In the end, I decided not to do a report on Slough (as you no doubt noticed). Reason was quite simply that I could have taken all the comments from the Ramsgutter game and just amended the names of the opposition.
To be totally honest, after Tuesday I had one of those feelings that the clock was starting to tick on DA. It was a case of another game, another blown opportunity. Worse, I can’t recall many saves that their goalie made. Although it has to be said that the second half – and most of the first come to think of it – was ours.
When I read the OS this morning, I found this bit of info, courtesy of DA:
“We spent last night in training practising moving defenders around. Our problem is that teams are coming to defend and we need to pull them out of position more often and to create gaps.”
At least we’re trying to address these issues now, instead of a “we’ve been working hard in training and remain confident” type comment. If tomorrow we succeed in doing that, great. We need to show tactical nous if we’re going to get promotion. If we don’t, then at least we’re putting the right groundwork in. So I think the clock’s stopped on DA for now.
Before I forget, one thing I did notice from Slough was that we looked more composed defensively. I’m no tactician so no posts about how we’ve switched to 442, or 433, or 4×4, or 4×2 or 69 or something, please.
Actually, it’s nice to do a rare foray into what happens on the pitch. As you all know, things have gotten, well, hectic off the pitch.We all know what’s happened now, and things really do feel calmer at the moment.
I said I’d go more in-depth over the events of the past week. Trouble is, right now there isn’t much more to say. Since Tuesday, there’s been the usual platitudes and not nearly so much bloodletting as I thought there’d be. Maturity? Shock? People just aren’t so wedded to the AFCW cause these days, and don’t see it as a personal attack whenever something major happens?
As uncomfortable as it may be for some, we needed this week to happen. No, nobody likes upheaval, and especially when it features people you “know”. But be honest – a pressure valve has been opened, hasn’t it? Once you realise that the club won’t collapse when individuals leave, it feels much better. I’ve lost count of the amount of times I’ve heard “it will be a disaster if [insert person] leaves”. This was always a bullshit attitude to take – it’s more damaging to a club to rely on individuals to keep it together. Refer to the Hammam-era WFC to see what I mean. Well, Kris has gone, the club’s still here and your world hasn’t caved in….
I’m personally up with the idea of getting an “outsider” into the Chief Exec position. Actually, I’ll go one step further – I think it’ll be a missed opportunity if we don’t. I don’t doubt that Erik Samuelson will do a competent job in the interim, and indeed if he got the job full time. But we need fresh impetus at AFCW, and certainly we need somebody who can look at how the club does/doesn’t do things without the baggage.
Tomorrow will be interesting to see in more ways than one. Firstly, let’s see if the crowds pick up. It would be nice if 2500 turn up, though 2300 would be good. If we slump below 2100, we have major problems. Secondly, let’s see what the general vibe is. Anything approaching the surlyness of the last year will be bad, anything else isn’t. And thirdly, let’s see if the club can pull off defenders during the game, though that may bring a new meaning to the term “hosing the pitch”.
Though no doubt we’ll lose tomorrow…