Let's talk about the Manchester United u21s game

[selby]

  It is back to the EFL trophy game on Tuesday evening against Manchester United u21s even though it is against their u21s team they can if they want to play some over age players.
  Probably the only competition they can win if they come up against the better sides in the Premiership in the big competitions unless they have help from VAR as against Coventry last season, Will they?
  So an attractive game one we replicated a couple of seasons ago, and that night they looked a match for anything we had even as a young side and a good interesting watch.
  Lets hope we get a few extra down to watch the game attracted by the name rather than the team.
  Our line up will be interesting if only because especially the first half we were very poor all over the pitch today, and we have a big squad, some who will want to play for game time to push their cause forward.
  The Manchester side no doubt will be full of good technical players some of whom will be some of the best players in the world in their age group, and will want to show case their ability to us the supporters and especially our players.
   If we win the game it could well see us safely through to the next round and create a bit of interest, and at the same time improve interest in the competition, and make us a little money hopefully.
   The last two games we have been a shadow of the side last season and the first few games this season and need to get back on it again quickly, mainly in midfield.
  A lot in the game of interest for both sides for different reasons. Manchester United looking for and hoping they have the next boy wonder in their ranks, us can we have a cup run,  take a big scalp even though it is the youth team, and create interest and a good night out for the supporters.
  Lot's to talk about, team selection especially, and playing Barnsley away in the last group games a win would be nice, What do you think? Please have your say.

[Chris Black come back]

Would start Lawlor, Kelly, Hurst, Yeboah, Olowu and Sharp. Beyond that rest of first team. Molyneux has been beaten up last two games. Don’t have him anywhere near this game.

[scawsby steve]

I'd start Sbarra. He was excellent when he came on today, and pinged a brilliant corner for Tom's goal.

Give him a chance to claim a place for next Saturday.

[Campsall rover]

Brian we were playing with 10 men for 35 mins + in the 1st half yesterday. So to say we played very poorly is imo not correct.
The objective was to keep the opposition from scoring.
It was obvious we would have minimal possession against a team that likes to keep the ball 11v 11 so a man down we will see very little of the ball.
Unfortunately we conceded 1 goal but to say we were very poor is more than harsh.

A few fresh legs on Tuesday I suspect.
Starts for Lawlor, Emmanuel, Broadbent, Sbarra, Hurst, Yeboah, Sharp
& Westbrooke if fit I suspect. Also Clifton may start as will be suspended foe the Chesterfield game.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

"Manchester United looking for and hoping they have the next boy wonder in their ranks"

Is Tommy Rowe likely to be chaperoning their U21s? Not sure we could put him in that class but I'm sure he'll get a warm welcome.

[steve@dcfd]

This should be used to get the midfield three playing better before we play Chesterfield. Kelly to start with Bailey and Close playing in a more forward position. Gibson is not producing his best therefore does he play or put Hurst to see if he can produce his best which as declined since preseason.
Emmanuel at RB Olowu and McGrath and hopefully Maxwell or Senior at LB. We can’t take this game lightly as they beat Barnsley young side.

[Chris Black come back]

Maxwell isn’t going to be playing against Chesterfield.

[selby]

  Paul you can gloss it over and look at the game through rose tinted glasses all you want, we were lucky not to turn around at half time three goals down as they were  poor up front as we were in mid field and the back
 Their goal came when our full back showed their player down the line and was outpaced easily,  the cross coming in with no cover and again men goal side in front of goal in front of their markers.
  We lack pace at the back across the line, the last two goals coming with a player carrying the ball outpacing our defenders and in the first half our midfield never got near the ball, or kept it, or created anything.
  It was a good come back after changes, a point,  and unlucky not to be three, and emphasised how poor we started the game.
  The way MK are playing they are powder puff up front and not the side they have been in the past.
   If we start like that against Manchester United even the u21s there is a chance they will rip us to pieces with their pace like Rotherham did a few years ago.

[Chris Black come back]

Ironside yet to have a shot on target in the league across his seven appearances this season.

[mushRTID]

Wonder if Clifton will play with his minimal minutes at the weekend and not playing Saturday

[ncRover]

Wonder if Clifton will play with his minimal minutes at the weekend and not playing Saturday

I thought he’d be suspended for tomorrow night with it being an EFL competition.

[mushRTID]

Wonder if Clifton will play with his minimal minutes at the weekend and not playing Saturday

I thought he’d be suspended for tomorrow night with it being an EFL competition.

If he is, Iv got that completely wrong!

[RoversInSpain]

There’s a big place up for grabs, Gibson, Yebaoh or Hurst, one of these three need to start performing and making some much better decisions, of the three Hurst has had the least opportunity, I hope he starts and shines.
Sbarra needs a start, time he came out and showed us what a good player he is, (and he is).
Olowu, McGrath, perfect opportunity to see them working things out together.
Lawler, a good performance could overtake TSL.
Go again with Joe I, rest Molly, Sterry. Close needs to work hard so he can stay in there and start showing some stamina and precision. Rest Bailey.
Winning breeds a winning culture so really want a positive result..

[Branton Rover]

For me Clifton should play as he only got 10 minutes on Saturday. Plus he’ll be missing at the weekend.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Ironside yet to have a shot on target in the league across his seven appearances this season.

That's quite alarming. Maybe he'd benefit from Hurst and Sbarra in support, who are likely to be less 'single minded' than Gibson and Moly (although Moly has got crosses in, but more hopeful percentage crosses rather than picking Joe out)

We can't have a 20 plus goal striker, twiddling his thumbs in the box.

[Nudga]

Ironside yet to have a shot on target in the league across his seven appearances this season.

That's quite alarming. Maybe he'd benefit from Hurst and Sbarra in support, who are likely to be less 'single minded' than Gibson and Moly (although Moly has got crosses in, but more hopeful percentage crosses rather than picking Joe out)

We can't have a 20 plus goal striker, twiddling his thumbs in the box.

It might help if he didn't play with his back to goal so much.

[ncRover]

Ironside yet to have a shot on target in the league across his seven appearances this season.

That's quite alarming. Maybe he'd benefit from Hurst and Sbarra in support, who are likely to be less 'single minded' than Gibson and Moly (although Moly has got crosses in, but more hopeful percentage crosses rather than picking Joe out)

We can't have a 20 plus goal striker, twiddling his thumbs in the box.

It might help if he didn't play with his back to goal so much.

20 league goals last season, he hasn’t suddenly changed how he plays.

What has changed is that no one is crossing to him. He’s one of the best strikers in the air in the division. It’s a waste.

[Nudga]

OK, hear me out. Joe is one of my favourites but I'd like to see him play on the half turn a bit more , especially around the 18 yard area and get some shots off.
So rather than shielding the ball with his back to goal and waiting for contact for fouls, play on the half turn, spin the defender and get a thunder bas**rd shot off.

[Usher wide.]

Nudja, with all due respect McCaan knows what he’s going to get with Joe given he was one of his first signings to the club.

Joe’s thirty, he knows his strengths & by now the players around him should know them too.

Which other forward player do we have that can shield the ball & hold it up long enough to lay off to players going into forward position’s & thereby enable an attack to keep or gather momentum?

Joe will score double figures this season. Maybe not 24, but close enough to that figure to gain us promotion this season.

[Nudga]

Fantastic target man, should be played in front two in my opinion.
4-2-3-1 is fashionable isn't it so it's not going to happen.

[danumdon]

We seem to have done well when going to 3-5-2 when the preverbal has hit the fan, maybe try it a bit more often and before its the last resort, i'd say that we now have the personnel to work that system?

[sedwardsdrfc]

Don’t want to see 5 defenders on the pitch unless it’s forced on us. If we’re desperate to put 2 forwards on then what’s wrong with 442!

We’ve loads of depth so I’m happy he rings the changes. Clifton should play if he’s not banned. I’d be tempted to play Ironside to try get some form and if he does we’ll start him the next league game too. Hurst has to start and if he does we’ll be given the chance in the league to start.

Like to see a good 30min run out for Sam Brown if the game alllows too.

[Bailey Vickerage]

I know a lot don’t like this competition and will say to put the kids out but McCann wants to win this competition and winning this game is important as it would send us through and the last group game against Barnsley is in the middle of 2 massive league games against Bradford (A) and Notts County (H) so win tomorrow and we don’t need to worry about the barnsley game and can focus fully on the 2 league games either side of it. Massive benefit for us tho in this cup that we have a very strong squad so can rotate without harming the quality of the side too much.

Pretty sure Clifton can play in this competition and his ban will be on Saturday against Chesterfield. Think we will also see the likes of Lawlor, Emmanuel, Senior, Yeboah, Hurst and Broadbent and then maybe another cameo from Sam Brown.

Lawlor

Emmanuel Olowu McGrath Senior

Broadbent Kelly Sbarra

Yeboah Ironside Hurst

[drfchound]

I thought that this game would be on Sky+ but after checking, it isn’t showing up as a scheduled match.

[donnyguy]

I thought that this game would be on Sky+ but after checking, it isn’t showing up as a scheduled match.

It is there, all the bsm trophy games are listed as being shown.

[roversdude]

Do we have to play x number of players who played against MKD

[drfchound]

I thought that this game would be on Sky+ but after checking, it isn’t showing up as a scheduled match.

It is there, all the bsm trophy games are listed as being shown.

Ah, my bad, found it now.
My wife says there are two things she doesn’t like about me.
First that I don’t listen to her and ……. I can’t remember what the other thing was.

[selby]

  Should be an interesting game to watch , with a bit at stake for both sides to progress,
  My thoughts are that one of these premiership clubs will one season go out to win this competition, and manure could be that club, as they are desperate to be relevant once again and not be the mid table also runs they look to be heading for every season.
  Chelsea I thought might do it a few seasons ago and got to the late stages a couple of seasons, and it is not to be forgotten how the FA and EFL would also like them to do well, and the advantage they have , or seem to have with officials who are fans, well they act like it., or are star struck, or just one way incompetent.
  We need to just go for it, and look to do well in the competition.

[NickDRFC]

  Should be an interesting game to watch , with a bit at stake for both sides to progress,
  My thoughts are that one of these premiership clubs will one season go out to win this competition, and manure could be that club, as they are desperate to be relevant once again and not be the mid table also runs they look to be heading for every season.
  Chelsea I thought might do it a few seasons ago and got to the late stages a couple of seasons, and it is not to be forgotten how the FA and EFL would also like them to do well, and the advantage they have , or seem to have with officials who are fans, well they act like it., or are star struck, or just one way incompetent.
  We need to just go for it, and look to do well in the competition.

Man Utd have been struggling for years but they won the FA Cup last season and the League Cup the season before. Winning the EFL Trophy is not going to make them "relevant once again"   

[ncRover]

Brilliant interview with Joe Olowu previewing the game.

https://youtu.be/wHHgKyq_7C0?si=PtP7-0rL0YxsFFiK

I think with our squad depth we can win this competition.