Holmes_and_Watson

Skate

Fault

Good point. I was thinking more of tenure and development. Beeb often have senior tiddlywinks correspondent etc. No reason why anyone can't get hired to a senior position. But that might cause some issues, if they are clearly not ready for it. Certainly shouldn't be long before all the games will have a different mix, with those that have been doing well, getting fast tracked.

Martin very positive, while also being very honest about expectations there. Hopefully, we're going to see Mara continue to push on, as Edozie has.

In the last game, there were a few wasted touches, and a bit of frustration. He also still has development to do, if put out wide (shame, as there's a squad gap there he could have moved into). But, he was more physical, as you say. His positioning was decent and he popped up to try and get on the end of/ get involved in a number of different situations. That's been the case for his last few appearances. I'd say there was some progress, not least in playing within Martin's system.

Is there any seniority system at play, where certain people will be in the pool for bigger games? The Beeb used to have someone cover the England internationals on the radio. He clearly thought the friendlies were a waste of time, and would never fail to let listeners know about it before each game. But, as he was senior whatever, he was always there. No doubt a position he was keen to make sure he kept for the other internationals. You'd think the employers would just decide. But there may be some contractual things, as well as all the newer people having to work up to being in that pool. Just a thought.

I don't recall the cats giving me any choice on the matter. 🙂

Spy

Cane

Steel

I think he was very quickly out with how happy he was here and wanted to stay, a while back.

Martin: RIght lads. Play for the draw. Just pass it around the middle a lot. Team: But I thought we were going to do something different. 🙂

There will be a thread on here somewhere, complaining he wasn't hitting the xG expected at pre-school level.

I tune into a match 30 seconds before kick off. From what I've seen, SKY have have abandoned half time punditry to get more ads in. If it's any other platform, I'm off to make a cup of tea. I turn off right after the match. There are plenty of replays as part of the in-match coverage. On the rare occassion I catch MotD, it's on Iplayer and I fast forward past all the punditry. I'll invariably catch bits and pieces. But the reason for trying to avoid the above, is the lack of quality in the punditry. From what I've accidentally caught, I've not found any of it enlightening/ informative. That leaves the in-match pundit and the radio punditry. I'd be happier listening to the crowd noise than the first, and the radio is more concerned with them having a chat/ flogging their podcasts than giving any sense of what's going on in the match. There are exceptions, but it would have been all-bloke punditry that formed my views on all of that. I can't imagine a switch of the gender of pundit making it any less informative than it was. I don't really follow the names to remember which ones I dislike most. Clinton Morrison holds a special place, for not being able to complete a sentence on the radio. But then, there was a rush to get ethnic diversity in at the same time as gender diversity (with so long being sexist, racist and elitist, lots of catching up for a lot of broadcasters to do). So, that could be part of that. He's probably not even the worst, just the one I remember. One of the most insightful bits of commentary was from a female pundit, who was struggling until she abandoned the media training (which I think might actually be why a lot of them are rubbish IMO) and gave a tactical breakdown of what she was seeing.

I thought this was actually first reported a lot earlier than it was. I remember my first thought at reading the PO's robust defence in Computer Weekly. That they were utterly wrong, because there wasn't a chance what they were saying reflected any existing rollout. When it was reported again, I moved that view to one between utter incompetence and complicity in covering up data. Because that reporting alone must have prompted the questions necessary to have raised red flags. Even if the third party had explicitly signed off that their software was given to them by an infallible deity, and that it was completely full proof, it would still have raised concerns. It didn’t take long for there to be a clear feeling that those in the PO were more than happy to throw post masters to the wolves, rather than admit any failings in the system they had backed to the hilt. They, and the third parties, made sure to support each other every step of the way. It would have been wholly negligent of the PO not to have investigated sufficiently to have raised issues. And that’s the starting point to just how far they went to pervert the course of investigations/ justice. I was furious about it at the time, and it’s things like this and the blood scandal that completely undermine any trust in judicial/ state systems.

Manager has a go at Sunak one week, signs his political heroes in the next.🙂

Another game where we have loads of possession. Whetehr we get one or 4, there's always that feeling that we've got more chances and effforts that could so easily have come off. What a difference between this and our shambles of a team in nose dive last season, and our team of want aways earlier in this season. Today, we rested quite a few after a really hectic period, gave extra minutes to those who have already been involved as subs, and give starts and sub appearences to some of our youngsters. It doesn't get much better in squad management terms than that, with such a comfortable victory. We got an early lead, lost a bit of tempo until the likes of Stephens and Fraser drove us up a bit. After that our dominance in both possession and chances rose again. We were only at danger shooting ouselves in the foot today. Holgate, Stpehens and later Smallbone (form a little further up) a bit complacent in a pass. Like his earlier game, Holgate feeling he had to get the pass away in this system, rather than waiting to pick out the better option. Stephens trying to take on everyone needlessly. And those stood out because we were otherwise very comfortable. Meghoma did well, showing pace and keen to get a delivery in. I liked SAA in earleir appearances, but he found chances harder to come by as we went through that horrible September. Like Edozie, no reason why he won;t improve with each outing. With us well in the lead, Dibling and Bragg got pots of space and took every opportunity to impress. Dibling strong and keen to take players on, while looking at that final delivery. Bragg, with good judgement and passing range. Mara and Alcaraz are relative verterans compared to those other youngsters. Not everything they did came off, as you'd expect (not just from them). But both were hungry, mobile and kept going. And both were part of or at the end of goal scoring moves. Fraser clearly MOM today. Gave everything over the 90, and knacked at the end of it. Top performance. Stephens, apart form the odd brainfart moment did very well pushing us forward. THB, until he went off really good as always. I wonder how Bednerak is looking at things. He's been very important to us this season. You just think Martin really likes Stephens' more forward, vocal, driving approach. Looks as though, with KWP going forward, he might get all 3 playing. Holgate just a bit behind them really, and at right back too. Lumley got to play BazBall today. He did fine. There was an ealry moment of rustiness, as a unit, doing it. But after that fine. He did everyhting asked of him. Smallbone, as I've said lots, is having to pick up lots of different roles in the side, as required. He had license to push further up today, more than usual with Stephens, Charles and later Bragg in there. Like some others, not everythign is going to come off. But Martin must be really pleased with having him, and at his progression. The unbeaten run continues. Along with it, it's great to see we've still got plenty of potential and developing talent.

We're certianly trying to tee up Fraser for his hat trick. Just not quite getting it too him smoothly.

Just a little much on the pass from Dibling. Did well to win it and pass it though.

Stephens trying too much there. He should know better than that. Smallbone would normally do that 2 foot pass back to Baz, but not to Lumley. Dibling should play to the whistle.

I think Fraser is annoye as much because of all the effort he expends on those offside runs, as the offside itself. 🙂

Nice from Stpehens to pick out Alcaraz there. We had a moment with Charles, Smallbone and Bragg within a short distance of each other. Another reminder in this line up, Smallbone can get forward, whch he did. Dibling looking to take them on. Which at 4-0 up suits everyone.

Smallbone looking very much the veteran, linking up with Bragg and Dibling there. 🙂

Wallsall's Foulkes just handing back the "Come back with 5 goals" ringbinder to the coaches.

SAA off for Bragg! Yay!