MATCHWATCH : Stockport County (h)

[windermereROYAL]

Today marked a bit of a milestone, 50 home games in all competitions and 693 days since we were awarded our last penalty.
Sam Smith had a big shout in the first half when he was being held.
Refs don`t like us much do they?

[Pepe the Horseman]

Had plenty of performances like this under Selles. Don't need to read too much into it, just again highlights how light our squad is. We desperately need to be able to sign a full back or two. Even our first choice full backs aren't full backs.

[stealthpapes]

Craig esp had a mare.

LOL didn't actually notice him at all

[Mid Sussex Royal]

They did their homework on us and paid very close attention to Wing who was awful. Games like this are why he's still in L1.

Beaten by a team full of senior pros with a decent manager.

[Royal Ginger]

Had plenty of performances like this under Selles. Don't need to read too much into it, just again highlights how light our squad is. We desperately need to be able to sign a full back or two. Even our first choice full backs aren't full backs.

Didn’t help that Wing was off his best today (who doesn’t have an off day?) but the full back is the thing. If we’d had Yiadom all this season we’d be a few more points to the good. It’s such a clear hole, really starkly the issue.

[ILoveMoonPig]

Can't really have much in the way of complaints today. Beaten by a better organised team. They took advantage of our lack of pace at the back. We did well to get our goal but it still felt like they were more likely to score a third, than we were to score a second, with Pereira being by far the busier of the two keepers.

[tmesis]

What was the bug the players had in the week?

I thought we looked knackered from the kick off.

[SouthDownsRoyal]

Reality check. Top ten would still be a brilliant season given the state of the club.

As we all would, I’d love a place in the lottery of the playoffs but yes, given our situation, top ten would be seen as a good season given our situation.

[Royal_jimmy]

Reality check. Top ten would still be a brilliant season given the state of the club.

As we all would, I’d love a place in the lottery of the playoffs but yes, given our situation, top ten would be seen as a good season given our situation.

Considering there's fears we wouldn't even exist as a club

[leon]

Had plenty of performances like this under Selles. Don't need to read too much into it, just again highlights how light our squad is. We desperately need to be able to sign a full back or two. Even our first choice full backs aren't full backs.

Didn’t help that Wing was off his best today (who doesn’t have an off day?) but the full back is the thing. If we’d had Yiadom all this season we’d be a few more points to the good. It’s such a clear hole, really starkly the issue.

I dont think Wing has had a particularly good season. I'm not convinced at him being the pivot at the back of midfield. he misses tackles and this exposes the defence. Savage needed to be finding space to give us fluidity but was static. Defence was an utter shambles. Dean? Fcuk me.

[Gunny Fishcake]

Simply outplayed and well beaten by a better side.

[Snowflake Royal]

Echo what others have said.

Stockport did a number on us, and bar a brief period early second half we had no answer. Meanwhile, their players were quicker and stronger and of course we gave them acres of space. Played the defensive line too high without Mbengue.

Agree with who said Wing hasn't been as good this season sitting deeper. Imo he goes to the Hollywood 50 yard pass too often, isn’t consistently good enough defensively, and doesnt get enough sighters to score all his wonder goals. I would really like to see Craig back in the DM position. Then Wing with one of Elliott, Savage or Knibbs further forward.

Stockport simply marked us out of anything except long ball, and as has often been the case recently, we're second to every loose ball.

I actually thought Bindon and Dean played quite well within what tgry could do, but frequently beaten for pace. I also thought the fullbacks didn't make many mistakes as such, but the tactics and general slugishness of the team meant their starting position is too narrow and they're too slow to get out to the winger. Who often had them on toast for pace.

Whoever let their man have a free header for the second goal should get a pasting. And why Craig was in the wrong half for their 3rd, I've no idea. He has to be there, and if not him, a midfielder has to be in a position to cover.

And their first goal was dodgy as oxf*rd.

Dorsett seems to have this consistant habit of dawdling rather than rushing to get to the ball and it pisses me off, because its just so easy to make sure you get there first rather than amble and let opposition sprint for twice the distance and still get there first.

We are desperately in need of real fullbacks, and some proper trickery in attack. So good to see Ehibhatiomhan back. Hopefully Yids won't be far behind.


Next up please:

..................Pereira
Abrefa, Dean, Bindon, [shrug]
....................Craig
..........Wing...........Knibbs
Campbell........................Ehibhatiomhan
...................Smith

Let's oxf*rd go for it, and then bring on the likes of Savage to sure it up.

[Snowflake Royal]

Just watched the goals carefully, and fairplay to the lino, got a couple of things I thought were off bang on.

Goal 1: Wootton looks offside from the passage of play that leads to the corner, I believe. But looks like Rushesha on the far side plays him on. Basic, basic stuff. Be goalside of your man, if you're looking across the whole line from the far side from play, don't be deepest if someone in the middle isn’t goalside. The big ball forward from Norwood that starts it, Kanu is miles from his man and stops a good 5 yards off him to let him have a comfy free header to Wootton.

Then at the corner Smith is playing on Olaofe, while Dean marks space instead of player. Push out properly or mark. Although I think someone ahead of near post may also be playing him on.

Goal 2: The defensive set up is dreadful, Stockport have three players in space beyond the last defender. Two offside who run on and block the defence and Knibbs from peeling back, leaving the guy who was onside in acres of space an easy free header on goal.

Goal 3: Dorsett half-heartedly whiffs at a challenge, then tries to tell Bindon to drop back while he goes to, instead of dropping off to cover Bindon as he comes out. Makes them both slow to be in the right place. Dean has to come across, whilst Craig makes zero effort to get back closer to the far man that Dean has to leave to cover Bindon for Dorsett's oxf*rd up.

All three goals completely self inflicted by lazy, disorganised 'defending'.

[Sutekh]

They did their homework on us and paid very close attention to Wing who was awful. Games like this are why he's still in L1.

Beaten by a team full of senior pros with a decent manager.

Challinor is a very decent manager and should Reading ever become a football club again, would be an ideal choice in the lower divisions.

[stealthpapes]

Had plenty of performances like this under Selles. Don't need to read too much into it, just again highlights how light our squad is. We desperately need to be able to sign a full back or two. Even our first choice full backs aren't full backs.

Didn’t help that Wing was off his best today (who doesn’t have an off day?) but the full back is the thing. If we’d had Yiadom all this season we’d be a few more points to the good. It’s such a clear hole, really starkly the issue.

I dont think Wing has had a particularly good season. I'm not convinced at him being the pivot at the back of midfield. he misses tackles and this exposes the defence. Savage needed to be finding space to give us fluidity but was static. Defence was an utter shambles. Dean? Fcuk me.

we are definitely missing Craig at the base of the midfield.

[Mr Optimist]

They did their homework on us and paid very close attention to Wing who was awful. Games like this are why he's still in L1.

Beaten by a team full of senior pros with a decent manager.

Challinor is a very decent manager and should Reading ever become a football club again, would be an ideal choice in the lower divisions.

I saw the first three years of his managerial career at first hand at Colwyn Bay and did a brilliant job on limited resources before leaving for a cash fuelled project at Fylde and did really well there too. In fact he’s done a great job wherever he’s been and I’m surprised someone higher up the pyramid, at least Championship level, hasn’t come in for him, maybe they have and thought it wasn’t the right job/fit, but obviously has some loyalty to each club/job too, to his credit in the modern football world.

[WestYorksRoyal]

They did their homework on us and paid very close attention to Wing who was awful. Games like this are why he's still in L1.

Beaten by a team full of senior pros with a decent manager.

Challinor is a very decent manager and should Reading ever become a football club again, would be an ideal choice in the lower divisions.

I saw the first three years of his managerial career at first hand at Colwyn Bay and did a brilliant job on limited resources before leaving for a cash fuelled project at Fylde and did really well there too. In fact he’s done a great job wherever he’s been and I’m surprised someone higher up the pyramid, at least Championship level, hasn’t come in for him, maybe they have and thought it wasn’t the right job/fit, but obviously has some loyalty to each club/job too, to his credit in the modern football world.

They are quite a physical side. Do teams higher up prefer "sexy football"?

[Mr Optimist]

Challinor is a very decent manager and should Reading ever become a football club again, would be an ideal choice in the lower divisions.

I saw the first three years of his managerial career at first hand at Colwyn Bay and did a brilliant job on limited resources before leaving for a cash fuelled project at Fylde and did really well there too. In fact he’s done a great job wherever he’s been and I’m surprised someone higher up the pyramid, at least Championship level, hasn’t come in for him, maybe they have and thought it wasn’t the right job/fit, but obviously has some loyalty to each club/job too, to his credit in the modern football world.

They are quite a physical side. Do teams higher up prefer "sexy football"?

Could be that, and non-league semi-pro football is more about organisation and fitness at times, but Stockport tore us a new one with nice football at their place earlier this season so I think they can play a bit too. If Dave Challinor had spent his playing career at more “fashionable” clubs, some of them might be willing to take a chance on him, but the man obviously knows what he’s doing!

[PieEater]

Goal 2: The defensive set up is dreadful, Stockport have three players in space beyond the last defender. Two offside who run on and block the defence and Knibbs from peeling back, leaving the guy who was onside in acres of space an easy free header on goal.

.

I think a lot of linos would have given offside for this, even if the scorer is onside there were clearly players offside gaining an advantage by blocking players and probably confusing the lino as to whether other players were onside or not.

At the time I actually thought 3 or 4 players were offside so it hard to tell if number 5 was or not.

[Sutekh]

Goal 2: The defensive set up is dreadful, Stockport have three players in space beyond the last defender. Two offside who run on and block the defence and Knibbs from peeling back, leaving the guy who was onside in acres of space an easy free header on goal.

.

I think a lot of linos would have given offside for this, even if the scorer is onside there were clearly players offside gaining an advantage by blocking players and probably confusing the lino as to whether other players were onside or not.

At the time I actually thought 3 or 4 players were offside so it hard to tell if number 5 was or not.

I don’t get players being able to block players at free kicks/corners, it’s surely obstruction and a free kick. You see it at all levels and usually officials do nothing.