Redditch 1 Leamington 1

Well my 1st game of the 2011-12 season and I thought we were very futunate to get a point out of the game. Leamington should have had the game wrapped up in the 1st half with the chances they had. We had 1 chance where Blenko should have scored but other than that we were poor, hoofball deluxe.

Tommy Warmer could not pass wind today and was very disapointing. Are the full back banned from passing the half way line? No overlapping whatsoever and we played direct hoofball.

The positives? Well we got a point that was no deserved, the crowd of 523 was good to see although I would say that at least 200/250 were Leamington fans and even with that amount in it was very quiet! The kitchen must have done some good trade as there were queues all afternoon so I would imagine the club would have been over the moon with the attendance and takings from the kitchen, bar etc which bodes well.

I can see we may struggle this season with the way we are playing and with what creativity we don't have!

Enjoyed the game but a little frustrated!

Good to see Fenners having to go and fix the nets before the game

For all of the many chances that Leamington created, quite a small percentage were actually on target. Coleman spent more time watching attempts fly over his cross bar than actually having to deal with anything. In terms of the balance of play, overall performance, chances created etc, they absolutely deserved to win. But they were very, very wasteful in front of goal. So on that basis, if you don’t take your chances, you deserve nothing!

We were really poor today. What was so frustrating was that we were struggling with the basics. Simple passes and basic control were beyond us. This season, I’m yet to see even a half decent, convincing performance. I always complain about the apathy that exists in Redditch. But based on today’s performance, if I was a first time fan giving the club a go, I probably wouldn’t bother to come back.

So far, Lady Luck has been on our side. When that luck runs out. I think we are going to struggle.

Very decent result by the sounds of it...disappointing to hear the hoof-ball tactics are back considering the playing surface improvements and we don't possess a 6ft-6 striker!?!

Quite strange really as I am told we play the best when the ball is on the floor...so are the players under instruction to hump it?

We still have to remember this is a new team and it does take time to gel...especially when under pressure to get results....expectation levels have jumped up with everything that is happening around the club....in the cold light of day, mid table consolidation will be a great result for me this season.

Great to see the crowd over 500...good revenue for the club and with the improvements I have seen on the photos, should be adding much needed finances to the club coffers.

Disappointed to hear about the 80's night....it does take time to get something rolling and I still think all parts of the club need to take responsibility to promote these kinds of events and make it a success on all fronts....still, you can't have everything over night I suppose.

Onwards and upwards.

Bob Marley wrote:Very decent result by the sounds of it...disappointing to hear the hoof-ball tactics are back considering the playing surface improvements and we don't possess a 6ft-6 striker!?!

Quite strange really as I am told we play the best when the ball is on the floor...so are the players under instruction to hump it?

We still have to remember this is a new team and it does take time to gel...especially when under pressure to get results....expectation levels have jumped up with everything that is happening around the club....in the cold light of day, mid table consolidation will be a great result for me this season.

Hoof ball tactics are ok if they work; if you have forwards that can get the ball under control, hold it up, lay it off etc. We don’t.

The pitch does look a lot better at first glance, but still seems rather bobbly. Perhaps due to a rather dry summer? The pitch always looks ok this time of year, how it looks and plays in the winter will be the real test.

I agree that new groups of players need time ‘to gel’. But today’s poor performance was not down to a lack of cohesion or misunderstandings. The were lots of simple, individual mistakes. I don’t normally like to single out players for individual criticism, but Phil Green had an absolute shocker today. To be fair to him, he wasn’t the only one. If I was asked to pick the m.o.m. I’d probably have to pass.

Agree with all the above, the game went much the same way as against Bedford with Reds being dominated for long spells. In the first half i thought the formation was completely wrong with absolutely no width down either flank and as a result Leamington were able to put up two tight banks of four and thus make it impossible for Reds to create anything positive. Second half when Nash came on down the right and Green switched to the left we managed to pull the opposition defence around a bit and thus created a bit more, scoring the goal during this spell. Overall a poor performance on the field and questionable tactics off it. It will be interesting to see how many turn up for the visit of Cirencester on Saturday.

We were very, very poor again, even basic simple passes were going astray. I agree to some extent that the team needs time, but they have had 16 games now including friendlies so the excuse wont wash for much longer and most of the mistakes were not down to being unfamilar with each other.

The positives are we are getting points despite the poor performances, but you feel that at some point the luck will run out and we will get punished if we dont improve massivley. I would have been happy with mid-table pre-season, we may have collected points so far but the performances I dont think have been up to that level.

Not a great performance, but very happy to take a point against Leamington, who will be there or there abouts at the end of the season. I thought our defence was excellent and for all their possession I can't remember Leamington creating too many clear cut opportunities. Hickman and Miley were outstanding and Sockett might have a tough call to make when Tesfa Robsinson is fit, maybe he can slot into one of the fullback positions, Milligan IMO is the weak link. Midfield poor, although we looked more dangerous when we changed to 4-4-2 with Green/Nash/Jones giving some width. I personally thought that Warmer had probably been our best player when he was taken off. Blenkinsopp and Anthony Robinson can't play together end of. We need a target man for one of them to work off. Harris can probably do this job, but seems to be lacking a bit of confidence at the moment.

On another note I read in the programme that our U21 side are taking apart everyone they play, scoring 15 goals in their last two games?! There must be some decent players in that squad who could compete at this level. Can anyone shed any light on who the better players are and whether they could be close to being slected for the 1st team squad?

I thought we were chasing shadows for most of the game. Lucky to be only one down at half-time, we certainly "got out of jail" in the second. While I would not disagree that TW was the best of a very poor midfield (Green particularly off song) I do feel he could be a bit of a liability later in the season - suspensions beckon I feel as his aggression is often not controlled enough and back chatting the ref does not help!! Officials were poor, I can only assume the Ref likes writing reports and his assistant didn't see the important incidents but saw some that didn't exist!!

Still, I would have settled for a point before the game so it was I suppose all in all a good night!

Onwards and upwards. See you Sat!

Agree with much of what has been said regards the performance yesterday. £9 is a lot to ask people to pay to watch that standard of football,regardless of if thats the going rate or not. I'd be just as happy paying £15 and watching a side who is challenging for the title, as most would I'd say.

Blenkinsopp is poor from what I've seen lots of running but very little else, Green couldn't of passed wind, yet he gave the delivery for the goal as he did agaianst Bedford I believe, so remains an enigma.

The overall quality is scracthy at best, worthy of mid-low table. At this level one or 2 players can make a huge difference, get a forward who can score goals and potentially the whole team will improve on the back of it.

Was particulary disapointed with the noise (or lack of it) from the guys in the middle of the Cedar Road stand, maybe one of those times where the fans need the team to lift them.

Onwards n Upwards or rather across n sideways at the moment

Reds fan..In February you posted 'Please don't patronise me, all i want to do is go and watch the football-not you lot'


In your last post you posted ' Was particulary disapointed with the noise (or lack of it) from the guys in the middle of the Cedar Road stand, maybe one of those times where the fans need the team to lift them.'

Enlighten us which one it is. Second thoughts don't bother.
This is a FANS forum. Take that how you want.

moods change as with anyone, very sad in checking back to previous posts imo, glad you've got the time

watching you lot, refered to an incident where opposition fans were made unduly unwelcome if memory serves me. not the usual singing etc

Thanks for your input

Apologies for my absence yesterday, I was a bit rough!
I'd have taken a point against Leamington before kick off so can't say I'm too disappointed with the result, but does sound like we're struggling in certain areas of the squad.
Would love to see Handsy recalled to strengthen the middle, and noticed Brad Bullimore was missing past few games, Unless I'm mistaken?

Having been to all the league games, the mystery to me is that whatever the starting line up, we generally appear to play better following a couple of substitutions and then, when those subs start the next match they themselves then seem ineffective.......to be replaced by those who were dropped/told not to come on the bus, to brighten things up themselves the next game when they come on as subs..... and so we go around and around. Anybody have any ideas why?

One area training that should focused on is our free kicks; if Phil Green is the specialist, can someone tell him how to lift the ball over the defensive wall. Also, the corners, with the exception of 2 - which have led to 2 goals, are generally tame lame efforts.

CC..Spot on. Our restarts have been poor all season.

We were chasing shadows.

Warmer I thought was poor and is nothing more than a player who works hard (that is great) but he cannot give us the quality in the middle of the park. Green's only offering to the cause yesterday was the corner! Robinson and Blenkinsopp were miles apart yesterday, Blenkinsopp did nothing all game apart from miss that chance in the 1st half.

Defence and Keeper looked solid apart from the goal direct from the corner, we just need some attacking threats out wide IMO, some pace and trickery and then a goalscorer. We were after David Kolodynski who has scored goals for fun at this level for Rugby, Banbury and Cambridge but Mr Swan was not prepared to pay what he wanted and when he changed his mind he had signed for Stinckley so we were to late. A good signing would be Ben Mackey who was on the bench for Leamington who scores goals for fun (even if he is fat, sorry stocky, sorry muscley as the Leamo fans have told me!!)

I am a little miffed at the amount of hoofball played, we tried to pass the ball on the edge of our own area yesterday, more so the 1st half where we lost it quite a few time but were not punished! I would like to see us play football in the oppositions half and hurt them and not put pressure on our own goal!

Good to see some old faces at the game yesterday (Spike) who I have not seen since that infamous Bumsgrove merger idea

Good to get my 1st game in, Leamington seem to have some problems with happening at their club. Quite a few of there fans just stayed in the bar drinking by all accounts!! Fair play money to the club

Oh and the Leamongton forum is an interesting read!! http://banter.cv31.co.uk/showthread.php?7784-Is-There-A-Game-Today/page3

Mainly think they are better than they are with negative Holleran in charge

Just read that link for the Leamington forum, after reading through endless posts of "Redditch are the worse team we've played this season" [get over it, we drew, end of!!!] there was one little comment that caught my eye, one about looking for scapegoats amongst ourselves, especially after they scored!!! Is there any truth in this? A bit of disharmony on the pitch!!! Due to being held at our majesty's pleasure in HMP Australia (AKA The Convict Colony) I can't make the games (although I did come over for the Bromsgrove Sporting friendly) so wouldn't know!!!

Redditchbluenose86 wrote:Apologies for my absence yesterday, I was a bit rough!
I'd have taken a point against Leamington before kick off so can't say I'm too disappointed with the result, but does sound like we're struggling in certain areas of the squad.
Would love to see Handsy recalled to strengthen the middle, and noticed Brad Bullimore was missing past few games, Unless I'm mistaken?

Are you in love now mate and under the thumb?!?!

When football's involved it becomes top priority, as long as it's ok with her.

While I have to agree with some of the above comments, I have to say that Tommy warmer was not the worst



passer on the field or even a liabilty. In this league we need some one in the middle of the park who actually



wants the ball, and IMO Tommy fits the bill. Greenie has been very poor and his passing leaves a lot to be



desired, free kicks corner kicks, he has been consistent in his delivery, (poor)



Tactics on saturday left me scratching my head! a strapping 6ft + monster of a centre half and we punt the



ball straight to him! (am I missing something here?) HOWEVER, we did try and turn things round with the



introduction of Cammy and Elliot out on the wings, and things will improve as the team gets to know one



another. Positives! WE HAVE A POINT MORE THAN WE DID FOR THE WHOLE OF LAST SEASON, STILL UNBEATEN



AT HOME.



See you all on Saturday folks..