Post by stevek192 on Feb 25, 2015 11:19:55 GMT
So we top the table after a hard worked victory against a plucky opposition but maybe we have reached there a bit too early which means we now have to accept the pressure of being top and expect that every team are going to be trying to knock us off the perch. How we react to this pressure will decide our season and I feel that it is very important that we take three points this saturday in what is a very difficult fixture. Come the end we definitely deserved the three points but great credit is due to a Braintree side who played football the way it should be played and were one of the few sides we have played who have speedy skilful attackers and did not allow the sending off in the first half to affect them or the way they played.
Mildenhall 7 One superb save in the first half and then did well with the chip in the second half but felt he hesitated on that one and should have been out to clear. Handling throughout was good.
Leadbitter 7 Another good display from him,held his own defensively throughout and didn't look out of place when pushed up to wing back in the second half.
DC obviously has more trust in him now and rightly so because earlier in the season he would have been replaced with the change of formation.
McChrystal 8 Solid all round and an unbelievable ball to Taylor for the penalty. I really couldn't believe it was Mac who provided that. Not sure on whether he was at fault for their goal but it was excellently taken.
Parkes 7.5 Another top performance from the big man who is providing a formidable partnership with McCrystal. His confidence is shining through when he is in possession.
Brown 6 Some disappointing crosses but kept going and defensively sound. I do think that the Monkhouse/Brown combination is getting a bit predictable and almost a waste of one player and was pleasing to see Monkhouse go inside more in the second half where he got involved more in the game in his own right and had a chance to show his quality on the ball.
Gosling 4 A chance for him to shine but failed miserably.Slows the game down too much and when you have him doing it on the right and Monkhouse the same on the left then we look very "wingless".
Mansell 5 Hard working performance but until the later stages didn't really look to play the ball forward too much and so we spent far too long in our own half rather than getting at the opposition. The speed and control of the opposition midfield/forwards obviously played a part in this.
Lockyer 5 Did exactly the same as Mansell which meant that until the later stages we did not really start to get at the opposition
. I have to say I am not a great admirer of what seems to be the tactic of holding the opposition at bay in the first half and almost a "take what they throw at us and then get at them later when they hopefully tire.
Monkhouse 6 Became more and more influencial as the game went on and showed his class when he moved inside. Really feel at times he is wasted and should be in the centre of midfield.
Blissett 4 Having a tough time and is not helped by the crowd getting on his back when things are not going well. Still showed some good pace at times and unlucky not to score a goal with a header in the second half which was brilliantly cleared by a defender off the line.
Taylor 6 For me he didn't look 100% from the start however his control of McCrystals immaculate pass was class and deserved to score but was fouled and dispatched the penalty...just! The decision by DC both in playing him and keeping him on was vindicated again when he set up Harrison brilliantly for the winning goal.
Subs Balanta 5 Showed some moments of class and really needs more game time which you can only get from being selected to start a few games on the trot. Was caught in possession a couple of times due more to rustiness than anything else but looked effective in the "hole" before being moved wider with the changes made in the second half. Fail to see how Gosling gets starts and yet Balanta doesn't because a bit like Leadbitter you need a run in the side to get "Match" fitness.
Harrison 7 The taking of the winning goal oozed class and a couple of good runs and probably should have scored another but I still think he lacks the football brain to lead the attack and is better as an impact sub although the performance of Blissett probably warrants a start on saturday.
Dawson 7 Has to be a seven for the performance in such a short time he was on the pitch. Was it an ace move by DC or a poor starting selection. I will give DC the benefit of the doubt as to whether he was fit enough to start.
DC 6 Got it right in the end and with the run we are on it is very difficult to criticise ANYTHING that he does. We lack that bit of class in our starting eleven with over emphasis on the defensive side of the game but as they say if it isn't broke then why change it!!
Braintree 7 I can only imagine that their relatively low position is due to the size of their squad because IMO they had some talented players and surely if we do get promoted we could do a lot worse than try to sign a couple of their players. Definitely one of the better sides to play at the Mem this season.
Ref 5 I understand he was the ref we had at Dorchester in the Cup and after saturday nothing could be worse but how he started I was worried he was going to ruin the game by stopping it at every opportunity. Thankfully he didnt but IMO was just an average performance.
So on to Saturday and another difficult game against one of the better if not the best teams to visit the Mem this season. It is very important that we close them down quickly to stop them playing from the back and if we can get our game going like the second half against them in the first game then we are well capable of still being top come 5 o clock on Saurday and that will be the first test of our credentials passed. It will not be easy..are we good enough to win this league? Possibly, but we aren't yet ruthless enough to take anything for granted and it is so important that we travelkling gasheads get right behind them from the start and make it like a home game.
Mildenhall 7 One superb save in the first half and then did well with the chip in the second half but felt he hesitated on that one and should have been out to clear. Handling throughout was good.
Leadbitter 7 Another good display from him,held his own defensively throughout and didn't look out of place when pushed up to wing back in the second half.
DC obviously has more trust in him now and rightly so because earlier in the season he would have been replaced with the change of formation.
McChrystal 8 Solid all round and an unbelievable ball to Taylor for the penalty. I really couldn't believe it was Mac who provided that. Not sure on whether he was at fault for their goal but it was excellently taken.
Parkes 7.5 Another top performance from the big man who is providing a formidable partnership with McCrystal. His confidence is shining through when he is in possession.
Brown 6 Some disappointing crosses but kept going and defensively sound. I do think that the Monkhouse/Brown combination is getting a bit predictable and almost a waste of one player and was pleasing to see Monkhouse go inside more in the second half where he got involved more in the game in his own right and had a chance to show his quality on the ball.
Gosling 4 A chance for him to shine but failed miserably.Slows the game down too much and when you have him doing it on the right and Monkhouse the same on the left then we look very "wingless".
Mansell 5 Hard working performance but until the later stages didn't really look to play the ball forward too much and so we spent far too long in our own half rather than getting at the opposition. The speed and control of the opposition midfield/forwards obviously played a part in this.
Lockyer 5 Did exactly the same as Mansell which meant that until the later stages we did not really start to get at the opposition
. I have to say I am not a great admirer of what seems to be the tactic of holding the opposition at bay in the first half and almost a "take what they throw at us and then get at them later when they hopefully tire.
Monkhouse 6 Became more and more influencial as the game went on and showed his class when he moved inside. Really feel at times he is wasted and should be in the centre of midfield.
Blissett 4 Having a tough time and is not helped by the crowd getting on his back when things are not going well. Still showed some good pace at times and unlucky not to score a goal with a header in the second half which was brilliantly cleared by a defender off the line.
Taylor 6 For me he didn't look 100% from the start however his control of McCrystals immaculate pass was class and deserved to score but was fouled and dispatched the penalty...just! The decision by DC both in playing him and keeping him on was vindicated again when he set up Harrison brilliantly for the winning goal.
Subs Balanta 5 Showed some moments of class and really needs more game time which you can only get from being selected to start a few games on the trot. Was caught in possession a couple of times due more to rustiness than anything else but looked effective in the "hole" before being moved wider with the changes made in the second half. Fail to see how Gosling gets starts and yet Balanta doesn't because a bit like Leadbitter you need a run in the side to get "Match" fitness.
Harrison 7 The taking of the winning goal oozed class and a couple of good runs and probably should have scored another but I still think he lacks the football brain to lead the attack and is better as an impact sub although the performance of Blissett probably warrants a start on saturday.
Dawson 7 Has to be a seven for the performance in such a short time he was on the pitch. Was it an ace move by DC or a poor starting selection. I will give DC the benefit of the doubt as to whether he was fit enough to start.
DC 6 Got it right in the end and with the run we are on it is very difficult to criticise ANYTHING that he does. We lack that bit of class in our starting eleven with over emphasis on the defensive side of the game but as they say if it isn't broke then why change it!!
Braintree 7 I can only imagine that their relatively low position is due to the size of their squad because IMO they had some talented players and surely if we do get promoted we could do a lot worse than try to sign a couple of their players. Definitely one of the better sides to play at the Mem this season.
Ref 5 I understand he was the ref we had at Dorchester in the Cup and after saturday nothing could be worse but how he started I was worried he was going to ruin the game by stopping it at every opportunity. Thankfully he didnt but IMO was just an average performance.
So on to Saturday and another difficult game against one of the better if not the best teams to visit the Mem this season. It is very important that we close them down quickly to stop them playing from the back and if we can get our game going like the second half against them in the first game then we are well capable of still being top come 5 o clock on Saurday and that will be the first test of our credentials passed. It will not be easy..are we good enough to win this league? Possibly, but we aren't yet ruthless enough to take anything for granted and it is so important that we travelkling gasheads get right behind them from the start and make it like a home game.
