TOPIC: Player Ratings - Stevenage

Not the best performance, particularly for large parts of the second half. Could argue that we were dragged down to their level because that was without doubt the weakest Stevenage team I've ever seen. Good to see Jabo on the pitch at the end celebrating with the rest of the squad. Suspect the hammy won't keep him out for too much longer.

Gillespie - 7 Rapidly turning into the penalty king with a fine save with his legs. Apart from that he wasn't tested that often, one smartish save and the usual confident handling of anything lobbed into the area.
Miller - 6 Made up for giving away the penalty with the goal and always a willing avenue on the right.
Raynes - 8.5 Man of the Match performance for the second away game running. Had Williams and the remainder of the Stevenage front line in his pocket the whole game.
Gillesphey - 6 Started well, lost his way a little bit at the start of the second but stuck at it well. Needs to improve on his distribution.
Grainger - 7 Put a number of good crosses into the first box early on but didn't get many opportunities to get forward in the 2nd with the team rarely getting their passing game together. Assured when needed at the back.
McQueen - 6 Didn't have the best of games by his recent standards and seemed to choose the wrong option on the few times he committed himself to going past his man. The home team's left-back was clearly terrified by his pace.
Joyce - 6 Seemed to be getting a bit of stick from the away end for not getting the ball forward from the back quickly enough but to be fair, that's not really his role in the team.
Dicker - 6 Neat and tidy in the first half, always offering an option and linking well with Kennedy and the others around him. A little off the pace in the 2nd and not surprised to see him come off before the end.
Kennedy - 6 Had to cover the hard yards of getting box to box and had one decent effort just over the bar as we gradually improved later on in the 2nd.
Sweeney - 5 Not quite as effective as Tuesday night, the game seemed to pass him by. First man to make way.
Asamoah - 6.5 Didn't get great service, particularly in the 2nd half. Showed in the 1st what a constant pain in the ar*e he is to defenders chasing and winning lost causes.

Subs:
Hery - 6.5 Typical performance, one minute frustratingly running into cul-de-sacs and the next, looking like the one touch of class on the pitch.
TAH - 6 Not quite the player of last year with some ponderous looking touches but the more aerial and desperate the home team became, the more it played to his strengths.
Gilliead - 7 Made some great challenges helping out at the back and nearly got on the end of a move that would have made it 2-0. A season long loan after his international duty would go a long way to us finishing in the top 7.

Thought Dicker was worth more than McQueen other than that fair reflection on the game

We created four good chances in first half, thankfully Gillespie's penalty save kept it level. The second half was drab until Curle's substitutions worked as we went 4-4-2, bringing Troy on to play next to Raynes, to stop them getting through the middle and Gilliead's running and Hery's invention made difference at other end.

Gillespie 8, three cracking saves in addition to penalty stop.
McQueen 6, quality going forward, should have scored at least one in first half
Miller 7, could yet out score Jabo!
Raynes 7, great signing, Mansfield must have some top defenders to let him go
Gillesphey, 6, not as good as first two games for us, lacked composure on ball
Grainger 6, tidied up well but free kick delivery Kav/Berrett standard today
Joyce 7, experienced enforcer
Dicker 6, some delightful touches, some dreadful
Kennedy 7, better, saw much more of ball than at Orient
Sweeney 6, good movement in first half, quieter second
Asamoah 7, constant threat, too many touches at times
The subs all get 7s for doing their jobs well, hope we see more of Gilliead. The lad has bright future.

Won without playing too well against a pretty poor Stevenage side (Kinda feel sorry for Sheringham, obviously wants his team to play good football but he's working with players used to Westley's hoofball). We were the better side for the majority of the 1st half until the penalty, didn't really come out for the 2nd half, dropped right off. Feel like we might've had a comfortable win if Ibhere had been available instead of Asamoah, their keeper was very dodgy in the air and Stevenage struggled a bit more when we went out wide.

Gillespie - 7: Saved a pretty awful penalty, wasn't really tested much, but was very good in the air. Kicking wasn't great for 2nd game in a row
Miller - 7: Not his best performance since he gave the penalty away, but grabbed the goal and was confident on the ball
Raynes - 8.5: Second MOTM performance in a row for Raynes. Dominant in the air, good with the ball and led the team well, willing to have a go at team-mates.
Gillesphey - 6.5: Good defensively, but wasn't great with the ball. Can't say he's totally acclimated to the system
Grainger - 6: Have to say him and McQueen looked a bit fatigued from Tuesday, couldn't offer much
McQueen - 6.5: Same as Grainger, but his pace scared Stevenage and helped stretch the game. Missed fairly easy chance with left foot in first half
Joyce - 6.5: Does the dirty work well, dropped off a lot in second half (As did the whole team)
Dicker - 6.5: Didn't have the impact he did against Orient, but some delightful touches created necessary space when Stevenage pressured more
Kennedy - 7: Got on the ball a bit more than at Orient, is the necessary legs alongside Dicker and Joyce
Sweeney - 6: Not as involved as at Orient, but he does important job of carrying the ball away from our area
Asamoah - 6.5: Think Stevenage were better suited to defending him than Orient were, but constant running helped created space. Probably should've scored in 1st half

Subs:
Hery - 6.5: Produced the necessary creativity and wasn't afraid to take some people on, but he was frustrating at times
TAH - 7: Good defensively, bit sloppier with the ball than usual
Gilliead - 7.5: Gave us more creativity and was also quality in his own half, taking the ball away and defending well.

Great win.

Comparing us 11 games in this season to last season is worth seeing:

Last season played 11, 9 points 12 goals scored (games 10 & 11 were 2 wins under Curle v Tramere and Hartlepool)
this season played 11, 19 points 20 goals scored

Hopefully the team is starting to have a bit of a settled look about it now, we've a bit of a break following 2 hectic weeks which should be good for players to freshen up.

I felt the difference in the teams was in their heads rather than their feet yesterday. We are a grittier outfit than last season. Players seem to be able to trust themselves and their fellow players more and believe in the team. Stevenage were very fragile,they wanted the win but didn't believe they could hold out for the draw, there was a feeling of inevitability in the crowd behind their goal.

Bumble wrote:
Completely agree with you there bumble. Our minds are polar opposite from the way we've been since 2011.

On another note, at least I can guarantee you got a picture of me for the OS rather than having my head/half of my body cut off


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No guarantees I often crop the pics so may yet cut you off in your prime

Just seen them now. You didn't chop me head off suppose this anonymous name does have its uses after all


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I got a load of pics from Stevenage so hoped you were on one of the ones I sent in.