Barnet - Brief Synopsis

Our budget will be top 6 - the team will not be unless it changes quite dramatically!

Top 6 budget for existing players, no way a top 6 budget for new players.

Exactly,not many teams in this division have a few players on £2,500-3,000 a week. Its a bloody joke when the players recruited by Clarke are on £700+.

Yes, from what I saw tonight our team is bottom 4. UTG

Just got back myself (2am) and vowed not to go to another away game until things pick up (well apart from Forest Green because I've already got a ticket).

My take on the game from the above:
1. Agree terrible first half, tactically inept in my view. With White and Taylor leading a line, against 2 mobile 6'3" defenders, we played about 20-25 long punts straight up the middle. Every single one came back with interest. I accept that Puddy was thrown in at the last minute, but he and McCrystal were the worst offenders for this non sensical approach. Pre-season, we have been playing these balls to the wing (either deep or across the back), but we didn't play any balls wide to advanced positions - which was a big mistake in my view. Also need to say that Puddy was at fault for both goals - 1st one was an Akinde nutmeg, 2nd came from him parrying a shot, which looked to be going wide from my view, straight to the feet of the oncoming forward. However, we were also weak in the back line (McCrystal in particular lookig slow, nervous and error prone). Defending from the midfield in front of the defence was also pretty poor. We made Barnet in general and Akinde in prticular look good.

2. Second half picked up, particularly once Brunt came on. It does not make sense to me why he didn't start and he troubled their defenders much more - without really troubling their keeper (who looked comfortable all night). I have to say, Jamie White is disappointing so far, he had two chances and put both over the bar, but otherwise was pretty anonymous. We also improved with Parkes coming on at half time (although he made the odd mistake himself). What I couldn't understand was i) why Trottman was substituted and not McCrystal. Trottman performed OK, but McC continued to be edgy in 2nd half. Also (in my view) Gosling posed more of a threat than White and it should have been White off for Brunt and not Gosling.

3. I've seen far worse teams than this for Rovers, there is more energy than in many, but as stated, we still lack the cutting edge. Similarly, I think there is technical ability in many, but some glaring exceptions. I do worry about DC's tendency to chop and change (players, tactics, formation). I accept that you don't want to be predictable, but I sense he tinkers too much. I personally think we would have been better adopting the 3-5-2 that has given us width so far.

4. Agree that Lee Brown looked good and made a number of good breaks as the game wore on. What he lacked was the support of others around him - we do lack a tricky winger to torment the right back and Lee Brown'w ability to beat the man and put in a cross or shot is not enough. Monkhouse was OK in my view, without being spectacular. Sinclair was busy, but had much less impact on the game than previously. Mansell got caught in posession or gave the ball away far too often and put us on the back foot many times. Tom Lockyer was solid until Akinde elbowed him and put him out of the game. Leadbitter was good defensively and his pace prevented another Akinde goal when he chased back and got a last ditch block in. Finally, Matt Taylor looked better as the game went on - 1st half, he was simply asked to do the impossible in winning an arial battle against defenders 6" taller than him.

5. If we are going to persist with direct football, we need a bully up front (like Akinde played tonight). This is not Ryan Brunt, but Brunt could work with such a player as could Matt Taylor. I would bench Jamie White and we need to work out how to use him if he is going to play. If we are going to play 4 at the back, I would suggest Leadbitter at RB, and put Tom Lockyer in front of the defence to shore up a vulnerable area. On the basis of tonights showing, Trottman and Parkes should be in in front of McCrystal. We need a tricky winger as well in my opinion - i.e. not kill two birds with one stone by getting a hybrid forward/ winger.

Great support (in numbers) for a Tuesday night (just under 800 I think), but patience is wearing very thin. On the basis of the last couple of seasons. the quantity of support has absolutely no bearing on the team - so I'm not sure how much more I'll bother with a 400 mile round trip. 

i noticed the ref chatting in a friendly manner to the home team players coming out for the 2nd half,reference penalty shout i think he missed a push on jamie white in the area when he was shaping to score,,,akinde injured lockyear and leadbitter with flailing arms without even a word from the ref,very poor im afraid though we have been warned about conference refs

Swiss
Although I agree that what goes on in the boardroom ends up on the pitch, I am not sure that NH or any director would make any difference, there or not. I was there tonight and this was a repeat of last seasons game at D&R which was again early on and I thought e the club was in trouble. The thing is, its not like we are unlucky. Not as if the tactics are comorehensible and are likely to bear fruit if we persevere. Based upon tonight it appears we have some very average players supplemented by a couple of guys with Div2 experience at the end of their careers. Sound familiar.? I have no idea what the manager's tactical plan is, but whatever it is its not working, doesnt even hint that it might work, and we dont have the players to make a difference individually. I cannot imagine what plan the BoD approved when they appointed Clarke, because either he was unable to recruit the players to fulfill it, or there wasnt one.

Like Swiss I wasn't at the game so rely on all the excellent reports. The only slightly positive thing I can think of is that we've played two of the best teams in the Conference. But this makes Saturday's game the real key to know where we are. If we can't beat a newly promoted team then we really are in big trouble. Can't say I'm optimistic though.