TOWN on TOUR! Solihull Moors

Well it is because he chops and changes so much...I mean it was only a couple of weeks ago that Hardy was been called a goal machine by Weaver, then he has a quiet half gets subbed off and Hall comes on. Then Weaver just keeps the guys who came on to start the next game.....It is a strange and bizarre way to manage a squad. All of these losses are blunders by Simon, no one else and If I was Bolder, in and out like he is, I would lose my confidence in Weaver...I too would just give him crappy performances, just collect my wage do bear minimum.

Oh and the new guys on loan who have come in don't have any experience at this level...They may well be very good at youth or development level, but at least give them a few training sessions before throwing them straight into the gauntlet........The clubs who supply them will obviously sell the players because they want them to get as much game time as possible.

Reflecting on the situation, the current predicament is just not acceptable. I don't think the problem lays with the playing staff. I do honestly think that the majority of the squad are struggling to motivate themselves to play for the current manager.

Our current manager to me, is tactically inept, doesn't learn from his mistakes, struggles to motivate his players, doesn't have a clue to his best 11, plays players out of position and is generally just not cut out for the job.

The problem is while daddy holds the pursestrings, he has the safest job in football. And the majority of fans seem to accept this, as certain opinions have been made clear on the forum.

The only way it will improve if is Weaver moves to a different position, and Macca is given the job. If there isn't a change at the top, then it will just be the same, season in, season out. Same old dross.

Its all nice and fluffy improving the facilities and ground and improving links with the community, but the fans want to see success on the pitch. That is ultimately what we all want.

With the current manager, it won't happen.

...and Reeves and Walshaw to come on Saturday...oh dear !

And still no word from our manager why Town only managed one shot on target in the whole 90 minutes  

Losing is one thing, losing in what seems like a hopeless manner is something else again. It keeps happening. As far as the team is concerned it seems to be a question of throwing 20 names in the air and picking the first 10 (at least the goaly is safe!!), who come down. At the beginning of the season we seemed to have a very strong potential starting XI: Mac/Samuels,Franks,Killiock,Merris/Brown.Bolder,Woods,Worsfold/Nelthorpe,Hall With Tommy Wright (remember him?), Taylor, Adam to come in if needed.
Now its a jumble, loan signings who come and go (whats happened to Mitchell?), Steve Mallory suddenly popping up from 'nowhere', its almost impossible to keep track.
No wonder the Supporters Club isn't running coaches to away games.

SO depressing.

Anyone know anything about Mallory? Best position/strengths? Apparently we have signed him (rather than him being another player on loan). According to the player profiles in the BPA programme for the F A Trophy match against us on 16 November he only joined BPA as recently as August 2013. Also, has Mitchell gone back to his parent club?

I'm sure young Mitchell has gone back to Sunderland (shame)

Poo result Sat, just about coming to terms with it. The Altrincham game is massive now. I find it weird how we seem so Jekyll and Hyde in front of goal, 14 in 5 leading up to this one and then 1 shot on target, not sure why that is. I'd love to see the club invest in a heavyweight striker like a Walshaw, who is proven at this level and we know will bang in 25 a season. Don't get me wrong i think Hardy, Worsfold and Hall are all v decent but if you look at the top clubs they all have a consistent proven 25-30 goal a season person. In a tight league consistency in front of goal is crucial. I think the club haven't done this so far because these strikers (from what i've heard) are £700-1000 a week type players (allegedly) which is a lot of money! Maybe Sat was a blip as when we play with 2 forwards we have been scoring a lot of goals. Come on Liam, Ashley, Chris- you can do it.

Re Mallory- has been playing out of position at centre back with BPA, is more naturally a midfielder. So a very strong utility capability player. BPA highly rated him, there is a statement on their website about how disappointed they are to lose him. Again I've said it before but there is something really weird about BPA and them losing players on a regular basis. I think he'll be a quality player moving forward. It shows something about how players view Town positively from other clubs and augurs well for future strengthening and squad development. I think it's an opportunistic great signing and will add a bit more needle to the growing rivalry with BPA for the two cracking league encounters to come.

I think the loan signings have made sense, non-league is extremely fluid, unlike the professional leagues, players become available that could make a difference. Also cover has been needed due to injuries we have had and so players have come in. We needed help and have won 4 in 5 since they've come along. Tom Allan is from what i've heard absolute quality and just what we needed with the injuries.

It was always going to be a tough 3 games, we really could do with a big result v Alty to keep momentum going.

I agree with DK about we should have more points on the board, the deduction was a real kick in the lower stomach, but it is was it is. There is no point getting frustrated and looking back on the what ifs, it's gone, you could argue there are some tight games that we have won where we've been lucky- Oxford, Telford, Stockport. We need to learn and look to the future, people have made their views clear on stuff in the past so let's keep moving forward and focus on what we are going to do learning from what has happened.

Also the top 6 are the top 6 to beat from now in, the league has taken shape-

Alty
Brackley
Ferriby
Heds
Telford
Boston

For me i think Brackley will win the league. They are so consistent and tight at the back. All teams with either cash or momentum, 3 having been promoted in he last 2 seasons. You get the winning formula and then you keep it going, or you splash the cash / both. I wonder if they'll rename Ferriby! Ferriby Tigers?

We know we need to average 2 points a game to be on track so a win and a draw from the next 2 (yes I know that's not 2 av, but in a tough run is okay) would keep us on track with Gloucester to come which should be a good opportunity to win.


COME ON TOWN MASSIVE GAME SAT

Biggest game of the season so far. Let's be vocal and get behind them.

TownUltra says ( Poo result Sat, just about coming to terms with it. The Altrincham game is massive now. I find it weird how we seem so Jekyll and Hyde in front of goal, 14 in 5 leading up to this one and then 1 shot on target, not sure why that is. I'd love to see the club invest in a heavyweight striker like a Walshaw, who is proven at this level and we know will bang in 25 a season. Don't get me wrong i think Hardy, Worsfold and Hall are all v decent but if you look at the top clubs they all have a consistent proven 25-30 goal a season person. In a tight league consistency in front of goal is crucial.)

Glad to see another supporter agree with what i have been saying

RR, yes but would you stump up £700-1000 a week on one? I still think at least 2 out of 3 of our strikers will come through, all 3 have ability, but if we could add a Newsham Reeves Walshaw Durell, (midfielder!) who are already there and doing it week in week out we'd be in serious business.

Thanks for the info about Mallory TownUltra - sounds a promising signing. Good list of goalscorers(above). Should we be adding Omar Bogle to it...!

I'm not sure about Bogle- albeit he loves playing against us. I don't know that much about him

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Suggests though he's not the 25-30 goalscorer I'm looking for.

I want a predator, a Linekeresque Van Nistelrooy, bursting with pace and a finish that could hit a gnats nads from 30 yards. Problem is they're difficult to come by.

I still think that both Hardy and Worsfold could grow into that, they are excellent capable players, but still learning their trade, consistency often comes from confidence and more 1st team experience. Maybe we have what we want we have to be patient?

Worsfold 3 in 3
Hardy 5 in 5 (2) 2 being the subs starts

I believe Hardy is ready to do the job now of banging in the goals, but as with any striker if you don't get the service you don't score. We lack a fit Woods in the middle but in a 4-4-2, Woods playing triangles with Hardy and Worsfold whilst Bolder mops up in behind.

Looking at the stats for sat and in particular the lack of shots tells me playing the 2 defensive midfielders was the big mistake. It is a really strange combination of Adam N and Brown, they both want to sit back and then they both go wandering, unsure what the other is doing, leaving gaps and just generally getting in a piddle about who is meant to play where. Individually they are both good players, Adam N up the pecking order ahead of Brown for me but still behind Woods and Bolder.

If we can't get Woods fit then we need to trade Brown in for a more attacking, technical midfielder.If we can add a Ryan Kendal to the mix then we have a title winning team.

The great news is that I think we are 'big' enough now, in terms of brand, the club's reputation and also that other team's players have heard about how good the team spirit and infrastructure is, to attract these sorts of players into the future. I'm really excited about Mallory as well. We're a club on the up. The stands are going up at the end of this season.

Realistically if the team can gel, work out the best formation, and be strengthened in 1 or 2 places we could win the league next season! if we don't go up then maybe the Weaver's will up the budget and splash the cash on a couple of further players, to tweak the squad. I also agree that playing two holding mids isn't what I would do, but can understand that Nowa and Brown are 2 big strong lads and Solihull are a physical team so maybe he was trying to counter that.

It's one game, in this league you're going to lose a few. Let's now beat Altrincham and then get leathered.

Ironically though Irving will probably get the chequebook out next season, sign Messi and Ronaldo, we will build our own Nou Camp, attract the fans from far a field and then still fall short of the playoffs.......Why; we ask ourselves?  The answer that will pop up time and time again - Simon Weaver.


Simon if you are reading this-

I will run around the stray naked if you get us promoted within 2 years (actually perhaps somewhere else, too many streakers on the stray as it is).

Acording to the BPA fans Mallory is not the best header of the ball so i hope we don't play him in defence but could do a good job in midfield can't be any worse than we have at the moment, and Omar Bogle has 10 goals so far this season
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I do agree with TU that the next two home league games are absolutely vital. If we can win them both then our season may not quite be over and we will still have an (outside) chance of the play offs, but 6 points is essential. Also the Alty game will give us a good idea as to how good (or not) we actually are. Bring it on.

We will be lucky to get a point from both Altrincham at the weekend and Hednesford away on Tuesday, that is just my blunt opinion.

The unbeaten run included 4 wins against relegation fodder in Workington, Oxford and Gloucester, who are currently sitting at 18th, 19th and 21st hence why I didnt get too excited. We cannot be using injuries or opposition pitches as an excuse, as all the other clubs i'm sure will have experienced during the course of the season. You need to adapt and overcome these problems.

The squad is more than strong enough to achieve a playoff position at the bare minimum, and I want the manager and squad to prove me wrong, more than anything, but I just dont see it happening.

Lee Sinnott (Altrincham) and Rob Smith (Hednesford) are extremely competent managers and their achievements over the past 3 years speak for themselves really.

If we get to Tuesday night, and we are looking at 2 defeats, our season will officially be over, and I wouldnt be surprised if certain members of the current squad will go elsewhere.

If that is the case, then there will end up being another fans Q & A, where the club will find multiple excuses to blame everything else for the current predicament.

There is no light at the end of the tunnel whilst the current manager is in charge.

I'd forgotten we were playing Hednesford next Tuesday: 6 points out of 6 really would be some achievement! Lets hope, starting on aturday.