Stevenage v Barrow - Match thread

[SayitagainSam]

Points-wise, it makes no difference if you lose 1 - 0 or 5 - 0. It's highly unlikely that Goal difference will matter at the end of the season. Really no need to get your knickers in a twist.

[SayitagainSam]

Match Highlights

https://youtu.be/EWuJUKZcm0I

By the way, I thought the camera work at Stevenage was the worst I have come across this season.

Paul Farman, an occasional goal-keeper.

Goal #1. Stood motionless, like a deer in the headlights, 1 yard from saving a 40 yard shot.

Goal #2. Gave the ball away too close to his own goal.

Goal #3. Doesn't control the 6-yard box, like proper keepers do - always stays on goal-line.

Goal #4. Dove wrong way.

Goal #5. Might as well blame him for this goal too...

1 mistake per game might be acceptable for a goalie, but not 3, 4 or 5.

No 2-ways about it Paul, you had a bad day at the office son.

[Etsjb]

Just home from works Xmas party, TLDR the thread, apologies if someone has said already, and all the sensible heads know that correlation does does not imply causation but the management need to question the day beds approach!?!

[Etsjb]

Match Highlights

https://youtu.be/EWuJUKZcm0I

By the way, I thought the camera work at Stevenage was the worst I have come across this season.

Paul Farman, an occasional goal-keeper.

Goal #1. Stood motionless, like a deer in the headlights, 1 yard from saving a 40 yard shot.

Goal #2. Gave the ball away too close to his own goal.

Goal #3. Doesn't control the 6-yard box, like proper keepers do - always stays on goal-line.

Goal #4. Dove wrong way.

Goal #5. Might as well blame him for this goal too...

1 mistake per game might be acceptable for a goalie, but not 3, 4 or 5.

No 2-ways about it Paul, you had a bad day at the office son.

A bad day at the office maybe…but one swallow doesn’t make a summer.

[sambino]

Evans knows what he is doing. He is a outhouse . His team is battle hardened, we have a lot of decent footballers not used to the physical battle. Done well so far this season and reckon we will be ok against Carlisle bump in the road for me

[Hitthebar22]

Battered. It happens. Important not to over criticise but to continue to show support.

[Suffolk Blue]

Well, that reminded me of the times we used to turn up at Rushden & Diamonds a few years ago and got totally trashed on each occasion.

Most of the points already covered above. However, I would emphasise a few things.

Firstly, Stevenage man-for man were better than any player we put on the park tonight. They have every attribute needed for automatic promotion. They were very fit, big physical specimens who defended better, countered better, played through midfield better and were miles better in attack. They were always going to win that game however and whoever we played. It wasn't that we lost that was the issue - it was how we lost.

Secondly allowing for the fact that the first goal may have taken a swerve and a dip (though I didn't see it), we were competitive until half time. However, from the moment we gifted them the second the game became a tragedy or more realistically a comedy of errors, induced it has to be said by constant Stevenage pressure and leading to a near capitulation. Even allowing for their dominance they should never have been able to score 5 and the only reason they did was that they were aided and abetted by us. Some might call it a bad day at the office I would say that it was humiliating and embarrassing to see us fall apart in that way.

And lastly whilst some on the forum will inevitably pick on Farman as the main problem given the goals, I'm afraid those frailties pale into insignificance when compared with the nightmare that was the performance of Tyrell Warren. Those who know me I hope would testify to the fact that I try not to pick out individuals when it comes to playing the blame game. But I've rarely seen anybody as badly exposed and totally inadequate as Warren tonight. Anybody that was there would attest that the point of attack for virtually all of Stevenage's moves was down that right side occupied by TW. By the time we had endured 20 minutes of the second half it was clear not only that Stevenage were targeting Warren, but also that they were doubling up and sometimes tripling the attackers down that side. To me it looked pretty clear that they had specifically been primed to target what they knew was our main weakness. It got to the point where I actually began to feel sorry for Tyrell such was the torture being inflicted on him and increasingly by him. You could see by the end from his body language that he didn't really want to be on the pitch at all and I don't blame him for that. If he couldn't be subbed, then I would've even have considered switching him with Brough and playing him on the left just to force Stevenage to change their point of attack.

A pretty sobering experience altogether on a cold drizzly evening with a biting wind. I dont think there was much talk amongst the faithful about our promotion prospects this evening.

[HenneysKnee]

Being absolutely schooled, January can't come quick enough.

How much money is left in PHs pot?

Pete Wild said in two separate interviews with both Adam and James Philips that he has two signings pretty much sealed already: was very hopeful they would be done and ready to sign on the 1st of Jan

[McMark]

Sounds like we were very much put through the ringer last night and as long as Paul Simpson doesn’t find the rinse and repeat button then we could be all putting a whole new spin on things come next Saturday evening.

[Jonty]

Firstly, Stevenage man-for man were better than any player we put on the park tonight. They have every attribute needed for automatic promotion. They were very fit, big physical specimens who defended better, countered better, played through midfield better and were miles better in attack.

They are very good at what they do and apart from when their keeper bowled it out to Whitfield I don’t think they misplaced too many passes. Physical advantage over us as well so not sure why we insisted in playing it over the top to Gordon who was never going to win an aerial battle with those CB’s.
We lost it second half though. Heads dropped far too easily.

[LCBAFC40]

Had a nights sleep after that result !
Agree with some of the comments - Farman had a bad bad day and its not often you see a keeper make several errors but how many other keepers in league make mistakes ? Seen a few at our ground this year. Warren is a young lad from the NL and im not too sure why hes 1st choice over Brown etc but he also makes errors esp positioning which have lead to goals being conceded and I've said a few times hes not a EFL player "yet"
I'd have snapped your hand off at a point last night before the match as its going to be tough so to lose 5-0 but have 0 shots on target and we had more shots than Stevenage was a kick in the teeth but its the only time in EFL2 that has happened and it does - look at last season when we thrashed Forest Green and they were top of the league ! Wild says he might have 2 signings in January so hopefully we've got some lads in to improve weaker areas. Look at season so far - most wins, most points and more goals than any previous season and we could still be 4th today or at worse 7th but its how the players react now away at Carlise. 2 tough away games in December and 3 at home that we should be winning......

[Jonty]

Had a nights sleep after that result !
Agree with some of the comments - Farman had a bad bad day and its not often you see a keeper make several errors but how many other keepers in league make mistakes ? Seen a few at our ground this year. Warren is a young lad from the NL and im not too sure why hes 1st choice over Brown etc but he also makes errors esp positioning which have lead to goals being conceded and I've said a few times hes not a EFL player "yet"
I'd have snapped your hand off at a point last night before the match as its going to be tough so to lose 5-0 but have 0 shots on target and we had more shots than Stevenage was a kick in the teeth but its the only time in EFL2 that has happened and it does - look at last season when we thrashed Forest Green and they were top of the league ! Wild says he might have 2 signings in January so hopefully we've got some lads in to improve weaker areas. Look at season so far - most wins, most points and more goals than any previous season and we could still be 4th today or at worse 7th but its how the players react now away at Carlise. 2 tough away games in December and 3 at home that we should be winning......

Good level headed post

[Matty]

I let frustration get in the way of rational thought in the aftermath of last night. We collectively had a stinker and Stevenage showed why they are where they are, punishing us for every mistake. Usually you can carry one or two not performing through a game and still get something. I would have been worried if there had been signs of that hammering over three or four weeks prior to it, but there hasn't. We've seen the unpredictability of this league, these results happen - just less often to the better sides.

[ossickbluebird]

Just watched PW's post-match interview, very level-headed and honest as always, we are punching above our weight which is why a top 10 finish this season would be fantastic, then build on that next season with a couple of additions

[bluessupporter]

2 commentators worst I've ever heard in history of commentators

I assume you were watching on iFollow. There is a facility to switch to the Barrow commentary which would have given you Adam and Mick? Payne.