Braintree (Away) The Braintree No Train Bees Match Thread

[WhetstoneBee]

Big John was magnificent yesterday and I believe has played virtually every game so far this season. Just shows how wrong we were not to sign him at the start of this season.

What an odd post. We’ve hardly suffered from not signing him.

No but we certainly suffered yesterday from our usual problem of only having one centre forward at the club, forcing us to change our entire way of playing if that one player gets injured. I still refuse to believe that there wasn’t anyone we could get on loan to cover for Kabamba and then Ndlovu who would be less effective as a long striker and targetman than someone like Telford, who just clearly cannot play that role. The fact that Ndlovu might be out for a while and we have absolutely no cover (as usual) is the only thing worrying me about the rest of the season.

We’ve scored more goals than any other club in the top 5 divisions, Stead is on track to being a 20 goals per season striker, Telford has shown he is a capable goal poacher when we are playing on half decent surfaces and Browne is more that capable of combining well with either of them up front. Even if Ndlovu is out for the rest of the season we have plenty of options to cover that eventuality.

It’s not about goals - it’s about holding the ball up and allowing us to play the way DB wants us to. Only Ndlovu is really capable of that so if he’s unavailable we have to change our entire way of playing. Telford is a poacher who may be in with a shout of starting at home to a team we are likely to completely dominate but no manager in their right mind would want to have to start them away to Braintree like DB was forced to do because of a lack of cover. If we do go up we will need much more cover up top than we’ve had in the last three seasons.

[ItalBee]

Wow just wow.

Miserable!

I don't think being concerned about a defeat and a bad performance can be considered overreacting. We all desperately want to seal this promotion as soon as we can, but yesterday's lethargic, mistake laden performance was incredibly concerning.

Often the first defeat after a long unbeaten run is immediately followed by another defeat in the next game.

If Wealdstone beat us, then York have two games to play before we next take to the field against Eastleigh. And they'll win both of those games, as well as their other remaining games this season, so there is every possibility that the league table will shortly see us only two points ahead of York.

Suddenly going 14 points clear as we did after the Altrincham game feels like a long time ago.

[AidanGRH]

I don't think being concerned about a defeat and a bad performance can be considered overreacting. We all desperately want to seal this promotion as soon as we can, but yesterday's lethargic, mistake laden performance was incredibly concerning.

Often the first defeat after a long unbeaten run is immediately followed by another defeat in the next game.

If Wealdstone beat us, then York have two games to play before we next take to the field against Eastleigh. And they'll win both of those games, as well as their other remaining games this season, so there is every possibility that the league table will shortly see us only two points ahead of York.

Suddenly going 14 points clear as we did after the Altrincham game feels like a long time ago.

Almost feel you’d love us not to go up. What would there be to moan about if we do?

I definitely don't agree with a lot of Adher's posts, but I'm not sure what can be faulted with this. Wealdstone is a huge game given we sit on the sidelines whilst York play their next two after.

Win and it is pretty much over. Not win and could be very nervy. Nothing about these scenarios infers not wanting to not go up.

[wearebees]

Big John was magnificent yesterday and I believe has played virtually every game so far this season. Just shows how wrong we were not to sign him at the start of this season.

What an odd post. We’ve hardly suffered from not signing him.

No but we certainly suffered yesterday from our usual problem of only having one centre forward at the club, forcing us to change our entire way of playing if that one player gets injured. I still refuse to believe that there wasn’t anyone we could get on loan to cover for Kabamba and then Ndlovu who would be less effective as a long striker and targetman than someone like Telford, who just clearly cannot play that role. The fact that Ndlovu might be out for a while and we have absolutely no cover (as usual) is the only thing worrying me about the rest of the season.

We’ve scored more goals than any other club in the top 5 divisions, Stead is on track to being a 20 goals per season striker, Telford has shown he is a capable goal poacher when we are playing on half decent surfaces and Browne is more that capable of combining well with either of them up front. Even if Ndlovu is out for the rest of the season we have plenty of options to cover that eventuality.

It’s not about goals - it’s about holding the ball up and allowing us to play the way DB wants us to. Only Ndlovu is really capable of that so if he’s unavailable we have to change our entire way of playing. Telford is a poacher who may be in with a shout of starting at home to a team we are likely to completely dominate but no manager in their right mind would want to have to start them away to Braintree like DB was forced to do because of a lack of cover. If we do go up we will need much more cover up top than we’ve had in the last three seasons.

We've not had Ndlovu for long and managed to win plenty without him or a target man. I think he's made a massive difference but DB has shown we can play in different ways and get results so we'll just have to go back to playing less direct. At home especially on our pitch it's not a problem.

[Beesting]

York lost to the same exact same side on the exact same pitch and it hasnt affected their following games. We're entitled to have a stinker every so often.

York have two very difficult games over easter, Gateshead who I could see from our game had a bit about them and have won at the weekend so appear to be turning it around a little, Oldham at home is no easy game either.

[Bee Reasonable]

Bees lose our first game in 5 months this, have an 8 point gap to 2nd with 5 games to go and we are treated to a 14 page match thread with the predictable drivel and over reaction. Let’s all calm down, remember how good this squad, not 11 but squad of players is and relax ourselves.

We were absolutely dog shite yesterday lad

What a particularly unpleasant post.

No - a great Barnet squad, packed with likeable players, just had their first real off-day for over five months. That's all.

[Bee_Forever]

In all fairness the whingers have been denied their fun for 6 months so getting let them get it all out now is no bad thing and it is funny to see the usual suspects enjoying themselves so much.

Thought Brennan was very magnanimous in defeat while calling out Grimwood, Chapman and Telford but for me it was the wrong team and tactics on that surface so a bit of personal responsibility would have been nice.

If that pitch is the worst we play on all season I would not be surprised. Cut to within an inch of it's life with puffs of sand every 5 minutes.

Hopefully Ndlovu is back on Saturday. If not start Browne up to in our usual 3-4-3 anyway and trust that the champions elect will steam roller a poor weirdstone team



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[Beesting]

Almost think Wealdstone is the perfect game for us to go into after that performance. We wont need motivating and the defeat should now guard against complacency. Just annoying its a whole week away

[becbee]

From what I've seen from looking at other club's message boards, all clubs have their share of whingers / negative fans / whatever you want to call them. I don't understand them but it's just how some people are.

Grimwood got stick on Saturday because his error cost us a point. Other players who are usually so reliable made bad errors but as they didn't cost us, nothing is said. Again, quite normal.

Imagine the reason we didn't see Browne until 58th minute was because of the state of the pitch. Hopefully if N'dlovu is out v Wealdstone, Browne will start.

Co-incidentally Liverpool suffered almost exactly the same thing as us at the weekend - their unbeaten record was one more than ours. All great runs eventually come to an end.

[simples169]

What happened the last time we played poorly and lost? we came back stronger and went on this incredible unbeaten streak.
We still have the unbeaten at home record to play for, so carry that on for 3 more games and up we go.

[Norfolk & Chance]

Checking in after a week in Switzerland.
We lost a game after a 25 game unbeaten run but we're still 8 points clear with a big positive goal difference.
York would give their collective left nut to be in our position!
And York have significantly more pressure on them to win than we do!
We can match York for the next 5 games and win the league at a canter.
Might be time to relax a little.

[Shmulib100]

And York don't have the easiest of run ins either...

[rudebwoyben]

Lee Ndlovu spotted in a training session photo!

[ETBee]

Lee Ndlovu spotted in a training session photo!

I was at the Hive watching the team train. Ndlovu was not training neither was Kanu (see below). Tavares was not involved either but was jogging gently and exercising under the eye of the physio.

There were several of the on loan players fully involved and Grimwood. Also another goallie who had lots of advice for the players.

There was one player who I initially thought was Kanu (hairstyle) but I decided was too slim. I then thought it might be Bright Siaw or Jermaine Francis. Probably JF as he was so fast and got in some great crosses.

Unsurprisingly Glover and Browne, in particular, were showing what terrific players they are.

[rudebwoyben]

https://x.com/barnetfc/status/190958982 ... u6TzjSs8HA