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Post by hatter_in_macc on Dec 14, 2023 16:54:33 GMT
Time to bounce back. Simple as...
Post it all here.
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Post by gazz on Dec 14, 2023 17:31:51 GMT
It really is as simple as that, Maccy.
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Post by autistichatter on Dec 15, 2023 12:53:09 GMT
Well, well, time to return to as much normal service as we can without Louie Barry, Toni Sarcevic and Will Collar, and if you wanted someone to do it against I guess you would want it to be against Rock Bottom Sutton who, to tell the truth, are almost not Rock Bottom, trailing FGR by 1 point, but 6 points behind Cole U and safety.
So their record is P 20 W 3 D 5 L 12 F 26 A 40. Which is... modest. Their A form is also poor, W 0 D 2 L 7 F 10 A 25.... yikes. Almost County-esque from the Bad Old Days. Their 3 Ws are Notts County (h) on opening day, checks notes, yes 5-1, I'll repeat that, 5-1, Walsall (h) 4-0, their first, and only, clean sheet on 7th Oct and Bratfut (h) 2-1 28th Oct. The Ds are MKD (h) 1-1 (in late Sept), Cole U (a) 1-1 on remembrance day, Tranmere (h) 1-1, Grimsby (a) 1-1 and Crewe (h) 1-1 - so 4 straight Ds in Nov all 1-1 as well so they've tightened up a fair bit it seems. The Ls, yes I'll list them all.... Barrow (a) 2-1, Gillingham (h) 0-1, AFC Wombles (H) 0-3, Newport (a) 3-1, FGR (a) 1-0, Swindon (a) 5-3, Accy Stanley (a) 4-1, Crawley Town (a) 3-0, Salford (h) 0-2, Disappointing Donny (a) 4-1, Morecambe (h) 2-3 and Wrexham (a) 2-1.
Now no-one is going to say that's impressive but they are unbeaten in 5, then again apart from Crewe they are all against teams at the wrong end, so, make of that what you will.
Their top scorer is much-travelled 6ft 5 Harry Smith (fun fact: Harry Smith was a heck of a BriSCA F1 Stock Car driver back in the day), on 7 (10 in all comps). He was previously at Macc (9 Gs in 39 apps) and Northampton Town (7 Gs in 35) and Orient (13 Gs in 43) so he is a goal threat - on occasion. Next comes also much-travelled fellow 6-footer Omari Patrick with 5, he was previously of Carlisle (20 Gs in 100 apps). Four players have scored 2 each - Harry Beautyman, 6ft 2 D Ben Goodliffe, 6ft 2.5 D Louis John and 6ft 6 D Omar Sowunmi. A further 5 have scored 1 apiece. So it's all a bit Land of the Giants, which suggests a certain style of play....
Back in the summer they signed much-travelled (I'm using that a lot aren't I?) GK Steve Arnold (ex Shrewsbury and Sarfend amongst many others) Omar Sowumni (2 seasons at Bromley) and MF Christian Dashiell Ruhemman N'Guessan, if you please, from Ebbsfleet. Veteran D Ryan Jackson came over from Cheltenham (43 apps, plus many more with a clutch of southern clubs), Harry Smith (see above) came over from Orient, then a double signing of MF Craig Clay (ex Orient for 6 years and 200 apps) and Winger Josh Coley (ex Exeter 35 apps over 2 years). Scott Kashket came over from Gillingham, (previously he was at Wycombe), he was followed by Omari Patrick (see above).
Now we get to the loan players: Aiden O'Brien from Shrewsbury (until Jan), followed by D'Mani Mellor on loan from Wycombe (he was previously at Manure), he is also on loan until Jan. GK Dean Bouzanis joins from Reading, also until Jan while Winger Dion Pereria joins from Luton for the erst of the season.
So it's all rather modest and suggestive of a big physical side who will probably be very organised and probably park the proverbial bus. If you're wondering how they beat Notts County 5-1 on opening day, and yes Notts can let in a hatful against almost anyone, the Notts Keeper being sent off after 15 mins probably had something to do with it.
All in all I think we know what we'll get from Sutton, and in their position can you blame them? The real Q is what will we get from County? DC says they need the fans to lift the players.... do that and keep those fingers crossed 'cos if ever there was a banana skin it's this one... We need to score a couple early and then withstand the aerial barrage...
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Post by gazz on Dec 15, 2023 14:10:57 GMT
Superb stuff, AH, a great read as usual.
This is massive and they will be no pushover, I don't think it'll be easy by any stretch.
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Post by ceefer on Dec 16, 2023 10:53:07 GMT
I'm really not expecting the bounce back to materialise, but hoping I am wrong. Any sparks of creativity and taking players on will be an added bonus. Now watch them go out and win 6-0 just to 'spite' me.
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Post by autistichatter on Dec 16, 2023 14:46:13 GMT
No MSH in the XI or on the bench... worrying. The lineup suggests 3 CHs to me, no doubt in anticipation of an aerial bombardment.... Byrne in for Olaofe.... I can't picture Byrne playing in an Olaofe style.....
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Post by Epworth Hatter on Dec 16, 2023 15:25:49 GMT
Pretty good opening quarter!
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Post by Epworth Hatter on Dec 16, 2023 15:26:58 GMT
I'm really not expecting the bounce back to materialise, but hoping I am wrong. Any sparks of creativity and taking players on will be an added bonus. Now watch them go out and win 6-0 just to 'spite' me. You might have been a little conservative there, ceef! |
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Post by autistichatter on Dec 16, 2023 15:41:43 GMT
4-0 up after 23 mins, Mansfield drawing (surprise, surprise), Notts County losing 2-0 at Harrogate and Wrexham 1-0 up but a man down.....
The only question is should County declare at half time, enforce the follow-on and win by an innings?
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Post by gazz on Dec 16, 2023 17:12:25 GMT
The only question is should County declare at half time, enforce the follow-on and win by an innings?  brilliant, mate! |
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Post by bringbacklenwhite on Dec 16, 2023 17:19:34 GMT
Blimey !!!!
That must have been some b*ll*cking by DC at training on Thursday.
A shame we didn't share those goals out over the last 3 games. We could have been 10+ points away and sailing.
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Post by gazz on Dec 16, 2023 17:19:42 GMT
Absolutely stunning result, which has done our goal difference the world of good!
Fantastic too see Paddy getting a hat-trick too.
Not good that Macca was missing today, though. Any news on what's wrong and how long?
Congrats to DC, his staff and players for this statement performance.
Get back soon, Macca, and indeed Sarc, Will and the rest.
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Post by ceefer on Dec 16, 2023 19:25:25 GMT
I'm really not expecting the bounce back to materialise, but hoping I am wrong. Any sparks of creativity and taking players on will be an added bonus. Now watch them go out and win 6-0 just to 'spite' me. Well Glad they put me firmly in my place. Sutton are a sorry side, with a long injury list, but it was a very good bounce back by the team. Especially pleased for Crossy, Paddy and Tanto. Good to hear a song for Ryan. Great respect to the 94 Sutton fans who stayed and watched their team when they could so easily have left and gone to the pub.
I think DC's post Aldershot match interview about the bringing in new players in January might have galvanised the team....
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Post by hatter_in_macc on Dec 16, 2023 19:39:31 GMT
The Sutton supporters were amazing. Not only did they stay for the entire event, they were still singing for their team at six-down! Fair play.
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Post by harrogatehatter on Dec 16, 2023 20:28:17 GMT
Well I certainly chose the right game to make my first visit to EP of the season. I was apprehensive before hand given the run of results and DC’s post match interview after Aldershot.
Sutton looked a really poor outfit and County didn’t have to do to much to score. I hope that doesn’t sound too conceited but what I mean is that we didn’t have to break down a strong defence or anything like that.
That said, full credit to the whole squad. It was good to see some of the squad players get some game time and a goal for Joel Cotterill, which he finished very well.
Finally, a mention to the Sutton United fans who stayed to the end. Having seen us lose 7-0 away at Grimsby Town before, I know what it’s like to get a hammering!!
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