MATCH: Mickleover F.C (H) 09/12/23 - FA Trophy 3rd Round 🏆

[Worcester Owl]

1 hour ago, yarddog73 said:

I don't think it's made in a patronising way, nevertheless we should be putting teams like this away with ease but we are being comprehensively outplayed, at home.

 

I really do expect better if only because we have a team of professional paid athletes and the support that goes with that and a monthly budget that would blow some of these teams annual ones out of the water, most of those lads yesterday worked in a 9 till 5 job on Friday, it's a bit like Forest Green going to Leeds United and the Leeds fans being content that they are being played off the park and at times can't even compete, it's not unreasonable at all to suggest we should be doing better with the money that's being spent.

 

This great Mickleover team are currently on a run of one win in seven in the League, with the mighty Stratford, Halesowen and Kettering turning them over recently.

 

As for the other great footballing team who played us off the park at home recently Ebbsfleet United they backed that up with a defeat against relegation favourites Kidderminster who they could hardly muster a shot against and went out yesterday at home to Bishop Stortford.

Fair enough, good response . I think what bugs me is when it strays into unnecessary belittling of teams in the same league/lower as us (not that you made the milkmen comment).

[Dave_Og]

37 minutes ago, penrhyn said:

Yardog said :

As for the other great footballing team who played us off the park at home recently Ebbsfleet United they backed that up with a defeat against relegation favourites Kidderminster who they could hardly muster a shot against and went out yesterday at home to Bishop Stortford.

 

 

Proving the point that anyone can beat anyone on the day . Thats football !

I agree with your post further down about who to keep . and who to ship . Think you are a bit harsh on Hudson , not sure Norman would do any better in the current side. They both have faults in their game to be worked on. 

For me its the same issue causing our problems, Midfield !! is full of paper tigers . And we have no penetration on the flanks.

Maybe Dave Og can write some cheques in the basement of B.P.

And Stortford lost pretty much an entire team after being punted into Conference North. My cheque printing days ended in 1981...

[LaticsLegend]

3 hours ago, yarddog73 said:

Didn't like Hobson on the left of a back two, Hogan no rightback, McGahey- not seeing what others are particularly pushed in to midfield with no legs around him, Green doesn't want to be a footballer, Sheron is so limited, Hope is generally below average and should have been moved on, Hudson shipping over 2 a game, Willoughby, Dickinson, Ward, Freeman, Shelton, Gardner, Tollitt, Nuttall, Couto have all disappointed and I'd be looking to move on.

 

Honestly I'd keep about half a dozen and they would be;

 

Norman

Kitching

Hobson

Raglan

Lundstrum 

Fondop

Norwood

 

Maybe Reid and Sutton.

 

That's about a third of a squad that's cost us an absolute fortune to assemble with the biggest wage bill in the division.

 

No doubt about it some awful decisions have been made since the Rothwells came in and in any other walk of life heads would have rolled.

 

 

Can't disagree with much of this.

 

Full of respect for McGahey for what he's come back from, but he's certainly not the answer to any of our problems...in midfield or defence.

 

Mellon seems to have him as one of his favourites, but if we're serious about doing anything in this division, players like that (alongside the likes of Hope, Green etc) shouldn't be near our first XI.

[Lee Sinnott]

Performances don't matter in cup competitions. It's all about being in the draw for the next round...

[oafcmetty]

2 hours ago, Worcester Owl said:

Fair enough, good response . I think what bugs me is when it strays into unnecessary belittling of teams in the same league/lower as us (not that you made the milkmen comment).

I wasn't singling out yesterday's opponents in particular. It's a disgrace that we're having to share the pitch with pretty much every team we're playing this season. Thanks Abdallah.

[Dave_Og]

27 minutes ago, oafcmetty said:

I wasn't singling out yesterday's opponents in particular. It's a disgrace that we're having to share the pitch with pretty much every team we're playing this season. Thanks Abdallah.

And last. And next.

[Monty Burns]

16 minutes ago, Dave_Og said:

And last. And next.

*almost certainly next

[oafcmetty]

4 minutes ago, Monty Burns said:

*almost certainly next

Tbf even if we're in L2, it's still a sad state of affairs.

[otid]

3 hours ago, basilrobbie said:

I knew what it meant.

Good for you mate....

[BP1960]

10 hours ago, oafc1955 said:

JoeP….He was sold the gig on a pile of Unsworth (we’ll win the league) bullshit and I bet he couldn’t believe how bad we were when he’d settled in!

If it were you or I we’d be totally pissed off too. I’ve seen Norwood trying to guide the younger players through games loads of times, Rochdale away being a classic example.

We’ve been embarrassed several times this season by part timers and yesterday was another classic example apparently.

You can only do so much but when all around you are so piss poor and constantly underperforming wtf can you do?

He must be frustrated as f***.

I don’t care about his body language because he’s the best footballer at the club by a country mile and it would be plain stupid to leave him out.

We would be right in the shit without his goals and as long as he’s here he’s still the 1st name on the team sheet for me….no question!!

 

Yet he didn't score yesterday (he didn't even take a penalty, which was strange, considering Hogan and McGahey took one,) but 3 other forwards did.

Edited December 10, 2023 by BP1960

[oafc1955]

9 minutes ago, BP1960 said:

 

Yet he didn't score yesterday (he didn't even take a penalty, which was strange, considering Hogan and McGahey took one,) but 3 other forwards did.

Yeah, agree that’s very odd.

[ceskylatic]

36 minutes ago, oafc1955 said:

Yeah, agree that’s very odd.

Probably wanted the 5th one to win it.

[jsslatic]

54 minutes ago, BP1960 said:

 

Yet he didn't score yesterday (he didn't even take a penalty, which was strange, considering Hogan and McGahey took one,) but 3 other forwards did.

 

Pretty settled tactic isn't it now for the best penalty takers to go 1st and 5th.

[Longlostfan]

2 minutes ago, jsslatic said:

Pretty settled tactic isn't it now for the best penalty takers to go 1st and 5th.

I think it is but it runs the risk that you are out before your 'best' penalty taker gets a go.

Sure there maybe more pressure on the later kickers but equally you can put pressure on the other team by consistently scoring in the early rounds.

 

[League one forever]

1 hour ago, oafcmetty said:

Tbf even if we're in L2, it's still a sad state of affairs.

It’s feels like the promise land at the minute.

[JoeP]

4 minutes ago, League one forever said:

It’s feels like the promise land at the minute.

 

So does League One Forever, League One Forever...

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

8 hours ago, JoeP said:

 

Norwood comes with more expectation than anyone in that squad.  He's the highest quality, highest paid, played at the highest level and is one of the most senior and most experienced players in the squad.

 

You honestly think he leads by example well when things are going badly?

 

He also missed an absolute sitter in the first half when an open goal, with one defender in the way was offered, and he somehow found that defender. It summed our afternoon up which was half-arsed, ponderous and frankly, unprofessional.

 

I'm not going to haul Norwood over coals. It happens when you're not on your game and his record this season is on target for twenty goals, without a supply of ammunition for him, it has to be said. But it was evicotive of what we were like all over the park. And it's been said before by myself and others: that midfield is an utter disgrace. We missed Lundstram as he is clearly a quality player who keeps possession very well but the rest will be binned and replaced as soon as it's possible. May take months, but I'll be suprised if any of those midfielders that started the game will be in squad at the start of next season.

 

A rare positive was Willoughby, who took his goal superbly and was just about the only one who left the pitch with any credit.

 

Fair play to Mickleover who placed heavy emphasis on putting pressure on our players at every opportunity. Their lack of quality cost them a handsome win in the end. I'd have not begrudged them the win in the shootout in the slightest.

[Punce]

7 hours ago, Dave_Og said:

The only Glaswegian I've ever come across who isn't lugubrious is Kathy from Two Doors Down 

 

I give you Alan Brazil, he's not lugubrious,  you could have a night out to remember with big Al.

Mind you,  you wouldn't remember it like.

 

.

[League one forever]

7 minutes ago, Frankly Mr Shankly said:

And it's been said before by myself and others: that midfield is an utter disgrace. We missed Lundstram as he is clearly a quality player who keeps possession very well but the rest will be binned and replaced as soon as it's possible.

This isn’t aimed at you Franky, just a general point.
 

Under Mellon-

 

Lundy is a miss, but 3 of 4 that started yesterday have played well against Dale, Alty, Eastleigh, Woking, Dorking.

 

Everyone single one of them was utter shite against Flyde and Eastleigh- yet it’s only the midfield that gets any stick.  Why? 
 

We had a 33 year old centre half at right back yesterday, which has hardly had a mention. Because it’s all the midfields fault. Our star striker had a stinker, but that’s the midfields fault as well. 
 

I’m not saying we don’t need improvements in midfield, because we do- especially in wide areas. But let’s have it right, our much vaunted centre half’s have conceded 19 goals in 9 games. We have a slow right back, past his best. We have six strikers - five of which have about four goals between them. 
 

We have a highly imbalanced squad and a lot of them are escaping any criticism because it’s all the midfield’s fault. That argument is really one dimensional and totally neglects when they do play well. 

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

5 minutes ago, League one forever said:

This isn’t aimed at you Franky, just a general point.
 

Under Mellon-

 

Lundy is a miss, but 3 of 4 that started yesterday have played well against Dale, Alty, Eastleigh, Woking, Dorking.

 

Everyone single one of them was utter shite against Flyde and Eastleigh- yet it’s only the midfield that gets any stick.  Why? 
 

We had a 33 year old centre half at right back yesterday, which has hardly had a mention. Because it’s all the midfields fault. Our star striker had a stinker, but that’s the midfields fault as well. 
 

I’m not saying we don’t need improvements in midfield, because we do- especially in wide areas. But let’s have it right, our much vaunted centre half’s have conceded 19 goals in 9 games. We have a slow right back, past his best. We have six strikers - five of which have about four goals between them. 
 

We have a highly imbalanced squad and a lot of them are escaping any criticism because it’s all the midfield’s fault. That argument is really one dimensional and totally neglects when they do play well. 

 

I distill it into midfield as the focal point because a physically weak midfield has rammifications at both end. It overloads the defence, leaving it exposed and it doesn't provide enough quality deliveries to inject potency into attack. It's an area we've woefully under-armoured ever since we've dropped into the division and beyond.

 

It's the reverse of what most teams are like in the National League. Most have a robust midfield, that puts more onus onto pressing and creating mistakes from the opposition than quality on the ball, and weaker attackers and defenders than ours.

 

Yes, we've had a handful of good performances (was Dorking supposed to be in there?). However, we do have at our disposal a fairly razor sharp front line and it is going to pay off occasionally. Out of those though, Woking was probably the only one which I'd describe as a complete performance; one which I'd expect a title-runner to be producing every three or four matches.

 

We just seem to be outmuscled in the middle almost every match. If this is fixed, a lot of problems at the other ends of the pitch resolve themselves. 

 

A word on Hogan, I was mystified myself by shunting him into right back in a back four when there was two on the bench who would have been better options in my book.

[trickyrickyholden]

10 hours ago, Monty Burns said:

just a note on the attendance. £12 for the FA Trophy????? 

if we are still here next year lets not do that again

Nah 12 quid these days is nowt. Low attendance was down to tinpottery of the opposition/competition and weather.

Oh and because we have pit some dreadful performances in of late. 

[League one forever]

5 minutes ago, Frankly Mr Shankly said:

 

I distill it into midfield as the focal point because a physically weak midfield has rammifications at both end. It overloads the defence, leaving it exposed and it doesn't provide enough quality deliveries to inject potency into attack. It's an area we've woefully under-armoured ever since we've dropped into the division and beyond.

 

It's the reverse of what most teams are like in the National League. Most have a robust midfield, that puts more onus onto pressing and creating mistakes from the opposition than quality on the ball, and weaker attackers and defenders than ours.

 

Yes, we've had a handful of good performances (was Dorking supposed to be in there?). However, we do have at our disposal a fairly razor sharp front line and it is going to pay off occasionally. Out of those though, Woking was probably the only one which I'd describe as a complete performance; one which I'd expect a title-runner to be producing every three or four matches.

 

We just seem to be outmuscled in the middle almost every match. If this is fixed, a lot of problems at the other ends of the pitch resolve themselves. 

 

A word on Hogan, I was mystified myself by shunting him into right back in a back four when there was two on the bench who would have been better options in my book.

Great post mate. 
 

Very well articulated, and I agree about the knock on effect to both end ends of the pitch. Whilst I’d also agree that Woking is only the ‘complete performance’  the whole team play in patches not just the midfield. Some games better than others- hence the inconsistency. 
 

I’ll put it another way- I don’t think the midfield is the only difference between where we are and going up. 
 

Over time- we need. 
 

Two right backs. 
Decent cover for kitch. 
3/4 wide players. 
Two centre mids. 
 

That’s 8 players - 6 of which have nothing to do with the engine room. 
 

Do our wide players create and track back? No.

 

Do both full backs overlap and defend. No. 
 

Do we have a settled centre half pairing. No. 
 

Do we have a settled strike partnership. No. 
 

None of the above is about the midfield it’s about other the two thirds of the spine and how piss poor we are down the flanks. 

You’re spot on about why midfield is important, but we’re lacking as a whole team. 

 

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

1 minute ago, League one forever said:

Great post mate. 
 

Very well articulated, and I agree about the knock on effect to both end ends of the pitch. Whilst I’d also agree that Woking is only the ‘complete performance’  the whole team play in patches not just the midfield. Some games better than others- hence the inconsistency. 
 

I’ll put it another way- I don’t think the midfield is the only difference between where we are and going up. 
 

Over time- we need. 
 

Two right backs. 
Decent cover for kitch. 
3/4 wide players. 
Two centre mids. 
 

That’s 8 players - 6 of which have nothing to do with the engine room. 
 

Do our wide players create and track back? No.

 

Do both full backs overlap and defend. No. 
 

Do we have a settled centre half pairing. No. 
 

Do we have a settled strike partnership. No. 
 

None of the above is about the midfield it’s about other the two thirds of the spine and how piss poor we are down the flanks. 

You’re spot on about why midfield is important, but we’re lacking as a whole team. 

 

 

I forgot to say it wasn't exclusively sorting midfield is the silver bullet. But it turns us into a totally different beast which opposition won't be like sharks around blood, as they are now. 

 

You've summed it up well yourself. I think Raglan and Hobson will be the settled partnership. And Norwood with Fondop will likely establish itself as our main pairing. We have to trust that Mellon's knowledge of this division will ensure he recruits accordingly. The play-offs already seem like they're slipping from our grasp, but certainly not beyond reach.

[LightDN123]

11 hours ago, League one forever said:

 

 

Do you see the contraction here? 
 

Before ‘the couple of bad performances’ we had some really good performances- of which the midfield were a big part of. 
 

It seems when we play well it’s in spite of the midfield. 
 

When we play poorly it’s because of the midfield. 
 

You can’t have it both ways. 

No, the midfield showed better signs of controlling games, v Alti and Eastleigh especially. 
 

We didn’t win neither of them games and a better midfield would have got us through. 
 

Doesn’t mean our current midfield setup isn’t capable of controlling a game on the very rare occasion, they didn’t V Woking or Barnet by the way. 
 

The current midfield setup is a mess. I include Hope in that. Who turns like a bloody yacht every time he gets it. 
 

18 months of a shit midfield and the embarrassment at right back. It’s holding us back and will continue to do so. 

[Monty Burns]

2 hours ago, trickyrickyholden said:

Nah 12 quid these days is nowt. Low attendance was down to tinpottery of the opposition/competition and weather.

Oh and because we have pit some dreadful performances in of late. 

that doesnt make sense?

this time next year the FA Trophy will still be tinpot. as will all of the opponents and the weather will be shit.

far too high as proved by the attendance, would a thousand turn up if it was a fiver?