JustOneBiblicalKazim

Might just me, this surprised me the most, that the player is usually the one to ask for it?
Wouldn’t it be nice for clubs to initiate the idea of a testimonial thanking the player for their service.
Glad he’s getting one though, need to sell Pride Park out for it, the gang will be back together again for 90 minutes….
Grant, Forsyth, Keogh, Hendrick, Hughes, Bryson, Johnson, Martin, Russell, Ward

Wildsmith 
      Chester          Cashin        Roberts 
NML                       Bird                       Sibley
                Knight             Hourihane   
                Collins           Mcgoldrick 
Subs- McGee, Rooney, Forsyth, Smith, White, Barkhuizen, Dobbin
- Far from a good performance against Forest Green, and it’s tempting to make more changes, but the team did get the job done and realistically you wanna give them more time to gel in the system to help put performances together. Temptation there to perhaps put Forsyth in at the back with Roberts further forward and Sibley central, gotta pull the trigger on that Bird, Knight and Sibley midfield at some point right? But I think consistency with slight rotation will be key for us now. Bird back in to help us on the ball, though I think Smith will probably start because he seems like a Warne favourite.
- Collins is a completely different player when we play 3 at the back, scores goals, gets about and is effective, look at his performances against the likes of Cambridge in Warne’s first game, Port Vale at home until he decided he wanted to have  a punch up, MK Dons away, Forest Green, even at times against Ipswich he looked a better player than we’ve been seeing. Compare this to when we play a 4 and it’s like night and day. If he can go on a run now and find some of his earlier season form he can be a real catalyst in terms of firing us into the playoffs, similar to Cameron Jerome’s end of season form under Rowett despite being absolutely awful up to that point, goals breed confidence for 9’s like that.
- All in all I’m trying really hard to be optimistic because I hate being dragged into agendas of manager in or manager out, especially if it’s a manager I genuinely like as a person, Warne gives me so much optimism when he speaks but it’s nowhere near reflected on the pitch, the Forest Green game was a pretty rank performance, I’m just hoping it can give us a bit of belief back and help spring us back into form, and not a false dawn like Oxford. We absolutely have to get the ball on the floor and play to our strengths, a win is a must.

Wildsmith 
      Chester          Cashin        Roberts 
NML                       Bird                       Sibley
                Knight             Hourihane   
                Collins           Mcgoldrick 
Subs- McGee, Rooney, Forsyth, Smith, White, Barkhuizen, Dobbin
- Far from a good performance against Forest Green, and it’s tempting to make more changes, but the team did get the job done and realistically you wanna give them more time to gel in the system to help put performances together. Temptation there to perhaps put Forsyth in at the back with Roberts further forward and Sibley central, gotta pull the trigger on that Bird, Knight and Sibley midfield at some point right? But I think consistency with slight rotation will be key for us now. Bird back in to help us on the ball, though I think Smith will probably start because he seems like a Warne favourite.
- Collins is a completely different player when we play 3 at the back, scores goals, gets about and is effective, look at his performances against the likes of Cambridge in Warne’s first game, Port Vale at home until he decided he wanted to have  a punch up, MK Dons away, Forest Green, even at times against Ipswich he looked a better player than we’ve been seeing. Compare this to when we play a 4 and it’s like night and day. If he can go on a run now and find some of his earlier season form he can be a real catalyst in terms of firing us into the playoffs, similar to Cameron Jerome’s end of season form under Rowett despite being absolutely awful up to that point, goals breed confidence for 9’s like that.
- All in all I’m trying really hard to be optimistic because I hate being dragged into agendas of manager in or manager out, especially if it’s a manager I genuinely like as a person, Warne gives me so much optimism when he speaks but it’s nowhere near reflected on the pitch, the Forest Green game was a pretty rank performance, I’m just hoping it can give us a bit of belief back and help spring us back into form, and not a false dawn like Oxford. We absolutely have to get the ball on the floor and play to our strengths, a win is a must.

Wildsmith 
      Chester          Cashin        Roberts 
NML                       Bird                       Sibley
                Knight             Hourihane   
                Collins           Mcgoldrick 
Subs- McGee, Rooney, Forsyth, Smith, White, Barkhuizen, Dobbin
- Far from a good performance against Forest Green, and it’s tempting to make more changes, but the team did get the job done and realistically you wanna give them more time to gel in the system to help put performances together. Temptation there to perhaps put Forsyth in at the back with Roberts further forward and Sibley central, gotta pull the trigger on that Bird, Knight and Sibley midfield at some point right? But I think consistency with slight rotation will be key for us now. Bird back in to help us on the ball, though I think Smith will probably start because he seems like a Warne favourite.
- Collins is a completely different player when we play 3 at the back, scores goals, gets about and is effective, look at his performances against the likes of Cambridge in Warne’s first game, Port Vale at home until he decided he wanted to have  a punch up, MK Dons away, Forest Green, even at times against Ipswich he looked a better player than we’ve been seeing. Compare this to when we play a 4 and it’s like night and day. If he can go on a run now and find some of his earlier season form he can be a real catalyst in terms of firing us into the playoffs, similar to Cameron Jerome’s end of season form under Rowett despite being absolutely awful up to that point, goals breed confidence for 9’s like that.
- All in all I’m trying really hard to be optimistic because I hate being dragged into agendas of manager in or manager out, especially if it’s a manager I genuinely like as a person, Warne gives me so much optimism when he speaks but it’s nowhere near reflected on the pitch, the Forest Green game was a pretty rank performance, I’m just hoping it can give us a bit of belief back and help spring us back into form, and not a false dawn like Oxford. We absolutely have to get the ball on the floor and play to our strengths, a win is a must.

I suppose my somewhat greater concern is that we have in our squad 3 young players who should be able to stroll this league. Yet at no point has our manager seemingly wanted to find a way to get Knight, Bird and Sibley in the same midfield, to get the best out of them. Seem to be moving further from playing in a way that even gets the best of one of them!
An also worrying notion that Sibley and Knight can't be in the same midfield...

Sibley played in the wrong position and then taken off for Barkhuizen to come on in the wrong position. Neither is a wing back. It feels a missed opportuunity, not utilizing the players properly. Hopefully we can see it out and get the much-needed points, but this doesn't feel the way to optimal play ourselves into playoff form.

Thing is, when we went on that unbeaten run some of the football was a lovely. A real mix between direct play (with intent rather than aimlessly lifting it up field) and passing through the lines. This was only possible because of the accurate direct balls which forced the opposition back creating space for us to play in. Turned into hoof merchants and I reckon I could currently beat most our players in a 40 yard sprint. 
 
Needed to be giving Thompson minutes to keep Hourihane fresh. Needed to be getting more of Dobbin and Osula/Springett on to give NML and Barkhuizen a rest to keep them fresh. If that meant some areas of the pitch were weakened in some games then so be it if it let us carry on the more intense press a bit longer into the season. 

We look so much better when we play with the ball on the floor, all our positive play today was from passing the ball from the defence and using the passing ability of our midfielders. Yet we seem to spend half the time slinging the ball for Collins or Mcgoldrick in the air when neither of them ever look like winning it, doesn’t make sense

Wildsmith 
      Rooney       Cashin      Forsyth
Knight         Smith    Bird (C)           Roberts 
                  Sibley         Dobbin    
                        Mcgoldrick 
Subs- McGee, Chester, Hourihane, White, NML, Barkhuizen, Collins 
- Actually think the 3 at the back worked quite well as a system against Ipswich once we’d settled into the game, just felt the personnel was wrong. Get Knight as a wing at wing back to provide energy, NML’s clearly knackered and Knight’s best form this season was arguably playing right back, think Roberts did a good job on the left against Ipswich, he’s been our best player recently.
- Use Sibley and Dobbin as 2 10’s playing off Mcgoldrick, a number of teams play multiple number 10’s now, Sibley and Dobbin provide energy and are willing to take players on and try things, even if it doesn’t always come off. Let the wing backs provide the width and allow the 10’s to create problems in the middle.
- We need to score early, if we get to half time at 0-0 I’d worry, teams know they can beat us second half if they change tactically at half time, we don’t adapt well.
                        

Wildsmith 
      Rooney       Cashin      Forsyth
Knight         Smith    Bird (C)           Roberts 
                  Sibley         Dobbin    
                        Mcgoldrick 
Subs- McGee, Chester, Hourihane, White, NML, Barkhuizen, Collins 
- Actually think the 3 at the back worked quite well as a system against Ipswich once we’d settled into the game, just felt the personnel was wrong. Get Knight as a wing at wing back to provide energy, NML’s clearly knackered and Knight’s best form this season was arguably playing right back, think Roberts did a good job on the left against Ipswich, he’s been our best player recently.
- Use Sibley and Dobbin as 2 10’s playing off Mcgoldrick, a number of teams play multiple number 10’s now, Sibley and Dobbin provide energy and are willing to take players on and try things, even if it doesn’t always come off. Let the wing backs provide the width and allow the 10’s to create problems in the middle.
- We need to score early, if we get to half time at 0-0 I’d worry, teams know they can beat us second half if they change tactically at half time, we don’t adapt well.
                        

Wildsmith 
      Rooney       Cashin      Forsyth
Knight         Smith    Bird (C)           Roberts 
                  Sibley         Dobbin    
                        Mcgoldrick 
Subs- McGee, Chester, Hourihane, White, NML, Barkhuizen, Collins 
- Actually think the 3 at the back worked quite well as a system against Ipswich once we’d settled into the game, just felt the personnel was wrong. Get Knight as a wing at wing back to provide energy, NML’s clearly knackered and Knight’s best form this season was arguably playing right back, think Roberts did a good job on the left against Ipswich, he’s been our best player recently.
- Use Sibley and Dobbin as 2 10’s playing off Mcgoldrick, a number of teams play multiple number 10’s now, Sibley and Dobbin provide energy and are willing to take players on and try things, even if it doesn’t always come off. Let the wing backs provide the width and allow the 10’s to create problems in the middle.
- We need to score early, if we get to half time at 0-0 I’d worry, teams know they can beat us second half if they change tactically at half time, we don’t adapt well.
                        

Wildsmith 
      Rooney       Cashin      Forsyth
Knight         Smith    Bird (C)           Roberts 
                  Sibley         Dobbin    
                        Mcgoldrick 
Subs- McGee, Chester, Hourihane, White, NML, Barkhuizen, Collins 
- Actually think the 3 at the back worked quite well as a system against Ipswich once we’d settled into the game, just felt the personnel was wrong. Get Knight as a wing at wing back to provide energy, NML’s clearly knackered and Knight’s best form this season was arguably playing right back, think Roberts did a good job on the left against Ipswich, he’s been our best player recently.
- Use Sibley and Dobbin as 2 10’s playing off Mcgoldrick, a number of teams play multiple number 10’s now, Sibley and Dobbin provide energy and are willing to take players on and try things, even if it doesn’t always come off. Let the wing backs provide the width and allow the 10’s to create problems in the middle.
- We need to score early, if we get to half time at 0-0 I’d worry, teams know they can beat us second half if they change tactically at half time, we don’t adapt well.
                        

Wildsmith 
      Rooney       Cashin      Forsyth
Knight         Smith    Bird (C)           Roberts 
                  Sibley         Dobbin    
                        Mcgoldrick 
Subs- McGee, Chester, Hourihane, White, NML, Barkhuizen, Collins 
- Actually think the 3 at the back worked quite well as a system against Ipswich once we’d settled into the game, just felt the personnel was wrong. Get Knight as a wing at wing back to provide energy, NML’s clearly knackered and Knight’s best form this season was arguably playing right back, think Roberts did a good job on the left against Ipswich, he’s been our best player recently.
- Use Sibley and Dobbin as 2 10’s playing off Mcgoldrick, a number of teams play multiple number 10’s now, Sibley and Dobbin provide energy and are willing to take players on and try things, even if it doesn’t always come off. Let the wing backs provide the width and allow the 10’s to create problems in the middle.
- We need to score early, if we get to half time at 0-0 I’d worry, teams know they can beat us second half if they change tactically at half time, we don’t adapt well.
                        

Didn’t Rooney used to go and give team talks to the under 23’s sometimes or have I imagined that? As well as some of the senior plays in the squad (Kazim-Richards etc)? I know he was forced into playing a lot of them but I always loved how he engaged with the academy, I wasn’t a big fan of him and I think he’s been exposed as a manager without the staff he had here but it’s one big plus I’d give him.

Didn’t Rooney used to go and give team talks to the under 23’s sometimes or have I imagined that? As well as some of the senior plays in the squad (Kazim-Richards etc)? I know he was forced into playing a lot of them but I always loved how he engaged with the academy, I wasn’t a big fan of him and I think he’s been exposed as a manager without the staff he had here but it’s one big plus I’d give him.

I want to like Warne. He's a funny man, he wears a bobble hat but, but....
All this about 4 year contract to build up the ethos of the club and he can't be bothered to watch the kids play???!!!! Eeek. That doesn't sit well for me.
His team selections and tactics are another thing but I give him the benefit of the doubt over that because we don't know the physical state of the squad.
I was a Warne sceptic when he first arrived but I quietened down in the light of the good run - and to give the guy a chance - but I'm afraid my fears are resurfacing.

We can all play the Football Manager random formation generator but I do find the non-selection of players who have contributed goals odd, particularly when we're clearly struggling to find the net. He's also said how difficult is been to play against Ipswich and Plymouth because they play two no.10s.
We have two of the better no.10s in the league in Sibz and Didz why aren't we trying that and get them feeding off Collins' hold up play (or at least get them trying to predict which direction his first touch will bounce...)
You could have Knight and Roberts at full back giving some width and pace. Bird, Hourihane and Smith in the middle which would leave us much less open to losing control of the middle and rampant counter attacks. 
NML, Barks and Dobbin could all fulfill that no.10 type role too and/or adjust it slightly to have them playing a bit wider.
It's probably too late in the day to start messing about to this level but I can't help feel we're trying to fit the players we have into a system and a style of play rather than the other way around.
Can one of the youngsters try this out in the latest version of FM and report back how we get on?

Wildsmith 
      Rooney       Cashin      Forsyth
Knight         Smith    Bird (C)           Roberts 
                  Sibley         Dobbin    
                        Mcgoldrick 
Subs- McGee, Chester, Hourihane, White, NML, Barkhuizen, Collins 
- Actually think the 3 at the back worked quite well as a system against Ipswich once we’d settled into the game, just felt the personnel was wrong. Get Knight as a wing at wing back to provide energy, NML’s clearly knackered and Knight’s best form this season was arguably playing right back, think Roberts did a good job on the left against Ipswich, he’s been our best player recently.
- Use Sibley and Dobbin as 2 10’s playing off Mcgoldrick, a number of teams play multiple number 10’s now, Sibley and Dobbin provide energy and are willing to take players on and try things, even if it doesn’t always come off. Let the wing backs provide the width and allow the 10’s to create problems in the middle.
- We need to score early, if we get to half time at 0-0 I’d worry, teams know they can beat us second half if they change tactically at half time, we don’t adapt well.
                        

Wildsmith 
      Rooney       Cashin      Forsyth
Knight         Smith    Bird (C)           Roberts 
                  Sibley         Dobbin    
                        Mcgoldrick 
Subs- McGee, Chester, Hourihane, White, NML, Barkhuizen, Collins 
- Actually think the 3 at the back worked quite well as a system against Ipswich once we’d settled into the game, just felt the personnel was wrong. Get Knight as a wing at wing back to provide energy, NML’s clearly knackered and Knight’s best form this season was arguably playing right back, think Roberts did a good job on the left against Ipswich, he’s been our best player recently.
- Use Sibley and Dobbin as 2 10’s playing off Mcgoldrick, a number of teams play multiple number 10’s now, Sibley and Dobbin provide energy and are willing to take players on and try things, even if it doesn’t always come off. Let the wing backs provide the width and allow the 10’s to create problems in the middle.
- We need to score early, if we get to half time at 0-0 I’d worry, teams know they can beat us second half if they change tactically at half time, we don’t adapt well.
                        

Think the loan system’s something of a myth below premier league level really, how many of our academy products who’ve gone on to play first team football regularly in the past 10 years have had loans? Hendrick, Hughes, Bogle, Bird, Knight, Sibley, Cashin, Ebosele, Thompson (before now, and you can hardly say getting tonked every week with Scunthorpe is helping him), Buchanan, Plange, Ebiowei, don’t think any had loans, only one I can think of is Max Lowe, the rest all came straight into the first team. The best place for them is the under 21’s where they can learn the style of play and develop understanding with each other, hence the success of Bird and Knight when they broke through together.
I would also ask why players like Rooney and Thompson at least couldn’t have played minutes for the 21’s when they haven’t for the first team, benefits everyone surely?
 

Wildsmith 
      Rooney       Cashin      Forsyth
Knight         Smith    Bird (C)           Roberts 
                  Sibley         Dobbin    
                        Mcgoldrick 
Subs- McGee, Chester, Hourihane, White, NML, Barkhuizen, Collins 
- Actually think the 3 at the back worked quite well as a system against Ipswich once we’d settled into the game, just felt the personnel was wrong. Get Knight as a wing at wing back to provide energy, NML’s clearly knackered and Knight’s best form this season was arguably playing right back, think Roberts did a good job on the left against Ipswich, he’s been our best player recently.
- Use Sibley and Dobbin as 2 10’s playing off Mcgoldrick, a number of teams play multiple number 10’s now, Sibley and Dobbin provide energy and are willing to take players on and try things, even if it doesn’t always come off. Let the wing backs provide the width and allow the 10’s to create problems in the middle.
- We need to score early, if we get to half time at 0-0 I’d worry, teams know they can beat us second half if they change tactically at half time, we don’t adapt well.
                        

We look so much better when we play with the ball on the floor, all our positive play today was from passing the ball from the defence and using the passing ability of our midfielders. Yet we seem to spend half the time slinging the ball for Collins or Mcgoldrick in the air when neither of them ever look like winning it, doesn’t make sense

I’ll carry on making this point until I’m blue in the face because I just don’t get it, Louie Sibley is the last player to score a goal for us, won the game with a brace at Oxford, should’ve had a run of games in the 10 after that to help him put some form together. Yet here we are 3 games later and he’s back on scrap minutes as though it’s last season, coming on with 12 to go at 2 down and expecting him to change the game is a joke.
The last two games we’ve played well in patches with lots of possession without ever really creating anything, it’s been crying out for someone to take the game by the scruff of the neck and start running at people and having shots from outside the box, Sibley has the ability to do that yet he’s sat twiddling his thumbs on the bench, he came on at bloody wing back last week and still created one of our best chances of the game. That midfield yesterday was severely lacking goals and creativity, at least Sibley will take risks and try things.

The annoying thing is he puts his faith in Dobbin, he's given him so many more chances to create/score. But at this level (for starters) why not Sibbo?!

A thousand times this. Warne is running out of games to get it right. I hope it's not stubbornness, but managers do often try to overcomplicate things to somehow prove themselves cleverer than the fans. We need to create more and score more and we'll clearly do that if we put our faith in Louie Sibley as an attacking midfielder. Choose not to do it and I'm not now sure we'll get back into the playoff positions, having dropped out.