comment by Scouse (U9675)
posted 1 hour, 45 minutes ago
Secret of autos is to keep vidal out of the crowd.
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Yup. Said it last week, we have to send Vidal and Spart away together and promotion will be ours.

comment by Peeder (U1684)
posted 12 hours, 45 minutes ago
Desi ... much as I like Bird, we didn't miss him today at all.
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I didn't think we missed him either. Whilst Hourihane was an adequate replacement...I didn't think he was brilliant tbh...but perhaps that's why he's not been starting of late...that said as a Captain I think he leads well....

I love Bird but I think he will be better in a team that plays slightly differently. Adams has been a great acquisition and with the current 3-4-3 set-up I even wonder whether he and Smith might end up being the starting pairing. Hourihane maybe could be reserved for when the game has opened up a bit and he can use his experience to orchestrate the play. I also think Tommo has been unlucky not to feature more and there is a case for him starting with Adams in some games. I can't remember how close Adams is to a suspension but he can't be far away. I expect we will need most of our squad at some point. Reg has got 2 of the 6 goals I thought we wanted from him to take us up and he might end up being the key.

Best I've seen us play all season by a country mile. We never looked in trouble for the entire 90, I really enjoyed the game.

I'd like to see the offside again for our disallowed goal.

comment by Scouse (U9675)
posted 25 minutes ago
Best I've seen us play all season by a country mile. We never looked in trouble for the entire 90, I really enjoyed the game.

I'd like to see the offside again for our disallowed goal.
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There you go mate

https://x.com/dcfclee/status/1766487766668644549?s=46

Well dodgy. 😡

Rovers captain even told DWG it was onside

It looked very onside from where I was sat, but then again Gayles bundled in goal looked like a handball.
Swings/Roundabouts!


We did play well yesterday. Very controlled. My Rovers supporting friends are not responding to my texts. Very petty of them 🤣

I think our future central midfield under Warne would consist of a defensive central pairing of :

.....................Adams..............Smith..............................
....................(Fornah)...........(Thompson)....................

............................Floating no.10..........................


With Fapetu developing from the Academy and showing positive signs along with, possibly, Darren Robinson, could well be considered for next season.
Depending on whether or not they are strong/athletic for the Championship.

That midfield would mean either returning to 4 at the back or dipensing with NML and AN Other wide player, which isn't likely. Personally I would prefer to start out with a back four and switch to a back three when the game situation seems to warrant a change.

Considering 5-3-2 or 3-4-3 are his favoured positions, IMO they'll likely be what we see the team start with for the majority of matches and switching to 4-3-3.

In the Championship he'd likely want to set up not to lose ( no surprises ) which is why I'd imagined a double defensive unit in midfield. With an attacking midfielder ahead and two CFs.

If Gayle continues to show the quality that he is (not just in terms of goals but movement too) then a front three of :

...................................N M-L........................................................................
......................Gayle........................Brown...................................................

could well be considered for next season. Gayle's experience educating Brown, N M-L no doubt keen to test himself at the Championship level once more. In an ideal world C B-T settles down and adjusts to the training requirements.


......N M-L.........................................................................C B-T.................................................
.....................................Gayle or Brown..........................................................

Not quite how i intend it to look!

It would be a massive step up for Brown to play at League 1 level so it would be a real surprise if he was first choice in the Championship. Gateshead are in the fifth tier after all. I hope it does give him the confidence to kick on and at least be in consideration for the match-day squad next season. If we were to get promoted I think we would need an upgrade in striker quality as the number one priority.

Yep we need to be thinking about purchasing to improve our striking. Brown might be the future. But not yet.

Most definitely (regards upgrade) , but he could well play a bit part next season. I'm thinking Dean Sturridge MKII, loaned to lowly Torquay scoring 5 goals in 10 matches and returning reborn.

Sturridge had made his debut in the first team for us a good couple of years before he was loaned to Torquay so he was a more fully-developed player by then. It certainly kick-started his career though.

Gayle has started a conversation up the A50.

https://oatcakefanzine.proboards.com/thread/312418/dwight-gayle