Viking Supporters Co-operative
Viking Chat => Viking Chat => Topic started by: selby on October 05, 2025, 09:19:27 am
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Tuesday night's game could be much more important than usual in this competition, lose and it carries on our poor form, and with another hard game away at Leyton Orient next Saturday, and a certain Mr Wellens no doubt keen as mustard to put one over us, could be part of a worrying fall from grace.
So I am of the mind this game has more going for it as regards our well being than normal in this competition and as a whole for the season ahead. and treat it with more respect than teams seem to do and we need to look to get a result.
The normal way we and others treat these games is to mix the team around the squad and not always pick the clubs strongest side with fringe players coming in and even youths never to be seen again at first team level.
Personally I would go strong from the start in this game, probably start the same team as yesterday injury allowing, We are not in form, we use at least 14/15 players a game and we have had no real consistency of team selection from the start of the season some because of form and injury, but a lot of tinkering on top during games and team selection, which is all right when things are going well, but doesn't help when they are not.
Apart from that watching games most of the players brought in apart from Middleton and O'Riordon have hardly pushed my admiration button and watching Grimsby this season know they are a big useful side that are well organised and physical, if they go strong they are a team to show respect to.
So easy, what would you do, has anyone done enough to shove for a start, McGrath possibly but has been so so this season and misses Olowu's covering pace alongside him, The keeper position reversed is a normal change, personally if O'Riordon is injured I would stick with Pearson's experience alongside Grehan at the start of the game just to talk him through it to start with, Grimsby quick and Physical up front.
Lot's to discuss, lots on what usually is deemed an annoyance to some, which it certainly is not to clubs that get to the final. Please have your say.
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TLT in goal
Grehan is on international duty therefore he won’t be available for Grimsby or Orient
Sterry injured hes not available for about 5 weeks
Therefore we will have to be careful with Nixon
ORiordan who has got my admiration and has been our best defender with more pace than Olowu had last year, will he be fit for either Grimsby or Orient
Pearson and McGrath may have to play both games
Senior I would think will play against Grimsby
Midfield Broadbent Bailey is Gotts fit give him a game
All the new signings need games result or not against Grimsby
Ajayi Hanlan Middleton and Olusanya will need play some part if not the full game.
Subs
Who Evers available plus young professionals
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We should be starting with a front three of Ajayi, Hanlan and Olusanya. Cannot expect them to get up to speed playing final 15 minutes of each game.
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I would start the same forward line as yesterday if fit, we need to get back on it with our best players IMHO, and playing games is the only way to get back confidence in your own game.
Like yesterday the players can be replaced after an hour or so, realistically by players who have not shown a lot in previous games.
At Tottenham and yesterday we have done a lot of switching about, no player has been overworked apart from Bailey, and he thrives on it.
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After beating Everton u23s a win would see us through most likely
and like last season keeps interest in cup football later in the season with the FA cup to come.
The two cup competitions were the base we built our late league run in on and gave the club a lift.
We need to try and replicate it again.
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We’ve got to do something to stop this Jekyll & Hyde performances, but what that is, God only knows! From looking like a top half L1 side in the first half to a relegation National league side in the 2nd half is worrying. GM has to do some soul searching and take some of the responsibility for Saturday’s shambolic second half and put an end to it. There are certain players in our squad that just simply can’t be relied on right now and giving them more game time may well end up exacerbating the problem still further!
Fair enough, Tuesday is not a league game and we’re not going to lose yet more points, but something needs working on for Saturday’s difficult trip to Orient.
Imho, GM has very little to pick from up the top end of the pitch. Our best 3 all played on Saturday, with only Middleton looking like good enough to take one of those places, possibly for Mols, who got clobbered at the end of Saturday’s game. In midfield, Broadbent will probably come in and, hopefully, a fully fit Gotts alongside the ever-present Bailey.
Defensively, again hopefully, O’Riordan can come in alongside McGrath, flanked by Senior and Nixon. TLT back in goal.
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Unfortunatly we are too early in the season and too far away from January to be fully casting ajayi, olusanya and hanlon aside.
So we need to use them because we cannot give the others 90mins every game.
So a vertu trophy game is a chance to use them as much as possible and hopefully something clicks with them.
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Do we have any youth team centre half’s who can step up/not out on loan as we are if O’Riordan is not fit down to 2
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Sam Straughan-Brown In contention to play. His loan deal says he can play for rovers in this cup.
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https://www.doncasterroversfc.co.uk/news/2025/october/06/pre-match--straughan-brown-looking-to-shine-in-vertu-trophy-tie/
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As he has done the pre match interview I would say he is probably at 95 percent chance to start
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Listening to Cliff, Sam trains with the squad about 3 days a week so he may get his chance tomorrow also Will although being full time he doesn’t train with us in the week.
There was no guarantee they would start the game but they should be involved
9 subs in this game so they should get on the bench at least.
I’m hoping Bobby Gotts will be available as well for this game
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I see we've got Oldham in the cup again...this time as referee!
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O’R back on the grass, as is Clifton (albeit behind O’R), which is good news.
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Good on both counts then.
I think that Clifton is much more important to the function of the team than many people think.
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Agreed ‘hound, but why we havn’t seen Gotts more is a mystery! I appreciate he was pulled at Luton, but there was no mention of an injury in GM’s presser prior to the Burton game.
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Good on both counts then.
I think that Clifton is much more important to the function of the team than many people think.
Yes that’s the case but Gotts injury has not allowed him to gain game time to show what he really can do.
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Like many, I haven’t seen much of Gotts, but I have been impressed with what I have seen.
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I’d try playing 442 with Hanlan and Olusanya up top. We don’t look like we have a forward who can play on their own up there so let’s give them a chance. Hopefully would be a standing point to build from.
I’d go
TLT
Nixon Pearson Mcgarth Senior
Ajaiy Gotts Broadbent Middleton
Hanlan Olusanya
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Could well be an interesting addition to the squad tonight that FA rules allow as well as Sam. I hope so anyway.
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I can see us playing a pretty strong team as a kick up the arse to the players after recent results.
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Is it a kick up the arse or that on a consistent basis the players can’t keep producing their brand of football in league 1. The front three of Molyneux Sharp and Gibson are possibly the best three but chances for goals have not been taken.
The midfield can produce good football but once harassed and closed down then that goes away. Burton on Saturday brought on three subs at halftime and produced a better performance with a high press that we could not cope with. Is the level of an opponent higher therefore it begs the question is the overall team and squad good enough to meet the expectations
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Could well be an interesting addition to the squad tonight that FA rules allow as well as Sam. I hope so anyway.
Could possibly be Will Flint, according to the DFP.
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Not the ideal team to play when we are in the midst of a confidence issue and need a win to stop the slum, and of course appease the fans. They are in decent form, but I suppose it depends on changes made.
Just go for goals and build the confidence, play the strikers we have bought in for a full game, let them find their feet.
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Not the ideal team to play when we are in the midst of a confidence issue and need a win to stop the slum, and of course appease the fans. They are in decent form, but I suppose it depends on changes made.
Just go for goals and build the confidence, play the strikers we have bought in for a full game, let them find their feet.
They’ve picked the reserves. Pretty strong side from us.
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Not the ideal team to play when we are in the midst of a confidence issue and need a win to stop the slum, and of course appease the fans. They are in decent form, but I suppose it depends on changes made.
Just go for goals and build the confidence, play the strikers we have bought in for a full game, let them find their feet.
They’ve picked the reserves. Pretty strong side from us.
Apart from the forward line. Let's hope they surprise us.
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Not the ideal team to play when we are in the midst of a confidence issue and need a win to stop the slum, and of course appease the fans. They are in decent form, but I suppose it depends on changes made.
Just go for goals and build the confidence, play the strikers we have bought in for a full game, let them find their feet.
They’ve picked the reserves. Pretty strong side from us.
Are you sure, Gaz?
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Danny Rose is always a bloody pest against us
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Not the ideal team to play when we are in the midst of a confidence issue and need a win to stop the slum, and of course appease the fans. They are in decent form, but I suppose it depends on changes made.
Just go for goals and build the confidence, play the strikers we have bought in for a full game, let them find their feet.
They’ve picked the reserves. Pretty strong side from us.
There’s only 2 starters from Saturday for us
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A decent strength side with a strong bench if we need them.
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Not the ideal team to play when we are in the midst of a confidence issue and need a win to stop the slum, and of course appease the fans. They are in decent form, but I suppose it depends on changes made.
Just go for goals and build the confidence, play the strikers we have bought in for a full game, let them find their feet.
They’ve picked the reserves. Pretty strong side from us.
There’s only 2 starters from Saturday for us
Our XI is mush stronger and more experienced than theirs.
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0-1
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2-0, usual easy start at Grimsby
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Only watched the 2nd half, a bit of a yawnathon, blistering pace from.Olusanya who must be worth persevering with.in case he starts finding the onion bag. Jury no longer out on Hanlon, obvious he can't hit a barn door from 5 yards.
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Only watched the 2nd half, a bit of a yawnathon, blistering pace from.Olusanya who must be worth persevering with.in case he starts finding the onion bag. Jury no longer out on Hanlon, obvious he can't hit a barn door from 5 yards.
Blistering pace and nothing at the end of it.
He's terrible.
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Showed his pace tonight but absolutely nothing at the end of it, can't control the ball - dreadful.
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Only watched the 2nd half, a bit of a yawnathon, blistering pace from.Olusanya who must be worth persevering with.in case he starts finding the onion bag. Jury no longer out on Hanlon, obvious he can't hit a barn door from 5 yards.
TBH Hanlon missed two really good headed chances after he came on - he was at least there to get his head on them, but isn't a towering frontman. Good win nevertheless.
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I thought Tom Nixon was immense again.
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8 shots on target. Massive difference to the weekend. Or our usual stats.
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Whoever signed Hanlan and Olosanya needs to have a word with themselves! Neither should be anywhere near our first team.
Ajeyi another poor showing and S’Barra no better than SSB.
Work to do in January.
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We played a very weak Grimsby team and yet apart from Middleton and Gotts the others in the attacking third were useless.
The two strikers we have signed permanent and loan are the worst strikers under Grants time with us.
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We played a very weak Grimsby team and yet apart from Middleton and Gotts the others in the attacking third were useless.
The two strikers we have signed permanent and loan are the worst strikers under Grants time with us.
Hanlan was fine when he came on. Helped in the little upturn of pressure for us at the end.
Bobby was in the crowd tonight.
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I thought we did well tonight, did what was needed and hardly looked like conceding
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What is going off?
We’ve just won 3-0 away from home and we’ve folk posting negative tripe!
I get we’ve been spoilt for 18 months now but the reaction to this season is baffling
We’ve won 9 games out of 16 this season!
Sat in 10th place in a new division,
And the treatment of some of the players on here is embarrassing
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Exactly. We needed that win. Well done lads
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Really enjoyed tonight and thought they all had a decent game Nixon, Broadbent and Middleton were class Gotts took his chances well, Timmy pulled off a couple of good stops late in the first half. Flint slotted in well. Think once Hanlon scores he’ll be off and running
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Hanlan was ok, again he needs time and we need to find what his strengths are. He linked up play far better than the others. I just think he needs time to settle. I am not saying he will ever be prolific, but he is better than the other two, based on the short viewing we've had of each.
Olosanya does look to have all the right pieces to be a great player - they are just not put together yet, his touch is way off, the ball is just bouncing around him. We can only hope Grant can put him together, as that pace could be a huge weapon.
The lad from Spurs is struggling and I am not sure why, is it our system, is it living away from the South - I could understand these factors ( and they could also be factors for Hanlan) however I am not seeing Prem level passing and movement from him - he clearly has it to be so well thought of, to be just on the fringes of the first team of Spurs.
My one comment is that the fans are already on each of their backs all over socials, then Grant brings them on in games where we are already losing the battle, such as Saturday and most games to be fair - the crowds frustrations of the game then get projected on to these players, and it becomes a no win battle for some players.
I think Ajeyi has had a fairly good ride with the fans, but that is fast turning - Hanlan and Olyosanya haven't really had any slack, there has been stick form match one. A forward is highly reliant on service and form coming from game time - they have had little of either
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I would have thought he would have played them both together from the start tonight to give them both game time
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To try to add a bit of balance to comments I thought that both Ajai and Tomasi put in good shifts last night and Ajayi in particular showed off his ball skills and Olusanya pace and hard work.
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Really enjoyed tonight and thought they all had a decent game Nixon, Broadbent and Middleton were class Gotts took his chances well, Timmy pulled off a couple of good stops late in the first half. Flint slotted in well. Think once Hanlon scores he’ll be off and running
I didn’t see the game but that little summary is pleasing to read, thanks roversdude.
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Enjoyed last night the first half was really good and the first goal come completely out the blue after grimsby had bossed the first few minutes and then the goal changed the game comlpletely and thought we did really well. One thing i did like last night when Hanlan came on and only a small thing but shows his attitude and determination to get back in the side is there. We had a corner late on and not sure if it was 2/3-0 by that point but grimsby headed it away and there right winger was away and Hanlan was the first one to chase 40 yards to close the winger down and challenge him which i thought was a posotive as the attitude could be quite different right now being out of the side.
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So impressed with the first two goals, Middleton should be a starter every game, his crossing ability is superb, and Gotts is obviously fit enough and will be able to push for a start on Saturday. We need a player coming from midfield to have a go at goal like that to add to Captain Fantastic's efforts.
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Gotts if he remains fit surely must play ahead of Clifton/Sbarra in that advanced midfield role.
Feel it’s a bit unfair on Hanlan putting him in the same box as Olusanya. I’m hopeful both come good but can’t see it with Olusanya given he can’t control the ball in the prime of his career.
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Why are we judging a player who can run 40 yds to close a ball down, he’s a striker and should be judged on assists and putting the ball in the net.
He got up for a header and with a glancing header should have scored not putting two yards pasted the post.
Hanlan could start up front with Billy to come on if he’s that good. He should be a direct replacement for Billy if on the bench not Olusanya.
Let’s not forget we played Grimsby reserve side not one first team player started the game their side was made of the six subs from Saturday and young professionals. They had 3/4 first team players on the bench.
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We should have a fans rating of comments ..0 = e.g get rid of a player : 10 supportive comments .I am talking of rating comments from ‘ fans ‘ not rating performances but rating comments from fans in terms of supportive or destructive .
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We are wasting Billy playing him as a lone striker, he needs to play alongside a 2nd forward JMHO
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We played a very weak Grimsby team and yet apart from Middleton and Gotts the others in the attacking third were useless.
The two strikers we have signed permanent and loan are the worst strikers under Grants time with us.
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Why are we judging a player who can run 40 yds to close a ball down, he’s a striker and should be judged on assists and putting the ball in the net.
He got up for a header and with a glancing header should have scored not putting two yards pasted the post.
Hanlan could start up front with Billy to come on if he’s that good. He should be a direct replacement for Billy if on the bench not Olusanya.
Let’s not forget we played Grimsby reserve side not one first team player started the game their side was made of the six subs from Saturday and young professionals. They had 3/4 first team players on the bench.
Another embarrassing post
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I agree about Rose being a very handy player as someone else mentioned, so well done Will Flint he never got a thing out of him from start to finish.
Will didn't play in his best position and had a great game and looked very composed and controlled and showed his adaptability and ability to adapt to the needs of the team.
Sam came on and also did well looked energetic and did the easy stuff well, they were two of the biggest pluses in the game for us, and did themselves a load of good as far as their progress in the game is going and a credit to the academy coaches in the past who guided their progress at the club.
Two well rounded humble good lads off the field of play as well.
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We should have a fans rating of comments ..0 = e.g get rid of a player : 10 supportive comments .I am talking of rating comments from ‘ fans ‘ not rating performances but rating comments from fans in terms of supportive or destructive .
Are you having problems with your keyboard?
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Why are we judging a player who can run 40 yds to close a ball down, he’s a striker and should be judged on assists and putting the ball in the net.
He got up for a header and with a glancing header should have scored not putting two yards pasted the post.
Hanlan could start up front with Billy to come on if he’s that good. He should be a direct replacement for Billy if on the bench not Olusanya.
Let’s not forget we played Grimsby reserve side not one first team player started the game their side was made of the six subs from Saturday and young professionals. They had 3/4 first team players on the bench.
Perfectly agree with that Steve that is what a striker is always judged on. It was more just to highlight the positive that at least hes not sulking and downed tools with being 2nd/3rd choice to Billy and is looking to fight his way back in by doing the not so glamorous side of his role when he could have stood there hoping one of the defenders or midfielders got there but he beat them to it so thought that side of his game right now needing praising regardless of the strength of Grimsby