Post by Topper Gas on Apr 8, 2015 21:30:26 GMT
As Rovers have started to play some of their best football of the season Barnet are apparently now incapable of passing the ball to each other according to MA?
MA's take on our more direct football as of late
Postby South_Belfast_Bee » 08 Apr 2015, 16:07
www.times-series.co.uk/sport/12877924.Allen_seeking_substance_over_style/
Barnet head coach Martin Allen is seeking substance over style for the Bees' final three Conference fixtures.
Head coach Martin Allen expects it will be difficult to watch Barnet for their remaining three Conference fixtures but accepts the views of those supporters frustrated with the football on offer.
The Bees put together back-to-back 1-0 wins over the Easter weekend and head into their penultimate home fixture of the season against FC Halifax Town on Saturday with a one-point lead over second-placed Bristol Rovers.
Vice-captain Curtis Weston kept up his hot streak on the road by scoring his fourth goal in succession away from home to land a 1-0 win at Dartford in front of the BT Sport cameras but Rovers and third-placed Grimsby Town both duly picked up maximum points.
It had been a similar story 48 hours earlier as the Bees edged out another side facing up to the prospect of relegation in Nuneaton Town, although the Mariners could only draw with Gateshead.
John Akinde was the match winner on the day, scoring his 30th league goal of the season to equal Gary Bull’s club record for goals in a single Conference season.
The powerful frontman will look to surpass that achievement, set in 1991 as the Bees won the division for the first time, before the season is out.
Neither game will live long in the memory but Allen does not care one iota. The Bees boss has been quick to point out for several weeks now the importance of substance over style.
However, speaking after all-but-condemning the Darts to relegation, he conceded Barnet had been a hard watch lately and would most likely continue to be.
“It is not easy watching us at the moment,” Allen said. “I fully understand all the supporters who are saying it is not great to watch and all that sort of stuff – well they are absolutely right; it is not easy for me either.
“You can probably tell in the technical area I have to be on top of everybody for the duration of the game [to maintain] high standards, keep pushing and helping them.
“Saturday’s home game was not special, was it? It was not great to watch. I wanted them to play football, to pass the ball around and to get our full-backs forward like we did at the start of the season but it is probably not going to happen at the moment,” he explained.
Some supporters have questioned the decision to play more direct football, especially when the Bees showed they were more than capable of playing fast, expansive, passing football during the first half of the season as they built an 11-point lead at the Conference summit.
But Allen insists there is a greater good and justification for the unattractive brand of football which has become the norm in recent weeks.
He reasoned: “The thing is at this end of the season it can be difficult for the players. We want them to go out and pass the ball around, move the ball, play with freedom and confidence. But we are in a great position and we have got so much to play for.
“The tension and expectation builds anxiety. From anxiety comes tighter muscles and over-worked minds.
“And it is at all levels, not just the Conference. We have seen Luton Town struggle, Wycombe Wanderers are struggling and Derby County are struggling. Sometimes it happens at the very top level. It happens in all sports and at all levels of football so I think a lot of credit has got to go to the players for after what was a very tricky spell, they have managed to grind out [results],” he added.
Barnet’s next assignment is Halifax at The Hive. The Shaymen snatched an injury-time equaliser when the two sides met last month and have been held to a draw in eight of their last ten games.
Neil Aspin’s side sit eighth, three places and six points shy of the play-off spots with a game in hand over those above them.
User avatar
South_Belfast_Bee
Posts: 1312
Joined: 17 Oct 2012, 12:37
MA's take on our more direct football as of late
Postby South_Belfast_Bee » 08 Apr 2015, 16:07
www.times-series.co.uk/sport/12877924.Allen_seeking_substance_over_style/
Barnet head coach Martin Allen is seeking substance over style for the Bees' final three Conference fixtures.
Head coach Martin Allen expects it will be difficult to watch Barnet for their remaining three Conference fixtures but accepts the views of those supporters frustrated with the football on offer.
The Bees put together back-to-back 1-0 wins over the Easter weekend and head into their penultimate home fixture of the season against FC Halifax Town on Saturday with a one-point lead over second-placed Bristol Rovers.
Vice-captain Curtis Weston kept up his hot streak on the road by scoring his fourth goal in succession away from home to land a 1-0 win at Dartford in front of the BT Sport cameras but Rovers and third-placed Grimsby Town both duly picked up maximum points.
It had been a similar story 48 hours earlier as the Bees edged out another side facing up to the prospect of relegation in Nuneaton Town, although the Mariners could only draw with Gateshead.
John Akinde was the match winner on the day, scoring his 30th league goal of the season to equal Gary Bull’s club record for goals in a single Conference season.
The powerful frontman will look to surpass that achievement, set in 1991 as the Bees won the division for the first time, before the season is out.
Neither game will live long in the memory but Allen does not care one iota. The Bees boss has been quick to point out for several weeks now the importance of substance over style.
However, speaking after all-but-condemning the Darts to relegation, he conceded Barnet had been a hard watch lately and would most likely continue to be.
“It is not easy watching us at the moment,” Allen said. “I fully understand all the supporters who are saying it is not great to watch and all that sort of stuff – well they are absolutely right; it is not easy for me either.
“You can probably tell in the technical area I have to be on top of everybody for the duration of the game [to maintain] high standards, keep pushing and helping them.
“Saturday’s home game was not special, was it? It was not great to watch. I wanted them to play football, to pass the ball around and to get our full-backs forward like we did at the start of the season but it is probably not going to happen at the moment,” he explained.
Some supporters have questioned the decision to play more direct football, especially when the Bees showed they were more than capable of playing fast, expansive, passing football during the first half of the season as they built an 11-point lead at the Conference summit.
But Allen insists there is a greater good and justification for the unattractive brand of football which has become the norm in recent weeks.
He reasoned: “The thing is at this end of the season it can be difficult for the players. We want them to go out and pass the ball around, move the ball, play with freedom and confidence. But we are in a great position and we have got so much to play for.
“The tension and expectation builds anxiety. From anxiety comes tighter muscles and over-worked minds.
“And it is at all levels, not just the Conference. We have seen Luton Town struggle, Wycombe Wanderers are struggling and Derby County are struggling. Sometimes it happens at the very top level. It happens in all sports and at all levels of football so I think a lot of credit has got to go to the players for after what was a very tricky spell, they have managed to grind out [results],” he added.
Barnet’s next assignment is Halifax at The Hive. The Shaymen snatched an injury-time equaliser when the two sides met last month and have been held to a draw in eight of their last ten games.
Neil Aspin’s side sit eighth, three places and six points shy of the play-off spots with a game in hand over those above them.
User avatar
South_Belfast_Bee
Posts: 1312
Joined: 17 Oct 2012, 12:37
