Ghost of Clough

21/22
Wigan lost to Wolves U21s (penalties)
Ipswich lost to West Ham U21s and Arsenal U21s (penalties)
Wycombe lost to Vila U21s
Plymouth needed penalties to beat Arsenal U21s
20/21
Hull lost to Leicester U21s
Portsmouth lost to West Ham U21s
Ipswich lost to Arsenal U21s
Plymouth lost to Norwich U21s
Charlton needed penalties to beat Brighton U21s
19/20
Sunderland lost to Leicester U21s
Rotherham lost to Man City U21s
Plymouth lost to Chelsea U21s
Wycombe lost to Fulham U21s

If only @Stanleyhouse had started the matchday thread...

Rico Lewis has played in 3 PL games already this season. Both he and Wilson-Esbrand have both plated in the Champions League. Ben Knight has also been involved in the first team squad this season. All three weren't involved in the Mansfield game.
Although, Larios who did play vs Mansfield now plays PL football for Southampton after a £6.3m move on the last day of the transfer window.

Win this and the two games in hand and the gap is only 1 point

Nah, it was Cocu's first season. Looked like he was possibly even 4th choice in pre-season, yet back in the starting lineup (and captain) by game number 9, and stayed there (playing the full 90 for 19 consecutive games). 

Points tally compared to other seasons in the 3rd Division (adjusted to 3 points per win):

Cole Palmer has been in 14 of their match day squads. Rico Lewis (who was last night's RB) has been in 13, Wilson-Esbrand (last night's LB) has been in 12.

Win this and the two games in hand and the gap is only 1 point

Win this and the two games in hand and the gap is only 1 point

He said he needs a very good core squad of 18/20 players. Some of those 14 won't be part of that.
352 and 343 both use 'wing backs'. That's our Mendez-Laing and Barkhuizen. Roberts and Forsyth aren't wing backs. Oduroh isn't ready.
352 is Warne's formation, and he used it last night to see if some of those players are good enough in that system. Using something else may have got a different result, but wouldn't tell him if a certain player can play in a certain role.

So long as Knight is OK after last night, this looks to be the starting 11. Is Lennie Wheeldon ahead of the likes of Nunn for a place on the bench? Probably academic as I think we'd have either Forsyth or Hourihane there (if Conor is fit). And I think Forsyth is better going forward than Roberts. If Hourihane is fit I reckon the bench will be: Loach, Stearman, Roberts, Forsyth, Smith, Hourihane, McGoldrick

Angelino to Leipzig and Nmecha to Wolfsburg for £30m. Garcia left on a free
This summer, Southampton paid£35m for Bazunu, Romeo Lavia, Larios and Edozie. Gyabi went to Leeds for £5m

Cole Palmer has been in 14 of their match day squads. Rico Lewis (who was last night's RB) has been in 13, Wilson-Esbrand (last night's LB) has been in 12.

Wildsmith
Chester   Davies   Cashin
Knight   Bird   Sibley
Mendez-Laing   Osula   Dobbin   Barkhuizen
 
Subs: Loach, Stearman, Roberts, Tommo, Smith, McGoldrick, Wheeldon

Win this and the two games in hand and the gap is only 1 point

Win this and the two games in hand and the gap is only 1 point

Odoruh was released by Man City because he wasn't good enough to get into the side we just lost to.
Dobbin was playing for a side which lost 7-0 to these on the last day of last season.
Roberts was a CB at U21 level last season, and is now learning to play LWB.
Osula was playing a level below PL2 (Mam City U21s) last season in thr PDL.
Rooney wasn't even a regular for Burnley U21s last season.

Thumped by three teams in 12 months. I dont think a single player from tonight even played in two if those games, guven how much youth squads change each year. Mansfield only just managed a 3-2 win thanks to a winner towards the end of the match. That was Mansfield's best 11 too.

If only @Stanleyhouse had started the matchday thread...

They had a full international at CM, and elsewhere had 1x U21, 2x U20, 3x U19 and 3x U18 national age players in that starting lineup. To put it in perspective, England U19 players are generally considered to be Championship level players.
Smith's first start since August. Tommo's had 121 minutes of first team football since August. McGoldrick's played 20 minutes in the last month. An aging Stearman dealing with pacey youngsters? It doesn't matter how much game time he's had, he's not going to keep up with them.
That Mansfield side narrowly lost out on promotion to a Port Vale side who beat our first 11 2-1 a couple of weeks ago.

Odoruh was released by Man City because he wasn't good enough to get into the side we just lost to.
Dobbin was playing for a side which lost 7-0 to these on the last day of last season.
Roberts was a CB at U21 level last season, and is now learning to play LWB.
Osula was playing a level below PL2 (Mam City U21s) last season in thr PDL.
Rooney wasn't even a regular for Burnley U21s last season.

21/22
Wigan lost to Wolves U21s (penalties)
Ipswich lost to West Ham U21s and Arsenal U21s (penalties)
Wycombe lost to Vila U21s
Plymouth needed penalties to beat Arsenal U21s
20/21
Hull lost to Leicester U21s
Portsmouth lost to West Ham U21s
Ipswich lost to Arsenal U21s
Plymouth lost to Norwich U21s
Charlton needed penalties to beat Brighton U21s
19/20
Sunderland lost to Leicester U21s
Rotherham lost to Man City U21s
Plymouth lost to Chelsea U21s
Wycombe lost to Fulham U21s

Wildsmith
Chester   Davies   Cashin
Knight   Bird   Sibley
Mendez-Laing   Osula   Dobbin   Barkhuizen
 
Subs: Loach, Stearman, Roberts, Tommo, Smith, McGoldrick, Wheeldon

21/22
Wigan lost to Wolves U21s (penalties)
Ipswich lost to West Ham U21s and Arsenal U21s (penalties)
Wycombe lost to Vila U21s
Plymouth needed penalties to beat Arsenal U21s
20/21
Hull lost to Leicester U21s
Portsmouth lost to West Ham U21s
Ipswich lost to Arsenal U21s
Plymouth lost to Norwich U21s
Charlton needed penalties to beat Brighton U21s
19/20
Sunderland lost to Leicester U21s
Rotherham lost to Man City U21s
Plymouth lost to Chelsea U21s
Wycombe lost to Fulham U21s