Bob's Board - Chesterfield FC: Aldershot Thread - Bob's Board - Chesterfield FC

when you list it out like this it really does hit home how abysmal Martin Allen was for us. Beyond dreadful.

Just reflecting on yesterday’s win. It was a really professional performance and to be honest we never really looked in danger.

Jalal looks assured in the nets despite having missed such a large portion of the season, good presence and worked well with the defence who had their attackers pretty much covered.

Highlight for me was Weston and Weir in the middle - they hassled and battled for everything and to be honest, bossed it (Smith too). Weston looked much more lively than most of this season, played forward and knocked in a brilliant corner for Evans to put us 1-up.

Shaw ran all day (as per) and we looked dangerous with him and Kiwomya pushing down either channel. We seemed to play a bit wider and we stretched them.

I know he’s not the most popular but think Fortuné deserves credit for his performance. He holds the ball up really well and brings players into the game. Very classy and can be a bit of a luxury at this level when we’re not playing particularly well but if we’re looking confident and moving the ball fast he adds a lot to the side.

Overall a top performance albeit against a side who struggled and look pretty bereft of ideas. Nevertheless we dictated the game when we went 1-up and we haven’t seen that much this season. You wouldn’t think we were in the relegation zone based on that showing. Bring on Barra!

Jalal had conceded 13 goals in 5 games, that's part of the reason he was dropped

when you list it out like this it really does hit home how abysmal Martin Allen was for us. Beyond dreadful.

Was gonna say, how many of those goals were Jalal’s fault? Just because a keeper is conceding goals doesn’t make them a bad keeper or necessarily at fault.

Was gonna say, how many of those goals were Jalal’s fault? Just because a keeper is conceding goals doesn’t make them a bad keeper or necessarily at fault.

I think it was what was in front of him TBH.
No organisation, no communication and just rank bad defending.
Remember the goal when he and Binnon collided on edge of area.
Hard to forget!

Jalal had an absolute stinker against Maidenhead. Collided with Binman, as you say, for the first, didn't know whether to come or not for the second (Nelson very much at fault too) and dropped their third at their man's feet.

Still, he's experienced enough to bounce back and if he's a steady pair of hands and a calming presence, great- we haven't really had a decent older head in nets since Tommy Lee.

303 Spireites here today.

Thought we were excellent yesterday and full value for the 3 points. Weir and Fortune were very good. Evans, great performance from him.

Was very refreshing to see us playing some football on the deck. Some of the football at times was exceptional, when working it into the box. With a goalscorer I think we could have had 5 easily.

305 we had home end tickets to save walking up that B****Y hill to get in. Might add it was with their consent.

when you list it out like this it really does hit home how abysmal Martin Allen was for us. Beyond dreadful.

I guess it highlights a couple of things.


1) the difference between old school motivation in the short term, rather the short sharp shock that often works as an impact tool.


2) building a squad. Respect, quality, identity, style of play, and longer term planning


Contrary to what I and many Spireites thought, Martin Allen is a man with talent, but talent that is limited to a very narrow set of specific parameters rather than a level of football.


Short term motivator but not capable of long term planning and squad building


For those of a certain age, he’s a basement division football red Adair, and nothing more.



I guess we should have paid more attention his time at Eastleigh rather than Barnet. But few were dissenting voices and to those that were like T_F and HB .... I doff my non footballing knowledge cap.



Some of us have perhaps been “spoiled” by Johnny no goals and perhaps are also in the past?

I guess we should have paid more attention his time at Eastleigh rather than Barnet. But few were dissenting voices and to those that were like T_F and HB .... I doff my non footballing knowledge cap.

Some of us have perhaps been “spoiled” by Johnny no goals and perhaps are also in the past?

A good summary of the game. What stood out for me was every player wanted the ball and when we had it in our possession we were looking to play it forward, whether that meant it going back to go forward we looked like a well organised team. For a change. It's been a long time since we could say that