GrahamC

There were loads on here saying we should beat Birmingham (1 win in 7, Rooney struggling) it doesn’t work like that. This is our 4th game in 8 days with basically the same 14 or 15 players, so simplistic stuff like “let’s get into them” is pointless. I expect a real slog today & if we win it will be a tight one. After today we don’t play a league game for 12 days so assuming no replay v West Ham, can hopefully use the time to get at least one in & give a few a bit of recuperation.

Fair enough, wasn’t aware of the capacity restriction. Is that a long term thing? Wikipedia says it can hold around 18100 in total as a result of this.

Huge opportunity for the club where “something special” is happening.. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-67833411

It wasn’t theirs then though. Didn’t steal it until much later.

Really small club at our level, in the bottom five for home attendances & one of those (Argyle) are only below them because their ground is smaller, every game at Home Park has sold out. When you consider the number of away fans for London games it shows how tiny they are.

Thought Manning’s response last week to the question as to whether we would make it permanent next month was remarkably non committal, even by his standards. Worth pointing out though that those saying another club could come in for him in January are definitely barking up the wrong tree, as having already featured for West Brom he can’t play for anyone else this season. Not ITK but have a hunch we’ll wait until the summer to decide.

Rotherham haven’t had enough players to name a full subs bench in any game since Leam Richardson took over. In the last 3 they have named 6 subs twice & 7 once, so have been a minimum of 2 short. Pretty obvious why he’s been recalled in those circumstances, unless you’re a sag, of course.

I reckon he might even be our top earner. James will be top few too, very much Pearson’s statement signing when he took over, & bound to have been in demand. Like you I’d keep one of these two & let King move on as well.

Think he won them a penalty that Akinfenwa scored from a Bakinson handball.

Certainly presenting us with a dilemma. Expect as he’s the only player left not to leave or renew his contract since prior to the pandemic he’s at the very top of our remaining earners now. After a horrendous first season & not great second one in terms of his availability he managed 33/46 games last season & has done 20/25 this. His recent form has been excellent & earlier in the season (outstanding at Swansea) he’s played very well too. Not a clear cut decision either way, at 27 he’s at his peak but I doubt we are interested in offering him even his current wages & that is if we decide to offer anything at all. Certainly expect either him or James to depart next summer, alongside King, but it could conceivably be all 3.

Didn’t happen. No Wycombe goalie has scored against us.

He’s actually both.

He seemed to think West Ham wasn’t beyond the bounds of possibility when asked on Robins TV, so think he’ll definitely make the squad for Preston. James for Williams & Conway for Wells seem the likely changes on New Year’s Day.

There was another one on Gaschat suggesting the replacement stand for the North Stand should cost £10m. Where the **** do they think they are getting that? The one they started without planning permission is basically Meccano & was probably less than a tenth of that.

Raith are top, Arbroath just one from the bottom. Arbroath only named 4 subs, one of whom Ali Adams is their sub goalie. After an early injury meant they had made one sub, they then made a double sub at HT. On 58 minutes with Arbroath 1-0 down they lost another player to injury so the sub keeper Adams has had to come on, they stuck him up front & within 3 minutes were 2-0 down. He then proceeded to score from 30 yards & 5 minutes later Arbroath converted a penalty to make it 2-2, which is how it has just finished.

Just come on as a sub for his debut at Barnet.

I assume you mean Emerald as opposed to Channel?

Why the **** would we loan out Bell? He’s featured in every single game so far. Manning made it very clear this week another goalkeeper is not a priority for him so Bajic has to stay as our second choice. Roberts certainly won’t leave on loan & as he’s currently injured I doubt he’ll leave at all. Pring has a very heavy workload so if he can get fit then he’s his cover. There is no incentive for King to accept less than the rest of his contract unless he has something lined up elsewhere so that’s simply wishful thinking. Cornick too, there has to be a buyer & he has to be prepared to go. I do think Manning is looking to ease him out but it isn’t that simple. We won’t be adding either a goalkeeper or a striker this month, probably a 10, possibly a midfielder, especially if the Conor Coventry rumour has legs.

Certainly agree with Robertson, seen nothing from him so far. Might as well not exist. Some of the other stuff is insane (Vyner replacement, who? Van Dijk?). Bajic has been our back up goalkeeper for the last 23 games, strange definition of pointless, shouldn’t we have one?

The logic of this appears to be we’ve beaten the best sides in League One recently, when did you last beat the best sides in the Championship? You don’t have to be a genius to see the flaw do you, ask Sheffield Wednesday 96 points in that league or Plymouth (101) about the step up, it’s effing brutal. I do know about Ipswich but they are a massive outlier, most seasons 2 go back down to League One or are in real danger of doing so. It would be like us comparing ourselves to Crystal Palace, deluded.

Only big win was very very early under Pearson in the pandemic era, 3-0 & Semenyo scored by charging down the keeper. No one was actually there to see it, sadly. People go on about Preston but Birmingham are our real bogey team, won at AG loads & we don’t win up there much either. On Robins TV they said we have won 4 of our last 25 against them.

Agree. Problem is the 4 replacements to get us up are Ramsdale, Trippier, McGinn & Heung-Min Son.

One of the poorer sides we have faced. Terrible pitch & awful home support, shame it was the third game in a short spell I’d have fancied our chances in a regular Tuesday, Saturday run. On that evidence their season is going to be all about survival. Where’s Tom Brady now, eh? USA! USA! Rubbish.

McCrorie on Robins TV said he was signed to play as a right back & that’s his best position. Said he “could” play centre back, but clearly sees himself as a defender & predominantly a RB.

Far be it from me to agree with him, but no one wins every week.