jono

Sheehan drove me to distraction. Constantly fouling Adams off the ball, moaning at the ref, claiming throws that were even disputable. Huge credit to Ebou who never lost his cool and just seemed to enjoy the 1 v 1 battle

Build it and they will come. Outside yo-yo prem clubs with sacks of cash, if you were a player and DCFC came calling ? There aren’t many places where you’ll get 30,000 noisily wanting you to succeed every other week. Must have been a huge lift for the lads today and it will stand us in good stead whatever happens.

Hourihan has assets but against athletic teams looking for interceptions / anticipating / pressing .. he gets caught. It happened to Rooney. It’s those nano seconds of reaction time. The toll is taken

Interesting that one. Two players hell for leather wanting the ball. I reckon NML was probably a tad “out of control” Saying wreckless would be harsh and there was no intent .. I don’t know the rules but to me it was blood and thunder battling rather than dirty play with intent. A yellow seemed just … but whether that’s what the rule book says is a different matter ?

Yes, I thought he did well. Wardy was lucky, their 8 should have been booked, but he saw several handballs both deliberate and accidental, wasn’t t a fussy big I am. Missed one chance to play advantage but was up with play and gave good quick decisions the majority of time. You couldn’t reasonably ask for more.

We deserved that, not because we were better than Bolton but because we stuck at it, grafted and gave everything. Bolton played some good football, runs off the ball, slick passing on the edge of the box but Wildsmith kept their two clear chances out. Many times on the balance of play we have dropped points despite apparently dominating possession, today it was Bolton’s turn. We had a good first 10, they had a good next 15 then (despite surrendering possession too often) it was an even game but we got the goal. They were tidier, we looked more dangerous on the break. Their No 8 was a nasty narky foul playing knob. I often moan about poor first touch, but Elder’s wasn’t t half bad was it 🤪. Loved when early in the second half the crowd had gone quiet and Smithy almost frantically urged to east stand to up it .. they need us and the ground responded. Wildsmith gets my MOTM because he came up with goods in the line fire but Fozzie has to a pure bred legend, just seamlessly gelled with his teammates, all that experience, directed headers that find white shirts, positioning, timing .. the lot. He is a Ram. The football has had criticism but TBH, the scheme is ok, but our touch and quality individually will need to be a step better when we go up … and we ducking are ! COYR

In the navy .. duh de duh in the navy 🤣 Anyway, he needs his own square and column so we can have a party there when we go up

I will only admit to what a maths teacher at school once said, prior to O levels ( a very long time ago 🤣) “I hope you have revised properly, otherwise you will be in a space occupied by the famous Samuel Henry Irvine Taylor”

Indeed, but considering where we were in squad terms, what we had available in money terms, who was/is actually for sale, I think we’ve done pretty well. Yes some predictable injuries, but we were aware of the possibility and tried to navigate round them .. the slow introduction of JJ for example. Sometimes these things work, sometimes they don’t, but sometimes these risks are taken because of the position we are in, not because of poor or ill judged recruitment. I would suggest, considering where we were at and the money we have spent, that recruitment has been pretty reasonable if we look at the good, the not sure, and the “oh Tish” On CBT .. I am undecided and am hoping it is just bedding in, missing sharpness, knowing his teammates and role. Time will tell but no rushed judgement from me.

Of course you are forgetting that the transfer market is just like Amazon prime. You just describe the player you want and up come hundreds of possible purchases at £4.99 with delivery included and free returns. … until you realise you haven’t got PayPal or a credit card.

Harsh reality .. true. ……BUT. How long is his contract ? Does he like it here ? … The individuals have choices, he may be under contract but he’s not an indentured serf. Did anyone see him with Warne after last night. ? That wasn’t pretence. He’s loving it. I can see it happening.

Not interested in any errors the card happy ref made. If we did come out on top in the luck stakes tonight then it’s the ebb and flow of a season. We’ve had our fair share of poor decisions. They didn’t all go our way either. Enjoyed that. We ran the show apart from the last 20 when we dropped a bit deep and let them play hoof ball which made for some nervy moments. I was entertained, we upped the tempo for large chunks of the game with a huge uplift in neat fast one touch play. How many chances did we create ? We could have been 3 up at half time. Well done to the whole team. That was a maximum effort performance. Regardless of any decisions we were deserved winners by a considerable degree . Gayle’s movement must be a nightmare for defenders. Lovely run leading up to the peno so well spotted by Adams. (Who by the way will likely be staying given his joyful man hugs with Warne at the end of the game. )

I’ve got a devil and an angel on either shoulder. Devil says we go all flat and Reading “manage” us in a meh game. The angel says slick rams cut holes through them and it’s a great 3-0 and we’re going up 😎 it does sort of sun up this team

We need a 2024 version of Joe Jordan … can you find one ? seriously though, we need some youthful strong fire power. Most of our current squad will manage another year, even at Champ level but at the top end of the pitch we are very short. Waggy, Collo and Gayle. We will need newer aggressive legs to progress at champ level

Is this the moment where I get to say sod Waitrose and Just eat ?

I’d like to see an unchanged team. I have a sense they have finally gelled. Why though ? Is it because we have Gayle’s threat / skill or is it because Adams has given us real bite or because Wardy is showing his pre injury effectiveness along with Sibs growing in to his new role. All good stuff and part of a developing team, so probably all of the above 🤣

I’ll say this, Gayle’s head/tap in was flipping brave. No shying away do from putting his head in dangerous places. Proper CF play 🐏

Yep 🍻 For the first time we are now firmly in second and whoever wants to displace us has to exceed whatever we do. Keep wining and we can’t be touched.

I am supportive of Warne, I like the way he is so open but you are right, there is a missing element in the coaching. The old as the hills pass, move, make yourself available doesn’t seem to have the priority I would like. In his defence, many of our players are seasoned pros and should be doing more of it instinctively but for some reason or another …don’t. If we do do the hunting in packs power play, effectively, it’s less important to be so aware, but then to an extent the “quality” of football does decline.

That means no shots on target, zilch zero . Not difficult under those circumstances to deserve a win. Oh and guess what, Sibs can play wing back. He’s a good footballer and adapted well today. You’re damning by faint praise. None of us know where things will go, it may end up as a play off mud fight but regardless, we are second right now, second highest goal scorers, second tightest defence. Might be an idea if you looked to positives rather than waiting for the next poor result and thus prove whatever point it is you want to make.

I liked Liam, so positive and wanted us to play better football but “entertained ?” No way. It was pedestrian sidey backwards over coached caution .. now maybe that was about player ability and not Liams fault ? but the same conclusions with a different style can be applied to Warne. There have been in equal measure some entertaining performances but some flipping dire ones …. like most of last night…... We are so inconsistent it’s painful. Yet on the day I know these lads have it, but we just don’t see it often enough. Is it age or coaching or just flawed old champ players and others who are well … just L1 ?

Because he can control a ball, tried to link with Gayle and passed with at least a semblance of accuracy. Mind you it didn’t take much to stand out tonight

First 20 mins ok, set piece and Cash goal, nice. Bird and Cash standout players … as for the rest of the game ? Horrible horrible horrible. Head tennis, poor passing, the lack of basic ball control from so many players was embarrassing. Silly mistakes lost us that .. but was Joe outside the box when he fouled their man ? I guess I must have black and white glasses but he looked to be at least a foot outside his area at the moment it happened ? And their No 33 was a dirty cheating sod. However, none of that excuses the limited skills on show tonight. Need to get it sorted for Saturday. We are better than this.

Ok half but we need to play first touch more. Chalton don’t look to have much, if we upped the tempo they are there to be taken. On the ground lads please. Gayle looks deft, lost count of the times he’s been given the nudge in the back. Think he and Bird could really build something over the next few games.

I can’t complain as this year I am a senior so I think I will be paying less. 😊