Eastleigh 2-0 Aldershot Town - Saturday 15th February 2025 (Match Day Thread)

[Graham Stovold]

Football changes very quickly , it was only 4 games ago when i was at Oldham watching the jubilation of the great win at Boundary Park and now this . We have proved we have the players to turn this around , after all the good times he’s given us , i think Tommy deserves a bit more time before he’s thrown on the scrapheap.

One good away win doesn’t prove anything. I would rather gauge our situation over the course of the season & that means we haven’t been good enough.

It doesn’t take much to work it out tbh.

[Jason]

Football changes very quickly , it was only 4 games ago when i was at Oldham watching the jubilation of the great win at Boundary Park and now this . We have proved we have the players to turn this around , after all the good times he’s given us , i think Tommy deserves a bit more time before he’s thrown on the scrapheap.

How much time do you give?

He is stubbornly playing what most of us can see is wrong personnel and personnel in wrong positions, which in my mind will continue to yield the same poor results.

We only have 17 league fixtures remaining and are only a point above the relegation places. I am expecting us to be in the bottom 4 at the end of February, so we are going to have to spend March and April digging ourselves out of a hole.

We have crucial fixtures particularly coming up through March, with the FA trophy quarter final and games against teams in and around us (Dag & Red, Maidenhead, Ebbsfleet, Wealdstone and Fylde on the 1st April).

[chimpster99]

Given that we have Deane hoovering up our cash now that the stadium project is floundering, the NL Cup is vital to Tommy in generating some kind of additional funds to work with. It's fielding first-teamers in the Hampshire Cup that baffles me!!!

[Graham Stovold]

It's clear we can't go on like this . Selection strategy needs a complete revamp. We aren't playing players in best positions to give us a chance and occasionally decent players left out. I'm afraid most clubs in this situation change manager and as much as that pains me ,with the repetitive errors it's time to change. It all needs a shake up. Who would be a decent replacement?

Think its slim pickings in terms of out of work managers, very interested to see how many applicants applied last time. Years ago we used to be flooded with applicants, not sure that's the case these days. I'd love to see us get a manager who doesnt take any crap in, who plays 442, with a big bruiser at the back, and a big target man up top with exciting wingers.

It's a nice dream but doubt we'll see it

I think that line about being flooded with applicants, was a scam that got put out by the directors as a publicity gimmick. I stopped believing it a few years ago when they said that for the umpteenth time, and appointed Danny Searle.

[redblueuptoyou]

Given that we have Deane hoovering up our cash now that the stadium project is floundering, the NL Cup is vital to Tommy in generating some kind of additional funds to work with. It's fielding first-teamers in the Hampshire Cup that baffles me!!!

Hoovering up our cash or claiming back what is his?

[Steve Melledew]

We started with more possession and knocking it around the back without much threat, but once they caught us on the break with the first goal it Was men against boys they won every battle we are so weak physically.

Agree with others let’s play our best side not the manager’s favourites Frost is not comfortable playing left side Theo pathetic effort to stop there second goal not good enough as is our midfield in general.

Tetek where is he (top secret) Widdrington doesn’t want us to know, Maja never given a chance. Maybe bring Jenkins in at the back and move Woodhouse into midfield the lad is class Jones on left Frost in middle with Woodhouse.

Physicality is our downfall, we certainly have the skill but not at a high enough relevance to get away with a team which just doesn't have the backbone to grind out results. Where are the real leaders on the pitch, even Sam Hatton would get into this team.

Exactly we have the skill but boy are we lightweight Eastleigh were man to man or (boy)so much stronger.
You look at some other teams signings they sign mature players who have developed physically, we can only afford I guess young players with a Prospect to be a good player due to our budget or the Manager rather trying to get cheap talent to develop.

Stokes was a rare find had the strength to hold of his man Barrett can do the same as can the mature James Henry I would add Jenkins and Maja but they haven’t hardly played, the rest are physically weaker than most of the teams we play against. Which worries me when we still have to play the likes of Maidenhead, Fylde, Ebbsfleet who will be more physical than us.

[Harlow Massive]

Football changes very quickly , it was only 4 games ago when i was at Oldham watching the jubilation of the great win at Boundary Park and now this . We have proved we have the players to turn this around , after all the good times he’s given us , i think Tommy deserves a bit more time before he’s thrown on the scrapheap.

How much time do you give?

He is stubbornly playing what most of us can see is wrong personnel and personnel in wrong positions, which in my mind will continue to yield the same poor results.

We only have 17 league fixtures remaining and are only a point above the relegation places. I am expecting us to be in the bottom 4 at the end of February, so we are going to have to spend March and April digging ourselves out of a hole.

We have crucial fixtures particularly coming up through March, with the FA trophy quarter final and games against teams in and around us (Dag & Red, Maidenhead, Ebbsfleet, Wealdstone and Fylde on the 1st April).

He has had enough time! It simply has and is not working!

[SteveyAsp]

Given that we have Deane hoovering up our cash now that the stadium project is floundering, the NL Cup is vital to Tommy in generating some kind of additional funds to work with. It's fielding first-teamers in the Hampshire Cup that baffles me!!!

The question is how much is it contributing to games being called off, injury to players and of course the possibility of the extra games adding to our chances of relegation and the associated costs that go along with all those things?

[Aldershot_Rob]

Give Tommy as much or as little time as you want, all the while we have a two bit chairman and his band of merry men , we'll continue to have the same problems season after season.

[Harlow Massive]

Give Tommy as much or as little time as you want, all the while we have a two bit chairman and his band of merry men , we'll continue to have the same problems season after season.

Make that "serious problems" on and off the park Rob.

Can't wait for the annual accounts to come out.........

[brian bloomfield]

Whilst we're on here discussing all things Aldershot I know Shahid, Deane and John will be having long conversations on this wonderful Sunday on how they can help the manager and what they need to do to prevent relegation.
One thing I do know is they'll be just as worried, most probably a lot more than us about the current position because they'll have to pick up the pieces.
For the clubs sake I hope they find a way to help the manager kick on from this difficult position.

[Reg's corner]

It's clear we can't go on like this . Selection strategy needs a complete revamp. We aren't playing players in best positions to give us a chance and occasionally decent players left out. I'm afraid most clubs in this situation change manager and as much as that pains me ,with the repetitive errors it's time to change. It all needs a shake up. Who would be a decent replacement?

Think its slim pickings in terms of out of work managers, very interested to see how many applicants applied last time. Years ago we used to be flooded with applicants, not sure that's the case these days. I'd love to see us get a manager who doesnt take any crap in, who plays 442, with a big bruiser at the back, and a big target man up top with exciting wingers.

It's a nice dream but doubt we'll see it

It does have it's merits but not the fashion these days.. we do have obsession with pass pass pass ideology and play it round the back. Trouble is that it programmes out other strengths like early pass when it's on or early ball into the box or earlier cross.. defenders getting caught running back always leads to mistakes ,corners ,free kicks and thus more pressure. I feel the football philosophy has gone the wrong way. I only see home games and occasional online games but time and time again at home I see an obvious through ball ,maybe a 50/50 but it creates anxiety in defenses but no the player checks back- obviously anxious not to lose possession and pass around the back again. We need a mixture. Not a 'keep possession at all costs' mentality. We aren't a boring Spain from 2008, or England , or Brazil. The pitch has gone so I say lump it up there.. Forest green couldn't handle it back in August.. why did we stop?

[TracoShot]

Yesterday was poor.

We started the game ok but it soon became clear they had quicker, stronger and bigger players than us all over the park and therein lies our problem.

From the start of the season it's been obvious to most that the squad put together by TW is simply not strong enough to survive in this league.

There is no-one else to blame other than TW and at any other club in this league he would have been sacked by now. Unfortunately the club is run as poorly ofc the field as it is on it and nothing will happen other than relegation.

Whether we then still have a club to support next season is in the lap of the gods.

How did it ever come to this ?

[Reg's corner]

Whilst we're on here discussing all things Aldershot I know Shahid, Deane and John will be having long conversations on this wonderful Sunday on how they can help the manager and what they need to do to prevent relegation.
One thing I do know is they'll be just as worried, most probably a lot more than us about the current position because they'll have to pick up the pieces.
For the clubs sale I hope they find a way to help the manager kick on from this difficult position.

He only needs to make a few tweaks ,most of which is covered here. ; The son, get frost in midfield .. more long ,flatter balls to barham and more root one .. but can he adapt?

[brian bloomfield]

We've had some good target men in the past. Mark Butler, Gary Abbott, John Grant etc. With the pitch in the current condition I agree Reg we should play more the long ball unfortunately I don't think we have the height, pace or strength up front to play this type of game. I feel we need to play a more compact 4-4-2 and use our potentially good wingbacks a la Chewins and Hooper to break down defences more particularly on the counter attack