Ghost of Clough

I interpreted your previous reply to suggest I thought the EFL were instructing refs to be biased "Subconscious bias by whom? Referees who are governed by PGMOL and are not appointed by the EFL?"
The EFL undoubtedly were leaking secret information regarding our P&S case to the media. This information had the sole purpose of making the club look bad, as proven by the views of pretty much any 'neutral' you speak to who doesn't know the full facts.
Yes, the EFL's actions have made an impact on those officiating our games. No, the EFL are not instructing the refs to make decisions against us.

Yes, subconscious bias by a significant number of referees. PGMOL and the EFL have absolutely nothing to do with it.

The debateable decisions started under Cocu. I recall counting all of the penalty shouts we had dismissed, and we were in the 20s before I gave up and we still didn't have a single one. However, some very debatable penalties were given against us, including a very obvious dive by WBA under absolutely zero contact.
This just so happened to coincide with the start of Gibson's and the EFL's media campaign against us.
I stand by my view it's subconscious bias.

I interpreted your previous reply to suggest I thought the EFL were instructing refs to be biased "Subconscious bias by whom? Referees who are governed by PGMOL and are not appointed by the EFL?"
The EFL undoubtedly were leaking secret information regarding our P&S case to the media. This information had the sole purpose of making the club look bad, as proven by the views of pretty much any 'neutral' you speak to who doesn't know the full facts.
Yes, the EFL's actions have made an impact on those officiating our games. No, the EFL are not instructing the refs to make decisions against us.

The debateable decisions started under Cocu. I recall counting all of the penalty shouts we had dismissed, and we were in the 20s before I gave up and we still didn't have a single one. However, some very debatable penalties were given against us, including a very obvious dive by WBA under absolutely zero contact.
This just so happened to coincide with the start of Gibson's and the EFL's media campaign against us.
I stand by my view it's subconscious bias.

The debateable decisions started under Cocu. I recall counting all of the penalty shouts we had dismissed, and we were in the 20s before I gave up and we still didn't have a single one. However, some very debatable penalties were given against us, including a very obvious dive by WBA under absolutely zero contact.
This just so happened to coincide with the start of Gibson's and the EFL's media campaign against us.
I stand by my view it's subconscious bias.

I interpreted your previous reply to suggest I thought the EFL were instructing refs to be biased "Subconscious bias by whom? Referees who are governed by PGMOL and are not appointed by the EFL?"
The EFL undoubtedly were leaking secret information regarding our P&S case to the media. This information had the sole purpose of making the club look bad, as proven by the views of pretty much any 'neutral' you speak to who doesn't know the full facts.
Yes, the EFL's actions have made an impact on those officiating our games. No, the EFL are not instructing the refs to make decisions against us.

I interpreted your previous reply to suggest I thought the EFL were instructing refs to be biased "Subconscious bias by whom? Referees who are governed by PGMOL and are not appointed by the EFL?"
The EFL undoubtedly were leaking secret information regarding our P&S case to the media. This information had the sole purpose of making the club look bad, as proven by the views of pretty much any 'neutral' you speak to who doesn't know the full facts.
Yes, the EFL's actions have made an impact on those officiating our games. No, the EFL are not instructing the refs to make decisions against us.

When you already have a tiny squad, U21s have to be part of the first team picture. Even if that's to play the same amount of minutes as the likes of Osula and Springett.
We've only used 22 players in total in the league. 6 of those have played less than 500 minutes. That's absolutely ridiculous where the league average is 30.5 players.
By playing U21s in first team fixtures, not only do you allow senior players to rest, but you also put them in the shop window. They have the chance to prove they're good enough to be used in the first team more often, or they earn a move away. It would also help ease them in to first team football.
Tommo and Rooney should have been involved much more than they have done. Stretton and Cybulski should have been used rather than shipped out. Richards, Aghatise and others should have been given opportunities too.
Your comment on the quality in the U21s is also unfounded. Results have been heavily influenced by not having a CF all season (Stretton, Cybulski and Nunn all sent out on loan), and the only CBs spending most of the season out injured (Solomon and Bardell)

I agree that it's subconscious bias and not an EFL conspiracy against us, in relation to decisions against us on and off the pitch.
There is a general consensus in football fans that I speak to, that we are a bunch of cheating so and so's, who have got off lightly and have little sympathy for us, until I actually put them right. Now, these views will naturally be shared by decision makers, both on and off the pitch, not deliberately but subconsciously, when making these decisions.
It's difficult to decide whether some of these poor decisions are just rubbish decisions or whether there is an element of subconscious bias in them. The decision to include Humphries who has played only 7 full matches this season, only 1 which was a victory, doesn't seem to have any logic to it. How many times have we seen a young player come in and have a few good games, before going off the boil and dropping off the first team scene? These players don't get put forward for player of the year awards. In fact, Humphreys has rarely made the squad during this recent winning run by Ipswich, he has only contributed to their poorest group of results this season.

I think it was more a case of Rosenior doing the coaching, whilst Rooney chose the tactics. Flip-flopping between route 1 and possession football game by game under Rooney, whilst only possession football under Rosenior is strong evidence.
Rooney = match up to the opposition
Rosenior = play our own game.
It was also Rooney picking the team, which is why we often saw Shinnie and Knight at DM for energy, pressing and 'tough tackling'.

The debateable decisions started under Cocu. I recall counting all of the penalty shouts we had dismissed, and we were in the 20s before I gave up and we still didn't have a single one. However, some very debatable penalties were given against us, including a very obvious dive by WBA under absolutely zero contact.
This just so happened to coincide with the start of Gibson's and the EFL's media campaign against us.
I stand by my view it's subconscious bias.

Since Sibley's debut in 2019, Bird, Knight and Sibley have only started a single game together in midfield. We won that one 3-0 (Accrington, October 2022).
That's remarkable when you consider the trio have made a combined 442 first team appearances for us.

The debateable decisions started under Cocu. I recall counting all of the penalty shouts we had dismissed, and we were in the 20s before I gave up and we still didn't have a single one. However, some very debatable penalties were given against us, including a very obvious dive by WBA under absolutely zero contact.
This just so happened to coincide with the start of Gibson's and the EFL's media campaign against us.
I stand by my view it's subconscious bias.

Sibley
LB: 13 starts, 0 goals, 1 assist
LW: 1 start, 0 goals, 0 assists
CM/AM: 11 starts, 4 goals, 0 assists
Sub: 16 apps, 0 goals, 1 assist

I think it was more a case of Rosenior doing the coaching, whilst Rooney chose the tactics. Flip-flopping between route 1 and possession football game by game under Rooney, whilst only possession football under Rosenior is strong evidence.
Rooney = match up to the opposition
Rosenior = play our own game.
It was also Rooney picking the team, which is why we often saw Shinnie and Knight at DM for energy, pressing and 'tough tackling'.

The debateable decisions started under Cocu. I recall counting all of the penalty shouts we had dismissed, and we were in the 20s before I gave up and we still didn't have a single one. However, some very debatable penalties were given against us, including a very obvious dive by WBA under absolutely zero contact.
This just so happened to coincide with the start of Gibson's and the EFL's media campaign against us.
I stand by my view it's subconscious bias.

Humphreys' inclusion is bizarre to say the least. 10 starts and 7 sub apps making a total of 917 minutes of football. He also has a Whoscored rating of just 6.50, ranking him 59th of all L1 players aged 21 or below.
A lot of our own youngsters have played more and are rated higher: Cashin, Sibley, White, Rooney and Roberts
The others: Mumbai is 4th highest rated woth 7.09, and Rak-Sakyi is 8th with 7.01 and is the top scoring youngster with 13. Both have 6 assists, only bettered by 2 others (both 7)
Cashin is the top rated youngster with 7.34, whilst 2nd best is only 7.16.
 
Another stat I noticed: Dobbin is joint 6th for assists (4)

Humphreys' inclusion is bizarre to say the least. 10 starts and 7 sub apps making a total of 917 minutes of football. He also has a Whoscored rating of just 6.50, ranking him 59th of all L1 players aged 21 or below.
A lot of our own youngsters have played more and are rated higher: Cashin, Sibley, White, Rooney and Roberts
The others: Mumbai is 4th highest rated woth 7.09, and Rak-Sakyi is 8th with 7.01 and is the top scoring youngster with 13. Both have 6 assists, only bettered by 2 others (both 7)
Cashin is the top rated youngster with 7.34, whilst 2nd best is only 7.16.
 
Another stat I noticed: Dobbin is joint 6th for assists (4)

Humphreys' inclusion is bizarre to say the least. 10 starts and 7 sub apps making a total of 917 minutes of football. He also has a Whoscored rating of just 6.50, ranking him 59th of all L1 players aged 21 or below.
A lot of our own youngsters have played more and are rated higher: Cashin, Sibley, White, Rooney and Roberts
The others: Mumbai is 4th highest rated woth 7.09, and Rak-Sakyi is 8th with 7.01 and is the top scoring youngster with 13. Both have 6 assists, only bettered by 2 others (both 7)
Cashin is the top rated youngster with 7.34, whilst 2nd best is only 7.16.
 
Another stat I noticed: Dobbin is joint 6th for assists (4)

Wildsmith
Chester   Cashin   Forsyth
Knight   Bird   Hourihane
Barkhuizen   McGoldrick   Sibley
Collins
 
Subs: McGee, Davies, Roberts, Mendez-Laing, Smith, White, Dobbin

Wildsmith
Chester   Cashin   Forsyth
Knight   Bird   Hourihane
Barkhuizen   McGoldrick   Sibley
Collins
 
Subs: McGee, Davies, Roberts, Mendez-Laing, Smith, White, Dobbin

Even my breakfast cereal hates Forest. 
 

Wildsmith
Chester   Cashin   Forsyth
Knight   Bird   Hourihane
Barkhuizen   McGoldrick   Sibley
Collins
 
Subs: McGee, Davies, Roberts, Mendez-Laing, Smith, White, Dobbin

As much as I hate what the EFL have done/are doing to us, I just can't buy into the notion that we deserve pity or are being treated in a way that makes it hard for us to be competitive.
Over the summer we signed players that should be too good for this division.
And even if our salary level is capped at £x k per week (depending on what you read) it will still be higher than 75% of the teams are paying in this division.
Sure if we get promoted then it will be a different beast to contend with but at this level, the restrictions really arent that prohibitive.