Kidderminster

[Logistics]

To try and put a positive spin on things...

First 20 minutes we were excellent today, potentially even the better team. We looked calm in possession and passed confidently and quickly, much improved from the second-half on Saturday. We even had a great chance to go ahead as Burley was sent through on goal, but should have done much better with his chance which ended up tamely in the keeper's hands.

After going down to ten men in the second-half, already 3-0 down, the team battled and although never really threatening to cut the deficit, did limit Kidderminster, although helped by some shocking finishing.

However, unfortunately we have to mention the keeper again. First goal should have been a regulation punch away, instead catching Fleety in the head rather than the ball, the second goal should have been saved down to his left, and the third was an absolute travesty as he hesitated late in a foot race with the attacker, which had he not would have comfortably cleared the danger. (The fourth though, was a great strike).

Sam has certainly got a big decision to make this week on the keeper, as certainly feels like we need a change between the sticks as McKenzie-Lyle is costing us too much at the moment. A more confident keeper in goal, and I really think that will help the whole team. 

Kidderminster certainly looked like a solid team, and hard to say that on balance of play after taking the lead that they wouldn't have deserved the win, but the way the goals went in, it's also hard to say that we didn't gift wrap it for them.

But we're only five games into the season, so plenty of time to sort it out. As mentioned in the South Shields thread, a slow start to the season isn't uncommon for City. Even in the promotion season, we were in the bottom half of the table in mid-September, so proves how quickly things can change!

[clive]

Waiting for Kidderminster to post the highlights............

[marks]

Don't think there'll be too many on our side. Two shots? One on target? Seems the club has significantly misjudged this league and backed a rookie coach on signings which, so far, are well short of what we need. I don't buy this 'it's only August' shtick. Nothing in the on-field set-up - from waste-of-time pre-season games against the likes of Barry and Kings Langley (anyone who saw the Sutton fixture should have picked up the warning signs) to the awful goals given away v Darlo and South shields, to the inability to create anything like enough threat going forward gives me confidence in the current product - or any 'vision' behind it. I seriously think that if Cox is going to turn this round, he absolutely should not be swanning off to the Caribbean after the Chorley game. I'm quite happy for calamity-keeper to go...preferably on a one-way ticket.

[Logistics]

We’re 17 days into the season. Sam as much as anyone here can probably see the issues we’ve had, and this early in the season has barely had any time to sort it out.

In defence, yes goalkeeper is a problem, but in front we’ve had injury issues at centre back basically meaning we haven’t been able to start the same two CBs in successive games, so haven’t been able to build a partnership. Give it time and I’m sure they’ll get more confident alongside each other.

City’s way in recent years is to go for an unproven manager, with David Oldfield and Ross going into the role with little experience in management. Obviously those two risks worked out well. So hiring Sam is exactly the type of manager who has been successful at the club in recent years.

Things aren’t always going to go right with player recruitment and so will be interesting to see what happens in the next few weeks about getting new faces in.

Getting on Sam’s back after 5 games is frankly ridiculous.

[graeme]

We can all see the issues and from Sam's post match comments he is aware that Kai's lack of confidence is a problem that has to be solved. We have also just played probably the two most fancied teams. We need to give Sam time to see what he can do from this situation.

We have scored four and conceded 12 in 5 games. So while we have played some good football in the middle of the park we have issues in both boxes. The keeper is a good part of the issue conceding but we have lost Canice's organisation and leadership in defence. We need to replace these qualities in the defence, ideally with Canice if we possibly can. Unless we stop conceding we are doomed, as the ability to create and score chances flows from not conceding. We also lost Lattrel and Nya without replacement in the midfield, we clearly need more strength in depth here especially now there are 5 subs.

However, there is tremendous football know how within the city board. Justin knows what is required at this level more than any of us. We need to back the club's judgement in respect of Sam and try and remain positive or at least provide a constructive critique. Of course every city supporter is concerned and can see this is not right yet. Preseason was unconvincing in a number of ways as Mark suggests but there was a sudden change of regime, sparked by Ross's departure.

Yes he is a rookie manager but so were Mark and Ross ( I would nt have put David in the same category ). If Sam is able to make the right and tough calls now it will make him a better manager going forward. Dealing with the keeper situation is going to be very tough given the Guyana connection. If not, I'm sure Justin and the board will evaluate things and take action.

I really agree that although we are all a bit alarmed, it's just too early to judge Sam. Right now we have to at the very least suspend disbelief and get behind him.

[marks]

Not ridiculous at all. He's had a complete pre-season and has been able to recruit the players he wanted. I do wonder if he's so good, why didn't Wealdstone keep him? Watching this side is a very different experience to watching the Oldfield model or even the early Jenkins one - when they were in a predicament, they had the nous to make positive changes (Jenkins lost that from Christmas onwards last campaign, largely after Sanderson left). Sometimes projects just don't work. I fear this is the case here. And if that's the case, how long would you give it before making managerial changes?

[clive]

Here are the Kidderminster highlights ( or low lights )

It could have been 6 or 7 based on this and it doesn't make good viewing for KML. Even for the fourth goal, whilst a screamer, he could have at least made an effort to move given how far away the shot came from, rather than just falling onto his back.

[Rijs]

Definitely a poor goalkeeping performance in these highlights. KML doesn't even move for the shot which hits the post. To me, it looks as if an outfield player has had to step in when the keeper has been injured, and becomes a rabbit caught in the headlights. Falling backwards after the fourth goal is comical. A keeper should be annoyed that he was nowhere near that very long-range shot. It is becoming a pattern.