GrahamC

Not sure what message it would send to Wells & Cornick but personally I’d much rather he did so than Bell, who simply doesn’t have the physicality to do the job against the type of defenders Cardiff & Huddersfield have.

Up until yesterday he’d been in all bar one of them in the league, he only wasn’t for Birmingham away, but might have been suspended? Whatever, 33/34 isn’t exactly injury prone, especially when based on his first year with us, is it?

Sure is, which is why I was very deliberate in saying Towler would only have been an option had the injuries all occurred in January (they didn’t) & if we had still failed to get someone in. Still it does remind me why I had put one of these posters on ignore..

Think Conway could be back sooner, Pearson said he was back in training last week & was having to manage his desire to play. Also said Naismith “could” be back before the international break, but definitely after it.

Just to start by stating the blindingly obvious, we are very short there at present & I’m assuming that Kalas’ injury could well be one that makes him unavailable for some while. Thought it is worth putting the situation with some of the possible options we had up until now in context though. Firstly Joe Low (no, he can’t be recalled) but he also isn’t starting in L2 for Walsall, losing his place a couple of games ago & been on the bench of late. Secondly Ryley Towler, I must admit I was surprised that we sold him & he has clearly started well at Pompey. I also think if the Naismith & Kalas injuries had been in January & we hadn’t got someone in we would have recalled him but it didn’t happen like that & he’s gone for good so we have to move on. Duncan Idehen had a terrible loan at Carlisle where he struggled to even make the bench at times, the fact he couldn’t make a 9 man subs bench v Man City suggests he is completely out of favour & if he doesn’t do so this week with so many defenders currently out, I can’t see a way back for him here. Finally the Palace lad O’Brien, currently playing in the Belgian Second division (!) & whose only other first team experience was in L2, if we’d signed him he would obviously be involved at present but that would have been some step up in standard. Pearson said last week that Naismith “could” be back before the international break which suggests Swansea is possible, for me Pring has to do a job there for the next few (Dasilva is also by a mile the best option to come in of those not currently in the side) & we have to try & eke out a few results in the meantime. Won’t happen but worth bearing this in mind when judging those performances.

Yep.

Williams is under contract for next season so we won’t be “getting rid”. Incidentally he’s also featured in 30 of our 34 league games this season, that’s hardly poor. Rennie has incrementally increased his availability in both seasons since joining. Think Kalas is highly unlikely to get another offer after today.

You’re spot on. Williams’ record in terms of league games in the 3 seasons prior to joining us was; 17/18 Barnsley, 34 games (he was booked 10 times, sent off once that season, so obviously why he missed the others). 18/19 Bolton, 30 games (7 bookings, so another suspension). 19/20 Wigan 38 games (14 yellows, 1 red!) Ralls was responsible for his injuries, he was pretty much always available when he was not suspended before this.

Actually the best part of today was none of the bottom three won, QPR look in free fall & Reading’s goal difference took a battering ahead of their expected points deduction. The team selection is all about opinions & I certainly respect yours, personally I’m not sure King can do 90 minutes in centre mid any more but whether he starts or not, he’s clearly going to have a part to play in the next few with so many others unavailable.

You’re right, but prior to Sykes’ little run it was basically Semenyo scoring (& a bit of Rob Atkinson) & we all know what’s happened there. Plus Antoine was pretty much the complete package at Championship level, strong, quick, direct, decent with both feet & unpredictable. That’s why he was starting at The Emirates today..

I’ve been wrong before ? but my hunch is Weimann will start in the most advanced position of the midfield 3 as he did today, with Scott playing deeper. Back four picks itself, just whether Wells & Cornick both come in up front or only one of them. On the basis Kane Wilson was on the bench v Man City I guess he will be at Huddersfield, if Idehen is as out in the cold as I think, then Francois will presumably be the other sub.

Prior to our mini goal drought we were relying heavily on Sykes for goals & the ones he had scored were his first at this level, so that was not sustainable. Wells seems a bit “off” to me, whether he’s not 100% fit I don’t know but not quite there. We are missing Conway & Cornick is still settling in, Scott is carrying a very heavy workload. Don’t think it is going to be pretty but think we need to tough out a few games until the international break & get Naismith, Conway back.

Like when we won at Rotherham, you mean?

Certainly getting a response today, 3-0 down at home, they lost 4-0 last week. Cue the “bet they beat us on Tuesday” posts.. They might well do with all of our injuries, but they are 7 points from safety & rock bottom at present, so even that might not save them.

Tanner Vyner Pring Dasilva.

It was tough before Kalas & Williams got injured. The levels of delusion from those who thought a squad of about 15 were going to go on a run that saw us overtake 7 or 8 sides was off the scale. We are relying on a very small number of players & those of them that are fit are having to play 3 games a week. I know you know this but this thread is evidence of those who obviously do not.

Some absolutely embarrassing nonsense posted in it, no idea why anyone thought it was even a 1% chance.

Yep, Wickham made a back by not jumping & he went over him. Not sure what he’s supposed to do there, fail to challenge? Hope for his sake & ours he’s back soon.

Other than that he’s been ok, but it is funny that he thinks Max is running down the wing. I reckon someone told him he was doing this late in the first half.

Posted this before but it will be 30 years at the end of this season since they were last in the second tier. They have absolutely no idea about anything at Championship level now therefore, the quality of the players, impact of parachute payments & how you build a club to be successful to sustain yourself there. A year after they got relegated we built the Atyeo stand, now by some distance the poorest part of our ground, yet a structure that they can only dream of. As you so rightly point out, we don’t have “daytrippers” we have built a good sized support, largely because in a modern Premier League standard ground, the experience is a good one. Also our fan base is pretty young, getting more diverse by the year & has also managed to incorporate a percentage of fans from the gentrified areas around the ground, though admittedly not in the same numbers as the rugby team has. They’re bitter, small time & an increasing irrelevance, no matter what their friends in the media try to pretend.

Drew 1-1, another decent point.

Out of interest did you want Weimann to start last year? Sykes might well need a rest, he was the only one of the front six to play the full 90 v both Hull & Man City. Expect Cornick to start after being cup tied midweek.

Think his heart is set on a return to France no matter now.

Yes they could & we would get compensation because of his age. I was saying it is not impossible that his impact might see more of a bidding war than previously expected & to secure the deal they could negotiate with us to avoid a tribunal. Unlikely scenario, I admit.

Move has worked out well for him & for us. They have given themselves a fighting chance of avoiding relegation when they looked dead & buried when he arrived. He’s put himself in the shop window for a contract either with Auxerre or another Ligue 1 club & we have guaranteed some compensation when he moves on. Probably too much to hope that someone in France wants him so much that they offer us an upfront fee to secure him but this loan could have gone a lot worse for all parties.