East Thurrock 1 v City 0 full time

[Luton Roman]

Stearn for Watkins only change.

[LB]

Can’t help thinking these are the sort of games that we need to win if we have ambitions for this season.

Disappointing that we failed to score again - third time in four away games now. The promise from the friendlies that we had solved last season’s goalscoring problems seems a bit optimistic now. If we are to get the best out of Mills I think we need to find a way to play him alongside Brunt from the start because he doesn’t seem to fit the ‘impact substitute’ role.

[tovid]

Oh dear. So much for the 10 points from 4 games scenario.

[Luton Roman]

Yes, 9 goals in 8 games and hot shot Mills spending more time on the bench than on the pitch. Doesnt seem right.

[Steve Whites Missus]

We have the class, but it feels like it has been many a season since we have had a player who when they get the ball you think something is gonna happen.

[tovid]

I like Morton. He is a terrific player but I feel he has been shoe horned into the team and Mills (and our goal scoring options) has been the loser. 

I have never been a big fan of a lone striker and unless we start scoring freely I will not be convinced.

[pete mac]

First real big disappointment of the season for me today. I listened on BCIR and once again we missed chances and Mills guilty of missing 2 good ones.

Freak goal to a ream in the bottom 3. Instead of going third we end up mid table.

I expected defeats vs Dartfird and Torquay and wasn’t surprised at Chelmsford but today was a pisser.

A long way to go but my expectations have taken a dent. Hopefully the players will respond positively next week.

[Marc Monitor]

Oh dear. So much for the 10 points from 4 games scenario.

Yeah, sorry about that. I am going to be hearing about this for years to come, aren't I?

[tovid]

I am surprised Jerry isn't playing with three at the back. Neither Raynes nor Straker are proper full backs and this would give them more licence to get forward and link up with midfield. 

You could then have three in midfield and two up top. 

My three in midfield would be Rigg Mann and Artus with Mills alongside Brunt. Watto and Stearny would miss out. 

Mills needs to get one going in off his backside as he is now trying too hard, because of his limited opportunities. He needs a goal to get him going.

[comrade powell]

How does a striker try too hard?

[Luton Roman]

How does a striker try too hard?

Not being instinctive, taking an extra touch, passing not shooting....

[Luton Roman]

Certainly hear JG frustration in the post match interview, and picking out Mills who could have done better. I guess he will say 'Try starting me then'.

[LB]

Oh dear. So much for the 10 points from 4 games scenario.

Yeah, sorry about that. I am going to be hearing about this for years to come, aren't I?

To be fair, I think a lot of us felt the same - Chelmsford hadn't got off to great start so a point there didn't seem unreasonable (and but for the penalty we would have got one) and in their current form it was also reasonable to expect that we would beat Weston, East Thurrock and Hungerford.

[LB]

I am surprised Jerry isn't playing with three at the back. Neither Raynes nor Straker are proper full backs and this would give them more licence to get forward and link up with midfield. 

You could then have three in midfield and two up top. 

My three in midfield would be Rigg Mann and Artus with Mills alongside Brunt. Watto and Stearny would miss out. 

Mills needs to get one going in off his backside as he is now trying too hard, because of his limited opportunities. He needs a goal to get him going.

I had also wondered about going with a back three for the very reasons that tovid says.

If we are going to play two up front then I think either Mann, Stearn or Watkins will have to drop out. I think we need Frankie in midfield alongside Morton and we need someone to provide the 'ammunition' for the front two so this would ideally be either Watkins or Stearn. Would perhaps be a bit harsh on Mann who has done pretty well so far, but I think he could be useful as an 'impact' sub.

Will be interesting to see what Jerry does for Saturday, but in view of the relative lack of goals I think it is about time Mills started, but not in the lone striker role.

[miker]

IMO (albeit humble) it's about time that Brunt and Mills played together up front rather than one or the other.

[stillmanjunior]

I find comments like "neither Raynes and Straker are proper full-backs" amazing. Straker has been left-back for over a year and, barring a needless red card at Poole, has been a real asset. How many wingers regularly get the better of him? Not many. I think he'd be good in a wing-back role but I don't see the need for a radical change yet. We've kept the same back four for eight consecutive matches, kept three clean sheets and let in more than one once. Give it a go in the SPC maybe but I wouldn't suddenly introduce it unless we were panicky at the back.

It is frustrating that we have failed to score in three of our away matches, ironically the one we won was our poorest performance. I'd be more concerned if I said on commentary "yet again, no goal threat". We're creating chances, just need a combination of more composure and luck to take them.

[tovid]

He is doing a left back's job and doing it well enough but if you watch him he is not a great defender. Even so my re-shuffle is to enable the goal machine Mills to get in the side not to criticise Straker.

[Luton Roman]

Id have thought the Weston, E. Thurrock and Hungerford games would have been the opportunity to pair Brunt and Mills together, particularly given our poor goal return and uneven start to the league. After Hungerford we have a resurgent Oxford, FA.Cup, and a strong Welling outfit, which might require a different approach.

Im sure JG talked about horses for courses at the outset, if not, welcome to the Somerset cup then John Mills.

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