AFC Wimbledon (H)

[perth_white]

1 hour ago, masi 51 said:

In the five years after apart from George Johnson  nobody broke into the first team........

? George Johnston wasn't a youth team product.

[Tonge moor green jacket]

10 hours ago, Kane57 said:

Burstow was poor. Conway was good but not worthy of the mega praise I'm seeing here. Duberry was electric 

He is clearly going to play at a higher level. 

He would thrive playing alongside better players.

Comfortable with the ball, moves easily, athletic, reads the game etc.

Sometimes a player appears and is obviously a cut above. 

Doesn't mean they can't get better still, and will still have ups and downs, nevertheless virtually everyone else can see what he is.

 

[Tonge moor green jacket]

1 hour ago, masi 51 said:

Not sure we had a go at the development, more the pathway of getting into the first team.

This was clear from the early days of Evatts tenure when he over looked the likes of Politic and Darcy  and picked his own players ahead of them..........yes they were no world beaters but a improvement on that initial first batch of signings brought in.

In the five years after apart from George Johnson  nobody broke into the first team..........Maybe nobody was good enough we will never know.

Darby and his team have done a great job in bringing this current crop through.

I for one am glad the clamour for him to get the managers job was ignored by the board.......He is a major asset to the club where he is now

There wasn't a chance he was getting the manager's job, as he stated he didn't want it. 

I think folk knew that, but were simply expressing their feelings.

Had he wanted it and got jt, he may have made a good job of it, we just don't know.

He is indeed a great asset, as are the other guys operating with the younger players.

 

[Lt. Aldo Raine]

It's far too soon to be making any claims about Inwood and Smith

[masi 51]

1 hour ago, Rival Son said:

It could be argued that Dennis Politic has been playing at a higher level than us - Dinamo Bucharest and Steaua Bucharest - for a few seasons now. Darcy, meanwhile, has been playing in the same league as us for the last two seasons, although he has just gone on loan to a League 2 club.

Agreed but they both thought not good enough to play in our opening games down in lge2

[masi 51]

1 hour ago, perth_white said:

? George Johnston wasn't a youth team product.

Sorry was supposed to be Thomason not Johnson

[Wanderlust]

1 hour ago, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

It's far too soon to be making any claims about Inwood and Smith

I think we are allowed to say what they “look like” as I did aren’t we?
 

Or do the thought police classify opinions as “claims” these days?

I always thought claim meant to state something as being a fact as opposed to saying it looks like it might be.

That said, it is a fact that they’ve both played at league 1 level.

[Lt. Aldo Raine]

11 minutes ago, Wanderlust said:

I think we are allowed to say what they “look like” as I did aren’t we?
 

Or do the thought police classify opinions as “claims” these days?

I always thought claim meant to state something as being a fact as opposed to saying it looks like it might be.

That said, it is a fact that they’ve both played at league 1 level.

I'm not sure why you're so bothered by the word claim 

Your fact is wrong by the way

[Leyther_Matt]

59 minutes ago, masi 51 said:

Sorry was supposed to be Thomason not Johnson

He wasn’t a youth team product, either.

[desperado]

Loved it yesterday. 

Always great Saturdays when the whites win.

Even better when it’s that comfortable.

Really pleased that SS went with Gale and Morley and had a feeling he’d bring back Randall - had a good game too. 

We’ve some great players in positions and areas we’ve been lacking the last few years. Our forward options, Simons in midfield and Conway at left back must be up there in the best this division has. 

But I’m not getting carried away. 2 big tests to come at Orient and home to Wigan.

I’m interested to hear folk’s thoughts on defending a 30-40 yard wide free kick. And not just us, everybody seems to do it - a really high defensive line on the edge of the box. 

On at least two occasions this season we’ve been undone using this tactic. Goal conceded against Stockport and that chance early yesterday.

In fact we got our first goal with Wimbledon doing similar.

I get there’s some advantages; less cluttered penalty box, keeper has better sight in front of him and you could catch them off side.

But I see plenty of attacking sides exploiting this. Would defenders being deeper facing the ball coming in (rather than chasing a ball and attacker with their back to the ball coming in) not give you a better chance of defending a free-kick like this? 

Edited September 7, 2025 by desperado

[masi 51]

10 minutes ago, Leyther_Matt said:

He wasn’t a youth team product, either.

Splitting hairs, he was a kid signed more for his potential than a first team player.

We had no youth team to speak of .......Anderson closed it down

Anyone decent moved on ie Nat Phillips

[W.cramp]

When are the powers that be going to stamp out the embarrassing keeper antics half way through a half ?  Yesterday it was there keeper but we are also guilty of it,  don't know what the solution is apart from making the keeper go off behind the goal for 30 seconds after 'injury'. In fact   surely if this happenned throughout the league for a couple weeks then my guess would be this would work,but at this moment it just looks accepted. 

[masi 51]

11 minutes ago, desperado said:

Loved it yesterday. 

Always great Saturdays when the whites win.

Even better when it’s that comfortable.

Really pleased that SS went with Gale and Morley and had a feeling he’d bring back Randall - had a good game too. 

We’ve some great players in positions and areas we’ve been lacking the last few years. Our forward options, Simons in midfield and Conway at left back must be up there in the best this division has. 

But I’m not getting carried away. 2 big tests to come at Orient and home to Wigan.

I’m interested to hear folk’s thoughts on defending a 30-40 yard wide free kick. And not just us, everybody seems to do it - a really high defensive line on the edge of the box. 

On at least two occasions this season we’ve been undone using this tactic. Goal conceded against Stockport and that chance early yesterday.

In fact we got our first goal with Wimbledon doing similar.

I get there’s some advantages; less cluttered penalty box, keeper has better sight in front of him and you could catch them off side.

But I see plenty of attacking sides exploiting this. Would defenders being deeper facing the ball coming in (rather than chasing a ball and attacker with their back to goal) not give you a better chance of defending a free-kick like this? 

Great to have so many options and agree about Simons and Conway

Regarding the high line....It is a problem with our current line-up

Throw Taylor in instead of Johnson and Dalby upfront with Burstow instead of Randal that fret is nullified

Would not lose many Headers in the box with Firino,Taylor and Dalby dropping back.

Big problem for Schumacher next Saturday with returning players [Good Problem]....And players returning from injury now a lot fitter.

Could not care what anyone thinks this squad is better than any we have had in the last five years......They still have to go and prove it

[masi 51]

7 minutes ago, W.cramp said:

When are the powers that be going to stamp out the embarrassing keeper antics half way through a half ?  Yesterday it was there keeper but we are also guilty of it,  don't know what the solution is apart from making the keeper go off behind the goal for 30 seconds after 'injury'. In fact   surely if this happenned throughout the league for a couple weeks then my guess would be this would work,but at this moment it just looks accepted. 

If a Keeper goes down two games running make it mandatory to replace him........Soon kick it out

[Zog1]

ACD is amazingly skillful but his decision making is hurting us, he's the most frustrating player i've ever seen play. 

 

 

Edited September 7, 2025 by Zog1

[Kane57]

11 minutes ago, Zog1 said:

ACD is amazingly skillful but his decision making is hurting us, he's the most frustrating player i've ever seen play. 

 

 

Bit early to be on the sauce 

[mickbrown]

40 minutes ago, W.cramp said:

When are the powers that be going to stamp out the embarrassing keeper antics half way through a half ?  Yesterday it was there keeper but we are also guilty of it,  don't know what the solution is apart from making the keeper go off behind the goal for 30 seconds after 'injury'. In fact   surely if this happenned throughout the league for a couple weeks then my guess would be this would work,but at this moment it just looks accepted. 

If a keeper needs treatment, all the outfield players must stand in the centre circle until treatment is over.

Or remove the keepers left testicle.

[Rival Son]

51 minutes ago, masi 51 said:

Splitting hairs, he was a kid signed more for his potential than a first team player.

It’s not splitting hairs. He was 19 when he was signed … by Keith Hill. Our academy, Julian Darby, Jimmy Phillips, etc. had nothing to do with his development. The current equivalent is Charlie Warren, for whom our academy also had no involvement.

[Ani]

1 hour ago, W.cramp said:

When are the powers that be going to stamp out the embarrassing keeper antics half way through a half ?  Yesterday it was there keeper but we are also guilty of it,  don't know what the solution is apart from making the keeper go off behind the goal for 30 seconds after 'injury'. In fact   surely if this happenned throughout the league for a couple weeks then my guess would be this would work,but at this moment it just looks accepted. 

Firstly team whose keeper is injured can not speak to the coaching staff….but someone will say good chance to take fluids on.

Secondly - The opposition can nominate a player from the team to leave pitch for 30 seconds…..but someone will say punishes genuine injuries but the problem has been caused by teams so fuck them. 

[thebells]

39 minutes ago, Ani said:

Firstly team whose keeper is injured can not speak to the coaching staff….but someone will say good chance to take fluids on.

Secondly - The opposition can nominate a player from the team to leave pitch for 30 seconds…..but someone will say punishes genuine injuries but the problem has been caused by teams so fuck them. 

I’m all for keepers taking a 2 min break. Gives me and my weak bladder chance to get sorted without missing any of the game. 

In reality, it’s not an easy problem to solve, and I’m less aware of it happening on the Premier League (the point at which lawmaker's actually start to care). 

Likely outcome is 1 timeout per team per game

[RUREADY2ROLL]

3 hours ago, masi 51 said:

Sorry was supposed to be Thomason not Johnson

Thomason was Blackpool 

[masi 51]

1 minute ago, RUREADY2ROLL said:

Thomason was Blackpool 

He had been released.....we could not bring anyone through at that time because the Academy had gone

Both Hill and Evatt seen enough iin him to keep him.

[CumbrianWhite]

4 hours ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

He is clearly going to play at a higher level. 

He would thrive playing alongside better players.

Comfortable with the ball, moves easily, athletic, reads the game etc.

Sometimes a player appears and is obviously a cut above. 

Doesn't mean they can't get better still, and will still have ups and downs, nevertheless virtually everyone else can see what he is.

 

I still think he can be quite easily nullified in games, probably why he’s with us and not in the championship again.

He seemed a little more willing to go on the outside yesterday. If he can keep playing like he did second half he’s going to be fun to watch!

[Tonge moor green jacket]

11 minutes ago, masi 51 said:

He had been released.....we could not bring anyone through at that time because the Academy had gone

Both Hill and Evatt seen enough iin him to keep him.

Yep.

He was an unproven young player from a non-league club.

We brought him in and developed him.

[CumbrianWhite]

17 minutes ago, thebells said:

I’m all for keepers taking a 2 min break. Gives me and my weak bladder chance to get sorted without missing any of the game. 

In reality, it’s not an easy problem to solve, and I’m less aware of it happening on the Premier League (the point at which lawmaker's actually start to care). 

Likely outcome is 1 timeout per team per game

Fine teams for repeatedly doing it? It’s occurred in pretty much every game we’ve played this season.