Number Of Games Next Two Months

[TRL]

With our current injury crisis. And the the fact that we will be playing 2 games a week most weeks from now until the end of the season. Are we now hoping opposition teams will also start feeling the pace, and will also start getting injuries?

I've been told I am too negative, so am trying to throw out something positive. Do we have fitter players than our immediate opposition. I am thinking Donny in particular who are playing lots of foreign and ex prem players who do not play this number of games thick and fast. Also pompey who only have 16 players. Is this where our huge squad of crap may come to the fore and scrape us over the line?

[Nogbad the Bad]

Obviously any season ending injuries to the best players of our relegation rivals, and future opponents, would be very handy indeed.

Our 'huge squad of crap' is only a 'medium sized squad of crap' now, at best, what with the departed players, injuries, and loans out.

Players like Nyatanga and Carey are apparently being played when not fully fit - well I hope they're not 100% anyway - so it's plain the likes of Edwards. Ball, Ribiero and Amadi-Holloway are not really thought good enough to even be considered part of 'the crap'.

In fact our 'HSOC' is now so depleted Del was suggesting after yesterday's match he wants a couple of new loans in this week.

As for scraping over the line, our last hope probably went when Albert became our latest injury disaster yesterday. Bar an explosive hat trick from Bolasie on Tuesday or our only likely regular scorer Pitman suddenly finding favour in a newly discovered McIness formation, and netting 10 before the end of the season, I reckon we've had it.

You'll be missing L1 football during your City sabbatical next season.

[Taylor10]

Trouble is TRL, Del has seemed very reluctant to use even the likes of Pitman, and hasn't changed personnel too much unless he has absolutely had too. I agree, it's hard to stay positive at present, but we unfortunately have a very large squad of which most would struggle to get into league one sides.

I cant say I blame Del too much for not wanting to trust certain players but he may not have a choice. Who in your opinion would you like to see given a chance, or even given another chance to perform for us? After all he did say when he arrived that it's a fresh start for everyone.

I would like to think Portsmouth's desperate shortage of players will help us, but the players they do have are still top half championship standard. I still think we are better than Millwall and Donny but I am not sure we are better than any other teams.

It shows how desperate our own situation has become, that we are hoping every week results go our way. For the majority of Del's reign they have gone for us, but it can't stay that way forever. Forest's recent improvement shows that. However we are still in a situation whereby if we manage to look after ourselves then we will be ok. At the present I am finding it hard to see a way out of this mess.

Like I said, I believe we are better than Millwall. better than them both times we played them but then it's all well saying that but they went to Burnley last week and got a massive win. that's something I just can't see us doing at present.

[Nogbad the Bad]

Trouble is TRL, Del has seemed very reluctant to use even the likes of Pitman, and hasn't changed personnel too much unless he has absolutely had too. I agree, it's hard to stay positive at present, but we unfortunately have a very large squad of which most would struggle to get into league one sides.

I cant say I blame Del too much for not wanting to trust certain players but he may not have a choice. Who in your opinion would you like to see given a chance, or even given another chance to perform for us? After all he did say when he arrived that it's a fresh start for everyone.

I would like to think Portsmouth's desperate shortage of players will help us, but the players they do have are still top half championship standard. I still think we are better than Millwall and Donny but I am not sure we are better than any other teams.

It shows how desperate our own situation has become, that we are hoping every week results go our way. For the majority of Del's reign they have gone for us, but it can't stay that way forever. Forest's recent improvement shows that. However we are still in a situation whereby if we manage to look after ourselves then we will be ok. At the present I am finding it hard to see a way out of this mess.

Like I said, I believe we are better than Millwall. better than them both times we played them but then it's all well saying that but they went to Burnley last week and got a massive win. that's something I just can't see us doing at present.

As I said above Del doesn't have that much to pick from. Injuries to Wilson, Skuse, Clarkson, Elliot, McManus and Adomah, plus Stewart and Ribs out on loan.

I make it we could be down to 19 to select from on Tuesday, including Gerken, plus the likes of Taylor, McGivern, JCR and Woolford, who most fans wouldn't include even on the bench.

What we're left with means the squad is small compared with our rivals and doesn't add up either to a strong first 11 or a bench which offers competition or much scope for improvement if we're struggling - just Pitman really.

Millwall, and probably Forest, have more battlers than City when it comes down to it, and will therefore scrap out a few results and both probably finish above us imo.

[Taylor10]

As I said above Del doesn't have that much to pick from. Injuries to Wilson, Skuse, Clarkson, Elliot, McManus and Adomah, plus Stewart and Ribs out on loan.

I make it we could be down to 19 to select from on Tuesday, including Gerken, plus the likes of Taylor, McGivern, JCR and Woolford, who most fans wouldn't include even on the bench.

What we're left with means the squad is small compared with our rivals and doesn't add up either to a strong first 11 or a bench which offers competition or much scope for improvement if we're struggling - just Pitman really.

Millwall, and probably Forest, have more battlers than City when it comes down to it, and will therefore scrap out a few results and both probably finish above us imo.

Yeah agree. Millwall certainly will have the battlers, I personally don't like Jackett but I can't see him letting them get away with some of the slacking our players do!

That's a worry being down to 19. Especially when as you say, the likes of JCR and Woolford are not even good enough to make the bench! I just can't see it all suddenly changing and we all of a sudden go on a mini revival. I hope I am wrong though.

[TRL]

David James Available 2 Jordan Spence

(on loan from WestHam ) Available 3 Jamie McAllister Available 4 Liam Fontaine Available 5 Lewin Nyatanga Available 6 Louis Carey Available 7 Marvin Elliott Injured 8 Neil Kilkenny Available 9 Jon Stead Available 10 Sean Davis Available 11 Martyn Woolford Available 12 Ryan Taylor Available 14 Cole Skuse Injured, two weeks away? 15 Bobby Reid Available 16 David Clarkson Injured 17 Yannick Bolasie Available 18 James Wilson Injured 19 Christian Ribeiro

(on loan to Scnthrp ) Recall if needed 20 Jamal Campbell-Ryce Available 21 Kalifa Cisse Available 22 Dean Gerken Available 24 Marlon Jackson

(on loan to AFC Tlf ) Available recall if needed 25 Danny Ball Available 26 Richard Foster Available 27 Albert Adomah Injured, not sure how long out 28 Stephen McManus

(on loan from Boro ) Back soon 29 Aaron Amadi-Holloway Available 30 Henry Muggeridge

(on loan to ClevTwn ) Available recall 31 Joe Bryan Available 32 Lewis Carey

(on loan to Glouc C ) Available recall 34 Brett Pitman Not available under any circumstances http://www.otib.co.uk/uploads/emoticons/default_smile.png' alt=':)'> 35 Damion Stewart

(on loan to Notts C ) Available recall 36 Ryan McGivern

(on loan from Man C ) Available 37 Stephen Pearson Available 39

Chris Wood

(on loan from WBA )

So 30 out of 36 available Surely that has got to stand us in good stead against others, even if we don't rate half of them, 6 unavailable 2 of which Skuse and Mcmanus back very soon and Adomah who could be back soon.

It seems to me we have plenty of players who could be playing against tiring player at other teams.

[Nogbad the Bad]

David James Available 2 Jordan Spence

(on loan from WestHam ) Available 3 Jamie McAllister Available 4 Liam Fontaine Available 5 Lewin Nyatanga Available 6 Louis Carey Available 7 Marvin Elliott Injured 8 Neil Kilkenny Available 9 Jon Stead Available 10 Sean Davis Available 11 Martyn Woolford Available 12 Ryan Taylor Available 14 Cole Skuse Injured, two weeks away? 15 Bobby Reid Available 16 David Clarkson Injured 17 Yannick Bolasie Available 18 James Wilson Injured 19 Christian Ribeiro

(on loan to Scnthrp ) Recall if needed 20 Jamal Campbell-Ryce Available 21 Kalifa Cisse Available 22 Dean Gerken Available 24 Marlon Jackson

(on loan to AFC Tlf ) Available recall if needed 25 Danny Ball Available 26 Richard Foster Available 27 Albert Adomah Injured, not sure how long out 28 Stephen McManus

(on loan from Boro ) Back soon 29 Aaron Amadi-Holloway Available 30 Henry Muggeridge

(on loan to ClevTwn ) Available recall 31 Joe Bryan Available 32 Lewis Carey

(on loan to Glouc C ) Available recall 34 Brett Pitman Not available under any circumstances http://www.otib.co.uk/uploads/emoticons/default_smile.png' alt=':)'> 35 Damion Stewart

(on loan to Notts C ) Available recall 36 Ryan McGivern

(on loan from Man C ) Available 37 Stephen Pearson Available 39

Chris Wood

(on loan from WBA )

So 30 out of 36 available Surely that has got to stand us in good stead against others, even if we don't rate half of them, 6 unavailable 2 of which Skuse and Mcmanus back very soon and Adomah who could be back soon.

It seems to me we have plenty of players who could be playing against tiring player at other teams.

We must have different ways of getting to a total TRL, but if you cut out the injured players, those out on loan, and the kids,( not really part of the squad, though I'd be tempted to play one) I still make it 19.

You're including the likes of Henry Muggeridge and the 3rd choice keeper!

[TRL]

We must have different ways of getting to a total TRL, but if you cut out the injured players, those out on loan, and the kids,( not really part of the squad, though I'd be tempted to play one) I still make it 19.

You're including the likes of Henry Muggeridge and the 3rd choice keeper!

I am including what are classed as first team pros.

Either way they are all available for selection. I would hope the Squad was utilised against tiring opponents over what is a hectic last 2 months. I am clutching at straws, but it is the only positive bit of spin I can put on then run in to our season.

I think we are down personally, and I doubt half of these are good enough. But you have to try and use and advantage you can. Portsmouth have 16 fit professionals, they are gonna be wasted. I am not sure about the squads of our nearest trap door candidates

[Nogbad the Bad]

I am including what are classed as first team pros.

Either way they are all available for selection. I would hope the Squad was utilised against tiring opponents over what is a hectic last 2 months. I am clutching at straws, but it is the only positive bit of spin I can put on then run in to our season.

I think we are down personally, and I doubt half of these are good enough. But you have to try and use and advantage you can. Portsmouth have 16 fit professionals, they are gonna be wasted. I am not sure about the squads of our nearest trap door candidates

Pompey list 19 in their first team squad, plus they have an academy which no doubt has players very similar to Muggeridge, Amadi-Holloway, Bryan etc.

As for injuries, Varney and Norris have just returned to first team action after 3 months and 7 weeks out respectively.

City's squad size is over rated on here - the majority of Championship clubs have squads in the early to mid 30's, several approaching 40.

I don't think we have any advantage over our rivals in that respect.