National League fixtures 7/8/18

[rudebwoyben]

We’ve had confirmed bids from Cheltenham, Tranmere and chesterfield. I don’t know what the asking price is tbh. He deserves a crack in the football league, he’s done more than enough for us, the problem is we wouldn’t be able to replace him. A few accounts on twitter are saying we’ve bid 175k for a striker from Ayr. Not sure how true that is but if it true Danny will be leaving as the most we’ve ever paid is 50k

Lawrence Shankland, I presume...

 

[CFC91]

I would be surprised if you managed to keep hold of him for another transfer window. Have you had any confirmed bids or hasn't anyone met your asking price?

We are due 150k from Jon Nolans transfer from Shrewsbury to Ipswich so would expect us to sign someone but this is news to me

 

[EnglishRed]

That was one of the best 0-0’s you are ever likely to see. Whether it was beautiful bits of play, fully committed tackling, top goalkeeping, lightning fast game, thunderous shots from distance that fall inches wide, it was great to watch, two good sides.
I’d say they just about shaded the first half as we didn’t get into them as much as we should have. Second half was completely different though, we battered them for a lot of the 45. We were in their faces, pressed harder and faster, moved the ball quicker and used the width to stretch them over and over again. Feel like I’m going to say this a lot this season, but what a player Maguire-Drew is, he just oozes quality. We didn’t even get him the game often enough last night, yet everything he did turned to gold. If his dancing run and 30 yard thunderbolt went in, that would have been something special. He got MOTM, although my choice would have been Luke Young, who was outstanding in midfield, a real driving force, mixed with quality bits of skill and ball control. Like JMD’s, it would have been something special if his rocket from distance went in too. No idea if Rutherford’s goal was offside or not, it looked close, but it probably wasn’t. He took the header very well though.
Fylde look a good side though. Very easy on the eye, neat and tidy on the ball and also pacey. Keeping Danny Rowe out of the game was key and that was largely down to him being trapped inside Pearson’s pocket the majority of the game.
Lainton deserves a mention too. He’s picked up a few negative comments in recent weeks for god knows what reason, but he was brilliant last night and made 2 or 3 crucial saves, including one deep inside the 6 yard box, no idea how he managed to save that one.
4 from 6 is a very good start after 2 tricky games, hopefully we can now build on this Saturday now and put in a good performance on tv for once.

Ruthers 'goal' was definitely offside. A shame.

It's great seeing players like JMD and Young in a Wrexham shirt. Actual footballers who are good on the ball. It's been a while.

 

[Fyldefan]

Spoke to my brother that went to the game and said Wrexham looked a decent side. Said we were excellent first half and Wrexham were the better side in the second. So do the Wrexham fans expect playoffs this season?

 

[Steve_Wafc]

Ruthers 'goal' was definitely offside. A shame.

It's great seeing players like JMD and Young in a Wrexham shirt. Actual footballers who are good on the ball. It's been a while.

Yeah it was sadly. Would have been great for him to get a goal like that as well.

Completely agree. We saw virtually no flair last season, these two have it in abundance. Expecting big seasons from both Young and JMD.

 

[Steve_Wafc]

Spoke to my brother that went to the game and said Wrexham looked a decent side. Said we were excellent first half and Wrexham were the better side in the second. So do the Wrexham fans expect playoffs this season?

Like I said, you’re great to watch and moved the ball well, but because Pearson completely dominated Rowe, your attacks came to a halt the majority of the time. We were great second half, we pressed you and moved the ball quicker. I expect us to compete strongly for the play offs, whether that’s being well in there, or sneaking in at the end. We were top of the league in February last season and we weren’t even that good, just solid. Then once Keates left, his assistant took over and made us attack more, which backfired as we then got opened up and ripped apart and subsequently drifted well outside the play off positions. In my opinion, we look much stronger than what Keates built last season, so I’m hopeful of a good season.

 

[Master D]

Didn't expect Young to be as mobile and hard-working as he is. He was sprinting round that pitch like prime Jay Harris.

 

[EnglishRed]

Spoke to my brother that went to the game and said Wrexham looked a decent side. Said we were excellent first half and Wrexham were the better side in the second. So do the Wrexham fans expect playoffs this season?

We always expect play offs.

We are always disappointed

 

[B2TF]

Must say, and I think Urban and #Beebot have touched on it already, that you won't be going up with Still.

I'll always love the man for what he's achieved with us but he's right in the twilight of his career now and a lot of his ideas are looking rather dated. Back when we won this league 10-11 years ago, we did it with 'percentage football' and a 4-4-2 formation. The 4-4-2 going out of fashion has killed Still to an extent because his way of playing is far less effective in a 4-3-3. But the emergence of the wide forward has meant he's had to try and adapt. Percentage football wise, that is Still to a tee. Get the ball forward as quickly as possible and play in the final third. Ball down, out wide, get a cross in to your strikers (who are both normally decent in the air and have good movement). Plus, I'd say we won the league when it was weaker and the standard of player down here wasn't as strong. His 'percentage' ideas back then created goals through sheer pressure where defences stand up better these days.

Last season, as one of our fans above rightly says, he should have won this league. We had a big budget and he made some very questionable signings. Morgan Ferrier was a great signing. But then we had Ferrier, Whitely and Fejiri (which is stonking for this level). All of whom were excellent with the ball but none of them could produce a decent cross. You're thinking, right, get a striker who can move, play with his feet and is decent at holding up the ball. We did have that in Ollie Hawkins (before he became disinterested). However, he went out and got Michael Cheek. A striker who is good in the air and thrives on crosses. Unfortunately, he's not the best mover, fairly average with his feet and was more of a fox in the box. So we were inbetween styles last season. He did bring in Dan Sparkes who can cross a ball but, in my opinion, isn't the best player and can be marked out of games by decent defences. Gone are the days of Danny Green, Sam Saunders and co whipping balls onto the head of Strevens and Benson.

So anyway, back to Barnet. It's very bizarre that he's taken Sparkes, Adams and Boucaud with him. Robson I can understand. He's a strong CB for this division and will be one of your better players. Boucaud is 33 and is a waning influence on games despite being neat and tidy. I'm yet to see what Adams offers. It wasn't goals or a real defensive shield so apart from recycling the ball, I don't know what you're going to get from him. And Sparkes will get you a few goals, a few nice set pieces but will have many games where he offers very little.

Still is at his best when he doesn't have a budget and he's forced to find young potential. His percentage football works with them as he irons out the inconsistencies and taps into the raw talent. I think he gets a bit lazy when he has wages to spend as he brings in old tried and tested but also players who may have done well elsewhere but will probably be less receptive to Still's fairly basic way of playing.

Barnet 1-1 Braintree is a score I can empathise with as I've seen so many Daggers home games under Still where we've gone forward long relentlessly and aimlessly having very few shots and then get sucker punched by the away side. They then close up and make it very difficult to find space whilst we still went forward long and in hope. Sometimes we nicked a goal, like you did last night. Other times, we would just end a game long ball after long ball and barely test the keeper.

I think you'll make the top 7. There will be sides who don't stand up to his way of playing. However, be prepared to have some awful away performances and also be prepared for some frustrating days at home.

Apologies for the essay but a lot of that just poured out.

Reading this would require me to invest way much more of my time than is due to a Tin Potter, Sorry.

 

[B2TF]

ive had a read of the Wrexham forum and they’re very complimentary about us,

That's one of the ways you know you're still Tin Pot- if you'd been a REAL club they'd have ripped you a new arsehole, however good you were.