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Match Thread Away vs Stevenage Mon 5th April @ 3pm

Discussion in 'City Talk' started by JonButterfield, Apr 2, 2021.

  1. Kevin1954

    Kevin1954 Squad Player
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    Sorry to be a pedant, but you have got to get there first!
     
  2. Captain Grumpy

    Captain Grumpy Impact Sub
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    You say we don’t have strength in depth.How many league 2 teams could bring on the likes of Clarke, Vernam, Crankshaw and Rowe. Then when you remember the injured players like Cooke, Novak, Watt, Hosannah and Staunton. If one of the back four gets injured Anthony O’Conner goes into the back 4. Having had many injuries this season I’m sure we’re better placed than most to cope.
     
  3. TallinnBantam

    TallinnBantam Regular Starter
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    Indeed. However, I was just emphasising the unbeaten run scenario. We could technically lose the next two or three games, and depending on other results, could still get into the playoffs. All I was trying to say was, that I feel that performance against Stevenage, coupled with our stop start displays during the last couple of weeks, gives me no real belief that we can now go on an unbeaten 8/9/10/11 match unbeaten run. Fantastic if we do - don't get me wrong, I'd love us to get into the playoffs, especially where we were heading under McCall, but I just feel we're lacking squad depth and momentum for us to acheive that.
     
  4. TallinnBantam

    TallinnBantam Regular Starter
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    Apart from Rowe, what have Vernam, Crankshaw and Clarke actually done when they've come on? "If one of the back four gets injured, then Anthony O'Connor goes into the back 4", so who plays the holding midfield role that he's currents occupying? What if it's Connor Wood? Now I know AOC is a jack of all trades, but a left back? I don't think so. Those injured players you mention, as much as I'd love them all to come back by the end of the season, bar Cooke who has an outside chance, I can't see any of them returning to help our playoff push.
     
    #404 TallinnBantam, Apr 6, 2021
    Last edited: Apr 6, 2021
    Bantamsteve likes this.
  5. Captain Grumpy

    Captain Grumpy Impact Sub
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    I know it’s hard for you to say this, but we’ve actually had a good Easter with 4 points. Bolton who are your new role model got 1, Tranmere 1, Newport 3 another of your golden teams Salford matched us with 4, Forest Green 0. You say Trueman and Sellars should only be contracted to the end of this season, yet surely even a negative misery like you would have had to renew their contract for next season with a record of 42 points from 22 games. Incidentally the reason we are only 11th is because the previous manager only got a miserable 13 points from the first 16 games. Maybe you want Stuart back.
     
  6. andyc

    andyc Impact Sub
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    I was out yesterday, freezing in a friends back garden, he thought it was a good idea to have a barbeque, so did not follow the game. Seeing the result , when i got home, my thinking was a point gained, they are the form team in the league and to go to their place and come away with something, is alright, of course a win would have been brilliant, but we maintained the gap with them , aithough Bolton let us down and the gap to the playoff's widened, reaching them would be a massive bonus after the start we had. I do think we have the squad to cope and yes it could be better , but most teams will be saying that , throughout all the leagues.
     
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  7. Captain Grumpy

    Captain Grumpy Impact Sub
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    Vernam played well yesterday, as for left back I’m sure we wouldn’t have got rid of Longridge if we didn’t think Matt Foulds could play there. Sikora is also a very decent young player who wouldn’t let us down in the back four. All I’m saying is I think we can cope with injuries better than most.
     
  8. TallinnBantam

    TallinnBantam Regular Starter
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    Yep I get you. But also think about how much Cooke getting injured, totally derailed our winning streak. I'm not sure I'm so confident about the 8 match unbeaten run happening, with Foulds and Sikora playing in the starting 11.
     
  9. borderlescott

    borderlescott Squad Player

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    I felt that way before FGR but we bossed them and, after a dire 30 mins, did well enough at Stevenage. Both of those were tricky games but we’ve the likes of Harrogate and Grimsby - both in dire form - coming up now and we have to be looking to kick on.

    Moving AOC back to RB and Sutton back into mid revitalises us. When Cooke returns, even more so.

    We’ve long thought it was four or five teams trying to get Newport.......but look at FGR now!

    Come on boys.......
     
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  10. borderlescott

    borderlescott Squad Player

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    Will take a fair few injuries for that to happen as AOC and Staunton would come into the defence before either of those.
     
  11. vin weasel

    vin weasel Squad Player
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    It was very frustrating watching this game yesterday.
    I understand the need for continuity after a good win on Friday but the way we started was pathetic and left us playing catch up against a team that doesn't concede much at all.
    The only way we were going to win yesterday was to keep them to nil and it was proven.
    Second half after the change in personnel up front we took control of the game and were getting on top without creating many clear cut chances.
    The few times we did look like breaching the tight back line we lacked composure and having those with quality out of the picture miles from the goal.
    IMO Donaldson, FCD, AOC and Canavan came out of the game with any credit.
    Wood, even though he set up the goal for me was poor, Watt early doors was all over the place conceding free kicks and putting us in trouble, and ROD oh my god don't get me started. Control your area please!! We played 10 yards further back with him in goal during the first half.
    2 home fixtures against teams we would be looking to beat and well so some pressure on the team.
    Lets see how they perform.
     
  12. Petrov

    Petrov Squad Player

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    The back four definitely seem less confident and assured with ROD in goal, and if so many of us can see it, I would hope T&S see it too. How they address that is up to them but address it they must, either by dropping him (unlikely) or having a thrash it out meeting with him and the back 4 and training sessions focused on communication and commanding his box. Some will probably argue that things are fine as they are, we have after all picked up 7 points from the last 9 which is a decent return. But it is fine margins at this stage of the season, and a confident defence can be the difference between 3 points gained and 2 points dropped.
     
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  13. Petrov

    Petrov Squad Player

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    Staunton isn't fit yet. Hence why he wasn't on the bench yesterday and Sikora was.
     
  14. borderlescott

    borderlescott Squad Player

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    AOC comes into defence now if we pick up an injury and Sikora or Foulds will remain on the bench.

    when Staunton is back (and wasn’t far off last time we heard) he’ll be next in line.
     
  15. Petrov

    Petrov Squad Player

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    I'm not disputing that Staunton will be ahead of Sikora when fit, fact is though he isn't, so if Sutton is still out and one of Paudie or Canavan get injured, Sikora would be in as Foulds is also currently injured.
     
  16. TallinnBantam

    TallinnBantam Regular Starter
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    I agree! However, look at the form of those who are also challenging. Salford I’m not so sure we can beat. Take Bolton as an example (correctly predicted by @Fordy117@Fordy117 ) of how a good run can propel those up the league. Sadly, I just think we’re two or three wins away from gaining a playoff spot. You’ve highlighted the FGR result, but what about the one against Scunthorpe, who hadn’t won for 5 games before beating us. Carlisle and Newport we also failed to beat - potential 6 pointers which moved them both into a more favourable position than us.

    Let’s hope we can galvanise and turn draws like yesterday into wins. To do that, I think we need to have a settled formation, and for that to happen, we have to hope we have only players coming back from injury, not added to the list. We also need to get rid of the needless yellow cards, because the last thing we need are self enforced suspensions.
     
    Fordy117 likes this.
  17. Captain Grumpy

    Captain Grumpy Impact Sub
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    Not likely to happen though is it, pretty much a worst case scenario that Paudie ,Wood and Canavan get injured. A massive injury crisis can derail any club but having suffered more than most this season I’m sure we can cope better than our rivals. We had the salary cap to contend with in January, since disbanded, and I think we’ve covered most bases except for extremities.
     
  18. Petrov

    Petrov Squad Player

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    Don't forget that Salford are managed by Bowyer now. That gives us half a chance at least.
     
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  19. TallinnBantam

    TallinnBantam Regular Starter
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    How long have you been following City?! If we played against Port Vale next week, Guthrie would bag a hat trick! :)
     
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  20. Pomfretbantam

    Pomfretbantam Fringe Player
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    For me there is still 3 places up for grabs in the play offs, Newport on a sticky patch, Morecambe on a sticky patch (iwho we still have to play and will have a game in hand on after today) and FGR on a worse run of all (who we have just beaten).
    It won't be easy and there are other teams in the chase, but we are not going for 1 spot here we are fighting for 1 of 3.
     

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