Official Rushden Thread:

[sams dad]

I try to be positive about our performances but there was precious little to be happy about today.Agreed ,Rushden came for the draw ,but we should be good enough to overcome sides with such limited ambition.How will we cope in the Play-offs if we're at home in the first leg against a side looking for a draw?We must play through the midfield more and use the "hit and hope" long ball less.It's not surprising that Leon looks disinterested at times when he gets such poor service.

 

[Exiled in Exeter]

We had the chances today. The legitimate ‘goal’ that was disallowed, Butters excellent first half effort that was cleared of the line, a fair shout for a penalty, Jones effort that blazed just wide and finally Piercy shooting just wide in the last minute.

Rushden came for a draw and got it. I thought we started well, and especially the first five minutes we really set about the task well. Shame it couldn’t have been maintained. Thought the first half soon fizzled out.

Second half I thought the game seem to get worse and worse with the Albion seeming to self destruct, with passing become increasingly wayward. Though we seemed to have a lot of the ball at times we never used it well enough, although Rushden’s tactics certainly stifled us.

Jones seemed to have one of his better games, but most players were average. Didn’t think Virgo played that badly though and in the first half seemed to be one of the few players with drive. Knight did a couple of nice flicks but didn’t seem to do any running. On balance I thought the substitutions (including Knight’s) were a good move, and McPhee in particular I feel did well to pressure their players.

Shame we couldn’t of got the breakthrough. If we had got one I am sure we would have gone on from there and it would have been a different game. But all in all a frustrating game.

 

[London Irish]

After the home tie at Oldham, also 0-0 but which was probably not as good as today's game in terms of chances created, people came up with the same "we're bloody useless", "we've no midfield", "our season is over", "sack all the players"-type stuff.

We then won the next seven at home on the bounce.

If you have anything interesting to say about the state of the team, don't overreact to one or two performances but look at how the team have developed across a series of games.

 

[Turgid]

I don't usually do this - there are far more people on here that can give a better summary of a game than I ever could....however, I am really pissed off today with the reaction both on NSC and Harts radio love in to todays game. I think it's time we all woke up and smelt the coffee. I will now digress into bullet points:

1. Rushden came for a draw today - from the first whistle to the last they put all men behind the ball. This was frustrating and not very pretty to watch.

2. We DID break them down and scored (from my vantage point) a perfectly legitimate goal. To score (all be it a non goal) against those defensive tactics was a plus point.

3. Leon Knight was give very little service today - this was due mainly to Rushden successfully deploying and executing their game plan. Yes he was petulent at being subbed - or was he? All of the players looked really frustrated at not being able to break down Rushden. Leon wanted to take out his frustration on something... why not a bottle or two?

4. Virgo and Hammond have played well in the majority of games they have played this season - today they had an off day - it happens.

5. Cullips distribution got worse as the game went on. Frustration? Lack of games? He has not turned crap overnight.

6 Jones looked good.

7. We won't always win at home.

8. Results (other than Hartlepool) went our way.

Final point - we are not actually very good - yes I think we will make the play offs - which is a plus point. We way, given a fair wind and a couple of good performances make Cardiff. Hopefully we have learned from Rushdens tactics as we may need them in an away tie of the play offs! If we get to Cardiff we might win......

if we do then we really need to start worrying - because on the evidence of this season we will not survive in Div 1 without some SERIOUS team restructuring.

 

[timbha]

surprised nobody's mentioned McGhee's tactics (or lack of them) - maybe another thread, but the three substitutions seemed like a sign of desperation. Long throw ins, corners, free kicks, even the kick off - seems like the players had never played with each other before.

Virgo and Harding were having a rough time with their passing, so why didn't the midfield players come and take the ball from them, rather than forcing them to try and hit a fifty yard pass. I'm not a big fan of Knight's attitude but can understand his frustration today.

not a good performance but with four games to go it looks like we are a safe bet for play offs.

 

[jmc]

I don't that's right jmc. We had about a dozen half little chances and 2-3 very good ones. Big Chris didn't seem to be doing a lot wrong when he scored.

We've got wins recently when we probably only deserved draws. Today that was reversed, we dominated them but were unlucky only to get a draw.

We've all seen plenty of games like this - you just can't get the odd break that can open up a game.

The positives are that those that saw the Blackpool nightmare can judge what a difference Danny Cullip makes - he directs the team like a traffic cop and everything revolves around him. Rushden had a couple of clever players up front, particularly the No 9, and they had to be dealt with even though Rushden were not committing men forward.

OGH and Jonah played quite brightly, Chippy looks a bit off his game at the moment. Leon had those odd clever flashes of skill and Big Chris won his headers without again looking very convincing on the deck.

I wish Adam Virgo would stop pretending to be David Beckham with his 50-yard passes, but his upfield runs are a strength of the team, if only he could be a bit more precise with the end ball.

At least B'muff, Vale and Luton are falling away.

All the teams in the top 9 are wobbling and it is too much to expect us to keep winning everything is sight.

The three players came on looked bright enough without really looking as though they are the answer to our problems going forward.

For me, the decision by Micky Adams to retain Trevor Benjamin has been a big blow to our Division 1 hopes. But we will crawl over the play-off qualifying line and, then, who knows in those games.

WHAT GAME WHERE YOU WATCHING? Cullip was rank - ok he won his headers but his passing was pathetic...

I was at blackpool, and weren't much better today...

Hart was poor as he has been the last four matches, only player worth mentioning today was Jones - he deserved his MOM - i bet you where one of thos that left early on saturday!

 

[London Irish]

Read what I wrote in the Blackpool thread about early leavers before making ignorant comments like that.

If you were in Blackpool, you would have seen us destroyed by defensive disorganisation and blunders. The point I was making was that they wouldn't have happened with Cullip there, because he is main organiser of the defensive spine of the team, as he proved today.

As for his passing, what game were you at today? He put a couple of poor ones out in the 2nd half, but most of the overhit balls came from Virgo and Butters. In between that he tidied virtually everything up at the back.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

I think Danny C and Butters between them mop up most things and are the strong points in a weak side.

Weak points:

- Leon Knight's continual use (apart from when he's sticking the ball in the net) of these little rubbish side flicks that we used to do in playground games that are aimed at nobody in particular and are fooling nobody at all

- Virgo looks to be carrying a bit of Mayo-style lard

- Harding looks like a panicked sheep whenever he's got the ball

Maybe we'll make the play-offs, maybe we won't. Who knows. We're just not very good this season.

 

[jmc]

Read what I wrote in the Blackpool thread about early leavers before making ignorant comments like that.

Ignorant? so I've got to read ALL your posts before I make comennts..yeah right.... But at least we do agree that those who left early on saturday are part time fans....

I still stand by that Rushden came for a draw and got it too easily! We created far too few chances.

Maybe I was too harsh on Cullip re his passing, His partnership with Butter will see us into the Play-offs.

But we need to get the ball back on the ground and pass it, this long ball game is getting worse as the weeks go on....

 

[Turkey]

It wasn't a bad performance. Just a disapointing one. Rushden put everyone behind the ball and sat very deep. It's never easy to break that sort of system down and we've known since day one we lack creativity. Hoepfully Peterborough and Notts County won't cotton on and do the same. We should learn from Rushden though. We could do with some away performances just like that. A few more points away would have been very handy. Frustrating but results went okay for us. We should make the playoffs.

 

[London Irish]

The long-ball game had got us into the play-offs - that's the fact of it. Playing any other way would be a disaster, we would lose the ball continually in midfield and expose our defence unnecessarily to more attacks if we tried multiple passing moves.

People have over and over again on this board repeated bollox that "McGhee thinks we have good midfield" - for fucks sake, THINK, it's precisely because he believes our midfield options are so limited that he has made us play a long ball game!!! He is making the best of the hand he is dealt with and doing so, IMHO, superbly.

The long-ball game suits sides with strong defences and dangerous attackers - that's Brighton and Hove Albion. Deal with that fact or find a millionaire to buy us a new squad.

As for our long-ball game getting worse and worse - that's too early to say. I think we are less efficient at retaining possession up front with Big Chris in the team than Big Trev - but maybe I'm overlooking the fact that Big Chris is more dangerous in certain situations, particularly the air.

That could be interesting thing to think about rather than mopey and aimless comments like "we're not a very good team" - good by what criteria FFS!! Arsenal or Carlisle?

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

As for our long-ball game getting worse and worse - that's too early to say. I think we are less efficient at retaining possession up front with Big Chris in the team than Big Trev - but maybe I'm overlooking the fact that Big Chris is more dangerous in certain situations, particularly the air.

Think you're on a loser with that particular argument matey. Still, maybe you're right. Let's give it another half dozen games to make SURE our long-ball game is getting worse...

 

[BALDISBEAUTIFUL]

What I do not understand is that why does McGhee leave it so late to bring on subs. Most people I heard when coming out of the ground, said the same thing. What can you do with 10 minutes left, McGhee should have given them a least 20 minutes. You never know what a fresh pair of legs will do. Also, you will not know what Reids like unless you play him. Jones and Piercy should have scored, but generally we were very bad today.

 

[Turkey]

Iwelumo doesn't keep the ball forward as well as Benjamin did.

 

[mona]

Rushden were the poorest team to visit Withdean this season. We weren't so bad in the first half and would have been ahead if it hadn't been for an incompetent ref.
Our second half performance was terrible. Even worse was the fact that McGhee waited far too long before trying to change things. Knight hadn't played well but shouldn't have been subbed in the situation we were in.

 

[Turkey]

WHAT GAME WHERE YOU WATCHING? Cullip was rank - ok he won his headers but his passing was pathetic...

I was at blackpool, and weren't much better today...

Hart was poor as he has been the last four matches, only player worth mentioning today was Jones - he deserved his MOM - i bet you where one of thos that left early on saturday!

We were much better today than we were at Blackpool. Blackpool out played us. Rushden didn't. We just failed to take our chances and lacked a bit of luck.

 

[London Irish]

Think you're on a loser with that particular argument matey. Still, maybe you're right. Let's give it another half dozen games to make SURE our long-ball game is getting worse...

I won't give it six games but I'll give it SEVEN

 

[Gullet]

[B..

Hart was poor as he has been the last four matches, only player worth mentioning today was Jones - he deserved his MOM - i bet you where one of thos that left early on saturday! [/B]

I dont think that Harty was that bad today. He did try and keep the ball on the ground and he managed a few good clever runs, especially in the 2nd half. At least he was trying to put some sort of effort in, more than some of the others.

 

[Ex Shelton Seagull]

Now i'm not one of the moaners on this board but I find it hard to muster much enthusiasm for saturdays match because I get the feeling that Peterborough will play in EXACTLY the same way as Rushden. If I were Barry Fry (thank God i'm not, yet) then i'd have seen the way to get a point from an away game at Withdean today.
Play 5 across the back. 2 defenders to watch Knight, 1 to man-mark him throughout the game and the other 1 to cover. Your tallest defender marks Iwelumo and challenges him for knock-downs. The 2 wing-backs to push Jones and Hart out towards the side-lines.
4 men in midfield. The right side winger operates as a secondary forward to provide a link to the lone forward. Left winger hangs back in order to make runs from deep. 2 central midfielders pressure Carpenter and Oatway since they don't seem to like being put under pressure. 1 striker to play up front on his own and hold the ball up for the midfield.
I'll say again i'm not a moaner (I distinctly remember one person on this board telling us that we would finish 15th this season without question and anyone who said otherwise was deluding themselves after we lost to Grimsby). I actually attend games and haven't stopped watching football because "I have better things to do" yet still feel qualified to come on here and give my opinion on anything and everything. I'm just finding it hard to muster up a lot of enthusiasm over the thought of watching us play 2 more versions of todays game.

 

[Gerbil]

But at least we do agree that those who left early on saturday are part time fans....

Give me a break.

Sorry I forgot just by staying for the full 90 minutes of shite you're all so wonderful.

I must get some medals made up for all of you.

Look, I and many others paid our money and were pissed off with the lack of passion and commitment so decided to leave.

I must remember next time that when I travel 300+ miles to a game to stay to the end even if we're being turned over just so i don't get called a "Part Time Supporter".

FFS people pay their money why the f*** shouldn't they be able to leave early if they want to without all this "I'm a better fan than you" bollox