Belper Updates

[KenR]

hynny symiau i fyny 'n glws Owen Welshyelz

[RobYeltz]

Just got back...

In football you frequently hear of teams who have gone out and won after getting relegated. Tonight was another example. In fairness the conditions didn't help either team with us kicking into a strong wind in the first half, they scored from a nice turn and finish. I can't remember their keeper doing anything of note. In the second half we did little to test the keeper again and they scored from a run to the by-line and pull back to tap in.

A poor Yeltz performance, with little in the way of chances created and in turn efforts on target. We only had two outfield players on the bench and they were Lloyd who hasn't really played for us at all and Heard. Obviously Daniels is injured but there was no sign of Downes and I believe Turner has left also. Granville wasn't there either. Forde was ill and we really missed him.

We desperately look like a team who needs the season to end. Blyth on Saturday will be a really tough game but we seem to have done better against the better teams this season hopefully we'll see a better performance and result.

[dazzlingdazza]

Also just got back.

Not going to lie it wasn't a great performance. We missed Fordy, I am sorry to say this but over the last few months I don't think Isedyn has done enough, I think last season and probably half of this he held the ball up well or got good flick ons for Ben to feed off, Ben had nothing tonight, he even tried to create from wide and couldn't get a cross due to no one being in the box. I think the problem being is most things have gone though Isedyn and because that is not working we are not creating, thus putting pressure on our defence to stay solid, eventually they are going to concede which they have been.

With not a lot options the team more or less picked itself tonight, if Daniels had of been fit then I would have gone with him and Ben up front and tried to play behind them and relied on our pace.

Yes I still think it's been a decent season, we have had good spells, hit our target of staying away from relegation, folk are going on about our bad form which I can understand. We have been as high as 9th in the league and looked good to challenge for play offs, every ones expectations are naturally higher, now we are dropping there are people moaning, where as if we had been struggling and been down there in a dogfight and suddenly started winning and pulling away there would have been a positive mood as expectations would have been lower.

I still think we play better where there are no expectations on us, it takes the pressure off us and we just play without fear of us being favourites, where as against lower opposition the pressure is on us and we find it hard go break teams down, especially those that fight like tigers at the wrong end.

The positive spin I guess is I am glad we lost their this season as opposed to last !

[RaidenYeltz]

Last night wasn't great. I think if you were a neautral that knew nothing of this league and were asked 'which side was rock bottom and had been relegated' I think many would've answered 'Halesowen Town'.

We just didn't look at it at all. Belper looked the more hungry and looked like they wanted the win more. It's often the case that when a team suffered relegation it takes pressure off and their form instantly improves.

Whilst Saturday against Trafford we created numerous chances which we should've taken we struggled to create anything last night. In fact I'm struggling to recall their keeper having to make a save?

I wonder how much not having Forde playing impacts this side?

Our confidence looks absolutely shot. The only positives were Messey's performance again, he looks a good player.

I wouldn't say there's a lack of effort but certainly there does seem to a lack of intensity around the team at the moment. And it does feel as though we're coasting through the rest of the season and doing nothing more than fulfilling our fixtures.

Whilst I don't think it's right that intensity has dropped it's certainly understandable.

This group of players have always had a goal. Be it a play off push at the end of 2012/13 season or winning the title last year. I believe that the lack of a goal is harming us.

It is frustrating that we don't seem to be able to buy a win at the minute but I'm not going to go over board with negativity. Up until recently we were pushing and hoping for a play off spot. I guess this run of form has been a reality check and shown us we're not good enough for that yet.

I get a feeling the squad needs freshening up a little. We do need a bit more creativity in the middle. Neil McKenzie 3 or 4 years ago would've been ideal for us now.

We need more options up front. Atm we've only really got Christie and Ben to chose from. There's currently no where to go for John Hill to change things should we need a goal, as per last night. That for me is worrying.

There's a cliche that you're only as good as your bench. Look at our bench last night...

For the remainder of this season and over pre season we do need to make changes I feel, only small tweaks, but it's important we continue to evolve. At the moment it does feel like it's going a bit stale, that we're standing still as a squad.

John Hill and his staff need to sit down and have a think about where we want to go in terms of league position and style and build towards that goal, which I'm sure they are doing.

The end of the season can't come quick enough.

[dalevillain]

I didn't go to the game last night so cannot comment on the actual performance but it's fair to say that the result is pretty shocking but I think what Rob and Raiden have said is right about the fact that relegated teams start performing better once their fate has been determined as the pressure is off, that said, it's a game you look at on paper as one you should be getting at least something from so it's hard to gloss over the actual result.

In terms of the season as a whole and our poor form of late, I think Dazza sums it up well below.

Yes I still think it's been a decent season, we have had good spells, hit our target of staying away from relegation, folk are going on about our bad form which I can understand. We have been as high as 9th in the league and looked good to challenge for play offs, every ones expectations are naturally higher, now we are dropping there are people moaning, where as if we had been struggling and been down there in a dogfight and suddenly started winning and pulling away there would have been a positive mood as expectations would have been lower.

When things are going well, the mood is higher and expectations are higher. When things are not going well people start pointing the blame.

I agree, our recent run of form has been wretched, but as I said on the last match thread against Trafford for me the key was just staying in the division this season. We've done that so for me that still classes as a good season. Could have been better of course, and our poor form is masking over our league position which for me is still fantastic. It does show though we are not at the next stage as yet.

Of course though, football is a results business and with another tough game on Saturday away to Blyth, we could be heading into the big game against our nearby neighbours still without a win, which doesn't bode well. But in a derby game, form goes out the window and anything can happen!

But let's keep the faith and try and see the bigger picture, despite our recent bad form.

[RaidenYeltz]

6 draws and 5 defeats in the last 11 games is unacceptable . Poor finishing and silly mistakes. Positive spin coming up - thank God we were not in a relegation battle !!

I think if we were in a relegation fight we'd be playing a lot differently. We've done enough earlier on to not worry about relegation. It's all about setting goals, having something to play for and intensity.

Cant wait for the positive spins on this one.
Maybe " we've just taken 1 point off the bottom 2, and now not won in 11, but its been a magnificent season" may be a favoured quote.

Nothing positive about last night, the season, yes.

Could we have achieved more this year? I believe so. Have we done well, as a whole this season? yes.

But no positive spin from me about last nights performance and result. Ultimately, it wasn't good enough.

[piearce9]

No denying this was a rotten performance last night. Perhaps one of the poorest since Sir John took the reigns. That said, we still made chances- but didn't take them.

I'm a bit worried that a) we're going to perform like this on Easter Monday and b) that we could realistically end the season on a winless run. New faces are needed, but understand why we would recruit in the summer, rather than now.

Those are my only worries for now. It's remarkable that after not winning in 11, and after only winning 1 in the first 10 games of the season, that we are still in the top half.

[yeltz85]

No denying that it was very poor last night. Folks are right to show criticism but what does make me laugh is 3/4 people posting within 20/30 minutes of the game ending.

We have acres of space on the wings last night. Playing a 3-5-2 isn't working anymore when a traditional 4-4-2 would have been a lot better. Brags had plenty of opportunity to spread the ball numerous time wide to Kristian (best player on the pitch) but instead chose the long ball option.

Disappointed to hear that some of the players that have recently been out of favour didn't want to travel last night. Shame that we can't chop and change things now as the transfer window has now shut. Downes apparently has gone back to Chasetown and obviously Daniels has fractured his foot.

I feel that our aim was set out at the beginning of the season which was to stay up, as soon as we hit 50points we have not done a lot since.

[HalesowenHarry]

The issue the management team faces now is they can't sign anyone else (the deadline was last week).
Downes appears to have disappeared, Daniels is injured for the rest of the season, Forde was absent ill last night. So we're really down to the bare bones. I wonder if McKenzie or Turner fancy a game against Stour on Monday! In fact I wasn't going to Blyth but I do have an old pair of boots I could dig out............

Seriously though, John Hill will certainly know what is needed next season, I would imagine quite a turnover in players in the close season. He stuck with pretty much the championship winning side of last season and ultimately they've done what was asked (whether you like the style of play or not!!!) and kept us in this level of football next season. He'll know we can't stick with many of them next season.

Sargeant, Green, Charlton, Tilt, Hull and Griffiths would certainly be in my plans whether they want to stay is their decision to make if given the opportunity by the boss. I'd imagine Tonks will be around, then anyone else from the remaining squad isn't a certainty in my eyes. Ben has looked out of form the past three months or so, Christie is clever enough to remain at this level but age is against him. Forde has been excellent on the pitch, but he always strikes me as a very angry man. Bragoli hasn't set the world on fire, but his commitment cannot be faulted. We're desperate for a ball player in the centre of the park, but they're not cheap. And I don't think we have a top half budget in this league by any stretch of the imagination.

Oh and last night was terrible in the second half after we (yet again) failed to put our first half chances away.........

[KenR]

Pray tell me Yeltz 85 , why its makes you laugh that 2/3 people posted our criticism within 10 - 15 minutes of the game. WE lost to the rock bottom , relegated side. It doesn't matter whether the post was made within 10 - 15 minutes of the game or 24hours later, WE lost to the rock bottom , relegated side. Oh and I fully expected to read that"" Belper relaxed and played with freedom as they were already relegated", crap.