Sads, odoffin, T (bola) , barlasar , griggs, mattock , all played extremely well Vs donny on Tuesday last. Added to this the returning ferguson , JJ...and one can appreciate we are looking like a team with depth and challenges for a starting berth all over the park.
Freddie did himself proud alongside grigg , both producing very good centre forward displays. They ran, tackled, headed and got themselves in great positions several times. They were that good and ably backed up by the largely superb midfield that I found myself entertaining a guilty thought...could smudge find himself under pressure before too long...hmmm.
Despite the good performance, I expect a similar 11 to start the Fleetwood game as started the campaign. The one change that must be exercising PW and staff must be the start of Barlasar. He was both mercurial and hard working the other night and that must have impressed .
Fleetwood haven't started too well points wise , but they look like a strong team in terms of the opposition. They were beaten 1 nil by both Portsmouth and the massive but scored 3 and 2 respectively when faced with perhaps weaker teams. On the evidence thus far scoring first may well determine whether we see a tight game with few goals or a bit if a goal fest if Fleetwood score early enough. Pure speculation based on a few attempts at understanding the growing popularity of football stats.
NB. Predicted team...its tricky finding a place for barlasar . Its going to take a little courage and different instructions up front to start him. No news on ogbene, so I've not factored him in.
I didn't think Ladapo was great against Donny. He made a hash of some good opportunities and got a bit lucky with his goal. For me it was the same Ladapo - too many unnecessary touches and lot of frustration but he got himself a goal. Typical. I wouldnt risk Ogbene as a starter just yet. I thought Barlaser looked back to his best and an on form Barlaser brongs something to the team that none of the others can. It's a tough call but I would leave one of Wiles or Lindsay out to accommodate him. There are some difficult choices to make across the side, which is a great situation to be in. I would go with: Viktor: Harding, Wood, Ihiekwe: Sadlier, Rathbone, Barlaser, Lindsay (or Wiles - no real preference), Ferguson: Smith, Griggs. All of a sudden whoever we pick, we have about the same quality ready to come off the bench.
It looks like the only players not available for selection are Miller with his suspension and Angus, about whom there is still no word (no doubt for good reason). A fit squad, a bit of depth, lots of good young players, newbies settling in and looking promising, Sadlier starting to fire, hanging on to Smith and others, a new star striker through the door. It's too good to be true. I'm going for a scrappy 2-0 Fleetwood win!
We have some great problems to consider with regards to team selection. The only thing I'm certain about is that Freddie should not start. I'm sorry Ian but I thought he was pitiful against Donny displaying all those idiosyncrasies which drive me crazy - a shoddy lack of close control and an inability to make the most of good chances - he could have had 5 on Tuesday.
I think we have to start with Smudge and Grigg up front. It may take them some time to blend but it is hopefully going to be our 'go to' attacking combination for the rest of the season and we need to get them some game time together as early as possible.
Barlaser is a difficult one. He would be at his best if Ogbene was on the field and he could use his excellent passing to get the ball over the defence to Chieo's feet. However, even if Ogbene doesn't start, I would go with Dan in midfield and leave Wiles on the bench for a change.
I can't remember a time when we had such relative strength in depth and so many exciting prospects.
Fleetwood are unbeaten in their last three games. Beat a Leicester u 21 team in a cup match and before that drew away to Plymouth and beat Cheltenham at home. Played five in the league with a record of won one, drawn one and lost three. Five goals scored and seven let in. I think Simon Grayson is a good manager and tomorrow will not be easy.
With a nearly full squad Warne has a difficult job in selecting the best eleven imo. I am sure he will play 3:5:2 formation. Fleetwood seem to change their formation from game to game. I agree with Glenn about ladapo and if Grigg is up to speed would go with him and smith as the two up front. I think the GK and back three pick themselves. It is the five across the middle that is the difficult job. I personally would go with Ogbene ( best attacking option), Lindsay, Rathbone, Sadlier and ferguson. That would mean leaving wiles and Barlaser out which will not happen. He could go Wiles on the right and Barlaser instead of sadlier. I think that is a bit safe. I would push sadlier ahead of Lindsay and Rathbone. The problem with my team selection is it is very attack minded and people like Rathbone, Sadlier, Ogbene, Ferguson and Lindsay to a lesser extent like to get forward more than they like defending. Fleetwood like to pass the ball apparently and get Camps (you know i like him) in an advanced midfield position. If we pick barlaser, people like Camps would give him little time on the ball. We need to press high and get the ball played through midfield to the strikers. Receive the ball from the goalkeeper and play it out. No need to play hoof ball with the quality available in midfield.
Camps, had a shoulder injury which needed an operation in May. He also had a bad bout of covid. He missed an early season game and has come off in most games with fifteen minutes to go. Imo he is one of the best attacking midfield players in the league. If he has a stinker you can all tell me i know nothing. I will go 2-1 The Millers.
And they have some very useful players throughout the team. They have highly rated defenders too alongside the midfield. And of course they have signed joe garner and listening to Greyson I'd expect him to get some game time tomorrow.
They really should have buried Portsmouth reading all the reports . You can see they possess some very good footballers.
I think we start as favourites to win. If I had to make a prediction it would be a narrow win for us. But Fleetwood do have some good players and wont be a pushover. A draw or Fleetwood win are definitely outcomes that are possible. I was simply commenting that football has a knack of knocking you back just when you think you are getting somewhere. My 0-2 'prediction' was made in that context. It wasnt intended to be taken literally. Apologies for any confusion caused.
Viktor: Ihiekwe, Wood, Harding: Ogbene, Wiles, Lindsay, Rathbone, Sadlier: Smith, Ladapo. Fair enough. Strong bench with the likes of Edmonds-Green, Mattock, Barlaser and Grigg. No Ferguson for some reason.
2 of their goals looked comfortably offside , but we deserved nothing.
The 3-5-2 was exploited. Neither sads or ogbene were up to it today. However that can't cover up a team that just didn't seem to think they had to put any effort or urgency in. And when that's missing we have nothing else .
Bad day. Terrible from both the players and management
Not good at all. Fleetwood had a game plan to spoil and break on us and it worked. The lad Morton was outstanding for them. Disappointing and frustrating. There are a couple of players who stayed on for ninety minutes who shouldn't have and who will be lucky to start at Lincoln. I'm not going to jump on the inevitable sack the manager bandwagon, but I do think they need to have a think about how we play at home. Its crying out for Barlaser in my opinion. Get it wide and get a cross in is a bit too predictable. We have got better players than that.
Bad day at the office all round today. I was disappointed that we didn't start with Smudge and Grigg up front and with Barlaser in midfield. Fleetwood's front two were excellent as was their central defender (No.13). I agree with Brad and I'm afraid Wes Harding was at fault for 3 of their goals. All of a sudden he's become easy to knock off the ball - the same happened against Wednesday. It may be that his balance is not correct playing on the left as a right footer, and, when Bola is fit, I would like to see him either at left back or on the left side of a back three.
I was disappointed that Warney didn't counter their two front men by going to a back four and I can't believe he took Rathbone off instead of Wiles. We have the quality in midfield to keep the ball on the floor and create opportunities from creative play. Resorting to the long hoof ball should be used sparingly.
We've got a good squad but we need to start playing them right if we're going to make an impression on this league.
Well I will make smilers day by agreeing with him, also I think their No9 was the best CF we have seen at the NY for a long time.
1. One dimensional - long ball or wide to ogbene who cannot cross his chest.
2. Players out of position - two right footed players on the left we got caught out down there for 3 goals that is 4 at home now if you include the Wednesday goal. Harding and Sadlier are decent players being played out of position
3. We are massively short in CB - i know smiler things anyone and their grandmother can play CB, well he is wrong and so is warne it is a very specialist position. We have one experienced cb that can play there week in and week out, Wood (wonderful player for the club) cannot cut it now at his age week in week out. The Tilt situation should have been managed properly by the bloke who has that job title, either that or we should have brought cover in and not just a lad from Hudderfield. To make it worse we play a formation that needs 3 CB's, you couldn't make this sh*t up
4. Subs - arrghhhh I am sure Warne things what is the worst decision i can make and then finds one even worse. Time and time and time again he gets his subs wrong, great to hear the crowd inform him of that today. How Freddie was still on that pitch is beyond me
5. Look at the footballers we have at the club, all capable of playing it on the ground a passing and pressing game our manager recruits them then doesnt let them play
I have other points but being it is the same old same old points and we have a management team that do not learn from the same mistakes, if plan A works great if it isn't working then our answer is more Plan A with a few new players, they must have don't their coaching badges at Clifton Park rather that St georges park.
2 difficult away matches against good sides, we need to go to 4-5-1 formation with either Grigg or Sadlier behind Smith and a defensive midfieler, playing natural full backs at full back on the correct side.
