rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Apr 7, 2023 10:53:57 GMT
After consecutive away wins to give us a fighting chance of staying up, it is crucial to keep the momentum going and follow that up with a Home win. Eastleigh have, for some reason, been a bogey team for us since we started playing them regularly following our relegation out of the league and while the law of averages say with we are due a win, we must make it so. Unfortunately I am unable to get to the game today as I was at Wembley last night watching England women win the Finalissima cup and am staying up in London for a day or two. I will be keeping a close tab on this game though. TUFC match preview |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 7, 2023 11:37:57 GMT
Wow, we don’t even have a team to play against so we must have a chance…I’m going for a 0:0 draw!
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rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Apr 7, 2023 12:06:40 GMT
Wow, we don’t even have a team to play against so we must have a chance…I’m going for a 0:0 draw! Corrected!  |
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Jon
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Post by Jon on Apr 7, 2023 12:55:27 GMT
A case of who we leave out rather than how many donkeys start.
A refreshing change.
Think we need to manage game time for Hall, Dawson and Lapslie to make sure we have at least two of the three on the pitch at all times. All three would be a nice luxury, but less than two would be a disaster.
Sill unlikely to have a striker on the bench. Fadahunsi would be the obvious man to bring on when Nouble tires, but with five loanees ahead of him in the pecking order he is unlikely to make the bench. The usual swap of Wyatt on wide left and Collins moving up front will have to do. Any news on Koszela? Said to be out for 10-12 weeks over three months ago. Would rather have him on the bench than nothing.
It’s a thin line between getting results from close games and throwing them away. I still can’t believe how we contrived to take just two points from eight very winnable games.
Now on a run of two straight wins but probably need to stretch that to five to make our season go to the wire.
Can it be done? Not impossible, but highly unlikely.
Throughout Johnson’s career, his teams have tended to go on runs - either winning or losing.
Has he got one last winning run in him to let him retire as a hero rather than a villain?
Let’s hope so, but it is hope not expectation.
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Jon
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Post by Jon on Apr 7, 2023 13:31:44 GMT
Lapslie starts. Evans on the bench.
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rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Apr 7, 2023 15:05:32 GMT
0-0 HT - another 1-0 coming up? We need to beware the counter attack though……
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rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Apr 7, 2023 15:12:31 GMT
Hall - header from free kick - 1-0
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Post by rjdgull on Apr 7, 2023 15:26:54 GMT
Lapslie scores! 2-0
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rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Apr 7, 2023 15:36:28 GMT
Yeovil equalised against Aldershot which would be a good result for us
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Post by rjdgull on Apr 7, 2023 16:07:09 GMT
2-0 FT - another big win - 4 point deficit to make up on Aldershot now, Gateshead and Dorking 6 ahead on us.
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Post by Swanny on Apr 7, 2023 17:26:06 GMT
A big well done to the Gulls today and easily the highlight of the season so far for me today. Finally we look like a proper solid football team that can win games. It isn't pretty or spectacular but it is experienced and solid. We created very few clear chances and a lot of our balls went aimlessly to the opposition but we were the better team and took our two chances very well when they came along. There is a strong spine to the team now old troopers like Hall and Moxey are fit again and playing.
A midfield trio of Lapsie, Hall and Dawson is pretty impressive. All are hard working and have that bit of know how and some quality at times. Special mention has to go to Sponsors MOTM Hall who headed our first goal from a free-kick in true Hall style. Up front Jarvis and Nouble really battle away. Jarvis was constantly getting his shirt pulled in any challenge and rarely got any free-kicks from the referee. It was Jarvis who put through Lapsie for our vital second goal. Nouble has great close control with the ball and is physically a power house who makes Jarvis look small in comparison. Both Nouble and Jarvis have a good football brain and that is the vital difference with the team now. All season I have repeatedly described our team as a bunch of naïve youngsters but thankfully we are no longer that.
The youngsters who are playing now have decent ability and potential. Lawrence was again immaculate at the back and is destined for a glittering career in the higher divisions of the football league. The likes of Collins and Evans who came on as substitute have exciting ability that can turn matches even though they can be inconsistent which is understandable given their experience. Donnelan was the only starter from our pre season signings which says it all I'm afraid. We know if more start playing games we will not be good enough again and it reflects badly on our pre season poor recruitment. Halstead in goal looks totally commanding and confident and that is now 3 clean sheets in a row, so well done Mark! Compared to Eastleigh's keeper it is clear Halstead is far better and has consolidated this season into a very decent National League keeper.
Final word to the Yellow army who played their part today and made a great atmosphere. What a pleasant experience seeing so many happy faces at the end including young children beaming and hugging. They after all are the future of this football club and it is great to see them so passionate about our club. The feel good factor returned today and I have waited all season to experience it. Sadly it is still unlikely we will stay up but well done to everyone for this winning run and for all the effort. Even Gary Johnson did a rare fist pump in front of the Pop Side today at the end and the response was "Gary Johnson's Yellow Army" from the Popside. I haven't heard that one for a long time!
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Post by rjdgull on Apr 7, 2023 17:56:13 GMT
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Post by chelstongull on Apr 8, 2023 7:27:00 GMT
What a great result against a very horrid and extremely horrible Eastleigh team who seemed to waste time right from kick off. Aided by a very weak and hopeless ref and popside lino, they let the Eastleigh bullies pull, foul and generally person handle Jarvis and Nouble for the entire match with Jarvis winning a foul in the 90th minute. Disgraceful. I could see from my 1899 vantage point this happening on every attack but two well taken goals, especially Lapslie’s took the wind out of their sales. How on earth they are in the playoffs is beyond me.
Are we still going down, yes I’m afraid?
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Post by Deleted on Apr 8, 2023 7:28:04 GMT
So the pain of expectation continues, and could we be heading to a Dark Destroyer ending? This is TUFC though, and how many times have we managed to clutch defeat from the jaws of victory, so let’s just enjoy the moment. 🦧
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Jon
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Post by Jon on Apr 10, 2023 12:16:19 GMT
With Chelston deciding that free food and drink were more important than good company and a good view of the game, we were denied his sparkling witty repartee and left to rely on the team to provide our afternoon’s entertainment.
Surprisingly, they stepped up to the plate. A very enjoyable afternoon.
You can talk shape and formations all day, but if you have passengers in central midfield you have no chance. If you have Hall and Dawson and Lapslie you have every chance. Three players from a different planet compared to McGavin, Hanson, etc.
When we tried to play 3-5-2 earlier in the season we had wing backs who were worse than useless. Zero effect going forward and zero effect defensively - like playing with nine men.
Stobbs and Collins are not wing backs. One is a winger, one is a striker who can do a job out wide.
But both give you something going forward and both have the energy and work rate to get up and down the field. Not professional defenders, but able to track back and make a nuisance of themselves rather than giving the opposition a free pass. Then you have Hall playing just in front of the back three and able to drop in to become the fourth defender.
A back three needs a “conductor” in the middle running the show. Usually a job for a grizzled old pro like Impey or Watson. How can Lawrence only be 19? Seems to have the calm assurance and the positional awareness of a player double his age.
Jarvis and Nouble a real handful up front.
This team is good enough for the playoffs. What a shame we have left it all too late.
Even if we pull off the results we hope we do, we are reliant on results elsewhere.
Staying up is still a long shot and I reckon we will end up 21st.
At least that buys us a ticket in the AGM Cup.
Let’s hope the National League lives up to its previous reputation of punishing financial non-compliance with relegation. I wish Southend no ill but would willingly jump in their grave. I would wish them all the best in National League South.
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