Ghost of Clough

Good luck to him. Given he's only the 6th most used CM/AM for the U18s this season (4 of them being 1st year scholars), it looks like this may be with a view to joining them permanently. We've also started putting U16s on the bench at his expense.

Using your source, Son's averaged 37% more goal than his xG over his career, and is currently 61% up for this season.

It could be either, which is why you only use it as part of an analysis. If someone like Harry Kane has outperformed his xG by 50% for 10 consecutive seasons, it's because he's a good finisher, not because he's been lucky for 10 years in a row. However, Nick Blackman may hit a 6 month purple path where everything goes in and his actual goals vs xG is through the roof. In this case, it's not due to being a good finisher, he's just in a good bit of form. Stats like xG and xA are based on averages. Some players are above average, others are below average.

I think we'll need to sign players with more end product. We're losing Bird and Hourihane who have a combined 9 goals and 13 assists so far this season Docherty - 1 goal and 4 assists in 88 Championship games (1 contribution per 1011 mins) Thompson - 3 goals and 3 assists in 122 Championship games (1 per 1125 mins) Williams - 4 goals and 14 assists in 185 Championship games (1 per 749 mins). Also sufers with a lot of muscle injuries Whilst I would expect Osborn to add the goals/assists we should be looking for, I think it's unlikely he would come to us. I would also expect one of our summer signings to be a left footed set piece taker. We've seen this season how Warne likes us to swing corners in, with Hourihane and Mendez-Laing/Ward sharing responsibility. Perhaps Arthur Read who shares the responisbility at Colcehster too, is their leading assister and 2nd top scorer despite playing as a DM in Colchester's favoured 352.

Updates in bold (above) plus new injuries below based on DET Josh Vickers - Missed the last few games with a thigh injury. Back next month James Collins - Awaiting results from a scan. Could be fit for Stevenage or could be out of the season Ryan Nyambe - Knee injury but may be back for Stevenage Conor Hourihane - Has a knock but should be fine for Stevenage Corey Blackett-Taylor- Has a knock but should be fine for Stevenage Available for Stevenage: Wildsmith, Loach, Nelson, Bradley, Cashin, Ward, Wilson, Sibley, Adams, Bird, Thompson, Smith, Fornah, Mendez-Laing, Barkhuizen Doubts: Nyambe, Elder, Hourihane, Blackett-Taylor, Collins

Yesterday, the DET reported Waghorn may be in training next week, and Washington "could be back next month" (I thought he was already back in training?)

So we currently have a 26 man first team squad, of which you try to keep all but 5 of them - that doesn't leave much scope for improving the squad. If promoted, we'd need to improve more than just 3 CMs (replacing our 2 main starters) and 2 CFs

I can't see it. Stevenage isn't exactly the type of game you want to throw a youngster in. They would use every trick in the book - elbows into chests, stepping on toes, etc.. This is also Warne who chooses not to use Brown or Robinson despite bing 2 or 3 goals up and having a sub spare.

Sibley has only ever had 1 red card in his professional career - against West Brom and it was rescinded. This was also in his debut season when Cocu was manager. Whilst I don't think Rooney wanted Sibley to be less agressive, I do think he drained every ounce of confidence he did have which resulted in him 'going backwards'. Rooney was even quoted in 2021 with "I want to get him back to that being aggressive... how he takes the ball, how he runs, how he takes a shot. I just feel he has come away from that a little bit". His confidence was drained by not being given a fair run in the side. He would score off the bench, then get 45 mins from the start before being subbed, followed by being an unused sub for a few games. A point demonstrated by never once having back to back starts in his favoured AM position under Rooney.

[I've moved the discussion to this chat as I think it's better suited at this point] At the moment, we have this team for next season: Vickers Nyambe Nelson Cashin Ward Fornah ??? Elder Mendez-Laing Washington Blackett-Taylor Subs: Rooney, Bradley, Wilson, Brown By extending just a few contracts (Thompson, Sibley, Collins) and making Adams permanent, we have a fairly reliable base to work from. My main concern would be signing good enough CMs. Even if we have a 2 man midfield, I would like to see us sign/extend 4 CMs for next season (5 if a 3 man midfield)

"There is also a high level medical presence at games. The days of a couple of St John Ambulance volunteers are long gone and now there are three doctors and a full paramedic team on hand for emergencies to the tune of almost £400,000."

His debut season was under Cocu when we finished midtable. A manager who could spot potential but also know the best way to integrate him into the first team - hence why he only got 2 league starts under him and averaged just 21 minutes in his 19 other league apps. Then Rooney became manager at the start of season 2. He got 4 sub apps under Rooney, the last of which saw him subbed off after being a 1st half sub. 1 month later he was sold.

We've only had him once - the Bristol Rovers game earlier this season which CM9 scored in, followed by a NML last minute winner assisted by Fornah. I think he's been one of the better refs we've had in League 1. However, he has given 3 red cards and 4 penalties in his 11 L1 games this season.

Refereed us twice - lost both. The reverse fixture against Stevenage, and the 2-0 defeat away to Loncoln when a fairly don't penalty was awarded against Knight.

To be honest, I've come to the conclusion that most signgings will struggle with injuries during their first season under Warne. If i'm proven correct, we'll finally see the best out of Ward, Elder, Blackett-Taylor, Washington, etc next season.

It goes to show some people are a better judge of player than others 😅 I've said all along Whittaker just needed time to adjust to the physicality and speed of play

Agree. There's no way Warne would risk throwing someone who just turned 17 in against a Steve Evans side, even if he is already a better keeper than Loach

Hopefully Collins playing on isn't the same as when Winnall did 😬 Elder is an odd one as he played the full game, and Hourihane looked fine when he came off. I wouldn't be surprised if we see more games like Exeter for the foreseeable (less pressing high up the pitch, but press in our defensive 3rd). Cashin only just returned to the squad after having a tight hammy, Adams is cramping up, etc

Warne 22/23* - £14m (3rd highest), placed 7th in the table 24/24* - £13m (1st highest), currently 2nd in the table Mac 1 13/14 - £16.4m (13th highest), placed 3rd in the table 14/15 - £21.8m (9th highest), placed 8th in the table Mac 2 16/17 - £34.6m (4th highest), 7th most points during his time as manager I wouldn't say Mac 'spectacuarly failed". 15/16 - 5th highest wage bill vs 5th in the league 17/18 - 8th highest wage bill vs 6th in the league 18/19* - 7th highest wage bill vs 6th in the league * estimated wage bills

"Years to come" could be 10 years from now. It doesn't contradict the 4 year plan previously mentioned. For full context, the full quote in Percy's interview is: At no point did he say "top-flight in no-time". Clowes and Pearce have mentioned steady progress, meaning Warne's brief over his 4 year contract is to make us a midtable Championship club. At a suitable point in time, the club will review the situation and either extend his contract (as they think he's capable of taking us further) or move on to the next maanger.

The club have previously talked about a 4 year plan, and Pearce spoke about 'phases' on Tuesday. It aligns withthe 4 year contract Warne was given too. If we take years to be phases then we have: 1. Challenge for the Playoffs (we finished 1 point off 6th) 2. Challenge for automatics (we're currently 2nd on pts, 3rd on ppg) 3. Avoid relegation from the Championship 4. Midtable in the Championship Based on Warne's primary objective, he'll be meeting expectations. You can judge him on other objectives if you want (such as youth progression, style of play, etc), but the primary objective is king. Exceeding in those secondary objectives would likely buy a maanger more time if struggling with the primary, but that appears to be the risk Warne wants to take.

Whoscored says FG played 3412 44 times, 3421 once, and 352 once in their promotion season - Wilson startin 45 of those games at RWB However, at his previous clubs, he did predominantly play as a RB in a back 4, with occasional apearances at RWB - West Brom youth, Exeter, Walsall and Tranmere

Sacking a manager who gives us promotion would counter "stability, integrity, progress". Upon promotion, the manager will be given a chance to prove themselves.

Norwich, Preston, Bristol City all have less than 50% possession and are top half.

Wildsmith Wilson Nelson Cashin Elder Bird Adams Hourihane Mendez-Laing Collins Barkhuizen Subs: JThompson, Bradley, Ward, Sibley, Smith, Thompson, Blackett-Taylor