January window

[vaya]

The side that played at Fleetwood would get us promoted, 3 at the back, aggressive wing backs rather than powder puff misfiring wingers, two up top with Hursty roaming behind, George and Bails in middle and we'll be fine.

Again, at Fleetwood the conditions forced us to play direct and we looked better for it. Its like McCann can’t admit we are a long ball team and we are better when we horse it up the Ironside.

"When we horse it up the Ironside"

Is this a euphemism?

[Usher wide.]

The manager isn’t good enough.

Away Rover, Keith 79, donnyguy & StocksArmy. I’ll remind you all of this pathetic post come the end of the season.

[steve@dcfd]

We are better now than this time last year. The reason for all the chopping and changing goes down to four positions in the side.
Gibson as not produced on the left attacking side of the pitch whether he can I’m not sure but he is no Adelulaken.
Kelly another player who as been disappointing he has not come any where near Craig
Then the attacking central midfield Sbarra for all some people said about him is not good enough
Clifton hard working but will he score the goals.
Molyneux been marked out of games and with no other attacking midfield threat then our creativity is gone.
Grant brought these players in but they have not shown the quality or consistency to improve the side from the end of last season. So zGrants got some decisions to make

[Campsall rover]

One thing I do know is Joe Ironside must start in pretty much all league games.
He played in them last season, very rarely got subbed and scored 20 goals.
We don’t have to start both Joe and Billy imo. Joe is quite capable of playing as the front man on his own. He did it last season and he did it magnificently well.
Having a big squad should be a plus a very big plus but it seems to have created a problem for GM

He has got to be bold now and decide what his best 11 is what his best formation is and stick to it match after match. Only make a change when it is forced or if it consistently isn’t working obviously.
Chopping and changing game after game is not helping & it is now becoming starkly obvious that is the case.

It’s up to GM not me or any of us of course but we all have our own opinions on what he should do.

Personally I would have a starting 11 of  4-2-1-3 / 4-2-3-1  call it what you will as there has to be flexibility in any formation. With the ball without the ball etc etc.

So my best 11 with everyone 100% fit is as follows. Or at least this is what I would try right now. ( Westbrooke is just coming back from injury )

Sharman-Lowe

Sterry or Emmanuel
Olowu
McGrath
Senior or Maxwell

Bailey
Westbrooke

Clifton or Hurst

Gibson
Ironside
Mollyneux

Play Gibson on the right & Molly on the left and change over at times during the game as required to give opposition something different to think about.

Couple of either or ors in that team.

At present I think I would go with Emmanuel for his physicality.
He played well v Port Vale and also did yesterday.

Maxwell looks off the pace at present so would stick with Senior but a fully fit firing Maxwell gives us a better attacking player and would start for me.

Clifton or Hurst.  Probably start Clifton and use Hurst as an impact player off the bench. He can and has been a match winning player for us if used sensibly.
Clifton is physically stronger and gives us a better option for 60/65 mins imo. Same as Kyle has he has a goal in him.

I would give Westbrooke a go now along side Bailey. He is a busy player who will provide the team with a bit of guile which is needed.
Very good passer of the ball and I think will help give our front 3 more quality balls to run off or feed off.

Billy Sharp is now an impact player for me and will do a job off the bench for 30 mins.
Starting him yesterday against a big physical team like Wimbledon was  imo not very well thought out ( I am being polite )

Subs:

Lawlor.
Nixon or Maxwell or Sterry or Emmanuel or Fleming.
Anderson
Kelly
Sbarra or Broadbent
Hurst
Sharp

Others no doubt will see it differently.

If we play 2 up top then we would need to play a 3 centre back system and wing backs or go for 4-4-2 but do we have 2 midfielders who can keep us solid enough in that 4-4-2
If we had Bailey and Craig maybe but I thinks it would be dangerous with our current midfielders.

Broadbent I am sorry isn’t good enough
Yes a great 2nd 45 mins last week but he went missing totally yesterday and hasn’t shown enough to be the player needed in our midfield.
Yeboah can go back to Bristol City and we need another striker in January.

[i_ateallthepies]

If Grant really has been chopping and changing because he thinks it combats the opposition better then by now I would hope he can see it absolutely is not working.  Try settling the side and see how it goes until the Window opens.

[graingrover]

Mind boggles at the criticism of Grant McCann .Two moments in the game yesterday are much more relevant indicators both five yards out from their goal line with only the keeper to beat and from players who undeniably we need to keep hold of .

[ncRover]

One thing I do know is Joe Ironside must start in pretty much all league games.
He played in them last season, very rarely got subbed and scored 20 goals.
We don’t have to start both Joe and Billy imo. Joe is quite capable of playing as the front man on his own. He did it last season and he did it magnificently well.
Having a big squad should be a plus a very big plus but it seems to have created a problem for GM

He has got to be bold now and decide what his best 11 is what his best formation is and stick to it match after match. Only make a change when it is forced or if it consistently isn’t working obviously.
Chopping and changing game after game is not helping & it is now becoming starkly obvious that is the case.

It’s up to GM not me or any of us of course but we all have our own opinions on what he should do.

Personally I would have a starting 11 of  4-2-1-3 / 4-2-3-1  call it what you will as there has to be flexibility in any formation. With the ball without the ball etc etc.

So my best 11 with everyone 100% fit is as follows. Or at least this is what I would try right now. ( Westbrooke is just coming back from injury )

Sharman-Lowe

Sterry or Emmanuel
Olowu
McGrath
Senior or Maxwell

Bailey
Westbrooke

Clifton or Hurst

Gibson
Ironside
Mollyneux

Play Gibson on the right & Molly on the left and change over at times during the game as required to give opposition something different to think about.

Couple of either or ors in that team.

At present I think I would go with Emmanuel for his physicality.
He played well v Port Vale and also did yesterday.

Maxwell looks off the pace at present so would stick with Senior but a fully fit firing Maxwell gives us a better attacking player and would start for me.

Clifton or Hurst.  Probably start Clifton and use Hurst as an impact player off the bench. He can and has been a match winning player for us if used sensibly.
Clifton is physically stronger and gives us a better option for 60/65 mins imo. Same as Kyle has he has a goal in him.

I would give Westbrooke a go now along side Bailey. He is a busy player who will provide the team with a bit of guile which is needed.
Very good passer of the ball and I think will help give our front 3 more quality balls to run off or feed off.

Billy Sharp is now an impact player for me and will do a job off the bench for 30 mins.
Starting him yesterday against a big physical team like Wimbledon was  imo not very well thought out ( I am being polite )

Subs:

Lawlor.
Nixon or Maxwell or Sterry or Emmanuel or Fleming.
Anderson
Kelly
Sbarra or Broadbent
Hurst
Sharp

Others no doubt will see it differently.

If we play 2 up top then we would need to play a 3 centre back system and wing backs or go for 4-4-2 but do we have 2 midfielders who can keep us solid enough in that 4-4-2
If we had Bailey and Craig maybe but I thinks it would be dangerous with our current midfielders.

Broadbent I am sorry isn’t good enough
Yes a great 2nd 45 mins last week but he went missing totally yesterday and hasn’t shown enough to be the player needed in our midfield.
Yeboah can go back to Bristol City and we need another striker in January.

I agree with your midfield selection Campsall.
With the players we have at our disposal Westbrooke, Bailey and Clifton is the closest we have to Craig, Bailey and Biggins in terms of balance and what they are capable of.

Looking at the next 4 games and the type of teams they are it’s actually an easier run. l’m not expecting anything from Walsall away. But Tranmere, Colchester and Fleetwood shouldn’t pose as many problems.

I would make 3-5-2 the template and make a new centre forward with pace the priority.
Bobby coming back in can provide CB cover.
Senior good there too. Keep Fleming to compete with Maxwell at left wing back.

[Barmby Rover]

The manager isn’t good enough.

Ooh! Sack the manager, the scream of the unintelligent football fan, and replace him with who? I know, that ex centre half we used to have, he was so much better, or try to pinch the manager at Port vale, such a hero! I know, we can get Pep Guardiola, he's really good on my Fifa game! Grow up.

[GazLaz]

The side that played at Fleetwood would get us promoted, 3 at the back, aggressive wing backs rather than powder puff misfiring wingers, two up top with Hursty roaming behind, George and Bails in middle and we'll be fine.

Again, at Fleetwood the conditions forced us to play direct and we looked better for it. Its like McCann can’t admit we are a long ball team and we are better when we horse it up the Ironside.

"When we horse it up the Ironside"

Is this a euphemism?

It’s a superb typo! *to

[foxbat]

 

[selby]

Wolves are not one of the best u23s sides but have a lad Fletcher Holman who is scoring goals for fun and attracting other sides in our division.