Right.  Where to start.  Firstly, I’m going to name names, but I’m not really criticising the players, who, as far as I can tell, are giving their best.  And secondly, I’m not saying Wilson should be sacked unless we have a proven manager lined up.  And that doesn’t include Mark Hams or the Carshalton manager or the Whyteleafe manager etc, none of whom have what I call a proven managerial track record at this level.  And changing the manager now would probably result in wholesale player changes as well, and I don’t think is beneficial to us right now.

I want Wilson and Hams to start getting results.  I include Hams because he is the assistant manager, and at this level there should be an element of partnership between the managerial team.  If Hams doesn’t have any input or influence, then what is he there for?  Between them they need to establish a steady squad, which I accept is difficult in this league, but I think that we have already lost five of the team that played in our opening fixture less than 2 months ago.

And they desperately need to establish a style of play that suits our players.  And not just one style of play – but a number of different ways of playing depending on the opposition and the state of the game. 
Lets look at the players.  I don’t really have much complaint about the 2 keepers that we have used this season.  The defence has looked fairly solid, although we aren’t that good at keeping clean sheets.  Neither of our full backs ever seem to get forward, and certainly never get as far as the by line.  And with Robinson sitting ridiculously deep, we more or less play with 5 defenders, none of which show any attacking inclination until its too late.  And because we are so defensive, we don’t ask enough questions of the opposition and hence as the game progresses we start to invite more and more pressure.  If we aren’t pushing their full backs and midfielders back, then they’ll come forward!

In the Hythe game one of our attacks broke down at 0-0 near the edge of their box, and I looked up to see all 5 of our defenders sitting on the halfway line.  None of them had made any effort to support the attack.
And as for the long ball tactic that we seem to employ, I have mixed feelings.  I don’t mind a defender at our level lumping it forward when there is a bit of danger – I don’t see the need to always try to play your way out of trouble.  But as an attacking weapon we just don’t seem to be using it right.  In the first half yesterday I saw us pump the ball up for Byatt to challenge for the header, and yet I saw Hythe pump the ball into the channels for Sawyer and May to run onto.  Their players were making different runs and the ball was coming from different angles.  We tend to leave the long ball to Robinson who is normally playing centrally, so how can he get any sort of angle on the throughball?  And I do wonder who the long ball is aimed at, and what we expect to happen afterwards.  Are we looking for the flick on?  Are we aiming for the channels? Or are we asking Byatt to hold the ball up and bring in the midfield?  I can’t tell from watching the games, and it doesn’t look as if the players know what they are trying to achieve by this tactic.  I’m not against the long ball, but you still have to have a plan – and the right players to execute that plan.

Defensively, as I say, we look OK.  We seem to be dealing alright with set pieces.  But we need a bit more attacking intent from the back division.  Our defensive approach probably pays dividends if we score first – but if we don’t we don’t seem to have any more ideas.  Yesterday, when we went a goal down, there was no pattern of play and the players started to look like headless chickens.  Our team looked confused because the Hythe defence sat back deeper and we couldn’t see anywhere to hit the long ball.
In midfield, I have been fairly pleased with the trio that we play, although I would like to see Robinson a bit further forward.  But losing Marshall and Murphy-McVey has left us terribly short in that area.  We need 2 more good central midfielders.  I have been impressed by Simpson in the last couple of games, so maybe he is one of them.  I’m not sure about Pykes – he’s young and I haven’t seen enough of him.  And the least said about Emery the better.  You might say that its bad luck that we lost 2 good midfielders in a week, but its another question mark over the management.

In any case, I don’t think we use the midfield enough.  In the preferred 433 line up, we could often have a numerical advantage in the central midfield, but I don’t think we make the most of it.  And iff the opposition defence is dropping deeper to combat our long ball game, then why not change it up a bit and move the ball through midfield more?  Again, the Hythe game was a good example.  It was clear after 10 minutes that they were happy do drop deep and win headers, and at the other end, their forwards were happy to take advantage of the space behind our high line.  The management should have been making changes then, not waiting till half time.  I don’t necessarily mean substitutions, but alter the plan of attack, change the formation a bit, move a couple of players around.  In that 1st half, we were like a boxer getting punched, but refusing to put his guard up.
On to our wide players.  Personally, I’m happy with Makofo.  I know some people aren’t but I see something in him that I like, and I think that position suits him.  But what is Baxter doing?  Is he a midfielder?  He doesn’t get involved in the engine room.  Is he a winger? He never beats a player nor gets to the byline.  Is he a striker?  I don’t think I’ve seen him get a shot on target.  He might be a good player, but he looks wasted in no mans land – sort of a deep inside right for all you older folk.  And when Salako plays it’s a similar story.  I don’t think they know their jobs.  Or perhaps they are just doing what the manager tells them to do.  Either way its not working.  Baxter doesn’t affect the game much, nor does Robinson, and last night nor did Emery.  It was like playing with 8 players.

I can’t say too much about Byatt except that he’s been starved of chances.  Perhaps he needs to make different runs.  Perhaps he needs to come short more often and allow space for Baxter or Makofo to get in behind him.  Try something different – that’s what I’d like to see the manager say.  Especially when the “game plan” just isn’t working as it didn’t last night.

And I would say to the manager, he needs the get more from his players.  He kept Baxter ahead of Summers and Chendlik, and he plays him ahead of Salako, Pinnock, Lalor-Dell and Nkoma, so I assume he sees something in him.  Why don’t I?  As I say, I think we need 2 good central midfielders and if we are going to insist on the 2 wide players, lets make sure that they have a bit of pace, can beat a player, can get to the byline and deliver a decent ball into the box.  And get players into the box.  When we do, like against Chatham and Carshalton we can cause problems. Even our long throw tactic doesn’t bring dividends.  What are we actually trying to achieve with our long throws anyway?   Just occasionally, why not throw it short.  Especially if the opposition are camped in their own 6 yard box.

We have got to do something about our approach to the game.  We have to be more flexible and show more adventure.  We aren’t losing exciting games.  We are losing boring games.  The fans are getting nothing for their support.  I thought Dismal Land had closed – but it seems to have relocated to Imperial Fields.

And finally the manager.  Nobody seems to have a good word about him – and not just GW!  I would say to the manager that you are just one small part of a big club.  We are all supposed to be pulling in the same direction, but somehow he seems to have alienated everyone – I haven’t spoken to anyone who says that they like him.  Being the 1st team manager isn’t just about picking the team.  Its about galvanising the whole club and Wilson seems to be doing the opposite.  He needs to enthuse the club.  He really needs to re-evaluate his position.  If something isn’t working then he shouldn’t be stubborn and just carry on regardless.  That goes for his tactics, his player selection and his PR.

I don’t want him sacked – that would put us back to square 1 – and a waste of another fucking season.  I want him to turn it around.  But I’m becoming a minority.