Five (silent) Conclusions: Barnet Away
Only one of the Gloverscast trio got eyes on the 2-1 defeat to Barnet.
Gloverscast Ben watched on the stream as Yeovil lost at the Hive and had to do so in silence as to not wake the youngest mini Barrett, here’s how he saw (but not heard) the game… he’s off to source some headphones.
Physically, it was a game too far.
The previous two results against Eastleigh and Chesterfield have been positive, four points from play-off contenders, who have gone on to put in good performances since.
Let’s not underestimate how good those outcomes were, but this one felt like we’d spent a lot of energy and had very little left.
The team news suggested as much, the slow nature of our counter attacks confirmed it.
We’re clearly nursing a few players through some games.
I’m not going to fault effort, but you are left wondering if we’re paying the price for having no physio for as long as we did.
That being said, we did have moments, but…
If you’re going to only get a few chances, you simply have to take them.
It’s perfectly acceptable to soak up pressure away at good sides, it’s fine to try and get a stereotypically away performance and try and scrap a 1-0 win and call it a day.
But, we did make chances, and I’d argue we could have made more of them.
Ryan Law had a first half header, we had moments on the edge of the box where shots were snatched at rather than placed or forcefully put into the far corner, we made some silly decisions at times which were counter productive in the final third and we had more than one cross or melee in the box crying out for someone to take the moment by the scruff of the neck.
Let’s starting chucking our bodies in the line of crosses, be a bit ugly in attack, be forceful… be a bit nasty up top.
If in doubt… keep it simple.
I’ve really enjoyed the freedom Mark Cooper has brought to this side, we’ve added play makers, we’ve given midfielders licences to play and try and get involved.
We’ve got a defence, who for the most part, have been solid and want to get involved, but sometimes, we need to keep things a bit simple in tight, important games.
Ryan Law lost the ball twice trying a little pirouette in midfield, we played ourselves into trouble at the back when a pass to or from the keeper got a bit close for comfort and finally, the second goal came from Owen Bevan trying to morph into peak Rio Ferdinand and take the ball out from the back.
Owen, you’re good, very good and I think you’re destined for the top, but just launch that one please.
Maybe, we’re not just feeling the effects physically (see point 1) but also, mentally.
It’s a fine balance and quite how Mark Cooper finds that level of releasing the handbrake, but also keeping things simple is how he’ll earn his corn over these final 10 or so games.
The game changed with the addition of Nicke Kabamba, I mean, of course it did.
He got his 18th league goal of the season when pouncing on Bevan’s mistake and it goes to show exactly what we have been missing.
That depth in quality just hasn’t been there, bringing on Reo Griffiths was a nice little addition, but how Mark Cooper would have liked to have turned around to see a Charlie Wakefield or Scottt Pollock to try something a little different or add a little star quality.
Matt Worthington ran himself into the ground (again), there’s no way he can be fully fit all the time – he’s only one yellow card from a two match ban, with an England call up to squeeze in next midweek too, you can see why M Cooper wanted to keep C Cooper out of the firing line for as a long as possible. This side is going to be squeezed for every sinue before the season is up.
and finally, The season may hang on those all important games against Gateshead and Dorking.
There was a point last night where we were one goal away from being in 17th, leaping above York and Aldershot and putting seven(!) points between ourselves and the drop zone, we are instead wondering about Gateshead’s games in hand and if they’ll start catching us up.
Fine margins don’t just decide games, they decide entire campaigns.
Scunthorpe and York both came unstuck on Tuesday night, it’s impossible not to look at other results as we play, but after a run against three play off contenders we face the teams currently in 16th, 17th, 20th and 21st before the season is out… they will define our season.
