DHFC v Weymouth - Tues 20 Dec
- Thread starter bkbk
- Start date
baleboy_93
Well-Known Member
Kresh is indeed back, Holland and Smith could also be available, and yes Temi's loan will be up by the time he is available again which is a real shame.
AveryDave
Well-Known Member
Thanks baleboy_93 - as you say, real shame that we won't see any more of Eweka.
Interesting game. Was getting real feisty early on but a red card for them calmed everyone down. Not certain to me if it deserved a second yellow so one to wait for the highlights for.
Before (and after) that though it was mostly Dulwich. Mills missed a couple of key headers that I'd expect him to net. Relentless pressure though resulted in both goals. Few shaky moments in defence in the second half luckily cane to nothing.
Important three points, especially with Cheshunt getting a result against Ebbsfleet. Could have ended the day in a much worse place.
Before (and after) that though it was mostly Dulwich. Mills missed a couple of key headers that I'd expect him to net. Relentless pressure though resulted in both goals. Few shaky moments in defence in the second half luckily cane to nothing.
Important three points, especially with Cheshunt getting a result against Ebbsfleet. Could have ended the day in a much worse place.
editor
hiraethified
editor
hiraethified
I feared we were definitely going to get a player sent off at times.
Stuart Fordyce
Well-Known Member
As a general point (wasn't at the match), I get so angry with players getting bookings for dissent because it's totally avoidable.
Pink Panther
Well-Known Member
I don't think we're picking up bookings for dissent but there's definitely a more abrasive edge to our team since the change of manager, and we seem to be collecting a lot of cards overall.
In fact I'd say we used to pick up more bookings for dissent for reacting badly to other teams' shithouse tactics. Under Gavin I always felt we were nice when other teams were nice (e.g. Merstham, Folkestone, Maidstone) but were a soft touch for shithouse teams like Havant or Hungerford, who dragged us into a scrap. Now it feels more like we're on the front foot in this respect and are more apt to get under the skin of opponents. That's two home games running when an opponent has collected a second yellow card for a reckless challenge shortly after getting wound up, first by Clarke against Chelmsford, then Porter against Weymouth. I don't especially like it to be honest but it's getting results. We're consistently starting games strongly, looking assertive and getting in front by half time. We don't find ourselves chasing the game as often as we used to and it's making it easier to dictate how the game unfolds.
I haven't been to as many away games this season but I can't recall a below par performance since we lost to Folkestone in the FA Cup almost 3 months ago. (I didn't attend the heavy defeat at Havant but that featured the worst penalty decision I've ever seen given thanks to an excellent camera angle from the host club's highlights, a couple of minutes after we'd pulled it back to 2-1, then there were no more goals for nearly an hour before they banged in a couple right at the end.)
Above all else it feels like we're punching our weight. I'm enjoying the games I see and looking forward to the next one. The players look like they have more of a spring in their step too. Gavin often expressed frustration in post match interviews that players hadn't followed pre-match instructions, leading some supporters to accuse him of passing the buck or evading responsibility, but perhaps he just overthought his game plan and didn't always communicate it effectively enough? He remains our greatest manager for me, but there will always be a change of manager eventually (unless the club ceases to exist) and it looks like we've made a change for the better, even if it might have been best done 3 months earlier.
I think it also helps that Barnesy appears to know his best team and sticks with it, rarely making more than a single tactical change of personnel from one game to the next. Gavin would often stick with a consistent XI through a period of good form but it often seemed that one disappointing match would result in 3 or 4 people being dropped, then the same again if that didn't work, and we'd suddenly lost sight of what made us tick in the first place.
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AveryDave
Well-Known Member
Only thing I add on this is that Barnes hasn't really had the luxury to make many changes to his playing side for a while - whilst we're able to name 16 players currently it wasn't long ago that we were only able to put 11 players out.
He's also not had a chance to make many changes to his squad - from the players he inherited from Rose only Deadfield, Osaghae and Akanbi have moved on with Timlin leaving as part of the managerial change, whilst bringing in Powell and Jones as first team squad members, Eweka on a short term loan, and Nzala and Hibbert as non-contracted back up.
Alongside injuries to the likes of Wood, Hill, Holland, Kalala, Smith and Splatt and suspensions with Kresniqi being the most prominent, he's not really had much choice but to go with broadly the same players because that's all he's had available to him.
Which makes you reflect on a couple of things - firstly he's doing a pretty remarkable job, and secondly, as you say, a settled team even after a couple of tough results isn't a bad thing, even if it is a squad light on numbers.
Pink Panther
Well-Known Member
I think our squad was oversized at the start of the season, it needs to be slimmed down a bit. What it really needs in the long term is an U23 reserve team to supplement a senior squad of 18-20. Last season we suffered when McGregor and Timlin weren't both available. This time we seemed to go overboard to replace them with Comley Raymond, Deadfield, Krasniqi, Clarke; Splatt is another option. We're doing pretty well right now.
Bugpowder Dust
Well-Known Member
Have to confess that I had totally missed that Timlin had gone along with Gav and Kads.
Really looking forward to boxing day now to see if we can push on again.
Oh and good to see you back on the forum again Pink Panther
Al Cunningham
Brockley Hamlet
Very enjoyable at the moment especially the Tuesday night games which seem to inspire the team and create a great atmosphere. Definitely an edge to the team and George Porter, who I like alot always looks like a yellow card ( hopefully not 2 in the same game) likely to happen. We look very strong down the right at the moment with Ming at RB and Felix being pushed further forward. Still think we are missing that strong player next to Raymond. I presume Comley was designed for that role but is clearly affected by his long time out. The others in contention are not as effective as Timlin or Gio. Overall really happy with the new management and coaching
On another point, bit surprised the club has not been a bit more vocal after the positive Judicial Review decision . It was a big moment. I read Ben's comments in the programme but thought there might be a bit more about what happens next but overall happy that the future is in capable hands.
On another point, bit surprised the club has not been a bit more vocal after the positive Judicial Review decision . It was a big moment. I read Ben's comments in the programme but thought there might be a bit more about what happens next but overall happy that the future is in capable hands.
