Random Hero wrote:Sandy Pate Best Stag wrote:Random Hero wrote:MTFCMusings wrote:The majority of the comments I have seen seem to suggest we were the better side/had the better chances, and didn’t deserve to lose. That doesn’t tally with your view of the game Random. As I didn’t watch then I’m not sure who to believe.
I watched the game.
We had two chances, and should have scored both. Most other teams in this league would have taken those chances. We didn’t.
But that doesn’t reflect the game. We weren’t particularly ‘in it’ at any point, and very rarely threatened. Our decision making in the final third was poor, and whilst we looked slightly better when defending, their goal inevitably came from a ball in from wide. The central midfield partnership, once again, looked powderpuff. At no point did it look as though we had enough about us to win the game.
Cheltenham played poorly and didn’t create many chances either, yet still looked the better of the two sides and deservedly took all three points.
When Dean Foulkes on iFollow say we played ‘decent’, I can only assume he means compared to being smashed 4-0 at home to Cambridge... because what I just witnessed was far from a ‘decent’ performance.
I also watched the game and can't agree with that. We were by far the better team until their triple substitution at 56 minutes. They stemmed the tide and scored with about their only chance all game.
Coughlan changed it by bringing Benning on and going three up front and once more, we were the better team. I will give Cheltenham credit for game management keeping the ball at our end for long spells of throws etc but make no mistake, they were hanging on. Two very cynical fouls when we were breaking saw two players go into the book which hardly seemed a fitting punishment in the circumstances.
In respect of the Maynard chance in the first half, I think it possibly should have been a penalty and dismissal and I will be interested to see replays. I accept that the keeper got a touch on the ball but with very little effect. He then also brought Maynard down by catching his foot and I am not convinced it was all a part of the same arm movement. It appeared to me they were two separate actions and if so he should have been off. The keeper did of course go on to win man of the match for a series of good saves.
Overall I thought it was a reasonable performance against a team who were brimming with confidence following 5 home wins on the trot. We made them look ordinary for most of the match and made a number of good chances of our own. Very unlucky not to get a point and I think probably deserved three.
A series of good saves?! Look at the match stats - we had two shots on target!
‘Stem the tide’? Cheltenham had 61% possession at half time and 58% at full time. Hardly a tsunami of pressure by us.
Also, if you think the keeper’s superb tackle on Maynard was a penalty, you need your eyes testing. He clearly wins the ball.
The ‘cynical’ foul ‘while we were breaking’ on Tomlinson was next to the half way line for crying out loud. We were hardly about to score imminently.
They made themselves look ordinary. If you think our performance had anything to do with it you’re sadly mistaken. To say they were ‘hanging on’ is absolutely ludicrous.
Possession means naff all. If you care to read above you will see that I don't dispute the keeper touched the ball but it didn't go yards nor did it go safe. I stated that he appeared to bring Maynard down with a separate arm action. Surely you can't dispute that he was tripped or do you need your eyes testing?
In respect of the fouls, I never said we were going to score merely that the fouls were cynical and in my opinion desperate. How would you describe their match management if not hanging on? They were hardly trying to score a second leaving five back when they got their late corner.
It would appear that you don't give the team any credit for making Cheltenham look ordinary as they simply didn't do it to themselves. That was down to hard work and pressing from front to back and is a part of every successful team.
I know this much, that was a better performance than most of the last 12 games of last season and we should give the team some credit for the improvements.
