Plus ca change

[Kernow Yellow]

Pretty much in agreement with Paul's 'Fan's View' on yesterday's game - not too disappointed but not particularly encouraged either. Yes we dominated possession, yes we had more territorial advantage, but we didn't look much like scoring for most of the game. Taylor was a yard off the pace, and when he or Hylton did hold the ball up there was no support from the midfield. Too many passes were over hit (Macdonald the biggest culprit). And we conceded a very sloppy goal to a team who were barely even trying to score.

Positives? Well we didn't lose, as I feared we would and it seemed we might. In fact we finished quite strongly but poor decision making in the final third meant we got one point. Slocombe looked quite good apart from the goal. And, um, well most of it was very reminiscent of the last few seasons frankly.

I heard a lot of people after the game consoling themselves with the fact we were the better team. And of course we were, in many ways. But niggly, time-wasting Crawley came for a point and got it. We set out to break them down and win, and failed. So they were ultimately successful. But at least we're on the board already. Onwards and upwards...

[Dr Bob]

Seriously underwhelming. Taylor did not have a good game, and the one time Slocombe had to be really decisive he dithered, the defenders failed to, and we conceded. Although I am not very good at seeing formations on the pitch, even I could see times when there were gaping holes in our midfield, when the wide players pushed on and the central two sat back more. At other times, the 4-4-2 was really rigid and left a large gap between the midfield 4 and the front 2. Hence the lack of support from midfield that KY noted.

Quite what some of the RadOx callers were reporting seeing in the first 20 minutes of the game I am not sure. During that time we might have dominated possession, but did absolutely sod all with it. That said, I am not sure how many times this season we shall come up against teams that play so negatively - and are they all giants, or is the United team a bunch of short-arses?

And the one thing to add to what KY said - the fantastic through-ball from Rose, the perfectly timed run from Hylton [sic!] and the excellent finish.

I now cannot see a game until 19 September. I hope that is long enough for things to settle down.

[recordmeister]

In agreement with all of that. I thought it was all predictably predictable, really.

The one comment I would make is the huge difference Hoban made when he came on. I don't think there should really be any pressure on him to score lots of goals, as the way he holds the ball up is just fantastic. At times both Hylton and Taylor mis-time jumping for headers from goal kicks, and the ball simply passed over them. Hoban, despite his short-status, seems to be able to control the ball and bring the rest of the team into the game. IMHO it was that substation which turned the game.

Oh, and is McDonald playing on entirely the wrong side?

[Myles Francis]

But niggly, time-wasting Crawley came for a point and got it. We set out to break them down and win, and failed.

This is the thing which concerns me the most. Crawley played no differently to the majority of sides which we will play at home this season, but we couldn't find a way to break them down. The majority of our attacking threat was reduced to long balls over the top for Hylton to run on to.

What I do find a little more baffling is in relation to the pitch and the formation we used. The pitch was narrowed because it was identified that we conceded too many goals from crosses, and we wanted to give the opposition less space to work in. So, what do we do? Play 4-4-2/4-4-1-1 with two "proper" wingers who had, er, less space to work in against a back four who were able to play more tightly. Hoist by one's own petard. Or summat.

[GodalmingYellow]

Insufficient positivity on here today!

It was the first proper competitive game of the season. To expect perfection from day one is unrealistic.

I felt we controlled the game and were certainly the better side. Their keeper had to make at least 4 good saves from goal bound efforts.

Our passing was the improved continuation from the end of last year, with none of the tippy tappy stuff, which is good. We did try to get the ball in to Hylton and Taylor a little quickly in the first half, so the passes were over hit rather than the players being behind the play. Timing of runs to coincide with playing the ball in comes with more matches.

A few players were slightly off their game - MacDonald and Sercombe spring to mind, but no criticism of that from me, it was very hot and a new season.

Apart from the goal, (Mrs) Slocombe, didn't really have a proper save to make (thanks to Mullins!). I agree with Baboo on their goal that Slocombe should have claimed the ball well before Rose and Baldock decided not to bother making challenges, and the highlights confirm that.

Our goal was beautifully crafted with a great run from Hylton to split the centre backs and a top notch finish.

I was encouraged that we came out in a very positive way, looking to pass the ball, but in a constructive way, moving the opposition about. That Crawley time wasted so much, was decent evidence of them simply trying to stop us playing rather than going for it themselves. I was impressed by their #10 Rooney, who is playing a division too low now.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the challenge through the back of Sercombe (?) early on which drew a yellow card for the Crawley offender. I think later in the season that might have drawn a straight red card.

Overall I was happy with the performance scoring it out of 10:

Slocombe 7
Skarz 7
Wright 7
Mullins 8
Baldock 7
Sercombe 5
MacDonald 5
Rose 7
Roofe 6
Hylton 9
Taylor 7

O'Dowda 6
Hoban 5
Ruffels 5

Overall:
U's 7
Creepy Crawley 6
Ref 7

[SWA]

The challenge was on Hylton. Was borderline red card, definitely. A coward's challenge

[Kernow Yellow]

GY - I completely agree that we shouldn't read too much into the first game of the season, especially on such a hot day as you note, much less judge our chances for the coming campaign on it. I don't think there's anything wrong with commenting on it in isolation though, and to me the big disappointment was that we weren't able to break down a team of spoilers at home again. Plenty of teams will play like Crawley did at our place, they're not an exception in League 2. We have struggled to cope with that at home for years now, and Saturday just felt like a continuation of that trend to me.

Also, I have to take issue with this:

Taylor 7

Were we watching the same player? He was off the pace of the game and not on his toes when team mates were looking to pass the ball into him. He also won little in the air for a tall guy. I hope he gels with Hylton and gets an understanding with the rest of the team, because if he plays like he did on Saturday all season he's not going to achieve much. 4 or maybe 5 from me.

[OUFC4eva]

Keen readers of Saturday's excellent match day magazine
May have noted that GY is in fact Ryan Taylor's kit sponsor
so there may be an element of bias

[Hog]

And I notice Roofe doesn't even warrant a mark. Which is about right given those two woeful free kicks!

I thought that with the Welsh leaving and a piss up for a couple of hundred fans in Austria that we were nailed on for promotion? Perhaps next season?

[slappy]

I see people can now comment on FansView.
http://www.rageonline.co.uk/fans-view-201516-no-1/

[GodalmingYellow]

GY - I completely agree that we shouldn't read too much into the first game of the season, especially on such a hot day as you note, much less judge our chances for the coming campaign on it. I don't think there's anything wrong with commenting on it in isolation though, and to me the big disappointment was that we weren't able to break down a team of spoilers at home again. Plenty of teams will play like Crawley did at our place, they're not an exception in League 2. We have struggled to cope with that at home for years now, and Saturday just felt like a continuation of that trend to me.

Also, I have to take issue with this:

Taylor 7

Were we watching the same player? He was off the pace of the game and not on his toes when team mates were looking to pass the ball into him. He also won little in the air for a tall guy. I hope he gels with Hylton and gets an understanding with the rest of the team, because if he plays like he did on Saturday all season he's not going to achieve much. 4 or maybe 5 from me.

You'll forgive me if I bias my scores a little with him being my namesake and the player I am sponsoring away kit for this year! I agree that it took a little longer to get into the game in terms of touching the ball, but did you see how he drew defenders to create space for Hylton. After 15 minutes or so, I felt he got his touch and was on a par with the rest of the team.

[GodalmingYellow]

Keen readers of Saturday's excellent match day magazine
May have noted that GY is in fact Ryan Taylor's kit sponsor
so there may be an element of bias

;-)

[GodalmingYellow]

And I notice Roofe doesn't even warrant a mark. Which is about right given those two woeful free kicks!

I thought that with the Welsh leaving and a piss up for a couple of hundred fans in Austria that we were nailed on for promotion? Perhaps next season?

Oops, now corrected!