Expectations Were Not Met

Hi there.

As promised a blog, win lose or draw, an honest appraisal from me.

We as a team were well below par in performance levels tonight. The personnel was changed with certain “Fringe” lads in the squad given a starting berth. Several reasons for this, firstly to give them an opportunity to show they are worthy of a place and secondly to give regular first team players a rest in order to ensure “Fresher legs” in future matches.

The only lads to come out of the encounter with any credit were the players not playing because the lads involved tonight badly let themselves down.

I have to publicly confess to making a mistake from the start by telling our lads to retain the ball from the outset and not to stretch the game as we normally do. I felt that we had enough good players to keep the ball, move the ball quickly and wear down a Chalfont team and let the chances come in due course.

Sadly this simply didn’t happen. Too many individual errors, not enough work rate and hardly any quality when it really mattered.

Disappointing to put it mildly. My vision was to put these lads in and expect a lung bursting, competitive match and for them to show what I’ve been missing!

A practice game is how I would describe our performance!

In every match played at any level you have to compete and earn the right to play. We simply didn’t and it baffles me why not!

I know I will take some stick for not sending out a stronger team but all these “Fringe lads” have performed well either in training or coming on as sub.

Not the end of the world IF these players learn from it!

We need the whole squad playing at a good standard. With injuries and suspensions we will need everyone. Believe me we have a strong squad. When these boys get another opportunity they need to take it with both hands!!

A negative blog you may say and yes unusually it is but as I’ve said before the players have all set themselves high standards and when it drops I need to remind them of our expectations!!

Cheers
SC