Who wins? The two starting XIs and subs…
(4-4-2 - was more of a diamond than a flat four)
Phillips
Dijksteel Bauer Sarr Purrington
Pratley Cullen Bielik Aribo
Taylor Parker
(Subs: Maxwell, Pearce, Solly, Forster-Caskey, Reeves, Williams, Lapslie)
—
(4-3-3 to 3-5-2)
Campbell Godden Small
Docherty Coventry Gilbert
Edwards Gillesphey Jones Ramsay
Mannion
(Subs: Maynard-Brewer, Mitchell, Watson, Berry, Anderson, Aneke, Mbick)
2
Comments
I think '25 is better defensively, but I think that '19 is good enough at the back to stop our forward line.
2011/12 walks all over both.
That 2019 team on promotion would immediately lose the out of contract Bauer and Aribo, and the loan player Bielik so was straight away a lot weaker.
Ramsay, Bauer, Jones, Edwards
Bielik
Cullen Aribo
Williams
Taylor, Godden.
But I think the culture, manager, team spirit, means that 25 have more chance of consolidating in the championship.
Ramsay and Jones our best two players, but Bielik and Bauer were also Championship standard so not much between them.
Question marks over Gillesphey, Sarr and Pearce at Championship level but all good in L1 in different ways.
Small over Dijksteel for flair but Dijksteel the more reliable steady player. Dijksteel continued progressing at Boro, Small has the potential to do the same but hasn’t done it yet.
Edwards over Purrington. Both consistent but Edwards has more about him.
Coventry over Pratley, I think he’ll stand out for his defensive work next season just as Pratley did in the Championship.
Cullen over Docherty and Aribo over Gilbert (or Berry/Anderson).
Taylor over Godden on all round ability.
TC over Parker, easiest one.
It’s very close when you compare individuals, even though Bowyer’s team clearly played the more attractive and exciting football. The current team edges it defensively.
We couldn’t keep Bowyer’s team together so had to rebuild and the budget really limited what could be done.
We can add to this team and hopefully there will be a budget that means we can at least comfortably survive in the Championship. Huge summer ahead for recruitment.
Match Report: Team 25 See Off Team 19 in Extra-Time Wembley Epic
Wembley Stadium – 80,000 fans – Team 25 win 3-1 AET
Team 25 emerged victorious in a pulsating clash at Wembley, overcoming Team 19 with a 3-1 win after extra time in front of a deafening 80,000-strong crowd.
Lee Bowyer’s Team 19, set up in a narrow 4-4-2 diamond, started brighter, their midfield quartet - anchored by Darren Pratley - controlling the early tempo. Their breakthrough came just before the half-hour, when Lyle Taylor’s clever flick found Joe Aribo bursting into the box. Aribo finished smartly past Will Mannion, sending the red side of Wembley into raptures.
Nathan Jones’ side, operating in a fluid 4-3-3 that often shifted into a back three, took time to settle. But after the break, the energy of Conor Coventry and the guile of Greg Docherty began to tell. Their equaliser came in the 72nd minute, when Matty Godden latched onto a raking ball from Alex Gilbert and fired confidently into the far corner.
Extra time saw Team 25 seize control. In the 98th minute, substitute Karoy Anderson - introduced for Thierry Small - cut inside and unleashed a sensational 25-yard strike that flew into the top corner. With Team 19 pushing forward, gaps emerged, and in the 112th minute, Tyreece Campbell exploited space on the break, squaring unselfishly for Chuks Aneke to tap home the third.
Bowyer’s men, including standout performances from Josh Cullen and Krystian Bielik, ran themselves into the ground, but couldn’t stem the late tide. Team 25’s tactical adaptability and fresh legs from the bench made the difference.
Wembley roared as Nathan Jones and his players celebrated a famous extra-time triumph.