Patches O Houlihan

That'll do pig, that'll do

So Sidney Fudge Packer isn't alone with that thought?

By 3 goals currently: +7 vs Swansea and West Ham with +4

By the way - Schlotterbeck - what a signing that looks like

Happy with that Wood playing really well. Bree is on it. Nice link up between Manning and Scienza. Larin looking sharp. Lots to like Just hope that when our first eleven get tired with this high pressing that the subs can pull their finger out and keep the pressure on.

JWP actually carried the ball forwards a number of times - 3 or 4 at least. I knew at some point Baird of the Land would make the lazy crab reference so I watched him in particular today. Yes he isn't barging players out of the way like Charles would - but he is tracking back and making tackles that Charles wouldn't, and is all ways 'in' the game rather than letting it pass him by. I think they are about equal as far as ability to shoot from the edge of the area or arriving late in the box to score is concerned.

The problem is not Downes and JWP. The problem is that the hard working effective players ahead of them being swapped for players who aren't. As I said last week if the players ahead of you are stood in the wrong place so a defender is blocking the pass then you are forced into sideways passing. This was JWPs pass map just before half time. Bearing in mind how deep Lincoln were defending during the first half this is not the crab football that you go on about - unless you think we should just aimlessly boot it into a packed box and hope for lucky breaks?

Downes and Matsuki do. That's why I was so pissed off when I saw Woof getting prepped to come on because I knew we would be taking the only remaining effective practical hardworking forward off, which would mean we would get pinned back. I'm off to kick the cat and bloody my knuckles in the garage.

Wood comes on 84th minute. Goal goes in 87th minute. He isn't up to speed with the game. It is symptomatic of the retreat tactic. If he starts the game he's up to speed. If he comes on for Stephens the team hasn't been told to retreat by the manager and the ball stays up the pitch so he most likely has time to adjust. I literally called the guy 'Donk' before the game I'm not a Wood fan boy. But this was on Tonda (and the recruitment) not Wood for me.

This is where the coaching team HAVE to earn their money. Mubama has some skill, but not ALL the skills - he needs to be doing double training: With the team and then one-to-one coaching on hold up and holding off dirty cloggers because this league is full of them and the Man City training session aren't. Edozie needs to be trained to lift his head up when he is going past players - I'm convinced that while he can do it, it requires 100% of his concentration and so he can never spot a Saints player to pass to wherever he happens to be on the pitch (or have the awareness of when to shoot). As a consequence either a) He loses it b) It goes out of play c) we get a free kick/penalty. It's not good enough after four years at the club Tonda HAS to learn this time, and REMEMBER that we cannot sit back and hold a lead - we haven't had this ability as a team for years, even against shit teams. It doesn't suit the culture of the club or the players. We just end up retreating when we bring on defensive reinforcements.

Tonda's mistakes today 1) Stephens when it should have been Wood 2) Scienza and Larin off on 60 mins. They needed to play another 10-14 mins minimum. 3) Should have been Wood for Stephens - you go to three at the back with the lightweight front three we were going to be left with and you are saying lets play back to the wall football for the last 12 minutes. I don't call him out much (if ever) but this was SO avoidable.

Fucking subbing on down grade players Fuck OFF

Edozie just don't know how to pass once he is dribbling head space - fin hell

classic Edozie play...

I'm loving the scoring of amazing goals shortly before the half time whistle!

Jo Tessie agreeing with me twice now on Stephens v Lincoln

JWP seemed tp be giving the pre-match huddle team talk

Ah but will it be our corner?!

For me Wood is the football equivalent of: "I don't need a gun; I've got a Donk" Not the sharpest tool - but effective in the right circumstances - and away at Lincoln would certainly be one of those. https://fb.watch/JrI40bimPU/

I didn't say Wood is better on the ball - we both know he's crap. What he is better at is dealing with the inevitable aerial bombardment, and also chasing back when they hit us on the break.

Wood is quicker, more physical, a better header and reads the game better than Stephens - so in his case this isn't a sensible argument. I think he's done it be cause "it's only Lincoln" and Jack can save face, by looking like he's part of a rotation.

Starting Edozie days after he issues a transfer request - It's a bold strategy, but I like the thinking. Plus he would be just as good at drawing fouls as Scienza which JWP (and possibly Manning if he's on the pitch) could exploit.

Apparently he was invited to train with the full England squad recently, which is not common for nippers - you'd imagine he must be quite handy to have had that invite.

...and he's been dead eight years