Witton Albion vs Barwell

Andy Simpson has tweeted the following. Encouraging news about new signing Andy Fowler who was carried off this afternoon. His leg is badly bruised but no break or fracture!

Was excited to see our new signings - not excited any more, we needed 4 players and we still do based on today ! Agree with other comments what a rubbish display from players and mgt, the shape was what ? Nobody seemed to know their role, passing was woeful, effort was poor, how we got a point god only knows !
If I had one piece of advice for Sully to save his job and Witton from relegation it would be to get an experienced assistant that knows this level of football, Sullys enthusiasm is great and I like him but tactically and from a player spotting view we are no where near good enough ! so he needs better help than he is getting and maybe stop playing stupid shapes and formations. Today looked like a narrow 4 a one in front then a midfield 2 and then a 3 but I’m guessing a bit because we were all over the place but the effect was we had no width, lost the midfield and strikers were starved of the ball. Having said all that if you give the ball away at will, lose your tackles and don’t put in 100% your gonna get beat most times.
And to top it all the officials today were garbage !

Not quite sure what to make of that game, it was all a bit surreal. We started off quite well for the first five minutes and then were absolutely woeful for the rest of the first half. It looked like their striker actually autographed the ball just before they scored, with the referee stood five yards in front of him, and their second goal was the most direct type of goal you will ever see. I pondered staying in the club to watch the rugby at half time.

Second half was slightly better, more fight and we seemed to have a bit more shape. The equaliser was a cracker and the highlight of the day. Not quite sure about our new French signing but he seemed to ruffle a few feathers when he came on and his flick on for our first goal looked “magnifique” although I’m not sure he meant it. I’m not usually one to criticise the referee but he was a disgrace today.

All in all a good (and rather fortunate) point. I’m more concerned about us going down week by week now though.

Good to hear Andy Fowler is ok, it looked nasty surprised he was bruised seeing as tho the ref thought the player got the ball ! Clown

Well I’d have taken that at half time! If we are going to pump high balls up then we MUST have a big feller to try and win them. To be fair our new Andy Carroll lookalike did put himself about and helped us to get back in the game. Titch and Rainford just do not work as a partnership, but who do you drop?

I’m pleased that other teams “do a Witton” because Barwell had it in the bag at half time before deciding to change their pattern of play and sit back. To be fair we did play much better in the 2nd half. I reckon we need 4 points minimum from the next 2 games or it will go down to the wire if teams around us continue to pick up points.

Ps well done keeper for a great save, I congratulated him as he left the pitch but it didn’t get any response or even half a smile. Hey mate, it’s supposed to be about the fans!!

A bit harsh there CJ. I thought our new beardy striker looked good, he is a good player by reputation, and very good news after his injury which looked like a break. Also the new striker with all the hair made a difference when he came on and I particularly liked his encouragement for Titch, maybe a good partnership there??

We started very brightly and were pressing very well, they were no mugs and after they scored we crumpled a bit and the game became a bit scrappy. At half time we’d had it really and from that we did very well to get a (somewhat lucky in some respects) draw though either team could have won it really towards the end!

The ref had a shocker and showed how well the ref on Tuesday night officiated.

It’s not going to be easy to stay up from here but lets all keep hoping and supporting the team!

[quote=“marston mauler” post=57047] Also the new striker with all the hair made a difference when he came on and I particularly liked his encouragement for Titch, maybe a good partnership there??
Le grande homme et Le petit homme! Allez les Albs :clap

Blimey the knives are out tonight!

Considering we had 4 new players in todays squad who have never played alongside their new team mates i thought we did ok.

First half was poor but to go in 2 down at HT and level things up shows great spirit, Barwell are one of the better teams in this league and certainly like to get stuck in.

Let’s judge the new lads after a few more games but i think they all did ok, Sully knows what hes doing and im 100% confident in his ability to keep us up

Often said ,a good referee doesn’t get noticed during a game. Today’s ref might as well have been wearing a pink tutu and flashing sign saying LOOK AT ME. .He didn’t do advantages, when keepers push the ball over the bar it’s a goal kick, and a two footed challenge from behind is fine. .On the actual game, thought Barwell were very good first half passing well using both wings and their tall No 9 held the ball up well. Second half we decided to get stuck in a bit more ,possibly a bit too much for the penalty,but two good finishes and a fine penalty save gave us a point from what seemed a lost cause. Don’t know if we can stay up or not, but we need to battle for the whole match, not half of it.

I didn’t particularly mean Andy Fowler he did ok till injured, but some of the performances were lamentable ie first touch and passing atrocious and lack of effort/ discipline just the basics really you should expect at this level, if they cannot do that you then end up at the next lower level. I struggled to enjoy our come back because of the dreadful display and fear for our future, and Barwell are mid table !

Does anyone know if these new players were actually brought in by Sully? Or is the club taking the seemingly modern day approach of the manager being given players and told to manage them?

Agree that first half was shocking, again we were playing with a massive hole infront of the back four, if there is an example of players giving 100% with no ability and a player with quality and poor fitness, then Corbett and Clark are the examples and I know which I would want in my team, so to keep hearing but he gives 100% every week I am sorry but that isn’t going to keep us up!

Although credit to Sullivan after half time he changed it and we levelled, and should have won it at the end, but I am under no illusion that yesterday was no good enough, we have 9 home games and we need to win 6 to stay up two of which are FCUM and Skem, trying to stay positive and all I can take from yesterday is French guy has lovely hair!

Just found out that Lucas porquet-Molina is actually a French speaking Venezuelan!!

What a brilliant quiz question for the future! Who was the first French speaking Venezuelan to play for Witton Albion? Mookie B take note! B)

If performances like yesterday are considered acceptable then we may as well start planning for the league below.

Judging by the players we’re signing, you could suggest that we already are :whistle:

How about keeping Porquet-Molina up front and pairing him with Comley-Excell, if he’s still available. Then we could get Rhoades-Brown out of retirement, although I fear that Storey-Moore is no longer an option…

Just an interesting stat

15th feb last year we were in 21st place in league with 31 points.

Interesting but the worrying thing about that stat is the difference in quality between the team/squad we had this time last year and what we have now.

And we got a fit and scoring Titch to win us some games ! I cannot see a decent 11 out of the current squad certainly not on form, But I hope we hit some form soon or we are going to be deep in trouble Sully needs to find a selection and formation that works even if some of the players are not quite up to it, next week Vs Ramsbottom will show what we are !

We are already deep in trouble, not “going to be”! Last season I was always confident we would get out if it, this season I am really not.