DCFC1388

6 home games left, time for the fans to fully get behind the team no matter what is happening on the pitch, the formation or whether you like Warne or not.

In a 4231: Wildsmith - Wilson Nelson Cashin Elder - Adams Hourihane - NML Bird Barkhuizen - Gayle Loach Bradley Thompson Smith Sibley CBT Waghorn If Elder isnt back then Sibley at left back with Ward or Fornah coming onto the bench

No issue with the line up really, he maybe could have had Sibley at LWB but if he did plenty would moan. He was never going to go to a back 4 when Charlton play 2 upfront. I can see us going to a back 4 vs Port Vale who play with 1 upfront.

Very strong line up & bench. Looks like Wilson is left wing back, looks to be either a 3421 or 3412 No defender on the bench.

Derby 2 Charlton 1 Frgs NML

I think it may be Elder

From Warne's post match comments I can see Elder not playing on Tuesday, also sounds like Waghorn & CBT will be in the squad. In a 3421 - Wildsmith - Nelson Bradley Cashin - Wilson Adams Hourihane Sibley - NML Bird - Gayle Loach Nyambe Smith Thompson Barkhuizen CBT Waghorn

They play 2 upfront so I cant see us playing with a back 4, our play starts from the spare centre back

Cashin & Nelson in a back 4 struggle when teams play 2 up front & the team struggles to build up play from the back. So when teams play 2 up top we will need to play 3 at the back & Bradley offers something different to Nelson, Cashin & Nyambe. I get the argument that we should play our way & impose ourselves on any team we play but we have tried that & failed

Now is not the time to panic, we need to get behind the team as we head into the final stretch of games. 4 of Pompey's next 5 games are against top 8 teams so if we want to close the gap this is our chance especially with our game in hand. In that same period we play 6 games with 4 at home, Bolton being the only top 10 team. Bolton play 6 games, 4 away from home & 3 vs the top. Barnsley have 5 games, 1 of which is Bolton too but their other 4 are winnable games for them. It could end up going down to goal difference the way it is shaping up.

We looked better vs Stevenage when we went to a 3421 with Bird in the 10 so have no issue with us going the same again today.

Can see us playing 3421 on Sat - Wildsmith - Nelson Bradley Cashin - Nyambe Adams Hourihane Elder - NML Bird - Gayle Loach Wilson Thompson Smith Sibley CBT Barkhuizen Ward, Fornah & Waggy missing out as the last 3 of the 20 outfield players Warne said are now training. Maybe Waggy makes the bench over CBT depending on both their fitness. Our squad is starting to look strong going into this crucial period.

Barnsley 2 Rams 0

I have a feeling its a case of we have X amount left of our budget, with the Bird sale we can actually afford Z amount but the cost of signing Gayle is Y amount which is somewhere between both X + Z

We have seen that strikers of a certain quality can drop down to this level and can score plenty of goals. McGoldrick did it last season, Rhodes, Martin & Collins have this season too. I have no doubt Gayle has the quality still to score goals in this league.

I think with Collins out and him being our only number 9, that we will syart to see more of a 3412/3421 like we finished with yesterday meaning Gayle would likely be in a front 2 with NML until Waggy & Washington are fit. We could switch to 343 with Barkhuizen, Sibley & CBT. In the next few weeks our attacking options could well be Gayle Waghorn Washington NML CBT Barkhuizen Sibley Wilson so thats still alot of good attacking options at this level

Dont see how they can when they had already approved enough for a striker on deadline day. Only way it wouldnt be accepted is if its out of our original budget. Im sure Warne mentioned about working with the EFL to agree it

He has been in & around the Stoke squad all season too so you would think he will be pretty fit, only missed a couple of weeks training but i doubt he has been lounging around for weeks, he will have kept himself in a decent shape

Warne just confirmed we submitted the paperwork to the EFL yesterday for Gayle

Looks a 343 with Nyambe & Elder wingback Front 3 of Wilson NML Barkhuizen

Rams 1 Stevange 1 Frgs NML

with the injury doubts & Stevenage playing 2 upfront I can see it being the following - Wildsmith - Nelson Bradley Cashin - Wilson Thompson Adams Sibley - Bird - NML Barkhuizen Loach Nyambe Ward Smith Fornah Fapetu Weston Chances are that 1 of Hourihane, Elder, CBT & Collins will be fit enough to at least make the bench, probably ahead of Fapetu

Exeter 1 Rams 1 Frgs Collins

Could be 4231 or 433, having Adams in there means Hourihane can be more advanced although he did end up dropping deep on Sat with Adams moving forward

Rams 1 Shrews 0 Frgs Collins