Guitar Ray

I didn’t see any problems in the Bycars. Hardly any stewards, and those that were there arrived late and didn’t appear to have a clue what to do. I normally have my own steward sitting watching me all match.

Great performance first half, easily the best we’ve played for quite some time. Sat back a bit too much second half for my liking, inviting unnecessary pressure. Special mention must go to Brownie for two great saves, one in each half.

The disappointment at throwing 3 points away is understandable but when the fixtures were released most of us would have been more than happy to be 3 unbeaten, with 2 of those games being away from home. Looking at the stats on Saturday we had 13 shots, 6 on target and 7 corners, which for an away team is excellent. Also, we managed 16 shots against Northampton plus 10 against Colchester, which says to me that we’re competitive, we just need to be a bit more clinical. One other point, Chris Neal was always going to have a good game against us. OK, you could argue we were a bit wasteful, but I thought a little unlucky with a couple of the efforts on goal.

I’m a bit surprised by this comment. Did you go to any of the friendlies? In all the games I’ve seen Bennett play he’s done far more running than Pope. Your comparison is flawed as in most of his appearances he’s played wide left and has had to do a lot of tracking back, something which wouldn’t be expected of a target man. Anyhow, Bennett and Pope are different types of players. Bennett isn’t a direct replacement for Tom. From what I’ve seen Tom, as we’d expect, is better in the air, Bennett is quicker and more mobile. I guess it’ll depend on how Askey views the opposition as to which of the strikers he plays against FGR. The main problem in dropping Tom, apart from his goal threat, is that he gives us that added aeriall power when defending set pieces. We’re a small team and I don’t see Bennett, although tall, being particularly strong in the air.

As things stand, I wouldn’t be disappointed to see Whitfield on the bench, to be bought on with 15 - 20 mins of the game left. Whatever the stats say, he has shown he has a bit of creativity, something which I see as lacking in the team. Would I trust him as a starter? No, probably not.

Overall I was pretty happy with our performance, albeit that we were guilty of being wasteful in front of goal. Until we scored neither team played with much urgency but the opposition woke up a bit thereafter. I thought we competed really well against a big strong team, and in conditions which suited them more than us. They’ve signed a fair few players and I expected them to play more football. Interesting that we improved when Cullen came on, by which point I thought the game was passing Manny by. I think this is the tactic Askey will use at home, switching from 433 to something closer to 442 when some of the pace has gone out of the game as players tire. I think it allowed the wingers to stay wider having Cullen in support of Pope, which stretched them a bit more at the back.

From what I saw in pre-season Burgess is nothing like Manny. He’s more like the other midfielders in build and style of play. At the moment it’s looking like we need a CH to replace Rawlinson, a powerful attacking midfielder to cover for Manny and I still feel we need another striker.

Pope simply MUST come back for corners, we’re too small otherwise, certainly against the giants of Northants who had around 6 players taller than either Pope or Legge. Besides, Pope is a great header of the ball so why wouldn’t he drop back for corners and set pieces? I would prefer to see Amoo on the halfway line but he seems to have defensive duties.

Just corrected that for you. We’re not feral you know? We pronounce our haitches round these parts.

You are right to be unsure my good fellow. Let me quote from my bible, the Social Media For Dummies guide book, the first rule of social media: “1). Everyone, at all times, must post the gospel truth.” This is the Law

Please don’t decry us “Ragtatters” behind the goal, Jeff Kent will have plenty to say about this effrontery in his next book. Kindly note that our outlandish attire is merely an outward display of our solidarity with our VIP cousins, that they too have the freedom to dress as they please whilst enjoying their corporate hospitality. We may not be preening peacocks behind the goal but remember this, wherever we sit as fans we are all one, inextricably bound by the same intangible force, the same force in fact that holds the Bycars bogs together.

There’s no obligation to join in. Just turn up in your scruffs and no one will know

You do realise he was wearing nothing below the waist?

Prove it.

Having stepped back for a couple of hours to digest this thread, this dress code idea has started to boil my P155. So much so that I’m in two minds if to protest at the first home game by wearing a suit in the Bycars to show solidarity with the VIP’s up there in the gods. So if anyone spots a slimmer, balder, slightly more pished version of Rab C Nesbitt in The Bycars on Sat you’ll know why. #SolidarityBrothers