Tragic. How a club that even as recently as May was pulling a crowd of 8000 and on a thrilling run should sit as decrepid as it does now. Devoid of any spirit.Devoid of any entertainment. Managed by the most clueless football killing duo ever put in front of a chalkboard. Dying on its feet in front of our very eyes.
Its hard to say this without showing Barnet disrespect but they were dreadful. Not won in 13 and 47 goals conceded this season. They looked like a pub team, unsure of where to run, unable to perform the basics – a team playing on the back of another heavy home defeat. And they beat us 2-0. They kept a clean sheet for once. They finished the match spraying the ball about like neighbours Arsenal while we shuffled around ineptly wondering whether it was normal hours opening in nightclubs tonight. ‘We’re s**t and we’re beating you’ their fans sang in disbelief.
Once again Quindall rung the changes today. Out went Preston, Partington and Bradbury in the normal musical chairs and in came Hollands, Moseley and Cooper. Bradbury must have felt the most aggrieved after some decent forward performances recently particularly watching Tubbs putting in one of the worst performances I have ever seen from a professional player – so out of depth it was unnerving.
The first 15 minutes set the pattern for the match – the whole team running away from the back four who then launched it out for a throw-in or goal kick. Nobody came deep to collect as Anderton used to or Partington did against Bury – it was football at its most crude.
Barnet were even worse! They soon settled however when they took the lead – Abomah cut in from the wing, skipped inside Cooper, turned Guyett easily and fired into the top corner for an excellent goal out of nothing.
The goal stung Bournemouth into………no action other than to try even longer hoofs to even smaller forwards as Quinn and Permatan stood motionless watching. The only chance came when Guyett skipped surprisingly past a full back and his cross was flicked across his own keeper by Townsend and put behind by Yakubu without a home player in sight!!
The crowd needed waking up and they got a small piece of action just before half time – first Connell running acutely on to a throughball and lobbing across the keeper but wide, then in our best chance Hollands lobbed the ball against the crossbar after the Barnet guardian had made a hash of a cross.
HT Bournemouth 0 Barnet 1
After much consultation the £300k p.a. dream team of Quinn, Permatan, Director of Football Sutton and the club shrink decided to…………. leave things exactly as they were for the second half. Why not hey! Always wise to keep four back against one up front after all……
The second half saw Bournemouth hump the ball aimlessly at a tiny forward line and fail to close anyone down – reassuringly the same as the first half for Barnet fans. There was a brief spell of threat around the hour mark when first Connell crossed for Igoe to see his header touched behind and then Igoe laid back for Connell to blaze wide. Quinn reacted by frantically warming up his left back – Cummings, who came on for Garry. Bradbury also replaced Moseley. This left us with three central forwards (if you can count Tubbs) and three central midfielders……….and no width whatsoever.
And then the unthinkable happenned. Bartley dwelled yet again on the ball and was robbed on the edge of the Barnet area by Abomah who then ran 80 yards, got inside Cooper and the chasing back Bartley and rounded Jalal. The angle was tight and Pearce was stood on the goalline. Thankfully Abomah shot it weakly straight at Pearce.
Unthankfully Pearce tried to kick it with his right foot and missed. 2-0 and game over.
We then tried to mix it up for the last ten by……. humping a ball aimlessly at a small forward line. This brought no end result whatsoever, a fact hopefully Director of Football Ted Sutton might have written in his notepad ready for the next heads of department meeting.
The team left the pitch once again to a chorus of boos and a loud chant of ‘what a load of rubbish’. So unfair.
It was so much worse than that. Quinn and Tindall – you were unemployed before you came – next time you are in a car scouting for the next Tubbs or Symes try and ponder why that was. Talent might have something to do with it – but i’d hate to pre-empt your discussion.
Jalal 5 Kicked well, no real chance with either goal and dealt with everything else competently.
Cooper 5 Distributed ok second half after dodgy first, and crosses were ok.
Guyett 5 Won a lot in the air.
Pearce 4 Distribution poor and what happenned on that goal line?
Garry 4 Too statuesque for left back. Centre half or sub for me.
Igoe 4 Poor crossing, weak in possession weak in tackle.
Hollands 4 Too often uninvolved, one home midfielder should dominate home games – when did Danny last do this?
Bartley 4 Seemed rushed in everything he did, gave ball away continually, couldn’t pass if his life depended on it today.
Moseley 4 A very uncomfortable left wing slot for the total right footer. It was spotted and he swapped wings 2 mins before coming off!! Tactical genius!
Connell 4 Why he is our hope I will never know. Continually offside, slow and crap in the air. God help us.
Tubbs 2 The good news is……. if he can play professional football so can you and I. Get down the park and practice. Can anyone remember one thing he did? Three games and I’ve not seen him shoot (even off target) yet. What a signing Quinn!!
The Verdict
Proof that there were depths we had not sank too yet contrary to common logic. As inept a display of route one football and tactical crapness as you are ever likely to witness. We made the leagues worst defence look like an Italian world cup winning back four. We bored a decent-ish crowd into submission. Get Fletch back as boss with Eddie as coach, its our only cheap throw of the dice to get crowds up and the chance of a win. Quinn and Tindall – you have decimated player confidence and basic skills. You should hang your heads in shame.
Report by Neil Dawson
