First half Witton.<br><br>Second half Leek.<br><br>We lost - they won. <br><br>Still plenty to smile about - they were not that good - and we were not that bad.<br><br>
what happened! couldnt make the game - work as usual. Any chance of a detailed report
Have to disagree a little AJ.<br><br>I felt the majority of pre season optimism evaporated tonight, as the team looked a shadow of what they promised and even delivered at the back end of last season. ?Instead of seeing the improvement on saturday I (along with many others I’m sure) were very disappointed with the showing.<br><br>I’ll try not to take too much away from Leek who imo were much better than us and fully deserved their 3 points. ?If anything 3-1 flattered us. ?They have spent a lot of money though and good luck to them, I just hope they are the best side we meet this season as otherwise a lot of teams may leave WP with 3 points.<br><br>Losing is one thing but the manner made it much worse. ?I originally said I’d be happy with 6 points from the first 4 games, (still achievable) and bearing in mind last season we lost the first 3 all is not lost, however for me the players have heaped pressure on themselves now for Saturday and Monday with a result and performance needed.<br><br>Just a couple to ponder:<br>Why so many square balls?<br>Why ping it around playing dangerous one twos with the defence so deep?<br>Why Dicken up front when we have 2 strikers on the bench and 1 in the stand? (I’m not saying Dicken is to blame!)<br><br>Just seen WW post above:<br>Albion took the lead through Barlow against the run of play - 37 mins. A 5 yard finish initially from a corner after Yates and Kevan played balls into the box. Leek pressed hard and got their rewards in the 2nd half with 3 goals. 339 the gate - good following from Leek.
what was the team, i know it had to change as was told last week Nolan was going away on holiday
Team: Gibson, Evans, Tickle, Furnival, Barlow, Kevan, Foy, Yates, Stannard, Dicken, Moseley.<br>subs:<br>Bird for Stannard<br>Pritch for injured Tickle<br>think it was Madin unused
why does the manager play Alex Kevan, hes too slow and upsets the flow of the team. Why not put Barlow back into midfield where he did so well last season and bring Pritch back into the team. It would give us more strength throughout, especially tonight as i’m guessing a certain mr Clegg was playing for Leek
‘They were not that good’ - Well, I’ve seen far better, but Leek harried and harassed, no. 2 looked good, and they showed how the game should be played, getting the ball quickly out to the wings and putting in dangerous crosses. With Albion’s complete lack of marking goals were inevitable. And let’s be fair, they didn’t have to look that good tonight!<br>‘We were not that bad’. Hmmm! I thought we were appalling. No discernible tactics, apart from whatever else you do, don’t use the wings and get crosses in. Unbelievable naiivity across the back, which led to all three Leek goals, and virtually no service up front. Combine that with the fact that most of the team seemed to think they were out for an evening stroll (with a couple of notable exceptions), and we got away lightly with 3 - 1.<br>Just a thought - given the lack of effort out there, leaving Brian Pritchard on the bench for the majority of the game was bordering on criminal. If every player had put in the effort that he does every game, then the result would almost certainly been different.<br>Can’t finish without a mention for the officials! Ref was generally impressive, why can’t all officials deal with obvious time wasting ‘injuries’ late on as he did, but he bottled it with a clear penalty when we were still 1 - 0 up. And will someone please inform the linesmen that it is the players’ positions when the ball is played that count, not when it has travelled 60 yards!!!<br>I predict Leek to be in the mix at the end of the season, but if Albion play like tonight, then I predict a relegation battle. However if Albion play like they did against Northwich, then I see no other team to finish above them.
what would your team be Mike
It’s not so much the personnel, but the method of play and unfortunately tonight the amount of effort. We were too negative, excruciatingly slow at getting forward, and tried to take men on in dangerous areas to us instead of dangerous areas to them.
Totally agree but i still think changes are needed saturday
Absolute garbage - <br><br>Just what the hell is going on so many promises and a performance as bad as that is produced.<br><br>The team was only just good enough to get us up last season and that shower is not good enough for a top half finish.<br><br>One striker at home, does Davison no what he is doing, I said last season he wasn’t the man for the job and after last night’s deplorable perfomance my opinion hasn’t changed.<br><br>I will go to the next two matches and if things do not improve, I will not be spending my hard earned money watching that rubbish.<br><br>Leek were 10 times better than us, fitter, more skillfull in just about every department. The only players who showed anything were Moseley, on his own, Dicken tried and Gibson kept us in the game.<br><br>I hope Barlow, Stannard, Kevan, Yates, Furnival do not collect there wages, because they don’t deserve them.<br><br>I Hope the board will be brave enough and get rid early.
It was no surprise to see the performance we saw, it will be exactly the same as last season some great games some bloody awful, the reason? not a single new face in the starting line up from last season, still the same weaknesses midfield woefully lacking felt sorry for the defence myself under constant presure with no support and the midfield (Kevan in particular) giving the ball away with almost every touch. another frustrating season in store I think, wonder where the extra budget has gone?
hold on a minute, we were disapointing 2nd half but lets not get too depressed, we have looked very good pre-season and would agree with mike that if we play every game like we did against northwich then nobody would finish above us!<br><br>thought we looked ok 1st half, soaked up the necessary pressure and looked assured and comfortable, took in a 1-0 lead which i thought we deserved, fair enough Gibo had to make a few quality saves to keep us ahead but thats just credit to leek who will go very far this season, was very impressed with them<br><br>2nd half however was a different story, no imagination going forward and sloppy passes in the middle cost us, along with the lack of marking in our own box, having said this had we picked up runners and men in the box, coupled with the penalty we should have recieved we would have won that game and all gone home happy<br><br>i still think the signs are good for this season and a good win on saturday should restore confidence, as for gettin on peoples backs after two games just look at how ridiculous the situation is at Southampton! people are laughing at those in charge there so its a good job some of you dont get a say at witton or we would be laughed at along with them and Vics!<br><br>lets all get behind the lads on saturday and make something of the season!!!
Only saw the game from the half hour mark due to work but we were poor. Gave the ball away very cheaply and failed to mark up. They played some nice football but when it came down to it, It was terrible marking that gave away the goals. <br><br> We need Pritch back in at centre half to give his huge unibond experience. Leave Barlow with him at Centre half. Centre midfield we need Foy and a new centre midfielder.<br> We also need Dicko out wide and another proper striker up front with Mike. I think Lee Madin should be given a chance after impressing pre-season.<br> We need to work on our passing,fitness and closing down the opposition to have any chance of Conference North football.
yes leek were much better than us and much improved on last season, what have we achieved over the summer - nothing! not one player who will add to the start team, very dissapointing, just hope the extra budget isnt already spent on nothing - we need a good central midfielder, striker and left winger, we appear to have lost adam carden who was the only bright youngster about the place last season ? i know the supporters do moan generally but most last night seem really down about the result and the lack of progress made, come on JD lets see at least one quality signing soon.
I think it was one of the worst Witton performances I can remember.<br><br>1st half we were clearly 2nd best, but 2nd half your average school 1st XI would have put in more effort.<br><br>The defence need shooting. They cannot play football, they should swallow that pill, then realise that pissing about passing the ball around at the back is bloody useless. Bring Pritch back for his work rate, and then (yes it might not be pretty) hoof it. Down the flanks.<br><br>Put Dicko back out wide left, Bird and Mike up front, and pump the ball up to them. Midfield the other night were non-existent, so it’s better to bypass them I’d have thought…<br><br>I’d rather the defence smacked it as far away from the goal as possible rather than piss about passing it amongst themselves. That, and when someone attacks, DON’T STAND OFF. Leek’s 2nd (I think it was) goal seemed to come after every Witton player stood at least 5 yds away from every Leek player. GET STUCK IN, and tackle! Hard tackling, long balls, take advantage of Bird’s height, Mike’s skill, and Dicko’s speed up front.<br><br>There’d better be changes, or the attendance will go through the floor… I’ve already watched us be relegated from the (old) Unibond Premier, I don’t want to have to watch it again…