Northampton Town (A)

[Chrisj]

3 hours ago, wakey said:

I think Sheehan possibly in for Erhahon, otherwise unchanged bar the bench.

The clue was with who didn’t play and the subs made.  I cannot Schuey changing a winning team so Sheehan bench for me but he’s the one that’s coming in if there is a change as Morley played 90 Sheehan didn’t 

[Rival Son]

6 hours ago, ianofcleveleys said:

Forino played on the left at Stockport and struggled for me, better on the right with a natural left footer beside him

I’m hoping people get off George Johnston’s back, now. Not for the first time, he was our best centre back last night, and is by far our best option at left centre back. I really like Inwood as a backup but think he’s injured.

Nothing can change before January, so get behind him.

Edited September 24, 2025 by Rival Son

[ianofcleveleys]

11 minutes ago, Rival Son said:

I’m hoping people get off George Johnston’s back, now. Not the first time, he was our best centre back last night, and is by far our best option at left centre back. I really like Inwood as a backup but think he’s injured.

Nothing can change before January, so get behind him.

Agreed, none of Forrester, Forino or Toal have looked comfortable there and Taylor looks a bit off yet so GJ is the no1 choice, at least for the first half of this season. 

Had a point to prove v Wigan and very much did so

[Casino]

1 hour ago, Rival Son said:

I’m hoping people get off George Johnston’s back, now. Not the first time, he was our best centre back last night, and is by far our best option at left centre back. I really like Inwood as a backup but think he’s injured.

Nothing can change before January, so get behind him.

I make toal the first in line to replace him in case of injury

Left of a 3 exposed him, but he can do left cb, imo

[Johnnyrotten]

9 hours ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

The game was over within 25 minutes or so.

You could see from the players' reaction to the goals that the game wasn't as key as the league, and it is perhaps no surprise that a number of performances weren't as good as they may have been.

Christie seems to have been a class above, but I'm confident that if needed, these players are capable of stepping up- even if not as good currently as the first choice players. 

McAtee and Randall have had first team chances of course, and maybe the former showed enough to get a place back on the bench.

Last night's game is another demonstration of how pointless it is trying to assess players.  Forino has, overall, been as good as any defender when called upon in the league.  Johnston too, and both were rightly praised for being so resolute generally v Wigan, in a proper game that mattered.

Compare that with how Forino is perceived when we play the kids (last night or Sheff Wed), they are just not the type of games he's here for.  Its tiresome that players get criticised in these games, especially when we're coasting to victory.  Just don't get injured and make yourself available for Saturday.

[Johnnyrotten]

1 hour ago, Chrisj said:

The clue was with who didn’t play and the subs made.  I cannot Schuey changing a winning team so Sheehan bench for me but he’s the one that’s coming in if there is a change as Morley played 90 Sheehan didn’t 

It was the same in the last cup game v Rotherham, Morley played the whole game I think then started the league game a few days later (Wimbledon).  Simons also played most of both games.

[jeep]

The Cobblers 2

The Trotters 3.....

 

[Casino]

2 nil at ht

2nd half ht for john thomas

[Wanderlust]

3 hours ago, Casino said:

I make toal the first in line to replace him in case of injury

Left of a 3 exposed him, but he can do left cb, imo

Toal plays on the left at international level and is the natural at that position in a  back four but Johnston has made himself undroppable recently because of his commitment. It’s not a position Im concerned about. Johnston has shone when the players in front of him have left him exposed - because of the attacking set up - but that’s the compromise we make pushing Gale and Conway on. Toal all day in a back four, but we don’t play that.

Defenders will always get exposed when we throw players forward- so we keep the best scramblers back to cover - Johnston and Forino.

[tomski]

Ntfc 0-2 Bolton

[Heywoodwite]

10 hours ago, Casino said:

I make toal the first in line to replace him in case of injury

Left of a 3 exposed him, but he can do left cb, imo

I think he played left centre back for Northern Ireland. I didn't here any noise of him being crap

I might be wrong..

[Whitesince63]

13 hours ago, Casino said:

I make toal the first in line to replace him in case of injury

Left of a 3 exposed him, but he can do left cb, imo

Not sure about that. Toal hasn’t come on anywhere near as much as id expected even on the right side and whilst I agree he’s better there than Forino I’d always go for Inwood and Taylor on the left side instead. I agree with others about Johnston he’s the best we have and I don’t understand some of the critics.

[gonzo]

Presuming these are still low block shit housing cunts?

We need Sheehan on the pitch.

Edited September 25, 2025 by gonzo

[Dr. Feelgood]

35 minutes ago, Whitesince63 said:

I’d always go for Inwood and Taylor on the left side instead.

How many times have you seen Inwood play, or Taylor ?

[frank_spencer]

Strongest back 2 is Johnston plus Toal or Forino.

[woolli]

10 minutes ago, Dr. Feelgood said:

How many times have you seen Inwood play, or Taylor ?

I dont know anything about Inwood, so, with that in mind, he shouldnt come close to being in the first team in front of others mentioned.

[Whitesince63]

1 hour ago, Dr. Feelgood said:

How many times have you seen Inwood play, or Taylor ?

We saw enough of Inwood last season to know he can play there and Taylor can’t be any worse in that position than Toal is. At least they don’t have to piss about bringing the ball onto their right foot all the time as Toal does. Anyway, it’s an opinion and if yours is different that’s fine. 😉

[Dr. Feelgood]

5 minutes ago, Whitesince63 said:

... it’s an opinion and if yours is different that’s fine. 😉

I don't have an opinion on them. I've barely seen them. I just think it should be about more than a few minutes here & there. Don't be so reactive.

[gonzo]

1 hour ago, Whitesince63 said:

We saw enough of Inwood last season to know he can play there and Taylor can’t be any worse in that position than Toal is. At least they don’t have to piss about bringing the ball onto their right foot all the time as Toal does. Anyway, it’s an opinion and if yours is different that’s fine. 😉

Didn't Inwood only play twice both in dead rubbers?

[Wanderlust]

3 hours ago, gonzo said:

Presuming these are still low block shit housing cunts?

We need Sheehan on the pitch.

Nobby has changed to using a midfield diamond so he has signed a lot of more athletic players to make that work, mainly on free and loan transfers. And it’s served him well so far with some good wins.
In theory at least, if we can get the ball forward quicker and make it stick it will be a different kind of game than last season. Simply put if we play with pace and quality we can have ‘em.

[masi 51]

2 hours ago, Wanderlust said:

Nobby has changed to using a midfield diamond so he has signed a lot of more athletic players to make that work, mainly on free and loan transfers. And it’s served him well so far with some good wins.
In theory at least, if we can get the ball forward quicker and make it stick it will be a different kind of game than last season. Simply put if we play with pace and quality we can have ‘em.

Same team again then or would you be wanting Morley, Sheehan and Randall starting?

[Wanderlust]

50 minutes ago, masi 51 said:

Same team again then or would you be wanting Morley, Sheehan and Randall starting?

If you count the player Nobby has at the base of the diamond as a DM shielding a back 3, then it’s not a million miles off being 433/343 so if I was trying to take the initiative and be the more attack minded team I’d stick with the same system. But this isn’t a home game and I wouldn’t pick Randall anyway so we’ll see what SS thinks - but I imagine it’ll not be far from 442. A good 10 is great against a diamond but we ain’t got a good one so attack wise we’re going to have to play some good passes to create chances. If SS blinks and tries to match them up there would probably be changes. Ultimately it will depend on winning personal battles all over and we’ll need Gale and ACD to pin them back.

 

Maybe SS will think that if we’re playing a back 2, the best defence is attack?

Edited September 25, 2025 by Wanderlust

[ianofcleveleys]

I'd expect us to play the same team as last week and let Nobby and his players try and work out to stop us. 

[Johnnyrotten]

I don't care who plays, I expect us to be better than Northampton if we play anything like we can.

But if one or two have an off day (including the ref), we might not win, that won't mean its down to who SS picks, or the formation.  Nobody knows who's going to play well from one game to the next - even Simons and the 2 wingers have had off days.  What will be will be but there's nobody in the squad I'd be too fussed about if they played.  And most of them get on as subs if they don't start, its no big deal to me who gets the nod.

[Farnywhite]

On 24/09/2025 at 18:09, Rival Son said:

I’m hoping people get off George Johnston’s back, now

Because he as had one great against Wigan ?  He was poor at orient giving to many free kicks away to blame for the goals  at Barnsley and Blackpool . He needs to be doing what he did at Wigan every week not just turning up against is old club with a point to prove