GrahamC

Him or Taylor-Clarke if not Araoye. Other option appears naming two keepers on the bench. A total mess & for all my disgust at Lansdown I do think we also need a deeper explanation that “one of those things” or “ just got to deal with it” from Nige or Dave Rennie.

Free buffet.

Just to add the bench appears to be as follows; Bajic, Joseph James, Knight-Lebel, Idehen, Nelson, Yeboah & Mehmeti, that’s only 7- Mehmeti is the only one who has ever started a Championship game, Yeboah has 8 sub appearances, Idehen’s 2 sub appearances two seasons ago & young James’ couple of minutes on Wednesday is the only “experience” the remainder of the outfield players have. Presumably another 2 Academy players will make it up to 9 (I’m pretty certain that I know who one of them is) Araoye who was on the bench earlier in the season is presumably the other? Unless Taylor-Clarke or Francois return from the cold. What an indictment of an owner who won’t spend the Scott money & has lost interest. Great legacy, Steve & Jon.

King definitely is, think @B-Rizzle is probably spot on with his team, Roberts was apparently in the training video so expect him to feature. If not then probably Idehen, with Pring in his natural position.

Possibly, but the injuries have decimated us defensively, only Dickie is a starter there in his natural position & in midfield the absence of both James & Williams is huge, King I accept not so much but he would add vital experience. Today’s bench will be the true reflection, highly likely that 7 or 8 of the 9 won’t ever have started a Championship game, just a ridiculous lack of depth.

Because they call us shitheads, I guess? Oscar Wilde levels of wit in BS7.

He’s certainly not someone who misses many games & is naturally very fit. If he was, our defensive options suddenly look brighter, just need Tanner back then.

Nige said in his press conference that he was hopeful he could be available next weekend, it seems unlikely he’d be involved tomorrow but we are struggling for numbers. Sort who would play if asked. Rob Atkinson is likely to feature for the 21s very soon too, if we can just get through to the next international break picking up some more points then reinforcements are coming.

One actually said Graham Potter, FFS. Why not Klopp?

Respect your view on Conway but if that happens then Bell will start, not Mehmeti.

He’s a Gurt Ted. They are pondlife, plenty are happy to have a jailbird thug as manager & ignore Hunt & Martin’s previous club but not a bloke who won the division they’re in with 99 points, lives here & is out of work. Absolutely don’t deserve him anyway.

Araoye hasn’t made the bench in a while, & has been playing LB for the 21s, no way he starts. We basically have 2 choices; who partners Dickie at CB if Roberts is out & which 2 of Cornick, Bell & Weimann play up top with Conway. I’d pick Idehen & put Bell on the bench. O’Leary Sykes Dickie Idehen Pring TGH James Knight Cornick Conway Weimann

Was told by someone whose view I respect that he consistently did all last season, reckoned for him he was in the top two for their player of the season, but he never got a chance then..

Don’t think it will happen, but agree. We basically have 2 natural senior defenders fit in Pring & Dickie, so Sykes who would give us so much more if played further up the pitch, sadly has to stay at RB. Looking at the other defensive options it is then one from a number of the U21s or shuffling another midfielder (probably TGH) to go back there. Idehen is older at 21 than Knight-Lebel, Araoye or Joseph James & although it is all relative, does have some league experience from his time at Grimsby & his couple of sub appearances for us. He is also both a proper centre back (as opposed to playing someone else out of position) & a physical type. I’d start him tomorrow but I don’t expect Nige will.

Not going to lie, they have surprised me by doing so well. Despite an alleged transfer embargo they have (again) recruited heavily & brought in a couple that the coach clearly knows. Say this about virtually every away game but would take the draw now, absolutely no idea who will partner Dickie at CB.

Not necessarily directly but it isn’t that wise to try & rely on the same 16 to 18 players, is it? We knew before a ball was kicked that Atkinson was out long term & McCrorie would be missing until January at the earliest. Once Kalas moved on we effectively tried to get through the first half of the season with just 3 centre halves & 1 fit right back, presumably largely on the basis of Vyner & Dickie’s historically good availability records. It hasn’t worked.

It was.

Most clubs look for continuity at a time like this, so whilst he’s probably a long way out in the betting, I’d put good money on it being Kenneth Noye, similar sort to Barton.

So replaced a jailbird with someone who was found guilty of betting on matches he played in. Stay classy, few.

What he would have achieved with them compared to the Merseyside crime syndicate narcissist doesn’t bear thinking about.

The overall standard of referees is terrible, this appointment doesn’t change that either way.

Being reported by Talksport that Barton has been sacked.

You see far more of this level than I do & as always, I respect your view. However I think bluntly there are now a significant group in the 21s who aren’t ever going to feature in the first team squad, unless like happened with Idehen this week there simply is no one else. Re Idehen I still believe that he’s got no long term future with us, will only get on the pitch in an absolute emergency & will be let go. My hunch is Leeson, Wood, Francois, Pearson, Kadji, Taylor-Clarke & Backwell also are in this group too now for a variety of different reasons, plus at least one of our U21 goalkeepers.

Spot on. Even with just Tanner (what on earth happened there?) & either Vyner or Naismith available we look a different prospect, with Sykes (who was very good) able to play in his natural position. The sheer number of injuries & not replacing Kalas after he moved on, is killing us.

I think it will become clearer why at season’s end. There are a significant number in the 21s now or on loan elsewhere that aren’t seen as having futures with us. You have named 2 of them here & there are up to half a dozen more.