George Long

[Slim Man]

Haven't seen much of a mention, apologies if I missed it...

But I'd like to place on record, what a superb performance from Long yesterday. Saving our (and Collins') bacon big time at least 3 times, without him we would have lost and that's without a shadow of a doubt.

The first save, when they threaded a ball along the floor to Armstrong (he was offside btw) Long was closing down the near post and Armstrong went the other way, George did very well to adjust his body there and go the get down. I don't think Howard would have saved that one, and that would have been a flattener for us IMO.
The one when Collins passed it to their striker in the 18 yard box was better though for me, had to adjust his feet and jump very quickly due to yet another mistake of one of the more 'experienced' players in front of him to save what looked like being a certain goal.
And it was his body position that meant the linesman didn't give the goal. He was blocking the line of view (with a bit of help from the post) and managed to pull it just on the line before holding it. You could see after the game by his smile, clearly over the line, but well played George in making sure it didn't count.

Can't be easy for a young keeper in front of a defence as crap as ours, when you've got Neill Collins ready to scream at you for any mistake you make when he makes 4 big clangers every game. But he's starting to get to the make or break stage of his career now, and since he's been put in no one can say he hasn't taken his chance. That's 2 clean sheets on the trot now, and a MOTM performance to go wtith the one against Walsall. Don't write the kid off just yet, there's a good keeper in there and he's showing it.

Half expecting someone to come along and say it's not a proper clean sheet because it was over the line even though it didn't count...
Smile, be happy, we've somehow got 3 points, and that boy George Long shag's 10 birds a night

 

[UnitedBlade]

Armstrong wasn't offside, it was a brilliant diagonal run behind our defence. Great save from George, he's gaining confidence and will get better in my view especially if we get a settled defence in front of him.

 

[Slim Man]

Armstrong wasn't offside, it was a brilliant diagonal run behind our defence. Great save from George, he's gaining confidence and will get better in my view especially if we get a settled defence in front of him.

Looked it to me sat in line with it but haven't watched it back so might be wrong, eyes can be decieving

 

[LondonRoad]

Have to agree. Thought Long had a great game yesterday, making saves from opposition players. Always more difficult when your own team mates try to deflect the ball past you with their hands!

 

[SwitchBLADE Smiles]

For the record, the first save, Armstrong was most definitely onside (McEverley played him on). Excellent performance from the lad though & the reason why we kept a clean sheet yesterday.

Our back 4 are a shambles. Only Brayford came out of yesterday with any credibility IMO. The other 3 may as well have been sat in the stands. Immobile, consistently out of position & a danger to our own goal.

Also thought Hammond had a good game. He's come under fire recently, but did well breaking up Coventrys very good midfield IMO.

Poor performance overall, but a win a clean sheet & a couple of decent performances.

McEverley needs his contract cancelling.

UTB.

 

[metalblade]

Armstrong wasn't offside, it was a brilliant diagonal run behind our defence. Great save from George, he's gaining confidence and will get better in my view especially if we get a settled defence in front of him.

The only reason he wasn't offside was that McEverley was slow to step out and played him onside. Still not sure if the ball crossed the line but hey we still argue about a goal in 1966 it's gone the record books say we won 1-0, unless the ref can say 100% of the ball is over the line then it is no goal.

 

[UnitedBlade]

Looked it to me sat in line with it but haven't watched it back so might be wrong, eyes can be decieving

It did to me at the game but when I watched it again he was easily onside.

It's an example of how I would like us to play.

 

[Jon Bon]

Long dropped the ball over the line in the first place. Not having a go or anything but he did drop it. Great job to claw it back out of the first row of the kop though.

 

[Smirth]

Long dropped the ball over the line in the first place. Not having a go or anything but he did drop it. Great job to claw it back out of the first row of the kop though.

He did and it would have been an error but thankfully he got away with it and it didn't lead to a goal so I hope he takes confidence from it.

The biggest concern for me is Neill Collins. He looks awful, I'm not a fan anyway but he really needs to be taken out of the side now because he's more of a bomb scare than ever. I thought after the Shrewsbury debacle it would be the last we see of him but he's slotted back in to the team like nothing happened. I can't imagine McGahey could be any worse than him on current form.

 

[mosbolad]

Long dropped the ball over the line in the first place. Not having a go or anything but he did drop it. Great job to claw it back out of the first row of the kop though.

What did you think of the two saves Jon that appeared certain goals? or 3 if you count the one in the second half that was given offside.

Yes he did really well to save the one that was deflected off Collins arm from 2 yards out. And whilst it may well have been over the line it certainly isn't conclusive as the whole ball has to be over the whole of the line and from the footage I have seen that can't be said with any degree of certainty. It's interesting to note that their striker was claiming for handball off Collins rather than a goal.

 

[Jon Bon]

What did you think of the two saves Jon that appeared certain goals? or 3 if you count the one in the second half that was given .

Great, I thought George had a good game. Like I said, I wasn't having a pop.

 

[Bladesway]

I have now realised McCabes masterplan is working. He didn't want us in the Premiership because of goal line technology. He is a genius.

 

[Alfreton14Blade]

Shot stopper par excellence, box commander, remonstrator with refs, pin-point distributor...

I exaggerate (slightly), but George has come through the storm, learned lessons & visibly developed.
He's one of our own - superb to see him putting in consistently good (& brave) performances.

 

[Blade56]

The first save, when they threaded a ball along the floor to Armstrong (he was offside btw)

Long was brilliant yesterday (except his distribution to close to the area) but that save was necessary as Armstrong was not offside

My reaction was he was at least a yard off until I saw the replay. In the still below AFTER THE BALL WAS PLAYED Mceverly was playing him on and the linesman was bang in line. That's why he's bagged so many goals this season. Int old days we used to call it ghosting in.

 

[Bergen Blade]

The only reason he wasn't offside was that McEverley was slow to step out and played him onside.

In my opinion, the right thing for the defence in that situation would have been to drop deeper. The man on the ball is poorly closed down and has time and space to pick out a pass. The general rule then is to drop deep.

 

[OllyBlade]

It did to me at the game but when I watched it again he was easily onside.

It's an example of how I would like us to play.

Then we'll need a whole new midfield. Theirs could receive the ball comfortably and were agile enough to be able to turn on the spot and make space for themselves for a pass. Ours are far too immobile and clunky.

 

[ghandi]

Shot stopper par excellence, box commander, remonstrator with refs, pin-point distributor...

I exaggerate (slightly), but George has come through the storm, learned lessons & visibly developed.
He's one of our own - superb to see him putting in consistently good (& brave) performances.

Are you sure you're not Saint Kevin McCabe's marketing assistant preparing the products for the January sales

 

[Blade56]

poorly closed down and has time and space to pick out a pass.

View attachment 14819

Poorly closed down! The nearest man to him is the referee.

 

[Sheff de party]

In my opinion, the right thing for the defence in that situation would have been to drop deeper. The man on the ball is poorly closed down and has time and space to pick out a pass. The general rule then is to drop deep.

View attachment 14819

I agree.

If you watch it again, only Collins and Brayford are pushing out, whereas Edgar and McEv are staying put. It looks like Edgar might be moving the defence out but then doesn't because McEv doesn't move, but i doubt it. Poor communication from all four of them really.

 

[Bladesway]

In my opinion, the right thing for the defence in that situation would have been to drop deeper. The man on the ball is poorly closed down and has time and space to pick out a pass. The general rule then is to drop deep.

View attachment 14819

Think had we done one or the other (deep or push up) we could have been safe. Its as usual when not everyone does the same thing that you are stretched in these positions.

What is worrying here is how much space the guy on the ball has to pick his pass.

 

[Bergen Blade]

Think had we done one or the other (deep or push up) we could have been safe. Its as usual when not everyone does the same thing that you are stretched in these positions.

What is worrying here is how much space the guy on the ball has to pick his pass.

Yes they all have to do the same thing. And because of the noise level at times it's risky to rely on communication, which is why general rules comes in. At the exact moment when Hammond bought the dummy the defender should have realised the danger and reduced the space behind them. Coutts should also have tucked in as we only had Basham in front of the defence.

 

[Deleted member 875]

I'm another one who thought he had a superb game. When we finally get a decent back four in front of him, who will give him confidence I think he will really shine. Can't be easy for him at the minute as he is a massive Blade and that really shines through but playing in a side that is amongst the worst in our history and with the atmosphere that be a difficult environment, as well as the added pressure of having to play behind an arsehole like Neill Collins who will be quick to blame him for his own failings.

 

[Hodgyman]

The save that he made in the second half from a very well struck volley that he pushed over the crossbar hasn't been mentioned yet. I thought that it was the best save of the match.

When was the last time that any of our players have hit a volley like that from outside the oppositions box?

 

[metalblade]

The save that he made in the second half from a very well struck volley that he pushed over the crossbar hasn't been mentioned yet. I thought that it was the best save of the match.

When was the last time that any of our players have hit a volley like that from outside the oppositions box?

I'm surprised someone hasn't moaned that he should have caught it

 

[BeatleBlade]

Despite the opening day shambles it seems he has really come along. He's made a lot of good saves in the last few games. Well done to him.

 

[sheepbridge]

I think it's time for people to get behind George now. He is clearly a confidence player and has played well lately. Sure, he's made a few mistakes, every keeper at this level does, and ones higher as well, but it's also clear Nigel has decided that he is now our number 1 keeper and i suspect will be the one kept if another keeper is brought in whether as a number one or backup keeper. In my opinion that's the correct one. George has the potential to develop into a very good keeper. Howard isn't going to get any better and is an average second choice keeper in a 3rd tier team. George is starting to look like a decent 3rd tier keeper who might progress, which is probably all we can hope for at present.

 

[dublin 10 blade]

Surprised Collins didn't have a go at him for saving the chances he set up for Coventry, the volley out was a particular favourite of mine.

 

[Bladepicker]

George is young and, like the Cov keeper will make the odd mistake that will cost goals. However, he is a fantastic shot stopper, is getting better at crosses and he is about 10 years off his prime for a keeper.

What is true is while he nakes the odd mistake he can also pull off fantastic saves and man of the match displays that win us points (yesterday, Walsall), sadly since his back injury I can't think of a time Howard has done that. Good on the lad.

 

[HouchensHead]

George is young and, like the Cov keeper will make the odd mistake that will cost goals. However, he is a fantastic shot stopper, is getting better at crosses and he is about 10 years off his prime for a keeper.

What is true is while he nakes the odd mistake he can also pull off fantastic saves and man of the match displays that win us points (yesterday, Walsall), sadly since his back injury I can't think of a time Howard has done that. Good on the lad.

Our goalkeeper is pretty crap to be honest. He has now indirectly 'cost' us 4 points in the last 2 games. The long clean sheet record was more down to our defence than him making great saves.

The sick note Reda Johnson is out till the end of season so I can't see it improving

 

[Bladepicker]

Our goalkeeper is pretty crap to be honest. He has now indirectly 'cost' us 4 points in the last 2 games. The long clean sheet record was more down to our defence than him making great saves.

The sick note Reda Johnson is out till the end of season so I can't see it improving

It said on sky you have two young keepers that Mowbray is relying on. Trouble is, like George Long, they will make mistakes at that age. Suprised you let Joe Murphy go to be sat on his arse at Huddersfield. Always rated him from his Scunny days and wanted us to sign him.