Maidstone (h)
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EastTerracer
- Posts: 584
- Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2023 8:40 am
Really poor. Huge holes in midfield. We show a bit of promise out wide but no realistic chance of the forwards we have getting on the end of any balls put in.
Really agree with the comments re Widdrington wasn’t much different on Saturday. Even in the Slough game if we lose the ball he jogs back like he’s got all the time in the world. Absolutely not having him.
I’m sure he’s one of Dowse bouncers in the changing room as he kept saying in pre season interviews but he’s just not athletic enough to play football.
Deadfield in the past divided opinion but I’d say he’d be a big upgrade on Widdrington.
I’m sure he’s one of Dowse bouncers in the changing room as he kept saying in pre season interviews but he’s just not athletic enough to play football.
Deadfield in the past divided opinion but I’d say he’d be a big upgrade on Widdrington.
Dowse’s post match comments up. Bit concerned that the management team can’t agree on where the problems lie. He’s right about no leaders on the pitch but stands out a mile that midfield is the problem and that a change of personnel is needed. Dowse knows that. Then suggested Ince might come in but he didn’t get a look in today and from what I’ve seen he is not the answer to the midfield lack of pace and ball winning. And where do you find such players now everyone is signed up? We’ve made some poor signings from what I’ve seen so far and can’t say many have been any better than last season’s squad, despite NL experience.
Dowse thoughts on the game now up live. Lambasting the defending. Fair enough as the goals conceded record is terrible. That said , Is he seeing that aside from Atkinson no one in the midfield can get about the pitch and put a tackle in? Agree with the comment about Ince, it he can't improve what we saw today then why sign him? The midfield is terrible, gaps everywhere and for me that is the biggest reason why we are shipping so many goals.
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Lord Elpus
- Posts: 1233
- Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 3:09 pm
The Ince question really is baffling isn't it...if he's fit enough and supposed to be such a talent then why isn't he in the side? If there are ongoing doubts about his post injury fitness and ability then why re-sign him? Nothing we saw in pre-season showed any evidence that he should be re-signed. Are managers so dazzled by his past achievements that they are prepared to keep giving him the benefit of the doubt? Surely Dowse is too long in the tooth to fall into that category?
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EastTerracer
- Posts: 584
- Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2023 8:40 am
Dowse says he needs leaders on the pitch. Does he not think about this when he assembles the squad ?
Strong Maidstone side on the break, and we hit the post and then got back into the match at 1-2, to be undone by two more goals on quick breaks.
When we're playing a team quick on the break, at our free kicks and corners surely good to get the ball into the box quickly, where we were causing some trouble, and to put our quicker players near the halfway line?
And two defensive midfielders playing as a unit? Atkinson doing great considering.
Despite everything, just a few things different and we could have managed a closer result - as Dowse is saying I think.
Got to get behind the team now, every point's important.
When we're playing a team quick on the break, at our free kicks and corners surely good to get the ball into the box quickly, where we were causing some trouble, and to put our quicker players near the halfway line?
And two defensive midfielders playing as a unit? Atkinson doing great considering.
Despite everything, just a few things different and we could have managed a closer result - as Dowse is saying I think.
Got to get behind the team now, every point's important.
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Lord Elpus
- Posts: 1233
- Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 3:09 pm
You're absolutely right Roger but the trouble with these very fine margins is that if they consistently don't go in your favour over the course of a season then you end up getting relegated. (I know this stuff, I grew up supporting West Ham!)RogerSW wrote: Tue Sep 01, 2026 10:37 am Strong Maidstone side on the break, and we hit the post and then got back into the match at 1-2, to be undone by two more goals on quick breaks.
When we're playing a team quick on the break, at our free kicks and corners surely good to get the ball into the box quickly, where we were causing some trouble, and to put our quicker players near the halfway line?
And two defensive midfielders playing as a unit? Atkinson doing great considering.
Despite everything, just a few things different and we could have managed a closer result - as Dowse is saying I think.
Got to get behind the team now, every point's important.
It's a worry isn't it. This scatter gun approach to assembling a team - sign dozens of players and constantly replace them during the season when you discover they aren't up to the job - seems to be the way Dowse works but I don't think it is the right way to approach things. It might work mid-season when you are in relegation trouble but not long-term in my view.EastTerracer wrote: Tue Sep 01, 2026 8:52 am Dowse says he needs leaders on the pitch. Does he not think about this when he assembles the squad ?
That is very much what I thought when I saw the interview. It would be a fair comment if it was a squad he inherited and didn't recruit himself!EastTerracer wrote: Tue Sep 01, 2026 8:52 am Dowse says he needs leaders on the pitch. Does he not think about this when he assembles the squad ?
Nonetheless I fully believe Dowse will turn it around.