Post by stevek192 on May 3, 2015 8:30:00 GMT
So it's the big day. No doubt lots of Gasheads will be hanging on their nerves now with an increasing intensity as kick off approaches. Whatever happens today let us make sure we do our part and that is make the Mem today a fortress of Sound and Support. We were great first half on Wednesday but it proved to me on watching the game back on TV that how the game goes very much influences just how much noise we create. In the first half where we really should have killed this tie off you would not have known that Forest Green had any support whatsoever it was all us - a crescendo of noise coming from just our end however second half was a different matter and we seemed to be quite quiet at times and you could actually hear the Forest Green supporters.
From this it goes to show how important it is that we start off with our foot on the pedal. There can be no excuses today for either us or the team. We will outnumber them over 10 to 1 and we must ensure that this creates a huge advanrage. If Clough plays let's give him hell,if; as I think likely it is Coles then let's give him a day to forget. Forget hospitality today,this is a war and the Mem is the battlefield. The atmosphere against Alfreton was brilliant but we can do better. I can't help but think back to the league game where after the match we had to put up with Cars hooting their horns as the small contingent of FG fans celebrated going past us. Lets make sure that today is revenge time and they go back quietly.
For all the good parts of the first half on Wednesday there is a niggling worry that we allowed Forest Green to come at us in the Second half and it appeared to me that our tactics were questionable in that Forest Green changed theirs (as they had to) but we didn't change ours. The "swagger" went out of our game and we seemed to want to hit everything long and that reflected in OUR support. So if there is a lull in the teams performance today at any time then that is the time where we have to ensure that our support is heard and heard loud. Many Managers this season have mentioned the old quote of "silencing the home crowd" and how we then become a huge weight on our teams shoulders and i think there is some truth in that.
Let's do our part today so at the end of the tie we can have no regrets. Let's lift the team to new heights,we know we can do this.
As for the team I just hope that the ball stays on the ground a bit more than Wednesday and that we vary our tactics a bit more with a variety of crosses rather than just long crosses to the far post. I hope we push up as an attacking unit and pressurise their defence rather than standing off and giving them the initiative.It will be interesting to see the Team Selection where I have a sneaking feeling that Mansell might not be fit. Nothing has been mentioned but we never know because I don't recall a mention of Easter having an operation before a picture appeared on Twitter! Who will replace Harrison? If Mansell is not fit then personally I would go for replacing him with Lockyer and bringing in Leadbitter at full back rather than a straight replacement with Clarke for Mansell. Up front its between Blissett and Balanta for me although maybe Baggie will make a surprise appearance. Whichever option Clarke uses I very much hope it doesn't become an aerial battle similar to Dover away because in my mind that will play into Forest Green hands. WE must get at them from the first whistle and pressurise what looks a very dodgy Forest Green back four and fight for every ball but even more important lets keep calm and not have any stupid red cards.
I am sure today that the Conference League will want us to win and Grimsby also because at the end of the day they will be eyeing another record attendance at wembley rather than a paltry crowd that will greet Forest green v Eastleigh.
We deserve a place in the Final as does Grimsby because we finished in the top two places of the four teams taking part.
LETS DO OUR PART AND HOPE THE TEAM DO THEIRS. UTG
From this it goes to show how important it is that we start off with our foot on the pedal. There can be no excuses today for either us or the team. We will outnumber them over 10 to 1 and we must ensure that this creates a huge advanrage. If Clough plays let's give him hell,if; as I think likely it is Coles then let's give him a day to forget. Forget hospitality today,this is a war and the Mem is the battlefield. The atmosphere against Alfreton was brilliant but we can do better. I can't help but think back to the league game where after the match we had to put up with Cars hooting their horns as the small contingent of FG fans celebrated going past us. Lets make sure that today is revenge time and they go back quietly.
For all the good parts of the first half on Wednesday there is a niggling worry that we allowed Forest Green to come at us in the Second half and it appeared to me that our tactics were questionable in that Forest Green changed theirs (as they had to) but we didn't change ours. The "swagger" went out of our game and we seemed to want to hit everything long and that reflected in OUR support. So if there is a lull in the teams performance today at any time then that is the time where we have to ensure that our support is heard and heard loud. Many Managers this season have mentioned the old quote of "silencing the home crowd" and how we then become a huge weight on our teams shoulders and i think there is some truth in that.
Let's do our part today so at the end of the tie we can have no regrets. Let's lift the team to new heights,we know we can do this.
As for the team I just hope that the ball stays on the ground a bit more than Wednesday and that we vary our tactics a bit more with a variety of crosses rather than just long crosses to the far post. I hope we push up as an attacking unit and pressurise their defence rather than standing off and giving them the initiative.It will be interesting to see the Team Selection where I have a sneaking feeling that Mansell might not be fit. Nothing has been mentioned but we never know because I don't recall a mention of Easter having an operation before a picture appeared on Twitter! Who will replace Harrison? If Mansell is not fit then personally I would go for replacing him with Lockyer and bringing in Leadbitter at full back rather than a straight replacement with Clarke for Mansell. Up front its between Blissett and Balanta for me although maybe Baggie will make a surprise appearance. Whichever option Clarke uses I very much hope it doesn't become an aerial battle similar to Dover away because in my mind that will play into Forest Green hands. WE must get at them from the first whistle and pressurise what looks a very dodgy Forest Green back four and fight for every ball but even more important lets keep calm and not have any stupid red cards.
I am sure today that the Conference League will want us to win and Grimsby also because at the end of the day they will be eyeing another record attendance at wembley rather than a paltry crowd that will greet Forest green v Eastleigh.
We deserve a place in the Final as does Grimsby because we finished in the top two places of the four teams taking part.
LETS DO OUR PART AND HOPE THE TEAM DO THEIRS. UTG