What’s missing?

Yesterday’s game was terrible to watch. We are missing Scanell and Williams imo

Mckeown
Hendrie Waterfall Pollock Preston
Clifton Williams Rose
Scannell Hanson Windsor

That’s the most creative team I can see in the current mix

Edwards and Wright are game changers for me.

Harry’s energy in midfield and Williams creative ability. Saw several times we were one good pass away from been in behind. But that’ll come I’m sure with some time on the training pitch.

I think there are two things at play here. Firstly, we’ve pursued a recruitment approach which prioritises numbers over individual quality - we have a big squad, not necessarily a brilliant one.

We’ve done that for a reason, which brings me onto the second point. We face a ridiculous succession of Saturday, Tuesday fixtures. Throw in travel, and that takes a huge toll on the fitness of players.

By mixing it up as we’ve been doing, you keep players fresher and less prone to injury. The play-off of course is that you lose fluidity between the players on the pitch, and you’re less likely to be playing your best available eleven for any given fixture.

This was never an approach likely to see us come out of the blocks strong. Only time will tell whether it was the right one as we get deeper into this most arduous of seasons.

Quoted from Poojah

I think there are two things at play here. Firstly, we’ve pursued a recruitment approach which prioritises numbers over individual quality - we have a big squad, not necessarily a brilliant one.

We’ve done that for a reason, which brings me onto the second point. We face a ridiculous succession of Saturday, Tuesday fixtures. Throw in travel, and that takes a huge toll on the fitness of players.

By mixing it up as we’ve been doing, you keep players fresher and less prone to injury. The play-off of course is that you lose fluidity between the players on the pitch, and you’re less likely to be playing your best available eleven for any given fixture.

This was never an approach likely to see us come out of the blocks strong. Only time will tell whether it was the right one as we get deeper into this most arduous of seasons.

I don’t like the current strategy but have to acknowledge as I think many others do that Ollie knows more about the levels of his players than we do and is operating a selection policy to protect them from silly injuries etc..

I’m sure he’d pick the same 11 each week if he could and who knows as we go into the back 9 of this season maybe he’ll get the opportunity to do so.

What does strike me is that the EFL trophy adding more fixtures to the schedule isn’t helping overall but the next couple of games In that competition could work to our advantage as it will give some game time to those that have hardly featured and possibly allow Ollie to get closer to his best 11.

I dont get this swapping and changing to avoid injuries it seems half the squad are out injured in any one week anyway, so it can't be working can it?

Quoted from promotion plaice

Edwards and Wright are game changers for me.

With these 2 on the pitch we’re a top half team but without pretty average. As we are nearly a quarter of the way through season I see little progress but some optimism. However, as the footballing ecosystem is so fragile a run of bad luck, injuries, gelling in time, dressing room incongruence and covid interruption could see us within site of the trap door all season. On the other hand the “Johnson” scenario could see us top of the League by Christmas.

Quoted from Madeleymariner

I dont get this swapping and changing to avoid injuries it seems half the squad are out injured in any one week anyway, so it can't be working can it?

If we are playing twice a week anyway the players should naturally stay fit and training can be reduced accordingly.

I think the fact that we have such a massive squad is almost a justification in itself for the constant swapping and changing.

I disagree Rob. Constant competition tires players out. The only sports that requires athletes to compete so frequently are cycling and tennis. And they have gaps normally between the major competitions and some teams prioritise one event per year.

Training sessions are not just about fitness either. They are about team preparation, running through drills etc. They’re chances for the coach to get across what he wants players to do in a way that you can’t in a competitive match.

Our most effective attacking display this season was Cheltenham away and we had real pace and inventiveness up front. We got in behind and ran at tall slow defenders, so perhaps having Hanson in the team is not the answer from the start but an option from the bench.

Think the back 5 picks itself and is reasonably solid but with Cliftons energy and Williams' industry supported by Rose shielding the defence. We should have a frontline of.......

Scannell/Wright        Windsor        Edwards/Gibson