Chesterfield (A)

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DaggerJoel11
Posts: 1190
Joined: Mon Dec 01, 2014 7:14 pm
Location: Becontree
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Our final away game sees the Daggers play infront of a crowd for the first time in several months. While our own play-off hopes are marginal at best, we have the opportunity to dent those of Chesterfield, who currently occupy the final spot. Being without Balanta and Vilhete is a blow, but it's pleasing to see Weston return to the starting eleven.

Justham; Gordon, Johnson, Reynolds, Wright, Weston; Khan, Jones, Robinson; Saunders, McCallum
''Dagenham & Redbridge look a very different side to about ten or fifteen minutes ago when they were on the back foot, and here's Benson...BRILLIANT!''
Dagdale
Posts: 1188
Joined: Fri Oct 18, 2013 9:33 pm

Although nearly all of us knew already of course today's result has definitely killed off any chance of grabbing a play off place and after a long overdue steady roll a L appears at last under our current form, pity to lose it this way as to deservedly take a lead and a fairly decent penalty not given to what seemed a pretty awful day at the office by the referee to the away side, what can you say? Danny Rowe comes back and yet again puts a mark against the daggers although it sounded like Justham turned out some great stops again and no doubt missed man of the moment Vilhete. All we need now is to regroup again at last next Saturday, somehow suss out this covid protocol with track and trace, no smart phone guys scratch heads and bring out the woodwork a 2 game valid season ticket, blow a tune under our diapers return to form and knock Wrexham 's chance off a play off spot and somewhere enjoy a pint after what mid afternoon?
Blue Hoops
Posts: 42
Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2020 5:57 pm

Thought all the problems from the past came back big time in this game. Woeful performances by Robinson, Jones, Weston and Saunders (who needs some serious building up if he is serious about being a professional footballer). Also didn’t look like McCallum fancied the game either, which he was withdrawn under the guise of injury. McMahon needs to seriously take a good look at this squad if he is to get near next season’s playoffs.
daggersjeff
Posts: 725
Joined: Mon Oct 21, 2013 8:41 am
Location: Irvine, North Ayrshire

How we missed Balanta and Vilhette today!

Our recent self confidence disappeared with their absence, and it was like the ghost of Daggers past coming back to haunt us! Not helped by a ref who lost control of the game early by allowing heavy and sometimes dangerous challenges to go unpunished.

For me, Jones is a liability and glad he won’t be involved in the Wrexham game as that was the turning point in today’s match. Perhaps McMahon will give Smith a full game!

With the return of some fans, let’s get behind the boys to finish on a high!
Mark
Posts: 1550
Joined: Fri Oct 18, 2013 5:04 pm

Missing 2 or 3 and it showed.

Weston was terrible albeit out of position, Saunders largely anonymous. Robinson had a poor game but you can't play 8-9/10 every single week. Jones hmm did some excellent things, did some very bad things, obviously he's made a bad call to get sent off.

Let's not lose sight that we could even have won the game it the referee had half a clue, even without playing great.

Think it does show we need better players outside the first eleven. I don't think Smith is one of them, but willing to be proven wrong.
daggersjeff
Posts: 725
Joined: Mon Oct 21, 2013 8:41 am
Location: Irvine, North Ayrshire

" I don't think Smith is one of them"

Not sure how you can make that call after 167 minutes of 900?

He came to us with good pedigree, but not given a full game as yet!
NBDag
Posts: 1227
Joined: Fri Aug 14, 2015 10:22 pm

Was a bit like Dagenham of old yesterday, maybe put it down to our season being over. But I can accept a poor 1 poor showing in 10 games if they turn up for the fans next week. Definitely missed Vilhete’s energy but I also thought Gordon was our best player and had a decent game. It was our long-running weaknesses that seemed to reappear today, a commanding centre back in the middle was needed, a proper right wing back was needed (I like Saunders but he is a forward not a wing back), a reliable holding midfielder is also needed and we need adequate back up for Balanta.

I would have Jones and Reynolds as squad players, but for the money we are probably paying I think I’d rather we sell them to whatever fools would pay. Reynolds we know is not up to scratch, but honestly if it was Brundle that gave away the ball as much as Jones has recently we would all be frothing at the mouth. Clearly has something about him but I’d rather a player that can actually pull off the things they attempt in a match. Wilson also, despite how much I love what he did against Grimsby, just isn’t who I thought he would be. Another to show the door unfortunately.

What’s always frustrating though is despite it being a poor performance some of the worst refereeing I have seen cost us again. How Weston didn’t win that penalty is beyond me, and the less said about their players before their penalty and Jones’ red card the better.
Mark
Posts: 1550
Joined: Fri Oct 18, 2013 5:04 pm

I know it's harsh on Smith. But normally you have to do something when you get a sub opportunity to force your way into the plans, like Khan has. All I've seen him do when he comes on is give the ball away or run down blind alleys and get tackled. Guess the manager will make a call based more on training sessions though.

I agree about Jones yesterday giving the ball away too much but he probably gets a bit of a pass because he played the 2 best passes of the match to put Gordon and Weston in behind. Brundle couldn't hit those if he tried all week.
SUSSEX DAGGER
Posts: 2619
Joined: Sun Oct 20, 2013 2:47 am

Interesting Mark your views on Jones . Can you really give him a pass because he played two quality balls. He came to my attention yesterday how many times he either lost the ball or surrendered possession in the first half. After half time I saw him do it a further 7 times.
Mick Payne has expressed views at recent home games about how he needs to do things a bit more simpler and not get so involved. That total I'll disciplime has been shown for some weeks and yesterday it was a long time coming.
When he came into team, cut short both times by injury ,he played at Centre back against B Wood and Sutton away. On both of these occasions he looked exactly what we needed . How he then suddenly found himself in midfield is beyond me as to me he was probably the best we had at Centre half for a long while bar Croll .
I have come in for a bit of stick over Saunders , to me he just dont look ready and I have yet to see anything on the pitch that warrents the rav reviews he gets from the training field and sounds to me a morning glory.
Now that might sound harsh but it's a brutal business and come August we have to hit the ground running. He got another game yesterday so I really would like to start to see something that merits his inclusion.
Smith to me just dont look fit and appears to me to have the physic of a mare in foal.
Weston was out of position but never looked likely but was still better then Wilson imo , a back up quality striker is a must.

Always going to be hard yesterday by second half we were missing a quarter of the Personel that have contributed so much over the past 2 months. We also came up against one of the most gutless refs I have seen for a while. He got 50% right that was everything he gave to Chesterfield and bottled everything that should have come our way. Another clear penalty denied to us.

Let's not hide from the brutal truth , what the Manager was watching I sometimes wonder, we were second best for most of the game . The only comfort I took was how solid we looked at the back , but to say Justham was hardly tested first half beggars belief . It was two outstanding saves that took us into half time level.

So the last few weeks have proved beyond doubt to me , we have quality in a number of areas but sadly not much depth to the squad and with a few accusations we will be up there next season , but if we dont address this problem we are in the hands of the Dagenham fortnight as to how well we do.
Mark
Posts: 1550
Joined: Fri Oct 18, 2013 5:04 pm

I'm not saying I'd give him a pass myself necessarily Sussex - I think I gave him 4 or 5 on Keane's poll. Just offering up reasons why he maybe doesn't get slaughtered. Thought he was excellent last weekend too. The thing that worries me about him is that he seems too stubborn to change when things aren't going his way. Got pressed and tackled multiple times, but continued trying the same things rather than accept he needed to pass earlier.
jag
Posts: 174
Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2015 11:13 am

Thought from the start that things would not go our way without Vilhete and Balanta and I was proved right, the team work suffered against an average side, I thought Saunders was disapointing but should keep developing for next season, but the biggest problem our manager has for next season is to try and educate and calm down that bafoon Joey Jones, a few games back he was booked and was taken off just incase he was sent off ,sadly this did not happen yesterday, what goes on in his head ? his body language is all wrong its like he has a bully attitude at times bad mouthing the ref and being completely stupid in the way he had pulled the player back, because up to that point we had control of the game and was not being threatened I thought their penalty was very fortunate as it appeared to me that the ball came off of our players thigh and onto his arm, the ref completely got our penalty claim wrong, but hey, if we can get over this result and get the 2 missing players back I think we could put Wrexham away but they need a win to assure them of a play off position so it is going to be a really difficult game for our team, but still proud of the team of what we have achieved in the past couple of months
Lcbdagger
Posts: 1872
Joined: Fri Oct 18, 2013 9:17 pm

Too late now to moan and complain but this weekend just again confirmed to me how poor the playoff quality is this season... got a feeling a team is going to sneak a promotion place that I'll be looking at all summer wondering what they did to go up as they're no better than us

Let's see
Kevin
Posts: 526
Joined: Sun Oct 20, 2013 1:55 pm

Lcbdagger wrote: Mon May 24, 2021 9:19 am Too late now to moan and complain but this weekend just again confirmed to me how poor the playoff quality is this season... got a feeling a team is going to sneak a promotion place that I'll be looking at all summer wondering what they did to go up as they're no better than us
That's all kind of relative though.

I'd be fairly sure any Notts County fans who saw us lose 3-1 at their place - 10 men, outfielder in goal & all that - would be wondering quite how we've managed to finish above Barnet..

The most times the majority of us see other teams is twice a season, during highlights & the odd random televised game - any of the teams who finish in the playoffs will have achieved it by getting enough points to do so.

We are all in the 5th tier of national football - kind of expect that to be reflected in the level of quality across the league.

We were pretty damn dreadful for the first half of the season - ultimately put us way too far off the pace. That said, I really am delighted with our end-of-season run - have a fair bit of optimism for next season, with hopefully a few actual decent signings in the summer.

C'mon you Daggers :thumbu:
Pablo
Posts: 70
Joined: Tue Jan 26, 2021 9:39 pm

Sorry to say but I thought we were poor on Saturday. Could have lost by 4 or 5 but might have won 2-1 if it wasn't for two appalling refereeing decisions. We look rudderless without Balanta. I still believe we need a fairly drastic overhaul of the squad if we are to compete at the top next season. I would guess a few are certain to go; Dearing Brundle, Croll and Phipps and for what they have contributed McQueen and Wilson should probably go with them. After his latest meltdown Jones will also join them. Medium term term not convinced by Reynolds, Clark or Eleftherou for different reasons. We need to hit the ground running and cannot afford the start we had last year so new faces are needed and soon. We played very well once or twice noticeably at Stockport, at home to Torquay and so on but confidence only really returned when we had some 'gimme' games against part time sides whose main players were on furlough - Kings lynn, Wealdstone, and Barnet. I hope I am wrong and we have genuinely improved - and there were some positive signs - but my optimism is on hold
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