Match Day!

[AdiSalisbury]

Scores / predictions? I'm going to be positive and say that today will kick off a period of form, 3-0 to the Rams.

[macstheman]

They'll be too strong (physically) for us, too quick on the break leaving our midfield floundering and, with our makeshift centre back pairing nervous,
they will pump endless balls into the box!!
From what I've seen of them they break from defence to attack mob handed so there will be trouble ahead. (I'm bursting into song now)
2-1 to the mighty rams (well you have to live in hope)!!

[MadAmster]

Not having a great feeling on this one. 0-2 I'm afraid...........

[DCFCArmy]

Cocu is driving us to safety

Not worried about our home form, its that that will end up kick starting our away form eventually anyway

Happy to be mid table and building under the radar, in Cocu we have something good going if he's given time

[MadAmster]

When I saw the lineup I was quite happy. I had suggested Fozzy might start in Clark's place. Then I saw Bennett starting, seeing as PNE were 2nd in the table, he was, to me, brought in for his defensive capabilities.

We had an excellent opening 45 and got the only goal of the game in that half. The 2 negatives were Shinnie's hamstring (looked like that anyway) and whatever it was that Bennett got. The yellow card given to Fisher for the challenge was the right decision. Both negatives were huge, IMO, as both players were having good games. I think the goal was a training ground routine. The previous 2 corners had been taken by Lawro and they were decent ones. Holmes put it in lower and CD got his head to it and it was goalbound hitting Waggy on the way in. Injuries are thinning out the squad.

2nd half PNE got more into it and caused us some trouble but we caused them some true. The 2nd placed side was never going to roll over and die. They didn't. I'm struggling with my MOTM thughts as they all had good games.

Roos - Almost faultless. 3 mad seconds right on HT were the blackspot on his day.
Bogle - Excellent
Davies - Excellent
Forsyth - Excellent
Lowe - Excellent
Bielik - Excellent
Shinnie/Evans - Excellent
Holmes - Excellent
Lawrence - Excellent
Bennett/Waghorn - Excellent
Martin/Wisdom - Excellent

It looks like the club used the international break very well. Then I remember this was a home game. Fulham away next on Tuesday. Play like that again and we are in with a shout....... even if it is an away game.

[mistaram]

When I saw the lineup I was quite happy. I had suggested Fozzy might start in Clark's place. Then I saw Bennett starting, seeing as PNE were 2nd in the table, he was, to me, brought in for his defensive capabilities.

We had an excellent opening 45 and got the only goal of the game in that half. The 2 negatives were Shinnie's hamstring (looked like that anyway) and whatever it was that Bennett got. The yellow card given to Fisher for the challenge was the right decision. Both negatives were huge, IMO, as both players were having good games. I think the goal was a training ground routine. The previous 2 corners had been taken by Lawro and they were decent ones. Holmes put it in lower and CD got his head to it and it was goalbound hitting Waggy on the way in. Injuries are thinning out the squad.

2nd half PNE got more into it and caused us some trouble but we caused them some true. The 2nd placed side was never going to roll over and die. They didn't. I'm struggling with my MOTM thughts as they all had good games.

Roos - Almost faultless. 3 mad seconds right on HT were the blackspot on his day.
Bogle - Excellent
Davies - Excellent
Forsyth - Excellent
Lowe - Excellent
Bielik - Excellent
Shinnie/Evans - Excellent
Holmes - Excellent
Lawrence - Excellent
Bennett/Waghorn - Excellent
Martin/Wisdom - Excellent

It looks like the club used the international break very well. Then I remember this was a home game. Fulham away next on Tuesday. Play like that again and we are in with a shout....... even if it is an away game.

MA agree with most of that I said on here last week we should start Fozzy . Seen his last three U23 games he's looked the really good . Not sure he will start at Fulham it's a quick turnaround for him Mason Bennett I've been his biggest critic but since his problems the lad has change I've watched him three times for the U23 since his problems The first one he got injured ,the next two he's played wide left and been virtually unplayable He never seems to get a proper run without injury ,it's his ankle this time and it was a nasty tackle . Fulham that's a while new ball game I watched them against QPR on Friday they are very good and Mitrovic will be back. Incidentally QPR are a good side play great attacking football as you would expect under Warburton ,think it's the best away performance I've seen this season ,hard game Sat

[ramAnag]

Wow...missed yesterday. On a plane to warmer climes so thanks for the reports. So many ‘excellents’ MA. That has to be a record!

Read John Parkin’s (remember him?) ‘Feed the Beast’ en route. Bit of an eye opener. The things pro footballers get up to. Many mentions of Championship players you’ll recognise. Recommended. Makes our two ‘miscreants’ sound like churchgoers.

[MadAmster]

Wow...missed yesterday. On a plane to warmer climes so thanks for the reports. So many ‘excellents’ MA. That has to be a record!

Read John Parkin’s (remember him?) ‘Feed the Beast’ en route. Bit of an eye opener. The things pro footballers get up to. Many mentions of Championship players you’ll recognise. Recommended. Makes our two ‘miscreants’ sound like churchgoers.

Might have gone a bit far rA but nobody put a bad shift in. Bennett was playing well until he got taken down and out. Looks like a serious ankle injury and, as mista said, he has been looking the bees knees in the 23s and started this one well as well. Shinnie's is hamstring and I expect 6 weeks out for him, possibly longer for Bennett.

As with mista, I was saying Fozzy was the logical replacement for Clarke unless you moved Davies there and played Wisdom as the right hand CD.

Far from the finished article but we outplayed the 2nd team in the League completely in the 1st half and although they edged the 2nd we were at least as dangerous if not more so. Definitely something solid to build on.

We do, of course, have to remember that this was a home game and our away form is poor. We could be excused for thinking we weren't outplayed at the CG and this was a decent improvement on that. Kepp it up and we will go in the right direction.

[mistaram]

MA I've watched that tackle on Bennett by Fisher five times now and it's a red for me ,it's that bad I think Alex Neil knew it was he took him off at half-time We are down to the bare bones now with Shinnie as well

[MadAmster]

MA I've watched that tackle on Bennett by Fisher five times now and it's a red for me ,it's that bad I think Alex Neil knew it was he took him off at half-time We are down to the bare bones now with Shinnie as well

By a margin of maybe 6 inches Fisher wasn't the last defender and that is, IMO, why the ref only gave a yellow.

As for the bare bones comment, spot on. More will become clear in the next day or two when the results of MRI scans are known but, at first sight, I would guess at 6 weeks for Shinnie's hamstring and longer for Bennett's ankle.