Well, not many positives to take out of that. 

Another slow start - could have 2-0 down after 10 minutes- and never really looked like scoring a goal.   Woking were more physical and won most of the 50:50s; two big centre halves dealt with any threat with comfort and our wide players weren’t able to impose themselves on the full backs. 

Second half was better, with two up top and more passes strung together, but not much more than a few half chances. 

My personal highlight was a perfectly timed tackle by Dan G against a marauding forward which, if you squinted very hard, was Bobby Moore vs Pele in 1970!  Anyone else see it that way? 

Slow start again 😡 and Harrison kept us in it with some good saves 

Prior a big miss 

Pybus looked good when he came on 

Seager good also when he came on and made some half chances and the second half was much better 

Both teams look like they were feeling the effects of two games in 3 days 

Home game v Eastleigh looks like a big one already on Saturday 

Think the shape of the team will take a few more games to sort out and integrate the new signings 

@baggy Gallagher like Bobby Moore, bloody hell now you are grasping at straws. That's a bloody insult. 😉😣

Watched it on the stream. I'm afraid I think most of the players are not National League level. The team is way to old and I'm afraid Marc's philosophy of playing football isn't working because the players aren't comfortable on the ball.

I see lots of our players falling over trying to get cheap  fouls, not sure why this has starting to happen. 

@happy-hammers agree the current defence doesn’t seem comfortable on the ball, Craig seems quite uncertain playing out and has made a few errors, very lucky not to concede in the first half from one

I agree with Gary Pascoe. Our team has always felt a bit older than most opponents that we face, it is probably because we stay loyal to 'true wanderers lads' for a year or so longer than we probably should. A few of them are struggling at NL level now. And 2 games in 3 days is just too much for some of ours, eg Jason. These guys also have day jobs and some have young families. Niall never got past the full back once today and was telling Barry Fuller to put balls over the top. Craig wanted to pass back to Male even when the alarm bells were ringing not to. You see some clubs at this level are mostly former U21 players from 'top clubs' - no 'real job', no wife and kids, just 24/7 fully fit footballers.

They all try their hardest our lot, but many have their limitations, this isn't the NLS any more where we could bully teams. We really need to cut out the mistakes. I imagine Lankshire will put his error today down to nerves. 

Male made another 2 wonder saves today, he is keeping us in games longer than we deserve to be honest (no shots on target I believe?)

In reality just to mirror last season we probably need to upgrade several positions. It's not a bottomless money pit though, we can't just replace another 3 or 4 boys with experienced NL players on our home gates of 1600 or so. And are experienced NL players going to come to us with our unusual '2 mornings a week' training regime anyway?

The goals conceded tally is once again high (joint 2nd highest conceded in the division), reminds me of Jan-March last season when the wheels came off.

Let's hope a home game up next and loads of service to Prior delivers a few goals. 

It's not all despair, some players ARE good enough, Seager is consistently working his socks off, Male has gone up a division effortlessly like he belongs in the NL.

I am not panicking, but I am a realist, we need to accept that if we really work to our strengths then we are in the same company as Maidenhesd and Aldershot. We are a long way off being a Solihull or Borehamwood and challenging. This is a super tough division, and there's been 3 desperately not good enough performances already this season.

Ha, @Gary Pascoe - you weren’t squinting hard enough 😉  But apologies to all Hammers fans.  

I agree that age might be a factor but for me it is the physicality that is the difference.  As we learnt last season, it is a massive step up in this respect at NL level. Some of our seasoned pros can hold their own - Craig, Fuller, Francombe, Prior - but others lack the physical presence to make an impact. That is where recruitment should focus for me.  The new left back may have a left foot but looks a bit fragile at this stage. 

Craig is decent enough on the ball but both he and Barry lack options for a pass - no one coming short for them or running in behind. There is plenty to work on tactically I think with the players we have, but some new big lads wouldn’t go amiss. 

What I am baffled by is the defense. At the end of last season, Francomb, and, especially, Craig seemed to make a huge impact. Yet with the first few games this season, it feels like last season when we were just hemorrhaging goals, but we are not even scoring as many goals. Does anyone think that Marc is bringing in some players to make the transition to full time this season knowing we will lose a few players? Rough start, but let's hope things turn around very soon. 

Rob, I have no intel other than listening to everything Marc puts out there, but reading between the lines I would guess that if results don't pick up pretty quickly, then the push towards either a more full time regime, or just extra strength and conditioning fitness has to be imminent. We can't keep going with a new player injured to add to the long list pretty much every week.

I don't know if it is the age of the players or what, but as Marc said, it's like an A&E. He almost has no choice over the team because there are so many forced omissions!

Looks from the MOM poll Harrison Male is a clear winner (… so far) .. well played 

He has settled well, made some great saves and is very comfortable on the ball, which is a huge bonus as some of the defenders don’t seem quite as confident with the ball at the moment 

A good start to his Wanderers career  … we just need to tighten up in front of him now and who knows maybe that elusive clean sheet can come on Saturday at home to Eastleigh 🤔 🐔 ⚽️ 

Male has kept us in games when we haven't otherwise deserved to be. He is a great addition.

@dorking-eagle

Yes I think the biggest factor by quite a long way is now the lack of 'full time fitness' - too many matches players look worn out quite early on. 

Also agree about players ages - just done some googling as didn't know the ages of some and was quite surprised tbh. Wonder how our average age compares to other NL teams...

Positives for me are, Seagar, Bowerman, Prior and Male. I also think Kuhl will cut it once he's properly adjusted.

McShane looks a bit done at times too - I see he's 33 - still looks like a kid!

I think Gary has said what a lot of us all feel. Many of this team are simply not up to NL level, believe there should have been a clear out in the summer. I don't think Tony Craig looks the same player without Francombe next to him and as for the forward line, simply not good enough. Ottoway is and never will be good enough for the National League, and that's being polite! The only shining light from this season so far is Harrison Male and that tells you everything you need to know. 

@mackers71

A bit strong imho. All these players were cutting it, to a degree and on quite a few occasions last season. Especially the second half of the season.

They don't become bad players over night. Surely it's a full time/fitness more than anything?

Ottoway did really well at times, especially when coming on as sub. I think age may now be against him (although he's listed as both 33 and 23 online!)

Marc did say during pre-season that it would take 6 weeks or so to get everyone up to full match fitness because training 2 days a week we'd be a little behind the pro teams. But once we've playing Sat-Tues a few times then we'd be up to speed. Marc has done this enough times to know what he needs. He'll sort it.