That’s nothing. I, of all people, went on record (here) at half time that I would welcome GA and Dobbo back. I was feeling really down.
I regret having said that and seeing poor Matt yesterday (?) looking very unwell made me feel even more of a rotter.
In the words of the old song (with which you at least will be familiar) “what a difference a day makes”. The last two or three days have made a very positive impact. I feel much more upbeat now and I hope you, @Glenactico and @Glenactico minor will come home singing tomorrow.
For me the people who seemed the least optimistic about our league position and laughing at the more cheery of us pre-season were the ones who seemed the angriest about what they fully expected to happen happening, which seemed odd to me.
I was numb at half time against Fleetwood, shell-shocked I suppose, but pleased at the come back. What has gone on during the first half of the season, whether or not personnel, money, ownership, formations, tactics or management are to blame, is a mystery to me. Seeing out a couple of the close games would have seen us in a healthier position, but I remain hopeful for a 'transitional' mid-table finish that I was expecting despite hoping for more. But isn't that the lot of the majority of football fans...hoping for promotion but most likely looking at a disappointing mid-table finish?
I go the other way around @Wendoverman, expect a struggle and then be pleasantly surprised if you exceed that. Probably why I was Blooms-in for so long. It is amazing though how many of the people who were expecting a "transitional season" at the start were calling for his head within weeks.
It's called mindless optimism. I had no foundation for optimism. Freddie Potts was the only player I had any knowledge on and in my mind we had signed Phil Foden jr in central midfield. As at August the 5th every Premier League loanee is Jermaine Defoe that season he played for Bournemouth. 90 seconds past 3 my optimism was adjusted, by 5 past the hours I was awoken.
I also have a weird relationship with pre-season. The worse the pre-season the better the season.
I think Butcher is the real signing of the window - but even then, some Plymouth fans are urging caution, calling him more of a dependable, solid player than a game changer.
I am still concerned about LB, as we need the ammunition there to free Leahy up for midfield, yet we seem to only have Earley, JJ or KVY. I am actually very optimistic about KVY, but not sure the defensive side is where he is best used.
Either way, I think we have a stronger starting XI than we did, with more depth. I am not sure we needed two injury-blighted defenders and I certainly don't think we need Campbell, but it's not my money!
Since we got promoted my view has been mid-table in League One, a cup run and a promotion push would be nice...but I sort of understand that means we may lose quite a few games even though some of the losses have been wildly frustrating this season!
Assuming that Josh is fit tomorrow what's the midfield look like? Potts, Butcher and Josh? This would mean Taylor or Kone missing out on a partnership with Vokes or Sadlier/Campbell and or GMac missing out on the width.
The fluctuation in the moods of the regular correspondents on here has been interesting. Having been slightly less dismayed than most for the first half of the season, I now find myself slight less optimistic than most after the window. That's just because, whilst the quality of players that have come in during January looks really good, it didn't look at all bad in the summer. What's seemed to be missing in the low points and absolutely embodied in the first half vs Fleetwood is clarity of purpose, confidence and cohesion.
So here's to tomorrow, a new dawn and three nil to the Wanderers after 20 minutes.
I'm afraid to say the thing that was missing most in that first half was some fight and desire to match our very limited opponents' effort. It was absolutely unacceptable but I'm just going to forget about it and pretend it never happened.
We'll learn a lot about these players and what the rest of the season may look like tomorrow
Personally, I don’t know how anyone can say we had a good window until we see the results on the pitch. Signings could come good and it’s a positive, or if there’s no change or if we lose on Saturday, talk of panic signings will start coming out the woodwork.
I’m back to my “give it 5 to 10 games” mantra I usually start the season with. I just hope we see an upturn before then.
Yes it’s a bit of a head scratcher at the minute as to how Matt is going to knit these players together.
He certainly does like signing players, he signed a load for Colchester in the window last season. No harm in that as long as you make it work on the pitch and keep people happy off it.
Leahy looks unhappy at left back so hopefully erm…Saxon can fill that spot. So if we stick with 4-2-3-1 (sometimes occasionally 4-4-2) that would then mean Potts, Leahy, Scowen, Butcher and Wheeler all competing for two places - when all fit. Although if 4-4-2 we could sacrifice a winger for a wide midfielder and play either Wheeler on the right or Leahy on the left.
As you say, that would mean losing McCleary or Sadlier which doesn’t sound particularly attractive. Certainly hard to see how either Campbell or Kodua are likely to see too much action.
Then up front it’s some combination of Vokes, Taylor, Kone and Beryl.
Quite an embarrassment of riches and I’ve not even mentioned our 4 first team Centre halves (plus Jack Grimmer if needed) and four right backs.
Tomorrow might be the only occasion they’re all fit together. And even tomorrow we’ll be missing Scowen, Forino, maybe Low and the lucky dip injury we find out about an hour before kick off.
Yes and also a lot of matches in the next few weeks. Getting to the semi-final means that after next week’s match against Posh we’ve three consecutive weeks of midweek matches and four in five weeks.
So assuming scowen and forino are out injured still my guess is
Max
Grimmer, Tafa, Low, Leahy
Butcher, Potts
Sadlier, Taylor, GMac
Vokes
Subs: keeper, McCarthy, Earley, Lonwijk, Campbell, Lubala, Kone
Dropped: JJ, Pattenden, KVY, Kodua
Hope I haven't missed anyone
Believe we need a loanee out the squad every game now, and not sure if both Lonwijk and Early are currently match fit, so maybe one of the dropped lads can be in the squad for them
Absolutely not trolling here, but after the last two games, and with the signings we’ve made, I can’t see any reason to start with Vokes on his own up front unless we want to carry on not scoring.
I normally like Vokes but I completely agree. We’ve been completely sussed out with Vokes up front. Way too predictable recently. I’ve always said Vokes needs someone next to him in a 442. Bizarre it’s taken this long to work that out.
Comments
Glad you finished on a positive note @TheAndyGrahamFanClub.
I thought for a couple of moments when I started reading your post that you had turned into Nostradamus!
Considering how disengaged I felt at HT on Saturday, @micra. It's surprising to myself that I've been convinced to go to Cheltenham tomorrow.
It's amazing what a win against a bunch of kids and a few new players can do.
If we are losing 3-0 at any point tomorrow I reserve the right to be miserable again, though.
Yep. People reckoned the signings in the summer were brilliant and we've seen what happened.
However, all that matters is what happens going forwards.
The idea of losing to Cheltenham doesn't bear thinking about.
That’s nothing. I, of all people, went on record (here) at half time that I would welcome GA and Dobbo back. I was feeling really down.
I regret having said that and seeing poor Matt yesterday (?) looking very unwell made me feel even more of a rotter.
In the words of the old song (with which you at least will be familiar) “what a difference a day makes”. The last two or three days have made a very positive impact. I feel much more upbeat now and I hope you, @Glenactico and @Glenactico minor will come home singing tomorrow.
My expectation this season was always "transition", 8th-12th ish.
That has to be revised downwards now, I guess 12th-16th is highly doable but obviously safety has to be the immediate focus.
We have got an absolutely dire February ahead though, plus a history of blowing the (on paper) gentler fixtures.
For me the people who seemed the least optimistic about our league position and laughing at the more cheery of us pre-season were the ones who seemed the angriest about what they fully expected to happen happening, which seemed odd to me.
I was numb at half time against Fleetwood, shell-shocked I suppose, but pleased at the come back. What has gone on during the first half of the season, whether or not personnel, money, ownership, formations, tactics or management are to blame, is a mystery to me. Seeing out a couple of the close games would have seen us in a healthier position, but I remain hopeful for a 'transitional' mid-table finish that I was expecting despite hoping for more. But isn't that the lot of the majority of football fans...hoping for promotion but most likely looking at a disappointing mid-table finish?
I go the other way around @Wendoverman, expect a struggle and then be pleasantly surprised if you exceed that. Probably why I was Blooms-in for so long. It is amazing though how many of the people who were expecting a "transitional season" at the start were calling for his head within weeks.
It's called mindless optimism. I had no foundation for optimism. Freddie Potts was the only player I had any knowledge on and in my mind we had signed Phil Foden jr in central midfield. As at August the 5th every Premier League loanee is Jermaine Defoe that season he played for Bournemouth. 90 seconds past 3 my optimism was adjusted, by 5 past the hours I was awoken.
I also have a weird relationship with pre-season. The worse the pre-season the better the season.
I think Butcher is the real signing of the window - but even then, some Plymouth fans are urging caution, calling him more of a dependable, solid player than a game changer.
I am still concerned about LB, as we need the ammunition there to free Leahy up for midfield, yet we seem to only have Earley, JJ or KVY. I am actually very optimistic about KVY, but not sure the defensive side is where he is best used.
Either way, I think we have a stronger starting XI than we did, with more depth. I am not sure we needed two injury-blighted defenders and I certainly don't think we need Campbell, but it's not my money!
You pay their wages you know! 😊
Since we got promoted my view has been mid-table in League One, a cup run and a promotion push would be nice...but I sort of understand that means we may lose quite a few games even though some of the losses have been wildly frustrating this season!
Assuming that Josh is fit tomorrow what's the midfield look like? Potts, Butcher and Josh? This would mean Taylor or Kone missing out on a partnership with Vokes or Sadlier/Campbell and or GMac missing out on the width.
and maybe Leahy if we’re putting the new LB straight into the team.
Think I read someone say they spoke with Josh and he’s out for about 3 weeks though. So maybe Leahy moved into midfield and Butcher on the bench.
The fluctuation in the moods of the regular correspondents on here has been interesting. Having been slightly less dismayed than most for the first half of the season, I now find myself slight less optimistic than most after the window. That's just because, whilst the quality of players that have come in during January looks really good, it didn't look at all bad in the summer. What's seemed to be missing in the low points and absolutely embodied in the first half vs Fleetwood is clarity of purpose, confidence and cohesion.
So here's to tomorrow, a new dawn and three nil to the Wanderers after 20 minutes.
I'm afraid to say the thing that was missing most in that first half was some fight and desire to match our very limited opponents' effort. It was absolutely unacceptable but I'm just going to forget about it and pretend it never happened.
We'll learn a lot about these players and what the rest of the season may look like tomorrow
Personally, I don’t know how anyone can say we had a good window until we see the results on the pitch. Signings could come good and it’s a positive, or if there’s no change or if we lose on Saturday, talk of panic signings will start coming out the woodwork.
I’m back to my “give it 5 to 10 games” mantra I usually start the season with. I just hope we see an upturn before then.
Yes it’s a bit of a head scratcher at the minute as to how Matt is going to knit these players together.
He certainly does like signing players, he signed a load for Colchester in the window last season. No harm in that as long as you make it work on the pitch and keep people happy off it.
Leahy looks unhappy at left back so hopefully erm…Saxon can fill that spot. So if we stick with 4-2-3-1 (sometimes occasionally 4-4-2) that would then mean Potts, Leahy, Scowen, Butcher and Wheeler all competing for two places - when all fit. Although if 4-4-2 we could sacrifice a winger for a wide midfielder and play either Wheeler on the right or Leahy on the left.
As you say, that would mean losing McCleary or Sadlier which doesn’t sound particularly attractive. Certainly hard to see how either Campbell or Kodua are likely to see too much action.
Then up front it’s some combination of Vokes, Taylor, Kone and Beryl.
Quite an embarrassment of riches and I’ve not even mentioned our 4 first team Centre halves (plus Jack Grimmer if needed) and four right backs.
Lets hope Matt finds the magic combination.
Tomorrow might be the only occasion they’re all fit together. And even tomorrow we’ll be missing Scowen, Forino, maybe Low and the lucky dip injury we find out about an hour before kick off.
I’ll be amazed if we don’t.
You heard it first here on the Gasroom.
Yes and also a lot of matches in the next few weeks. Getting to the semi-final means that after next week’s match against Posh we’ve three consecutive weeks of midweek matches and four in five weeks.
I just don't think Sadlier should miss out right now - he is borderline un-droppable for me.
If he gets left out or Campbell again tomorrow, then we'll know this rumoured deal is true. But Sadlier should absolutely start.
I’ve just worked it out…… @kipper is @glasshalffull in disguise
So assuming scowen and forino are out injured still my guess is
Max
Grimmer, Tafa, Low, Leahy
Butcher, Potts
Sadlier, Taylor, GMac
Vokes
Subs: keeper, McCarthy, Earley, Lonwijk, Campbell, Lubala, Kone
Dropped: JJ, Pattenden, KVY, Kodua
Hope I haven't missed anyone
Believe we need a loanee out the squad every game now, and not sure if both Lonwijk and Early are currently match fit, so maybe one of the dropped lads can be in the squad for them
Absolutely not trolling here, but after the last two games, and with the signings we’ve made, I can’t see any reason to start with Vokes on his own up front unless we want to carry on not scoring.
I know it was only against boys but, on the strength of his performance against Brighton, I wouldn’t drop KVY.
And let’s hope any contractual commitment on game time for Campbell accommodates playing him as a second half substitute.
okne (anag. 4)
Wonder where those thumbs up came from.
I normally like Vokes but I completely agree. We’ve been completely sussed out with Vokes up front. Way too predictable recently. I’ve always said Vokes needs someone next to him in a 442. Bizarre it’s taken this long to work that out.
I think the cockney okne would link well with yolart @Kim_il_Swan.