Let's talk about the Newport County game

[DearneValleyRover]

Think it will be
Jones
Sterry Bailey McGrath Senior
Craig Close Rowe
Molyneux Ironside Carty

[Draytonian III]

            Jones
Sterry Olowu McGrath Senior
            Bailey
      Close Rowe
Carty Ironside Faal

Can't leave out Molyneux

I can, and I would . I’m afraid at the minute he has far too many 5 and 6 out of ten performances than 7 and 8 out of ten. I hope it improves

[Padge_DRFC]

            Jones
Sterry Olowu McGrath Senior
            Bailey
      Close Rowe
Carty Ironside Faal

Can't leave out Molyneux

I can, and I would . I’m afraid at the minute he has far too many 5 and 6 out of ten performances than 7 and 8 out of ten. I hope it improves

You can based on the sitters and end product he produces week in week out at the minute.

[dickos1]

Molyneux is our best player at the minute, yes he’s missed a few chances but a lot of them he’s created himself.
The MK dons game he was unplayable

[Butchers Red]

Molyneux is our best player at the minute, yes he’s missed a few chances but a lot of them he’s created himself.
The MK dons game he was unplayable

Sorry but those 2 shocking missed sitters early in the second half at Harrogate whilst the score still 1-1 cost us the game - even worse for me is his entire body language suggests he wasn't that surprised - which is why he's a league 2 payer at best.

Can't have it always lads - blaming defenders for missing 1 header out of 20 and allowing forwards unlimited licence for mistakes isn't telling it how it is.

[KingKendrick]

            Jones
Sterry Olowu McGrath Senior
            Bailey
      Close Rowe
Carty Ironside Faal

Can't leave out Molyneux

I can, and I would . I’m afraid at the minute he has far too many 5 and 6 out of ten performances than 7 and 8 out of ten. I hope it improves

No chance. Our xg is way down when he isn’t in the side. A lot of our attacking play goes through him

[NickDRFC]

            Jones
Sterry Olowu McGrath Senior
            Bailey
      Close Rowe
Carty Ironside Faal

Can't leave out Molyneux

I can, and I would . I’m afraid at the minute he has far too many 5 and 6 out of ten performances than 7 and 8 out of ten. I hope it improves

If Moly’s scores have been 5 or 6, how would you rate Faal’s last half a dozen games?

[Draytonian III]

The same, but Faal is more of a goal threat

[RoversInSpain]

The future has to be Faulkner and McGrath building up an understanding. To me Faulkner deserves a chance, but please not next to Olowu though. The last time this happened Olowu was tackling Faulkner in their own area.
Bailey in front of them giving plenty of support.
Only downside is the goalkeepers not giving the young defenders too much confidence or relieving pressure as neither rarely come out to collect any crosses.

[Ldr]

            Jones
Sterry Olowu McGrath Senior
            Bailey
      Close Rowe
Carty Ironside Faal

Can't leave out Molyneux

I can, and I would . I’m afraid at the minute he has far too many 5 and 6 out of ten performances than 7 and 8 out of ten. I hope it improves

Showtime?

[donnievic]

The same, but Faal is more of a goal threat

really??at the minute molyneux is the only player we have that can get the ball and run and try and take defenders on in the team,hopefully Saturday Newport will have their minds on the midweek cup replay

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Moly is a good player and a great asset. I'm sure he'll be the first to say he'd liked to have scored more goals but, he's been a bit unlucky hitting the woodwork several times. Does he always make the right decision to go for goal or lay off? Maybe not all the time but one's things for sure, he goes at teams and really tries to create those chances. He's probably one that every opposition team highlights as a threat.

By other players standards he's probably a 7 or 8 everytime but  maybe because we expect much from him, we tend to downgrade him a bit.

With just a little bit more composure and maybe taking on the shot or cross a little earlier, he'd be in double figures by now.

That last goal he scored at the eco was a cracker, taking on the shot without hesitation and curling it beautifully into the corner with pace.

That's why he's difficult to leave out of the team, plus he's versitile and can play from deeper too. Nothing wrong though in keeping him fresh and hungry by bringing him on as a sub from time to time to have that impact. What we need is someone also who can be a similar threat to compete with him

[Arsenal Of The North]

The team that I would like to see and the team that end up being picked are two completely different picks I would assume.

Basing on the players I believe are fit or just about fit, my team would look something like

                          Jones

Sterry         Bailey      McGrath       Senior

                           Craig

              Close              Rowe

Hurst              Ironside               Molly

But that’s unlikely to be seen out on the pitch

[Draytonian III]

In total games played this season,goals scored,assists and minutes
 
Luke M
35 played
3 goals
6 assists
2533 minutes

Mo F
33 played
9 goals
1 assist
2352 minutes

This isn’t a pop at Luke I just think we are more likely to get goals through Mo at the minute

[CaptainStock]

The team that I would like to see and the team that end up being picked are two completely different picks I would assume.

Basing on the players I believe are fit or just about fit, my team would look something like

                          Jones

Sterry         Bailey      McGrath       Senior

                           Craig

              Close              Rowe

Hurst              Ironside               Molly

But that’s unlikely to be seen out on the pitch

I'd go same as this, but replace Hurst with Carty. Seems Hurst is struggling with fitness, Olowu could do with some time out the firing line. I'm a Faal fan, but he could do with a rest, and gives Carty a chance to show what he can do

[monkeytennis]

Moly is a good player and a great asset. I'm sure he'll be the first to say he'd liked to have scored more goals but, he's been a bit unlucky hitting the woodwork several times. Does he always make the right decision to go for goal or lay off? Maybe not all the time but one's things for sure, he goes at teams and really tries to create those chances. He's probably one that every opposition team highlights as a threat.

By other players standards he's probably a 7 or 8 everytime but  maybe because we expect much from him, we tend to downgrade him a bit.

With just a little bit more composure and maybe taking on the shot or cross a little earlier, he'd be in double figures by now.

That last goal he scored at the eco was a cracker, taking on the shot without hesitation and curling it beautifully into the corner with pace.

That's why he's difficult to leave out of the team, plus he's versitile and can play from deeper too. Nothing wrong though in keeping him fresh and hungry by bringing him on as a sub from time to time to have that impact. What we need is someone also who can be a similar threat to compete with him

100% this

[NickDRFC]

In total games played this season,goals scored,assists and minutes
 
Luke M
35 played
3 goals
6 assists
2533 minutes

Mo F
33 played
9 goals
1 assist
2352 minutes

This isn’t a pop at Luke I just think we are more likely to get goals through Mo at the minute

Moly’s played a lot at wing back. Faal‘s a striker so of course you’d expect him to have more of a goal threat. Faal was great earlier on but has been poor recently and doesn’t seem to really fit into the wide forward role. For me Moly would be more effective in the forward role currently.

[Barmby Rover]

New goalposts constructed for rest of season at the Eco power. Inflatable so easily transported at half time.

[Sammy Chung was King]

 It’s time to look at building a few new partnerships. I would look at trying to work with Faulkner and McGrath as our future central defensive partnership. I think Bailey and Craig will give us more energy and ball winning ability in midfield. With the class of Close in front of them. The front three for me pick themselves, they will do the job if given enough quality balls. Lawlor for me is the better of the two goalkeepers, though I do think we need better.

Newport like to play 5-3-2 away from home, this midfield would have the energy to win the middle of the field battle, that we have been losing most games. We would be able to get a foothold and some control of the game. It’s time to make changes, a lot of players have had their opportunities and failed. We won’t climb the league with our current line up.


                       Lawlor

            Faulkner.        McGrath

     Sterry.                               Senior

                   Bailey.      Craig

                           Close

            Faal.        Ironside.    Molyneux

Subs Carty, Rowe, Broadbent, Biggins, Nixon, Olowu, Jones

[DonnyBazR0ver]

I just can't see McCann going with a totally new pairing at the back for this one. As suggested, I think the possibility of Faulkener and McGrath starting is more likely v Wigan.

If he does make changes, then you'd certainly hope Faulkener gets his chance first  along with either Bailey or Olowu however, you'd think these pairings are being assessed in training this week and he'll base his selection on what he sees.

In midfield, I do think Craig has every chance of starting with Close and/or Bailey and/or Rowe (depending if Bailey's requited at CB)

Then up front, stick with Faal with Carty on the bench again, unless Carty's shown up really well in training.

That's about as on the fence as I can get!!

[Colemans Left Hook]

The current 8th wonder of the world is you did we beat Hull City away in the League Cup ( yes I know first round is notorious for fluke giant killings  -  they beat Charlton 3-1 at home in that cup despite being outplayed)  and then lose 4-0 away to this mob who i pencilled in for a bottom 4 place .

from what i can see they have 4 clean sheets in the league ( one of those being our scalp) we have 4 in the league .
just remembered my financial benefactor Mr Bogle is still there -

Hopefully they will treat the match as a training exercise with us being the bandits at 3 o'clock (not 2 o'clock)

as they scramble a team together prior to shooting down the Spitfires  next week

[RoversInSpain]

It’s time to look at building a few new partnerships. I would look at trying to work with Faulkner and McGrath as our future central defensive partnership. I think Bailey and Craig will give us more energy and ball winning ability in midfield. With the class of Close in front of them. The front three for me pick themselves, they will do the job if given enough quality balls. Lawlor for me is the better of the two goalkeepers, though I do think we need better.

Newport like to play 5-3-2 away from home, this midfield would have the energy to win the middle of the field battle, that we have been losing most games. We would be able to get a foothold and some control of the game. It’s time to make changes, a lot of players have had their opportunities and failed. We won’t climb the league with our current line up.


                       Lawlor

            Faulkner.        McGrath

     Sterry.                               Senior

                   Bailey.      Craig

                           Close

            Faal.        Ironside.    Molyneux

Subs Carty, Rowe, Broadbent, Biggins, Nixon, Olowu, Jones

It has to be time to make a new defensive partnership surely. Like this line up, Carty on for Faal and Nixon for Sterry if they look a bit jaded

[ForsolongaRover]

Do we know whether Faulkner and McGrath would complement each other? I have no evidence one way or the other as to whether it would work, but it would surely be the sort of risk which I would not have thought GM would take. I could see one or the other starting and the other coming off the bench though.

[roversdude]

We could do with a MKD type first half race into a decent lead and allow changes. I can dream lol

[selby]

  ForsolongaRover, No we haven't any proof of that at all, but we do that have evidence that the partnerships up to press the last few seasons don't work that well.
  We have enough evidence  to convict them and throw away the key as it has been every other week for three years.

[RoversInSpain]

  ForsolongaRover, No we haven't any proof of that at all, but we do that have evidence that the partnerships up to press the last few seasons don't work that well.
  We have enough evidence  to convict them and throw away the key as it has been every other week for three years.

Totally correct Selby…. Play the same players get the same result as evidenced far too many times.

[drfchound]

Also, don’t forget that Grant will have had every opportunity this week to see how Faulkner and McGrath could work together.
I do think it would be good to see if they can make it work but in reality I think it is more likely to happen in the Wigan game than on Saturday.
If Faulkner is fully recovered from his injury I think he might see it as a slap in the face if McGrath starts with Olowu or Bailey against Newport.

[RugbyRover]

It would be strange to see Olowu starting now that there are alternatives available.

He was pulled off a half time a couple of weeks ago and then we were told that that he wasn't able to be coached how McCann wanted a defender to play after the Harrogate game.

I don't think McCann has confidence in Faulkner. Before he was injured he didn't get a chance.

I think it'll be Bailey and McGrath given a chance to put a partnership together.   

[Bailey Vickerage]

Don’t understand how some on here think Moly should be dropped, without him our creativity is next to nothing, yes he misses a few chances but a lot of them he creates for himself, that right footed shot across goal in the second half he made himself and the side footed volley wasn’t as easy as ppl are saying because it was behind him. He’s one of the first names on the team sheet for me.

I’d bring McGrath in for Olowu and partner him with Bailey and then Broadbent in for Biggins (don’t think Craig will be put straight into the starting 11). Would go with Carty or Hurst (if he’s fit) on the left instead of Mo but really do think that McCann is shoehorning him in atm just to make sure West Brom don’t recall him, think we will see him rotated a lot more after this week when the recall deadline has passed.

Jones

Sterry Bailey McGrath Senior

Broadbent Close Rowe

Moly Ironside Faal


Subs:
Bottomley
Olowu
Nixon
Biggins
Craig
Waters
Carty

That’s if Hurst isn’t fit enough for the bench.

[selby]

  You could bring as many new players as you wanted and change the line ups at the back and attack with any combination you want at the club, but, if those midfield three have a bad game which they have done on a regular basis for a long time they will struggle with no service up front and no movement or protection in front of them at the back.
  That's a trio if you were an opposition manager you would set up to be bullied and roughed up and pressurised on the ball, and easy to play through when you have the ball with a distinct lack of pace and physicality in the middle as set up.