Dorking Wandering
The Dorking Wanderers FC Fans Forum
Attention turns back to the league as we face fellow promotion rivals Ebbsfleet United this weekend. The Fleet, who sit 2 points behind us in 14th, are winless in their last 5 league matches but did beat National League side Solihull Moors to reach the first round of the FA Cup last Saturday.
Marc announced in his update that Charlie Carter has an unknown return date from his knee injury but Pybus, Gallagher and McManus are all not far from a return.
Predictions:
Ebbsfleet 2-2 Dorking (Rutherford, Muitt)
1,522 att. (195 away)
Foulkes
Camp Annesley Storey Norville-Williams
Taylor Moore
Muitt McShane Lewis
Rutherford
Subs: Craig, Francomb, Vincent, Sullivan, Hebert, Prior, Straker
Totally get it lol......I'll look to put similar info on the forum for all the upcoming away trips, I will do the Dover one over the rest of the weekend 👍
I think the best place for the info will be the tickets and travel bit down below the general chat, so keep an eye out down there, and everyones contributions are more than welcome as we all have different plans and ideas about away days 🍺 🍔
"Why would I leave to join a League Two club? We're going there anyway!" - Marc White
I remember going there on a warm day in NLS about three years ago and being really impressed by the number of pop ups selling different food offerings and craft ale stalls. Sort of thing we should look to do at Meadowbank- although they have much more space there.
2-2 draw. Hope JP gets on the scoresheet.
If that is the team he plays you would be seriously concerned with the lack of running and lack of legs in CM.
Moore and McShane aren’t getting up and down playing both together is ill advised. We run the risk of being ripped up centrally on the transition with that combination. I wouldn’t start with either of those 2 in actual fact.
It was previously mentioned that Annesley can do a job as a defensive CM. I would be looking at that as an option. Can he do that Dan Gallagher role?
I see Ebbsfleet has had some draws at home against some decent teams so although they are on poor recent form, they are clearly are a match for anyone with home advantage.
Given what we are likely to put out my prediction is 2-1 to Ebbsfleet.
Its 2-1 Ebbsfleet and its predictable as it gets. As I predicted.
Starts with Prior yet again. Only scored 3 goals all season including today from 11, most chances created in the league. Legs gone.
Off the bench late on we have nothing attacking other than Hebert, instead we bring on a RB and a CDM when we are 2-1 down late bells.
Bizarre.
The team comes across at this point of more a social club than a football team with the goal to win matches.
Mark needs his head wobbled, but perhaps no one is doing that? I am at a loss to describe such bad decisions being made here. But if Mark likes being around Luke Moore, James McShane, Jason Prior that much and losing every other week that up to him. Its his money and his club, but he cannot expect us to not be confused at this point.
We will get relegated next season if this stubbornness in playing the vets continues. Imagine next season with Prior, Moore, and McShane starting every game...no chance of even being above 12th.
Really poor performance today. Just felt like we wernt much of a threat going forward.
Strikers aren't firing, no impact players in the squad able to come off the bench
Have no prob with Marc starting with Prior and Rutherford each week, and Jason's goal was the sort of clinical tap in he's been missing recently. But we badly need a third choice striker to come off the bench and cause mayhem for the last 20 mins, like Murphy could do last season
To be fair today, Muitt had a hat trick of misses, the worst of which was the shot that just lacked the power to get over the line before the defender got to it.
The other elephant in the room is I don't see us getting a clean sheet any time soon, which is the basic foundation of a successful team.
"Why would I leave to join a League Two club? We're going there anyway!" - Marc White
Again he only came on in the 90th minute, not sure what is going on there. I haven't seen anything negative about him so why he isn't starting now is a mystery to me.
"Why would I leave to join a League Two club? We're going there anyway!" - Marc White
@dorking-eagle Spot on, today was the sort of game you would want to look to the bench and think who can come on and make a difference but unfortunately this season we dont seem too have that. We should of brought in another striker during the off season especially with Murphy leaving. To rely on JP and Rutherford for a 46+ game season is a lot, with injuries poor form etc bound to occur during the course of the season with no alternative option is a bold move.
I can only guess that the club is skint as in any normal season Marc would have brought in at least a couple of new faces by now (admittedly the academy youngsters are filling that gap instead)
Is it fair to say if Pybus gets fit it would be like signing a new player? 🤔
Could have really done with an FA Cup cash injection this season of all seasons.
"Why would I leave to join a League Two club? We're going there anyway!" - Marc White
@dorking-eagle Spot on, today was the sort of game you would want to look to the bench and think who can come on and make a difference but unfortunately this season we dont seem too have that. We should of brought in another striker during the off season especially with Murphy leaving. To rely on JP and Rutherford for a 46+ game season is a lot, with injuries poor form etc bound to occur during the course of the season with no alternative option is a bold move.
You look at the team and bench today and you can see they aren't bagging up more than 1 over the 90. And you also know with the Dorking style they are conceding at least 1 or 2.
That is how the team is setting up now. JP is so far off the level its a joke, same can be said for McShane. Way off the pace.
Both now get started every week over youth team lads who no doubt destroy them in training! I would love to see 5x 1v1 between the best youth boys and JP and MacShane. Lets watch it boys come on.
Every week Marc comes on and says its bizarre we have lost. Heads get scratched by fans with half a braincell.
Strikers aren't firing, no impact players in the squad able to come off the bench
Have no prob with Marc starting with Prior and Rutherford each week, and Jason's goal was the sort of clinical tap in he's been missing recently. But we badly need a third choice striker to come off the bench and cause mayhem for the last 20 mins, like Murphy could do last season
To be fair today, Muitt had a hat trick of misses, the worst of which was the shot that just lacked the power to get over the line before the defender got to it.
The other elephant in the room is I don't see us getting a clean sheet any time soon, which is the basic foundation of a successful team.
The team style and formation is based on us tucking up 2-3 goals a game and not worrying about what happens at the other end.
That does not happen when you are playing a CM in Moore who is way below the level, a main CF in Prior who is way below the level, and a CAM in McShane who is basically so far off the level its like watching paint dry.
We do not have a single striker on any form now or in the future, so have no chance of scoring 3-4 goals on any team this season. End of down pat.
The way Dorking plays is like being a boxer, who goes forward aggressively as a puncher / knockout artist, but who is feather fisted. That is the Dorking way. We fight like we are Mike Tyson in 1987 but actually punch like Johnny Fisher against Dave Allen. If you do that you get some narrow wins and draws but will never be dominant, and sometimes you get knocked out.
'Most balls into the box and last third entries. Jason was on top form today and Mooro has played in a play-off final at the Etihad for AFC Wimbledon. Pybus and Carter should be playing in the EFL and we have transformed our physio department since last season. We'll all go on a team bonding session to the darts at Ally Pally soon and then our luck will change'