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Pre-season matches discussion thread

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TomCalvert
(@calvertskans)
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Rather than doing an individual match thread for each pre-season game, it is probably better to just do one big one for all of them.

We start with step 3 Poole Town away this Saturday at 1pm who finished 13th last season in the Southern Premier League. A side that included ex-Wanderer Wes Fogden although he has left the club in the Summer.

Marc's update last week suggested that quite a few players will miss the first couple of games of pre-season with McShane being the long term injury. Bowerman, Murphy, Gallagher, Briggs, Pybus and Francomb all sound like doubts for this game.

Obviously tough to pick a line-up for a Friendly but I would say our strongest side (3-5-2) with the players available is probably:

                            Foulkes

           Camp           Craig      Norville-Williams

    Muitt             Kuhl       J.Taylor          B.Taylor

                              Carter

                     Prior        Rutherford

Subs: Fuller, Kennedy, Rabbetts, McManus, Brown, Gale, Moore

Poole 2-4 Dorking (Kuhl, Prior, Rutherford, J.Taylor)


   
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Dorking Eagle
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I dont know how he got into the home seats on the Stonegate, it was supposed to be segregated!

Also a home fan in the Stonegate stand with (glass) bottled beers drinking them as the game went on (in both halves of the game). Stewards were volunteers rather than paid security so I presume they didn't want the hassle of enforcing where people shouldnt drink?

"Why would I leave to join a League Two club? We're going there anyway!" - Marc White


   
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(@crawleysth)
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Looks like there is an extra game home to Sholing tomorrow night 


   
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SDDWFC
(@sddwfc)
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@crawleysth chance to play some more of the youngsters maybe and assess their potential for full squad numbers

‘We’re the red and white army’ 🐔 ⚽️


   
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TomCalvert
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I think it will be a mostly full squad by the sounds of it but they will just invert the minutes from the previous game. The likes of Briggs, Francomb, Bowerman, Rabbetts, Murphy, etc haven't had many minutes yet so might be a good opportunity to give them 50-60 mins in this.

Max Foulkes might get a full 45 this time as well.


   
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Dorking Eagle
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I find the goalie situation odd.

I can't see Marc putting a sub goalie on the bench.

If Harrison got injured or red carded we would soldier through the rest of that game, then get the best loan goalie we can quickly find from a pro club?

Can't see us playing Max if something happened to Harrison - Marc is dead serious about winning this league and will throw the kitchen sink at it wherever it is needed

"Why would I leave to join a League Two club? We're going there anyway!" - Marc White


   
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TomCalvert
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Great performance and result last night against a Step 3 side, although Sholing were admittedly quite poor at the back. Definitely got your money's worth with 3 fantastic goals from Bowerman, Rutherford and Kuhl. 

Only downside was the injuries to Bowerman and Bobby-Joe Taylor. Bobby injury only looked like a knock so hopefully he will be ok for the season but Bowerman definitely looks like he will miss the start now. Leaves us a little bit short of left wingers...

The balance of the side looks so much better having Norville-Williams at the left of the 3 with Bobby in front of him. Francomb also looked very good as well and could be a better option than TC in the middle of the defence. I'm also still very surprised that Marc favours Moore over Kuhl in that CDM spot, in the absence of Pybus, as I thought Kuhl looked very good again last night when he came on.

If I am being brutally honest, I don't think any of the youngsters are up to the required standard (yet) for the first team. I'd like to see Gale, Marino and Brown get Step 3 loans as I think that would be more beneficial to them than having them sit on the bench here. Rabbetts is probably the one that will stay at the club with the first team this season, at least until January.

Also, where is Cal Kennedy? Hasn't appeared in the Leatherhead, Dulwich or Sholing games with only 45 mins in each of the Poole and Redhill games and has also had no mention of being injured in Marc's updates.

 


   
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(@crawleysth)
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Any idea why the website has not been updated for a while? No previews for last 2 games, and no reports for last 3. Quick notes on twitter but having to get reports by checking this forum!


   
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TomCalvert
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Interesting note from Marc's post match last night is that we're now allowed 5 subs! Massive boost for us due to our injury record and squad depth. Shame we can't name 7 subs as that would mean we could always have a GK on the bench.


   
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(@crawleysth)
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With five subs  I would think there was always room for.a keeper on the bench. Ensures that keeper can be replaced if is injured or sent off. That is what full-time professional sides do which is where Marc wants to be if gets promoted. Then again he did say in one interview I saw that he doesn't like goalkeepers!

 

 


   
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(@jacksonfairweather)
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Posted by: @calvertskans

Great performance and result last night against a Step 3 side, although Sholing were admittedly quite poor at the back. Definitely got your money's worth with 3 fantastic goals from Bowerman, Rutherford and Kuhl. 

Only downside was the injuries to Bowerman and Bobby-Joe Taylor. Bobby injury only looked like a knock so hopefully he will be ok for the season but Bowerman definitely looks like he will miss the start now. Leaves us a little bit short of left wingers...

The balance of the side looks so much better having Norville-Williams at the left of the 3 with Bobby in front of him. Francomb also looked very good as well and could be a better option than TC in the middle of the defence. I'm also still very surprised that Marc favours Moore over Kuhl in that CDM spot, in the absence of Pybus, as I thought Kuhl looked very good again last night when he came on.

If I am being brutally honest, I don't think any of the youngsters are up to the required standard (yet) for the first team. I'd like to see Gale, Marino and Brown get Step 3 loans as I think that would be more beneficial to them than having them sit on the bench here. Rabbetts is probably the one that will stay at the club with the first team this season, at least until January.

Also, where is Cal Kennedy? Hasn't appeared in the Leatherhead, Dulwich or Sholing games with only 45 mins in each of the Poole and Redhill games and has also had no mention of being injured in Marc's updates.

 

Bowerman has always puzzled me. When you see him run and move, he has never looked dynamic and mobile enough for the level. And playing at the pace he is expected to play at which is 2-3 divisions above where he is used to, is obviously going to cause injuries. He has consistently had injuries his entire Dorking career too. To compound all this he is now 29, if it was me I would have released the lad. I doubt any other NLS would have picked him up either. 

 

On Cal Kennedy, its always been a curious one for me. The lad has a lot of technical ability and skill, but only had 1 start last season and is never subbed on, when he is on the bench. Perhaps he is an asset around the dressing room but as a 34 year who Marc clearly does not rate to play in games. Why use part of your precious playing budget on him? Bizarre. 

 

There are lots of positives with the remaining set of lads really strong at NLS:-

Norville Williams

Camp

Briggs

Carter

Josh Taylor

Pybus

Muitt

Rutherford

Murphy

McShane 

Keeping that 10 all fit is going to be key. 

 


   
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Dorking Eagle
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Fascinating game today.

I think in spells the team were more preoccupied in doing their 'patterns' playing out rather than just being more bold and attacking.

Bobby got a lot of crosses in.

Harrison in goal isn't always as good with his feet as he would like to be, reminds me a little bit of Slav who always used to go for a wander and without realising it encourage a striker to take him on!!

Thought Alfie was poor. Jordan was decent first half but by the time he went off was seriously losing concentration and sloppy passing.

Winning the league with 100pts seems a bit of a stretch at the moment.

Enjoyed the game nevertheless, credit to Farnham for making us work for it.

OFF the field, very pleased with a couple of things in the Stonegate Stand - steward by the 'away steps' stopped a pair of fans getting into the stand with beers, also Mrs McManus who stewards the home side of the stand correctly moved some Farnham fans into the away part of the seats (she don't take no shit from no one!!!). Much improved after the Dulwich game were both happened and nothing was done (especially about the loudmouth away fan in the home seats!)

Bearing in mind these stewards are volunteers, they went above and beyond to give everyone else the experience they expect. 10/10.

Still no teamsheet (grumble grumble!) but that will resume for League matches I am sure.

 

"Why would I leave to join a League Two club? We're going there anyway!" - Marc White


   
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Baggy
(@baggy)
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Wanderers didn't exactly put Farnham to the sword in the way Marc wanted but there were some good signs there, as well as some concerns. 

The defence looked very solid (odd individual mistakes I guess are inevitable) and much less hairy in playing out from the back. That is because Francomb is more comfortable on the ball than TC and Jordan is prepared to take the ball forward at pace at any opportunity. 

Midfield was decent and for me, Kuhl showed why he is important to the team because he can ping those long diagonals that create space for Jimmy and BJT. But all the threat is down the flanks.  There were some great balls pinged across but without JP on the end of them, and with a 6ft 6 CB to defend them, I am not sure that was the best tactic all the game. Murphy was always looking for the through ball, which never came.  Who in midfield is looking to slide in the two forwards through the channels?  I agree Alfie was poor and the two forwards did not link up at all. We didn't create many chances, as per last Saturday, so that remains a concern for me.  None of the youngsters are going to make it in this season, so why persist?

Also agree the stewarding was better - go Mrs MacManus!!

 

 


   
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TomCalvert
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Posted by: @baggy

None of the youngsters are going to make it in this season, so why persist?

To share minutes/load with the first team. We can't have 7 or 8 of the starting XI all play 90 mins so you have to have some youngsters in there in order to rest some of the first team.

Francomb is definitely ahead of TC in the pecking order for that CB role now for me. I would assume the starting XI against Farnham is pretty much the XI we will see against Truro (maybe Moore for Kuhl).

 


   
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TomCalvert
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Hayden Gale signs a pro deal with the club and will go out on loan to Bognor Regis until January


   
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Dorking Eagle
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I reckon the club have high hopes for him. 

"Why would I leave to join a League Two club? We're going there anyway!" - Marc White


   
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