Gills at home to FGR so that'll be an easy 3 points for them. Dons at home to Morecambe, not so easy.
Reply With QuoteAbsolutely key player for us last season. Less influential now but still a big part of the squad and starting - though a bit out of form recently (last scored vs you, and really should have got 2 in that game).Originally Posted by slack_pie
A few didn't rate him to begin with but you could see the class. Very good feet for a bigman, excellent hold up and workrate and a good finisher (as you say). Went on to be our top scorer last season and our automatic promotion push/goals dried up when he got his knee ligament injury in April. Fairly confident we get promoted with him fit.
The issue was we were too reliant on him / getting it wide to wingbacks and crossing (think we had the most in the EFL last season or something crazy) which really showed without him or a back-up. Everyone was crying out for us to bring one in the summer but instead we went a different way, decided we needed a different way of breaking down sides and went with a ball carrier, Barry.
Once we got going, he and Tanto up front terrorised defences. Wootton came back just as Barry went out (which was lucky). He's been good (0.74 G+A/90 in the league) but obviously took a bit of time to get up to speed and isn't our focal point any more. He's struggled for goals recently but then the whole team has with the injury crisis. Before Walsall, we were playing a back 3 with no pace at wingback and only one (Bailey) who could break the lines in midfield. So sides just sat off us, forced us wide and let us play it in front of them or cross into a crowded box. Walsall when we returned to a back 4 and diamond was much better. Hopefully Wootton's goals have an upturn and the return of Southam-Hales and Sarcevic (who basically makes us tick) and he offers a lot more as well.
He'll be here next season regardless of L1/2 and is a key part of the squad giving us an option to go more direct but we've played best with Tanto and Barry. We've brought in Richards (Villa U23s) to try and replace Barry but I don't see him displacing Wootton straight away. Madden is more used off the bench or a little deeper this season.
