Matt Lawrence you're wrong

[AustrianAndyGull]

Just thought i'd post this as it has got me a little angry and thats not good. Only just got round to reading yesterdays footy supplement in the Daily Mirror and in the match preview for Gills v Stoke, Gillingham defender Matt Lawrence was being quizzed about the probable aerial bombardment from Stoke and if they could deal with it. Here's the answer he gave, ' we play against teams like this every week in league 2 and so are used to it'. Or words to that effect. What a cock! Does he not realise this isn't the case anymore? Lower league football has evolved in the years i've been watching it and the quality of football played by ourselves and many other teams in our division is really good. OK you get some teams who lump it forward and you get some games where kick and rush takes over but that is to be expected but overall the quality in L2 is excellent. This bloke is talking out of his sphincter and has no brain cells. His comments belittle and disrespect the progress that has been made in the football league in terms of player development and teams looking to play it properly.

[Glostergull]

Here Here that man. I agree wholeheartedly with your comments. The quote was also in nature disrespectful of the qualtiy of league two and the players in it too.
I saw highlights of the couple of cup matches and thought that although the respective teams where supposedly in the Premier league the skill level shown could also be seen in league two as well and on a regualr basis. vis a vis Goals scored by Eunan.Lee.Rene.Nicko.et all. Nuff sed.

[stefano]

Just thought i'd post this as it has got me a little angry and thats not good. Only just got round to reading yesterdays footy supplement in the Daily Mirror and in the match preview for Gills v Stoke, Gillingham defender Matt Lawrence was being quizzed about the probable aerial bombardment from Stoke and if they could deal with it. Here's the answer he gave, ' we play against teams like this every week in league 2 and so are used to it'. Or words to that effect. What a c**k! Does he not realise this isn't the case anymore? Lower league football has evolved in the years i've been watching it and the quality of football played by ourselves and many other teams in our division is really good. OK you get some teams who lump it forward and you get some games where kick and rush takes over but that is to be expected but overall the quality in L2 is excellent. This bloke is talking out of his sphincter and has no brain cells. His comments belittle and disrespect the progress that has been made in the football league in terms of player development and teams looking to play it properly.

I agree completely with your sentiments Andy although statistics still show that if you are on the edge of your own penalty area the best way to score a goal is to lump it forward, 2 or 3 touches and in the net. Whilst the purist way is to pass it down the field each successive pass has a chance of failure and the move breaking down, so the best way to score is lump it hard, as Stoke have found this season in the Premiership!

I am not disagreeing with your post Andy so don't blame me for the reply ... it is what match stats show over the course of a season.

[kingsgull]

Bit like Tim Howard did to Bolton last Wednesday

[ferrarilover]

Let's hope they're set up to deal with the long ball when we play them next then, should be an easy day for the boys.

Matt.

[AustrianAndyGull]

Agree to a certain extent stefano but clearing your lines out of panic is different to a team basing their entire attacking tactic on the long ball. Many teams in the lower leagues have worked hard at playing football the right way and to retain possession when there is nothing on rather than hoisting the ball forward at every opportunity just because its a quick way of getting out of your own half. I went to Crewe this season for our 3-0 win and we played the perfect game, keeping the ball at the back, stroking it around and going back to defence if there were no forward options at that time. We could have launched the ball into their box for Howe & co but thats not how we play generally and i'm sure its like that for a lot of teams at our level. According to Lawrence, he may as well be a feckin robot just standing there and heading out / hoofing out of his own box as thats all, doesn't say a lot for his burgeoning talent as a footballer!

[stefano]

Agree to a certain extent stefano but clearing your lines out of panic is different to a team basing their entire attacking tactic on the long ball. Many teams in the lower leagues have worked hard at playing football the right way and to retain possession when there is nothing on rather than hoisting the ball forward at every opportunity just because its a quick way of getting out of your own half. I went to Crewe this season for our 3-0 win and we played the perfect game, keeping the ball at the back, stroking it around and going back to defence if there were no forward options at that time. We could have launched the ball into their box for Howe & co but thats not how we play generally and i'm sure its like that for a lot of teams at our level. According to Lawrence, he may as well be a feckin robot just standing there and heading out / hoofing out of his own box as thats all, doesn't say a lot for his burgeoning talent as a footballer!

Again Andy you haven't said anything I disagree with there and I like the way that we, and a number of other teams, play cultured football for our level. It was a delight against Swindon and especially against Argyle, although in that game it was a bit like passing the ball around those cones as they do in training!!

[A J]

I think its because the same Matt Lawrence spent half the game on his arse at Plainmoor moaning at the Ref for being 'fouled' by Rene