Good point in the end against a decent side in horrible conditions.

Having Taylor back as an option is a positive. We really need Potter back - I'm afraid Vaulks is no substitute, game though he is. Potter gets us playing a bit because he is composed on the ball and he keeps it simple. Without him we tend to go too long to Moore too often.

I feel a bit for O'Donnell. He hasn't done a lot wrong and I'm not convinced Rodak is better.

The top two have made a bolt for it, but the teams who had games in hand behind us are dropping points so the table still looks healthy for us.

Horrible conditions to play football ball in, but a good point at the end of the day. The back four struggled first half but seemed to get it together as the game went on.
Good displays from Forde and Williams, Taylor's harrying was great to watch when he came on and contributed immensely to our third goal.
Newell, as stated on previous post's, is something else, another superb goal and his ball for the third goal was just class, in my opinion he absolutely ran the first half and should be given a contract extension before he is 'nicked' by another club ASAP.
I know Newell is given stick for not being 'consistent' but, if you beat 3 or 4 players every game and scored volley's from 30 yards each week, you would be at Real Madrid and not Rotherham!

Agreed Ex, at the time I could not see why a penalty was given but, from where we were sat (behind the incident) I thought it must have struck the hand. Now however, having watched it on TV, no way should that have been given and justice was served by it being saved.

The penalty decision just shows how ridiculous the current rules are. My understanding is that it needs to be hand to ball or the hand needs to be in an unnatural position when the ball strikes it. The ref has to adjudicate and the interpretation, judging by the instances where penalties haven't been given, is very wide! The only way to overcome this is to make it a penalty offence if the ball strikes the hand in the penalty area - end of. Rodak's save was excellent - just surprised he didn't punch it!

A penalty is a 70% or 80% prospect of a goal. I don't think they can be given lightly because the consequences of giving a penalty impact a game so heavily. For me, a foul has to be clear and obvious in the area for a penalty to be given, and a handball has to be blatantly deliberate. That might include deliberately spreading your arms out unnaturally for example when blocking a shot ie putting your hand/arm in an unnatural position. I don't think you can have a policy that says that any contact between ball and hand/arm is automatically a penalty, because you would end up with players aiming the ball at opponents to try and win one - a bit like hockey players aiming at feet to win a penalty corner. There would be too many cheap spot kicks and it would become a farce. At the end of the day, I don't think there is a lot wrong with the rule as it is. We just need more consistent officiating, and better decision making. Someone should be sitting down with whoever that ref was yesterday and telling him why he got it wrong, which he plainly did.

On Newell, I think we have to find a place for him. I am increasingly coming round to the idea of him playing centrally. Get him on the ball as much as possible. A midfield with Potter holding and any two of Newell, Towell and Frecklington (on current form probably Towell and Newell) getting forward ahead of him to support Moore looks potent to me. Any two of Taylor, Forde and Williams wide (probably Williams and Taylor). Bingo. I know people think Newell can go missing at times, but I think that his languid style can make that look worse than it is, and in a three he would have enough around him to make that not such an issue. I think you play your best players, and for me Newell is the best we have.

I'm in the Vaulks camp. He'd play everytime for me. We need Potter. January we are going to have to look for cover for him. Those 2 players you know what you are going to get. Newell goes missing. Frecks is at the end of his career. Towell is a safer bet. Left side is our problem. For now Williams there with Taylor on the Right.