPS stats, the ground that lad covered on Saturday, great engine). Lots of reasons for optimism, please be more of a Maidenhead performance than a Borethem Wood.

12 hours ago, AlanGrovesFanClub said:

He did indeed. I think he's an example of a player who has been greatly improved by the current management team. Previous manager said that he couldn't manage 90 minutes, now he's doing it twice in a week. Previously he was a walking red card, now he still has all the passion but looks much less of a sending off risk. 

He is as fit as the proverbial butcher's dog right now. Was looking as strong in the 90th minute as the 1st on Saturday and he deserves credit for that as much as those around him that have helped improve his fitness.

Impulse control also seems to have improved, as others have noted. I don't think he liked the stiff fine he received for the endlessly avoidable red he got at Solihull. Neither did Mrs Fondop going off the phone in!

I still think he's got a red in him because of the way he plays and the fact that he's in a battle with their centre halves. I think some refs get him, and some don't. Although the ref on Saturday wasn't perfect I really liked the spirit in which he referred the game - he let the players express themselves and didn't get in the way of the rather lengthy goal celebrations - it was a quiet word here and there, cards largely kept in his pocket, sensible. But I think Mike riles the more, er, punctilious officials.

But yeah, well done Mellon and Brabin, he does look a better player (although regular starts might have helped with that) and let's hope his partnership with Garner continues to flourish in the absence of Mr Norwood.  

Fondop's different to any of the others in his ability to brutalise opposition defenders, scare the living bejesus out of them and make them panic. If we lose Fondop we lose the long ball. For me it's Fondop and one other.

I hadn't seen much from Garner in his first couple of games, may have been as a result of watching on tv, or because we were poor in those games but he really shone as a clever player on Saturday. He's always trying to find space although we rarely found him with the pass but hopefully that will come. Cute finish for his goal, also won more headers than he could have been expected to given the size of opponents he was challenging. 

IF we carry on in this fashion it's a nice problem to have when Norwood returns, he can be reintroduced from the bench rather than rushed back.

I do think with Will Sutton and Nathan Sheron's performances on Saturday that we are seeing the value of competition for places, they both came back better than when they were left out.