Zero shots on target .....

[champs95]

...yesterday. SG can't just carry all of that burden. What service is he getting. From that midfeild I'll guessing none.
Armstrong willve done nothing again. I didn't even need to bother checking to find that out. Rothwell is average at best. And will never really do anything of note for us. I'd play Buckley, he's the future. I hear we brought DG on again yesterday. And we then immediately started hitting long high aimless balls up near him. Which he can't do anything with. But you just know TM will (has already) run out of ideads. So DG will be back in the side in the next game. He won't have or keep any faith in SG. That we simply have to percievere with. He will put DG back in. And ask his defenders to hit 40 yard hopeful balls to.
Our defence has problems. But I do think that could be addressed. The midfield isn't good enough. Johnson will not be the answer. I saw enough last week to see that. Downing will just pass sideways and create nothing. Evans can do what Johnson does just as well. We desperately need creativity but have nobody. Buckley is fine, but he wouldn't have the nous, guts or for sight to play him.
Where is Chapsman? Dead? Hiding? Not bothering anymore?
Get Armstrong out of this side. He's poor. At least try Brereton. Give him some confidence.
I'd play a strong side vrs Oldham and get us scoring. Or managing one shot in 90 mins.
And don't regress and go back to DG. As he isn't the answer.

[robinrover]

Against Oldham we must treat the game seriously.
Ok they might be 2 leagues below but this is a ideal springboard for a confidence boost,play a strong team with one or 2 youngsters.
A win wont solve the problems but a loss will certainly heap more pressure on the team and Tony mowbray,which let's be honest at this early point of the season isn't going to help.

[robinrover]

Goalkeeper:leutwiller
Right back:Bennett(last chance saloon)
Centre backlatt
Centre back:grayson
Left back:Cunningham
Right midfield:Rankin Costello
Centre mid:Evans
Centre mid:Buckley
Left midfield:downing
Attacking mid:dack
Forward:brereton

Subs:Fisher
Nyambe
Lenihan/Williams
Armstrong
Smallwood
Samuel/Gallagher
Butterworth

[seventwo]

We attacked really well on the break yesterday, great football, I lost count if all the crosses but nobody dominating the box. I wonder how DG would gave been if he had started

[AucklandRover]

We attacked really well on the break yesterday, great football, I lost count if all the crosses but nobody dominating the box. I wonder how DG would gave been if he had started

It is a good question. Gallagher played OK, but it's a big call, in my mind, to start without DG. He's got that extra nous when it comes to pulling defenders about.
It was everything except an end-product in that first half-hour, and even after that, we played some good stuff.
I actually feel quite confident that we will be mid-table again. Higher than that? Difficult to say, because there are a lot of new combinations to piece together - not to mention when and where to fit in the youngsters.
I'd like to see a fairly strong team against Oldham, but all of the new defenders ought to be included, simply on the grounds of familiarisation.
For me
Walton
Nyambe Tosin Williams Cunningham
Rankin-Costello Johnson Buckley
Brereton Rothwell
Graham.

I'd also like to see Chapman get some game-time.

[champs95]

It's in our interests to get SG off the mark. DG as much as I like him, isn't the answer any more. While it could mean more poor results, you have to stick with SG. If TM starts taking him in & out of the side it will only take longer.
I'd take Johnson, Armstrong, Bennett out. I heard Benno had a better game Sat. While I do think he needs taking out of RB. I'd consider playing him in front of Nyambe. He offers more cover. And being fair that's the position where he performs best and is his actual position. One of Travis or Johnson needs to make way. Neither offer much and are the same player. No point having them both start. Once he gets the midfield right, it will start to click. Personally I think Evans should be around that. Not sure what he's done to not be playing. Equally unsure what Johnson has done to walk in our side. He hasn't added anything I can see.

We all want Chapman to be playing Aucks. Whether it's as an impact player. Or starting vrs Oldham. I'm unsure why? Be it he is injury prone. Or TM doesn't think he is worth it anymore? Or he's simply lost his edge & pass. But we likely won't be seeing much of him. Not sure at all what TM bought him for last Jan? I wish he had a hobby collecting decent defenders instead of attacking players he won't play.

I'd also be making sure Buckley started vrs Oldham aswell.

[AucklandRover]

A big call to drop Johnson, Champs. I like his aggression, and he does do simple things well.
I think we will be seeing Buckley and Rankin-Costello as regulars by the end of the season, but it's still a question of gradual introduction.
As for Evans, which one? The one who can look anonymous three or four weeks in a row, or the one who can have a couple of games where he looks dynamic and even produces some extra forward momentum?
So far, Johnson has been more consistent, but I have no problem with Evans replacing him after an hour.
Yes, Travis and Johnson are quite similar but TM likes to play four attacking players, so he is still going for the option of being more defensively-minded in central midfield.
I think having, say, Gallagher, Dack, Armstrong, Rothwell and Buckley (or R-C) on the field at the same time does run the risk of our being over-exposed to quick counter-attacks.

[champs95]

A big call to drop Johnson, Champs. I like his aggression, and he does do simple things well.
I think we will be seeing Buckley and Rankin-Costello as regulars by the end of the season, but it's still a question of gradual introduction.
As for Evans, which one? The one who can look anonymous three or four weeks in a row, or the one who can have a couple of games where he looks dynamic and even produces some extra forward momentum?
So far, Johnson has been more consistent, but I have no problem with Evans replacing him after an hour.
Yes, Travis and Johnson are quite similar but TM likes to play four attacking players, so he is still going for the option of being more defensively-minded in central midfield.
I think having, say, Gallagher, Dack, Armstrong, Rothwell and Buckley (or R-C) on the field at the same time does run the risk of our being over-exposed to quick counter-attacks.

I have nothing really against Johnson. I just feel he is way too similar to what we have. What is he bringing that Evans couldnt do?
I was expecting a different type of player.
I'm not saying we just drop him, or blame him. Take your pick, him of Travis. Both are stood in the same place, doing the same thing. Crucially, none of which is impacting the game. Which one of them left Cairney to have a free shot 20 yards out on Sat? While Cairney is a decent player, he is even better when you don't bother marking him. Do you ever see Dack with so much time 20 yards from goal, with a free shot?? Charlton managed to man mark him out of the game vrs Charlton with Darren Pratley!!!!
Of the two, as Travis is ours, has to get better, I'd stick to playing him. Even though I have my doubts about him. I fear he could do what Lenihan and Raya have done. Get in the first team, then gradually start heading backwards. he is another that needs to improve, but is showing no signs whatsoever. I am wondering what, if any, coaching is going on? But if I had to choose between him or Johnson, who both do the same thing, and neither can create anything, I would play Travis. And try find a creative player to play
Fitness seems an issue too?
That's 2 weeks in a row that Johnson has faded in the last 20 mins. That's a concern. With issues all over the pitch, I do wonder why we went for this player. With so many other players able to do the same thing. And so many other area's we are weak.
And of course the system, which is wrong for the current players we have.

i'm not saying much would change with Evans, just pointing out he could easily do what we brought Jonson in to do.

[champs95]

It is a good question. Gallagher played OK, but it's a big call, in my mind, to start without DG. He's got that extra nous when it comes to pulling defenders about.
It was everything except an end-product in that first half-hour, and even after that, we played some good stuff.
I actually feel quite confident that we will be mid-table again. Higher than that? Difficult to say, because there are a lot of new combinations to piece together - not to mention when and where to fit in the youngsters.
I'd like to see a fairly strong team against Oldham, but all of the new defenders ought to be included, simply on the grounds of familiarisation.
For me
Walton
Nyambe Tosin Williams Cunningham
Rankin-Costello Johnson Buckley
Brereton Rothwell
Graham.

I'd also like to see Chapman get some game-time.

I fear that he will now face some very big calls now. Because of the numerous glaring issues that had not been addressed over summer. How we have set up, the form we are in, and the balance in the side just isn't right at all. I do feel quite alot of that pressure has been brought on himself. And some big decisions will need to be made.
Having always been a big fan of DG, up to last season (where I felt he finally ran out of steam) I pray we don't just lie down and accept defeat after 2 games, and revert back to him.
Because mainly, its counter-productive. The team then start banging 40 yard balls and our whole play suffers, as its perceived we can just lump long high balls up to him, marked by 2/3 men, and its perceived he can lay the ball off to Dack, who is usually stood nowhere near him. And DG can no longer do that role well. Plus he is simply not the future. Try Armstrong if SG must be taken out. Or Samuel. Or Brereton. Please don't regress back to DG. It's too easy, too obvious. And surley with stick with the lad we spent £5m on? Who has played 2 games and had no real service as yet.
Or Brereton, who we spent money on last summer?
If only we had got in a creative midfielder. And a commanding centre half. All if's and but's. We have to find a way with what we are stuck with now.

[AucklandRover]

Well, actually, Tosin did look like a "commanding centre half".
I'm a bit puzzled that you say DG shouldn't be played. Surely if he is the the one who still does the job best, for the moment, he should be in the team. If Gallagher has looked better in training, fair enough, but I don't see how age comes into it.
Brereton, Gallagher, Armstrong and Butterworth are all in contention for the No.9 position, but that doesn't mean Graham should be discounted.