Syrup

[GodalmingYellow]

Poor first half. Better 2nd half after Potter and Beano were brought on.

Same old adages apply, you can't play 4-4-2 without at least one winger as there is no width.

No conclusion can be drawn as to the effectiveness of 4-4-2 with the current squad when Wilder picks the wrong players for the system and plays so narrow. Equally we have to be slightly careful about drawing conclusions on performances of players forced to work in such a bastardised system.

Having said that, the lack of effort shown by Craddock in the first half was disappointing. No chasing down, no attacking crosses, no getting inthe right positions. Given the money spent on him, his signing is looking a bit sad. You can forgive pretty much anything in football except lack of effort for which there is no excuse. Craddock left the pitch and refused to shake hands with Wilder and instead barged into Wilder on his way to the bench. This doesn't bode well.

Asa Hall was again ineffective, and I continue to be amazed that we are paying Southampton £1500 a week for Wotton. Bring back Bully.

On the positives, Kinny had a good game, despite being done for pace a couple of times, Clarke was outstanding bar the spill, Worley looked decent, Futcher looked improved, Potter ran at their midfielders and defenders and forced them onto the back foot, Constable looked very sharp as did Maclean and those 2 up front in a 4-4-2 (with Potter wide right) has to be the way forward. Heslop was beginning to find some form wanting the ball for the whole game and running all over the pitch, even if not always effective.

The 2nd half showed that we can once again compete, but feet firmly on floor, as this was bottom of the table shoe in for relegation Barnet that we were playing (although their number 9 looked very useful).

At the end ofthe season, the League table doesn't have a column for performance, only for points gained and goals scored and conceded. This was another win, which is 2 on the trot after a miserable run. We should be happy because 3 points gained with a sub-par performance is worth exactly the same as 3 points gained with a stylish performance.

[Joey's Toe]

Craddock left the pitch and refused to shake hands with Wilder and instead barged into Wilder on his way to the bench. This doesn't bode well.

I didn't see that, but it's worrying if true. Agree that Craddock was poor on Saturday. For me, he's nowhere near as good as Midson, and Wilder needs to face up to it. Is it true that Craddock was given assurances of first-team football and as such is undroppable?

I continue to be amazed that we are paying Southampton £1500 a week for Wotton.

Agreed. Totally anonymous. We were crying out for creativity on Saturday, and Payne made the side much stronger when he came on. Cannot for the life of me see what Wotton brings to the team.

[Baboo]

Seems I may be the only one who thinks Craddock is a decent footballer and ain't doing badly for us.

Whenever he does anythign good there's little or no applause.
When he cocks up as all players do there's the old get him off he's crap stuff.

As for him being lazy - I recall him getting back to help out in the left back position near the corner flag. A superb flick took the ball around an attacker and possession was retained as we played our way out of trouble. Did he get a round of applause - did he bollocks.

I happen to think that the MacLean Beano partnership is the one to go for but who knows what would have happened if it had been a Beano Craddock partnership for most of the second half. It was Beano's energy and Potter's running with the ball that changed things around.

[Joey's Toe]

I don't think Craddock is a bad player - and I agree that he played better on Saturday than he has in recent games - but I still don't think he's shown himself to be better than Midson (or even Matt Green, for that matter).

Craddock can be part of the squad, and he's a good option - but his attitude hasn't been great (if what GY says is true), he doesn't work hard enough, and he's not got enough goals to suggest he warranted the money we've spent on him.

I'm very happy to have my mind changed by him, but so far he's not managed to do it.

[headless_pnub]

I don't think Craddock is a bad player - and I agree that he played better on Saturday than he has in recent games - but I still don't think he's shown himself to be better than Midson (or even Matt Green, for that matter).

Craddock can be part of the squad, and he's a good option - but his attitude hasn't been great (if what GY says is true), he doesn't work hard enough, and he's not got enough goals to suggest he warranted the money we've spent on him.

I'm very happy to have my mind changed by him, but so far he's not managed to do it.

Craddock has scored an average of once every 2.66 games for us, which is on a par with Constable and quite a lot better than Green's 1 goal in 11 starts plus 9 sub appearances.
The guy gets stick because he doesn't run around 'enough', but sometimes you get that sort of player. Yemi ran around a lot, but we've moved on from all puff no end product. Sometimes you need graft, but sometimes you need guile and that's what Craddock brings.

P.S. I just don't get what Midson did to raise him up so high in the estimations of some of our fans. He's a decent, honest lower league 2, upper Conference striker, nothing more, nothing less.

[Baboo]

I don't think Craddock is a bad player - and I agree that he played better on Saturday than he has in recent games -.

Chesterfield ?? I thought he was pretty useful there too. But hey, lets forget that, not many U's fans were there to see that so I suppose it doesn't count, like Duffy's penalties.

[GodalmingYellow]

I don't think Craddock is a bad player - and I agree that he played better on Saturday than he has in recent games - but I still don't think he's shown himself to be better than Midson (or even Matt Green, for that matter).

Craddock can be part of the squad, and he's a good option - but his attitude hasn't been great (if what GY says is true), he doesn't work hard enough, and he's not got enough goals to suggest he warranted the money we've spent on him.

I'm very happy to have my mind changed by him, but so far he's not managed to do it.

Craddock has scored an average of once every 2.66 games for us, which is on a par with Constable and quite a lot better than Green's 1 goal in 11 starts plus 9 sub appearances.
The guy gets stick because he doesn't run around 'enough', but sometimes you get that sort of player. Yemi ran around a lot, but we've moved on from all puff no end product. Sometimes you need graft, but sometimes you need guile and that's what Craddock brings.

P.S. I just don't get what Midson did to raise him up so high in the estimations of some of our fans. He's a decent, honest lower league 2, upper Conference striker, nothing more, nothing less.

Goals scored is certainly important, but it isn't enough on its own.

And your stats are blindingly inaccurate (assuming official site is correct).

Craddock has scored 5 with 16 starts || 0 subs for us this season
Beano has scored 9 with 12 starts || 4 subs for us this season

Not remotely on a par. And if we made it more accurate by using goals scored per minutes on the pitch, I bet the difference would be wider still.

Like others I'm not suggesting Craddock is a bad player by any means, but his performances thus far this season, for whatever reason, have largely been mediocre at best. The over use of 4-3-3 with Craddock out wide may well be contributory to that.

[headless_pnub]

My starts come for the Rage site and I'm far more inclined to believe that since I know Craddock scored against Chesterfield, Northampton, Macclesfield, Port Vale x2 and Hereford: 6.

Rage also suggests Constable as started 16 games this season (four as a sub).

I'd assume (possibly wrongly) that since the official site stats also reported the winner against Port Vale as being a Matt Green goal then the club probably don't do them and in that case they aren't very accurate.

[Sackcloth Ox]

Seems I may be the only one who thinks Craddock is a decent footballer and ain't doing badly for us.

Whenever he does anythign good there's little or no applause.
When he cocks up as all players do there's the old get him off he's crap stuff.

As for him being lazy - I recall him getting back to help out in the left back position near the corner flag. A superb flick took the ball around an attacker and possession was retained as we played our way out of trouble. Did he get a round of applause - did he bollocks.

I happen to think that the MacLean Beano partnership is the one to go for but who knows what would have happened if it had been a Beano Craddock partnership for most of the second half. It was Beano's energy and Potter's running with the ball that changed things around.

You're not the only one. Craddock is very decent player he's in the headlights of the knockers though, most of whom wouldn't know a decent footballer if they were nutmegged in the street.

[Joey's Toe]

Craddock is very decent player he's in the headlights of the knockers though, most of whom wouldn't know a decent footballer if they were nutmegged in the street.

I think that's a little churlish, S.O., if you don't mind me saying so.

Listen, Craddock has an okay touch, and he's scored a few goals, and he may well be a valuable part of the squad at some stage. But that doesn't change the fact that his performances have been patchy, he doesn't always work as hard as many think he could, and he has displaced a striker in Midson who was a good foil for Constable and who deserved a chance as one of a front two rather than being stuck out on the wing all the time.

We all have different opinions - that's why we come on here to debate them. Clearly a substantial number of fans think Craddock has yet to convince others think he's improving. No one's right, no-one's wrong.

[Radley Rambler]

Hmm

Midson's goalscoring record is not an exciting one, apart from one good season at Histon (on the strength of which we bought him), he hasn't exactly been prolific. I note that at Southend he has made 5 starts and..........you guessed it scored no goals.

Midson wasn't a bad player (good conference player) but Craddock has more about him and does have a decent strike rate even from the wing.

To save anyone looking it up, Midson's overall career strike rate is 1 goal every 4 games, Craddock's is 1 goal every 2.43 games and Craddock has generally been playing at a higher standard. Simples Innit.

[Sackcloth Ox]

Craddock is very decent player he's in the headlights of the knockers though, most of whom wouldn't know a decent footballer if they were nutmegged in the street.

I think that's a little churlish, S.O., if you don't mind me saying so.

Listen, Craddock has an okay touch, and he's scored a few goals, and he may well be a valuable part of the squad at some stage. But that doesn't change the fact that his performances have been patchy, he doesn't always work as hard as many think he could, and he has displaced a striker in Midson who was a good foil for Constable and who deserved a chance as one of a front two rather than being stuck out on the wing all the time.

We all have different opinions - that's why we come on here to debate them. Clearly a substantial number of fans think Craddock has yet to convince others think he's improving. No one's right, no-one's wrong.

Midson is not good enough to lace Craddock's boots. Thank goodness Wilder is our manager and not some of our supporters.

[Tabbernackle]

Don't say anything negative on the 'yellows' forum, your get shot down in flames!

[Paul Cooper]

I also am surprised about the backing of Midson who is in reality a decent conference player at best in my view. After Southend, I would be pretty surprised if he doesn't return to the Conference.

Craddock? The jury is out for me. Undoubtedly has been disappointing as he had a very good record at Luton. The formation doesn't seem to work for him and MacLean looks a far better player.

One thing for me on Saturday though, is that Constable showed his value and he surely has to start if fit.

[A-Ro]

Potter made a big difference on Saturday as well.