Match thread Chester FC v Wr*xh*m

Definitely deserved something from that game. First half I thought we were poor but second half we had a real go at them but just couldn't find a way through.
The ref was awful. He let them get away with far too much. Astles was outstanding as was Akintunde bizarre to take him off although I guess the manager will say it was because of height as we through bodies forward. Midfield after a poor first half played very well but really do need to speed things up at times.
On the negative, Halls passing is beyond woeful and White and the lad from Derby don't look up to the required standard. God knows what Bell has to do to get some time on the pitch.

They remind me a bit of us under Mark Wright. Not particularly exciting or likeable, but solid and capable of bullying their way to promotion.

Don't like to blame officials but I don't think we got much from the ref tonight. Two decent penalty shouts, a possible red card, and I think what annoyed me most was the foul Dunn got for what was just a lousy bit of goalkeeping. Pearson was gobbing off all game and finally got booked for it in the 90th minute - what's the point? Book him in the 20th minute and he'll stop doing it!

Every game we say we are playing better but are unlucky, missed chances, injuries etc. and while that may be true, it doesn't win us any points so yes, we face an uphill struggle to stay in this league.

I agree with you, you hit the woodwork twice, a couple of decision against you. the ref let some iffy challenges go and give some silly free kicks.

How we didn’t beat the Povs I will never know! Should’ve done them four one.

Please bin Harry White off, he makes Hobson look like Pele. Akintunde should’ve stayed on, he had the Povs chasing shadows.

Funniest part of the match was seeing two POVs from Wrexham in the west stand trying to keep quiet. One had absolutely filthy clothes on and one had half a haircut. Stood out like a sore thumb. Probably Devachat’s resident T@@@ G n R with his bird.

Oh and Wrexham fans those bucket hats are embarrassing. You look like you’ve had a dip in a school jumble sale bin bag.

He's just a carthorse, said that from the start. He offers us absolutely nothing.

Wright was always reluctant to play Twiss and Smith though. He kept creativity in that team to an absolute minimum! 

I'd say it's an even league rather than a poor one, which gives me hope that we can survive.

Sounds strange to say but despite our dominance, and hitting the woodwork on a couple of occasions, we really never looked like scoring tonight and as soon as they, with the best defence in the league, took the lead you sensed the game was over.

Funny Lobster should mention Mark Wright 03/04 vintage - some of us at the game and a few from the WhatsApp group chat watching from home literally all said the same about Wrexham. If they win by one goal every week, as they seem to do most weeks, then you can see them going all the way. They are solid, organised and streetwise in their game management and in knowing how to win games. That defence is superb - they just lack the 20+ goal-a-season striker (or the TWO that we had in 03/04). Kelly and Wedgebury were FGR reserves last season but look to be the best central midfield in the league - Kelly especially oozes class (he scored both FGR goals against us in the FA Trophy last season when they put a second string side out). With that solid "back six" its no surprise to see them up where they are. I thought Wrexham played the game better than we did tonight. They seem to know that if they go a goal up they've won - "come on then, break us down." We couldn't and as I said we never looked like scoring all night.

MB got it spot on post-match in saying that we may have hit the woodwork a couple of times but we never once tested their keeper and that we can't afford to keep playing well but losing games. We seem to be forever conceding sloppy, poor goals at the wrong times. I also thought the 3-4-3 system suited our defence and midfield players tonight (until RHJ had to go off and James moved out of position - he played like he really couldn't be arsed being there once he went out wide) but it really doesn't suit our forwards who all looked a bit thrown together. Hannah has to play off the shoulder of the last defender alongside a target man in a front two but we obviously haven't got enough wingers or enough centre backs to go 4-4-2. We desperately need one of each in order for us to play a system that will get the best out of all of them.

All in all, another dominant performance but nowhere near clinical enough in the final third. We need to start winning games desperately otherwise we'll be talking about more dominant performances in the Conference North next season.

I think there is a bit too much knee jerk reaction to our defeat. Granted that in the first half, Wrexham were the better team but equally, we were far superior in the second half. Wrexham have a sound pair of centre backs but apart from those two, did any of their players stand out - No, they were no better than ours.
Apart from conceding the goal, Lynch had an easy night, with no shots to trouble him while we hit the woodwork twice. I'm sure we will play worse than we did tonight and win games - I just hope we start soon.

Yes we are ordinary, but I don't think you will go down.

You'll note I never mentioned their attacking ability.

Chester supporter alert . What utter rubbish . The best team won remember the one that scored the goal then kept Chester out. I agree that our final 3rd is hopeless and our goal keeper a clown but we bosses you all over the pitch and to be honest I thought you had a few individually good players but the rest are hoofball merchants.
I don't think you will get relegated this season as I don't think we will get promoted unless Keates sorts out our forwards .

Overall, I think a draw would have been a fair result against an ugly, functional and flairless team who will possibly bore and grind their way to promotion probably via the playoffs.

However, looking back on tonight as best I can, I'm beginning to think that the major factor hindering our progress is BELIEF.
Belief in our ability to both compete and play against teams and WIN matches.
MB is obviously trying to instil this into the team but I suspect there's a residual caution and negativity within the players' mindset that's making this a big task. When he DOES get through to the players e.g the H/T talk tonight and the belief is there (albeit temporarily) we are capable of playing decent football, creating chances etc although we need even more belief within our strikers to capitalise on them!

In short, there's enough in this team NOT to be scared of the opposition, we are quite capable of dictating play and gaining our rewards from our dominance as evidenced by tonight's second half. Problem is, the belief issue needs to be resolved ASAP, time is marching on.
It will click soon, MB will make sure of it but the players need to BELIEVE, not just in MB but THEMSELVES. It WILL happen!

Don’t think we played that well, we were too narrow and left Archer with a thankless task.

That said, I thought we were much the better side and unlucky not to win.

There’s being functional and hard to beat etc, but Wrexham looked average at best. Both centre halves were outstanding but very little else. Can’t see them being a top 5 side, the league is a dreadful standard if they are.

Just one of those nights, really.