THE CONCRETE ROUNDABOUT (TCR)

THE MELTDOWN – FOREST GREEN ROVERS
You can only beat what’s in front of you is a well-used phrase in football and without taking anything away from the lads, it wasn’t a great deal with no recorded shots on target and nothing much to shout about, and you can only hope for FGR fans that Dale Vince puts some cash in to keep them up, or it’s a double relegation into the Bermuda Triangle of football where clubs get lost for ever, better known as the National League.

As you can imagine there is little to make my blood boil this weekend and yes it was nice to get back and watch some live football, although it was disappointing to still see a lowly crowd despite the promotion of “Bring a Friend”, but it wasn’t too bad an atmos, hopefully nobody got sick eating out of date snacks…. if you know……you know.

The football was ok in flashes without being a spectacle, and the “Baby Faced Assassin” added a few more quid to his value with a ruthless finish from a ball by the impressive Tomlinson. MOTM for me Payne sealed the fate of the points 10 minutes before halftime, again, the supply came from Tomlinson.

The second half was a bit of a non-event in my mind, and I always had the feeling that if FGR did ever get round to getting something on target it might just give them hope and make for a nervous end to the game, but as it was I think about the only scare we had was when the lethargic Deeney had one cleared.

Deeney…. sorry I just didn’t get the point of him, he seemed largely disinterested and never really gave our backline much to worry about. To me he felt like a waste of a shirt when they are in dire need of all hands to the pumps, but fair play he did get back and make a saving tackle, but his role seemed to be mainly filling in behind when wing backs got forward. If they are going to drag themselves out of the magnetic pull of the National League, he needs shelving and fast.

Opinion……I think bringing on Dennis today further endorsed that Eisa will be gone in January, not that Dennis did anything, but to think he got the nod ahead of Mo says it all.

Whilst I am full of admiration for Max Dean he needs to curb that feisty attitude or in the least channel it into his game, picking fights with extras from “Land of the Giants” is not a good thing and its going to end up costing him a suspension sooner or later.

From what I recall most of his bookings are a sort of retaliatory strike when he thinks he has been wronged, bloody needless, as is chatting the ref into giving you a yellow card, and as we know many of these refs are happy to oblige under the new directives…..so please Max cut it out, I have no desire to see Mo sulking up front anytime soon, and only playing as you are suspended.

My only real moan then, but more of a concern is MacGillivray, you do realise he is going to have his pocket picked sooner or later don’t you, if you didn’t, just prepare yourself because he is bound to save it for when it really matters and hurts and then acts like he never saw it coming.

He doesn’t look comfortable one bit playing out, and I’m saying this weeks after he started doing it, and he doesn’t look to have improved, and blissfully unaware that peril is close at hand.

Probably dividing opinion, I’d be already on the hunt for a keeper in January, he’s not a bad shot stopper, but he is poor in other areas of his game, and I say that as a former member of the Goalkeepers Union, I’m usually quick to defend keepers, but the more I look at him, the more I see that I don’t like, honestly I hope he proves me wrong.

One final concern is we seem to be heavily reliant on the same two or three players, if suspensions and injuries kick in the outlook could quickly turn bleak, it is that fragile.

So, with January rapidly approaching we need to get heavily involved in a spot of retail therapy……and then go down the tip and dump some players off to make way for a few new faces. I’m relatively happy with the defence and midfield, so we should really focus on strike partners for Max, that is if we can fend off interest in the “Boy Wonder”, so just this once Pete, we do want to stand in his way, he’s still learning his craft and he is going to get better with a decent price tag on his shoulders, please don’t sell the family jewels again, people really are going to think you’re a money grabber….well more than they do already.

That’s it then, nice, and easy, strikers and a keeper, sounds a doddle to me, and with Mo’s wage gone, we should be able to get someone half decent from the National League at least.

Having a fleeting glance at the table, Stockport look like they are in top gear smashing 8 past Sutton, that would have been painful if you had made the trip. Barrow are looking to be punching above their weight stretching their unbeaten run to 11 games and embarrassing Swindon 3-0 on their own pitch.

Notts County are another team going through a few indifferent results and lost surprisingly away to Harrogate 3-1.

Next up we have Morecambe who ran out 5-0 winners at Doncaster which is a little concerning for us, but I still see us winning up there, in fact I think, or should I say hope we will stroll out of the Keepmoat on NYD with a 100% record in the festive fixtures.

Someone has to say it…..Choo Choo suckers.

Until Next Time.

WD

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Read the MELTDOWN after every game, no bullshit, just giving it straight

Got this pretty spot on.

I agree about the keeper situation. Whilst I'm very glad he kept a clean sheet, only our second under Williamson, I don't think he actually made a save other than claim a few crosses?

The second half was a bore, I drifted off a few times. But it is nice to see some of the patterns of play developing and a bit more confidence in midfield. Still things to work on but we are building a reasonable foundation now and its mile ahead of the dross we saw at the start of the season

I think I agree with the goalkeeper situation, extremely unlikely but our last two goalkeepers would absolutely stroll into this style, and both of them have played barely any football this season.

Nice half season loan for Cummings or Fisher and we would absolutely smash the second half of the season playing like this

Anyone know why no Leko on the bench? Is he packing already.

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Your knob will never walk alone.......

Was it 'Bring a Friend'? Poorly promoted imo.

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Disclaimer: All my comments are my opinions unless stated otherwise. I'm just a fan following my club.

I think the keeper did well, it was noticable that even under pressure he didn't panic, that is when mistakes are made, even in the best piece of pressing against him yesterday he was able to put it out for a throw rather than a corner.

Yes I agree with that last post.

I don’t think the goalie is a world beater but you compare him to the FGR goalie who looked dreadful , I think we have a solid keeper at this level who is ok with his feet. Cummings was terrible at times last season . I would take this goalie over last seasons Jamie Cummings.

i wouldn't! But we are where we are.

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Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment

Neither would I but I agree Cummings was nowhere near as consistent last season as the one before. Having said that, he had the keystone cops of a team in front of him so was always up against it.

Im not sure is saturdays performance was as a result of FGR being so inept or not but I dont think we looked particularly good, luckily we were only as good as we needed to be.

I think it shows the paper thin quality we have in the sizeable squad. When we lose Dean to suspension and Payne to injury or fatigue at some point in the rest of the season, its going to be a tough miss.

I actually think McGillivray is very good with the ball at his feet and we'd find it very difficult to find a keeper at this level who is better than him. The only area he's struggled is crosses into the box, however that appears to have improved as of late.

Playing this style, every keeper in the world will make mistakes at times, whether that's a misplaced pass or taking too long on the ball. It happens to the very best.