Let's talk about the Northampton game

[selby]

  What could well be one of the most important games of the season for both sides, with them both looking over their shoulder at the  threat of slipping into the lower half of the league and the trials and tribulations that brings to clubs and their supporters..
  Some will say it is an over reaction but we have dropped into a shadow of the team we were just last month ago, don't look to have a solid base at the back, and are finding putting the ball in the onion bag very sporadic.
  Leyton Orient ( our Richie) had obviously come to the conclusion that playing two up front, and counter attacking our high press with our lack of pace in central defence left a lot of lovely wide open spaces behind two nippy forwards could exploit. Even he will have been surprised by how quickly that worked out and scoring two goals in a game is at the moment not our forte, so happy days.
  Northampton meanwhile gave fast improving Rotherham the joy of their first away win of the season moving them up to have a fair chance of getting out of the bottom four. and having Northampton looking behind them with a lot of sides bunched just behind them, but looking forward to playing us the current rock bottom of division one's form league over the last six games.
  After the comments of Grant after the Orient game I think it is fair to say we will be watching some different players making the side up and will leave the speculation of who to others, but O'Riordon who had his first poor game for us I would pair with Pearson or Bailey or choose the latter two together and try and replicate the good pairing Bailey had with the experienced Anderson last season.
  So an important game, Northampion who have won 1 drawn 1 and lost 3 of their away games will be looking to improve their meagre away goals record of just 2 goals against our defence, and I suppose we will be looking to just get back to scoring a couple.
  Lots on the game and not for just this game probably for both sides who will be desperate not to lose, and the managers to have something to build on and keep out of trouble.
  Lot's to discuss, lots of speculation about our team, one we need to get behind and help as supporters, and lots of side issues to talk about, please have your say.

[scawsby steve]

The way GM's been talking about changes, I'd say that Pearson, Maxwell, Gotts, and Middleton must be near certainties to start on Saturday.

[Canadian Rover]

I'd still keep faith will Molls, he's still got credit in the bank from my point of view, he's also been suffering from a lack of good quick quality passes (albeit he hasn't performed well enough).

TLT, Maxwell, Pearson, Middleton and Broadbent all to start.

Please Rovers. Saturday was my first live game in person for a long time and it was a shocker, next home game is my last one of the season so make it a good one for your Canadian contingency too.

[CJK]

We can't underestimate how much we're missing Sterry here, particularly in relation to how he and Mols link up on the right. I think that's a big factor in Moly's recent form. Having said that, professional players must be able to adapt to the situation.

I'd agree with above, TLT, Maxwell, Pearson, Gotts and Middleton all to come in. I'm tempted to throw Hanlon in up top with Billy but that changes the shape.

[In the box]

How .. has it got to this point . Was all the pieces all in place from the start of the season ? Performances were positive and results attainable. Bradford was the best performance seen at home for a long while . But what went wrong . Have we been punching above our limits and simply covering over the cracks as certain players are not now putting in the shift required to keep things moving forward. It’s hard to tell where things need to be improved as it looks like form has dipped throughout but one thing is certain some players are now coasting in games and it’s costing results .. 

[drfcsteve]

Absolutely agree re Sterry and Mols. Mols can’t do his thing without Sterry coming forward and giving the opposition something else to think about. Love Nixon but he just doesn’t give the opposition players as much to think about as Sterry does.

[In the box]

Absolutely agree re Sterry and Mols. Mols can’t do his thing without Sterry coming forward and giving the opposition something else to think about. Love Nixon but he just doesn’t give the opposition players as much to think about as Sterry does.

If one man’s absence has caused this total collapse of our form then McCann has to take responsibility for this . Sterry is missed but it shouldn’t have been so emphatic a collapse in form and results !!

[Donnybax]

The Sterry one is an interesting one. We're a lot better when he plays and so is Molyneux. The season Molyneux had here before Sterry joined he was dire as well.

[Alan Southstand]

There’s got to be more to it than just Sterry! Discussions and stats have also shown what has happened to our performances since Clifton’s injury at Wigan. Grant has an appetite for tinkering as well, which doesn’t appear to be helping.

This is going to be quite some challenge just to get back on track!

There are a few players who are being found out in this division and some who, arguably, should never have been given the chance to test themselves at this level. Some errors were also possibly made with our recruitment in the summer, particularly with the strikers.

We have to keep plugging away and hope we can make further reinforcements in January, which could see us turn our season around.

[rich1471]

I would bailey in a back 4 next to Pearson ,crew and
broadbent in midfield mols and gidson outside and I'd drop lawlor he does not give the defenders any confidence

[Alan Southstand]

Agreed with Lawlor!

[GazLaz]

I would bailey in a back 4 next to Pearson ,crew and
broadbent in midfield mols and gidson outside and I'd drop lawlor he does not give the defenders any confidence

I don’t think we need to move our best player to a different position. Grehan, C O’R and Pearson have been generally fine a centre half.

[Lesonthewest]

As frustrating as Mollyneux has been I think he's worth a go in the 10 role with Gibson & Middleton out wide, that could also be flexible giving us more potency going forward.

[DearneValleyRover]

Funny how everyone is saying Sterry but our form has dipped ever since Clifton got injured.

[grayx]

I would bailey in a back 4 next to Pearson ,crew and
broadbent in midfield mols and gidson outside and I'd drop lawlor he does not give the defenders any confidence

I don’t think we need to move our best player to a different position. Grehan, C O’R and Pearson have been generally fine a centre half.

Agreed. We need Bailey further forward where he can hopefully continue scoring.

[Chris Black come back]

They are poor away from home. This season 5 away league games with 3 losses, a draw and a win. Probably more importantly they rarely score away from home. In those 5 away league games they have failed to score in 3 of them, and only scored a single goal in the other 2 games. They are currently on a goalless away run of over 200 minutes since their last away league goal on 30 August.

[Usher wide.]

TLT, Maxwell, Pearson (alongside O’Riordan), Broadbent (despite him having ‘drifted back’ to giving the ball away in last couple of games) with Gotts & Bailey in that midfield three.

I’d play Middleton for his crossing abilities & Mols on the right. Mols just needs a goal or an assist to lift him & he won’t get a better chance on Saturday with some tough away games coming up.

I’ll reiterate what I said last month (despite his lack of goals & that glaring miss against Burton) I have fingers & toes crossed that Billy doesn’t pick up an injury because to steal someone else’s line ‘There’s more to leading the line than scoring goals’.

[ncRover]

They are poor away from home. This season 5 away league games with 3 losses, a draw and a win. Probably more importantly they rarely score away from home. In those 5 away league games they have failed to score in 3 of them, and only scored a single goal in the other 2 games. They are currently on a goalless away run of over 200 minutes since their last away league goal on 30 August.

Sounds like we’re in for a classic then.

8/1 for a 0-0 draw.

[selby]

O'Riordon has been our best and consistent defender up to Saturdays game and has partnered Pearson  in games we played well in.
  Everyone has the poorish odd game even the best it would be harsh to drop him for that one under par performance, especially when those around him also underperformed on the day.

[steve@dcfd]

I would bailey in a back 4 next to Pearson ,crew and
broadbent in midfield mols and gidson outside and I'd drop lawlor he does not give the defenders any confidence

Why put Bailey back in defence its been the best part of the team, especially when ORiordan partners Pearson (Not McGrath).
Bailey has scored 5 goals out of the 11 for the team.
I don’t see this obsession with Crew the games he’s played he’s been non existent. I watched play for Wales U21 against Belgium he strolled in the middle area of the pitch his defensive qualities were poor and he hardly got into an attacking position. He won’t be back at the club until till Thursday any way so he won’t be playing against Northampton. Unless things change he should go back to Leeds in January.

Nothing wrong with the Bailey Broadbent partnership it’s the third player that’s the problem with Clifton being injured.

We come to the problem area the forwards who can have good parts of games then become poor. Billy is the only consistent player yet he’s not scoring.

[rich1471]

I would bailey in a back 4 next to Pearson ,crew and
broadbent in midfield mols and gidson outside and I'd drop lawlor he does not give the defenders any confidence

Why put Bailey back in defence its been the best part of the team, especially when ORiordan partners Pearson (Not McGrath).
Bailey has scored 5 goals out of the 11 for the team.
I don’t see this obsession with Crew the games he’s played he’s been non existent. I watched play for Wales U21 against Belgium he strolled in the middle area of the pitch his defensive qualities were poor and he hardly got into an attacking position. He won’t be back at the club until till Thursday any way so he won’t be playing against Northampton. Unless things change he should go back to Leeds in January.

Nothing wrong with the Bailey Broadbent partnership it’s the third player that’s the problem with Clifton being injured.

We come to the problem area the forwards who can have good parts of games then become poor. Billy is the only consistent player yet he’s not scoring.

I just think it allows us to be more expensive from the back as he plays it out from there and also gives us the extra person in midfield that we need ,It allows crew to play in a more advanced role to unlock defences ,close is slow negative with the ball alot of the times

[jmt23]

I watched a bit of them last week as they were the early game, they look handy. Physical and quick putting a fair few crosses over from either side.
Hope I’m wrong but this is will be a tricky game.

[steve@dcfd]

Quote
allows crew to play in a more advanced role to unlock defences ,close is slow negative with the ball alot of the times

Crew is playing again in centre midfield for wales U21 it’s halftime they are winning 1. 0
It’s in iplayer channel S4C agin he still strolls about  in midfield does not win a tackle and has hardly got on the ball
Second half better got on the ball wales had to defend nearly all second half Charlie brought off in the 83rd minute

[roversdude]

Not sure Grehan deserves to lose his place in the starting line up

[sedwardsdrfc]

Pick our best side and stick with them even if we lose. Build a bit of consistency around the 11 and don’t make subs just because they are there! And yes give Hanlan a run of games Billy isn’t going to do much starting week in week out.

For me I’d go with below assuming Sterry is unfit

               TLT
Nixon CO’R Pearson Maxwell
    Bailey Broadbent Gotts
       Molly Hanlan Middleton or Gibson

No reason to play weaker players for the sake of it so Sbarra, Senior, McGarth etc need to wait for a genuine opening before playing. We’ve a decent squad depth that doesn’t mean they take it in turn playing every week.

[Barmby Rover]

I'd still keep faith will Molls, he's still got credit in the bank from my point of view, he's also been suffering from a lack of good quick quality passes (albeit he hasn't performed well enough).

TLT, Maxwell, Pearson, Middleton and Broadbent all to start.

Please Rovers. Saturday was my first live game in person for a long time and it was a shocker, next home game is my last one of the season so make it a good one for your Canadian contingency too.

Molyneux is the one who should be providing good passes/crosses, he is a winger not a centre forward. That is where Middleton out-performs him, and with Gotts/Billy and maybe Hanlan waiting in the middle to convert them things could be improved.

[Usher wide.]

Pick our best side and stick with them even if we lose. Build a bit of consistency around the 11 and don’t make subs just because they are there! And yes give Hanlan a run of games Billy isn’t going to do much starting week in week out.

For me I’d go with below assuming Sterry is unfit

               TLT
Nixon CO’R Pearson Maxwell
    Bailey Broadbent Gotts
       Molly Hanlan Middleton or Gibson

No reason to play weaker players for the sake of it so Sbarra, Senior, McGarth etc need to wait for a genuine opening before playing. We’ve a decent squad depth that doesn’t mean they take it in turn playing every week.

I’m reading your post & mentally ticking off your choices….keeper yep…back 4 yep….midfield…yep… wide men, I’d go for Middleton before Gibbo but ok, either maybe, AND THEN, Hanlon!!!

WHY? Has Billy picked up an injury I’m not aware of? Please…..explain that choice of yours to me up front in case I’m missing something.

[NickDRFC]

Pick our best side and stick with them even if we lose. Build a bit of consistency around the 11 and don’t make subs just because they are there! And yes give Hanlan a run of games Billy isn’t going to do much starting week in week out.

For me I’d go with below assuming Sterry is unfit

               TLT
Nixon CO’R Pearson Maxwell
    Bailey Broadbent Gotts
       Molly Hanlan Middleton or Gibson

No reason to play weaker players for the sake of it so Sbarra, Senior, McGarth etc need to wait for a genuine opening before playing. We’ve a decent squad depth that doesn’t mean they take it in turn playing every week.

I’m reading your post & mentally ticking off your choices….keeper yep…back 4 yep….midfield…yep… wide men, I’d go for Middleton before Gibbo but ok, either maybe, AND THEN, Hanlon!!!

WHY? Has Billy picked up an injury I’m not aware of? Please…..explain that choice of yours to me up front in case I’m missing something.

There must be a reason why Hanlan has played pretty much his entire career at League One level, and why McCann brought him in on a 2 year deal. Admittedly we’ve not really seen it yet, but he’s played the equivalent of less than 3 games in the league and only started twice so he’s not had the opportunity to demonstrate it.

Billy’s working hard but he’s not scoring goals either. He only has 2 having played way more than Hanlan.

It might not be the answer but I’d be willing to give Hanlan a run of games, either with or instead of Billy, to see what he’s capable of. Things surely cant get worse than the 1 goal we’ve scored in the last 5!

[Reg of the Rovers]

I'd be brave and play a real '10' - get Hanlan (or even Olusanya) on with Billy. It's a really important game to get us back on track, we need to come out all guns blazing. Moly and Gibson / Middleton both drop in to provide cover so we don't need three in holding against a team which shouldn't have loads of the ball. We're blaming the personnel but perhaps it's the formation / tactics that aren't working - we aren't creating enough chances or putting teams under enough pressure.

TLT or Lawlor // Nixon / Pearson / O'Riordan or Grehan / Senior // Close / Bailey / Moly / Middleton or Gibson // Hanlan / Sharp

[selby]

   Close  was his usual not in the game last week, and part as always as easy to play against.