Jol_BWFC

Didn’t they extend the early bird discount last season, or did I dream that?

We agree on the last bit, it was a gamble (and we know the boss loves a flutter 😬) We’ll find out whether it pays off when we get an update on his injury and we’re all hoping he’s fit for Saturday. I’m just of the view that with all the muscle injuries we’ve had, I’d rather have played 25 mins against Bristol with Forrester (I think we were 1-0 up at the time) versus the risk of potentially playing multiple games without Santos (including against the league leaders).

😁 Overruled. Factual statement. Him coming off wouldn’t have meant we lost or drew. Him coming off could have resulted in a win (or a draw or a loss).

When’s the last time a boxer threw the towel in themselves? Something a sports star needs to rely on medical staff to do what’s best by them.

This is where I’m at. Him coming off wouldn’t have meant we drew or lost that game. Anyway, we could go round in circles on it. Let’s hope it’s not a bad injury and he’s back for the next game - then it’s a moot point.

Hard to shag a crumble.

Aye. I remember the days of terrorising the Rovers board.

Bottom left, Reading’s finest?

Arsenal hold the box seat. They have some tough games though.

I agree. So why not take him off if he’s injured?

I think we were winning at the time? Could be wrong on that. It’s not saving him for the next game. IMO, it’s not worth risking our captain playing on an injury if it could mean it puts him out of 4 games and the play offs. We’ve seen from Dan and Vic what a muscle injury can do. Evatt says “it was getting progressively worse. All we can do is pray to the stars”. Or he could have taken off an injured player and replaced him with one of the two fit centre backs on the bench…

Indeed. At the end of the day, it’s Evatt’s opinion that matters.

We don’t help ourselves with potential injuries and management needs to take some responsibility. We had Forrester and Taylor on the bench. If there is a hint of injury with Santos, he needs to come off. Saw the same a couple of games back against Reading when Iredale went down and then they got him up and playing on, hobbling around, before going down again and then being subbed for Forrester. If a players is injured, go down, get treatment, then if you can’t continue go off. I get that if you have treatment you have to go to the sidelines - which means playing 20 second with 10 men. But they’re risking making the injury worse by playing on.

Did it match the colour of your coat? 😁 Edit: Just seen the same comment from @Marc505

Dempsey’s performance showed exactly why Maghoma needs to be starting. Best midfield lineup is Sheehan, Maghoma and GT.

Can’t believe anything on the woke lefty BBC. Try this: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/pa/article-13269299/Post-Brexit-border-fee-brings-warnings-higher-food-prices-shelves.html

Not that you can trust anything the BBC says, but some interesting stats on our top scorer list. Charles miles ahead in goals and MPG. Collins’ hatrick means his MPG is now very impressive. As you say, Bod takes fewer mins to score than Vic. Also, maybe Dan just needs more game time - better MPG than Bod and Vic… 🙃 Midfield also interesting - Dempsey and Sheehan clearly assist others’ goals, but don’t get many themselves. Maghoma is a goal scoring midfielder, rather than creating so many goals for others. Thomason does a bit of both.

There is a bit of that, coupled with our stronger home form; but if we were able to take even a couple of extra points against the top teams it’s the old “double bubble” of you getting more points and the closest teams dropping them too. If we’d drawn with Derby and Pompey but lost to Burton and Exeter, we’d be on the same points, but 2 closer to the teams above.

Annoying as it is, Wycombe play every midweek between now and the end of the season. They also played the last few midweeks. There isn’t another choice for that fixture to be played other than the midweek after the cup final.

Said it in the top 8 thread. Difference between the top 2 teams is that they can grind out results away at the tougher teams. Against top half teams away, I think Derby have 17 points and Pompey 19 points versus our 7 points.

The number of soft pens they’ve had this season, typical that they don’t get it tonight.

Derby 2-1.

I should hope he’s watching, as we’re playing them shortly. Should be doing his homework.

If Charles is 100% fit, I’d start him. Collins to play alongside him, against his old club. If he’s not 100%, I would keep Charles on the bench. Similar with Baxter, but I actually think a 90% fit Baxter starts.