Let's talk about the Northampton Town game

[selby]

  Fourth plays fifth at a place we have not won many games in my time since Northampton moved to their new ground, both sides on eleven points, which is probably where lots would have expected Northampton to be, while our position has surprised even some of our own supporters considering the hard look pre season of the first seven fixtures, and now Barrow can be added to that list after the start they have had.
  In Hoskins Northampton currently have the top scorer in the division with seven goals, and will be a big test of our defence to keep quiet, the make up of that defence very much depending on some fitness scans early this coming week.
  The central defensive area has especially took a battering giving a chance to all our central defenders to show their worth, and all have done well, so to have Anderson, Long and Olowu  out at the same time is very unlucky, and leaves a lot depending on Williams who has been terrific this season and young Faulkner who in my opinion is more than capable of holding his own at division 2 level.
   And in my opinion as back up in the u18s we have two really promising players in Charlie Petch and Will Flint two very big capable players who could fill the void if the injuries to the injured prove short term.
  Away from central defence things are looking good to me, in Tomlin, Clayton, Agar and Rowe we have four of the best  players in this division, and young players throughout the rest of the team that look good and will only get better, although with Knoyle injured right back could be a problem and a possible way back for Seaman.
  Meanwhile Northampton rescued a point and remain unbeaten with a goal by Hoskins direct from a corner deep into injury time at Crewe, and after being beaten in the playoffs last season will be looking to go one better and not leave promotion to chance.
  We know what our old friend Hylton can bring to the table with his use of the dark arts, so if young Faulkner or any other of our young defenders do play they will have to learn fast, Pinnock another who has been big trouble to us in the past, and Maxted a well known character to our supporters.
  So another fixture out of the Horrible Seven fixtures we feered before the start of the season, and another mountain to climb injury wise.
   Would you be happy short term to go with Youth?
   Are you happy Faulkner can hold the fort until players get fit? I am.
   Can our management team pull another tactical success out of the bag?
   Can our defence hold a forward line that has been scoring goals  regularly?
   Are you going to the game?
  Lot's to be discussed about this game, please have your say.
   
 

[Chris Black come back]

We’ve won 2 of our last 4 league games there, including our last league game in December 2020 (2-0). A fairly decent recent record.

[selby]

Cbcb, it must be me then, I have been and never seen them win there at the new ground.

[Chris Black come back]

Since they moved to Sixfields in the 1994/95 season, we have played them 8 times there, all in the league. Our record is W2, D2 and L4.

[selby]

  It must be me.then. and we need our players to be at it Saturday to get anything from the game.

[scawsby steve]

We need to come out of the traps quicker. We'll not keep getting away with these slow starts.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

We need to come out of the traps quicker. We'll not keep getting away with these slow starts.

Nah. Lull them in, do the rope a dope thing, then hit em when they least expect it.

[Sammy Chung was King]

Northampton mostly play a 4-1-4-1 formation, altering to a 4-4-2.
They can be got at defensively. We need to be mean defensively and look to nick a victory. Assuming Knoyle is fit and Anderson and Long aren’t, I think the only change would be Faulkner coming in for Anderson and put Charlie Petch on the bench as cover.
We’ve gone from being overrun with central defenders to being down to two fit centre backs. Football gives unexpected opportunities, it’s for Faulkner to show he can handle it, I’m sure he will.

[roversdude]

Unfortunately still on holiday in the States so will be watching from afar
My Mrs was soccerette on Soccer AM when we played there in the Penney Champion winning season - unfortunately we lost the game

[Donnywolf]

Would pick North Dakota or North Carolina over North 'ampton though

[selby]

  Smith on Saturday and Hylton next Saturday coming up, not a bad apprenticeship for Faulkner if he plays in his first two games.
  If he can come out on top against them two, and he sorted Smith, not many in this division will bother him, and he will only get better.

[Alan Southstand]

A lot is going to hinge on those 3 injuries. If we lose all 3 lads for Saturday, then I think we’ll be in trouble. I’m hoping that Anderson and Knoyle are back in the side and then we know, for sure, Faulkner is more than capable of coming off the bench, if required.

Long, I fear, could be out for a few weeks. It depends on what damage he’s done to his knee. Fingers crossed it’s not too serious.

On the positive side, it looks like we’ll soon be able to add Close and Taylor to the squad.

[selby]

 Alan, if there is any doubt about Anderson at all Faulkner needs to start and give Anderson the chance to fully recover especially if it is short term.
  We have some really good young central defenders, who are big strong and good footballers and will only get better for the experience. If the injuries are long term, which I hope they are not, it may be that we have to look for a body in the central defender area, but not just a number as good or better than what we have got.
  That will lead to two things, stop the development of some good young players, and later on having a surfeit of players in that central defence area and adding costs to a wage bill we don't need.
  If the injuries are just for a week or two, I would cover with the youngsters, and believe we will gain in the end, as they are good enough not to let anyone down and will be better for the experience, and if there is funds we can use them in an area the management think it will be better spent.

[Alan Southstand]

If that happens, who fills in at cb for the u18’s and so on down the line?

Nobody is stopping player’s development, they’re being developed wherever they play, surely?

If we had to use the loan market, it only has to be for 4 months, effectively.

[Draytonian III]

I remember going to Northampton, I think we had just signed Sully on loan and our goalkeeping coach at the time Mad Baz Richardson was doing his warm up and someone near me commented that “ he’ll never learn anything from that bloody clown “

[scawsby steve]

Alan, if there is any doubt about Anderson at all Faulkner needs to start and give Anderson the chance to fully recover especially if it is short term.
  We have some really good young central defenders, who are big strong and good footballers and will only get better for the experience. If the injuries are long term, which I hope they are not, it may be that we have to look for a body in the central defender area, but not just a number as good or better than what we have got.
  That will lead to two things, stop the development of some good young players, and later on having a surfeit of players in that central defence area and adding costs to a wage bill we don't need.
  If the injuries are just for a week or two, I would cover with the youngsters, and believe we will gain in the end, as they are good enough not to let anyone down and will be better for the experience, and if there is funds we can use them in an area the management think it will be better spent.

Brian, I totally agree with you about Faulkner, I've every confidence in him. However, if all 3 injured players are unavailable, who's going to play right back? I personally don't think Seaman's good enough.

If that's what the situation's going to be, we need to be in the loan market this week IMO.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

As said, if the injuries are short term then the available bodies will have to rally round. We have got some credit in the bank after a good start, so Northampton isn't a must win game although, whoever is selected I'm sure will give everything.

As seen v Salford, good players can adapt.

[selby]

  Alan you want to eat the cake and save it as well, it's costly whatever you do bringing players in and three or four week  down the road you can be stuck with players you can't use.
  As for a right back I agree Steve, that is my point we have to look at the situation, see what we have got and if we can cover, and put funds into that area where we have a longer term need, if Seaman is considered not good enough or any other area is short, that is where I would try to  strengthen as long term we are well covered at central defence IMHO.
  Seaman is a conundrum to me, he seemed one of the better lads before injury last season both as a wing back and as a right sided attacker, played with energy and no little skill, but seems to have come back for preseason not as fit as he could be and has dropped back.

[Alan Southstand]

Not true. I want some cake for the future when it’s matured! We don’t know, yet, how long these lads are going to be out for, so we’re guessing. All I know is - we had 6 centre backs at the start of the season (including Faulkner) and we’re down to 2 (and it’s only August).

I like to have, at least, a bit of cake!

I keep saying this - Seaman is not a right back. I think another Club beckons for him. The Pompey lad would’ve been ideal, but it doesn’t look like that’s on the cards.

[drfchound]

Who plays for the under 18s shouldn’t be a consideration when it comes to Faulkner.
The first team has to have priority over any football decisions.
As for Knoyle, I think he has been pivotal to the way we play and has been outstanding for us so far this season.
He will be badly missed if he is out for many games so a loan to cover him is more important.

[Alan Southstand]

I keep saying this - Seaman is not a right back. I think another Club beckons for him

After today’s piece in the DFP, I can honestly say I have NO ‘inside links’ at the Club.

[ncRover]

Rovers massive underdogs with the bookies again. 16/5

[steve@dcfd]

Rovers massive underdogs with the bookies again. 16/5

Will that take into account the injuries we got on Saturday and we don’t know if available for weekend.

[Chris Black come back]

Their last 10 home league games delivered W6, D3 and L1. This season they have won both their home league games.

[ncRover]

Well Hartlepool are only 7/2 away at Leyton Orient. There’s no one SkyBet fancy less in league 2 this weekend and we’ve had a very strong start!

[graingrover]

Who remembers the time( April 1984) the team coach broke down on the way to the game at Northampton? The referee delayed kick-off and our players, who hitched lifts at the roadside, arrived one by one in various states of attire, but each one had been given their full kit from the kit bag on the coach.
I have not looked up the progression of the score in that game, but the players were so fired up with adrenaline coursing through their veins that we were two or three up in no time and ended up 1-4 winners.Alan Brown was in his short-lived starring role for us at centre forward that day.
. 

[Campsall rover]

Who remembers the time( April 1984) the team coach broke down on the way to the game at Northampton? The referee delayed kick-off and our players, who hitched lifts at the roadside, arrived one by one in various states of attire, but each one had been given their full kit from the kit bag on the coach.
I have not looked up the progression of the score in that game, but the players were so fired up with adrenaline coursing through their veins that we were two or three up in no time and ended up 1-4 winners.Alan Brown was in his short-lived starring role for us at centre forward that day.
.

Remember it well. Game kicked off either 15 or 30 mins late ( can’t remember which ) and we were 3-0 up after 20 mins if I recall correctly.

[Sammy Chung was King]

If players are not fit give our young players the opportunity to build their careers. We will never know how good they are unless they get the chance. Injuries create careers for others.

[graingrover]

Campsall ..the crowd was only 2000 so we are a minority with that in the memory bank .

[danumdon]

As hound said earlier right back will be a very important position for us, if Knoyle is not fit then it could be an issue if the management don't have enough faith in Seaman, who could still be short of match fitness and sharpness from his early and pre season woes.

If this is the case then a loan may be on the cards, with a possible loan spell for Seaman.

If a loan does come in then i'm hoping its someone who can challenge Knoyle for a starting berth because he his a conundrum, he should be a big player for us, his general play is very good,neat and tidy, he has a decent turn of pace and he can get up and down well so has a good engine. It's just that after all the good work his end product has always been questionable, his shots never seem to be hit clean and he tends to snatch at the ball, his crossing should be very much better because of his good build up play we never seem to see a good final ball.

I'll not comment too much on his defending suffice to say he gets squared up too often and never stops a cross getting in.

I don't know if its nerves or lack of confidence because he has all the very good attributes you would want from a full back. When he's back i'm hoping  that some confidence in his game will show him in a better light.