Chez

Get the fuck in there. Jesus my stream is behind.

I'm not hearing anything about Tonda's lack of experience today for some reason...

im with you. Oyekunle looked miles off the pace against Leicester imo. we cant have that in this game. Archer has the pace to at least turn them around by playign it down the channels.

always got to play to players strengths.

when he gets a bit of space, he's class. works hard too.

Archer's run helping us create a good chance there. good stuff. he looks short of confidence though.

we are working really hard, but every cross that goes in i hold my breath. Keep going lads.

what an opportunity.

terrible starting position from THB and Wright should score. Got away with that. Boy do they get a lot of crosses in.

I was a bit disappointed in him when he came on in the Leicester cup game to be honest. Maybe an off day. Larin isnt going to do 90 minutes, so he could well get some time and maybe a chance of glory?

what a great save from Peretz to keep things level, but these crosses are dangerous and they could have scored from a header (Peretz perhaps should have come?) and then the shot shorty after. A little dissapointed we have not managed to get players deep into the box when Manning and Azaz have got to the byeline.

That's the spirit.

It's two minutes since we smashed five past QPR, so possibly a little harsh to say our attackers are not in great form, but I know what you mean. Don't forget we ripped Fulham reserves to shreds at times, all be it we didn't score the two or three goals our approach play deserved. If Azaz gets room and plays well, we do create chances. OK, the squad might be a little less strong than if everyone wass fit, but every team has injuries and missing JayRob and Wellington isn't horrific a this stage of the season. Losing Scienza and Fellows' form is a concern though. Having Larin and Stewart, even for a half, is a lot better situation than we had before. I don't think we should be looking for excuses. The likes of Edozie need to step up and prove they can be relied upon. I do worry we will be found out against the top sides in the run in. Our run of bad and good form makes us really hard to work out. The league doesn't lie though, does it? We are not a top side, but if we could get back in the groove and win another 6 games I'm sure I will feel differently. The good thing is, we have a fantastic young manager that is continuously outwitting his old, probably outdated foes who seem stuck in their ways and will be scarred by their experiences. Much better to have some new blood bringing fresh ideas and a real understanding of players that are close to his age. What I like about him is that he is inexperienced, and that naivity allows him to just get on and do what he thinks is right rather than worry about what happened the last time. I know you love him to bits and will agree with this sentiment entirely 😉

I thought it was Disraeli, but Google tells me otherwise.

unpopular opinions are more popular than they used to be.

8pm on a Saturday - that wont do any harm to the atmosphere at SMS...at least until we concede the third goal. I seem to recall playing Arsenal in the cup with a bunch of kids and getting thrashed (forgive me if that has already been dicussed on this threaad). When was that? Not great fun. Going to b really tough, obviously, but I hope we can stay in the game at least.

Possibly. I always like Armstrong's work rate and pace and felt one of his better games was against Newcastle in the league cup semi final a few years back when playing right wing. Although he is not a winger, he always gave you something, wherever you play him. he did provide pace, but I am not sure he gives you the dribbling that fellows provides. Fellows hasn't been as bad as some make out. The Leicester game was bad, and he hasn't been great since, plus his overall goal contributions (is that the right way of describing goals and assists) isn't good, but he has still contributed. His keeps the ball well and usually he does go at the fullback.

I imagine Newcastle will keep us hanging on all summer. We get to pay him £50k (or thereabouts) a week for 3 months and then they'll low ball us. We need a second club to come in and force their hand. Not sure who that would be.

Agreed. He wasn't at the top of his game and he didn't offer us that physical presence we badly needed. If we could have sold Archer, I think that would have been the club's preference, but no one want to buy him. Having sent him out on loan the previous season, I was surprised he didn't force a move in the summer. He can't have been happy. I think the move made sense to all parties. Removing his wages has paid for Larin/Peretz.

Do we? We seem to have done pretty well since we replaced him with Larin and a "fit" Stewart.

The bottom teams do get results against the better sides, the skates stuffed Millwall at their place. Leicester just beat Bristol City, Oxford drew at Boro etc. These teams are no mugs. Go a goal in front and you have something to hold on to and you can loo to catch teams on the break. If you are losing, your play can often be a little desperate. Teams drop deep and there is no space to play in. Even the absolute best teams (like Man City were) at breaking down sides that are parking the bus can come up short. So, its not surprising middle of the road teams like us struggle.

Feel the same. We need to beat the top sides before I'm convinced about the manager and the team. The one thing is add is that I'm not totally sure the players we have are world beaters, so even if we had the best manager in the works we still might not have been top 2.

Stewart had to go off. So I assume you would have brought Archer on at half time to play 442?

bores people more like.

we played badly, but Tonda's in play changes helped rescue a point, so i imagine the posts will be balanced...