Saint86

Similar. I criticised him early on for the team looking extremely disjointed and poorly coached - but clearly that doesn't apply anymore and fair play to him. I am genuinely impressed by how quickly he has learnt and adapted to the squad and the league. Player rotation has been good and fitness and game time has been well managed (including reintroducing Archer and Edozie so they were fresh when needed). He has also given game time to some of the academy players throughout the recent run. We do have a strong squad, this is true, but i equally do not think it would be realistic to expect any manager to have achieved a greater points return than he has managed recently. When you considered we went to Coventry away and were good value for the win, and similar to Fulham and arguably deserved that win - i struggle to think many people can be unhappy with him any longer. He's earned his stripes at this point. I just hope even the dreaded "vote of confidence" from the fans all getting on board with him isn't the kiss of death...

Nutshell #2

No need, Basque cheesecake is the only true winner there. Victoria Sponge would get an honourable mention though.

It is what it is. But sadly we cannot "play the fringe"... if we send a side out to get battered it will damage momentum and dressing room morale. IMO, we need to go for it and give a good account of ourselves against the best side in the country - and hope we avoid extra time or injuries.

i think we all know why 🤷‍♂️ Hopefully this anti semitic attack has the opposite effect to what was planned, an actually shines a light on what is going on and brings people together.

No. I don't care how many players they skive off of international duty, they can't afford to go full strength vs us - they have: 07/04 - Sporting away 3 days later, 11/04 - Bompey home (lunchtime kick off) (that's a lot of travel). 15/04 - Sporting home 19/04 - Man City away. We're the easiest game right at the start of a tough run for them, and a lot of their players will be away on international duty and getting back late. They'll try to rotate vs us (like they did against Mansfield) and if we go for it (big if) they'll be there for the taking. We'll need to start strong and take our chances before the likes of Eze etc come on. Been having day dreams of them trying to load the box for corners - Trying to put 5 players around Peretz and hoof it in like Stoke or Wimbledon, but with Larin casually standing tall to boss them all whilst we leave all the speedy small players up field (like we did vs Coventry), and then just destroying them on the counter. Teach that Lego headed billion pound Pulis wannabe a few things. I know its a gamble that could backfire, but i want us to absolutely go for this one and to humble them. Could be a pivotal nail in the quad bottle coffin.

He should have been kept at the club. I am really pleased its working out for him, but its a pretty big bollock drop - how many goals have Archer, Stewart, Larin, and Downs got between them this year to make getting rid of such a promising kid worthwhile.... Not enough thats for sure. I hope we get him back at the club frankly.

Its not happening, people need to let this one go 😅 I fancy Coventry and Ipswich for the automatic spots, and us to go up via the play offs and make the fa cup semi finals... Not being too greedy i feel 🙃

Our run is harder than it looks imo - we have the most congested upcoming fixtures in the league (along with Ipswich). Oxford this weekend is the 5th game in 13days. The reality is they're unbeaten in 4, have only lost one of the last 5, and won 3 of the last 4. Including a draw away at boro. At the end of our current run, this is not an easy game. Two immediate 6 pointers - Wrexham (a) and Derby (who are playing very well). We play arsenal immediatley before them. That's 3 tough games in 7 days, and the absolute minimum we can get away with from the two league games is 4 points... A loss to Wrexham would be disastrous, a draw with Wrexham and a draw with derby would likely see us drop out of the play offs and put it into Wrexham's hands, and a draw with Wrexham and a loss to derby would likely see us fall behind both of them. We are also carrying key injuries currently - we cannot afford to lose any more first team squad players. So all in, that first week back is an absolutely massive week for us - could well be season defining. Swansea (a) - they are the 7th best home record in the division (above us, Wrexham, and hull) - thats not an easy game. As for the rest... Bristol city are a bogey team for us for whatever reason. You'd bet on us to break that but who really knows. Blackburn have a good new manager, are in form, and will be fighting for their lives. Ipswich are probably the other "best" side in the division, and will be scrapping for autos. Its a developing picture, but on current look, i'd say we've got the following: Summary: Oxford (h) - its going to be a tough slog imo. *** International break *** (04/04 - Arsenal) 07-04 - Wrexham (a) - tough (3days later) 11/04 - Derby (h) - tough (4days later) *** 7day break *** 18/04 - Swansea (a) - tough 21/04 - Bristol City (h) - medium (3day later) 25/04 - Blackburn (h) - medium (4days later) - This is also the FA Cup semi final weekend, so if we did make it, you would imagine the 7day break above will be filled by a rearranged game. 28/04 - Ipswich (h) - medium ( 3days later) 02/05 - Preston away - medium (4days later) We have put ourselves in a fantastic position - but I think its asking a lot of the team to maintain the current intensity and performances throughout the run in. I just can't see us going on winning games, so its going to be tense and proper squeaky bum time to get over the line... Make it in the playoffs though, and you've got to fancy us. Championship play off semi finals take place in the 2weeks after the season closing - so up to 16th i'd guess. If by some complete miracle we win 2 more games in the cup and manager the play offs, the FA cup final is on the 16th May... (championship teams aren't expected to make it)... Playoff final is the 23rd May.

As much as i would love this to be the case, the Reading style "McDermot" just isn't on. There is essentially no chance we're catching up 10 points in 8 games at this end of the table, let alone overhauling the 4 sides between us and claiming 2nd. Maybe we can grab 4th and get a home playoff 2nd leg... but right now i'd just be happy to take the playoff spot, or perhaps a cheeky 5th. We have the hardest fixtures of us, Wrexham, and derby.

Needs to have Derby added i reckon.

Perhaps, but Scienza, Azaz, Peretz, and Jander are all superb signings. Larin is a solid addition given limited financial wriggle room as well. Fellows is a good player (but he's off form lately), and the club have broadly done well defensively from a depth perspective (if you consider the players that have been out over the season we've been pretty solid there so far). CM was always strong - i don't think there is a better CM in the league than ours with Downes, Jander, Charles, and Bragg. And its worked out very well letting Bree go out for fitness and a reset, and then the decision to bring him back in - i think he is our best RB now... Been a few misses as well (their always are in truth), but Spors has done pretty well with his first 2 windows - not to mention the fact that he largely cleared out the stink of last season and shifted an impressive number of players out the door.

Tonight had shades of the Seige of Elland Road for me... not quite as epic, but its a similar goalkeeping performance re bringing home 3 points for a promotion charge. For a non tranmere related memory...

Spors' next conversation with Bayern...

Suspect he'll be on the bench vs Oxford, but only used if needed.