Forest Green Ramblings

[A-Ro]

A well organised outfit that looked like they could possibly achieve their ambition of stopping us scoring with their 10 men behind the ball tactics, we all knew that it would need a goal from us to change their shape and give us more opportunity but nobody expected the goal we got. That's what luck is all about though, a comedy goal from an unlikely source is just what it needs sometimes.

I thought the new midfielders were very good but Sappleton didn't do it again, I think that Sappleton and Yemi are going to alternate the supersub role for a bit.

It was funny to watch Wilder shouting at Yemi to go inside at exactly the same time as Murray was shouting at him to get wide.

Got to go to a meeting now, I might add some more ramblings later.

[Ascension Ox]

A well organised outfit that looked like they could possibly achieve their ambition of stopping us scoring with their 10 men behind the ball tactics, we all knew that it would need a goal from us to change their shape and give us more opportunity but nobody expected the goal we got. That's what luck is all about though, a comedy goal from an unlikely source is just what it needs sometimes.

I thought the new midfielders were very good but Sappleton didn't do it again, I think that Sappleton and Yemi are going to alternate the supersub role for a bit.

It was funny to watch Wilder shouting at Yemi to go inside at exactly the same time as Murray was shouting at him to get wide.

Got to go to a meeting now, I might add some more ramblings later.

'Comedy' goal? Hardly. It was actually well worked. We were well on top in the second half and it was no surprise we scored.

I like the fact that Wilder has a plan B. We would have got got nowhere last night under Patterson's management.

[Swissbloke]

Agree, I like this Wilder chap. Makes decent subs at the right time.

[A-Ro]

'Comedy' goal? Hardly. It was actually well worked. We were well on top in the second half and it was no surprise we scored.

Agree it was the result of a good build up, agree that we were well on top at the time, the comedy element was because Yemi had no idea where that ball was going once it left his head and his reaction once he realised it had gone in the net..

[Matt D]

'Comedy' goal? Hardly.

well i, most people around me, and a number of the players seemed to be laughing, so... perhaps the secret is timing.

i'm also warming to wilder. not only do his changes obviously change the game (and i may have to get over my feeling that you shouldn't change formation if possible at this level), but he can clearly explain his rationale after the game.

adam murray played like he did at the back end of last season - everything good that the team did went through him. man of the match.

[Paul Cooper]

Even if we go and lose the next couple of games, my view will still be that in Wilder, we have a manager who knows what he is doing and has a plan in place.

I never felt this with Patterson even when we went through the good run at ther end of last season (I know that quite a few on this forum thought that Patterson did not have long enough- I disagreed).

Yesterday's first half was awful (although the players tried to retain and pass the ball). Foster was getting forward but we didn't get the ball to the wingers enough and didn't get any crosses in. Sappleton does not get nearly involved enough expecially as he should have a really big presence.

In the second half though we came alive. The tempo was suddenly there and clearly the half time talk worked. We could have scored 5. Their keeper made a couple of excellent saves (especially the one from Murray). Plan B was for us to become more direct and it worked.

The same old worries about conceding and looking terrified towards the final whistle remain.

Overall though, I think that Wilder could make us more competitive in this league with cheaper younger, hungrier players rather than the league cast offs that the last 2 managers have preferred. I would suspect also that we will have a more balanced and more sensibly sized squad which fits in more with what the club can afford.

[Mally]

Definitely the cliched game of two halves last night. The imporessive thing was that Wilder changed things by his half time team talk and intelligent substitutions. The big difference (whether intentional or just lucky) was allowing Murray to play in a more forward position.

So far Wilder has one well and shown he can make changes when needed, can bring in good players (Nelthorpe and Killok in particular) can ship out underperformers (Trainer) and in a few cases can start to get the best out of existing players (Haldane, Murray). I also like the way he said he'd distributed a list of players to other clubs he was considering off loading but wasn't going to go public with the names -Much better than Patto's name and shame tactics.

There's a big test coming over the next two games though. If we are within 3 or 8 points of the playoffs after them it will be a very positive sign.

[Shoobedoo]

I'm sorry but I'm still not convinced that Haldane is anything but a no-trick show pony. Sure he gets into good positions but the end product is nearly always completely absent. The fact that everyone else is raising their game is to me merely exposing Haldane's lacking even more.

(This is an accusation I would have levelled at Yemi as well until last night when he showed a marked improvement it's amazing what a goal does for the confidence, doesn't matter how you score it, off the back of your head, your shin, your nuts whatever)

I would not be at all disappointed if Haldane's loan was terminated early and we used the freed up cash to bring in a right winger who isn't constantly running down blind alleys and wasting good opportunities.

Enough of that however, after a tepid first half (which was down to FGR's excellent execution of their game plan - surely a team that well organised isn't going to go down?), I thought the first 20 minutes of the second half witnessed some of our best football of the season. Excellent tactical changes by Mr Wilder and my confidence in him grows by the day.

But dear Lord we need to sort out the last 10 minutes.

[Gottagetbetta]

Aside from the fact it was bum numbingly cold last night, and we didn't even have a comedy opposition manager to take the p out of, a few things were worth commenting on.
Sappleton - oh please, someone tell him that drifting around and looking like the Mighty Hulk, doth not a footballer make. Ah well a least I can tell future generations that I saw the best of him - in his first match. Burnell, impressive, as was Murray. Nelthorpe did some good stuff. I worry about Willmot and his lack of pace. So we have proved we can (mostly) win at home, the crunch comes with the next two games against (allegedly) classier opposition away from home. Four points out of six and I shall start to get excited, but if we miss out on a playoff place because of that damned points deduction, thin I shall be sicker than all the footballing parrots put together. In the meantime, onward and upward chaps.

[theox]

On the Sappleton issue, he looked great when he first played having only been at the club for 5 minutes. Now 3 weeks have passed, he looks like your average Conference misfit. It is possible that we've actually managed to coach all of the quality out of him?!

[A-Ro]

On the Sappleton issue, he looked great when he first played having only been at the club for 5 minutes. Now 3 weeks have passed, he looks like your average Conference misfit. It is possible that we've actually managed to coach all of the quality out of him?!

It looks like he's put on a stone as well.

[Roo]

On the Sappleton issue, he looked great when he first played having only been at the club for 5 minutes. Now 3 weeks have passed, he looks like your average Conference misfit. It is possible that we've actually managed to coach all of the quality out of him?!

He wouldn't be the first would he......................!

[Hoarse]

We've come on leaps and bounds under Chris Wilder.

For 20 second half minutes we had the makings of a very good football side again and we've got a winger worthy of wings.

Nelthorpe was outstanding.

[Yellow River]

'Comedy' goal? Hardly. It was actually well worked. We were well on top in the second half and it was no surprise we scored.

Agree it was the result of a good build up, agree that we were well on top at the time, the comedy element was because Yemi had no idea where that ball was going once it left his head and his reaction once he realised it had gone in the net..

I also think it was Killock who crossed the ball with his right foot for Yemi's headed goal.

Yemi can't head a ball and Killock hasn't got a right foot. So it was quite amusing....well I thought so.

[John Byrne's Underpants]

A Manager with a bit of tactical awareness. It's been a while...

Agreed pretty much with what's been said above. Wilder is really growing on me. Talks sense and isn't afraid to act when things aren't working.

A grafting performance rather that pretty but it got the job done. Glad we got the second goal though, you just knew they were going to score!

Only disappointment for me was Haldane. He is such an enigma.