Sunday League May

[graingrover]

Today will be a.first for Alfie .. how to live with destructive comments.from your own fans but I am sure he is man enough

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[Filo]

"Poor", "woeful", "shite", "out of his league", "terrible all season", " headless chicken" etc...etc...

Bugger me, anyone would have thought that we'd been turned over by Wilby Carr High School 1st years 2nd XI class of 1981!!  It's a disappointment for sure, but don't we think that some of this is a little bit of an overreaction?

Agreed totally. The over re-action to a defeat on this thread is appalling to put it mildly.
We played very well against the most resolute defence we have come across all season.
How many games have we failed to score. Not many. Top scorers in the league.
There are people on here that need to get a reality check. 

Fans love a tryer, thats why Alfie is popular, theres no doubt theres Raw talent there, but he's not ready yet, especially at the business end of the season, I'll give him a break, but he's not what we need right now

[steve@dcfd]

Today we were up against the best defence in the league.

We created numerous chances our players should have taken. Yes Alfie did not have a good game and should have taken at least one chance. John Marquis should have scored at least one of his very good chances. Tommy Rowe should have taken a chance. But James Coppinger had 3/4 very good chances and failed to score.

We have scored 76 goals so why should we complain, because in numerous games we have had clear cut chances that we have not taken. If we had we would be promoted already and even Champions.

Games like today will come hard and fast next season in league one therefore we need clinical finishers in our side.

But the games gone we should not let it effect us but clinical finishing must be improved.

[bobjimwilly]

Wasn't at the game but watched on Sky, so had the benefit of replays. Alfie got himself into very good positions to score today and had 2 very good chance to score. If he had put them away, we would be singing his praises from the roof. Williams came on and didn't create a single chance if memory serves? Is Williams 10 times the player? No he isn't. Should we cut Alfie some slack? Definitely.

[drfchound]

Williams was only on for a short time though.

[dickos1]

It's been the same all season though with Williams. I rate him but this season he's been dreadful.
May gets into positions and also runs his balls off, Williams hasn't done either this season

[Herbert Anchovy]

I agree that certain players weren't at their best today. However, despite the result we were the better team and should really have won. On another day we would have won comfortably. We should remember that it's these players who've got us into the position that we're in and one defeat doesn't make them shit all of a sudden. Thats the point I was trying to make.

[GazLaz]

I'm not judging Alfie just on today. The fact he is so small doesn't help either. The lad can play football, he's no mug, but I'd bet anyone he's not playing league football in 3/4 years time. I genuinely hope I'm wrong, he seems a cracking lad and I'd love for him to do well. I'm just a realist though and trust what I see.

[Herbert Anchovy]

I'm not judging Alfie just on today. The fact he is so small doesn't help either. The lad can play football, he's no mug, but I'd bet anyone he's not playing league football in 3/4 years time. I genuinely hope I'm wrong, he seems a cracking lad and I'd love for him to do well. I'm just a realist though and trust what I see.

And that's a fair point mate. In the cold light of day you may be right. Who knows.

[Colemans Left Hook]

Just to remind you all  -- Rovers had enough players out injured at the start of the season to field a St.Johns Ambulance Eleven  so how far clear would Rovers have been if they hadn't fought world war 3 against that Newcastle striker.

the world and his dog knew Plymouth were dangerous from from kicks and obviously corners (we could call this the set play league as many people have said) -

 i also KNEW  that "towering" centre half had scored a couple of goals in one match -- since toweRing means tall (in my world) I was somewhat surprised the ease he got above the defender to score -stranely enough AT THE FAR POST see the link below- someone obviously didn't do there homework  perhaps Markqis should have been told to Mark him

Nobody has mentioned the fact that May "may" have had stage fright playing in a live match on TV -i would $hit myself- hindsight is a wonderful thing


http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/sonny-bradley-thrilled-to-get-another-last-gasp-winner-for-plymouth-argyle/story-30077189-detail/story.html


do Rovers have someone to collate information -- players give away when they open their mouth to the local press ??

[Andy Smith]

This slagging is crap.He runs is butt off   for the team.Ok today was not his best but at Orient and Cambridge he was a handfull.
Big step up for the lad from-where he was playing.
Critism like this aint gonna do his confidence any good.

On the other sidw of the coin what did Williams offer ?

[Andy Smith]

Top scorer in the league should have buried at least 2 Cppss missed 2 good chances.
Alfie
Alfie May

A rough diamond still to sparkle

[sheffield exile1]

Christ I thought we are all Rovers fans on here, its Alfie's turn today and Williams is the "hero" although he has had many stinkers. Yes he is polished compared to Alfie, but he wasn't at Hythe United or whatever a couple of months ago. Talk about quick condemnation !!!

[auckleyflyer]

We were on about this today, for him its a shame were going up. He's fitted in and has agood relationship with the fans. Which is not guaranteed else where. But he's not L1! I disagree he's none league but deffo Got the makings of a good L2 striker. Would like to see him locally I.e. chezzy or Lincoln as would like to follow him.

[Dagenham Rover]

give the lad a bloody proper chance!!!!!!!!

[5minstogo]

"Poor", "woeful", "shite", "out of his league", "terrible all season", " headless chicken" etc...etc...

Bugger me, anyone would have thought that we'd been turned over by Wilby Carr High School 1st years 2nd XI class of 1981!!  It's a disappointment for sure, but don't we think that some of this is a little bit of an overreaction?

Agreed totally. The over re-action to a defeat on this thread is appalling to put it mildly.
We played very well against the most resolute defence we have come across all season.
How many games have we failed to score. Not many. Top scorers in the league.
There are people on here that need to get a reality check. 

Fans love a tryer, thats why Alfie is popular, theres no doubt theres Raw talent there, but he's not ready yet, especially at the business end of the season, I'll give him a break, but he's not what we need right now

Spot on Filo.

[dickos1]

Some nonsense in here,
He's been a professional footballer for 12 weeks and people are saying he's not good enough after 1 poor game.
Unreal

[GazLaz]

Some nonsense in here,
He's been a professional footballer for 12 weeks and people are saying he's not good enough after 1 poor game.
Unreal

I've seen him play more than once. Like Filo says he puts himself about, as you'd expect, but we require more than that. I think he's got worse every time I've seen him, culminating in today's display. Time to take him out of the firing line. Gary Mac playing off JM would be an option if Fergie doesn't fancy Williams.

[les@donr]

The biggest disappointment this season in the striker department has to be Williams. A seasoned professional  who seems unable to step up and score goals when required. He might become surplus to requirements come the end of the season.

Let May have a full preseason and a complete season under his belt before judging whether he is cut out to be a striker at Rovers.

[SydneyRover]

Had a couple of our shot on goal come off, I'm not sure we would be having this conversation at all.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

 Very harsh on Alfie. He's ready, he's already playing and learning. Today he was up against good defenders, who we still had scrambling and more accomplished players then Alfie could not get the ball over the line.

I'm sure there'll be more to come from Alfie when he gets a full pre-season and can prepare physically for the season ahead. Copps was 10 st wet through when he first came to us but he developed gradually, so this too small tag is a nonsense. He isn't a target man.

[Filo]

Some people seem to think he's being judged, thats not the case, most people acknowledge that he has raw talent. I just think now at the business end of the season he is not what is required, these high pressure games are maybe a bit too much for him this early in his profesional career, put him on the bench and either start Williams or McSheffrey. Alfie has time on his side to develop and make a name for himself, the best thing he can do during the close season his hit the gym and gain some upper body strength so that he doesn't get muscled of the ball as much as he is at the moment

[Alan Southstand]

Imho it wasn't a game for strikers. Their 'tactic' was to play 10-0-0 and it's the first time we have experienced that in this league. Strange from a manager that was bemoaning the use of the same tactic by teams that go and play at their place! Awful, awful to watch and, if we'd have known, we may as well have not bothered. We don't pay good money to go watch that every week.

Our efforts at negating said tactic was generally to keep the ball, pass it sidewards and backwards most of the time. Meanwhile, their back 10 walked 3 yards to the left or right and were not stretched one bit. We needed someone to grasp the nettle and run with it. Trouble is, the only player we have that could possibly attempt that is playing right back!

Fergie thought his players were 'magnificent' and I agree with that, but....questions need asking about how we are going to combat these sorts of matches, as where we are heading, means we'll come across it more and more, more's the pity. Dreadful game to watch and if that's football, then it's time to pack it in.

[Filo]

Imho it wasn't a game for strikers. Their 'tactic' was to play 10-0-0 and it's the first time we have experienced that in this league. Strange from a manager that was bemoaning the use of the same tactic by teams that go and play at their place! Awful, awful to watch and, if we'd have known, we may as well have not bothered. We don't pay good money to go watch that every week.

Our efforts at negating said tactic was generally to keep the ball, pass it sidewards and backwards most of the time. Meanwhile, their back 10 walked 3 yards to the left or right and were not stretched one bit. We needed someone to grasp the nettle and run with it. Trouble is, the only player we have that could possibly attempt that is playing right back!

Fergie thought his players were 'magnificent' and I agree with that, but....questions need asking about how we are going to combat these sorts of matches, as where we are heading, means we'll come across it more and more, more's the pity. Dreadful game to watch and if that's football, then it's time to pack it in.

I agree they parked the bus, but we created 4 or 5 clear cut chances that on another day go in, some excellent saves from the keeper and last ditch defending prevented it being a comfortable win for us. I'm disappointed in the result, but not worried, we will still win the league

[drfchound]

If players had "run with it," where would they have run to?
When a team plays with ten at the back there just isnt any space to run into.
Generally the best way through is to pass it, which is what we were trying to do.

[Alan Southstand]

By running at players you suck them in and leave spaces elsewhere. But someone has to be brave enough and skilful enough to do it. I don't get this on another day thing either, yesterday was the day to do it!

[the vicar]

For gods sake GET OF HIS BACK, he antplayed this grade of football in his life, he has to learnthe pro game.  Some say he intready yet but if we dontgive him game time he will never learn the game, give him timeand he will be a revalation, iff not what have we lost.  Im just glad some of you are not managing our  club.

[Bezza]

i must have been at a different game to a lot on here, we dominated the first half and only missed chances and good goal keeping stopped us being 3 up at half time , granted we gave away a bad goal and lost our way a bit,but the over reaction is pathetic you can`t win them all.

[Avsuptem]

Only seen him play for us in 2 games and both times I thought he had something of the headless chicken about him. From what I have seen I thought Kyle Bennet is a better player and he seems to be doing far better @ Pompey than he did with us. I guess it's to do with the way DF sets up his teams and we can hardly fault his decision making in playing May ahead of Williams. I think both Williams and May have the ability to terrify opposition defenses and are both unlucky not to have more goals under the belt. Certainly you cannot fault Alfie May for his endeavor, work rate, enthusiasm and attitude.

[Mike_F]

I said in another thread a couple of weeks ago that Alfie needs to learn a bit more about his off-the-ball positioning and that his team-mates are helping him with that but it'll take a full pre-season to really bring him up to speed. Yesterday he was practically challenging his own man for the ball at times instead of peeling off into space to look give us an option and drag the defence out of shape. That'll come and we've been in a fortunate position which has allowed us to give him some experience at very little risk as we've been scoring so freely of late.

Yesterday wasn't such a risk-free match and I would've started Williams for his experience if not his goalscoring form. It was a bit too much too soon for Alfie.