Thoughts over three points

*while the protest is much needed and, as far as I can see, widely supported on and off the pitch, we've had three tennis ball protests and as far as I can tell, conceded within minutes of each one. The first goal, when it came, was so simple. Couple of passes around the back, down the channel and over for a relatively easy tap in. You could see it coming from the moment the ball went out wide, our defenders never seemed to clock just where McCallum was.

*we're completely incapable of going toe to toe with a team. While I think two of the three-ish penalty shouts (Wing on the rebound, Holmes mugged at a corner) should have probably gone in our favour, standing around whinging isn't going to help. Quigley probably should have been booked for a series of 'afters', barging into players just after the ball had gone, but equally he's been doing that his entire life. Same with the constant shirt pulling. Dean was the only player to give anything back. Once the game got going properly (it was like a friendly for 16 minutes), we barely gave them much to think about. A brief spell where Dann brought the ball forwards, Wing sat between midfield and attack, and Smith and Azeez linked quite well lead to the equalizer.

*I had no faith we would defend that corner successfully. It was a needless corner anyway, with Craig the only player back - watch the highlights again, he knows it. Only player in that box who knew what he was going to do? McCallum.

Pre-game - actually stayed in Southampton the night before. Not sure of the vibe, there's a relatively nice old town on the way to the sea, with four pubs. Except one has recently shut down. This means all four, I mean, three pubs, while all nice and all doing nice beers and all having nice old buildings were fucking rammed. I went to the Grapes to watch the United game and then found Sauce, which combined kebabs, polish food and beer to my content. The other highlight was the Solent Sky museum. Supermarine S6! Flying boats! etc. etc.

Post-game - lol. Walked back to Eastleigh. Told to go back to Southampton as no trains to Waterloo from Winchester (?!). Slow-ish train via Havant to London. Already knew no/little movement north from London so went to Victoria coach station. Home for 23:30.

Lincoln next!

What's sad is that losing to a non-league team should be one of the worst days imaginable, but I'm not even sure it makes the top 10 under Dai.

First full game i've seen for a while. Few observations.

That result was predictable given the slightly experimental nature of our team and the fact that Eastleigh were more experienced and battle hardened.

Of the players, like Azeez. I know he has had lots of criticism early in the season but he put me in mind of someone like Antonio who was very similar to Azeez with his end product initially lacking, which is why we got rid when we did, wrongly as it turned out.

For that reason alone Azeez should be persisted with. I think there is a player there who will prove valuable going forward.

Holmes looked rusty but I think he will be important for us. He should come back into the team, be given the captaincy permanently and be told to kick some ass. He's got enough experience now to take control and should do.

Craig looked tidy but the manager must decide where he wants to play him. A straightforward defensive midfielder or higher up. Either way he must in time look to take more risks with the passing. It would help if he had more to aim at of course.

Mbengue. He was at fault for the first goal and unlikely that right back is his position. Pretty sure there's a player in there, centre half maybe or defensive midfielder in front of the back four?

Elliott needs to beef up and go hell for leather.

Savage, can't make my mind up.

Carson shouldn't really be playing, needs a loan out somewhere, maybe national league or Div Two. Lacked any sort of composure really.

Ehib i liked earlier in the season but seems to have lost his way a bit. In normal times a loan out.

Mola, well, difficult to make a decision on what I've seen but not great.

The keeper made a few good saves and looks a capable deputy.

Lastly, seen a lot of people saying we were better when Wing and Smith came on, true. Wing has the composure lacking in the youngster and Smith obvs knows where the goal is. But beyond that i'm not sure who else would have made much of a difference from the bench.

Really? yes they have a good striker but the referee played a big part in that match. How much did they timewaste? how many wrong offsides did we have? what about the penalty shouts? Well organised team but we shouldn't have lost to them.

Holmes one for sure, but not seeing many occasions referee cost us that match, not aware that many offside calls changed the game or were wrong, and as for time wasting, nothing of real note. Referee was not the reason why we lost that match. Apart from all that you have nailed your post.

Bolton played Eastleigh in the FA Cup in 2016. We were bottom of the Championship at the time, skint and unable to pay the players or HMRC and headed for administration.

Then along comes Ken Anderson with 'erm, Dean Holdsworth. Relegation couldn't be avoided but admin was.

Anderson ditched the useless Holdsworth ( he had no choice really) brought in a competent CEO and appointed Phil Parkinson as team manager. Hey presto, immediate promotion back to the Championship staying there for the next two seasons whilst running on fumes.

Bolton lost a total of £5m in those two seasons under Anderson, probably the lowest of any club in the Championship. How much did Reading lose in the same period? Try ten times that for size.

How did we get on against mighty Eastleigh? Scraped a draw at their place and scraped through at ours.

Really? yes they have a good striker but the referee played a big part in that match. How much did they timewaste? how many wrong offsides did we have? what about the penalty shouts? Well organised team but we shouldn't have lost to them.

Holmes one for sure, but not seeing many occasions referee cost us that match, not aware that many offside calls changed the game or were wrong, and as for time wasting, nothing of real note. Referee was not the reason why we lost that match. Apart from all that you have nailed your post.
On the penalty shouts I think unfortunately we marked our card with the ref early on with some fairly pathetic diving.

And anyone who has done any homework on Holmes knows he's incredibly handsy in the box.

Holmes one for sure, but not seeing many occasions referee cost us that match, not aware that many offside calls changed the game or were wrong, and as for time wasting, nothing of real note. Referee was not the reason why we lost that match. Apart from all that you have nailed your post.
On the penalty shouts I think unfortunately we marked our card with the ref early on with some fairly pathetic diving.

And anyone who has done any homework on Holmes knows he's incredibly handsy in the box.

To be fair, looking at that incident alone, I think they were lucky to get away with it. The one argument you could say it was six of one half a dozen of another as they both had hands on each other, although Quigley (I think it was) does drag him down.

I think the players forgot how large the gulf in ability there was between the sides. We spent far too much time playing at the back waiting for gaps to emerge. This makes sense against a team in the same division, but Eastleigh are two divisions below for a reason.

Every time a centre back travelled with the ball forwards, they very quickly found themselves inside the Eastleigh's half with still very little pressure on the ball. It was noticeable that Dean did this more than who he replaced.

Felt like the match had 3 acts in terms of our attacking approach. In the first half we did actually get goal side of the defence 3/4 times with balls over the top, each time being fouled. Got 1 yellow i think. We seemed to stop taking that approach for the next 3rd of the match, with almost no attacking outcomes to show for it.

And in the final 3rd of the match we carried the ball a lot more and actually had sustained pressure.

I'd put that down as a team low on confidence not asserting themselves sufficiently early on.

On the penalty shouts I think unfortunately we marked our card with the ref early on with some fairly pathetic diving.

And anyone who has done any homework on Holmes knows he's incredibly handsy in the box.

To be fair, looking at that incident alone, I think they were lucky to get away with it. The one argument you could say it was six of one half a dozen of another as they both had hands on each other, although Quigley (I think it was) does drag him down.It's an absolutely certain penalty. But perception plays a big part.

To be fair, looking at that incident alone, I think they were lucky to get away with it. The one argument you could say it was six of one half a dozen of another as they both had hands on each other, although Quigley (I think it was) does drag him down.It's an absolutely certain penalty. But perception plays a big part.

The absolutely appalling standard of refereeing in this country plays a bigger part imo.

2 big calls went against us late on, with the ball bouncing off an arm in the melee for the winner. But we were poor and didn't show enough intent against a team 2 divisions below us. For the winner, your CB needs to deal with the corner and ensure no melee ensues. You make your own luck, so they say.

If you're going to bemoan bad luck, bemoan that we got sold to this godawful owner in 2017.

Holmes seemed far more determined to get his head on the ball when he was being headlocked and dragged to the ground in the opposition box than he did on a basic corner routine in our own box in the 94th min.

Guess always been my frustration with him that he seems to get beaten like that too often for a big lad

Professionals not amateurs though. Days are gone of players having other jobs.

Mentioned almost two years ago now - just after we’d drawn with Derby and he was bullied for their 90th minute equaliser that he just wasn’t commanding enough and the fact it’s still happening now just isn’t good enough

It’s a shame because there’s a decent defender in there but the harsh reality (along with McIntyre) is that they’re too easy to bully. Opposition strikers will enjoy playing us and that reflects on how rarely we manage to keep a clean sheet

Both talented CBs who have let the malaise of the club drag them down. Had they broken into the team in the Coppell or McDermott days, I'm sure they would have learned the toughness required and been solid Championship players like Pearce was.

I don't think it's controversial to say Holmes is a substantially worse player than he was 2 years ago.

Mentioned almost two years ago now - just after we’d drawn with Derby and he was bullied for their 90th minute equaliser that he just wasn’t commanding enough and the fact it’s still happening now just isn’t good enough

It’s a shame because there’s a decent defender in there but the harsh reality (along with McIntyre) is that they’re too easy to bully. Opposition strikers will enjoy playing us and that reflects on how rarely we manage to keep a clean sheet

I remember seeing him in the Berks and Bucks final against Slough a few years ago and he was being bullied by some journeyman gobshite who was in his ear all game. It's a shame he hasn't appeared to assert himself more and grown from an experience like that.

Mentioned almost two years ago now - just after we’d drawn with Derby and he was bullied for their 90th minute equaliser that he just wasn’t commanding enough and the fact it’s still happening now just isn’t good enough

It’s a shame because there’s a decent defender in there but the harsh reality (along with McIntyre) is that they’re too easy to bully. Opposition strikers will enjoy playing us and that reflects on how rarely we manage to keep a clean sheet

Watched the goal back a few times on the highlights- caveat here is that being a midget through my teen years - heading is something I know even less about than the rest of the game, but

He seems to be treating the cross like it’s a free header in space - not attacking the ball and trying to head it towards the centre spot. With that lump barging into him he must surely have just concentrated on getting his head to the ball first and heading it back from roughly the way it came from.

As it was, he missed the header altogether, hit his shoulder and then it’s game over from there. Seems a simple mistake for a CB to make

Mentioned almost two years ago now - just after we’d drawn with Derby and he was bullied for their 90th minute equaliser that he just wasn’t commanding enough and the fact it’s still happening now just isn’t good enough

It’s a shame because there’s a decent defender in there but the harsh reality (along with McIntyre) is that they’re too easy to bully. Opposition strikers will enjoy playing us and that reflects on how rarely we manage to keep a clean sheet
He spends too much time trying to win a wrestling match and not enough trying to attack the ball imo.

Some of the RFC squad (Carson, Mbengue, Elliot and Ehibhatiomhan) fell well short of their potential against Eastleigh doing themselves no favours of being selected in the 11 that takes to the pitch in League One going forward.

Vickers was on the bench and not bought on. I am trying to understand why... What has he done not to get a run out against Eastleigh. I hope we see him in the starting 11 against Charlton.

Possibly the same reason that people were screaming for Elliott to start in matches, he was awful yesterday and was rightly hooked at HT.

Southend fan here...

Having watched your game it had echoes of our clash with Dover Athletic in 2019, where we lost 1-0 and struggled to worry a poor National League side.

Reading deserve so much better than this, hope you get Dai out. We're still trying to get rid of our own charlatan, COVID ruined the momentum gained in our campaign, only picked up again in the last year.

Thought the protest during the game was fantastic, exactly the kind of publicity you need in your fight.

Will be keeping an eye on developments from the Essex Riviera and wishing you all the best.

Possibly the same reason that people were screaming for Elliott to start in matches, he was awful yesterday and was rightly hooked at HT.
I'm not judging Elliot on that performance. He is not a left winger and should never have been played there.

He is a central midfielder. He should hjave been moved centrally at half time and Savage taken off.

Mentioned almost two years ago now - just after we’d drawn with Derby and he was bullied for their 90th minute equaliser that he just wasn’t commanding enough and the fact it’s still happening now just isn’t good enough

It’s a shame because there’s a decent defender in there but the harsh reality (along with McIntyre) is that they’re too easy to bully. Opposition strikers will enjoy playing us and that reflects on how rarely we manage to keep a clean sheet

Watched the goal back a few times on the highlights- caveat here is that being a midget through my teen years - heading is something I know even less about than the rest of the game, but

He seems to be treating the cross like it’s a free header in space - not attacking the ball and trying to head it towards the centre spot. With that lump barging into him he must surely have just concentrated on getting his head to the ball first and heading it back from roughly the way it came from.

As it was, he missed the header altogether, hit his shoulder and then it’s game over from there. Seems a simple mistake for a CB to make

To put an idea across on Holmes, should we try him at RB again? That's where he was best for us (albeit in a season where we were pretty good in general). That RB position needs a long-term solution to Yids, Mbengue likely isn't it, Rushesha won't be either and Abrefa doesn't seem to be anywhere.

I'm not basing it on anything other than, he was solid for us when played there a few seasons ago. He might not have the attributes to be the RB we need, but is that an option because I can't see his place in the team otherwise.

Watched the goal back a few times on the highlights- caveat here is that being a midget through my teen years - heading is something I know even less about than the rest of the game, but

He seems to be treating the cross like it’s a free header in space - not attacking the ball and trying to head it towards the centre spot. With that lump barging into him he must surely have just concentrated on getting his head to the ball first and heading it back from roughly the way it came from.

As it was, he missed the header altogether, hit his shoulder and then it’s game over from there. Seems a simple mistake for a CB to make

To put an idea across on Holmes, should we try him at RB again? That's where he was best for us (albeit in a season where we were pretty good in general). That RB position needs a long-term solution to Yids, Mbengue likely isn't it, Rushesha won't be either and Abrefa doesn't seem to be anywhere.

I'm not basing it on anything other than, he was solid for us when played there a few seasons ago. He might not have the attributes to be the RB we need, but is that an option because I can't see his place in the team otherwise.
Nah. If you want a CB to play fullback long term they need a bit of pace and to be comfortable with the ball and taking people on, crossing helps too. I don't think Holmes has what it takes.

I still think he can be a good CB. But he needs a run in a team that's performing. It's looking more and more like he needs a new club.

To put an idea across on Holmes, should we try him at RB again? That's where he was best for us (albeit in a season where we were pretty good in general). That RB position needs a long-term solution to Yids, Mbengue likely isn't it, Rushesha won't be either and Abrefa doesn't seem to be anywhere.

I'm not basing it on anything other than, he was solid for us when played there a few seasons ago. He might not have the attributes to be the RB we need, but is that an option because I can't see his place in the team otherwise.
Nah. If you want a CB to play fullback long term they need a bit of pace and to be comfortable with the ball and taking people on, crossing helps too. I don't think Holmes has what it takes.

I still think he can be a good CB. But he needs a run in a team that's performing. It's looking more and more like he needs a new club.

Just had a look at a few stats historically, his best pass % was the season where he was at RB mainly. 80.3% overall with 2.5 long passes per game across 30 starts and 9 sub appearances. Not making a justification for him, just a genuine question.

Nothing else particularly stands out amongst his stats for that season though, was decent enough defensively.

Compared to Yiadom in 21/22, Yids made more tackles, but gave away a few more fouls per game 1.1 compared to 0.7, but made 2.4 tackles compared to Holmes' 1.1. On the ball Holmes was slightly better with his passing %, but he also played more long balls per game. Overall, Yids was 6.84 on average, Holmes was 6.6 according to WhoScored.

Nah. If you want a CB to play fullback long term they need a bit of pace and to be comfortable with the ball and taking people on, crossing helps too. I don't think Holmes has what it takes.

I still think he can be a good CB. But he needs a run in a team that's performing. It's looking more and more like he needs a new club.

Just had a look at a few stats historically, his best pass % was the season where he was at RB mainly. 80.3% overall with 2.5 long passes per game across 30 starts and 9 sub appearances. Not making a justification for him, just a genuine question.

Nothing else particularly stands out amongst his stats for that season though, was decent enough defensively.

Compared to Yiadom in 21/22, Yids made more tackles, but gave away a few more fouls per game 1.1 compared to 0.7, but made 2.4 tackles compared to Holmes' 1.1. On the ball Holmes was slightly better with his passing %, but he also played more long balls per game. Overall, Yids was 6.84 on average, Holmes was 6.6 according to WhoScored.
But Yids is much quicker and much better at taking someone on and beating them.

Nah. If you want a CB to play fullback long term they need a bit of pace and to be comfortable with the ball and taking people on, crossing helps too. I don't think Holmes has what it takes.

I still think he can be a good CB. But he needs a run in a team that's performing. It's looking more and more like he needs a new club.

Just had a look at a few stats historically, his best pass % was the season where he was at RB mainly. 80.3% overall with 2.5 long passes per game across 30 starts and 9 sub appearances. Not making a justification for him, just a genuine question.

Nothing else particularly stands out amongst his stats for that season though, was decent enough defensively.

Compared to Yiadom in 21/22, Yids made more tackles, but gave away a few more fouls per game 1.1 compared to 0.7, but made 2.4 tackles compared to Holmes' 1.1. On the ball Holmes was slightly better with his passing %, but he also played more long balls per game. Overall, Yids was 6.84 on average, Holmes was 6.6 according to WhoScored.

Holmes RB, Dorsett LB. Be like some of Pulis’ Stoke teams

Just had a look at a few stats historically, his best pass % was the season where he was at RB mainly. 80.3% overall with 2.5 long passes per game across 30 starts and 9 sub appearances. Not making a justification for him, just a genuine question.

Nothing else particularly stands out amongst his stats for that season though, was decent enough defensively.

Compared to Yiadom in 21/22, Yids made more tackles, but gave away a few more fouls per game 1.1 compared to 0.7, but made 2.4 tackles compared to Holmes' 1.1. On the ball Holmes was slightly better with his passing %, but he also played more long balls per game. Overall, Yids was 6.84 on average, Holmes was 6.6 according to WhoScored.
But Yids is much quicker and much better at taking someone on and beating them.

Yeah again, not making a justification for him, just seeing what the general opinion would be. As mentioned one down, having 2 natural CB's as our full backs probably won't do much for us.

Watched the goal back a few times on the highlights- caveat here is that being a midget through my teen years - heading is something I know even less about than the rest of the game, but

He seems to be treating the cross like it’s a free header in space - not attacking the ball and trying to head it towards the centre spot. With that lump barging into him he must surely have just concentrated on getting his head to the ball first and heading it back from roughly the way it came from.

As it was, he missed the header altogether, hit his shoulder and then it’s game over from there. Seems a simple mistake for a CB to make

To put an idea across on Holmes, should we try him at RB again? That's where he was best for us (albeit in a season where we were pretty good in general). That RB position needs a long-term solution to Yids, Mbengue likely isn't it, Rushesha won't be either and Abrefa doesn't seem to be anywhere.

I'm not basing it on anything other than, he was solid for us when played there a few seasons ago. He might not have the attributes to be the RB we need, but is that an option because I can't see his place in the team otherwise.

What's Tom Holmes' crossing ability like and ability to overlap the wide forward/winger?

Like Ian said I don't think he has those skills in him. He's also very slow in comparison to the standard right back.