is this Forum for football or old women???

[Harbs]

I cant help but notice evertime a new topic of debate comes onto the forum with in the first day of being posted more often than not the whole topic of conversation digresses. it becomes a bitching match between people that dont even reaveal who they actually are! How about just for one day a football topic gets posted everyone has a (heated) debate regarding that "football" post. This is more of a test just to see if people use the site to discuss football in Peterborough or if they are just bored and what to impress everyone with how well they can rip the **** out of another person on the site? i could start a fresh topic myself but i dont remember how you start a footy debate off as its been that long since i read a decent one.
I will leave it down to the regulars to see if this is achievable. Any reples welcome please dont hold back with your comments.

[Tommy Trophy]

Well said Lee and hands up time as we are all guilty of petty point scoring really.

As it is you that set this up, how about a "chancy" but serious debate about Perkins & PSL.

At the start of every season you are both touted as possible champions (could possibly even put Oundle in this year) but fail to get really involved.

What are the honest views on why that it is and what it takes to be a challenger?

[Stimmy]

I do agree with you there Tommy, how come Ortonians and Moulton are the only two teams that are there or there abouts every year, it looks like the same this year although we did have are blip last weekend.

[Big G]

Fair point Tommy.

We thought we had a chance but we seem to dominate teams without scoring the goals our play deserve and in turn get caught.

We wont stop trying to play football and hope that gets us where i think we deserve to be.

[Harbs]

My intention after starting the topic was to see what replies were posted but what the hell.
i have my own opinions on where we (Perkins) are going wrong and have had many debates after our MANY defeats this season already regarding this matter. but looking at it from a different opinion i do find it difficult to pin point how we can be so far down the league with the team and performances we should be capable of producing each week.
I can't comment for psl in that respect as our best win this season came against psl and it was one of the most physical games i have played in this season (so i can hold my hands up and say they should be near the top of the league). but they still have a few games to catch up with the rest and there is every chance they will be moving up the table once they have played these.
Confidence when lining up could be a large aspect to your success... look at the runs Ortonians, Moulton and last season Whittlesey put togethre its so hard to break a team spirit when all you are used to is winning and it does show in your performances. I Feel Perkins and PSL are currently under achieving but hey maybe all it will take is a few wins in a row to boost that confidence. Or i could be wrong and maybe we are not quite the outfits we think we are but i wouldn't say that is the case.

[charlie]

Harbs you have got it spot on there when speaking about ortonians and moultons team spritit and that is the reasons these 2 teams are alway there or there abouts on paper PSL,Perkins and Hotpoint have three of the strongets teams in the league on a player to player basis (individually)but when it comes to playing as a team they struggle and argue amongst themselves ive seen these three clubs this season and this is what has happend,

[Harbs]

hands up to that one! loosing hurts especially when you are so passionate to win (im sure all clubs are) but going a few goals behind in a game you desperately need to win to keep your title chances open and trying to keep motivation for cup games coming its easy to loose control and try to find someONE to blame when as a team you should rectify it on the pitch take 2 weeks ago Perkins vs Aclonbury 2-0 down after five minutes it started to get a little heated but we stucj together and got the job done and thats hopefully the boost we all needed. We will see.

[wtfamu]

I personally think alot of it is down to what the respective players get up to the night before the game.
We all know that players like to socialise together and generally this helps create a good team spirit, but the balance has to be right.
Its no good being prepared to "die" for each other on the pitch if you're half dead when you turn up for the game!

[Tommy Trophy]

Maybe having a team of non drinkers is the secret of our success then!

For what it's worth I think you need: -
1. Stability - not too many players coming and going - no more than 3 per season.
2. Loyalty - both ways and some honesty
3. Good players - but not too many - they can't all have the ball and you need your runners, your tacklers and good headers of the ball every bit as much as your set piece specialists, dribblers, passers and goalscorers.
4. A Balanced squad - about 16 all pulling in the same direction
5. A bit of luck!

How many of these do the likes of PSL, Perkins & Oundle not enjoy, or maybe don't agree are important?

Trust this sort of debate is more like what you had in mind Harbs?

[charlie]

Do you really keep all of your players happy tom ,cuz there always rumours going around about unhappy players and i have seen quite a few of you team out on the sauce on a friday (i wont mention any names) maybe you are just a very good man manager.

[Harbs]

Spot on really Tommy its actually a subject i cant recall being brought up and leaves open spaces for every team in the league to have their say instead of just the few that have been mentioned so far.
ou could well be right with all the points you brought up to make a winning side and though it pains me to make excuses i feel my club has been so unlucky (i can sense a few people will read this screw their faces up and prove me wrong) but against alconbury we got a pen which was one that hardly ever get given and it swung the game for us and that was the bit of luck that a majority of the games this season we have be denied!
I am a big believer of picking your squad with minimal disruption and Perkins have had their share of transfers and player swops and i do feel at times this has contributed to the lack of confidence at times my team have had.

You mention you need you mix of players talent/heading/tackling etc i agree and i feel all the teams in the Prem have players with these gifts but its finding the right balance too.

[Stimmy]

I know it has been an ongoing joke around the league regarding Moulton having an old squad, but every year we have been bringing in youth to complement experience and this seems to be working and every one that comes through the ranks has the desire to win although some weeks we let our selves down on the pitch. I personally think that a desire to win is one of Moultons strong points aswell as having some very talented players who can change a game.

[wtfamu]

"Good players, but not too many" ummmm still trying to get my head round that one1

[Tommy Trophy]

Charlie players are always being courted, especially in Peterborough which is something of a goldfish bowl. As we don't pay players I can hardly insist that they stay in on a Friday night. However it is just that mine tend to generally do that of their own accord, though Mr Ayres was out and about last Friday - so long as they do the business on a Saturday who cares?

Trick is to keeping a squad happy is to not be too worried about them all hating you, but keeping them below the mark at which they want to leave I suppose!

And yes you can have too many good players, which in my humble opinion has been Perkins problem - against us they put Olly Hurford on Mark Baines and that is not what Olly is about - they did not have a Gavin Mcpartlin who for me changed the game when he came on at half time - it is all about balance of different shapes and sizes, as well as personality - how many times do you find that 2 good players just can't play together for no good reason?

[Offside]

Come on Harbs stop skirting about like an old woman. Why have perkins been under achievers for three seasons. Is it poor defence, bad mifield blunt attack or Ginos fault (heaven forbid).
I personally think some of the players are not good enough anymore but it is your view we we want

[jb]

i think you can have players that get on TOO well with each other. when you are mainly just "teamates" you still retain an element of mutual respect for each other when you're all practically best mates then you feel comfortable enough to bitch and slag each other off if someone isn't particularly having a great game or makes a mistake. this contributed quite a lot to why a few seasons back we were always there or thereabouts in the first division at the silver jubilee when we were by far the best team in the division(tommy c if you ask foggy i'm sure he'll agree). you cant all be strangers but being too friendly really can have a negative affect on teams and i think this is a contributory factor at psl because everybody feels like they're part of a big happy family and slip into the comfort zone.

on the other side of the coin i think this "problem" helped whittlesey to the title last season so i guess it just depends on the individual teams and circumstances.

[Harbs]

Can anyone think of a team that has too many good players cancelling each other out on the pitch? good players should be able to adapt to the game i guess thats what makes them so good. Your right Tommy Ollie was a ruined man against you that awful Saturday but it was a mistake and it was noticed and at least now we know next time we play you im doing a tag team with Skerrit to stop the mighty Baines!

jb, i see your point but i think in the long run it could surely only benefit a team that the players are so closely nit.

[wtfamu]

Tommy, I agree that you need a mix of different styles to make a team, however are you trying to say that your tacklers and good headers of the ball are'nt "good" players?
Im sure Murinho wouldn't describe Makalalee as not good, hopefully it was just a bad choice of words on your part or else you're going to have players in your team who feel very unappreciated.

[tom flynn]

I believe that local football has become more of a social event for a lot of the lads and its not the winning its the takeing part syndrome. Certain players have got to close to certain managers and get in teams when they are not good enough or have a bad game and get in week after week.Its okay being drinking buddies but when it comes to the game at the weekend some players dont give a toss and dont give the manager 100%.When i managed i expected 100% from my players all the time and more often than not i got that.I believe that the same old players are doing the same old thing in some teams because they are allowed to get away with it.They have got to cosy in some teams and are under achieveing.

[lozzaman]

I can understand what your saying there, but surely if your good enough to win something then you might as well try?

[wtfamu]

Good point Tom, when teams are evenly matched in ability and organisation, the outcome of a game usually depends on who wins the indivual battles on the pitch(plus a bit of luck).
This is when players need to stand up and be counted and not hide on the pitch, this can only come from within the player involved. That to me is the definition of a winner.
Its very hard to pay attention to "the little voice in your head" telling you to get your foot in, if you're more concerned with trying to stop yourself from throwing up the results of last nights over indulgence.
Im not saying amateur players should live like monks but i am saying that if you want to win sacrifices have to be made!

[jb]

carrying on from mine and tommy's comments i think the keyword in the matter is cliques. when a club has a reputation for being cliquey they do not always attract other players because if you are not in the "clique" you know you will be overlooked in favour of the "regulars"