Reading (H)

[Tonge moor green jacket]

25 minutes ago, only1swanny said:

Not sure (if based on current form) it's a great idea to go up, we would struggle like crazy, 

Not saying I wouldn't love to FWIW, 

We'd really need to improve a few areas, as we're still reliant on loan players. 

We'd have a different squad though.

Some out, some in.

[Stig]

Back to the game I'm hoping Dempsey and Iredale come back in tomorrow for that bit of character. Dempsey for Maghoma, Iredale probably for Toal or Forrester.

Other changes as well just for freshness, Bod back up top with Collins (worked very well last home game), if Jones is over the jet lag I'd give him a run at RWB and Ashworth a go at LWB.

It's a must win and I just want to see a better attitude from the players from the off.

[Whitesince63]

52 minutes ago, Stig said:

Back to the game I'm hoping Dempsey and Iredale come back in tomorrow for that bit of character. Dempsey for Maghoma, Iredale probably for Toal or Forrester.

Other changes as well just for freshness, Bod back up top with Collins (worked very well last home game), if Jones is over the jet lag I'd give him a run at RWB and Ashworth a go at LWB.

It's a must win and I just want to see a better attitude from the players from the off.

Sorry Stig but I’m not half glad you’re not picking the team. 😁

[radcliffe white]

Imo Forrester is a starter one of our best defenders

do agree on Dempsey starting 

[TroySwoosh]

5-0 Charles 1st half hat trick

 

Then Derby lose 3-0 on Tuesday........

 

 

[RUREADY2ROLL]

4 minutes ago, TroySwoosh said:

5-0 Charles 1st half hat trick

 

Then Derby lose 3-0 on Tuesday........

 

 

Boooooo - Derby only lose 3-0

[Whitesince63]

2 hours ago, TroySwoosh said:

5-0 Charles 1st half hat trick

 

Then Derby lose 3-0 on Tuesday........

 

 

You’ll do for me Troy and the ridiculous thing is both of those are possible in this crazy season. 😁

[Johnnyrotten]

On another note, how the hell have Derby managed to get Wycombe to rearrange their fixture for 3 days after a Wembley cup final?  There you go Derby have 8 days off to prepare to play a team either celebrating a cup win or commiserating a final defeat, who happen to have nothing to play for in the league, and won't give the game a thought till about 3 hours before kick off.  What a piss take.

[Rival Son]

5 hours ago, Stig said:

Back to the game I'm hoping Dempsey and Iredale come back in tomorrow for that bit of character. Dempsey for Maghoma, Iredale probably for Toal or Forrester.

Other changes as well just for freshness, Bod back up top with Collins (worked very well last home game), if Jones is over the jet lag I'd give him a run at RWB and Ashworth a go at LWB.

It's a must win and I just want to see a better attitude from the players from the off.

I agree with most of that Stig, with a couple of less controversial differences and one that will prompt howls of derision.

Bod for Jerome 🟢

Dempsey for Thomason, with Maghoma on the left. 🟡

Jones for Cogley 🟢

Ogbeta retains his place 🔴

Iredale for Santos, with Toal in the middle 🟡

Iredale in is a no brainer for me, which many will agree with. Santos out? For me, yes, and it’s not just about the awful Stevenage performance. Santos has looked off it, since he returned. And is it just a coincidence he returned 8 games ago, since when the defence has looked very shaky, distribution has been both slow and, at times, panicked and, of course, results have been very poor?

Tin hat on!

[desperado]

9 minutes ago, Rival Son said:

Santos out? For me, yes

Crikey if people’s conspiracy theories for Baxter/Charles weren’t bad enough…

Can you imagine the Twitterati on this one! 

Evatt falls out with captain, he’s lost the plot, the dressing room has turned on him, no leadership, no anchor, no bottle, he’s erratic, he’s no man-manager.

The list is endless. I’m not saying Santos had a good game Friday, definitely one of his poorer ones, but to drop your captain (who is usually solid, calm, strong, unbeatable and imposing) would be pressing the self-destruct button.

[bolty58]

Just win.

[Burndens Bogs]

55 minutes ago, Rival Son said:

I agree with most of that Stig, with a couple of less controversial differences and one that will prompt howls of derision.

Bod for Jerome 🟢

Dempsey for Thomason, with Maghoma on the left. 🟡

Jones for Cogley 🟢

Ogbeta retains his place 🔴

Iredale for Santos, with Toal in the middle 🟡

Iredale in is a no brainer for me, which many will agree with. Santos out? For me, yes, and it’s not just about the awful Stevenage performance. Santos has looked off it, since he returned. And is it just a coincidence he returned 8 games ago, since when the defence has looked very shaky, distribution has been both slow and, at times, panicked and, of course, results have been very poor?

Tin hat on!

I agree with every one of your changes.

Santos has been poor for quite a while, i’d drop him to the bench - captain or not.

[Ani]

6 hours ago, Rival Son said:

I agree with most of that Stig, with a couple of less controversial differences and one that will prompt howls of derision.

Bod for Jerome 🟢

Dempsey for Thomason, with Maghoma on the left. 🟡

Jones for Cogley 🟢

Ogbeta retains his place 🔴

Iredale for Santos, with Toal in the middle 🟡

Iredale in is a no brainer for me, which many will agree with. Santos out? For me, yes, and it’s not just about the awful Stevenage performance. Santos has looked off it, since he returned. And is it just a coincidence he returned 8 games ago, since when the defence has looked very shaky, distribution has been both slow and, at times, panicked and, of course, results have been very poor?

Tin hat on!

I disagree on Santos, although I agree he has been poor especially on Friday but I would question has Toal been much better in last few games.

I am 100% certain that we are a better team when Santos is playing at his best and that if we are going to get out of the division we need to go on a crazy run or win the play offs, for either to happen we need to play at our best consistently. To play our best we need Santos.

Maddest thing is that I honestly do not know what our best XI is. We have 3 options at LWB Ashworth has been as effective as any but has just disappeared from the team, RWB JDC has flattered this season but too often messes up final ball, so do you play Jones ? If not do you play Jones as part of back three with Santos and Toal, so no place for Forester who emerged from the bench for first in ages Friday (has become much better player in people's minds whilst not playing it seems) or Iredale who actually has a left foot. 
 

Midfield is 4 for 3 slots. Sheehan will start despite being MIA on Friday, Paris is frustrating as hell but can create, Legohead taken off early Friday but no worse than others, and then Dempsey who seems to be permanently one to miss out but who was our best midfielder early season with a broken back. Morley just never got going this season but at least he has a new contract. 
 

Up front Dion starts if fit , just for the boost it gives crowd, hopefully he has improved like Forrester and GJ whilst injured. If injured Collins I think starts with either JDB or CJ, but it is slim pickings. Of the three Collins is only one who has recent record (not with us) of going on some type of streak of scoring and/or creating. 
 

Or does Evatt say 'fuck it, too much thinking let's play same XI that battered Oxford and go out and the same ? Might be best option if Charles not fit

[Stig]

6 hours ago, Rival Son said:

I agree with most of that Stig, with a couple of less controversial differences and one that will prompt howls of derision.

Bod for Jerome 🟢

Dempsey for Thomason, with Maghoma on the left. 🟡

Jones for Cogley 🟢

Ogbeta retains his place 🔴

Iredale for Santos, with Toal in the middle 🟡

Iredale in is a no brainer for me, which many will agree with. Santos out? For me, yes, and it’s not just about the awful Stevenage performance. Santos has looked off it, since he returned. And is it just a coincidence he returned 8 games ago, since when the defence has looked very shaky, distribution has been both slow and, at times, panicked and, of course, results have been very poor?

Tin hat on!

When I put the changes I'd like to see I didn't bother putting changes I'd like, but just won't happen, such as going to 4 at the back, that would always be my preference but no way will Evatt change from 532. Same with Santos, he just won't be dropped no matter his form. But I do agree with your back 3 CBs based on form! 

Re: who Dempsey comes on for, toss up between Maghoma and Thomason. Thomason was probably worse of the 2 last game and less of a goal threat, so willing to be convinced.

Re: Ogbeta. I must be watching something different to others as the 4 times I've seen him I thought he was poor. But even if I've just seen his worse games is he that much better than Ashworth we wouldn't want fresh legs for a game 3 days later? For me that wing back position should be rotated game to game or subbed after 60 mins every game, with the work they're expected to do. 

 

[athywhite1958]

Get the bingo machine out, tried and tested

[Whitesince63]

1 hour ago, Stig said:

When I put the changes I'd like to see I didn't bother putting changes I'd like, but just won't happen, such as going to 4 at the back, that would always be my preference but no way will Evatt change from 532. Same with Santos, he just won't be dropped no matter his form. But I do agree with your back 3 CBs based on form! 

Re: who Dempsey comes on for, toss up between Maghoma and Thomason. Thomason was probably worse of the 2 last game and less of a goal threat, so willing to be convinced.

Re: Ogbeta. I must be watching something different to others as the 4 times I've seen him I thought he was poor. But even if I've just seen his worse games is he that much better than Ashworth we wouldn't want fresh legs for a game 3 days later? For me that wing back position should be rotated game to game or subbed after 60 mins every game, with the work they're expected to do. 

 

People have lost faith in Santos through his own stupid walking football and stopping to put his foot on the ball. It’s just ridiculous, unnecessary and down right dangerous as we saw yet again at Stevenage where he twice nearly gifted them a goal. It then spreads to the rest of the team and results in the pedestrian football Evatt described. Then do something about it Ian, tell Rico to stop it. When both he and Toal push up and bring the ball out quickly we look a different team so it genuinely amazes me why he’s allowed to do it. He doesn’t want dropping he want correcting and if he still does it then hook him because no player, captain or not, is bigger than the team.

[Jol_BWFC]

I don’t agree with dropping Santos - I think his defending is, on the whole, some of the best in the league. He’s susceptible to the odd mistake (defensively), but anyone on this league is. 

His distribution though can be woeful. I’m not sure he made a decent pass out against Stevenage and it’s always someone else’s fault. He was slow, lazy and should have cost us a goal. If we insist on using him to play us out, he needs to improve that side of his game.

[Duck Egg]

C'mon lads. We know you can be great. Let's feckin do this. 

[Whitesince63]

16 minutes ago, Jol_BWFC said:

I don’t agree with dropping Santos - I think his defending is, on the whole, some of the best in the league. He’s susceptible to the odd mistake (defensively), but anyone on this league is. 

His distribution though can be woeful. I’m not sure he made a decent pass out against Stevenage and it’s always someone else’s fault. He was slow, lazy and should have cost us a goal. If we insist on using him to play us out, he needs to improve that side of his game.

Exactly that and probably why no team higher up has come and stolen him from us. When he’s good he’s amazing but when he’s bad he’s atrocious as he was on Friday. I don’t know why he feels the need to slow the game down so much but Evatt needs to have a word because the pedestrian football he complained about largely starts with Rico.

[desperado]

Struggling to get excited for this.

It’s the fact that it’s now must win with high expectation. If we do what we are expected to do, we’ll still need Portsmouth to do us a favour.

Both those things happen then Saturday goes up a notch or two on the excitement scale. 
 

                       Coleman

            Jones.  Santos. Toal

Cog.              Sheehan.           Ogbete      
     
              Thompson  Maghoma 

                       JDB.  Collins

 Is that the side that beat Oxford? If so should be the side today if those we expect to be fit are fit.

Edited April 1, 2024 by desperado

[Arrested development]

Play like we did against Oxford and we will win. At home I expect there will be much more intensity and I fancy us today. 

 

[Arrested development]

6 minutes ago, desperado said:

Struggling to get excited for this.

It’s the fact that it’s now must win with high expectation. If we do what we are expected to do, we’ll still need Portsmouth to do us a favour.

Both those things happen then Saturday goes up a notch or two on the excitement scale. 
 

                       Coleman

            Jones.  Santos. Toal

Cog.              Sheehan.           Ogbete      
     
              Thompson  Maghoma 

                       JDB.  Collins

 Is that the side that beat Oxford? If so should be the side today if those we expect to be fit are fit.

Alan ?

[desperado]

3 minutes ago, Arrested development said:

Alan ?

🤣 Would love him today. 

[Arrested development]

I have a feeling there will be a bit of rotation today. Geth will come back in , probably bod as well , plus maybe ashworth for ogbeta. 

[Lostock Whites]

Evatt calling us to back the team, then today says right before the game that we're going into these games with a water pistol rather than an armada 😬

Great motivation for the starting XI that isn't it?

How about we focus on that the fact that this XI without Charles, Baxter and co battered Oxford 5-0? 

Absolutely no excuses.