Are we going to show any confidence

[Sammy Chung was King]

In our side, now that we have some good new signings in? What is to stop us going up the league?
An encouraging win in the cup against Fleetwood, Sharp a player that has been written off more times by our some of our supporters, he’s had more comebacks than Tyson Fury!
Adelakun got on the scoresheet. New goalkeeper, an international one at that. We have a side that has for the most part been lacking in confidence, not a side that isn’t good enough. This side has the ability to be around the top six. The firepower we have Sharp, Adelakun, Molyneux, Hanlan, Okoronkwo.

We have Bailey also that has a knack for scoring goals. We have the potential to be one of those sides that are hard to deal with, where goals can come from multiple players rather than relying on one player, who can be marked out of the game. Young players that have had games and learned a lot can suddenly start performing. We have a classy left back in Maxwell, one of many good young players who are going to get better.

The side is where it deserves to be, because it hasn’t won the games. Do you see real negatives with this side apart from that ?
I see a side that needed some confidence bringing into it. The manager has done that. An experienced goalkeeper, two forward thinking players with a goal in them. Darren Robinson potentially the ball winner we have needed. Maybe having those in front of the defence and the goalkeeper behind, gives the confidence that if they make a mistake, now the game isn’t over. I think we can go up the league.

I don’t see a relegation side here. I think we need a centre half with a bit more mobility but with the experience to bring on our young defenders. If we get that I do see us improving massively. What do you think?

[graingrover]

I agree and feel positive and look forward to a marked upturn in results .I think Grant would like a final piece in the last two weeks of the window to replace O’Riordan and they are still searching .

[Silkscarf]

Assuming we get a decent new centre back or two we’ve got the potential to climb the league now.

[Reg of the Rovers]

There's definitely reasons for confidence, Haks form last couple of appearances perhaps being the main one, and Robinson looking like a busy Jack Russell that we need, nipping heels and causing problems.

But given the dreadful run we've been on, our terrible form, and our desperate league position - I'd suggest that on the whole people have kept confidence with Grant and the team. There's been pockets of discontent, but I'm not sure of many if any other manager who would keep their job in these circumstances, nevermind have the majority of fans seemingly still believing in them.

I think our resurgence in the second half of the past couple of seasons is the reason for most peoples confidence. I'm not convinced it's a trick we can pull off every year, but we shall see! Lots of the window left yet, but centre half is the one spot we desperately need quality in now.

Bookies odds don't usually lie, and they paint a difficult picture for us. But if we can turn things round quickly, starting on Saturday, then anything can happen!

[graingrover]

I think that the general trust that fans have shown to Grant is a double positive ..for him directly and his players too will have clocked that and it will strengthen their own beliefs .

[Ian Nimmo]

I will not have confidence unless we sort the centre back position, which is a real concern. We are left with Pearson, who’s capable but needs a partner with pace and it’s unlikely he will play every game. McGrath who has not made the step up to L1, and Grehan who like jay is a good prospect for the future but at present both are not commanding centre backs.
We seem to struggle against height and pace and O’riordan did provide both.
Bailey and Senior have played well when being asked to play at the back, but clearly they are not the answer to resolve, so a high quality CB would give me and I suspect the majority of our supporters some real confidence not only to recover our current position but also a springboard for next season.

[Chris Black come back]

Bailey, Broadbent, Gotts, Robinson and Clifton looks a lot better midfield that we had a few months ago. And Close to come.

[RoversInSpain]

Good post.
For me it’s about the keeper. I have no idea what’s happened to the art of goalkeeping. They punch shots away which could be easily caught and more emphasis seems to be on their distribution. Coming out for crosses, attacking the ball and catching it seems to be a dead art, once upon a time keepers would catch a cross with one hand!.
Keepers are generally one of the tallest players on the pitch, have a massive additional arm reach to be able to collect a ball way above an attacker. They are also over protected by refs, so why on earth don’t they use this advantage.
If Clark can command his area, his territory and come and catch crosses the defence and goals against will improve dramatically. There’s few things better for a defender than to hear their keeper load and clear, then watch him claim the ball, pressure off. Come on Zander lad…don’t stand rigid on your line, please!!

[RugbyRover]

Good post.
For me it’s about the keeper. I have no idea what’s happened to the art of goalkeeping. They punch shots away which could be easily caught and more emphasis seems to be on their distribution. Coming out for crosses, attacking the ball and catching it seems to be a dead art, once upon a time keepers would catch a cross with one hand!.
Keepers are generally one of the tallest players on the pitch, have a massive additional arm reach to be able to collect a ball way above an attacker. They are also over protected by refs, so why on earth don’t they use this advantage.
If Clark can command his area, his territory and come and catch crosses the defence and goals against will improve dramatically. There’s few things better for a defender than to hear their keeper load and clear, then watch him claim the ball, pressure off. Come on Zander lad…don’t stand rigid on your line, please!!

I think they all punch rather than catch because the ball is a lot different now. It moves more in the air making it more difficult to catch. Just my theory.

[i_ateallthepies]

I suspect that must be the reason RR the ball definitely moves in the air more than the old leather footballs did but I would like to see them tip the ball over the bar than parry it back into play.  A corner is always a danger but suspect the stats will show a surprisingly few corners are converted into goals.

[StocksArmy]

Going down to the game tomorrow and thoroughly looking forward to the game although I won’t lie in being apprehensive about the line up. Honestly think we will get stuffed if he continues with Pearson and McGrath. I would start Sharp also now that we have Haks. So my team would be….

Clark

Sterry
Bailey
McGrath
Senior

Robinson
Broadbent
Gibbo (again behind the striker)

Mols
Sharp
Haks

[GazLaz]

Going down to the game tomorrow and thoroughly looking forward to the game although I won’t lie in being apprehensive about the line up. Honestly think we will get stuffed if he continues with Pearson and McGrath. I would start Sharp also now that we have Haks. So my team would be….

Clark

Sterry
Bailey
McGrath
Senior

Robinson
Broadbent
Gibbo (again behind the striker)

Mols
Sharp
Haks

It would be a tough in Gotts not to start him. Robinson can’t jump ahead of him based on the Fleetwood performance IMO.

Fairly sure Maxwell is more affective than Senior as well.

Depends on the game plan I suppose. Are we going there to try and nick a game of cat and mouse or are we going there to try and pass them off the park with 60% possession? Not sure.

[StocksArmy]

Christ I completely forgot about Gotts somehow. I’d swap him for Gibson.

[Barmby Rover]

Saturday will be a turning point for us, a win at Wimbledon will give all of us hope for the second half of the season. All we can do is show our backing for the lads.

[i_ateallthepies]

I've only seen Maxwell look good against weaker opposition i.e. Lg2 and Vertu trophy.  Every time he's played in the league this season he hasn't shown any flair or much defensive excellence.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Going down to the game tomorrow and thoroughly looking forward to the game although I won’t lie in being apprehensive about the line up. Honestly think we will get stuffed if he continues with Pearson and McGrath. I would start Sharp also now that we have Haks. So my team would be….

Clark

Sterry
Bailey
McGrath
Senior

Robinson
Broadbent
Gibbo (again behind the striker)

Mols
Sharp
Haks

It would be a tough in Gotts not to start him. Robinson can’t jump ahead of him based on the Fleetwood performance IMO.

Fairly sure Maxwell is more affective than Senior as well.

Depends on the game plan I suppose. Are we going there to try and nick a game of cat and mouse or are we going there to try and pass them off the park with 60% possession? Not sure.

Yes, Gotts has to be in there for sure, especially after a couple of MOM performances. After that I guess who partners him may depend on the formation.

Prior to Tuesday, I would have favoured Robinson to play alongside but Broadbent had a good game too so either or. Beyond that we have so many options to either start or finish, particularly if we play with a back 5.

My hope is we play them off the park and just hope we're disciplined enough defensively to limit free hits into the box.

[ncRover]

A vertu trophy game against a L2 side shouldn’t have too much bearing on squad selection for a L1 game.

[StocksArmy]

A vertu trophy game against a L2 side shouldn’t have too much bearing on squad selection for a L1 game.

No but if Bailey is to move to CB then for me Robinson looks to be the most Bailey type midfielder to drop into his position. That was evident the other night and nothing to do with the quality of the opposition.

[Fal]

I don't get the obsession with wanting Bailey at CB, McGrath was great in League Two at CB as was bailey as Mcgrath showed League One is completely different and some of the doom mongerers will be jumping straight on Bailey if he messes up and wanting McGrath (or a new CB) in.

I would personally put Bailey in the 10 role but i do like Clifton, i think however McCann was clearly testing not having clifton there for the Southampton game so may be shying away from using him. Then 2 of either Gotts, Broadbent or Robinson in front of the defence.

[pigeonhole]

McGrath was great in League Two

He wasn’t. We hardly kept any clean sheets last year until Bailey and Anderson were paired. Then we looked rock solid. McGrath was the same rash, positionally awful player he is today.

[Fal]

McGrath was great in League Two

He wasn’t. We hardly kept any clean sheets last year until Bailey and Anderson were paired. Then we looked rock solid. McGrath was the same rash, positionally awful player he is today.

Respectfully disagree but each to their own, i mean Plymouth would'nt have bid 500K if he was that awful.

[Sammy Chung was King]

I would go

                  Clark

            McGrath  Bailey

       Sterry.                  Maxwell

                    Robinson

              Gotts.           Broadbent

      Molyneux.                          Adelakun

                           Sharp

I would normally want two up front, but I think we need control of the midfield, we need to win that battle first. Having Molyneux and Adelakun gives us extra threat. Hopefully wear them down then bring Okoronkwo and Hanlan or later to finish it.

[drfchound]

I suspect that must be the reason RR the ball definitely moves in the air more than the old leather footballs did but I would like to see them tip the ball over the bar than parry it back into play.  A corner is always a danger but suspect the stats will show a surprisingly few corners are converted into goals.

A quick Google search and reading five or six articles, shows that only 2 to 3 percent of corners lead to a goal at elite level.

[Lesonthewest]

Going down to the game tomorrow and thoroughly looking forward to the game although I won’t lie in being apprehensive about the line up. Honestly think we will get stuffed if he continues with Pearson and McGrath. I would start Sharp also now that we have Haks. So my team would be….

Clark

Sterry
Bailey
McGrath
Senior

Robinson
Broadbent
Gibbo (again behind the striker)

Mols
Sharp
Haks

It would be a tough in Gotts not to start him. Robinson can’t jump ahead of him based on the Fleetwood performance IMO.

Fairly sure Maxwell is more affective than Senior as well.

Depends on the game plan I suppose. Are we going there to try and nick a game of cat and mouse or are we going there to try and pass them off the park with 60% possession? Not sure.

I've only seen Maxwell look good against weaker opposition i.e. Lg2 and Vertu trophy.  Every time he's played in the league this season he hasn't shown any flair or much defensive excellence.

I'm afraid I have to agree with this, James has struggled to make the step up this season, although the ability is there without doubt, he just looks a yard short when defending. Senior would be my 1st choice for now.

[Draytonian III]

I suspect that must be the reason RR the ball definitely moves in the air more than the old leather footballs did but I would like to see them tip the ball over the bar than parry it back into play.  A corner is always a danger but suspect the stats will show a surprisingly few corners are converted into goals.

A quick Google search and reading five or six articles, shows that only 2 to 3 percent of corners lead to a goal at elite level.

Unless you’re playing Arsenal

[drfchound]

I suspect that must be the reason RR the ball definitely moves in the air more than the old leather footballs did but I would like to see them tip the ball over the bar than parry it back into play.  A corner is always a danger but suspect the stats will show a surprisingly few corners are converted into goals.

A quick Google search and reading five or six articles, shows that only 2 to 3 percent of corners lead to a goal at elite level.

Unless you’re playing Arsenal

Haha, that was my first thought as well.