Cambridge (H) Easter Monday

[Burndens Bogs]

1 hour ago, Roger_Dubuis said:

Very frustrating afternoon.Two easy points against a crap team dropped because a tinkering manager thought a reserves midfield and attack would be enough.It would have been like turning up at Burnden Park to find Rioch had rested McAteer, Lee and McGinlay in a crucial match.

The crowd was hundreds below what it would have been due to not getting the tickets on sale quick enough.FFS that should be the easy stuff.Due to the crap performance some of the new faces in the ground won't buy season tickets.

Just as Evatt was growing on me for how he prepared the team to demolish (an albeit garbage on the day) Plymouth he tosses away an easy two points by not showing enough respect to the oppositon.

Yep, we missed a trick by not playing our strongest X1 possible.

We are 9 points better off than we were after 40 games last season, but then we got 14 points from the last 6 games.

If we can get close to that, we’ll be in the play-offs.

[Zico]

With six games left and hopefully at least two more in the play offs I hope the players are now rested and we don't have to bench the best ones again 

Won £120 on DJs goal so every cloud 

[RUREADY2ROLL]

20 minutes ago, Zico said:

With six games left and hopefully at least two more in the play offs I hope the players are now rested and we don't have to bench the best ones again 

Won £120 on DJs goal so every cloud 

The problem is; with the way we have played since the two 5-0 wins and excluding Wembley and the second half performance against Wednesday I am not confident we could win another game. Something has to change. The bunch we have brought in this transfer window so far have been very poor 

[captainmed]

17 minutes ago, RUREADY2ROLL said:

The problem is; with the way we have played since the two 5-0 wins and excluding Wembley and the second half performance against Wednesday I am not confident we could win another game. Something has to change. The bunch we have brought in this transfer window so far have been very poor 

You are 100% correct.

We may need 12 points from our last 6 games - won’t happen.

10 points could maybe get us in - should be possible given the home games & providing the opposition are shown respect.

 

[Tonge moor green jacket]

Bit strong that.

Jerome has no legs any more, but still a touch of class.

Big Vic needs service like any other striker.

First half yesterday was the lack of prompt passing from the back and Sheehan whose job it was to link the lines.

Charles would have struggled with that, and become frustrated.

We were too rigid and not prepared to play a percentage ball over the top occasionally to make them defend facing their own goal, nor get it wide and supply an early cross for the too big lads to attack.

That changed quickly once Lee and Morely replaced the two midfielders, and picked the pace up.

[BeeversLeftPeg]

Performance far from good enough but can also argue that result is all that matters this stage of the season.

Should have had the game done and finished in the last 10 minutes. 

Dust ourselves off and go again Saturday - if we can still be in the playoff places after the next 2, we'll be in good nick for the last 4 games.

[Traf]

CJ & VA must have made a dozen runs in the first half for balls that ended up not being played forward to them. They'd evaded their man and created the space to run onto the ball that never came. The keeper, back 5 and midfield 3 were all guilty of holding on to possession too long, it was like walking football at times.

That said, I didn't think Sheehan played badly, he just didn't play well. Shoretire was poor again and Thomason looked very rusty. yes, he won the ball back a few times, but mainly after he'd given it away.

Defensively too ponderous, Bradley played OK, but rarely got past his man and drifted infield too often, narrowing the pitch which is a mistake against 2 banks of 5. Johnston probably our best on the day, but he too was guilty of slowing it all down.

[waffer cup 07]

I,d be chuffed if Shoretire and Ebete never played for us again. They offer nothing.

[Wanderlust]

5 hours ago, onefinfrandsen said:

The thing wrong with Thomason, he was a bit rusty. Been out for along time, there’s getting fit and there’s match fit. 3 or 4 games and he will be fine. Just in time for the play offs😁

Looked super fit to me - he outran just about everyone else on the park and showed the kind of commitment Dempsey does. I don't see them as mutually exclusive players either - have both those ratting engines on the pitch at the same time and it would be like having an extra man - and there will be game situations coming up when it's what we'll need. He gives the team what Muamba did - but is a better passer when he doesn't rush it IMO.

My concern is that there are chickens being counted. Looking at the remaining games and fixtures folk seem to be comparing past results with the anticipated results in the end of season dogfight and that doesn't necessarily work.

Simple facts are Derby can get to 83 and Posh to 85 so 84 is our target at this point in time. That's 16 points from 6 games i.e. 5 wins and a draw. Yes it will be great if the others drop points but until they do and until we've qualified we have to go at full throttle and play at our absolute best.

That means starting every game with our best eleven and if that gives us a comfortable lead in games, then - and only then - should they be subbed and rested.

[Duck Egg]

44 minutes ago, waffer cup 07 said:

I,d be chuffed if Shoretire and Ebete never played for us again. They offer nothing.

Where's Cheese when you need him?

[desperado]

16 hours ago, Mounts Kipper said:

I Wouldn’t be playing either of them between now and end of season. 

 

16 hours ago, desperado said:

Thing is who plays in the back 3 if Mbete doesn’t? 

Been thinking about this.

In order of preference for Oxford;

1/ Santos (article in BEN this morning says he may be risked/brought back sooner than thought) comes back, but would hate him to be rushed and put out for rest of season.

2/ We bring someone else in to the back 3. But who is this? Options are bringing senior back or playing MJ in middle putting Johnston to LCB? Neither ideal, but are there any other options?

3/ Stick with Mbete 

[Cheese]

8 minutes ago, Duck Egg said:

Where's Cheese when you need him?

[RUREADY2ROLL]

14 minutes ago, desperado said:

 

Been thinking about this.

In order of preference for Oxford;

1/ Santos (article in BEN this morning says he may be risked/brought back sooner than thought) comes back, but would hate him to be rushed and put out for rest of season.

2/ We bring someone else in to the back 3. But who is this? Options are bringing senior back or playing MJ in middle putting Johnston to LCB? Neither ideal, but are there any other options?

3/ Stick with Mbete 

Mbete played well at Exeter but when he fucks up once he panics and loses his confidence. Hopefully Santos will be back.

I wouldn’t play Thomason; Need Morley and Sheeham there

[waffer cup 07]

21 minutes ago, RUREADY2ROLL said:

Mbete played well at Exeter but when he fucks up once he panics and loses his confidence. Hopefully Santos will be back.

I wouldn’t play Thomason; Need Morley and Sheeham there

Mbete played well at Exeter,?? really. Passing back and square every time he gets the ball, always takes the easy option. No idea what he's doibg at City.

[Eddie]

1 hour ago, Wanderlust said:

Looked super fit to me - he outran just about everyone else on the park and showed the kind of commitment Dempsey does. I don't see them as mutually exclusive players either - have both those ratting engines on the pitch at the same time and it would be like having an extra man - and there will be game situations coming up when it's what we'll need. He gives the team what Muamba did - but is a better passer when he doesn't rush it IMO.

My concern is that there are chickens being counted. Looking at the remaining games and fixtures folk seem to be comparing past results with the anticipated results in the end of season dogfight and that doesn't necessarily work.

Simple facts are Derby can get to 83 and Posh to 85 so 84 is our target at this point in time. That's 16 points from 6 games i.e. 5 wins and a draw. Yes it will be great if the others drop points but until they do and until we've qualified we have to go at full throttle and play at our absolute best.

That means starting every game with our best eleven and if that gives us a comfortable lead in games, then - and only then - should they be subbed and rested.

You’re surely not comparing Thomason to Muamba? And actually potentially saying he’s better?

He seems like a nice lad, and maybe that’s why he appears to be almost devoid of any criticism (or because he’s got a rags to riches type career which is quite romantic) but he’s just not good enough.

He’s been labelled as a good passer - he’s not. He can spray a decent diagonal every so often, but his short passing is poor, so often he’ll either misplace completely or even just lay it off with no pace, or 3 yards the wrong side of a player - it kills our game. Add to that that he doesn’t score, he doesn’t assist and he’s not particularly good defensively (he’s bulked up but he still isn’t particularly mobile and so ends up chasing shadows a lot of the time) and I really don’t think he brings much to the team - he’s got an engine on him, I’ll give him that.

Also, “young George” is often banded about - he’s 22, Morley is less than a year older than him. 

I don’t have anything against the guy, and I think he could probably make a decent career at the lower end of this league or in league 2 - I just don’t understand why people have such high opinions of him (someone further up had him as possibly being better than Johnston yesterday!!?), maybe I’m missing something?

[Tonge moor green jacket]

55 minutes ago, RUREADY2ROLL said:

Mbete played well at Exeter but when he fucks up once he panics and loses his confidence. Hopefully Santos will be back.

I wouldn’t play Thomason; Need Morley and Sheeham there

Need a water carrier. Without Dempsey, we needed Thomason's steel.

Showed significantly yesterday when we had neither.

Sheehan has done well recently in his new role, but he can't tackle a good dinner.

[Tombwfc]

1 hour ago, desperado said:

 

Been thinking about this.

In order of preference for Oxford;

1/ Santos (article in BEN this morning says he may be risked/brought back sooner than thought) comes back, but would hate him to be rushed and put out for rest of season.

2/ We bring someone else in to the back 3. But who is this? Options are bringing senior back or playing MJ in middle putting Johnston to LCB? Neither ideal, but are there any other options?

3/ Stick with Mbete 

 

I think given those options we're stuck with the lad.

It's worth saying with him in the team we've conceded five goals in nine games. So while he was at fault yesterday (and against Ipswich) he isn't a total disaster zone either.

[gonzo]

I thought Thomason was really poor yesterday. Took a touch too many and struggled to find any kind of range of passing. Headless chicken.

[Big E]

16 minutes ago, gonzo said:

I thought Thomason was really poor yesterday. Took a touch too many and struggled to find any kind of range of passing. Headless chicken.

If he was on loan from city he would be trying his best though 🤣

[Tonge moor green jacket]

27 minutes ago, gonzo said:

I thought Thomason was really poor yesterday. Took a touch too many and struggled to find any kind of range of passing. Headless chicken.

Watched a different player to me.

First half he tried to find space but tended to knock any passes from defenders straight back. Not as comfortable as sheehan at receiving them, but i dont see that as his game.

His defensive work was sound.

I saw him at one point gesticulating at team mates to speed it up.

Once partnered with Lee and Morely it was entirely different. Winning the ball and moving it simply. Leaving the creative stuff to the others, with Lee's movement causing all sorts of problems. Our best spell of the game, and we took the lead.

Once subbed, we lost control of midfield, and although we had chances on the break, we were not as comfortable defending.

Dempsey's recent perfomances were a hard act to follow, but he was more noticeable after he went off when no one was available doing the ugly stuff.

[globaldiver]

3 hours ago, Cheese said:

Need?

😂

[gonzo]

Met a few of the players yesterday. My lads were starstruck bless em. Santos was ace, really engaging and had a good chat with us and even moreso my lad. Came across a really good bloke.

Kachunga was superb too stuck around for a chat and pictures, Sheehan too.

Felt gutted for my lad though as hed got himself all excited to meet his hero Dion Charles and he couldn't have been anymore dismissive. Like he couldn't be arse talking to anyone. Maybe caught him on a bad day and he was a bit distracted but he couldn't get away quick enough.

Never meet your heroes they say.

[Big E]

10 minutes ago, gonzo said:

Met a few of the players yesterday. My lads were starstruck bless em. Santos was ace, really engaging and had a good chat with us and even moreso my lad. Came across a really good bloke.

Kachunga was superb too stuck around for a chat and pictures, Sheehan too.

Felt gutted for my lad though as hed got himself all excited to meet his hero Dion Charles and he couldn't have been anymore dismissive. Like he couldn't be arse talking to anyone. Maybe caught him on a bad day and he was a bit distracted but he couldn't get away quick enough.

Never meet your heroes they say.

Heard he’s tired 🤣

I hate hearing it when they aren’t the best. Kids meeting these lads means loads to them. Hopefully just a bad day

[Cheese]

13 minutes ago, gonzo said:

Met a few of the players yesterday. My lads were starstruck bless em. Santos was ace, really engaging and had a good chat with us and even moreso my lad. Came across a really good bloke.

Kachunga was superb too stuck around for a chat and pictures, Sheehan too.

Felt gutted for my lad though as hed got himself all excited to meet his hero Dion Charles and he couldn't have been anymore dismissive. Like he couldn't be arse talking to anyone. Maybe caught him on a bad day and he was a bit distracted but he couldn't get away quick enough.

Never meet your heroes they say.

We've met a few this season either hanging around afterwards or at the Christmas party, and Kachunga is definitely the most affable. Think Dion is just a bit introverted. Probably more nervous than your lads.

[BeeversLeftPeg]

1 minute ago, Cheese said:

We've met a few this season either hanging around afterwards or at the Christmas party, and Kachunga is definitely the most affable. Think Dion is just a bit introverted. Probably more nervous than your lads.

I've always thought that of Dion, seeing the interviews and stuff he does, he seems like he hates being centre of attention.

Hope it hasn't put your lad off @gonzo