Spine problems

[maddogslater]

The frailties of the squad that everyone has known about for months were exposed today.

No options up front and no cover at centre half. Tootle not being available obviously didn’t help either, but signing 3 ?midfielders in this window is mental. We haven’t won consecutive games since September and our form since then has been mid table.

If we’re not very careful we’re gonna f00k this season right up.

Agree about the midfield signings, why? if today showed anything its that we need a centre half and a mobile heavy weight centre forward.

[maddogslater]

Nobody likes someone trying to be clever Richard.

is that navy code ? 'Richard' please explain.

[freemuzzy]

I always felt that whoever we got in to replace Yates, it was more important what they did off the ball than on it. Today illustrated that point (magnified with us losing Hewitt from the midfield too).

Sahin and Virtue may well be good players who’ll go onto have successful careers but success this season has been built on the energy and physicality of Hewitt and Yates (backed-up by Milsom who we’re also missing) in midfield allowing us to play with two wingers and two strikers every game but still not be outfought. Very similar to Bishop and Ravenhill in the title-winning season; Johnny Jackson was a far better player but couldn’t get in the side due to the work these two did giving us a platform on which to play.

This isn’t a team built for ‘ball’ players; we need to get Hewitt back in midfield ASAP (which presumably means signing a CB seeing as Brisley went off injured today too) and then get him a partner who’ll run all day, win headers and keep it simple in the middle. Milsom looks the best solution currently but I’m not sure how bad his injury is. Noble always looked a strange signing to me; as good as he is he’s never been suited to a two-man midfield.

[MAD_MAGPIE]

I always felt that whoever we got in to replace Yates, it was more important what they did off the ball than on it. Today illustrated that point (magnified with us losing Hewitt from the midfield too).

Sahin and Virtue may well be good players who’ll go onto have successful careers but success this season has been built on the energy and physicality of Hewitt and Yates (backed-up by Milsom who we’re also missing) in midfield allowing us to play with two wingers and two strikers every game but still not be outfought. Very similar to Bishop and Ravenhill in the title-winning season; Johnny Jackson was a far better player but couldn’t get in the side due to the work these two did giving us a platform on which to play.

This isn’t a team built for ‘ball’ players; we need to get Hewitt back in midfield ASAP (which presumably means signing a CB seeing as Brisley went off injured today too) and then get him a partner who’ll run all day, win headers and keep it simple in the middle. Milsom looks the best solution currently but I’m not sure how bad his injury is. Noble always looked a strange signing to me; as good as he is he’s never been suited to a two-man midfield.

This is spot on for me. In our title winning season Ravenhill and Bishop were the engine, the spoilers that stopped the opposition playing. Then we had Ben Davies and Westcarr on the wings providing the creativity and balls into the box for Hughes and Rodgers to tidy up. At the back we had Kasper, Edwards and Lea. That was the spine.

Yesterday many people before the game were drooling over the fact that the midfield had so much creativity in it, which it did. The only thing that some people failed to overlook is how were we going to win the battle in midfield without any spoilers. Even against Exeter who are a renowned footballing side you still need players to do the unsung hero's work in midfield. The second balls in midfield were where we came up short.

I don't think there is a need for panic or overeaction when you've lost one league game at home in 9 months so some perspective is needed. There are new players that will need time to gel and no doubt will get better. We just need to be mindful that everyone has caught us up now and Exeter and Accrington have a game in hand and we've let Luton pull away. Mansfield in 7th are only 4 points behind us.

We've been in the top three for a few months now, and will need to fight to stay there and getting to 50 points should not be job done.

[LaxtonLad]

I bunged this little gem on another fred before I noticed this one wasn't another moan about the NHS, so here we go again.

Five midfielders who have been training together for only a week is asking a bit much, especially if you're expecting one of them to take a striker's role when the chance comes. That's ok if the other midfielders know what's happening and what's expected of them. When Shola came on it was a different story, Exeter's central defenders had had an easy time till then but they knew what to expect from his appearance and they got it, you might say he's not fully fit, but start with him and by the time he tires we could be a goal or two up - cue Alan Smith!

[countygump]

I bunged this little gem on another fred before I noticed this one wasn't another moan about the NHS, so here we go again.

Five midfielders who have been training together for only a week is asking a bit much, especially if you're expecting one of them to take a striker's role when the chance comes. That's ok if the other midfielders know what's happening and what's expected of them. When Shola came on it was a different story, Exeter's central defenders had had an easy time till then but they knew what to expect from his appearance and they got it, you might say he's not fully fit, but start with him and by the time he tires we could be a goal or two up - cue Alan Smith!

Agreed. Nolo should have started with 4-4-2 and Stead and Shola up top. If the Sho-man tired or wasn't 100% fit, cue Forte. Nolo got his tictacs badly wrong, IMO.

[LaxtonLad]

Given the spine problems just be thankful we haven't signed Cy Attica.

You've got a nerve!

[macstop]

Do you think Cy Attica brother could do a job for us, Arthur Ritis.

[macstop]

Do you think Cy Attica brother could do a job for us, Arthur Ritis.

Also herd Osten Porosis is availalble, plays at the back and is deadly.

[TheBlackHorse]

... mattpie ... "I think we’ve known a cb was a high priority since August lest someone got injured?"
No Matt, the cb has been needed all along to replace the shy e Duffer.