Westbrooke / McCann

[philsky]

Aware of his injury but have we had any timings for return ?

Any press conference ahead of tomorrows match ?

[Plumbster]

We are really missing Westbrooke - we are very clunky in midfield without him

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

8-12 weeks, needs surgery.  Shame for him that.

[Alan Southstand]

Definitely need a midfielder in January, then.

[philsky]

8-12 weeks, needs surgery.  Shame for him that.

Ffs - made it all tick

[steve@dcfd]

Yes muscle pulled away the bone in his thigh so 3 months at least I believe definitely need another midfield player in January
He’s got to have an operation

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Another player had a similar injury, was it Nixon or Close??  But likely months rather than weeks.

Either way it's a blow but we have to adapt. We may lose a bit of creativity and nouse so maybe we won't be as free flowing through midfield, so we may have to go more direct at times, perhaps rely more on creating chances from wide positions.

With Sterry coming back into the fold, it should release Bailey into midfield more regularly but Biggins, Broadbent and Rowe will have to fill the void one way or another alongside Close, unless we employ Molyneux more centrally at times.

Hopefully McCann finds a way until we can reassess things in January.

[ncRover]

I think Sterry could be an output for creativity with crosses in to the box for our strikers.

Nixon is great but that isn’t his strongest attribute. Hasn’t he played in midfield at times?

[Padge_DRFC]

Nixon possibly will get utilised as one of the 3 now. He's improved massively.

[Bailey Vickerage]

Don’t be expecting Sterry to come straight back in, he’s been out for a long term with an injured that was described by McCann as very rare. He’s gonna take time to get back up to speed and Nixon and Molyneux have both been great in that RWB position for the last few months. I wouldn’t expect Sterry to be starting any games before Christmas/new year.

[Lesonthewest]

Well for the first time in what seems like an age we get a midfielder who can play the way McCann wants him to, dictate play, get us moving forward, & breaking up play, on top of which he seemed to be really enjoying his football, & this happens. Absolutely unbelievable. We will struggle without him for sure.

[sedwardsdrfc]

Broadbent has a chance now to get a run of games before Jan and get him name in the starting 11. Not really worked out for him yet but he could come good with time

[roversdude]

I’d love to see Broadbent come in and grab his chance but I think Rowe might get the nod

[Bailey Vickerage]

Broadbent has been very good recently (I’d say since the Accrington replay when he came on and assisted Ironsides winner). Since then he’s impressed me and hopefully he can now take his chance.

He has done the dirty work in midfield which goes unnoticed by many but is also good on the ball and doesn’t give it away much. Still a young lad in his first season in the EFL but he’s definitely got potential to be a big player for us.

[roversdude]

Bailey I agree and really think he will progress, I’d love to see him start today and grab the opportunity, however I think we will start with Tommy

[Bailey Vickerage]

Bailey I agree and really think he will progress, I’d love to see him start today and grab the opportunity, however I think we will start with Tommy

I think both will start, Rowe just behind the front 2, Broadbent and Close in midfield and then Molyneux at Wing back.

[Chris Black come back]

It's not obvious where Hurst will find a place in the current set up. His best work comes from left of front three, which we don't play very often. He can't play wing back. Wonder if he could play more centrally, off either Ironside or Faal.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

It's not obvious where Hurst will find a place in the current set up. His best work comes from left of front three, which we don't play very often. He can't play wing back. Wonder if he could play more centrally, off either Ironside or Faal.

Yes, I think he's got a decent amount of football intelligence to be able to adapt to a more central role. He just needs more game time to get up to speed and have that influence we know he's capable of.

Similar with Moly who keeps showing he can adapt to different roles.

In time one of these two, plus Broadbent could develop into very good midfield players. Learning to read the game takes time.

Rowe has the experience with hundreds of games but isn't as explosive as he once was.

[Ronnie Dovers]

That's a real kick in the nuts. No Maxwell in the squad today either? We really do seem to be cursed over these last few years when it comes to injuries

[Nudga]

Maxwells birthday so could be hungover.

[Lesonthewest]

So another operation for Maxwell as well as Westbrook. When will this all end. With key players out long term yet again the need for reinforcements come  next month (not easy I know), take on more importance. Just when the bench starts getting stronger, we lose 2 really key players in Westbrook & Maxwell. Really testing times for Grant & god forbid we lose anymore. Do other clubs like ours lose players at a rate we do, wouldn't have thought so.

[ncRover]

So another operation for Maxwell as well as Westbrook. When will this all end. With key players out long term yet again the need for reinforcements come  next month (not easy I know), take on more importance. Just when the bench starts getting stronger, we lose 2 really key players in Westbrook & Maxwell. Really testing times for Grant & god forbid we lose anymore. Do other clubs like ours lose players at a rate we do, wouldn't have thought so.

The richest club in the world has a bigger injury crisis than us

[Lesonthewest]

So another operation for Maxwell as well as Westbrook. When will this all end. With key players out long term yet again the need for reinforcements come  next month (not easy I know), take on more importance. Just when the bench starts getting stronger, we lose 2 really key players in Westbrook & Maxwell. Really testing times for Grant & god forbid we lose anymore. Do other clubs like ours lose players at a rate we do, wouldn't have thought so.

The richest club in the world has a bigger injury crisis than us

Yes I meant a club like ours, at our level. I don't know of any.

[Alan Southstand]

Maybe the playing surface has something to do with it? I can’t remember us having such long term injuries as we have had/are having when we played at BV.

[roversdude]

But how many of these are sustained on the EcoPower pitch

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Modern pitches may be a factor however these days, players won't play with injury as was once acceptable and part and parcel of the game.

It's quite an irony that as medical support has 'advanced' with physio and sports science, generally clubs injury lists have increased. Players in the past rarely undertook surgery where as now it's routine.

Is the game more intense than it was with players more conditioned to high tempo rather than endurance?

[ravenrover]

Unless they've relayed the training pitch to mimic the Eco it surely can't be there. It was a lovely playing surface back in the day when it was ....... whose home ground was it ICI or Harvesters?
Played there many times back in the 70's

[drfchound]

It was Harvesters home pitch.
One of the best, right up there with the old BV pitch.

[Sammy Chung was King]

Opportunities for others with any injury. Not what we wanted but it’s how you adapt to it. This could be Broadbent’s chance to run things in there.