Match Thread Most liked posts in thread: Home v Cheltenham, Tuesday 1st December 7pm kick off.

I heard them say that on the radio but I was never quite sure - which doesn't really mean much given our organisation.

Are we saying that Hosannah actually played on the right of the upfront 3?

 

It must have been whilst you was in hibernation.

 

This is so true Idle, as hard as it is right now the one thing we need to remember is lasts weeks announcement was NOT going to change this. We just have to hope last weeks words about being ready for January (and I mean Jan 1st!) have substance - and for me that means incomings and starting to weed out some of the dross (hate using that phrase about people but applying it purely in a League footballer sense)

 

As tough as it is for us to hear you have got it right in my eyes - he cant publicly write of his current players with 7 more game before the window, we have to get some points from these matches and hopefully a few of them will rise to the challenge. If there are not significant changes in early January then I will be joining the views of Fordy, RC and the rest!!

 

I don't disagree, but these are the players who he stated that he was happy with at the start of the season. Even in last nights interview, it didn't sound as though he was desperate to bring in new players but more get some of the injured bunch back.

I think if everyone is expecting an influx of new personnel just as we enter 2021, then there will be some huge disappointment! That's why we need him gone ASAP.

 

Not sure what youre saying - we have the players and its all down to the manager - but you then say we have a player who is past it and 3 at non league level - so thats over a 3rd of the team last night.
McCall has got a lot wrong this season (and last summer), we cant change that - so we either get rid of him or we have to see what happens in January and the club (in its wisdom ) has gone for the latter

 

I’m wondering about Rupp and what he is thinking. Surely he must be concerned, and yet he keeps on funding City - why? The way forward is very very bleak,

 

I'm not trying to be condescending and apologies if it came across that way but you're marking people on the basis of making assists that they didn't make and criticising a player for not contributing when he actually made one of the very few positive contributions to the first half performance.

Coupled with the 8 and a 7 in a game we could easily have been beaten by more in it just seems an overly generous summary.

 

Fair enough, I revised my mark for Watt based on it being Cooke's assist. I would still like to see more from Cooke overall but he was fine yesterday.
On Donaldson and BRE marks, I think I've explained my reasoning and they both come in for undue stick IMO. It is possible for players to play well individually yet be part of a poor team performance, I tried to recognise that in my marks. I have given out several 4/5s also.

 

I understand that players can receive high marks in a poor team performance but your essentially giving CD an 8 because of a good 45 minute performance. To not take into account the second 45 where he was as poor as the rest is the reason I believe his mark is skewed.

What you've essentially done is decided that two of our usually poorer players put in an improved performance and thrown an extra couple of marks on both just because they've been rightly criticised in the past.

 

Think we're splitting hairs here tbh so I'm going to leave it at this:
In my opinion, both Donaldson and BRE have come in for unfair criticism at times this season, that is not to say neither of them have made mistakes and had poor games.
In BREs case I think he has made fewer mistakes than POC and Staunton per minute played so far this season, but is made to look bad by playing him as a ball playing LCB or a makeshift target man. POC and Staunton seem to get a pass because they are young and have potential and for whatever reason people have already decided that they don't rate BRE.
In Donaldsons case, I think he has done a reasonable job over the season of getting us higher up the pitch and winning silly freekicks. He is playing more minutes than someone his age should be. His composure often lets him down and his first touch is hit and miss. He is our joint top scorer. We do however obviously need better and more options asap.

 

Giving Donaldson a high mark for being 36 and staying fit is liking giving Captain Tom a 9 for his epic walk. As Sean Dyche would say "It's his job, by the way". If he isn't fit he doesn't play. Simples. No allowance for age, he draws a wage and is expected to perform with no silly allowance for being 36.

 

Yes but will take a few weeks to get up to our required level of fitness.

 

He could cover more ground with his zimmer than Guthrie has so far this season

 

Who gives a feck about the marks they are given, 3 points is the only thing that REALLY matters.

 

Stevenage winning and Mansfield drawing. Didn’t someone say we won’t go into bottom two tonight as they won’t win? Oh dear