After a bit of rest after the win against VCD we are back at TPF against
Sevenoaks are currently the number 11th in the table with 21 points out of 16 games.
They scored 23 and conceded 26 goals. Top scorers are well known Frankie Sawyer with 6 and Kenny Pogue with 4 goals.
Remember our first game: https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/match/2018-2019/isthmian-football-league-south-east-division/sevenoaks-town/hastings-united/113278
And we? Seeing some old Hastings players back at TPF creates always a special atmosphere and hopefully a lot of supporters will turn up for this one.
1
Charlie Horlock
2
Ollie Black
3
Jack Tucker
4
Tom Climpson
5
Jahmal Howlett-Mundle
8
Adam Lovatt
10
Sonny Dullaway
11
Jordy Mongoy
12
Antonio Walker Barth
15
Jamie Fielding
18
Jack Dixon
6
Sam Cruttwell
14
Youssouf Bamba
16
Hassan Ibrahim
17
Lanre Azeez
19
Cameron Williams
A wins a win but that was painful today. After the completely over the top reaction to last weeks mediocre performance against VCD and the impact of the youngsters, todays line up was all wrong and only a fortunate sending off possibly saved us from a lot worse. First half was as bad as anything I have seen for many a year and only the introduction of both Bamba and Crutts made the 2nd half any better. Why were they on the bench?? Up until this time there was no creativity on the pitch and Sevenoaks looked the more likely to score even though they were equally as poor. The game was crying out for some pace and trickery out wide but the best we could offer was Fielding and Black....it was dreadful and poor old Walker Bath looked like he had two left boots on. That aside, thought Tom and Jamahl did well and Crutts and Bamba made a difference when they came on but apart from that, very poor but we'll take the 3 points.
Yes, I have to agree we did look very poor today! 3 points gained which was great, but we do look like we have lost a certain something. I don't get why crutts and Bamba didn't start. We really miss Daniel up front.
Farcical that Man of the Match went to Crutts who was out there 35-40 minutes. Farcical in that it shows up a poor team performance with a 1st half as bad as anything I've seen - looked like two mid table sides with nothing to play for.
Why is Sam not starting? Same re Youssouf Bamba? I don't get it.
Ask the manager, he must know why, or did he see a bright star in the sky and had a vision. We are paying to watch a team continually pass sideways and back with no end product, promotion is a long way off. Please change this dull as ditchwater style Chris it’s awful to watch.
Not really sure when it all went wrong. At the start of the season it was entertaining and very watchable and results were good. But lately, possibly coinciding with Golding going on loan, it has all gone a bit flat and today was as dull as dishwater but I suppose it was 3 points. As SS says it shows how bad it was that a sub who was on the pitch for 30 minutes or so gets man of the match and why is one of our best players on the bench anyway along with Bamba. No Sam Adams today, is he injured? Players from both sides looked like Christmas was good and I felt embarrassed dragging a friend along who was questioning why I watch non league football!
Thought the starting eleven put out by Chris would have to play very well to beat Sevenoaks. For 70 minutes they looked incapable of worrying Sevenoaks and were in danger of losing. With the introduction of Bamba and Cruttwell we suddenly looked like a team capable of scoring. Sam's quality pass out to the right and his finish was something beyond the starting eleven. With a crowd of 570 it is difficult to understand why Chris would not want to start with our strongest side. I cannot believe that with the quality of players sitting on the bench he thought our strongest team started the game. Have no idea what he was up to unless the players were ill or were carrying injuries. Today was an opportunity lost to show the quality of our players to a big crowd. For 70 minutes we very poor playing against a moderate team.
I suppose the manager and the club can say well we are 2nd in the league and they will have a point and I accept that. But when I spend £10 I want to be entertained as much as I want the team to be promoted
The rumour on Crutts from the crowd that know was he ’allegedley’ didn’t work hard enough in training. Don’t shoot the messenger!!
And yes, I know it’s boring for some to hear, but Golding is just a massive loss the club and performance levels have definitely dropped since he went out on loan. Every club has a player who is a bit of a maverick or perhaps difficult to coach, and I know he was a moody git at times but we don’t half miss him down that right. He certainly knew how to cross a ball whereas Azeez, Walker and Fielding have all been poor. All have had plenty of games but are showing no improvement. The player said he didn’t want to leave so unless it’s down to budgets or the manager does not want him lets get him back!
And what was the picking of Dullaway all about after being out on loan at Eastbourne for a couple of games. Ibrahim on the bench for fourth game in a row after back to back MOM performances, is he injured? Not reallly sure what is going on at the minute, it’s all very strange, but hey, we somehow still sit second in this very average league.
Some really valid points made today and everybody’s opinion should be respected.....let’s remember this a supporters forum, run by supporters, completely independent from the club, and if management , directors, players or supporters dont like, don’t come on here and read.....but let’s not talk about managers quitting when we sit second in the league. I know we are all frustrated at the minute and dumbfounded by some of the team selections and in particular the loan moves for Christie and Golding, but talk of quitting is ridiculous.
I’ve said it previously, let’s see how we sit after this busy Xmas period and all players are back from injury. We could not have played any worse today but still picked up 3 points against another dire opponent.
Can't please everyone can we jesus... Chris was saving legs for the game at Ashford. Well that's what Im thinking as why would he not play them. To me we don't play a bad game of football obviously people want us to pump the ball over the top (boring football ) we bloody won that all that matters. I will never stop supporting whst chris is trying to do as this club needs someone like him a young hungry manager!!!!
Why do players need a rest it’s 1 game a week. This style of football only works and becomes entertaining if there is a final pass to create chances, and this isn’t happening. No point in a lot of possession if there is no end product.
Saving players for a game a week away, really? If you think that was worth £10 you must be rich. At the start of the season it was worth the entry fee and I was complimentary but since Golding went the performances have declined. Today for 70 minutes it hit a new low. Just want the team to recapture the form of the early season but a lot of players have gone since then and we look like a team that is in pre season mode.
I.would pay money to see that anyday of the week.. it just seams like certain people don't like chris and his style of football.. what do you think you would do then as this bugs me when people think they know how the team should play look at cray and horsham how do they play?? Just get behind them we are second ffs look where we was before he had taken over..
No game Saturday Wayne. We don’t play again until next Tuesday so no need to rest players. I think it was more of a case of the manager thought the youngsters did it against VCD so deserved another chance to impress, although earlier in the season the manager was a great advocate of squad rotation each game whatever the level of performance. The only change today was Dullaway for Crutts as he had allegedly been a naughty boy.
Well everyone has there say but for me chris knows what he is doing.. i will always have his back and not call him out or say sack him.. we are in the best position for years now.. I will be at Ashford away SUPPORTING the lads and the management...
Sorry that is a desperate statement, if you have players with knocks you don’t bring them on you start with them just in case their knocks don’t allow them to play for long.
In respect of how you play why not play a simple 4.4.2 or 4.5.1, and let the players make their own decisions as to go direct or play through depending on circumstances and conditions. Its looks to a lot of us they are told to play a certain way and to stick to it. Most players who come to us from the outside will find the style of play we are playing alien to them, I bet Sam c , Sam a and Jack haven’t played this style either. I will only charge my views on this style when we consistently beat top 6 sides,
I ain't waisting my time with you anymore as you just like to pick at stuff.. if you think you are better then get in the dugout then... ffs don't forget people there only 1 way to play and no other way 442 😂😂😂 joker I'm done
It was a largely dreadful game. Something of a Christmas present, perhaps, for the people demanding that we grind out more dour one-nil wins. Be careful what you wish for, and all that.
But I'm not sure that I share the general air of despondency. We were much better defensively than we have been: there wasn't that sense of constantly being at full stretch at the back, and Tom Climpson in particular looks much more comfortable as part of a three. By the time you've got that three, two full-backs and two not-terribly-creative midfielders, there's a lot of responsibility placed on the others, and none of them had great games. Not a lot of quality, not a lot of confidence. Sonny Dullaway looked especially lost as time went on.
We had to sort out the defence, though. Had to. There's a wealth of creativity to come back into the side, and a solid defence + that creativity = good times. Although I must admit that I'm really tempted by ChrisB's idea of sending out a 4-4-2 and telling people to do whatever they want, just to see how that plays out...
classic boxing day game really, lots of people unavailable...i dont understand the anger on this board it was a heavy pitch and a cold old afternoon it was bound to be a scrapfest. Was a nice game changer having such a good bench to call on in the second half and a cracking winner.
-- Edited by Hastingschris on Thursday 27th of December 2018 02:09:10 PM
Or an opportunity lost to show a Boxing Day crowd the quality of some of our players. Still cannot understand the logic of not wanting to start with our best players on the pitch on a big match day. Thought Chris was lucky to get away with the win today-effectively rescued by a couple of moments of quality from Sam. Not convinced yet by our playing 3 at the back with 2 wing backs. Thought Sevenoaks exploited the gaps down our left side very easily and could easily have scored. Also, don't think our wing backs have the ability to create much going forward.
Agree with Tim as well. see on observer site the manager confirms that Sam did not train as well as others and that is why he was left out. I trained hard over Christmas, went to the gym and ran a lot of miles, really disappointed I wasn't picked to start against Sevenoaks. Might show inexperience in the manager, he needs to manage the players better and think it is risky not going with your strongest side just because you want to make a point to a player. Lucky he got away with it this time.
Think Cliff you are right with this one. The most experienced players - that are often the key players in the team - you must '' pamper '' a bit. To '' learn '' those players a lesson will not make things better and can work against you.
Chris was very clear when he took over that he expected the players to work hard. Given that he inherited what appeared from the outside to be a fragmented squad, with more than a couple of players who weren't exactly giving everything for the cause, that seemed a pretty reasonable starting point. So whether you agree with that approach or not, it isn't anything new and it isn't anything specific to Sam Cruttwell.
But surely that is man management skills, and if players aren’t doing what the manager wants there is a choice of 2 solutions, you get rid of players concerned or the manager. As has happened in many cases when you have conflict between players and manager performance on the pitch drops off.
But surely that is man management skills, and if players aren’t doing what the manager wants there is a choice of 2 solutions, you get rid of players concerned or the manager.
Ah, the voice of moderation speaks. "Off with their heads!" and so on. And there was me thinking that a football manager picking his starting eleven based, at least partly, on who's worked hardest to get into that eleven might not be...well...maybe...I hesitate to say this...but...perhaps...not that unreasonable? Even quite commonplace? Ho hum.
So how do you explain a player not training to his best ? If there is a valid reason for it he should not be left out, if there isn’t what is wrong with my thoughts?
We're apparently having an argument about whether it's reasonable for a manager to leave a player out of his side because he doesn't think that player's trained hard enough.
Your solution, as ever, is to get rid of either player or manager. "Off with their heads!" etc. Mine, as ever, is for them to work it out with, you know, a bit of chat over a cup of tea. Maybe even have biscuits. Happens all the time, at all levels, at every club, with all kinds of players, with all kinds of managers. Part of the game.
The relevant quotes from the post-match interview:
“Sam Cruttwell was our best player against VCD (Athletic, in the previous game), but he will be the first to admit over the Christmas period he’s not trained perhaps to the same level as one or two others. I think a year Crutts might have had the hump, but he’s matured, he’s a bit more experienced, he’s one of the senior players now and he’s won us the game. He will rightly get the plaudits because I thought he was outstanding when he came on."
and a cracking winner.