Eastleigh v Boreham Wood Sat 2nd Oct - 5.20 kickoff

[hantslondoner]

As I'm sure most of you have noticed, we have been selected by BT Sport for a random televised game v Boreham Wood next Sat, so it's a 5.20 kick off.

If you want an appetiser, then AFC Stoneham are playing Fareham in the Wessex League at 3pm just down the road. Should be a decent game.
There's also the Hedge End derby (Rangers v Town) at 2.30 as well....

[hantslondoner]

Half-price for Saints season-ticket holders now, I see.

Any chance of a discount for EFC season ticket holders at Stoneham? They used to offer one, not sure of they do now? 

Weather forecast looks DREADFUL.

[blueandwhite]

It is tipping down already. Did we have an after sales agreement with the company that did our pitch (just in case)?

[efc21]

Eastleigh 1

Boreham Wood 1


2021-22 TEAM SHEET - BOREHAM WOOD - HOME.pdf (170.67 KB)

[callumefc]

First watched game of the season , via blur TV. Have lost all interest in football during COVID really but gave this a go.

Boreham Wood are still Boreham Wood , have been for years even pre Garrard. Nothing changes, except they've lost their couple of above average talents since last season.

McDonnell - better than Ashmore
Hare - not the Hare we had before, is this by design, instruction or Hare himself? Without a Hare bombarding up the wing he's just a stable Conference level defender.

Boyce - we'd be f'd without him

Low - lol.

Kelly - downgrade on Green

Hill - trying to be or do something he's not quite comfortable with? Would have better placed through the middle as a playmaker or link up from an ST?

Holland - still puts in a comfortable performance

Whelan - trying to do everything Holland can't/won't or doesn't do, felt like his position was holding him back

House - unsure what to say really, what's happened? Did he just have one purple patch at the start of last season?

Pritchard - caught between two minds whether to be our main man or set play up, work in Progress.

Genuinely can't remember the name of the 11th player.

Barnett came on, got some service but needs 4 to get 1 on target.

On paper we had 3 game changers on the bench, none of them used. I have received rave reviews of Harper.

Same as before, need a striker, they cost money though, maybe we could get it from offloading Low, a CB who isn't good enough for a Steve Evans team, Wynter and the other lad from Swindon who hasn't played yet. Bragg was getting good reports pre season?

That will all sound harsh, but the basics are there, they always have been with Strevs and Bristow, it's soo much better than the couple fo years before them, but we have gone back to being a team that needs a minimum of 2 goals just to be in with a chance.

P.s Someone give BT some wipes next time they come down to the Lake, maybe they'll be called DAZN next time they arrive

[tenacres]

quite a decent game for me. Fair scoreline and I thought we'd played well against a good side.

The penalty for boreham wood was a bit marginal I thought bit of arm movement I guess, but I say more often than not that is not given. We got a half shout ourselves early in the second half with a ball that hit the B Wood players arm. Would be interested to see that one back. I would suggest both shouts were both about the same. Anyway, can't complain, it wasn't an outrageous decision and we did quite possibly get the rub of the greeen againt Woking.

Ryan Hill our best player IMO, rate him. Seems to be able to whip a good ball in 8/10 from a tricky position.

[hantslondoner]

Oct 2, 2021 19:59:30 GMT tenacres said:

quite a decent game for me. Fair scoreline and I thought we'd played well against a good side.

The penalty for Boreham wood was a bit marginal I thought bit of arm movement I guess, but I say more often than not that is not given. 

Agree with all that - conditions were awful, both sides did well, pitch was excellent.

Hard to assess individual performances today, but we battled well as a team again, and have some good ball-players. I think it's been pretty good to watch at the Silverlake so far this season.

I thought the ref was one of the better ones we've had, although he must be good friends with our ex-player Will Evans, judging by what he let him get away with. 

The match at Stoneham beforehand was entertaining, too - they won 6-1 against third-place Fareham, who finished with nine men. 

[tottonspitfire]

Why we let Greener go is a big mistake to me . Kelly is not anywhere near the standard required . Greener is not the player he ounce was but , still better than what we have now .

[hantslondoner]

Interesting comments from Callum on his first viewing this season, agree with a lot of it, a couple of comments of my own, having seen all the home games:

McDonnell - good keeper, expect he'll move to an EFL club at the end of the season. I rate Ashmore highly, but he had a poor game yesterday, must have been the conditions. Spilled a few and IMO should have saved the goal.

Hare - a lot of opposition attacks are coming down his side, he seems not to be getting much help from the player in front of him (Hill?) so he's left exposed a lot. Against the less good teams he's getting forward more and putting good crosses in.
Kelly - looks more solid than Greener but we all miss Greener's forays upfield, and the quality crosses and shots he sometimes provided (and the passion, and the cards....).

Central defence - Boyce has really developed as captain, distribution improved, effectively holding central defence together. Agree it's worth trying another partner for him.

Midfield - you seen to have the impression that some of the players are in the wrong role/unsure of their role? Possibly. I think there are some good individual players there, and some players who are more prepared to battle than I've seen in the last couple of years.

Forwards - House is very dangerous when he comes into the game. But it doesn't happen anywhere near as often as it should, IMO. Hill seems to have a free role to make things happen (see Hare) and is the player I have enjoyed watching most this season - he seems to fade a bit later on, though. If he continues like this we may have some bidders to contend with. But as a consequence we haven't seen much of Smart, which is a shame. The other player you said you forgot is probably Whitehall? Has played more recently but looks useful IMO, his awkward style making it hard for defenders. Could do with more support, though. Ditto Barnett, who has just come back from injury - better in the air but also a bit more predictable than Whitehall.

Some promise there, I think.