menzinho

So Cal Roberts has quite quickly amassed 4 yellow cards: Torquay (Dissent), Wrexham (Foul), Aldershot (Simulation or was it the reaction after?) and Maidenhead (Dissent). I think I’m correct that 5 cards equates to a 1 match ban. With our supposedly easier fixtures coming to an end would you rather see him get booked this weekend (meaning he would miss Woking at home) or just wait and see how it plays out knowing that he could then miss one of the tougher games? Here’s our next 6 fixtures: Altrincham (A), Woking (H), Halifax (A), Yeovil (A), Stockport (H), Bromley (H). And do you think IB needs to have a word with him or is this just a one-off unlucky succession of bookings?

I’m encouraged by what the Sheffield Weds fans have had to say about him, lot’s of good and potentially not far off getting a chance with their first team. And a 1-month loan is pretty low risk, but hopefully if he does well we can extend it and keep him with us.

And so it begins, who had 7 games into the season for the first manager to be sacked? Well two managers have gone in the same day. Harry Kewell leaves Barnet second from bottom with 2 points and 0 wins. Danny Searle leaves Aldershot third from bottom with 4 points and 1 win. I'm more shocked with the Aldershot one, they played well against us and the teams before us by all accounts. They've just won and draw as well so I feel they would've gradually been on the way up. And they've played us, Chesterfield, Boreham Wood, Yeovil and Solihull - all teams in the top 10. Not an easy start at all. I think they've made a big mistake there. As for the sacking of Harry Kewell, he isn't exactly a guy that fans warm too, but he's signed a lot of players in the summer - and a lot of them have been players he's worked with before. Yes they've started badly but when a manager signs a whole new squad you've got to give him a bit of time... I think Barnet will really struggle this season.

Far from our best, first half was sluggish almost everyone was off their game and it was far too easy for Maidenhead. Better second half though, we limited Maidenhead’s threats and looked more solid. Good to see Cameron has replaced Ellis nicely as a real threat in the oppositions box too. Did Lacey really get a touch? I was too far away to tell. I do still wonder if we need a more physically dominant midfielder though, someone who will break up play more and just be a general nuisance for opposing midfielders… I know we’re yet to see Vincent but I don’t think he’s exactly a brute!

Slocombe – 6.5 - Good save in the first half, quick to come and deal with balls into the box. Brindley – 7 - Usually positive and forward on the ball, some good strong defending as well. Lacey – 7 - Good distribution, very solid on the whole dealt well with Blissett. Cameron – 6.5 - He's also good on the ball but defensively he was caught out a few times. Taylor – 6.5 - Grew into the game, always tried to get forward and some good powerful runs. Francis – 6.5 - Some of his passing was great, some of his passing not so. Second half he dictated the game more which was encouraging. Palmer – 6.5 - Similar to Francis, both looked a bit off the pace first half. Full of running but just thought when he got into the final third he wasn't great. Roberts – 6.5 - Probably our best attacking threat, think he needs to be stronger sometimes rather than just going to ground looking for a soft free-kick. The less said about the penalty the better. Rodrigues – 6 - Really off game for him first half, passing was poor and overdid it at times when just the simple option was on... Better when he moved higher up for the last period of the game. Mitchell – 5.5 - Quiet game, a couple of good runs on the ball but didn't really trouble the Maidenhead defence. Wootton – 6 - Can’t fault the work rate and tidy on the ball when we pinged it too him but the Maidenhead CBs dealt with him. Subs Chicksen – 7 - Solid, very calm on the ball, always seems to read the game well. O’Brien – 6 - Added a bit of energy but like the other midfielders passing wasn't always great. Kelly-Evans – N/A

Plot Twist... They're back in! I'm also not too fussed about it, the hope is (for us) that all the media attention and everything that comes with it just puts more pressure on them. I want Wrexham to be that team that everyone wants to beat...

Got to be slightly disappointed with that, strange that we went there last year played terribly, scored a fluke goal and won. Whereas yesterday the performance was better but we only got a point. That’s football for you though. I don’t think we created enough even though we dominated the play for the majority of the game. Will wait to see the highlights in regards to the potential penalty on Ruben but IB thought it should’ve been given. Weymouth defended well by the sounds of it and they had a guy in midfield Mussa who was big, strong and everywhere - I’m sure we will be tracking him now. Important now that we win on Tuesday, that way the draw won’t feel like a bad result.

You can see the Kelly-Evans goal (not goal) on the Youtube highlights. It's a very close call, they always go in favour of the keepers though. From the footage it looks like he just about gets his foot to the ball before the keeper gets his second hand on it… Whether he kicks the keepers hand, it's too hard to tell, have to take @Chris's word there! Nothing debatable about Jim O’Brien's goal though, where’s VAR when you need it?!

It was goals galore in the NL today, every game had at least 4 goals (apart from a 0-0 between Boreham Wood and Stockport – there’s always one) but 49 goals across the 10 3pm games is mightily impressive! As for us it sounded like the passing was a bit sloppy at the start and Ruben had a bit of shocker early doors too. I did wonder if 3 at the back was necessary against what would be considered a weaker team, and if another forward option would have been better suited instead. In Burchnall we have a manager who is proactive and not afraid to change things and that’s what we got for the second half. Still sounded like we had too many moments where we messed around on the ball in dangerous areas, if it continues I can guarantee it’ll cost us a goal soon. It was a really bizarre game to listen too, you got quantity in goals in and mistakes, nothing really happening and then everything happening! A win’s great and it's all about racking up those points but it sounded like we were far from convincing.

I think Aldershot will play similarly to Torquay, but weirdly I think they’ll have more of a threat (probably cos they won’t go down to 10 men so early). Although they’ve lost their 3 opening games, I don’t think they’ve been dreadful by all accounts. They’ll want to get their first points so I think it’ll be quite a feisty first 15-20 mins. I think we need to score first otherwise if we go a goal down I can see the whole Torquay routine playing out over again. Wouldn’t be surprised if it was just 1-0 or 2-1 to us either way I think we’ll just edge it…

Slocombe 5.5 – A bit of indecision for the goal, should’ve done better. Still made some good saves and claimed some crosses/balls in. Brindley 7 – Pretty assured performance, just took a risk a couple of times trying to step up when he was the last man. Rawlinson 7 – Didn’t win his headers early on but after that he was solid, important blocks and key in defending our box from corners. Cameron 7.5 – At times he looked at bit slow but again he was key for us defending our box with some great headers. Also great ball for the goal. D-KE 5.5 – Unlike him but I though he was largely anonymous. Taylor 6 – I thought he was quite deep, a few good runs forward with the ball but not enough. Francis 6 – Improved from Saturday, better on the ball than off sometimes his positioning wasn’t great. Needs to start dominating a bit more for me. Palmer – 6.5 Quieter game for him, more to do off the ball than on it. Some good runs forward and tidy on the ball. O’Brien – 6.5 Thought he was a bit too deep at times in the first half, second half he was more action and involved looked tired at the end though. Wootton 7 – Mainly for the goal, battled well as usual good on the ball when he had it but he didn’t get a lot of it! Mitchell 6.5 – Lively and promising, like the fact he can offer us a bit of pace upfront and his hold-play isn’t too bad either. Just didn’t get a lot of the ball either. Subs Roberts 6 – Played quite deep, didn’t really get on the ball enough. Rodrigues 6 – Nice touches and turns on the ball but again didn’t really get on the ball enough. Chicksen 6.5 – Slotted in well, I think he’s better at LCB than LWB.

Thought our main issues were the ball spending too much time in our half (and quite deep in our half as well) and then not winning enough of the second balls. When we did try and go long, everyone was so deep that Mitchell and Wootton were pretty isolated so Wrexham’s midfield were able to pick the ball back up easily. I thought Roberts and Rodrigues coming on would change it for us but by then everyone else was knackered! Maybe Wootton should’ve gone off instead of Mitchell, not because he played poorly just he was fresher. And Nemane’s pace could’ve caused them problems. Positives were that we showed we can defend our box well through-out, long-throws and corners were dealt with. Rawlinson and Cameron both much better than they were on Saturday. Wootton getting another goal and it was a great header too. I said I’d take a draw before the game, and considering who we just played and that we played 48 hours earlier I’m pretty pleased with that.

I'd take a draw. They'll have a big turn-out, BT sport there for it and there'll be a big media interest too. A possible helicopter landing in the middle of the pitch with Deadpool jumping out of it? Doesn't feel like a NL match. IB confirmed we'll have to some changes, Taylor back at LWB would be a welcome one. But I think one of Rodrigues and Roberts will be on the bench. Hopefully we can spoil their party and I'm proven wrong but I'm saying 2-1 Wrexham. I think they'll score within the first 10 and it'll be hard for us to recover.

Slocombe 5.5 - Goal was poor few but he didn't really have to do too much. Brindley 6.5 - The non-centre back the pick of the bunch for the centre backs, some good moments where he started attacks just by running with the ball. Rawlinson 4.5 - Struggled in the air, never looked that comfortable all game. Cameron 5.5 - Like Rawlinson, should've been more dominant aerially, ok when he got forward. D-KE - 6 Ok, tried to get forward but never really caused them any problems in the final third. Chicksen 6.5 - Crossing was pretty good, but never really looked that comfortable when he got forward and preferred the sideways pass. Francis 4.5 - Poor on the ball, needed to be more aware to move it quicker, targeted by Torquay's press. Palmer 7.5 - Probably my MotM, good on ball, switched the play well, dominated the midfield second half. Roberts 7 - Caused their defence a lot of problems even though he was usually doubled up on, tired at the end. Rodrigues 7 - Nice skills and touches, space for him was limited in the second half. Probably should've scored from his header. Wootton 7 - Lots of good runs, battled well against the Torquay defenders and a great header for the goal. Subs. Nemane 7- Thought he made a big difference in that second half, a proper attacking outlet out wide. Great that he can just blitz past players, agree he needs more game time. J'OB - 6.5 - Usual energy and forward running, better off the ball than on it. Mitchell N/A - Not enough time to make a difference.

Were the players over-confident yesterday? The way we started that first-half suggests so. As well as the general slowness and sloppiness I thought we lacked an outlet out wide. Taylor was a big miss and whilst Chicksen was solid he didn't fly forward in the way Taylor probably would've. We needed Nemane, he was able to just get at their defence and caused more problems albeit his final ball wasn’t always on point. As poor as we were first half we still had the better chances. Ruben, Roberts and Rawlinson all probably could’ve scored. I think had we scored first yesterday, or even levelled before half-time we would’ve gone on and won that. Torquay an absolute master-class in time-wasting, but that was on the ref to deal with and he was very poor in that respect. Early days, but not bad to have a little reality check just before one of our toughest away games.