The Lounge

[Singapore Don]

Thanks Rob for posting my post match reflections. I see that Kennedy was only on the bench again for Orient yesterday; I wonder whether he’s regretting not staying with us as a squad player. With Meades’ history of injuries, he’d likely be a regular starter for the Dons this season! And we could have done with his savvy presence at left back yesterday. But the position that really concerns me is the keeper. It’s not just that he’s had two poor games, but there is no rapport between him and the fans. I’m afraid to say that Clarke reminds me of James Pullen, always slightly distant with the fans. Clarke has a tough job in trying to follow in Roos’ footsteps, but he shies no effort t ingratiate himself with the fans as His predecessors did – Shea, Worner, Brown, Little…all always interacted with the crowd. There is no bond with Clarke after half a dozen games. I hope his performances improve to kindle a bond, otherwise he will quickly become a target for the boo boys.

[Windlesham Don]

Only eight days into the new season and the size of the task ahead has become clear. In reality things are not much different from 12 months ago. Whilst we are a league higher, we are demonstrating the same failings as at the start of last season, namely silly defensive errors accompanied by profligacy in front of goal.

This has produced the normal cries for extra spending on new players (or the return of old players). However, we have a new stadium to fund and so I hope that any calls to blow our budget are quickly rebuffed by Erik and the board.

I was one of the sacrilegious few who regarded our long term success to be best served by defeat in the play-off final and I stand by that view.

We may have a difficult season ahead unless we can gain some defensive solidity, but I hope that our main funding focus is NPL and not staying in League 1.

[Colum]

The first home game of the season always has a special feeling. A walk in shirt sleeves to the ground, a drink friends you haven’t seen since May, and if you’re luck a win. Unfortunately the later wasn’t true yesterday. We played well in patches, even had more clear cut chances than the opposition, but ended up on the losing side. Does this all sound too familiar? Maybe, but the general feeling was positive after a game where on another day we could have come away with something against a team that were only recently a Premiership team.

It all started so well. Playing a 4-3-3 formation with Andy Barcham in the centre of a front three, we caused Bolton some problems. An early move down the left saw the excellent Sean Kelly pass to my MOTM Dean Parrett who fed Barchie. A slick move that unfortunately ended up with a shot a yard over. Sortly afterwards Parrett created a shot on the turn that the Bolton keeper did well to palm over. If Barcham’s earlier miss was a bid wild, there was no doubting what followed. Finding hmself in an almost identical position, this time he made no mistake curling the ball infrom the edge of the box.

This seemed to galvanise Bolton, who suddenly woke up. As the half went on, we sat deeper and deeper allowing Bolton more room to attack. With most of their moves going down our right, it was only a matter of time before something gave way. A tame ball into the box resulted in a scuffed shot that Robinson half blocked. Clarke may have shown promise coming for crosses, but I really hope his shot stopping improved. The speed at which he fell on a ball coming straight at him was shocking. It bobbled underneath him and over the line. It was a shocking goal to concede.

Apart from a tae Elliott header wide and a well worked free kick routine, there was little else to offer the home fans.

The second half was similar to the first, apart from a change back to a 4-4-2 formation. Good approach work with speed, but little by the way of clear cut chances. A Taylor free kick on the edge of the box was comfortably saved, and a clever shot on the turn again from Taylor was all we had to show for our hard work.

The real star of the second half though were the officals. First a very industrial challenge on Darius Charles went unpunished, then the ref got in the way of Danny Bulman, not once but twice, as Danny intercepted a pass. This was made worrse by the fact that he would have been virtually straight threw on goal. He kept his best for later though.

Following the Bolton winner, a long ball to the far stick where Trotter tapped in unchallenged, captain fuller chased alost cause down the right. Bolton’s left back kicked the ball hard against Fuller after it had gone out of play. The ref strolled across from where he was, proceded to book the player before strolling back. Obviously eager to get play under way, Barry was prevented by the linesman deliverately standing in front of him. Barry’s frustration got the better of him, cue the ref to stroll across again to book the unfortunate Dond right back. I’d say that whole incident wasted two minutes.

The final ten minutes were spent camped in the Bolton penalty area. One passage saw crosses raining in from both flanks, but without any real result. Unfortunately the quality just wasn’t quite there. Not even the arrival of Poleon and Beere could make an impact.

The general sense among the fans was overwhelmingly positive. Our set piece work has definitely gone up a notch. One free kick in the first half in particular so nearly came off. Set pieces win games, so it is pleasing to see this being worked on.

My verdict? We’ve had a tough start to the season against big, fancied clubs. I’d have taken one point from the two league games before we started, so we’re not far off that! There’s nothing to worry about yet, but I hope we’ll start picking up points soon. If we continue playing like we have so far, that has to come. Surely!

[Devon Womble]

So good to see all these balanced and occasionally philosophical viewpoints. It’s why WDSA should carry on. Spread the word.
Personally, while Barcham’s goal appears to have been a good one (albeit some debate about whether he was offside ~ who cares?) I still believe Poleon is a better option in that position. It really did seem that his appearance (too late a sub as ever), helped ramp up our response after sitting back for so long.
Clarke though appears too wooden for the job at the back. It may only be three games in but already I’d say he could have done better on perhaps a third of those that have got past him. I’d go so far as to suggest that Shea is a better choice right now, just so long as he has learned how to shout at a back four. I think our back four are good but just need that extra pair of eyes and loud voice behind them to be effective. There can be no doubt that Roos appearance last season provided just that and turned them into the force they became.
Games are won by single goals, but they are nearly all lost when the opposition strolls two back.

[Singapore Don]

Excellent write-up of yesterday’s game Colum. I share your thoughts. Against both Walsall and Bolton – two teams that will be challenging in the top ten this season – we have looked competitive and thoroughly at the races. We have certainly not looked out of our depth at all. I didn’t see the Peterborough game but by all accounts we were unlucky to lose that one too. I’m not at all downcast by these opening defeats, indeed they may well have prevented us from being lulled into a false sense of security. There won’t be any complacency going in to the matches ahead. Scunthorpe on Tuesday poses another difficult test; they finished just outside the play-offs on goal difference last season. If we can get a point from that one, great; a win would be a massive boost for player and fan confidence alike. I just hope Ryan Clarke makes an effort to try to establish some sort of relationship with us fans. The standard little clap of the hands acknowledging the crowd at the beginning and end of the match would be a starter! He really needs to put in a performance too to win over the quick sceptics who see the goalkeeper position as our current Achilles heel. Roll on Tuesday, we live in hope!

[Colum]

I see Ade Azeez is also little more than an impact sub at Thistle. It is a shame to see players like this move to clubs only to get what they could have got with us. I suppose their wages are higher though.

I like the look of Kelly though. I don’t think we’ll miss Callam with him as backup. Less sure about Poleon though from what I’ve seen. The jury is still out with him.

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