Viking Supporters Co-operative
Viking Chat => Viking Chat => Topic started by: selby on December 19, 2020, 08:59:19 pm
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After two great wins 1-0 away at Hull and Lincoln they will be gunning for us on Tuesday to make it a hat trick against top sides in the division.
Now they have Steve Cotterill at the helm he will make what always seems to be a game of attrition with Shrewsbury an even harder game to get a result in, and an even less entertaining game if he resorts to type and brings a side brimming in the dark arts of the game and hell bent on spoiling the game at every opportunity if the situation arises that is to their advantage.
Even more unusual we are going for five league victories in a row, the four behind us have propelled us into the heady heights in the division and another victory could have us at the summit going into the Christmas fixture period so some of the pressure is on our team to actually reach that position.
What team we will put out is anyone's guess, Darren the only one who can name it with any certainty Fej had a great game today at Burton and could come up against his old team mates in this game but could be a non starter just as easily as a starter.
Keeping a clean sheet also has become a rarity, a dubious and a silly foul in the area spoiling the chances in the last two games by giving penalties away on each occasion. Give Shrewsbury the same chances and if they get in front it will be very difficult to pull a goal back in my opinion and experience of past Cotterill's sides.
There are however lots of plus points about our team, the young loanee's are now developing consistency and have now the confidence to show their skills and ability on the ball, Whiteman is looking more and more the complete mid field playmaker, with great passing ability reading the game well and also breaks the other teams game up when required, our three central defenders I would not swap for any others in this division, the keeper and full backs are consistent performers, and in Jones, Hasani, and Lokilo we have three youngsters who are pushing to get starts in the team.
I think we can and hope for a win, something to make this horrible year a little brighter for the supporters owners and staff at the club.
How do you see it?
Are you confident we can win the game?
What if any changes would you make?
Will you be watching on ifollow?
What sort of game do you think it will be?
Lot's to discuss about this game, please have your say.
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Hi mate, yep, I am looking forward to the game.
At least we won’t have Connor Grant on the near post on defensive corners.
Shrews won’t be pushovers despite their lowly position and as has been proved with recent results, their players will be playing to impress their new boss.
Cotterill isn’t one of our most respected opposition managers and I do expect him to get his players to employ spoiling tactics but we have to be wise enough to overcome that.
Today’s performance will have bolstered Fejs confidence and he will certainly be up for this game.
Taylor Richards (T-R) was superb today , capped off with a wonder goal, and he is improving all the time and I expect him to be pivotal for us.
Top of the league would be great if we can get there.
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He was my motm, hound. The way he waltzed away from those 2 Burton players and, with nothing really on, curled an absolute beauty into the far corner. The sort of goal that gets bums off seats - a cracker. Please can we have a few more, Taylor lad.
Great result today, but it’s going to be difficult following that against, what will be, tougher opposition. I think you’re right, Selby, their tactics are going to leave a lot to be desired and I can’t see it being very watchable. However, the prize if we win is to be top of the league at Christmas and that, I have to admit, is way beyond any expectations I had at the beginning of the season!
I seriously don’t see many changes, as it will probably be a tad physical and not for the faint hearted. Fej has earned his place for this one and the 3 behind are the best we have available. Whiteman & Smith are becoming quite a double act and you can’t see anyone coming into that defence. So, if they’re all fit, I’d ask them to do it all again. After the run we’re on, confidence somewhat overrides fatigue.
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Will be interesting to see how Rovers perform given the players will know what's at stake.
In DMs post match interview he denied knowing that a win would take us top. Ha ha. Pull the other one! However I completely understand why he wants to play it down and treat is as just another game.
I'm sure it will be the same approach but again, it's all down to the execution, which bit by bit we're getting better and more consistent in games. Hull the obvious exception.
Funnily enough, on MOTD they did an analysis of Jordan Henderson role at Liverpool which I thought was remarkably similar to Ben's role and how DM is encouraging the team to play, with 'full backs' able to get up the pitch. The difference with our full backs, is they're not touchline huggers, they come inside and go for the channels towards the edge of the area.
First goal today Cameron John with a great run and cut back.
With only us in action, there could be a lot more attention on us from rival managers analysing the way we play.
Just hope we can do enough to keep the run going and bring some much needed Christmas cheer to us all.
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It is bound to be congested in the middle need to get down the wings and try to get behind and round them
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It is bound to be congested in the middle need to get down the wings and try to get behind and round them
You've got to hold and give
But do it at the right time
You can be slow or fast
But you must get to the line
They'll always hit you and hurt you
Defend and attack
There's only one way to beat them
Get round the back
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It is bound to be congested in the middle need to get down the wings and try to get behind and round them
You've got to hold and give
But do it at the right time
You can be slow or fast
But you must get to the line
They'll always hit you and hurt you
Defend and attack
There's only one way to beat them
Get round the back
Poetic indeed...
Good meter and enjambment or what should be enjambment...
I would make the last line
“ and that’s get round the back” ...thus ending on a 6 metric rather than a four ...
Just saying
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It is bound to be congested in the middle need to get down the wings and try to get behind and round them
You've got to hold and give
But do it at the right time
You can be slow or fast
But you must get to the line
They'll always hit you and hurt you
Defend and attack
There's only one way to beat them
Get round the back
Poetic indeed...
Good meter and enjambment or what should be enjambment...
I would make the last line
“ and that’s get round the back” ...thus ending on a 6 metric rather than a four ...
Just saying
Can't beat the original mate.........unless its with something like......
"We're playin' for Rovers (DON CAS TER)
We're playin' this song
We're singin' for Rovers (DON CAS TER)
ta ra, it's one on one"
:chair:
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It is bound to be congested in the middle need to get down the wings and try to get behind and round them
You've got to hold and give
But do it at the right time
You can be slow or fast
But you must get to the line
They'll always hit you and hurt you
Defend and attack
There's only one way to beat them
Get round the back
That would be good with a bit of rap, J. I suggest Wolfie and BB to do the honours; I can just see them both in baseball caps the wrong way round, and their trousers hanging below their underpants.
I'd pay f*cking good money to see that.
Or maybe not.
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Just reading the Free Press and comment about DM's desire to keep making changes considering players welfare during this busy season.
Which brings me to the elephant in the room. Might be only Anderson and Whiteman who have not missed a game yet, and you wonder whether these two should be afforded the same courtesy and be given a rest.
Can we play well without Ben Whiteman? Do we need to try it sooner rather than later, or is Ben that pivotal to the way we play, he must start every game?
Personally, now we've got right into the mix, I think we can afford to bench him at least and give him some respite. I think Smith can fill the void somewhat but we have very capable players who can form an effective midfield.
Clearly DM will have to pick and choose selectively depending on the opposition but with some tough fixtures on the horizon, now might be as good a time as any to put a contingency in place. Would be an easier decision mind if Gomes was fit.
Thoughts.
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Perhaps both those players are at their best ages and love playing.? So unless they pick up a slight knock, they could be ok to play on.
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In Bens case, isn’t he one booking away from a suspension.
I believe it is only two more games until that slate is wiped clean so it might make sense to play him in the next two matches in case he does get booked and would then miss a game anyway.
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It is bound to be congested in the middle need to get down the wings and try to get behind and round them
You've got to hold and give
But do it at the right time
You can be slow or fast
But you must get to the line
They'll always hit you and hurt you
Defend and attack
There's only one way to beat them
Get round the back
That would be good with a bit of rap, J. I suggest Wolfie and BB to do the honours; I can just see them both in baseball caps the wrong way round, and their trousers hanging below their underpants.
I'd pay f*cking good money to see that.
Or maybe not.
It's already a rap to be fair.
And a bloody good one. Arguably the best thing the singer has done in the last 30 years...
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It is bound to be congested in the middle need to get down the wings and try to get behind and round them
You've got to hold and give
But do it at the right time
You can be slow or fast
But you must get to the line
They'll always hit you and hurt you
Defend and attack
There's only one way to beat them
Get round the back
That would be good with a bit of rap, J. I suggest Wolfie and BB to do the honours; I can just see them both in baseball caps the wrong way round, and their trousers hanging below their underpants.
I'd pay f*cking good money to see that.
Or maybe not.
It's already a rap to be fair.
And a bloody good one. Arguably the best thing the singer has done in the last 30 years...
Yeah, for anyone who's not twigged, it's part of the John Barnes rap in World In Motion.
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It will be a tough game. The Shrews will sit back and invite us to attack so they can catch us on a counter-attack. But that itself is a dangerous game, because we have the players in both midfield and attack to open up both their midfield and defence. I think if they play this way. we could have a field day, Fej will relish this game, and want to score against his old team. The only cloud is if we don't perform to our best, this could hand the games to the Shrews. I'm expecting Moore to have the team fired up for this one, and not be another top 4 scalp for the opposition.
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It is bound to be congested in the middle need to get down the wings and try to get behind and round them
You've got to hold and give
But do it at the right time
You can be slow or fast
But you must get to the line
They'll always hit you and hurt you
Defend and attack
There's only one way to beat them
Get round the back
That would be good with a bit of rap, J. I suggest Wolfie and BB to do the honours; I can just see them both in baseball caps the wrong way round, and their trousers hanging below their underpants.
I'd pay f*cking good money to see that.
Or maybe not.
It's already a rap to be fair.
And a bloody good one. Arguably the best thing the singer has done in the last 30 years...
Yeah, for anyone who's not twigged, it's part of the John Barnes rap in World In Motion.
It wasn't intended to be.....
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They’ve kept 4 clean sheets out of their 9 away games in League One. Tight ship.
We’ve managed only two and one of those was against early ten man Northampton Town.
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Agree on the Gomes point, DBR. We just need more bodies for cover, before we start tinkering with the main men in the side. With Tom, it’s probably less of an issue, except Wrighty is on 4 yellows. Putting CJ in the centre will not work, unless you take Butler out and that will not happen.
We could maybe get away with a middle 3 of Gomes, Smith and Richards, but there’s no experience there. I think we need to sort out our 3 major problems of Lumley, Sims and Tulloch as a priority. I know it can’t be done until January, but we have a game v Peterborough on the 3rd Jan, so something has to be sorted for that.
The 3 players who didn’t have outstanding games on Saturday were James, Taylor and possibly Halliday. Taylor we know has only just come back so will improve with games. James may be getting tired and he maybe one to sit out, but who comes in for him, as Lokilo isn’t pulling any trees up and he’s the only like for like replacement we have (no, I havn’t forgot Copps, but he doesn’t play wide anymore and it would need shuffling 2 to accommodate him). JJ could possibly do a job on the left, but would he track back as much?
With Halliday, I thought he was a bit sloppy on Saturday (by his standards) but it might be just a one-off. I think it’s the same side as Saturday again.
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I feel that our need will be to work both flanks well .I would rest Hallyday and play Wright and Jon on the right and CJ and Amos down the left .I would rest Reece for Copps for 70 minutes or so .
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Alan, I don't even look any further than the next game at the moment never mind the 3rd of January with this Covid thing.
We ourselves have been very lucky up to press to avoid anything within the bubble the clubs precautions working well up to press but who knows what the future holds?
If the Premiership is hit badly I wouldn't discount the same ending of the season to last year yet, I hope not but would not bet on it.
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I wouldn't rest anybody. Teams on a roll. Full of confidence. I'd play 'em until they dropped.
The way things are going this league is going to be decided the same way as last year. PPG. We need to get into that top two asap.
We can worry about player welfare in February...... if we're still playing.
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On ppg, we’re already in the top 2?
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Thought they have said the PPG won't be used again the season must finish or gets null and void, maybe wrong
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dknward 2, I don't think anyone envisaged how long it would take to sort the pandemic out when the season restarted with the hope by now to have reached something like normal living by now the talk of the time.
Unfortunately last season they made the decision to end the season the way they did, and now the precedent has been set a Pandora's Box of clubs possibly turning to law if the situation suits them if a similar situation arises could be the outcome, hopefully not, but don't hold your breath as football clubs are nothing else but self interested and sod anyone else.
If nothing else it gives a little more interest to our result tonight and in the near future, the quicker we get to the top of the division and if possible open up a points gap the better.
What odds would you have got that the Doncaster v Accrington boxing day game could have possibly so much significance? as both clubs if the situation did arise now would be lording it over the fancied luminaries in this division.
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Is it 7.45 kick off?
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Is it 7.45 kick off?
Yes
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Thanks.
No need to warm me computer up til half seven then.
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Thanks.
No need to warm me computer up til half seven then.
Mine needs a good 5 minutes to contemplate doing owt after booting up too lol. I wouldn't mind, it's only a few years old & the spec it's meant to have....
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Thanks.
No need to warm me computer up til half seven then.
Mine needs a good 5 minutes to contemplate doing owt after booting up too lol. I wouldn't mind, it's only a few years old & the spec it's meant to have....
Reinstall windows. It's easy enough to do through the settings and there's an option to save all your personal files too - speaking of which, also clear out the shite you don't need. Should make a difference.
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Thanks.
No need to warm me computer up til half seven then.
Mine needs a good 5 minutes to contemplate doing owt after booting up too lol. I wouldn't mind, it's only a few years old & the spec it's meant to have....
Reinstall windows. It's easy enough to do through the settings and there's an option to save all your personal files too - speaking of which, also clear out the shite you don't need. Should make a difference.
An even better suggestion is to get rid of windows. :lol: :lol:
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Thanks.
No need to warm me computer up til half seven then.
Mine needs a good 5 minutes to contemplate doing owt after booting up too lol. I wouldn't mind, it's only a few years old & the spec it's meant to have....
Reinstall windows. It's easy enough to do through the settings and there's an option to save all your personal files too - speaking of which, also clear out the shite you don't need. Should make a difference.
Cheers Janso, might have a look at that over Christmas. Cleared loads of shite off it & the stuff that runs off start up.
I've got an old net book with barely any spec, it's rapid lol.
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Thanks.
No need to warm me computer up til half seven then.
Mine needs a good 5 minutes to contemplate doing owt after booting up too lol. I wouldn't mind, it's only a few years old & the spec it's meant to have....
Reinstall windows. It's easy enough to do through the settings and there's an option to save all your personal files too - speaking of which, also clear out the shite you don't need. Should make a difference.
An even better suggestion is to get rid of windows. :lol: :lol:
Might want to wait until it warms up though.
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Get yourself a MAC.
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Aye, you never know when it'll rain. :coat:
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:rolleyes:
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I have a sneaky suspicion that Tom Anderson may well get on the end of a set piece tonight.
30/1 odds for first goal scorer.
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Thanks.
No need to warm me computer up til half seven then.
Mine needs a good 5 minutes to contemplate doing owt after booting up too lol. I wouldn't mind, it's only a few years old & the spec it's meant to have....
delete every single anti virus, and it will fly again.. They are the devil!!!!
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I have a sneaky suspicion that Tom Anderson may well get on the end of a set piece tonight.
30/1 odds for first goal scorer.
He hasn't scored in his last 35 games. That is a bold punt. Hope it pays off!
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Just tuning in to this good luck hope you win.
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Nearly.
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Everything except end product in the 1st half.
Think one goal might do it tonight.
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I miss Simms
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Everything except end product in the 1st half.
Think one goal might do it tonight.
I hope you are wrong.
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Over playing in final third.........
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Shrews did the same against hull and Lincoln.
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How many times did our keeper touch the ball tonight totally ott
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I miss Simms
Haha it was only a few days ago that you said Taylor was just as good and there were several players who had been better than Sims this season!
We did really miss him tonight - that first half we just needed someone who could beat a man or do something a little bit different. We just didn’t have much of an idea against a really well organised Shrewsbury side with a clear game plan and didn’t really create enough to deserve a draw, let alone a win.
Disappointing as it would have been great to have Christmas on top (I had some lovely Christmas number one messages in mind for some of my mates) but we’re still in a really strong position to build on.
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Their tactics were spot on. We just ran out of ideas. Very disappointing.
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If ya wingers can’t get the ball into the box you can’t create chances....we have supposed nippy wingers who seem unable to get passed their man, and when they do there is no end product...
Set pieces we are poor at defending , and do absolutely buggerall with the ones we create.....
A missed opportunity against another low level workmanlike team that did nothing to win the game apart from a bloody header from a free kick
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A low level workmanlike team who have just won three on the trot away.
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We needed to score 1st. Always thought 1 goal would win it.
Just was never going to happen for us after conceding. Simply not our night against a very well organised team.
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Shrewsbury in same bucket as Wycombe. Like the turd on your shoe you can't quite wipe off properly.
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It's a tough league against anyone. Thought Shewsbury set up well and yet another game where we failed to capitalise on good periods of play.
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Worst thing that could happen did. Going behind to a Cotterill team.
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50% of the goals we have conceded are from set pieces.
Need to improve that aspect of our defending.
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I miss Simms
Haha it was only a few days ago that you said Taylor was just as good and there were several players who had been better than Sims this season!
We did really miss him tonight - that first half we just needed someone who could beat a man or do something a little bit different. We just didn’t have much of an idea against a really well organised Shrewsbury side with a clear game plan and didn’t really create enough to deserve a draw, let alone a win.
Disappointing as it would have been great to have Christmas on top (I had some lovely Christmas number one messages in mind for some of my mates) but we’re still in a really strong position to build on.
Yes all 3 players I mentioned.....
Taylor is when he's on it.
Taylor Richards got away with his stupidity on Saturday. Tonight he's cost us.
Will have to see it again but goal seemed far too easy and someone missed their header. Could have done with the zooming in at that point we got made to suffer with first half.
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A game too far, that. We looked leggy from the start of the second half.
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50% of the goals we have conceded are from set pieces.
Need to improve that aspect of our defending.
18 league games and only three clean sheets. Shrewsbury have kept three in their last three away games.
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Thought Lokilo looked a bigger threat than Taylor when he came on.
Give him a start on Satdy?
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Just not our night tonight.
Didn't play badly but just too ponderous around the box. Not enough quality or bravery in taking responsibility when it mattered.
They defended well and blocked because we gave them time to do it. We play well with one touch, two touch football. We gained good ground but then we dithered about whether to pass or shoot and that's what did us.
I can't think of anyone from Richards and those further up the pitch who didn't dither and get caught on the ball. Could be individuals not being brave enough to take a player on or poor running off the ball or a combination of the two.
Anyway, nothing to beat ourselves up about.
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Did we bring back the same Lokilo in the summer?
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Thought Lokilo looked a bigger threat than Taylor when he came on.
Give him a start on Satdy?
No not for me. We need to get Taylor back fully on it and match fit. Million times better. Need to play our left back Reece James further forward to.
Maybe too much change tonight?
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First 10 minutes was probably our best start to a league game. On reflection, not scoring then was probably the end of the contest really.
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Did we bring back the same Lokilo in the summer?
What was same Lokilo? Are we referring to that 30 minute cameo? Where he did look decent to be fair. However 30 minutes
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Thought Lokilo looked a bigger threat than Taylor when he came on.
Give him a start on Satdy?
Don't care who plays out wide on either side but how hard can it be to put a few decent crosses in now and again, because they were non existent tonight. Fej worked hard tonight but the service from out wide was poor
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We've played 9 games in the last 30 days. If you kept that rate up all season, you'd play more than 80 matches.
Shrewsbury have just had a ten day break.
It showed throughout the 2nd half.
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Did we bring back the same Lokilo in the summer?
What was same Lokilo? Are we referring to that 30 minute cameo? Where he did look decent to be fair. However 30 minutes
Pointless putting crosses in against a side as well organised as them. The lad has pace and kept running into dead ends. We needed to get behind them but nobody was putting in balls to use pace of Lokilo, Fej, JJ and Taylor throughout the game.
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Clearly Sims injury is hurting already with no equivalent player on the books . We looked positive until it mattered in the last third, where we just constantly gave the ball away and had no ideas on how to break Shrewsbury down . Better teams game plan won the day !
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Thought Lokilo looked a bigger threat than Taylor when he came on.
Give him a start on Satdy?
Don't care who plays out wide on either side but how hard can it be to put a few decent crosses in now and again, because they were non existent tonight. Fej worked hard tonight but the service from out wide was poor
It was and we were too narrow most of the time.
Not sure why he put Reece James back to full back when he was playing so well further forward and scoring goals.
Hindsight eh. Who would be a manager. Genius when it works and looking foolish when it doesn’t.
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Can't win them all and if I was a betting man just because of tradition this is one I would have steered clear of they have had it on us for an age.
The same as the team we meet on Saturday Accrington, another we find difficulties against, but we need to start another little winning run, start again apart from not scoring we played Ok just had no luck, on to the next game.
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Thought Lokilo looked a bigger threat than Taylor when he came on.
Give him a start on Satdy?
Don't care who plays out wide on either side but how hard can it be to put a few decent crosses in now and again, because they were non existent tonight. Fej worked hard tonight but the service from out wide was poor
Our best cross of the night was by Fej himself. left footed across the face of goal in the first half and no one gambling enough to get in there to put it away.
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Is it just me that finds it odd. Fej out wide JJ central? I'd have them other way around.
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Same old things let us down tonight. We can't defend free kicks; as soon as Richards conceded that free kick, I knew where the ball would end up. Opposing teams must now be aware of this weakness.
Also, we can't break down teams who pack their defence. We badly missed Sims tonight, and Taylor was awful.
I hope it's just a one-off, because teams will soon work out how to beat us.
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Can't win them all and if I was a betting man just because of tradition this is one I would have steered clear of they have had it on us for an age.
The same as the team we meet on Saturday Accrington, another we find difficulties against, but we need to start another little winning run, start again apart from not scoring we played Ok just had no luck, on to the next game.
We didn’t really work their keeper Brian. They did a job on us and as you say Shrewsbury are one of those sides we do not have a great record against. Neither are the next two opponents Accrington & Fleetwood.
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Can't win them all and if I was a betting man just because of tradition this is one I would have steered clear of they have had it on us for an age.
The same as the team we meet on Saturday Accrington, another we find difficulties against, but we need to start another little winning run, start again apart from not scoring we played Ok just had no luck, on to the next game.
We didn’t really work their keeper Brian. They did a job on us and as you say Shrewsbury are one of those sides we do not have a great record against. Neither are the next two opponents Accrington & Fleetwood.
Mmmmm, the next two games dont sound like being lots of fun then.
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Hopefully we bounce back on Saturday against Accrington which I think we will before we head into a tough run of fixtures of 5 away games on spin.
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For me we don’t need to be top to soon 4th is ok for now just before Easter make our move
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For me we don’t need to be top to soon 4th is ok for now just before Easter make our move
Tell that to the players.
they will be so dissappointed not to be top.
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Is it just me that finds it odd. Fej out wide JJ central? I'd have them other way around.
Yeah the biggest threat was the first 20 mins when they were rotating. Fey was getting past defenders quite well. TJJ didn't pose much of a threat.
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4 4 2 could work. It's not like it would be a rigid one and could work. That move where Fej took the ball around the keeper was decent. Or play JJ behind him where Taylor Richards played who blows hot and cold each game.
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Richards did lose a lot of possession tonight. Smith picked up but his completion rate at times was poor.
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good luck picking a motm out of that performance
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good luck picking a motm out of that performance
Whiteman.
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good luck picking a motm out of that performance
Andy Butler.
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Got to hold our hands up we were out thought tonight, I don’t know what it is against Shrews.
Put that behind us us and hopefully go again
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good luck picking a motm out of that performance
Whiteman.
Probably his worst game of the season, but having said that you are still probably right in terms of man of the match
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good luck picking a motm out of that performance
Whiteman.
Probably his worst game of the season, but having said that you are still probably right in terms of man of the match
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Just had a look at the L1 table.
The only team in the top eleven not to have lost in their last five matches is Crewe.
We were always going to lose a game sooner or later and it probably hurts more as we would have gone top with a win.
Someone aked the other day when we were last on top of our division at Christmas but i dont recall seeing a reply anywhere.
Does anyone know?
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Better tactics won on the day .
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Is it just me that finds it odd. Fej out wide JJ central? I'd have them other way around.
The idea is they're interchangeable and flexible.
On the subject of crossing, an area that has been our weakness, had been showing signs of improvement recently.
As said, only really one cross from Faj and poss one from James that posed any threat. Oh and another from James when keeper made the save from JJ header in 2nd half.
Taylor took an age to get one in, in the first half and was a floaty one which was meat and drink for the keeper. There is absolutely no point in a floated cross to a crowded penalty area while the forwards are waiting with a cup of tea for the ball to come in!
You don't necessarily have to beat your man to get a cross in, as long as you put it in before the defender gets set to make a block and you have enough space. The forwards also have to anticipate that and make the runs. But when the likes of Taylor, and Copps, and Lokilo fanny about with it, then defenders and keeper can prepare.
But yes, there are times when players should get past their man, then we need better than an aimless cross to nobody. There's 3 choices for the ball carrier. Near post, far post or cut back. So ideally you need 3 players attacking those spaces. Just as Fej did wonderfully well for his goal v Burton.
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I don't think we were out thought at all really. We created enough good positions but didn't capitalise. I can't recall Lumley having to do that much in the game either.
They defended well, we defended well. The difference in the end was the execution of the free kick. They delivered a meaningful ball with pace right into the danger zone. We had a free kick in the first half from an identical position and floated a ball in giving the keeper ample time to catch the ball.
We do seem to miss someone who can whip a dead ball in with pace and accuracy, although I think James can do it. Whiteman can do it but he takes up a central position normally for second balls coming out. Then again he scored one earlier v Ipswich from a wider area. Amos can do it but is rarely on the pitch.
It's something we need to improve on, particularly for games like tonight when scoring from open play is proving difficult.
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Part of me wonders if it's part of the instructions to "fanny about" with the ball rather than cross it. I know we like to play in a way that forces the opposition to come onto you, maybe that's part of it and then the ball gets moved elsewhere where there's now space.
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Did Lumley have the most completed passes as it seemed last night everything went through him ?
Free kick or in some cases Corner. Ball knock short player closed down - knocks it back - and back again to Brad H who has no option than to go back to Lumley
I'll stop there as we all know what happens next - and a promising position 15 seconds ago is reduced to "building from the back" again
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Just had a lok at the L1 table.
The only team in the top eleven not to have lost in their last five matches is Crewe.
We were always going to lose a game sooner or later and it probably hurts more as we would have gone top with a win.
Someone aked the other day when we were last on top of our division at Christmas but i dont recall seeing a reply anywhere.
Does anyone know?
Yes there was a reply - top 4 times at Christmas and I am sure it ended Promoted Champions Champions Champions
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I thought first half we played some really good stuff, without really having the quality or the rub of the green in the final third. I thought Fej was really trying but John-Jules and Taylor weren’t really at it. We missed Sims and in my opinion we missed John’s physicality in defence and going forward.
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good luck picking a motm out of that performance
Whiteman.
You are joking, lost the ball numerous times and put us on the back foot, his passing was off as well
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I thought first half we played some really good stuff, without really having the quality or the rub of the green in the final third. I thought Fej was really trying but John-Jules and Taylor weren’t really at it. We missed Sims and in my opinion we missed John’s physicality in defence and going forward.
Agree with all that - pity VAR not in use as I would like to have seen the "Goal" that was chalked off. If that counted we may have been looking at the rest of the Division being below us
We deffo DID miss Sims - and seemed to want to play 6 passes where 3 would have done
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good luck picking a motm out of that performance
Whiteman.
You are joking, lost the ball numerous times and put us on the back foot, his passing was off as well
When we are facing teams like Shrewsbury who want to pack their defence Ben has to not think every pass has to be a "Hollywood" pass.
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One of the post-goal highlights was Lokilo, I thought played well for the 15 minutes that he was on and should give Moore confidence to give him another run.
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Did Lumley have the most completed passes as it seemed last night everything went through him ?
Free kick or in some cases Corner. Ball knock short player closed down - knocks it back - and back again to Brad H who has no option than to go back to Lumley
I'll stop there as we all know what happens next - and a promising position 15 seconds ago is reduced to "building from the back" again
Halliday completed the most with 84. Whiteman next on 79.
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Did Lumley have the most completed passes as it seemed last night everything went through him ?
Free kick or in some cases Corner. Ball knock short player closed down - knocks it back - and back again to Brad H who has no option than to go back to Lumley
I'll stop there as we all know what happens next - and a promising position 15 seconds ago is reduced to "building from the back" again
After looking at some of those extensive passing moves from the SoD teams and the one at Leeds leading to the Sharp goal, the thing that was very different to today’s team was the movement by the players and speed of movement of the ball.
Too often our current side is laboured and slow in the build up.
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Just had a lok at the L1 table.
The only team in the top eleven not to have lost in their last five matches is Crewe.
We were always going to lose a game sooner or later and it probably hurts more as we would have gone top with a win.
Someone aked the other day when we were last on top of our division at Christmas but i dont recall seeing a reply anywhere.
Does anyone know?
Yes there was a reply - top 4 times at Christmas and I am sure it ended Promoted Champions Champions Champions
Cheers for that Wolfie.
I don’t read all the stuff on here anymore so must have missed that post.
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Is it just me that finds it odd. Fej out wide JJ central? I'd have them other way around.
The idea is they're interchangeable and flexible.
On the subject of crossing, an area that has been our weakness, had been showing signs of improvement recently.
As said, only really one cross from Faj and poss one from James that posed any threat. Oh and another from James when keeper made the save from JJ header in 2nd half.
Taylor took an age to get one in, in the first half and was a floaty one which was meat and drink for the keeper. There is absolutely no point in a floated cross to a crowded penalty area while the forwards are waiting with a cup of tea for the ball to come in!
You don't necessarily have to beat your man to get a cross in, as long as you put it in before the defender gets set to make a block and you have enough space. The forwards also have to anticipate that and make the runs. But when the likes of Taylor, and Copps, and Lokilo fanny about with it, then defenders and keeper can prepare.
But yes, there are times when players should get past their man, then we need better than an aimless cross to nobody. There's 3 choices for the ball carrier. Near post, far post or cut back. So ideally you need 3 players attacking those spaces. Just as Fej did wonderfully well for his goal v Burton.
Fun fact, we've attempted the lowest amount of crosses in League One.
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For me we don’t need to be top to soon 4th is ok for now just before Easter make our move
Tell that to the players.
they will be so dissappointed not to be top.
They will hound but sometimes a setback is no bad thing and may re focus the players into making another run of positive results.
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some one posted how many games we had played compared to them, I think it showed in the second half.
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some one posted how many games we had played compared to them, I think it showed in the second half.
The subs came too late in my opinion, it was clear after we conceded we needed to change things, I think Richards is a great prospect, but he does blow hot and cold during games and give needless fouls away
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I thought first half we played some really good stuff, without really having the quality or the rub of the green in the final third. I thought Fej was really trying but John-Jules and Taylor weren’t really at it. We missed Sims and in my opinion we missed John’s physicality in defence and going forward.
Agree with all that and personally I would have fetched John on instead of Copps. He's a direct player who's not frightened running at people and putting his foot thru the ball
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Did Lumley have the most completed passes as it seemed last night everything went through him ?
Free kick or in some cases Corner. Ball knock short player closed down - knocks it back - and back again to Brad H who has no option than to go back to Lumley
I'll stop there as we all know what happens next - and a promising position 15 seconds ago is reduced to "building from the back" again
Halliday completed the most with 84. Whiteman next on 79.
Yes but 70 of Halliday's were to Lumley
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Did Lumley have the most completed passes as it seemed last night everything went through him ?
Free kick or in some cases Corner. Ball knock short player closed down - knocks it back - and back again to Brad H who has no option than to go back to Lumley
I'll stop there as we all know what happens next - and a promising position 15 seconds ago is reduced to "building from the back" again
Halliday completed the most with 84. Whiteman next on 79.
Yes but 70 of Halliday's were to Lumley
I was just answering the question.
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Yes thanks for that - and my question was a bit tongue in cheek - just trying to say do we really neeed to go back even from corners and free kicks in dangerous positions.
Is there a stat for Lumleys passes on that list btw as he was on my screen every few seconds lol ?
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I find it inconceivable that some supporters thought that the game would pan out any differently, if I went away for twenty five years and came back to a game v Shrewsbury managed by Cotterill I think I could write the majority of a game report ten years previously.
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good luck picking a motm out of that performance
Whiteman.
You are joking, lost the ball numerous times and put us on the back foot, his passing was off as well
When we are facing teams like Shrewsbury who want to pack their defence Ben has to not think every pass has to be a "Hollywood" pass.
The thing is though, it's those "Hollywood passes" that unlock teams who pack their defence like Shrewsbury did. So, Whiteman has the best capability in the team to create openings and to be fair, it nearly came off a couple of times. When it does, it can win you games like his through ball to James in the win over Swindon did.
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good luck picking a motm out of that performance
Whiteman.
You are joking, lost the ball numerous times and put us on the back foot, his passing was off as well
When we are facing teams like Shrewsbury who want to pack their defence Ben has to not think every pass has to be a "Hollywood" pass.
The thing is though, it's those "Hollywood passes" that unlock teams who pack their defence like Shrewsbury did. So, Whiteman has the best capability in the team to create openings and to be fair, it nearly came off a couple of times. When it does, it can win you games like his through ball to James in the win over Swindon did.
Aye. If we just did short passes they'd love it as they'd be able to easily adjust their shape.
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I think we played ok last night but their defence was better than our attack.
Very disappointed in Jon Taylor. Started off ok then messed up a couple of crosses and all the confidence drained out of him. Not once did he try to beat his fullback. Does he not have a trick to get past people? Lokilo did more in 5 mins than Taylor did in 60.
Very disappointed in TJJ. He spent 89 minutes shackled by the two centrehalfs. He had virtually no impact on the game. I have zero confidence in either him or FO being consistently effective enough for us to get promoted.
With Sims and hopefully Tulloch freeing up wages I'd like us to go and get a seasoned, knarly old pro to play up top. Is Danny Hylton available?............
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We really missed Simms last night.
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Did Lumley have the most completed passes as it seemed last night everything went through him ?
Free kick or in some cases Corner. Ball knock short player closed down - knocks it back - and back again to Brad H who has no option than to go back to Lumley
I'll stop there as we all know what happens next - and a promising position 15 seconds ago is reduced to "building from the back" again
After looking at some of those extensive passing moves from the SoD teams and the one at Leeds leading to the Sharp goal, the thing that was very different to today’s team was the movement by the players and speed of movement of the ball.
Too often our current side is laboured and slow in the build up.
Those players in those teams were much better even the league 1 Odriscoll team. Probably James, Whiteman and Anderson get anywhere near that side.
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Did Lumley have the most completed passes as it seemed last night everything went through him ?
Free kick or in some cases Corner. Ball knock short player closed down - knocks it back - and back again to Brad H who has no option than to go back to Lumley
I'll stop there as we all know what happens next - and a promising position 15 seconds ago is reduced to "building from the back" again
After looking at some of those extensive passing moves from the SoD teams and the one at Leeds leading to the Sharp goal, the thing that was very different to today’s team was the movement by the players and speed of movement of the ball.
Too often our current side is laboured and slow in the build up.
Those players in those teams were much better even the league 1 Odriscoll team. Probably James, Whiteman and Anderson get anywhere near that side.
Yeah, I would agree with that.
I was just making the point that we need to move the ball more quickly, especially when going from the back line into the midfield players.
To his credit, Butler plays more passes forwards into midfield than across to Anderson.