Gresty Road.

Big test on Saturday at one of our bogey grounds, Gresty Road. Last 5 visits there have brought 5 defeats, with 2 goals scored and 15 conceded.

I can see Jolley naming an unchanged team again for the 5th game in a row and hopefully we can keep up the unbeaten run and hopefully a 5th consecutive clean sheet.

I'm certainly a lot more confident of a decent result now than I was a few weeks ago.

Driven there the last five times. This time we are on the train, hope it changes our luck.

Quoted from Les Brechin

Big test on Saturday at one of our bogey grounds, Gresty Road. Last 5 visits there have brought 5 defeats, with 2 goals scored and 15 conceded.

I can see Jolley naming an unchanged team again for the 5th game in a row and hopefully we can keep up the unbeaten run and hopefully a 5th consecutive clean sheet.

I'm certainly a lot more confident of a decent result now than I was a few weeks ago.

He probably will but RHJ had a poor one as did Hooper so does he allow poor performers to retain a place to keep the unchanged tag or be brave enough and trusting enough to bring in the back up players.... Pringle, Woolford, Famewo could all play left side instead of Hooper potentially...not sure what other single option we have to swap RHJ out though ?

Famewo's a centre back not a left winger. Not sure whats going on with Pringle, hasn't even been getting time off the bench.

Quoted from moosey_club

He probably will but RHJ had a poor one as did Hooper so does he allow poor performers to retain a place to keep the unchanged tag or be brave enough and trusting enough to bring in the back up players.... Pringle, Woolford, Famewo could all play left side instead of Hooper potentially...not sure what other single option we have to swap RHJ out though ?

Disagree with this thinking.
That team hasn't conceded in 4 matches now...so if it ain't broke don't fix it is my view.

Yes, some individuals have poor performances...only to be expected in L2. But the team came through.

Don't think you can expect players to perform at their best knowing that one poor game and they're out of the side.

Quoted from moosey_club

He probably will but RHJ had a poor one as did Hooper so does he allow poor performers to retain a place to keep the unchanged tag or be brave enough and trusting enough to bring in the back up players.... Pringle, Woolford, Famewo could all play left side instead of Hooper potentially...not sure what other single option we have to swap RHJ out though ?

Personally think a player should know that one poor performance will not mean you lose your place in the team as in most games you can expect at least three players not to be firing on all cylinders. RHJ certainly gave a poor back pass and Nouble gave him a tough time on occasions but given his size and pace that’s not a great surprise and his run from edge of his own box to our byline was pretty damn impressive IMO.

I have been one of Hoopers’ few supporters but picking on a point another poster made, I believe after the Exeter game, he appears to lack anticipation and never expects the ball to break his way or so he can get in front of a defender for crosses. On Tuesday a lovely ball in required Hooper to try & get his head on it but he just stood and watched it go by with no effort to try & score. Ideally Pringle would be now occupying that role but like others puzzled by his spasmodic appearances including not being in the reserve team last week.

That said 4 clean sheets means all players have contributed so I can accept no change for Saturday but have a feeling Hooper will start on the bench with maybe a 4-4-2 approach that could see skipper back in. Difficult one as I would not want to lose Rose or Clifton from playing centrally given recent performances.

Quoted from 137

Disagree with this thinking.
That team hasn't conceded in 4 matches now...so if it ain't broke don't fix it is my view.

Yes, some individuals have poor performances...only to be expected in L2. But the team came through.

Don't think you can expect players to perform at their best knowing that one poor game and they're out of the side.

I'm not one that subscribes to the cliche'd theory of "never change a winning team."

You're never going to keep winning forever, so why wait until you lose to make a change. Is it not better to anticipate what might be an area of the team that's under-performing or that just might benefit from a change at a particular time?

I'm not saying we SHOULD make changes after a win, but there are times when it's a good decision to do so. I can see why people say "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" but we're still a work in progress and there's plenty of things we can do better before we get to the stage of saying that.

Quoted from moosey_club

He probably will but RHJ had a poor one as did Hooper so does he allow poor performers to retain a place to keep the unchanged tag or be brave enough and trusting enough to bring in the back up players.... Pringle, Woolford, Famewo could all play left side instead of Hooper potentially...not sure what other single option we have to swap RHJ out though ?

I.d find a place for Hooper even if it meant him playing left back  

  I really don't get the calls for RHJ to be dropped. He gave away the penalty on Saturday and made one awful back pass under pressure on Tuesday, but all players make occasional mistakes and apart from those moments he has looked solid and athletic to me. His return to the team has coincided with a series of clean sheets. He definitely deserves to keep his place, in my opinion.
  J.J. Hooper is the player I would drop to the bench on Saturday. I would like to see Jordan Cook up front with Vernam and Thomas. I think that would be a potentially dangerous trio and we need to start scoring more goals.

I'd maybe swap the two-footed Embleton over to the left and play Hessenthaler on the right side of midfield either side of Vernam if Pringle isn't game ready to enable a straight swap with Hooper. Something like a 4-2-3-1 or keeping the fluid 4-4-2. Don't get the Hooper supporters. He was really poor again on Tuesday and looked half-assed and was ineffective all game. Bit of a myth that he provides adequate cover to Hendrie in my opinion and as for going forward.. The game on Tuesday night was crying out for us to have a more dynamic outlet on the left. We are on a decent run without dominating teams despite having Hooper in the team rather than because he's playing..

I don't think RHJ has been playing particularly well, but he's our only right-back (assuming Hendrie is going to be a fixture on the left) and he's pacier and more athletic than most of the other defensive options. I don't think it is a coincidence that results have improved since his return, but that doesn't mean I don't hope he finds some better form now his fitness is improving.

As for Hooper, he's ultimately a bit disappointing in most regards, but he does a job and I can see why Jolley likes to play him out on the left. He's reasonably pacy, reasonably good in the air and reasonably strong on the ball without being particularly good at anything. He didn't play well against Colchester (and I missed the Exeter game) but he can offer more physically than any of our other forwards and I think that is what is keeping his spot at present.

Just a pity he doesn't try his luck with pot shots more often as we've seen he is capable of scoring belters. If you can hit shots as well as he does on (rare) occasion, you'd think you would try to shoot a bit more often, but apparently not.

Quoted from TonySmith

  I really don't get the calls for RHJ to be dropped. He gave away the penalty on Saturday and made one awful back pass under pressure on Tuesday, but all players make occasional mistakes and apart from those moments he has looked solid and athletic to me. His return to the team has coincided with a series of clean sheets. He definitely deserves to keep his place, in my opinion.
  J.J. Hooper is the player I would drop to the bench on Saturday. I would like to see Jordan Cook up front with Vernam and Thomas. I think that would be a potentially dangerous trio and we need to start scoring more goals.

That'd mean a change in formation then, as we've been playing 4-4-2 with Hooper on the left of midfield.

I certainly wouldn’t bring Welsh back, nothing against the guy as I’m sure he’s a great pro but I think our increased energy and high pressing in midfield is because him and Woolford not involved

JJ will always be an enigma I think, he looks “lazy” even though I’m sure he’s trying

Same 11 for me, but at least we are now able to have a debate about changes because we have real options to bring in, which is good

Talking Walsh, is he on a 2 year deal, because just think how slow he'll be in 12 months time.

Quoted from lee65

I certainly wouldn’t bring Welsh back, nothing against the guy as I’m sure he’s a great pro but I think our increased energy and high pressing in midfield is because him and Woolford not involved

JJ will always be an enigma I think, he looks “lazy” even though I’m sure he’s trying

Same 11 for me, but at least we are now able to have a debate about changes because we have real options to bring in, which is good

Welsh is (by all accounts) a model pro - with experience at a higher level.

We have a lot of youngsters who have plenty to learn...not least how to think about the game.

I can imagine him benefiting the match-day side even if he doesn't make it onto the pitch.