MATCH: Boreham Wood (H) 04/03/23

[AnthonyOAFC]

16 minutes ago, yarddog73 said:

They brought 37 fans today and play at some glorified leisure centre, after seeing us play at Wembley a couple of times and at grounds like Anfield and Old Trafford I don't think comparing Boreham Wood to a pub team is too disrespectful.

 

I don't give a hoot what anyone says we shouldn't be looking second best to a team like that particularly at home.

 

Attendances and club history don't win games. A well run club, good recruitment and team chemistry brings success. We've had horrible ownership for years. It's just the way it is. 

 

That being said, I understand what you mean completely. I was looking at that away end today and just thought "For god sake".

[mcfluff1985]

1 hour ago, oafc1955 said:

So why sign that type of player if you don’t play to his strengths?

Maybe the plan is to at some point. Still not Nuttall's fault if we aren't is it. 

 

I've not seen a great deal from him, but I'm not writing him off until he's missing chances left, right and centre.

 

If he's getting plenty of chances and fluffing them then questions need to be asked.

 

Can't believe people are still judging how good a player is by how much he "runs around"

[Lee Sinnott]

12 hours ago, JoeP said:

We've played worse and won.

 

Started off well, which made a nice change.  

We regularly start well, don't we? It's the following 70 minutes that we usually have a problem with...

[O.A.F.C.]

9 hours ago, Dave_Og said:

It's two generations ago. It's gone. History.

Exactly, we played at Wembley 30 years ago. They played at Wembley in the play off final in 2018.

 

We obviously wasn't seen as a glamour fixture to them with their away following.  

 

Some of us need to accept we are no longer everybody's 'second favourite team'.  

[JoeP]

1 hour ago, Lee Sinnott said:

We regularly start well, don't we? It's the following 70 minutes that we usually have a problem with...

 

I've always thought we've sat back from the off, with the intention of hitting them on the break.

 

It's generally been the first 20 minutes AND the following 70 minutes that have been the problem..

[south east latic]

First 30 mins was decent and thought we took the game to Boreham Wood, playing higher up the pitch and looking like the home team for a change. Unfortunately what followed was back normal, hoofing aimlessly with no idea how to break the opposition down albeit the increased effort levels I thought were still there. 
 

The Nuttall/Fondop partnership is one that hasn’t worked up until now so not sure why we tried it again. Need Reid back asap.

 

Felt like another one of those missed opportunities where a win would have constituted a ‘run’ but instead it feels like we’re back to square one.

[Magic Mikey]

10 hours ago, mcfluff1985 said:

We're judging Nuttall as poor because he isn't a target man, not great at holding the ball up. If we got the ball to him in the box, how would he do? We don't know because it rarely happens. Fondop is a hold up player, Nuttall isn't.

 

We had a good first half, poor second half. 

 

 

Why the fuck is he starting every game if he can't adapt his game to the way we are playing? He's a passenger waiting for a penalty or a tap in. He's already missed a penalty and did an air shot over a tap in. 

Your continual defence of him, in spite of the evidence we all see on the pitch, is making you look very silly. 

[ShireBlue]

Decent enough first half. Players had their tails up and looked a bit more on the front foot. Boreham Wood came into it more and the second half was fairly poor. Over the 90 minutes I’d say it was fairly even, but the opposition took their chances late on. 
 

Midfield still a huge issue for me. We’re crying out for someone in there to put their foot on the ball and dictate play.

 

Last two home games we’ve been in the fan bar pre-game for the first time. Brilliant stuff. Been served quickly, good food, and watched the early kick-off. Think it’ll be a new routine for us now. How this hadn’t been done before I’ll never know.

[oafc1955]

9 minutes ago, ShireBlue said:

Midfield still a huge issue for me. We’re crying out for someone in there to put their foot on the ball and dictate play.

Well Unsworth got Sheff Utd’s supposedly star player to do that and like all our loanees this season failed miserably.
 

B Wood’s No.20 Zak Brunt by comparison from the opening whistle was the best player on the pitch yesterday, never gave the ball away once, confident, composed and comfortable in possession, kept their midfield ticking over, just the type of player we’re crying out for and is also on loan from Sheff Utd.

 

We never seem to get the right loan players in for some reason, maybe that will change now we have a new head of recruitment…I bloody well hope so!!

[Steve_R]

11 hours ago, AnthonyOAFC said:

I like Fondop. I really do. He isn't perfect by any means, but he's A LOT better than Nuttall. I don't know how anyone can defend Nuttall. He looks so lazy and everything he does seems so unorthodox. Playing Nuttall and Fondop just doesn't work. Within the first few minutes of Abraham coming on, he done more than Nuttall accomplished during his time on the pitch. I'm not convinced by Nuttall one bit, but he'll be starting again on Tuesday. I'm guessing Reid will start alongside him, with Fondop dropping to the bench. 

I’m beginning to agree with all these Nuttall comments. I still don’t think we use him right but the lack of service defence is often a lazy one. Strikers depend on service true, but they have to make things happen themselves too. Fondop can score a goal out of nothing, Reid creates openings with his pace, but Nuttall offers little threat. Since scoring within five minutes of his debut, the only time he’s looked like he’s got a goal in him is if we get a penalty, and he might not score that. In that time Fondop has scored five times, and even 41 year old Centre half Peter Clarke has bagged twice, despite hardly ever being on the pitch.

[nzlatic]

Since Nuttall came in our results have massively improved. Granted he’s not the only thing to have changed but it’s possible he’s playing an important role for the team that enables others to impact on the game as well. 

[yarddog73]

10 minutes ago, nzlatic said:

Since Nuttall came in our results have massively improved. Granted he’s not the only thing to have changed but it’s possible he’s playing an important role for the team that enables others to impact on the game as well. 

Nah that's bollocks, results have improved despite him and not because of him, Rooney is the key man now when he's on it we invariably get something it's no coincidence our upturn in form has been around the midfield finding a bit of form, Reid looks like the only striker out of about 8 at the club who can play a full 90 minutes at the minute which is scandalous really.

 

We still need someone to compliment Rooney in home games, two holding midfielders doesn't do it for me at home and I'd much prefer a more attacking line up but your not going to see that from Unsworth, the way he wants us to play works against the better teams Wrexham and Notts County at home spring to mind and the past two away performances as well, it's when the pub teams turn up and dig in the we don't seem to have a plan.

 

Final observation from me from yesterday was is it coincidence that when Clarke isn't brought on that we lose concentration in the last quarter of games, I know it was 0-0 yesterday but they still missed him in that last 15 holding us together, an extra body in the middle there probably would of prevented the first and similarly he'd of probably done more to prevent the second, I know it's difficult to find a starting spot for both he and the club captain but his experience at the back end of games has been invaluable recently, he's also more likely to score one than the strikers we put out on the pitch from a set piece.

[mcfluff1985]

1 hour ago, Magic Mikey said:

Why the fuck is he starting every game if he can't adapt his game to the way we are playing? He's a passenger waiting for a penalty or a tap in. He's already missed a penalty and did an air shot over a tap in. 

Your continual defence of him, in spite of the evidence we all see on the pitch, is making you look very silly. 

 

He might turn out to be the worst striker we've had. Not so much defending as saying judge him on chances. There are plenty of strikers who don't just create stuff out of thin air and need that service in the box. 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Steve_R said:

I’m beginning to agree with all these Nuttall comments. I still don’t think we use him right but the lack of service defence is often a lazy one. Strikers depend on service true, but they have to make things happen themselves too. Fondop can score a goal out of nothing, Reid creates openings with his pace, but Nuttall offers little threat. Since scoring within five minutes of his debut, the only time he’s looked like he’s got a goal in him is if we get a penalty, and he might not score that. In that time Fondop has scored five times, and even 41 year old Centre half Peter Clarke has bagged twice, despite hardly ever being on the pitch.

 

[Bobledgersheart]

12 hours ago, mcfluff1985 said:

How many clear chances has he been given and missed?

 

22 minutes ago, mcfluff1985 said:

 

He might turn out to be the worst striker we've had. Not so much defending as saying judge him on chances. There are plenty of strikers who don't just create stuff out of thin air and need that service in the box. 

 

 

 

 

The point is that he does nothing to create a chance for himself by losing or turning his marker or getting across the front post (our left back did it on Tuesday and scored !) so it's hard to judge how good a finisher he is.

The ball dropped a few times in the box yesterday (admittedly mostly in the second half) but none of our players were on the front foot and the ball was cleared. Indeed Fondop spends plenty of time out on the right wing trying to get involved instead of making a nuisance of himself in the box.

We now have a right winger who, on limited evidence, can take a man on so our strikers need to stay central and run onto crosses. 

 

As has been posted previously Nuttall and Fondop has been tried and failed plenty of times so don't understand why we reverted to that combination yesterday. Either with Reid or Abraham works better as they'd provide more mobility that we desperately need.   

[BP1960]

6 hours ago, Lee Sinnott said:

We regularly start well, don't we? It's the following 70 minutes that we usually have a problem with...

 

I thought our players were super fit now, so how come we still have the same problems as before he came?

 

[Bobledgersheart]

20 minutes ago, BP1960 said:

 

I thought our players were super fit now, so how come we still have the same problems as before he came?

 

Don't think fitness was the problem, more like they ran out of ideas.

[BP1960]

2 hours ago, Bobledgersheart said:

 

The point is that he does nothing to create a chance for himself by losing or turning his marker or getting across the front post (our left back did it on Tuesday and scored !) so it's hard to judge how good a finisher he is.

The ball dropped a few times in the box yesterday (admittedly mostly in the second half) but none of our players were on the front foot and the ball was cleared. Indeed Fondop spends plenty of time out on the right wing trying to get involved instead of making a nuisance of himself in the box.

We now have a right winger who, on limited evidence, can take a man on so our strikers need to stay central and run onto crosses. 

 

As has been posted previously Nuttall and Fondop has been tried and failed plenty of times so don't understand why we reverted to that combination yesterday. Either with Reid or Abraham works better as they'd provide more mobility that we desperately need.   

 

The formation is still dysfunctional with square pegs in round holes.

It's supposed to be a 442, but it isn't as we play a right winger - with a midfielder moved to the left from his best position.

We have a centre back at right back and a right back at centre back.

The central midfield has no prompters and probers.

The strikers don't blend.

If we can get a formation which suits every player I think with a few more dynamic  additions next season we will see a better team.

But as it is now what you see is what you get 

 

[BP1960]

4 minutes ago, Bobledgersheart said:

Don't think fitness was the problem, more like they ran out of ideas.

 

The flesh is willing, but the mind is weak you mean?

[yarddog73]

6 minutes ago, BP1960 said:

 

The formation is still dysfunctional with square pegs in round holes.

It's supposed to be a 442, but it isn't as we play a right winger - with a midfielder moved to the left from his best position.

We have a centre back at right back and a right back at centre back.

The central midfield has no prompters and probers.

The strikers don't blend.

If we can get a formation which suits every player I think with a few more dynamic  additions next season we will see a better team.

But as it is now what you see is what you get 

 

I think Green is limited but he has done so much more for the team and the balance down the right by playing in a position he is comfortable in, Rooney should stand in the centre circle and be given the ball in much the same way that Shez was, we still don't have anyone the play can go through, Sheron and Shelton are much the same, both spoilers and not ballers, I agree about the blend between midfield and attack it's none existent at times and if we can't create on the counter we look pretty toothless.

[Mayfield]

6 minutes ago, BP1960 said:

The formation is still dysfunctional with square pegs in round holes.

It's supposed to be a 442, but it isn't as we play a right winger - with a midfielder moved to the left from his best position.

@BP1960you make astute observations.

I would say that Devarn Green has been relatively effective, as a right sided player, genuinely providing an oultet on the wing.

Clearly David Unsworth is asking for a substantial number / quality of additions in the summer and wants to play 4-3-3.

Till then, it will be make do.

It troubles me that Ben Tollitt is now struggling to make an impression, he was our creative threat.

I think we have a very good left back, expecting a right back to come in the summer.

[yarddog73]

1 minute ago, Mayfield said:

@BP1960you make astute observations.

I would say that Devarn Green has been relatively effective, as a right sided player, genuinely providing an oultet on the wing.

Clearly David Unsworth is asking for a substantial number / quality of additions in the summer and wants to play 4-3-3.

Till then, it will be make do.

It troubles me that Ben Tollitt is now struggling to make an impression, he was our creative threat.

I think we have a very good left back, expecting a right back to come in the summer.

I'd say we need a centre half to replace Hogan, he's improved slightly but I still feel Varney and Sutton would be our best centre half pairing, saying that I expect Sutton to be sold within the next 12 months for pretty good money.

[mick26]

1 hour ago, BP1960 said:

 

The formation is still dysfunctional with square pegs in round holes.

It's supposed to be a 442, but it isn't as we play a right winger - with a midfielder moved to the left from his best position.

We have a centre back at right back and a right back at centre back.

The central midfield has no prompters and probers.

The strikers don't blend.

If we can get a formation which suits every player I think with a few more dynamic  additions next season we will see a better team.

But as it is now what you see is what you get 

 

Spot on BP although Yarney has been very good at CB - could do with a quick dominant CB next to him.

[Mayfield]

27 minutes ago, yarddog73 said:

I'd say we need a centre half to replace Hogan

@yarddog73  possibly, he came back fairly quickly from the broken ankle and hasn't looked comfortable in recent games.

That said, I wouldn't want to give up on him yet, proven player with experience of winning at this level.

 

Seems likely that clubs may enquire about Will Sutton, a player I would also want to keep, but will go if the valuation is met.

[Dave_Og]

21 minutes ago, Mayfield said:

@yarddog73

 

Seems likely that clubs may enquire about Will Sutton, a player I would also want to keep, but will go if the valuation is met.

What might be acceptable and what level?

[BP1960]

2 minutes ago, Dave_Og said:

What might be acceptable and what level?

 

I know for certain a Premiership club was monitoring him before his injury.