Braintree v Dartford Tue 28 Dec 2021 at 3pm

[ozymandias]

MickW, i hardly call my post bullying. The guy is so negative.

[DA Mikey]

Just to remind a few posters that Kevin Murtagh was a regular starter in the 1st 8 games of the season when we were on fire and its totally unfair to blame him for the last 10 games when our form has been mid table at best , a lot of Murtaghs work is breaking up play and giving the ball to the " creative ball players like Husin, Hyde , Jebb and Leonard " who are NOT creating chances for the strikers , yesterday being proof with very few threats on Braintree 's goal !!
Steve Kings post match assessment of the team was totally correct and we have to do better than of late or we will NOT be in play ofs , I feel sure that Kingy will get it sorted but I reckon we will see a few outgoings/ incomings in January

I’ll bite…

By the end of the friendlies, I just couldn’t work out what the clamour was surrounding “Kevin”. I didn’t go to all of them and I also didn’t see a single game in November. However, yesterday we saw a nadir performance where he was unable to keep up with play, virtually immobile when not directly involved and when the ball did come to him it was given away at least half of the time. There are other players which have failed to maintain high standards set in the early stages of this season and I’m aware that it seems like I’ve got the knives out for “Kevin”, but the fact remains that since his arrival, I’ve yet to see a 7/10 or better performance from him.

Nothing would please me more than Murtagh delivering a MOTM showing against the train station on Sunday.

[Lennylenny]

A battery has a positive and a negative , both are very important , too much positive a team might believe they really are the best ever, too much negative they start having self doubt. A dose of both keeps the battery working , may this forum continue as such

[M1 South]

Two negatives doth not maketh a positive!!

[Spike]

Two negatives doth not maketh a positive!!

Although it ain't not true that -2 x -2 = 4 (to give but 2 examples of where it does).

[Spike]

A battery has a positive and a negative , both are very important , too much positive a team might believe they really are the best ever, too much negative they start having self doubt. A dose of both keeps the battery working , may this forum continue as such

That's all fine Lenny, but opinion can appear skewed when you have things being posted by malignant tongued individuals who are not genuine Darts fans and don't even come to matches. I'm convinced we have at least one on here.

[Lennylenny]

Two negatives doth not maketh a positive!!

That’s handy didn’t get home to half two xmas day and bought wife a Hoover for xmas!

[Tony H]

Bloody hell, is this the Open University I’ve logged into or the DFC forum lol?

To change things and return to a winning run - that is the challenge. Yes, we have an incredibly strong squad of players that would be the envy of most Clubs, even the “thrifty” Ryan Maxwell at Brainlesstree!!

A chat amongst four of us in the bar after the game yesterday illustrated that each of us would put out four different teams. My plea to Mr King is this - please find the winning combination and stick with it!

[Lennylenny]

I agree Spike but I’m a bit scared of the man with the biggest muscles in just one arm who lives with his mum from Maidstone to argue!

[Silverado]

Just to remind a few posters that Kevin Murtagh was a regular starter in the 1st 8 games of the season when we were on fire and its totally unfair to blame him for the last 10 games when our form has been mid table at best , a lot of Murtaghs work is breaking up play and giving the ball to the " creative ball players like Husin, Hyde , Jebb and Leonard " who are NOT creating chances for the strikers , yesterday being proof with very few threats on Braintree 's goal !!
Steve Kings post match assessment of the team was totally correct and we have to do better than of late or we will NOT be in play ofs , I feel sure that Kingy will get it sorted but I reckon we will see a few outgoings/ incomings in January

I’ll bite…

By the end of the friendlies, I just couldn’t work out what the clamour was surrounding “Kevin”. I didn’t go to all of them and I also didn’t see a single game in November. However, yesterday we saw a nadir performance where he was unable to keep up with play, virtually immobile when not directly involved and when the ball did come to him it was given away at least half of the time. There are other players which have failed to maintain high standards set in the early stages of this season and I’m aware that it seems like I’ve got the knives out for “Kevin”, but the fact remains that since his arrival, I’ve yet to see a 7/10 or better performance from him.

Nothing would please me more than Murtagh delivering a MOTM showing against the train station on Sunday.

I couldn't agree more on "Kevin". For those old enough to remember, I am reminded of the worst of Ray "the Crab" Wilkins (ex Chelsea/England), who earned that nickname for his propensity for playing every pass sideways. Imo "Kevin" is nowhere near as good. I just don't know why Kingy keeps playing him. Does "Kevin" have some secret hold over him? I think we should know

[Babylon]

I am not going to pick on individuals but I still think we need some muscle in midfield.
We have talented players in the midfield but imo we need a Bradbrook or a Noble (in their heyday)
Someone to. stick their foot in and win the ball.

I rate Kingy highly but I also think that there is a little too much tinkering, but that is just my opinion.

Whatever happens in the next 4/5 months it will be consistently that wins this league
Unfortunately at the moment we are a long way from being consistent .
I just hope that this team can get back to regular winning ways soon.

[Park Life]

Match highlights:-

[MickW]

MickW, i hardly call my post bullying. The guy is so negative.

Oz when you start saying someone slithers and accuses them of not being a fan because he holds a different view a line is crossed.
There's plenty of negativity about and if you want to challenge it by all means do so but don't resort to personal insults - once that starts to happen we will end up where we did before and people will leave.

[M1 South]

I never realised how on top we were first half. Done everything except score!!
Some good editing there though as only ever saw 1 x ball on the pitch at any one time??

[JCJ]

Thing is the guy who posts negative comments post nothing about us coming back from 2-0 down to get a draw, in fact he only posts during a game and when we are losing, sounds a little bit like up the darts to me.

I assume the Kevin people are going on about are talking about Kieren, in my opinion we would miss him if he didn’t play he is that sort of player

[Park Life]

I never realised how on top we were first half. Done everything except score!!
Some good editing there though as only ever saw 1 x ball on the pitch at any one time??

Agree with that M1.
We played some decent stuff in the first half and spoke to a neutral at HT who said we were much the better side. Second half was not good but we did stick at it and ended up with a draw which keeps us right in the mix, we should also remember a win would have taken us back to the top again.
As for Braintree's tactics, just like a bunch of juvenile kids really and not what you would expect at this level.
Referee same one we had at Sudbury and whilst he wasn't crap yesterday it gave us the opportunity to remind him how crap he was at Sudbury

MOTM for me between Jake Robinson and Jack Jebb with Jack just getting my vote. I really rate Jack and thought he changed the game when he came on, i don't think some appreciate how good a player he is.


Must admit i don't like some of the personal comments on individual players that have been posted, not what i would do and it must effect them. I know and agree that everyone is entitled to their own opinions but does any fan really think that it helps to air those type of comments on here?

Since Steve took over the turnaround has been remarkable and we've have been challenging at the top of the division all the time but nobody went way over the top early season when we were exceptional so maybe we need to stay as level headed when performances are not as good.
We are right in the mix again and with the squad we have i'm certain we will start improving and go on a decent run again.

With the match against our "Covid stricken remarkable recovery merchants" coming up surely we should rally round and get behind the team.

[ozymandias]

Which is probably what he's aiming for Mick. I do not normally resort to such tactic's. But when his first post was 'Oh dear' I thought, 'We must be a goal down' as before that, there wasn't a mention of the score. Sure enough, guess what?
I tell you what, I won't mention him again. Because if I did, he'd probably get exactly what you have stated. Fans leaving the forum.

[Tony H]

Kieron Murtagh provides invaluable experience and must be regarded as a regular in the second half of the season.

As I’ve said in a previous post, Steve needs to find his best starting 11 and formation and stick with it, in my opinion. Too much “tinkering” (and I’m sure he’ll say he picks a team to counter the way the opposition play) can’t help.

That’s probably why he’s manager and I’m not I guess lol. Let’s see what Sunday brings.

[dartLion]

Just watched the 'high' lights, (after smashing through a few at the head!) I trust the management will have noted that two Darts players had encroached into the penalty area at the point the ball was struck. (Freeze the frame at this point and you will see one each side).With VAR or a more astute official, the kick would have to be retaken. I'd hate to lose a game on the strength of missing a re-take, not that we would miss of course!

Reference up the darts, how Ozy reported is/was exactly how I see/saw his postings, just those two words "oh dear", and I knew it was up the darts and we weren't winning! Like the topic of alleged bullying, (not) negative comments become boring. A leopard can change it's name but never its spots. Never praise, only negative comment.

A long way to go this season and I am sure we are all behind the team at all times, but when the chips are down we need positivity here to get through to the team.

COYD and be careful at pens!

[M1 South]

It was the same Ref from the fateful Sudbury game, so maybe subconsciously owed us big time!! x