Let's talk about the Northampton game

[selby]

  The quicker we accept we only have a hand full of out and out Division 1 class players at the club that other clubs might want to sign, the quicker the frustration and expectations will level off.
  We need the collective of the team to function and the players included in the team  to play near or to their maximum both physically and technically, and we have players who can do that more often than others who only hit their ceiling in games sporadically.
  We need to identify that and play those players that perform regularly, sentiment doesn't come into it, and that is where Gaz  and his stats are the driving force for improvement all round.

[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.

They have taken the lead in an away league game once in their last 7 games. Given how difficult we find scoring goals, if the other side scores first we are usually in trouble. Currently on a run of scoring 2 goals in our last 5 games, both interestingly at home and both were the first goal, leading to a loss and a draw. So even scoring first doesn't help us at present.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

For me we are better when TLT and Pearson play.  We had an alright team early on so go back to it with Maxwell at left back and maybe Grehan back in.

We for some reason just don't perform as well with Close in the team.  I'd go Broadbent, Bailey and one other in midfield.

I can't see why you'd not stick with Molyneux. Yes his form has dropped a little but for me he is still our best player and most likely to get winning goals.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

For me we are better when TLT and Pearson play.  We had an alright team early on so go back to it with Maxwell at left back and maybe Grehan back in.

We for some reason just don't perform as well with Close in the team.  I'd go Broadbent, Bailey and one other in midfield.

I can't see why you'd not stick with Molyneux. Yes his form has dropped a little but for me he is still our best player and most likely to get winning goals.

Generally agree with all that. I think with Moly though, he needs to be helped out of the rut and just changing things short term can't do any harm so, I'd be tempted to bench him with a view to coming on fresh and give him a licence to roam. He's probably suffering with brain fog so needs to clear that and be free of the pressure of expectation.

[Usher wide.]

For me we are better when TLT and Pearson play.  We had an alright team early on so go back to it with Maxwell at left back and maybe Grehan back in.

We for some reason just don't perform as well with Close in the team.  I'd go Broadbent, Bailey and one other in midfield.

I can't see why you'd not stick with Molyneux. Yes his form has dropped a little but for me he is still our best player and most likely to get winning goals.

Generally agree with all that. I think with Moly though, he needs to be helped out of the rut and just changing things short term can't do any harm so, I'd be tempted to bench him with a view to coming on fresh and give him a licence to roam. He's probably suffering with brain fog so needs to clear that and be free of the pressure of expectation.

I’d agree about Molly DBR (although it appears ‘strange’ to have a player worth £1 million plus on the bench) he needs to perhaps be able to watch how a game is unfolding & areas he feels he could exploit then bring him on fresh to do what he does best, ‘torture’ defenders.

An assist or better still a goal will shed all that anxiety & pressure to feel he has to replicate or better (which he’s more than capable of doing in this division) what he achieved last season.

[GazLaz]

For me we are better when TLT and Pearson play.  We had an alright team early on so go back to it with Maxwell at left back and maybe Grehan back in.

We for some reason just don't perform as well with Close in the team.  I'd go Broadbent, Bailey and one other in midfield.

I can't see why you'd not stick with Molyneux. Yes his form has dropped a little but for me he is still our best player and most likely to get winning goals.

Lawler has to drop back to the bench on Saturday. The weird experiment has to stop.

[Chris Black come back]

Is it just the TLT mistakes that had him dropped, or is McCann trying to get us up the field quicker and Lawlor has better distribution?

[GazLaz]

Is it just the TLT mistakes that had him dropped, or is McCann trying to get us up the field quicker and Lawlor has better distribution?

Can’t sign TLT then drop him because his distribution is poor. We knew that when we signed him.

[oliver]

Any streams for Northampton game?

[rich1471]

Is it just the TLT mistakes that had him dropped, or is McCann trying to get us up the field quicker and Lawlor has better distribution?

well it's not worked how many have we won since he has played

[ncRover]

Is it just the TLT mistakes that had him dropped, or is McCann trying to get us up the field quicker and Lawlor has better distribution?

Do we have players at the top end of the pitch to make that work?

[Padge_DRFC]

Is it just the TLT mistakes that had him dropped, or is McCann trying to get us up the field quicker and Lawlor has better distribution?

Do we have players at the top end of the pitch to make that work?

Olusanya only real quick lad isn't there

[Usher wide.]

Poor handling, concentration & decision making leading to a drop in confidence led to TLT being benched not just poor distribution.

I trust he will have addressed those ‘issues’ because his instinctive shot stopping is very good.

[Padge_DRFC]

Crowd needs to play it's part today.

Black bank horrific since the Bradford game. Drummer may as well have no arms.

[selby]

 All we need is a win.

[Padge_DRFC]

Ticket sales especially in the east stand are surprisingly decent compared to the Burton game.

Good performance and win today and get 9k home fans in for Dingles on the 8th November

[Ian Nimmo]

All games are difficult but this one comes at a good time, not one of the best sides in the division and at home gives us the opportunity to start and select what may be a settled side instead of all the changes.
Start with the defence and play Grehan, COR and Pearson as a back 3, with Maxwell moving forward into a more midfield role.
We must include Bailey and Broadbent and possibly Gotts.

The forward players are the problem, but I would like to see Mols playing in a more central role rather than be forced out wide by the usual multiple defenders. We have got to get more shots from Mols, crossing from wide areas is a waste of time because currently we don’t have anyone getting on the end of them.
If Mols comes in more centrally it may also help Billy to operate in the box, who on his day is a master.

[Fal]

3-0 win incoming…

[selby]

 We live in hope.

[Spud]

3-0 win incoming…

I hope you're right but I'd take a scruffy 1-0 right now.

[Filo]

Is it just the TLT mistakes that had him dropped, or is McCann trying to get us up the field quicker and Lawlor has better distribution?

Do we have players at the top end of the pitch to make that work?

Olusanya only real quick lad isn't there

Allegedly, we’ve yet to see it

[Padge_DRFC]

Is it just the TLT mistakes that had him dropped, or is McCann trying to get us up the field quicker and Lawlor has better distribution?

Do we have players at the top end of the pitch to make that work?

Olusanya only real quick lad isn't there

Allegedly, we’ve yet to see it

Reminds me of my dog. He's quick, but runs past the ball every time I throw it and zero control

[Chris Black come back]

Nixon and Hanlan the injured duo by the looks of the squad today. Neither are in the match day group. Lasagne makes it on to the bench. Unclear who is playing right back, as O'Riordan is on bench.

[ncRover]

Is it just the TLT mistakes that had him dropped, or is McCann trying to get us up the field quicker and Lawlor has better distribution?

Do we have players at the top end of the pitch to make that work?

Olusanya only real quick lad isn't there

As others have said he hasn’t put it to any use yet. Hanlan is meant to be quick as well.

Olusanya had his defender 1v1 with space behind against Burton down the left side and he passed it backwards.

Hanlan may yet show it, but we also don’t have an attacker who can win headers and receive long balls under physical pressure anymore.

This and the lack of pace at the moment leaves us stuck with slow build up and an inability to play over a good press.

[Donnybax]

Nixon and Hanlan the injured duo by the looks of the squad today. Neither are in the match day group. Lasagne makes it on to the bench. Unclear who is playing right back, as O'Riordan is on bench.

don't think Broadbent is in the squad either?

[Chris Black come back]

That's true, the three of them out. Quite something that Hanlan and Broadbent only came on as subs yet are both not even fit enough to make the bench.

[Donnybax]

How on earth has McGrath kept his place?

[In the box]

Ran out of steam and needs to except he’s a L2  manager at best !!

[GazDRFC]

Ran out of steam and needs to except he’s a L2  manager at best !!

A manager who's won a league 1 title previously, is a league 2 manager at best?

[normal rules]

Knives will be out tonight