Ghost of Clough

20 minutes ago, Millenniumram said:

Think you’re missing a few as well - didn’t we throw away a 1-0 lead late on against Wycombe, for example? And we equalised against Wigan before throwing it away at home. Equalised at Stevenage and lost. Admittedly we were losing those games to start with, but it doesn’t scream “character” to me

According to Transfermarkt, it's 10 points gained from losing positions and 10 lost from winning positions.

Portsmouth have a net gain of 10 points, Bolton just 1, and Peterborough a net loss of 1.

34 minutes ago, TheHomunculusLives said:

He looks a good prospect based on the few occasions I've seen him. Do any of the members here with a better knowledge of the academy have thoughts on his current progress/potential?

I think that's 4 goals and 4 assists in his last 6 U18 games. We should see him step up to the U21s in the 2nd half of the season as we typically see with the top performing U18s at this stage of the season.

Even though he's still only 16, he's already over 6 foot tall. A step up in level will ensure he continues to develop the technical side of his game and decision making.

He'll mostly be used on the wing for thr U21s this season, but I see his long term position as a CM. However, we have DRobinson  Radcliffe, Fapetu, Hawkins and Allen, so we'll need to see a few players out on loan for him to get a chance there.

51 minutes ago, Jourdan said:

Personally I am thrilled. That was a much needed win and we showed character to claw ourselves back into the game. In years gone by, we would have lost that game in a typical Derby fashion.

Of course the performance police will be gutted, but we have had games where we have played well and not got the desired result. Sometimes you have to take what you can get.

Given the injuries are mounting up, the squad is looking stretched and we have little flexibility and movement in the transfer window, all that matters at the moment is getting results and keeping ourselves in the hunt.

People forget that once you are into January and beyond, every game carries jeopardy and sometimes it’s more about showing guts, determination and grit and getting something out of the game than having a picture perfect performance.

People would be complaining about a lack of character if we were playing well and not getting results. Warne and the players, as frustrating as they can be, cannot really win at the moment.

It sounds like Cheltenham made it very difficult for us and deserve credit, which many people suggested they would by highlighting their turnaround under Clarke, so I can’t understand the outrage.

We got a good result from a very awkward fixture and if nothing else, it consolidates our place in the top six and keeps us in striking distance of the top two.

Maybe it’s just me but I’ll be enjoying my Saturday evening.

I'm guessing you didn't watch it since you state "It sounds like Cheltenham made it very difficult..." 

If you had actually watched it, I doubt you would be "thrilled". Anyone thrilled with watching that game needs to check in to the nearest psychiatric unit.

2 minutes ago, sage said:

Or play in a 2 or rotate.

 

Since Warne insists on a front 2, even with only 1 fit CF in the squad, the answer seems predictable

5 hours ago, Ghost of Clough said:

Correction: it's Khace Gordon.

2-1 down - McAndrew assisted by Gordon

Finished 5-1. Still 4th in the table

4 hours ago, littleover ram said:

Didn’t we have to totally rebuild the youth teams after admin? It’ll be years before it’s functional in producing players again 

No. Some players left and some coaches moved on too. We have replaced most of the staff members and still have players who are capable of ome day playing for our first team

3 hours ago, enachops said:

You mention loaning out these players before they get given a proper chance in the first team, but when was the last time this worked for us?

All of our successes from the academy have occurred without a loan. Riggott, Elliot, Hughes, Hendrick, Sibley, Knight, Bird, Cashin all went straight in. The last loan that worked for us was Sturridge over 25 years ago. With us being in League 1 and having a cat 1 academy, surely they should be ready for league 1 football now? Yes it’s a big step, but where is the evidence that loaning out works for us? Integrate them slowly with subs and cup games (EFL Trophy) whilst still getting top coaching should be the way ahead when in this league. 

If a manager isn't willing to give them game time, they need loans...

7 minutes ago, Jimbo Ram said:

What would we use to pay Warney and his back room staff off? He’s here for the season. Hopefully he will finally realise that Bird/Conor combo in midfield just doesn’t work 👩‍🦯. The football is pretty poor, he is too slow to change things but we have no option but to get behind him.

Crowdfund?

26 minutes ago, Caerphilly Ram said:

I didn’t see the first half but gather it was w*nk, haven’t we been the better side since the subs and change to a back 3? That’s how it’s looked through one eye in the chaos of a party

Good fora few minutes leading up to our goal. Then made the triple sub and looked a bit shaky for a while, before finally regaining some control.

5 minutes ago, Eoghan1884 said:

He constantly seems to shoot the second he’s anyways central in the final third when there Is better options available. Don’t mind players getting shots off but majority of the time it’s blocked by a player a yard or two in front and a wasted attack. 

At least he shoots. I wish others on the team would too

Sibley and Mendez-Laing the best of a bad bunch IMO. At least theyre both making an effort to drive forward when on the ball. Absolutely garbage performance by everyone though.

1 minute ago, dajstrawb said:

Struggling against 3 at back.. again

Which would be a problem if we could pass that far up the pitch

8 minutes ago, Carl Sagan said:

Weston must be injured. Otherwise it's surely inconceivable he wouldn't be on the bench today?

Played 68 mins in the last U21 game.

Based on the warm-ups, the tactics for today are: pass to Hourihane, get it out to the right, cross to Collins.

In positive news, Barkhuizen's finishing looked sharp.

Mendez-Laing CF. What's Weston got to do to get on the bench? 4 CMs and no wingers or CFs on there 🤔

49 minutes ago, Ghost of Clough said:

Team news:

Price

IGordon   Banks   Osayande   Gill

Eames   McAndrew

Osong   Allen   Gough

Oguntolu

 

Subs: Hardy, Canoville, Tola, Green, Augustien

Correction: it's Khace Gordon.

2-1 down - McAndrew assisted by Gordon

18 hours ago, RoyMac5 said:

Don't know if this is on elsewhere U18s Saturday 27th January 2024

Team news:

Price

IGordon   Banks   Osayande   Gill

Eames   McAndrew

Osong   Allen   Gough

Oguntolu

Subs: Hardy, Canoville, Tola, Green, Augustien

2 hours ago, Caerphilly Ram said:

John-Jules has a severe hamstring tear according to Warne’s pre match interview, will need to see a specialist and may need surgery (suggested in a post on X by Leigh Curtis) so suspect he’s out for months not weeks

Expect March at the earliest. Waghorn and Washington mid to late Feb. Brown loaned out for the season (but can be recalled in Feb if needed). We'll be a bit light up top for a while.

A tiny bit of insight into what kind ofthreat Cheltenham pose.... Only 4 of their current squad members have scored for them in the league this season. Only one of those has more than 2 goals. Their most likely front 2 to start have scored just 4 goals between them.

In other areas of play... The ball will be in the air a lot as they're won of the most aerially diminant sides in the league, and they'll press quickly to force mistakes.

43 minutes ago, RoyMac5 said:

How did we finish the game do you think, out of interest. Looked like Sibs was LWB and Elder? 

I thought it was this:

Vickers
Nelson   Bradley   Cashin
Ward   Sibley   Bird   Elder
Mendez-Laing   Blackett-Taylor  

3 minutes ago, sage said:

433 isn't a change in formation.

It's what we started with in our last game 

It was closer to a 4231 with Tommo furthest forward

26 minutes ago, Carl Sagan said:

Sure I saw somewhere that Cash and Elder are struggling. If that's the case, we'll be looking at:

Vickers

Wilson  Bradley  Nelson   Sibley

Bird    Hourihane    Thompson

NML    Collins      CBT

Subs: Wildsmith  Ward   Barkhuizen   Robinson   Bardell  Weston  Fapetu

which is very thin on the ground. I'd much rather Wildsmith back in the sticks.

Bardell is still injured.  The U21 defenders who started the last game were Oduroh, Bartley, KRobinson and Moloney. If we were to pick one, I expect it would be Bartley

5 minutes ago, Chris_Martin said:

he has 2 goals and 5 assists in 23 matches playing as a CDM most of the time. That's basically a 1 in 3 goal contribution.  Bear in mind he doesn't take set pieces either to help boost those stats. What more do you want?

If your after more goals from midfield, surely it's whoever is playing as the no.10 s responsibility more than it is the CDM.

He's joint 3rd central mid (DM, CM or AM) in the league for open play key passes - Peterborough's Randall and Charlton's Dobson are top 2. Shooting is his biggest weakness, but he's still joint 16 for open play shots (only 7 shots behind 4th)

4 minutes ago, Caerphilly Ram said:

Pretty much what I’d go for, 4-5-1 without the ball looking to be solid (even though it’s “only lowly Cheltenham”) and 4-3-3 with the ball looking to get players forward and into the opposition box 

433 with the ball? Be more adventurous and go 235. With the same personell listed above:

Wildsmith
Nelson   Cashin
Bird   Hourihane   Thompson
Wilson   Mendez-Laing   Collins   Blackett-Taylor   Elder

19 minutes ago, G STAR RAM said:

43% of passes going backwards or sidewards then. Obviously my previous post was tongue in cheek, didn’t expect it to be this bad though.

Xavi would typically make 80% sideways or backwards passes - and that's not tongue in cheek. 50% of Carrick's would go sideways or backwards

7 minutes ago, Stuniverse said:

Cheers, @Gary Teale.

Any idea what position(s) they play?

If I had to guess, Canoville is a CB and Mintus is an AM

29 minutes ago, Stuniverse said:

Anybody know anythung about Marley Mintus and Rio Canoville who featured for Derby U18s v Middlesbrough earlier this month?

https://www.dcfc.co.uk/fixtures/results/2024/01/13/u18-v-middlesbrough

https://uk.soccerway.com/matches/2024/01/13/england/premier-academy-league/derby-county-fc-under-18-academy/middlesbrough-fc-under-18-academy/4203280/

Rio Canoville was at Notts County 6 years ago. He's in the U16s now, but don't know if he's just on tiral at our club our joined us at some point permanently. I think it's his dad (Former Torquay and Notts County defender Lee Canoville) who runs a coaching academy called Canonville Coaching, based in Nottingham