Shrewsbury Home 29th January

Let's say you're correct and he had a bad night yesterday - for instance I think he made an error, for the first goal. Fact is, he's saved us in numerous other matches - including some of the ones we ended up winning easily

Who do you think would come to a L1 club, who is infinitely better?

 

Winner

 

Let me just get my a-z of keepers out.

 

And I'd still expect one of us and Plymouth to occupy the final relegation spot, i.e. one of the 'decent size' clubs is likely to go down. I can see AFC Wimbledon Rochdale and Shrewsbury ending below us - it's the final one that we need to wary of. Still think anyone from Fleetwood down, is just a five match winless run from occupying 4th bottom

 

He looked good in spells but that's it, far too inconsistent for me. Needs to start performing for the majority of the game, like Ball, Payne, Caddis, Woods etc.

 

I agree the one thing that footballers need is a good intense pre-season and unfortunately our players didn't get that, so they were all doing catch up once Hopkin took over.
We don't know the reasons why certain players are not getting involved with the first team squad, Hopkin must have seen something in their make up that he was not happy with and by the looks of it said players were not prepared to turn the situation around by digging in and showing Hopkin what they are capable of, but the very poor pre-season has not helped any of our squad.

 

Thanks banbrotam.

I was seriously wavering and wondering if my opinion was wrong but then you posted and completely cured my doubts.

 

Remember, the hassle I used to get on the previous forum for suggesting that good pre-seasons are vital? .( mean I was probably using it as a reason for Matthew Bates's performances, but what the hell )

Fact is, it's the key difference between teams / squads as ability wise, certainly L1, 16-20 clubs have squads of largely the same quality

I remember Garry Thompson been terrible a the start of the glory season - all because he was injured for some of the pre-season. I'd argue he ended up been the sole catalyst for our late season resurgence - he was unplayable in that memorable thrashing of Bristol Rovers and without his great goal in the home play-off leg to Burton, we would have probably gone 3-0 down

It shows just how fitness breeds confidence, which breeds more effective play, which improves fitness, which improves confidence further etc

 

It’s comments like that which I’m on about. It’s on the other end of the spectrum

There first was decent. With one striker on the pitch I blame O Connor for not communicating with NKP. I’d hope NKP would be tighter to Woods. Left a channel and angle. Still a good ball and run though

 

Akinfenwa, the beast, says hi!,
Gonna be tough for our central defenders;
Had Wycombe down as relegation fodder at the beginning of the season but they are coping very well in league one.
Already beaten us at home this season.

 

Lol I did chuckle. Oh discussion boards would be boring if they were vanilla

 

I’m sorry but that is just absolute rubbish. You clearly haven’t been to many games this season then because O’Donnell has saved us many, many times.

He got beaten last night by a Worldy free-kick, whether “on his side” or not. As for the sliced clearance, really? He makes one sliced clearance, the defence crumbles and it’s ALL keeper error.

Think you need to start watching Liverpool. Oh hang on, that Alison geezer also makes mistakes. Maybe football isn’t for you???

 

WINNER

 

Personally I thought Akpan had a good game last night. It takes a while to get your head around the fact that despite being built like a beast, he's a bit of a pansy. But I thought he used the ball well and broke up a few things with his positional sense.

I'm still very much hoping that another CM is on our radar though...

 

Having watched it again, I was a touch harsh. I think a good championship or top L1 keeper might have stopped it. But it's not exactly a gaff letting that one in. A very good strike.

 

We've got a top L1 keeper IMO.

 

Very true mate. Those that are wanting to jettison him, probably made the same call about Vincelot and then realised just how much we could have done with him this season

 

Absolutely word for word in agreement with this. O’Donnell is getting blamed because Akpan was beaten in the air, 35+ yards from our goal and Caddis lazily sticks out a leg and catches the guy in the box.

Unbelievable

 

O’donnel has definitely been one of our better signings however for me if he’s picked his side from the free kick then stay there and don’t try and predict where it might go.

Great strike but would have been straight at him had he stood still and he could turn it over the bar.

 

I think he's a good keeper. I also think there's a slight question mark over the 2nd goal last night. Its on his side and its not RIGHT in the corner. With better footwork he may have saved it. But its not a gaffe, and he's done far more right than wrong. He's the best keeper of our own that we've had for several years.