Saturday 23rd September 2023

[ForzaCounty]

We’ve already played 6 of the current top 8 (and playing Swindon next week) so we’ve definitely had a tough start but yesterday was not a game we should have dropped points, same as Bradford two weeks ago.

Hadn't thought about this metric, but just checked and seven of County's nine games thus far have been against sides in the top 11, and playing 12th placed Accrington on Saturday. The following five fixtures are all against sides in the bottom eight, so it's a good time to have finally found some shape & form.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

Onefootballforum's very own rent boy expert sure has been conveniently quiet recently but still maintaining that impressive (87%)!

Not giddy at all, but definitely pleasantly surprised, but obviously a really really easy start on paper.

Don't worry Bargain Brit we've got a very challenging looking month coming up, you can start your inevitable gum flapping then. Although can't see the attendances dropping like you predicted.

 

[Gunit]

Hadn't thought about this metric, but just checked and seven of County's nine games thus far have been against sides in the top 11, and playing 12th placed Accrington on Saturday. The following five fixtures are all against sides in the bottom eight, so it's a good time to have finally found some shape & form.

We’re only played 1 side lower than 15th but only because we put the other sides higher than 16th (3 of top 5). I look at these things to try to find hope.

 

[Gunit]

Got away with one massively against Colchester. We were excellent first 10 minutes and after we went 2 up it looked like it'd be a one sided bloodbath in the first half hour. Every time we went forward we looked like we were gonna score. Then as soon as Colchester hit the post against the run of play at the time, we just turned into a team hanging on for the rest of the game.

We've won so I'm grateful for the points but so much wrong with yesterday. I thought Adebisi and Williams kept giving the ball away for fun at times and the midfield was absolutely poor. But my biggest criticism is reserved for the management. What were they thinking with those substitutions? Some of the worst subs I've ever seen from any manager at this club. That's not a game you bring on Charlie Finney and Owen Lunt in with Ryan Cooney and Aaron Rowe on the bench. Tracey I accept was always coming off after an hour today but get a like for like replacement on for him. Every time we made a sub we looked more and more lightweight and were easily overrun by Colchester as a result. The tactics were abysmal as well. Constantly standing off Colchester rather than pressing them. Apart from Long and CBR, none of the players were interested in pressing yesterday which is a major concern as better teams will punish us for it. And when we were under the cosh, Bell deciding to go 5 at the back when we were already getting over-run in midfield was ridiculous too.

We badly miss a holding midfielder. Not sure why we signed Joe White, we have too many players like him at the club already. Budget needed to be spent on a proper defensive midfielder. Charles Grant was rumoured to have tried to lowball Tom Pett but it's time we went back in to sign him because he'd instantly improve us. I don't exactly rate Conor Thomas but we seem to play much better when he's in the side so it's telling we're a body light in midfield.

Opposition were very positive and dangerous going forward at times until they had an attempt on goal. They can pass, they can run at teams and cause defenders many problems and they create a lot more than most sides in the league. The boy Fevrier in particular was excellent all game and had Williams and Adebisi on toast at times. But they were an aberration at the back and lacked so much composure up front I can see why they're struggling towards the bottom. Some of our fans were saying they'll finish top half but If we didn't start sitting back I genuinely think we could've thrashed them they were that shaky defensively. But we went full on Davisball for most of the game and that was unacceptable.

I'm Luke Offord's biggest critic but today he was simply excellent. That goal line clearance was outstanding and he really looked a player who led by example yesterday. Demetriou (bar the goal), Long and Harvey Davies were all excellent. Davies saved us a couple of times when we were under the cosh and is improving by the game and deserves credit for that after the stick we all gave him in the first month of the season.

Next week I fear our luck will run out. Wrexham will be a wounded animal after that 5-0 drubbing at Stockport and, coupled with our terrible away form and our reluctance to test teams with very shaky backlines I have a fear it's going to be a severely rude awakening for us next week. This team is riding their luck at the moment. There are a lot of positives in our play but so many deficiencies that will mean we won't be in the position we're currently in come May. A few more performances like that in the next few games and we'll go a third straight season without winning in October.

6/1 next Sat. That’s great value. You seem to be finding enough decent spells to win games . . .