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brucie wrote: ↑08 Aug 2017, 21:59 After failing to beat nine men it appears that we have been flattered by a late goal and were in fact well beaten. Another season of strife appears to be beckoning........

- far too much optimism, think some of the signings are crap

tomogull wrote: ↑08 Aug 2017, 23:58 Elsewhere in the National League ....... an underwhelming 0 - 0 draw Barrow v Halifax. Fitzpatrick not in the squad. Is he injured, Ray? Similarly, Dan Sparkes not in D & R squad. Does anyone know if he is injured? LRT mad his debut for Chester tonight. Two for Brett Williams for Bromley ...... yellow cards, that is ! P.2 - yellow cards 2. What a nightmare for managers his is ! Whilst he didn't get on the score card, Josh Rees did.

That is the Brett Williams that will score more on his own than our complete forward line will all season, all because KN couldn't managed the situation, keep going Kev, the hole can only get so deep...

I think Nicholson is digging himself into a hole too.........

This is the same old outdated rubbish from a poor management team that we have been seeing for two years now. Nicholson and Herrera are just out of their depth when up against more forward thinking and just plainly better management duos........

Nicholson started with the three substitutes ~ Lee, Reid and Gray ~ he had brought on during Saturday's match and left out the three ~ Lathrope, Gowling & Pittman ~ they had replaced. Why?

No width, no pace going forward, no structure and no strength. We looked unbalanced at the back and ~ in contrast to Aldershot ~ painfully slow in getting the ball into what should be threatening positions.

People I spoke to after the match who had been at Plainmoor on Saturday wondered why Nicholson left out Gosling and Pittman from his starting line-up. I am suspecting it's because at their age they are considered incapable by the manager who signed them of playing two games in four days........something I alluded to in pointing out the age of too many of his summer signings the other day. Notably both of those players had been withdrawn during the Tranmere match.

Signings coming in who are already becoming 'sicknotes'........can Gowling manage three games a week? Doesn't look like it it on the evidence so far does it. I thought last night looked 'made' for Lathrope to play and sit deep protecting that unbalanced back four that he insists on playing ~ nope; a flat back four behind a flat midfield four and Aldershot just passed at will between and around those parallel lines.

Totally out thought and out manoeuvred by a better management duo I'm afraid and note who were instrumental in what turned out to be the winning goal ~ Rendell and Okojie were brought on as a pair to cause problems in the last fifteen minutes and boy, did they cause problems!

Whilst some carry on the long term agenda of seeing Nicholson off I think the bigger picture is being missed here.

I was at the Tranmere game and whilst it was a little disappointing after they had their numbers reduced I saw plenty in the way of encouragement and quality which was not witnessed at this time last year. We matched them for the most part (first 5 mins apart) and we had a fight and steeliness which will stand us well for the season ahead.

Granted I was not at Aldershot but (merse's view apart) it does not seem like we were overwhelmed and belittled by a very good (and already gelled) team at this level. They may have shaded it but we pushed them close and seemingly were unfortunate with refereeing decisions which could very well have changed the outcome.

As for utilising the squad - well last year we had no option to play the same players week in week out which caused it own problems in terms of fighting for the shirt and pushing individual levels in order to retain your place in the side. It has to be seen as good thing that Nicholson feels he can pick horses for courses this year compared to hoping the same players can somehow find form and a dynamic which works against all opposition outfits.

Oh - and I am sure if Nicholson had the budget to have Rendell and Okojie on the bench he would have brought them on too!

On saturday at Plainmoor I suspected Gowling was carrying an injury in the last 20 minutes but he knew to hold on to a point he needed to see out the game.
There are some very knowledgeable posters on this forum and a lot of the comment is spot on.
If after 8 games Nicho does not get his team selection and tactics right, which he clearly did not last night, I think Clarke Osborne will be ruthless with his decision making and Nicho will be out.
If that happens it will be down to Nicho not having the managerial experience after a long playing career. Playing and Managing is chalk and cheese.
Gary Waddock is a classic example of a very experienced Manager who tries to out think the opposition and that is why Aldershot are in for a good season and we are still looking better but a long way off good enough.

Really tough start against 2 sides who are certs for a top 6 finish.

We battled well yesterday, some of the new players are clearly very capable and on that evidence I'd suggest Torquay are better equipped to finish higher than they have for the last 2 seasons. But I have to agree with earlier posts, leaving Lathrope out was just bizarre, on a big pitch against a good footballing side you need the extra protection he gives along with his composure and ability on the ball. We were out played in football terms for most of the first half and only Clarke and a quality free kick from Young kept us in the game.

Their 2nd goal kind of showed the difference of this whole league, there's little between most of the sides but the difference is the ability of literally one or two players. 2mins earlier Reid got it down their left he cut inside, beat a couple of players but when the finish or final pass (the actual piece of quality was required) it was tamely rolled at the keeper.
Then in the same position but down our left Chaney and Reid let the Aldershot winger get in behind and unlike Reid he picked out the perfect cross, tap in 2-1.

Then for all of Aldershot's better play 2 big decisions went against us and ultimately decided the game. The disallowed goal which no one really seems to know why it was disallowed, then the Aldershot 3rd goal, a corner whipped into the back post, Clarke goes up gets absolutely swamped by 2 or 3 players and it ends up in the net. Whether it was a foul or not, it's one of them that 9/10 the ref blows for a foul anyway. The referee on the night was completely incompetent and having made a total mess of our disallowed goal I suppose it was no surprise when he killed us again.

Gosling and Pittman brought some life to us and for me both should have started the game, we are so lightweight up front and we lack the skill and guile in wide areas and even centrally other than Young to play neat football and create for 2 strikers in the mould we have so that's going to hurt us in the long run.

Overall though, we competed as best we could, didn't think we started with the right side, fought till the end and got 2 stinkers off the officials. On that showing we should do ok this season and not have to worry about the bottom 4 but we won't be in the top half either.

Great post, RoyalGull. Sums up the game.

portugull wrote: ↑09 Aug 2017, 10:26 On saturday at Plainmoor I suspected Gowling was carrying an injury in the last 20 minutes but he knew to hold on to a point he needed to see out the game.
There are some very knowledgeable posters on this forum and a lot of the comment is spot on.
If after 8 games Nicho does not get his team selection and tactics right, which he clearly did not last night, I think Clarke Osborne will be ruthless with his decision making and Nicho will be out.
If that happens it will be down to Nicho not having the managerial experience after a long playing career. Playing and Managing is chalk and cheese.
Gary Waddock is a classic example of a very experienced Manager who tries to out think the opposition and that is why Aldershot are in for a good season and we are still looking better but a long way off good enough.

Do you really think Osborne will sack Nicholson? If he does, I'd be surprised if he does it that early.

Osborne knows as much as anyone, that there is a significant section of the support, that are behind Nicholson however badly things go. At any other club he would have been sacked last season and any other manager (e.g. Someone who wasn't a #legend) at TUFC would probably have been sacked.

So Osborne cannot lose with this if he plays it right. He can let things drift until the majority of the fanbase turn against Nicho, like they did momentarily last season before #greatescapeMKII, and then act, safe in the knowledge that he will not have a revolt on his hands if he dispensed with 'King Kev'.

In 6 games time, Nicholson would still likely have the majority of fans on side, so even if we do badly, I cannot see Nicholson going before Christmas. I honestly don't think Osborne really cares what happens on the pitch anyway. If it suits his agenda for us to fall further, to , you know, show that we *really do need a stadium*, then why would he change things?

Richinns wrote: ↑09 Aug 2017, 10:23 Whilst some carry on the long term agenda of seeing Nicholson off I think the bigger picture is being missed here.

I was at the Tranmere game and whilst it was a little disappointing after they had their numbers reduced I saw plenty in the way of encouragement and quality which was not witnessed at this time last year. We matched them for the most part (first 5 mins apart) and we had a fight and steeliness which will stand us well for the season ahead.

Granted I was not at Aldershot but (merse's view apart) it does not seem like we were overwhelmed and belittled by a very good (and already gelled) team at this level. They may have shaded it but we pushed them close and seemingly were unfortunate with refereeing decisions which could very well have changed the outcome.

As for utilising the squad - well last year we had no option to play the same players week in week out which caused it own problems in terms of fighting for the shirt and pushing individual levels in order to retain your place in the side. It has to be seen as good thing that Nicholson feels he can pick horses for courses this year compared to hoping the same players can somehow find form and a dynamic which works against all opposition outfits.

Oh - and I am sure if Nicholson had the budget to have Rendell and Okojie on the bench he would have brought them on too!

I was at the game. We were overwhelmed and they did not shade it they played us off the park for 70mins. We were not unfortunate but lucky to be still in the game at the end. I agree that Nicholson didn't have Rendell or Okojie on the bench but he chose to play Reid, Gray and Keating leaving better players on the bench and got his tactics totally wrong.

I was there last night and basically agree with Guildford but, although I don't feel Keating is a natural goalscorer, I would have started Gray with Pittman, just what service were Keating and Gray given? How many shooting opportunities were they offered? Answer: nil.
The tactics appeared to have been don't lose but that went out the window after 5 minutes. Had the free kick four minutes later not been on the edge of the box straight in the middle of goal Luke Young may ever have had a better opportunity to showcase his dead ball skill. How many other shots did Cole have to make?

merse btpir wrote: ↑09 Aug 2017, 09:56 I think Nicholson is digging himself into a hole too.........

This is the same old outdated rubbish from a poor management team that we have been seeing for two years now. Nicholson and Herrera are just out of their depth when up against more forward thinking and just plainly better management duos........

Nicholson started with the three substitutes ~ Lee, Reid and Gray ~ he had brought on during Saturday's match and left out the three ~ Lathrope, Gowling & Pittman ~ they had replaced. Why?

No width, no pace going forward, no structure and no strength. We looked unbalanced at the back and ~ in contrast to Aldershot ~ painfully slow in getting the ball into what should be threatening positions.

People I spoke to after the match who had been at Plainmoor on Saturday wondered why Nicholson left out Gosling and Pittman from his starting line-up. I am suspecting it's because at their age they are considered incapable by the manager who signed them of playing two games in four days........something I alluded to in pointing out the age of too many of his summer signings the other day. Notably both of those players had been withdrawn during the Tranmere match.

Signings coming in who are already becoming 'sicknotes'........can Gowling manage three games a week? Doesn't look like it it on the evidence so far does it. I thought last night looked 'made' for Lathrope to play and sit deep protecting that unbalanced back four that he insists on playing ~ nope; a flat back four behind a flat midfield four and Aldershot just passed at will between and around those parallel lines.

Totally out thought and out manoeuvred by a better management duo I'm afraid and note who were instrumental in what turned out to be the winning goal ~ Rendell and Okojie were brought on as a pair to cause problems in the last fifteen minutes and boy, did they cause problems!

Out and out rubbish management, why play Anderson who hasn't barely played a minute pre-season. He leaves Gosling on the bench, he proved tricky against the Tranmere backline and instead plays Reid, massive insult to a much better player.

Also for those of you that keep saying these are the best teams in the league.... blaa blaa blaa, same rhetoric as last season, KN is clueless.

arrywithanh wrote: ↑09 Aug 2017, 13:50
Out and out rubbish management, [highlight=yellow]why play Anderson who hasn't barely played a minute pre-season[/highlight]. He leaves Gosling on the bench, he proved tricky against the Tranmere backline and instead plays Reid, massive insult to a much better player.

Also for those of you that keep saying these are the best teams in the league.... blaa blaa blaa, same rhetoric as last season, KN is clueless.

who would have you suggested then with your obvious massive management insight seeing as Gowling was injured?????

SuperNickyWroe wrote: ↑09 Aug 2017, 14:02 who would have you suggested then with your obvious massive management insight seeing as Gowling was injured?????

Maybe Yan? you know the guy he played three times at CB pre-season... dont need a massive amount of management insight to form this opinion...

'There are some very knowledgeable posters on this forum....' is a comment I noticed from a previous contributor. There are also some pontificators. So what is a 'pontificator'? Someone who appears to be 'very knowledgeable', but in reality doesn't have the faintest idea what he's talking about.

arrywithanh wrote: ↑09 Aug 2017, 15:08 Maybe Yan? you know the guy he played three times at CB pre-season... dont need a massive amount of management insight to form this opinion...

we moan about players playing out of their natural position.... Yan was signed as a midfielder who could "fill in" at CB as required. given that myles is a CB, then that's the choice that should - and was made.