Another must win to maintain 3rd place.

31 minutes ago, Ratwhite said:

Did you take it 👀

I had £1 on a draw at 4/1. 
 

2 hours ago, Whitesince63 said:

Sheehan is one of those for me who does a few notable things in games occasionally but most of the time he offers little and I can’t think of one game when you could say he actually dominated things. What we need is someone in midfield who can dominate and dictate play and currently we don’t have one of those which is why we’re not challenging Cardiff and Lincoln.

I'm not replying to stick up for Sheehan as such, but just to say that I think those players are few and far between.  Examples of players that might be able to "dictate" a game are Szoboszlai, Barry Bannan at champ level, Bruno Fernandes and in the past Gerrard.  But they are like gold dust, we aren't getting one in L1, I haven't seen any playing against us that spring to mind.  If they are that good would a championship team not snap them up?  

FWIW Sheehan did dominate as much as anyone at Wigan, and even without his goal he ran that game, but its unrealistic to expect that on a regular basis.

Its too simplistic to say that's why we aren't challenging the top 2.  I'd say its a combination of a leaky defence/keepers and a general inability to shoot with any purpose, power and direction (midfielders and strikers).  

2 hours ago, RUREADY2ROLL said:

We’re not challenging the top two because we have drawn far too many which we should have won easily. Blackpool home and away, Northampton and Mansfield home; Rotherham Away and Doncaster Home, 13 more points and there are many more

The question is why have we drawn to many, its not coincidence.  Its because we concede too early and don't have a natural ability to shoot.

FWIW we lost to Mansfield, the only home defeat.  Should have won on the balance of play but the fact that we couldn't score 1 never mind 2 wasn't unlucky, its a pattern.

Hard to say we should have beaten Doncaster at home, their keeper had less to do than our's, a draw was fair. 

Rotherham away we deserved to lose the first half and win the 2nd, but its stretching it to say we should have won despite our late flurry of chances.  Our keeper made saves on top of conceding 2 and there was nearly that comedy OG from Sheehan that would have made it 3-1.

Blackpool home yes we deserved to be leading 1-0 but we were the team that had to equalise late and were hanging on for a draw at the end.

3 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

The question is why have we drawn to many, its not coincidence.  Its because we concede too early and don't have a natural ability to shoot.

FWIW we lost to Mansfield, the only home defeat.  Should have won on the balance of play but the fact that we couldn't score 1 never mind 2 wasn't unlucky, its a pattern.

Hard to say we should have beaten Doncaster at home, their keeper had less to do than our's, a draw was fair. 

Rotherham away we deserved to lose the first half and win the 2nd, but its stretching it to say we should have won despite our late flurry of chances.  Our keeper made saves on top of conceding 2 and there was nearly that comedy OG from Sheehan that would have made it 3-1.

Blackpool home yes we deserved to be leading 1-0 but we were the team that had to equalise late and were hanging on for a draw at the end.

To add to that, was listening to The Buff and Iles said out of 17 games this year we've only scored 5 goals in the first half. So it does feel like we just struggle to get going. And I'm sure 3 of these 5 goals were in the same game. 

34 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

I'm not replying to stick up for Sheehan as such, but just to say that I think those players are few and far between.  Examples of players that might be able to "dictate" a game are Szoboszlai, Barry Bannan at champ level, Bruno Fernandes and in the past Gerrard.  But they are like gold dust, we aren't getting one in L1, I haven't seen any playing against us that spring to mind.  If they are that good would a championship team not snap them up?  

FWIW Sheehan did dominate as much as anyone at Wigan, and even without his goal he ran that game, but its unrealistic to expect that on a regular basis.

Its too simplistic to say that's why we aren't challenging the top 2.  I'd say its a combination of a leaky defence/keepers and a general inability to shoot with any purpose, power and direction (midfielders and strikers).  

Gotts, Donnys number 22, showed how to run the game. He was prompting, organizing, dictating, fit as a fiddle, a proper leader, we couldnt get anywhere near him. Not seen a performance like that this season.

1 hour ago, bwfc6ix said:

To add to that, was listening to The Buff and Iles said out of 17 games this year we've only scored 5 goals in the first half. So it does feel like we just struggle to get going. And I'm sure 3 of these 5 goals were in the same game. 

Last 20 games we've scored in the first half in 4.  16 games not scoring in the 1st half!

One of them was in 1st half injury time (Sheehan v Rotherham) so only 3 times we've got anything like an early goal - Barnsley, Wimbledon and Exeter.

Half the games have been against the current bottom 8, no more after Saturday in at least 9 consecutive games assuming we are in the play offs. 

2 hours ago, freds dad said:

I had £1 on a draw at 4/1. 
 

well done

1 hour ago, woolli said:

Gotts, Donnys number 22, showed how to run the game. He was prompting, organizing, dictating, fit as a fiddle, a proper leader, we couldnt get anywhere near him. Not seen a performance like that this season.

He was decent, I did notice him, but I wouldn't say we couldn't get near him, its not as if he was providing much of an attacking threat.  And yes he did prompt and organise, he was impressive in that role.  Reminded me of Jay Spearing in style and stature.

We just don't have that captain type any more, I thought we were getting that type of enforcer with EE and/or Simons, but not the case so far.

Strange that Gotts was stuck at Barrow for 4 years, he's clearly L1 standard.

In a 3 you can afford Sheehan, in a 2, he's a liability.

The quality he shows in a 3 is actually detrimental in a 2.

A 2 man midfield isn't really there to be anything other than a big recycling machine designed to stop the opposition from playing while getting the ball back to your players. 

This idea that that in a 2 man midfield, that you can have a league 1 Andrea Pirlo pinging balls around from deep as some kind of deep-lying playmaker (regista) while at the same time as having wingers and a no 10, is a fantasy. 

Too many chefs not enough waiters. 

16 minutes ago, Zog1 said:

In a 3 you can afford Sheehan, in a 2, he's a liability.

The quality he shows in a 3 is actually detrimental in a 2.

A 2 man midfield isn't really there to be anything other than a big recycling machine designed to stop the opposition from playing while getting the ball back to your players. 

This idea that that in a 2 man midfield, that you can have a league 1 Andrea Pirlo pinging balls around from deep as some kind of deep-lying playmaker (regista) while at the same time as having wingers and a no 10, is a fantasy. 

Too many chefs not enough waiters. 

With Dempsey who goes all over the pitch Sheehan is isolated; how SS didn’t see that coming is beyond me. But with EE or Simons with Sheehan it works well. 
 

Thats what I would go with and use Dempsey further up the field 

5 hours ago, Johnnyrotten said:

He was decent, I did notice him, but I wouldn't say we couldn't get near him, its not as if he was providing much of an attacking threat.  And yes he did prompt and organise, he was impressive in that role.  Reminded me of Jay Spearing in style and stature.

We just don't have that captain type any more, I thought we were getting that type of enforcer with EE and/or Simons, but not the case so far.

Strange that Gotts was stuck at Barrow for 4 years, he's clearly L1 standard.

Maybe we made him look better as, with only two in midfield, he had loads of space. Still looked a great leader though.

8 hours ago, woolli said:

Gotts, Donnys number 22, showed how to run the game. He was prompting, organizing, dictating, fit as a fiddle, a proper leader, we couldnt get anywhere near him. Not seen a performance like that this season.

I thought he was excellent as i posted previously,I thought he had a bit of Barry Bannon about him.

I thought there Right back Sterry is decent. We was linked with him a few seasons back when he was in the National league. Also they have Molyneux who is as good as anyone we have out on the wing.

😂😂 this is becoming ridiculous - let’s just buy all of Doncaster’s players, they’re amazing.

5 minutes ago, Eddie said:

😂😂 this is becoming ridiculous - let’s just buy all of Doncaster’s players, they’re amazing.

Given their league position the rest must be fucking awful.

Teams like Doncaster playing in front of a big crowd in a great stadium at our place always raise their game for the occasion.

If you watched them every week against teams like Burton, Exeter etc you wouldn't be as impressed with any of their players.

2 hours ago, masi 51 said:

I thought there Right back Sterry is decent. We was linked with him a few seasons back when he was in the National league. Also they have Molyneux who is as good as anyone we have out on the wing.

A decent right back, not a wing back, must be a priority next season.

51 minutes ago, Eddie said:

😂😂 this is becoming ridiculous - let’s just buy all of Doncaster’s players, they’re amazing.

They won lge2 last season so have three or four decent players who carried a team of decent league two players to the title.

Lincoln are the same with a few players who will do well in the Championship but it wont be enough to have them in the top half next season......Sterry and Molyneux would improve us fact

1 hour ago, noxid said:

Teams like Doncaster playing in front of a big crowd in a great stadium at our place always raise their game for the occasion.

Be nice if the Welsh Pirlo did likewise once in a while! 😉

1 hour ago, noxid said:

Teams like Doncaster playing in front of a big crowd in a great stadium at our place always raise their game for the occasion.

If you watched them every week against teams like Burton, Exeter etc you wouldn't be as impressed with any of their players.

Wasn’t a great crowd. 

42 minutes ago, masi 51 said:

They won lge2 last season so have three or four decent players who carried a team of decent league two players to the title.

Lincoln are the same with a few players who will do well in the Championship but it wont be enough to have them in the top half next season......Sterry and Molyneux would improve us fact

And Gott!

48 minutes ago, kent_white said:

Be nice if the Welsh Pirlo did likewise once in a while! 😉

He's saving himself for Wales' play off game next week.

He'll run the show. 

27 minutes ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

He's saving himself for Wales' play off game next week.

He'll run the show. 

Probably - he'll pick that as his one good game in ten no doubt! 😁

5 hours ago, Eddie said:

😂😂 this is becoming ridiculous - let’s just buy all of Doncaster’s players, they’re amazing.

Might as well as some would have you believe most of ours are shit 😃

On 18/03/2026 at 17:05, Johnnyrotten said:

Agree with your general points about formation and level of performance.

And Dempsey did OK, not one of his better performances but great attitude, for me Sheehan was our best midfielder, he does things that go unnoticed if there's no goal at the end of it.  Eg about 80 minutes surrounded by 3 players on the halfway line, to even see the little 5 yard pass to set Dempsey away never mind execute it effortlessly was something you don't see from many L1 players, certainly not our's.  

Reading and execution of the game is a class above.

Very late to the party catching up with this thread but that pass you mentioned almost made me melt in my seat. Sublime stuff.