DCFC1388

With this being during the international break & with the injuries we have it will be an interesting line up - does he rest any players from yesterday or with having a week off mean they get tonrest after it. I cant see Nyambe, NML or Nelson risked after their knocks. Vickers - Wilson Bradley Cashin Forsyth - Smith Hourihane - Sibley Bird Barkhuizen - Collins Loach Cox Hawkins Osayande Allen Fapetu Brown Weston Wheeldon

Excellent performance today, made a top team in Barnsley who had the best & unbeaten away record look bang average. Other than a freekick & missed chance at 2-0 I dont think they offered much at all. Most pleasing thing was the workrate to get the ball back, even at 3-0 everyone was busting a gut to get back in position....when everyone is willing to do that for each other its a very good sign. Today felt the most control of a game in a while vs a top 6 team. I have a feeling we could be about to go on a decent run, we have got the little monkey of back to back league wins off our back & hopefully the likes of Washington, Waghorn, Elder, Ward & TJJ back after the international break.

For such a big game that is a very weak bench with not much in terms of game changers

Rams 1 Tykes 2 Frgs Barkhuizen

Looks like a 352 / 532

Im thinking it is a 4231 with Robinson right back, Fapetu & Fornah in CM with Wilson Collins Sibley behind Brown. Collins does tend to play in the 10 role when we have another striker on, happened a few times this season

I got told in the summer (along with other information which ended up being spot on) that Warne cannot stand Collins & did his best to get him gone so would expect him to be moved on in Jan if possible. I think the likes of Collins, Hourihane, Barkhuizen & NML are all taking a fair chunk of the wage budget between them.

I would expect us to go with something along the lines of - Vickers - Ward Cashin Bradley Wilson - Fornah Robinson - Sibley Collins Barkhuizen - Brown Loach Nelson Elder Smith Bird Radcliffe Davidson Washington Waghorn Does it go to h2h or goal difference if level on points? If it is h2h then we're through whatever the score

We played Notts Co in the EFL Trophy in the midweek before a postponed game so no reason we cannot play this cup game. If anything it will potentially give us chance to give Elder, Waghorn and maybe even John-Jules some minutes before the break.

Overall we didnt play too badly, got in enough positions to have won the game but our final ball lacked the quality needed. Not sure too much can be laid at Warne's door today in terms of how we played, he went with the same 11 that put 4 past Northampton & had every reason to expect as good a performance from them. However, the way Crewe defended was different to Northampton meaning we didnt really have too much space to play through the middle, we did try at times but the centre of the pitch was crowded. My small gripes with Warne today are that he should have hooked Fozzy at half time. Also, not sure why he took Bradley off for Cashin & why he didnt leave Washington up front with Collins alongside him. But I guess his changes helped us pull it back to 2-2. I do think overall we need to switch Smith & Hourihane around though. Smith can dictate play from deep like Hourihane but Hourihane offers more around the box than Smith does...hence his goal today & his goal vs Burton.

How ridiculous, we need a goal & he is our 2nd top scorer.

Forsyth been woeful, passing been poor & his defending for their goal was pathetic. We have acres down the right but Nyambe is too defensive. Need to take either Smith or Hourihane off & put Nyambe LB with Ward or Wilson RB. Go 4132 with Ward & Collins on.

I would bring in Blackett-Taylor from Charlton....we went in for him in the summer & he is out of contract at the end of the season. Would offer us some much needed pace down the left side & always causes problems. Then we need a physical but mobile striker too, like Ladapo. Can see Cashin, Collins & Bird going in Jan, would sell Sibley too if we got a decent bid.

Rams 3 Northampton 1 Frgs Barkhuizen

First official link to our interest....