Ghost of Clough

As you show there, he makes the 2nd most tackles out of all of our CMs. As you also point out, his creativity may be needed - Adams, Smith (and Thompson) offer very little, whilst only Hourihane creates more chances and that's only due to set pieces. From open play, Bird creates twice as many chances as the next best CM.

Does he deserve to get back into the squad based on a few days of training, after being out for 3 months), when we have Collins, Washington, Waghorn, Mendez-Laing, Blackett-Taylor, and Barkhuizen as fit attacking options? That also ignores Bird, Sibley and Wilson as potential options in a front 4. I hope not. We've only got 375 minutes from him in all competions despite being on loan for the whole season. Only 981 mins last season at Ipswich, and 709 the season before. His career high across all competitions in a season of men's football is only 1369 mins when on loan to Doncaster in 20/21. Even at U18 and U21 level, 1884 was the most he ever achieved. Even in Joe Ward's worst ever season for injuries, he's still managed more minutes on the pitch this season than John-Jules has achieved at any club. We need to be targetting players with more reliable injury records. At this point, would he even be ahead of DBrown in the pecking order? As we'll also have Washington contracted for next season and should be looking for 2 new CFs in the summer, is there any value at all in signing John-Jules permanently?

Brown and Washington are contracted beyond the summer. Anyone we sign for a Championship squad should be better than them, with a view to being starters. Clarke-Harris has only been good enough to start 14 games for Peterboroughthis season, with only 2 since October. He's also only scored/assisted in 3 games since September.

The title is still on! 🐏

To get Bird back in the side whilst keeping Adams and Thompson in there...

Wildsmith Nelson Bradley Cashin Wilson Adams Thompson Sibley Bird Collins Mendez-Laing Subs: Vickers, Smith, Hourihane, Barkhuizen, Blackett-Taylor, Waghorn, Washington

Unfortunately, the U21s lost 3-0 to Leeds this afternoon which means we've dropped to the bottom of the table. All 3 conceded within a 10 minute spell. JThompson; Radcliffe, Cox, KRobinson, Moloney; Stepien-Iwumene, Hawkins; Nto, Wheeldon, Allen; Weston Subs: Shattell, Osayande, Gough McAndrew, Oguntolu 1 game to go with a home game vs Everton in 2 weeks time.

In and out of the matchday squad since he joined Glentoran. They've had 12 league games since he joined them. In the squad for 10, starting 1 game and came off the bench in 5 others. He scored in an 8-2 win. They also had 3 cup games, where he started 1 game, came on at half time in another, and an unused sub in other. He scored in the game he started (they won 2-0). Overall: 2 goals scored in 255 mins of action.

And my lack of watching a player doesn't stop me from givign my opinion on who won the award. How many games have people seen of all the other nominations to say Cashin was overlooked? In fact, how many games have the people deciding who's nominated seen of each player? Afterall, Mendez-Laing probably won't even win our club player of the season, despite being nominated for league player of the season

Only 2 first team appearances for Northampton this season (in the EFL Trophy). Loaned out to Rushden and Diamonds (in the Northern Premier, 2 levels below the National League) since October where he has scored twice in 19 appearances.

I'm a bit undecided on him tbh. In his role, he needs to add more end product to his game. He showed it in his 2nd year with the U18s, but has struggled a bit in the U21s this season. He needs to be targetting 10 goals/assists next season if he's to make it into our first team. This season we have Cruz Allen with 3 goals in the equivalant to less than 5 games, and Hawkins (a DM) with 1 goal and 2 assists in the equivalent to just over 8 games. Those are the contribution rates you want to see from your midfielders. For comparison, Fapetu has just 1 goal and 1 assist in his 1049 PL2 mins.

Not sure how this wasnt given to Brown

Lincoln are also tied with us for goals conceded.

I still disagree with them checking tickets at the bottom of the stairs. Just leave the check for when the stairs split between upper and lower sections.

From the U21 squad, we already have Evans (3rd matchday GK), Radcliffe, DRobinson and DBrown who I would consider to be on the fringes of the first team squad. Weston a little bit behind them. We then have several players who could still play U18 football but stepped up early - 2nd year scholars Cox, KRobinson and Hawkins, and 1st year scholars JThompson, Gill and Allen. Davidson has had a lot of trouble with injuries but has always looked promising when in the side. He missed the first half of last season and most of this one (last played in October), but would have been a regualr in the U21 squad (still a 2nd year scholar) if he stayed fit. McAndrew is on the cusp of stepping up and is still only 16! I think all of these youngsters have a very good chance of being Championship footballers (or higher), with some doing it with us in a couple of years.