Match Thread Away V Barrow Sat-1st Jan @ 3.00 pm (MEH fixture??)

An interesting by product of having a period of no games over a number of weeks, is the impact of individual and team performance highlighted by I believe Lee Hendrie and Don Good man in the QPR V BOURNEMOUTH and NEWCASTLE V MANCHESTER UNITED games, in which several times, the lack of sharpness, awareness and basic errors were highlighted for QPR and MANCHESTER UNITED. Think it was Don Good man whom said United were playing in a "pre season mode".

Flip side, recall Spurs playing excellent against Liverpool..

But it does beg a question (I think)... Does time off against playing time actually equate as an advantage, neutrality or potentially a disadvantage?

 

I’m sure there are statistics on these particular situations but managers are very opportunistic and will use the circumstances to their own advantage.
The winning manager will cite the rest that his players have had as a massive help while the losing manager will use that exact same amount of time not playing as an excuse that his players lacked “match sharpness”
Most of them are as fickle as us and will adapt their excuses to suit the unique situation.

 

Love to see said stats, associated with time off. There again, so many variables, would they be of true use?
Fickle, yeah I can buy in there....

 

I’m actually looking forward to this. Three weeks off…..absence makes the heart grow fonder etc.

If we draw the apathy will no doubt return but let’s see what happens.

Is Cook fit again?

 

Shite or bust this game. Lose and we might as well give up.

 

Funny, I was talking about this with my lad yesterday. Probably a mixture of current form, shite football and no games through Christmas, but honestly can't be arsed with it. As my lad said, the fun has gone out of it. Would have been nice to get through to the 3rd round of the cup or even see a game or two that whets the appetite but no there's nothing. Just going through the motions. I'll watch the game on hooky TV unless I find something better to do in the mean time.

 

I'll watch Gillette soccer special hoping for a win, expecting a draw.

 

What you looking forward too? We are 16 and shite!

 

Hopefully Cook will be fit by now for this one and give us some firepower up front,

 

According the local rag we're struggling to out a team out.

So the excuses are there for all to see.
Struggling to get a team together, fitness an issue because of the 3 week break.

Bingo.

Nothing but a win will do. Embarrassing if we don't.

 

What really worries me is that we have had 3 whole weeks to work out a plan!

 

Correction...
3 whole weeks to work out an excuse.

 

The only plan they'll have is M62(W), M61(N) M6(N) follow signs to Barrow..

 

They make leave it until the last minute then decide to go via Skipton and Kirkby Lonsdale.

 

Now you've done it, we'll be lucky if they get there at all now, what could go wrong..?

 

A650, A65, M6 then A590 is about 30 miles less. Then again we always do things the hard way so expect we go the longest route, arrive late and with half the squad re-infected

 

1thing you are forgetting is the bends on that route might make some of the players travel sick you know how delicate they are .

 

Can you work a plan out when you don't know which players will be avaliable.

 

Happy new year Dave..I dont think who is availble ever makes much difference looking at recent resuts.What i am hoping for is 3 points with the plan to engineer them.