Holmes_and_Watson

Solid defensive work by THB. Someone used to our opponents breaking.

Cornet putting over a deep ball, with 2 in the middle.

Another day where I'm happy to have SOG on ignore. Just from the responses, there's simply no issue, no matter the impact, that doesn't end up like this. I recently watched a long seminar from a leading international investigator into human trafficking and exploitation. Story after story of the organised crushing of innocence, liberty, spirit and life. Facilitated by groups with massive resources, corrupting the governance and societies of where they operate. And their operations are widespread. It's utterly harrowing. You feel a bit of you die inside as you're told about some of the typologies used by these people to get the attention and payment from the likes of Edwards. Just hearing about it causes that. SOG is focusing on Edwards specific offence. However, the phrasing is appalling. The flippant tone of the post, equally so. Not helped by the follow ups, where you just fail to understand the reaction. There's also a stunning lack of awareness in the impact and complexity of dealing with these people. Even if you just supplied the staples for the grown ups in law enforcement, you should have a much clearer view on just how close to crimes of the century these networks are. The more coverage and awareness to highlight, and help stop this, is just fine by me. Never too late to return to that post, consider the points raised and provide a revised version.

Radio 5 live were saying that the Brum v Wrexham game was getting coverage in the US. Beckham was there watching it.

Well that saved me a post. With the added benefit for everyone, that yours was a lot better than mine would have been. 🙂

Rail

Sad news, and our thoughts are with all his family, friends, colleagues and many fans. Part of an excellent team.

You know the old saying. No risk, no plummet down the table instead adopting a pragmatic, sustainable approach. 🙂

Bloomin' Neoplatonists. Wouldn't want them at our club, even if they do get a lucky run of seasons. 🙂

Perfect

Like Gloucester said, not my first choice. But preferred choice had just finished, and other option not on at all. A mile ahead of what else was on offer. A decent fall back option.

Played a lot in a Norwich defence. One that loved to pass it out to full backs. Which worked, when it had novelty and attacking full backs. Was dreadful when found out. Their midfield was never capable of shielding them either.

This week, I has been mostly drinking... Draft Sharp's Doom Bar

It will be nice to see something dynamic about our team. This post was brought to you by ACME Lines: "You set 'em up, and we'll deliver." Since 1885.

We'd have him hugging the touchline, allowing the defence to reset so he'd have to beat 4 players to get a shot in. That's if he's not too tired running about for passes that never come, or having to drop incredibly deep to recycle it.

Exactly my thought. AA wanted to be in the middle and had put enough credit in the bank, as far as the manager was concerned to play there. Despite our system and past record screaming out to not do that. If he comes out and bemoans a lack of taking our chances, then he has only to look at the moment in training when he left key moments in games up to whoever fancied it/ shouted loudest in training and some traditional view it has to be a number 9 taking them. One sub is tactical tweaking, relieving tired legs, or realising that there's an opportnity to exploit. 4 is realising that the game is gone, that it's been a tactical failure, and that you might as well give some minutes to others so they can get into the side for the next failure.

None of our players are the greatest. If any of them looked remotely like being anywhere close to that, they wouldn't be playing in our team. They'd have moved on, be looking to move on a free or SR would have sold them. Stephens is a PL squad player. He's had good games in the past, and he's had games where an error has been costly. At a guess, like many players playing in similar sides to ours (and a few higher up too). He gets a bump into teams because he brings vocal leadership to a squad that had none of it. He's also versatile in Martin's systems - whether 3 CBs, filling in as cover to inverted fullbacks or in pushing into midfield when the side desperately need some forward momentum. It's perfectly reasonable to argue about errors. Or when the systems he's brought into the team to support don't work and no one in the side has done enough to change anything. Or if the point of the systems in the first place, he's playing in. Arguably we've got a bit more leadership from some of the others now, and should have in Ramsdale too. Personally, I'd be playing Bedders and THB in a back 4, as I think THB would settle into it. Or at least give Stephens and others a clear opportunity to get into the side. Stephens, as 3rd choice (since no ABK too likely), would still have a considerable role to play.

Martin is very clear on his vision on how he wants his teams to play. He should stand or fall on that outlook. A DoF is not going to change that. And to be honest, I wouldn;t want them to. We went through a rubbish period when Ralph's tactics were tinkered with (after a similarly dismal spell before that). I'd rather he stays or goes based on his outlook, not given time on something that prolongs it needlessly.

Just watched all his Blackburn goals. Lots of them from central positions, and a lot of them against defences that are dropping back. He can take it in from the right or left channel for a decent shot too. A few scrappy ones in there, which I don't mind at all from a goalscorer. Has a good header about him too. And penalty conversion. So, to play him wide left while allowing every opponent to drop back and reset, offer no heading opportunities and not give him a penalty kick is utter madness.

Eaten by Haitian immigrants while trying to protect their newly born babies from post birth abortion, going by some of Trump's ramblings.

Oh dear. One main reason why we've not chased this has presumably been to keep some shape. Excpet we've seen how easily we get outthought defensivley. That was the cse for that third. It could easily have come earlier. I've seen 2 attempts at decent passing moves from us at pace in the second half. Neither ended up creating a chance. Beyond that, we were happy to sit off at 2-0 down and somehow hope they would dangerously over-commit. Instead, they had all the space, all the attack and all the chances. Changes the faces added no changes to that. Stephens red card just meant there was one less person to get in a late block. I guess Martin will look at the good start that the comments say we had. That we have to take our chances, and then look to being at 10 men when the thrid went in. He has to do that. Because we are not set up to fight, or take risks when conceding. Studio saying he will not change, and saying much the same as above. Looking for changes in personnel within the same system. Looking at highlights.... Dibling taking spot of Tella. Not a strong penalty. Martin will point out that's another set piece we've conceded from. Did our set piece guy leave? Stephens playing everyone onside. By a mile. Deserved red card too. THB letting everyone onside for the third, by a country mile too.

A limping Harry maguire, 250 year old Johnny Evans and Casemiro who they subbed recently for being a liability. Absolutely no pressure on any of them from us.

Whew! That was close.

Gosh! We nearly had a chance for Fraser or KWP to get a cross in. So glad it's gone all the way back to Ramsdale.

'tator 14 touches in opponent pen area in the first half. 2 in the second. Worse possession. Worse shots and shots on target by a far bit. Really not capable of getting back into a game. Which, combined with us setting up to always concede at least one, is not a good sign. Like AA, Martin will no doubt pint out that we have to be clinical with the chances we get.