Anag Ram

Only Knight has the physicality for this division. Hourihane lacks the zip and the fitness to play the game we need him to. Bird looks short of confidence. He doesn’t look like a player who’s having fun.
We need more bite. I think Rooney is worth trying there.

I think we will be better with a back 4. We don't really have the players for a back 5. Barkheuizen and Mendez Laing are natural wide players but they're no wingbacks

Or London if you’re Andre Wisdom 

My comment failed to make allowance for satnav vagaries and crass stupidity....?

Or London if you’re Andre Wisdom 

That was fun yesterday. Two penalties conceded, a red card and a home defeat to the club who came up last season via the L2 playoffs. 
The performance of the ref and his assistants is the talk of the forum but my overall take is this.....
 
1. We didn't deserve to win the game and our performance should be of greater concern than that of the officials.
2. The key decisions - the two pens plus Collins' red - weren't awful decisions. Collins didn't aim for their player but he lashed out and if he's caught him then the ref is always likely to send him off.
3. Sibley was hauled down at the end but the ref gave it as a free kick to them rather than a penalty (or waving play on). As it happens, I'm pretty sure he blew before the corner had actually been taken so he got that incident doubly wrong.
4. Whatever the merits or otherwise are of having three CB's and playing with wingbacks, I'm already of the opinion that neither Barkhuizen or Mendez-Laing are suitable for the role. Festy or Byrne as RWB and Lowe or Buchanan as LWB yes, but I've spotted a problem with that.
NML seemed to lack his explosive pace yesterday and I think asking him to cover more distance is a likely cause. I like both Barks and NML but only as wide attacking players or possibly conventional wingers in a 4-4-2, not as wing backs.
5. We had a midfield three yesterday of Bird, Hourihane and Knight. That trio should be more than good enough to dominate most matches at L1 level. I felt yesterday that they were off it individually and as a trio. I also felt we didn't try to play enough football through them. They have quality, it is potentially our strong suit yet we play as though it isn't.
If we play with three in the middle I'd like to see Rooney given an opportunity to nail the DM role. He looks to be a fine prospect. Knight's energy plus whoever compliments the team best - or most in form - out of Bird, Hourihane, Smith, Thompson and Sibley can take the remaining place (Smith looked excellent in his most recent appearance). 
6. At this level we should have enough ability to play four at the back and use the third CB body elsewhere. If this means Odurah, Smith or Chester at RB then so be it. 
7. Yesterday was the first time I've watched a match from the North Stand since circa 1997 (a 3-1 win versus Everton). You boys and girls in the South Stand looked great doing the bounce after the goal.
8. Osula doesn't look equipped to play up front as a sole striker.
 
COYR
 

McGoldrick is the best attacking player we have 

Just heard John Duncan has passed away aged 73. Was a class player but struggled with injury. 

The balance of the team still isn’t quite right and that isn’t Warne’s fault.
The three at the back is risky with no defensive wide players and whilst we’re good on the break, our midfield is too easy to bypass.
We seem to keep Hourihane on purely in case he scores a worldy. I think Bird, Knight and Rooney might be a better balance. 
 
Without Collins, the good work from NML and Barks will go to waste because we don’t have anyone else who looks remotely interested in busting a gut to get on the end of a cross. 
 
But these are temporary problems. We just have to hang in there til Christmas and develop the squad a bit more for a late push. Less than three months ago everyone agreed we would have to be patient. That seems to have been forgotten.
It sounds like the ref had a ‘mare but also that Port Vale had quite a lot of possession.
Sometimes we will get beaten. Sometimes we won’t be good enough, regardless of the officials.

The balance of the team still isn’t quite right and that isn’t Warne’s fault.
The three at the back is risky with no defensive wide players and whilst we’re good on the break, our midfield is too easy to bypass.
We seem to keep Hourihane on purely in case he scores a worldy. I think Bird, Knight and Rooney might be a better balance. 
 
Without Collins, the good work from NML and Barks will go to waste because we don’t have anyone else who looks remotely interested in busting a gut to get on the end of a cross. 
 
But these are temporary problems. We just have to hang in there til Christmas and develop the squad a bit more for a late push. Less than three months ago everyone agreed we would have to be patient. That seems to have been forgotten.
It sounds like the ref had a ‘mare but also that Port Vale had quite a lot of possession.
Sometimes we will get beaten. Sometimes we won’t be good enough, regardless of the officials.

The balance of the team still isn’t quite right and that isn’t Warne’s fault.
The three at the back is risky with no defensive wide players and whilst we’re good on the break, our midfield is too easy to bypass.
We seem to keep Hourihane on purely in case he scores a worldy. I think Bird, Knight and Rooney might be a better balance. 
 
Without Collins, the good work from NML and Barks will go to waste because we don’t have anyone else who looks remotely interested in busting a gut to get on the end of a cross. 
 
But these are temporary problems. We just have to hang in there til Christmas and develop the squad a bit more for a late push. Less than three months ago everyone agreed we would have to be patient. That seems to have been forgotten.
It sounds like the ref had a ‘mare but also that Port Vale had quite a lot of possession.
Sometimes we will get beaten. Sometimes we won’t be good enough, regardless of the officials.

The balance of the team still isn’t quite right and that isn’t Warne’s fault.
The three at the back is risky with no defensive wide players and whilst we’re good on the break, our midfield is too easy to bypass.
We seem to keep Hourihane on purely in case he scores a worldy. I think Bird, Knight and Rooney might be a better balance. 
 
Without Collins, the good work from NML and Barks will go to waste because we don’t have anyone else who looks remotely interested in busting a gut to get on the end of a cross. 
 
But these are temporary problems. We just have to hang in there til Christmas and develop the squad a bit more for a late push. Less than three months ago everyone agreed we would have to be patient. That seems to have been forgotten.
It sounds like the ref had a ‘mare but also that Port Vale had quite a lot of possession.
Sometimes we will get beaten. Sometimes we won’t be good enough, regardless of the officials.

You've picked up on something I've picked up on there too @Anag Ram... One of the main properties of PW's Rotherham team was the wing-backs. He had quick full-backs, where we have wingers that we're playing at wing-back as we don't really have many other options. I imagine 2 quick full-backs will be pretty high on the January shopping list.

The balance of the team still isn’t quite right and that isn’t Warne’s fault.
The three at the back is risky with no defensive wide players and whilst we’re good on the break, our midfield is too easy to bypass.
We seem to keep Hourihane on purely in case he scores a worldy. I think Bird, Knight and Rooney might be a better balance. 
 
Without Collins, the good work from NML and Barks will go to waste because we don’t have anyone else who looks remotely interested in busting a gut to get on the end of a cross. 
 
But these are temporary problems. We just have to hang in there til Christmas and develop the squad a bit more for a late push. Less than three months ago everyone agreed we would have to be patient. That seems to have been forgotten.
It sounds like the ref had a ‘mare but also that Port Vale had quite a lot of possession.
Sometimes we will get beaten. Sometimes we won’t be good enough, regardless of the officials.

The balance of the team still isn’t quite right and that isn’t Warne’s fault.
The three at the back is risky with no defensive wide players and whilst we’re good on the break, our midfield is too easy to bypass.
We seem to keep Hourihane on purely in case he scores a worldy. I think Bird, Knight and Rooney might be a better balance. 
 
Without Collins, the good work from NML and Barks will go to waste because we don’t have anyone else who looks remotely interested in busting a gut to get on the end of a cross. 
 
But these are temporary problems. We just have to hang in there til Christmas and develop the squad a bit more for a late push. Less than three months ago everyone agreed we would have to be patient. That seems to have been forgotten.
It sounds like the ref had a ‘mare but also that Port Vale had quite a lot of possession.
Sometimes we will get beaten. Sometimes we won’t be good enough, regardless of the officials.

Just back from making a sarnie, have I missed owt

50/50 between Collins and the defender going for a header. Both go down. Collins raises his arm and brings it down on the defender's head.

I also travel from Bristol so I came up to my daughter 's in Loughborough today and will stay til Tuesday and see my greatgrandchildren. These days I can't manage to travel there and back in one day anyway as I find travelling alone very tiring.

Never overestimate a cabinet minister when there’s a nob joke begging to happen.

I think people have to remember where he is in his development. He's only had the equivalent to half a season of senior men's football. His playing time this season has also been very limited, with only 34 minutes in the league. He's a good option as 6th choice CM behind Bird, Hourihane, Knight, Smith and Sibley.
It's also worth noting he was an important player in helping us take 7 points out of 9 in the games he played against Bournemouth and Fulham last season. He also played a key role in our November-January run when he first entered the side, playing 690 minutes out of 810 as we picked up 17 points from 27. We only won 5 games in which he didn't play, winning 9 with him playing a part (23 games with, 23 games without)

I think wealth will always garner jealousy.
As you say, there’s nothing wrong with someone with money supporting Labour.
Taking money from sources suspected of bad practice is very topical with the LIV golf malarkey.
I know that government’s deal with each other despite criticising their rule and everyone’s conscience is different.
I just think that for those wealthy enough to be able to make a stance, it’s disappointing when they don’t.

I would agree with that, but Neville has some interesting things to say on the matter. He does genuinely seem to be involved (partly) to raise awareness and start conversations about what is going on, not try and gloss over the problems like Beckham seems to be doing.