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Post by hantslondoner on Aug 13, 2019 21:54:31 GMT
Well, I've enjoyed the games against Sutton in the past, but not tonight - we had more of the play but their physical style, gamesmanship and timewasting frustrated both players and fans.
The ref also seemed to have problems working out what was a foul and what wasn't, and if so, who was responsible.
Our defence, including Max, looked a bit jittery when coming out (defensively, generally OK, though) - the full-backs got better as the game went on. Midfield worked hard, Payne played well but as has already been said we need someone else in a more advanced position (where Yeates was last season). Forwards worked hard without much reward, and our only goal was again scored from a free-kick by a defender. Smart again looked decent when he came on, he provided something different, too.
A couple of loan signings wouldn't go amiss.
Sutton should do OK this season, and probably deserved the draw here, but if this is an example of the post-Doswell era, they can keep it.
Shame, because when they tried to play football they were pretty good at it. As they have been in the past.
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Post by nkc on Aug 13, 2019 22:08:48 GMT
Did anyone catch the 50-50 number.
As for the game I think the half time change of formation resulted in a far more dominant second half from Eastleigh. Neat and tidy at times, we managed to get a lot of ball in the box without a big enough threat in the area. Just not sure where goals will come from but work all over the rest of pitch has many plus points.
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Post by rocky on Aug 13, 2019 22:45:17 GMT
when are we gonna get a goalscorer in? should have won tonight comofortably with all the chances
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Post by efc21 on Aug 14, 2019 5:19:09 GMT
50-50 Number
58485
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Post by efc21 on Aug 14, 2019 5:41:26 GMT
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Post by back4more on Aug 14, 2019 10:41:22 GMT
The goal was so well taken and we were so dominant in the opening spell that we should have had a win sewn up. It often used to be said that a team is at its most vulnerable immediately after scoring a goal. These days most sides are a bit too professional to let their defensive concentration slip with the euphoria of taking the lead. Sadly we fell to the sucker punch last night and gave away the lead we had so well deserved in record time.
If anyone wanted to look for excuses they could offer that the team might have been so distracted by the refereeing injustices they were suffering that they lost their focus at that key moment. I know it is easy to criticise referees but there are people who sit near to me who will tell you exactly that and will refuse to accept "bad refereeing" excuses but who last night were convinced that Sutton were being given every key refereeing decision. Certainly the Sutton free kick which led to their equaliser should have been given the other way for a Sutton hand ball in the opinion of most people around me.
It was very disappointing to see the side come out for the second half without Rob Atkinson. His performance in the first half had been pivotal in the team's general containment of any real threat from Sutton and without him on the pitch Sutton came out pumping. We couldn't seem to get a touch of the ball for much of the first 10 minutes. According to the club website match report, Atkinson had "picked up an injury". He might have sustained that when he was being regularly chopped down by Sutton when carrying the ball forward.
There were one or two players whose match fitness might not be totally up to speed but overall there was enough in performances around the pitch to give some hope for the rest of the season. It will be a real test for our very good management team and that includes how they recruit in the loan market - if there is the budget to allow them to do so.
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Post by hantslondoner on Aug 14, 2019 11:12:38 GMT
Yes, wondered why Atkinson didn't come out for the second half - he did well in the first and looks like a good replacement/stand-in for Reda, being strong in the air and a decent passer with his left foot. I hope he isn't following Reda with his injury record, too....
The ref was poor (even for this league) but IMO it was the same for both sides. We committed our fair share of fouls and Boyce was lucky to escape a second yellow. Their goal may have come from a dodgy free-kick and Collins certainly didn't mean the ball to go where it did - perfectly the wrong side of Max.
I wonder if Sutton played they type of game they did as a one-off to counteract our style? Given their record at the Silverlake it's not impossible. If so, it was successful, but not good to watch.
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Post by unknownquantity on Aug 15, 2019 20:46:51 GMT
I do like the fact that hantslondoner's approach to referees appears to be more balanced than that of a lot of people. I did not think the referee had a good game and I would say that more decisions went against Eastleigh. However I also think there are also alternative ways of interpreting at least two of the things that happened in that game.
It appears that this referee was also in charge of the Wrexham playoff semi final where although I was not at the game it appeared that the most controversial decision of the game went in our favour.
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Post by stew5018 on Aug 15, 2019 22:11:03 GMT
I have some concerns over Max. He had a stinker at Barrow and his decision making in regards to leaving his area was again in question in the Sutton game. He doesn't seem as dominant as he was previously. I hope this is just as he settles down.
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Post by unknownquantity on Aug 17, 2019 9:50:20 GMT
I think that Max and Sam Smart are youngsters who have made a good start to their Eastleigh careers, but who have had fairly limited senior experience prior to joining the club.
I think there is a danger that we can build them to be world beaters at an early stage and then be disappointed when they have games in which they do not perform as quite as well.
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