The top two are 19/20 points ahead of us, that's a chasm. Automatic has realistically gone.
But as I've been saying all season, the playoffs are still a realistic ambition, the teams above us are just as flawed as we are! Get a good run going at the end of the season, enter the playoffs in a bit of form and who knows
I know we cant dictate when we can get into the Play-Offs but it'll be great if we're just outside of them at the start of April with us then winning every game in the last month to enter them - Is nearly always the case where the form team wins the Play-Offs (look at us in '98 and Barnsley last year)
So what we dont want is to get into them in February and then muddle our way through March | April
The top two are 19/20 points ahead of us, that's a chasm. Automatic has realistically gone.
But as I've been saying all season, the playoffs are still a realistic ambition, the teams above us are just as flawed as we are! Get a good run going at the end of the season, enter the playoffs in a bit of form and who knows
I know we cant dictate when we can get into the Play-Offs but it'll be great if we're just outside of them at the start of April with us then winning every game in the last month to enter them - Is nearly always the case where the form team wins the Play-Offs (look at us in '98 and Barnsley last year)
So what we dont want is to get into them in February and then muddle our way through March | April
Kashi may even be back for the end of season run-in....
TBF to Watt, Declan Rudd told me after the game that he hasn't played for two months and Robinson had no intention of playing him so early but his hand was forced by the injury to big Josh.
If thats the case then we have to question the wisdom of Robinson putting an unfit striker on the bench? The only striker on the bench. What happens if big Josh gets injured in the first 10-15 minutes and our unfit striker has to play virtually the whole game?? Oh shit........ Not saying Watt shouldnt have been on the bench but why not have Hanlon,Umerah or KAG there as well instead of Johnston? Konsa couldve dropped back to centre half if anything had happened to Tex or BFG.
TBF to Watt, Declan Rudd told me after the game that he hasn't played for two months and Robinson had no intention of playing him so early but his hand was forced by the injury to big Josh.
If thats the case then we have to question the wisdom of Robinson putting an unfit striker on the bench? The only striker on the bench. What happens if big Josh gets injured in the first 10-15 minutes and our unfit striker has to play virtually the whole game?? Oh shit........ Not saying Watt shouldnt have been on the bench but why not have Hanlon,Umerah or KAG there as well instead of Johnston? Konsa couldve dropped back to centre half if anything had happened to Tex or BFG.
Johnson was rightly on the bench but the other choices were slightly odd
JFC and Ulvestad Dasilva and Holmes
That meant space for only one striker, and no place for Ajose, KAH, Umerah or Hanlan
Let's hope that Magennis is fit for next Saturday .. he, alongside Watt could be a very effective partnership, provided that Watt decides to stay and actually play .. these two + Holmes could be the biz .. We have no-one in midfield a t m who looks even remotely capable of scoring, that will not be tooooo important if the strikers can start consistent striki ng .. however we must try to get a midfielder who can actually add forward impetus to a very static area of our play.
Central defence is a problem even before Tex's suspension, too flaky and vulnerable .. strange from two highly rated defenders, perhaps they do not work that well together .. Bauer was holding his back/side long before the finish, Pearce is still out .. I mentioned JOHNSON in another post and was called a w u m .. w t f (I do like an acronym) .. he's a decent defender, is still on our books and it's about time the muppets on here got over themselves about his swearing at a few of their number at Bury .. anyway .. it might be that Johnson and Konsa will constitute the central defence against the Iron next Saturday ..
we got a well deserved point away, we are well capable of beating them provided that Robinson throws away the Slade book of tactics and picks an attacking team .. Magennis up front alone with no threat whatsoever from the midfield might gain a lot of single points .. this club, in this division with a strong squad should be winning a lot more games that we do
He might be a defender who's career is in descent, but he's far from a decent defender. He almost cost us the win at MK in his ten minute cameo. I dread us having to play him.
Tex was diabolical today, he did make a goaline clearance but otherwise embarrassing, miss kicked several times and bottled a number of headers. Not really sure he would ever be up for a fight.
Baur not great but did an average job.
Solly and Rudd were great today.
The rest fairly average.
Everything about Millwall is scummy, fans, players and ground. I really hope they get kicked out the den.
That ref is surely nicking a living he was an absolute disgrace.
Tex was diabolical today, he did make a goaline clearance but otherwise embarrassing, miss kicked several times and bottled a number of headers. Not really sure he would ever be up for a fight.
Baur not great but did an average job.
Solly and Rudd were great today.
The rest fairly average.
Everything about Millwall is scummy, fans, players and ground. I really hope they get kicked out the den.
That ref is surely nicking a living he was an absolute disgrace.
Be careful what you wish on other people Pete. The last time you wished misfortune on us (to get relegated) you soon followed us.
Wish us to be f***ed over by the council I guarantee you'll be the next club to follow. Karma is a proven fact.
Yup, agreed. Let's rise above it.
Second this. I find it unpalatable for us to make such great efforts to link with supporters of other clubs, go through all of the good will and brilliant efforts of Fans United, only to wish another club lose their home.
Not been to a Saturday game for ages, both sides were poor, in fact shite, and a draw was a reasonable reflection from a game of very few chances. If we had of had a right go at either of their fullbacks we would have won at a canter, they were pony, Holmes did it 3 times in 10 mins but crosses were hopeless, not a criticism as he is just getting back from injury. DaSilva might be a player one day but did look like a little lost boy out there, was surprised they did not kick him off the park as a certain Rhino (Stevens) did to Shawn Newton back in the 90's.
Winless run continues but at least I saw the last one
Not been to a Saturday game for ages, both sides were poor, in fact shite, and a draw was a reasonable reflection from a game of very few chances. If we had of had a right go at either of their fullbacks we would have won at a canter, they were pony, Holmes did it 3 times in 10 mins but crosses were hopeless, not a criticism as he is just getting back from injury. DaSilva might be a player one day but did look like a little lost boy out there, was surprised they did not kick him off the park as a certain Rhino (Stevens) did to Shawn Newton back in the 90's.
Winless run continues but at least I saw the last one
TBF to Watt, Declan Rudd told me after the game that he hasn't played for two months and Robinson had no intention of playing him so early but his hand was forced by the injury to big Josh.
If thats the case then we have to question the wisdom of Robinson putting an unfit striker on the bench? The only striker on the bench. What happens if big Josh gets injured in the first 10-15 minutes and our unfit striker has to play virtually the whole game?? Oh shit........ Not saying Watt shouldnt have been on the bench but why not have Hanlon,Umerah or KAG there as well instead of Johnston? Konsa couldve dropped back to centre half if anything had happened to Tex or BFG.
Johnson was rightly on the bench but the other choices were slightly odd
JFC and Ulvestad Dasilva and Holmes
That meant space for only one striker, and no place for Ajose, KAH, Umerah or Hanlan
JFC and Ulvestad and DaSilva and Holmes both different types of players. DaSilva also offered left back cover, and the argument could be made what if one of the other forwards was on the bench and Chicksen got hurt in the first 10-15 minutes? Holmes isn't ready for 90 minutes. Would you put Ajose there? He looked awful on the wing a couple weeks ago.
The point I'm trying to make is, with any bench you're likely making a gamble of some sort. It's nice that we have a much stronger bench now, but with quality players coming back from injury, you're always risking things a bit. Having Magennis come off after ten minutes was about the worst possible outcome for us. Even if Hanlan, Umerah, or Ajose were on the bench, I don't know that any of them would have been significantly better as a lone forward against Millwall. It's just bad luck.
Add to that that if the percentages had come through, and Magennis had seen the game out, who would you rather have coming on in the last 10-15 to get a goal, Hanlan, Umerah, Ajose, or Watt?
TBF to Watt, Declan Rudd told me after the game that he hasn't played for two months and Robinson had no intention of playing him so early but his hand was forced by the injury to big Josh.
If thats the case then we have to question the wisdom of Robinson putting an unfit striker on the bench? The only striker on the bench. What happens if big Josh gets injured in the first 10-15 minutes and our unfit striker has to play virtually the whole game?? Oh shit........ Not saying Watt shouldnt have been on the bench but why not have Hanlon,Umerah or KAG there as well instead of Johnston? Konsa couldve dropped back to centre half if anything had happened to Tex or BFG.
Johnson was rightly on the bench but the other choices were slightly odd
JFC and Ulvestad Dasilva and Holmes
That meant space for only one striker, and no place for Ajose, KAH, Umerah or Hanlan
JFC and Ulvestad and DaSilva and Holmes both different types of players. DaSilva also offered left back cover, and the argument could be made what if one of the other forwards was on the bench and Chicksen got hurt in the first 10-15 minutes? Holmes isn't ready for 90 minutes. Would you put Ajose there? He looked awful on the wing a couple weeks ago.
The point I'm trying to make is, with any bench you're likely making a gamble of some sort. It's nice that we have a much stronger bench now, but with quality players coming back from injury, you're always risking things a bit. Having Magennis come off after ten minutes was about the worst possible outcome for us. Even if Hanlan, Umerah, or Ajose were on the bench, I don't know that any of them would have been significantly better as a lone forward against Millwall. It's just bad luck.
Add to that that if the percentages had come through, and Magennis had seen the game out, who would you rather have coming on in the last 10-15 to get a goal, Hanlan, Umerah, Ajose, or Watt?
IMO it was the unbalanced nature of the bench that most fans are critical of.
Magennis playing as the physical hard running lone striker was an essential part of the team set up. Not to have a player on the bench who could play that role (Umerah perhaps?) was a gamble - because the gameplan could then stay exactly as it was.
It was a big ask for Watt to step in to play such an unfamiliar role, and such a physically demanding one at that - and everybody on the planet knows that really isn't what Watt's game is all about. Especially as he hadn't played a competitive game for 2 months.
With Watt coming on, surely there had to be a Plan B? Even if it meant, especially after Page was subbed and Chicksen playing LB, the team reverting to a 4-4-2 with another player (Byrne or Aribo?) running the channels supporting Watt?
One plus is that Tony Watt has had a massive work out that he wasn't expecting.
Never seen Umerah play, but Hanlan is strong and quite quick and might have done a decent job. But what were the chances of Magennis getting injured in the first half hour? 20\1?
Actually, on second thoughts, against Millwall, quite high.
Not been to a Saturday game for ages, both sides were poor, in fact shite, and a draw was a reasonable reflection from a game of very few chances. If we had of had a right go at either of their fullbacks we would have won at a canter, they were pony, Holmes did it 3 times in 10 mins but crosses were hopeless, not a criticism as he is just getting back from injury. DaSilva might be a player one day but did look like a little lost boy out there, was surprised they did not kick him off the park as a certain Rhino (Stevens) did to Shawn Newton back in the 90's.
Winless run continues but at least I saw the last one
Not been to a Saturday game for ages, both sides were poor, in fact shite, and a draw was a reasonable reflection from a game of very few chances. If we had of had a right go at either of their fullbacks we would have won at a canter, they were pony, Holmes did it 3 times in 10 mins but crosses were hopeless, not a criticism as he is just getting back from injury. DaSilva might be a player one day but did look like a little lost boy out there, was surprised they did not kick him off the park as a certain Rhino (Stevens) did to Shawn Newton back in the 90's.
Winless run continues but at least I saw the last one
I thought it was Pat Van Der Hauwe
It was PVDH
Wasn't it a forearm to the throat?
Yes more commonly known to WWE fans as a clothesline.
Not been to a Saturday game for ages, both sides were poor, in fact shite, and a draw was a reasonable reflection from a game of very few chances. If we had of had a right go at either of their fullbacks we would have won at a canter, they were pony, Holmes did it 3 times in 10 mins but crosses were hopeless, not a criticism as he is just getting back from injury. DaSilva might be a player one day but did look like a little lost boy out there, was surprised they did not kick him off the park as a certain Rhino (Stevens) did to Shawn Newton back in the 90's.
Winless run continues but at least I saw the last one
That's a lot of games to play in February (every Saturday & Tuesday), not sure the squad and injuries we have got will be able to cope.
We've surely got a bigger squad than all of those mentioned though so yes it'll hinder all of us, hopefully it'll hinder them sides more
CAFC first team squad: 26 (inc 5 loans) this includes the invisible man, Ba Fleetwood: 32 (4 loans) Rochdale:32 (1 loan) Wimbledon: 29 (0 loans) Oldham: 22 (2 loans) Oxford: 27 (2 loans) Bury: 33 (4 loans) Shrewsbury: 27 (2 loans)
I think I can see what the problem is. Thanks, Roland.
This.
How the fuck can you build a squad for next season when five players are on loan and several others are out of contract in the summer. Add to this those that will be sold.
Every transfer window since they arrived is a major fucking rebuild. Learnt from our mistakes my arse Fuck of and sell the club
That's a lot of games to play in February (every Saturday & Tuesday), not sure the squad and injuries we have got will be able to cope.
We've surely got a bigger squad than all of those mentioned though so yes it'll hinder all of us, hopefully it'll hinder them sides more
CAFC first team squad: 26 (inc 5 loans) this includes the invisible man, Ba Fleetwood: 32 (4 loans) Rochdale:32 (1 loan) Wimbledon: 29 (0 loans) Oldham: 22 (2 loans) Oxford: 27 (2 loans) Bury: 33 (4 loans) Shrewsbury: 27 (2 loans)
I think I can see what the problem is. Thanks, Roland.
This.
How the fuck can you build a squad for next season when five players are on loan and several others are out of contract in the summer. Add to this those that will be sold.
Every transfer window since they arrived is a major fucking rebuild. Learnt from our mistakes my arse Fuck off and sell the club
Maybe, just maybe that's what he's going to do by keeping the spend to a minimum between now and then.. You never know .
On a lighter note, just caught my 4 year old singing "no one likes you ,no one likes you , no one likes you cos your scum ....." and pointing/gesticulating at the same time as dribbling a little football around the front room. Not sure mum felt the same pride of him as dad did . Put him to bed and told him football songs can only be used at the ground .
On a lighter note, just caught my 4 year old singing "no one likes you ,no one likes you , no one likes you cos your scum ....." and pointing/gesticulating at the same time as dribbling a little football around the front room. Not sure mum felt the same pride of him as dad did . Put him to bed and told him football songs can only be used at the ground .
On a lighter note, just caught my 4 year old singing "no one likes you ,no one likes you , no one likes you cos your scum ....." and pointing/gesticulating at the same time as dribbling a little football around the front room. Not sure mum felt the same pride of him as dad did . Put him to bed and told him football songs can only be used at the ground .
What was his reply reply....... 'Ok Dad playground tomorrow it is then' .
TBF to Watt, Declan Rudd told me after the game that he hasn't played for two months and Robinson had no intention of playing him so early but his hand was forced by the injury to big Josh.
If thats the case then we have to question the wisdom of Robinson putting an unfit striker on the bench? The only striker on the bench. What happens if big Josh gets injured in the first 10-15 minutes and our unfit striker has to play virtually the whole game?? Oh shit........ Not saying Watt shouldnt have been on the bench but why not have Hanlon,Umerah or KAG there as well instead of Johnston? Konsa couldve dropped back to centre half if anything had happened to Tex or BFG.
Johnson was rightly on the bench but the other choices were slightly odd
JFC and Ulvestad Dasilva and Holmes
That meant space for only one striker, and no place for Ajose, KAH, Umerah or Hanlan
JFC and Ulvestad and DaSilva and Holmes both different types of players. DaSilva also offered left back cover, and the argument could be made what if one of the other forwards was on the bench and Chicksen got hurt in the first 10-15 minutes? Holmes isn't ready for 90 minutes. Would you put Ajose there? He looked awful on the wing a couple weeks ago.
The point I'm trying to make is, with any bench you're likely making a gamble of some sort. It's nice that we have a much stronger bench now, but with quality players coming back from injury, you're always risking things a bit. Having Magennis come off after ten minutes was about the worst possible outcome for us. Even if Hanlan, Umerah, or Ajose were on the bench, I don't know that any of them would have been significantly better as a lone forward against Millwall. It's just bad luck.
Add to that that if the percentages had come through, and Magennis had seen the game out, who would you rather have coming on in the last 10-15 to get a goal, Hanlan, Umerah, Ajose, or Watt?
Our bench was unbalanced as he picked 3 players who weren't match fit (Watt, Holmes and JFC) plus an 18 year old loan kid
Dasilva and Holmes were (for different reasons) both players who you'd only watch to give a short period too, and yes they played exactly the same role on Saturday. Dasilva in no way provides LB cover, not against powerful players like Millwall have.
Having only one striker on the bench, and an unfit one was bizarre.
On a lighter note, just caught my 4 year old singing "no one likes you ,no one likes you , no one likes you cos your scum ....." and pointing/gesticulating at the same time as dribbling a little football around the front room. Not sure mum felt the same pride of him as dad did . Put him to bed and told him football songs can only be used at the ground .
TBF to Watt, Declan Rudd told me after the game that he hasn't played for two months and Robinson had no intention of playing him so early but his hand was forced by the injury to big Josh.
If thats the case then we have to question the wisdom of Robinson putting an unfit striker on the bench? The only striker on the bench. What happens if big Josh gets injured in the first 10-15 minutes and our unfit striker has to play virtually the whole game?? Oh shit........ Not saying Watt shouldnt have been on the bench but why not have Hanlon,Umerah or KAG there as well instead of Johnston? Konsa couldve dropped back to centre half if anything had happened to Tex or BFG.
Johnson was rightly on the bench but the other choices were slightly odd
JFC and Ulvestad Dasilva and Holmes
That meant space for only one striker, and no place for Ajose, KAH, Umerah or Hanlan
JFC and Ulvestad and DaSilva and Holmes both different types of players. DaSilva also offered left back cover, and the argument could be made what if one of the other forwards was on the bench and Chicksen got hurt in the first 10-15 minutes? Holmes isn't ready for 90 minutes. Would you put Ajose there? He looked awful on the wing a couple weeks ago.
The point I'm trying to make is, with any bench you're likely making a gamble of some sort. It's nice that we have a much stronger bench now, but with quality players coming back from injury, you're always risking things a bit. Having Magennis come off after ten minutes was about the worst possible outcome for us. Even if Hanlan, Umerah, or Ajose were on the bench, I don't know that any of them would have been significantly better as a lone forward against Millwall. It's just bad luck.
Add to that that if the percentages had come through, and Magennis had seen the game out, who would you rather have coming on in the last 10-15 to get a goal, Hanlan, Umerah, Ajose, or Watt?
Our bench was unbalanced as he picked 3 players who weren't match fit (Watt, Holmes and JFC) plus an 18 year old loan kid
Dasilva and Holmes were (for different reasons) both players who you'd only watch to give a short period too, and yes they played exactly the same role on Saturday. Dasilva in no way provides LB cover, not against powerful players like Millwall have.
Having only one striker on the bench, and an unfit one was bizarre.
He wants to win games, so he gambled & was very unlucky.
I thought DaSilva looked like he could do some damage if he learnt to stop dribbling straight into the right-back
He is reported to have pace. I was looking for him to just push the ball past the back and run him. If he has that pace, the defender has a problem and creates gaps.
I thought DaSilva looked like he could do some damage if he learnt to stop dribbling straight into the right-back
He is reported to have pace. I was looking for him to just push the ball past the back and run him. If he has that pace, the defender has a problem and creates gaps.
Not quite as simple as that though, is it, or anyone with pace would be a winger. He looked a long way from ready for first team football to me and certainly shouldn't have been making his debut in a south London derby.
I thought DaSilva looked like he could do some damage if he learnt to stop dribbling straight into the right-back
He is reported to have pace. I was looking for him to just push the ball past the back and run him. If he has that pace, the defender has a problem and creates gaps.
Not quite as simple as that though, is it, or anyone with pace would be a winger. He looked a long way from ready for first team football to me and certainly shouldn't have been making his debut in a south London derby.
He is a left back/left midfielder. Both positions require to play like a winger nowadays. I watched Spurs over the weekend and Rose ended up on the right wing at one point. The old "back" has gone in the prem, and I am sure that he would have been trained at Chelsea to play this way. Notwithstanding this, I was looking to see this pace and was disappointed.
Comments
So what we dont want is to get into them in February and then muddle our way through March | April
Lots of people in the North upper and lower.
I'm sure people won't like the mixing of football and politics
JFC and Ulvestad
Dasilva and Holmes
That meant space for only one striker, and no place for Ajose, KAH, Umerah or Hanlan
The point I'm trying to make is, with any bench you're likely making a gamble of some sort. It's nice that we have a much stronger bench now, but with quality players coming back from injury, you're always risking things a bit. Having Magennis come off after ten minutes was about the worst possible outcome for us. Even if Hanlan, Umerah, or Ajose were on the bench, I don't know that any of them would have been significantly better as a lone forward against Millwall. It's just bad luck.
Add to that that if the percentages had come through, and Magennis had seen the game out, who would you rather have coming on in the last 10-15 to get a goal, Hanlan, Umerah, Ajose, or Watt?
Magennis playing as the physical hard running lone striker was an essential part of the team set up.
Not to have a player on the bench who could play that role (Umerah perhaps?) was a gamble - because the gameplan could then stay exactly as it was.
It was a big ask for Watt to step in to play such an unfamiliar role, and such a physically demanding one at that - and everybody on the planet knows that really isn't what Watt's game is all about. Especially as he hadn't played a competitive game for 2 months.
With Watt coming on, surely there had to be a Plan B?
Even if it meant, especially after Page was subbed and Chicksen playing LB, the team reverting to a 4-4-2 with another player (Byrne or Aribo?) running the channels supporting Watt?
Never seen Umerah play, but Hanlan is strong and quite quick and might have done a decent job.
But what were the chances of Magennis getting injured in the first half hour? 20\1?
Actually, on second thoughts, against Millwall, quite high.
Fleetwood: 32 (4 loans)
Rochdale:32 (1 loan)
Wimbledon: 29 (0 loans)
Oldham: 22 (2 loans)
Oxford: 27 (2 loans)
Bury: 33 (4 loans)
Shrewsbury: 27 (2 loans)
I think I can see what the problem is. Thanks, Roland.
How the fuck can you build a squad for next season when five players are on loan and several others are out of contract in the summer. Add to this those that will be sold.
Every transfer window since they arrived is a major fucking rebuild.
Learnt from our mistakes my arse
Fuck of and sell the club
Not sure mum felt the same pride of him as dad did .
Put him to bed and told him football songs can only be used at the ground .
Dasilva and Holmes were (for different reasons) both players who you'd only watch to give a short period too, and yes they played exactly the same role on Saturday. Dasilva in no way provides LB cover, not against powerful players like Millwall have.
Having only one striker on the bench, and an unfit one was bizarre.
I wonder if a condition of Chelsea loaning us DaSilva is that he's at least named on the bench and is guaranteed to get some game time regularly?
He looked a long way from ready for first team football to me and certainly shouldn't have been making his debut in a south London derby.