[danblue]

Exharboroughspireite, on 17 January 2025 - 10:48 AM, said:

is banks still banned for this? if not I can see him playing in front of the back four. hobson on the right, mandy and dobra in the middle

Banks is banned

Westbars Spireite, on 17 January 2025 - 09:49 AM, said:

Anyone brave enough to predict the side?

I reckon no one will get it right however many people have a go. My attempt;

Thompson

Sheckleford
Naylor
Grimes
Horton

Oldaker

Mandeville
Hobson
Dobra
Colclough

Pepple

Subs; Boot, Donacien, Berry, Drummond, Akinola, Palmer, Fleck.

Berry for Hobson if fully fit. If Aruajo fit, I'd play him instead of Naylor and swap Naylor for Oldaker.

I'll never agree to Naylor being in defence while we have a fit defender available

[Westbars Spireite]

I'd move him out personally. I'm predicting what Cook will go with rather than what I would do.

[Stocks]

I thought Horton was worthy of a start after his recent perofmance against Rotherham mid-week, looked very good going forward and in defence. He's also the best option that we have out there.

[Westbars Spireite]

Stocks, on 17 January 2025 - 01:44 PM, said:

I thought Horton was worthy of a start after his recent perofmance against Rotherham mid-week, looked very good going forward and in defence. He's also the best option that we have out there.

Araujo can do a job but if he is fit I'd be starting him in his proper position. It's him that gets Naylor back up the pitch.

[plannerj]

Osborne again, on 17 January 2025 - 12:15 PM, said:

I'd say that's a good call. Horton sometimes goes all aboriginal now and again in defence, but we have to trust him because Sheckleford will be our right back at Grimsby I'm pretty sure of that. Even that side and the bench ain't too bad, especially when you think of all the injuries we are carrying presently.

When Horton goes all aboriginal, is the problem that his passes don?t find a teammate but come back to him boomerang style?

[Westbars Spireite]

Listening to Cook's interview it's fair to assume Paddy Madden will be one of the subs. Cheered me up to hear him so positive actually as he rarely gives much away.

This post has been edited by Westbars Spireite: 17 January 2025 - 02:35 PM

[Osborne again]

plannerj, on 17 January 2025 - 02:17 PM, said:

When Horton goes all aboriginal, is the problem that his passes don?t find a teammate but come back to him boomerang style?

🤣, he's one of those who's pass compass is slightly awry. I'd put it down to undersold heating, but we ain't got any. He tends to lose his positional sense as soon as he gets in his own half, although not all the time.

[dim view]

Stocks, on 17 January 2025 - 01:44 PM, said:

I thought Horton was worthy of a start after his recent perofmance against Rotherham mid-week, looked very good going forward and in defence. He's also the best option that we have out there.

He did well. It's his inconsistency that sways my view

[dtp]

dim view, on 17 January 2025 - 02:37 PM, said:

He did well. It's his inconsistency that sways my view

We have not got many players who are consistently consistent though so is it fair to pick him out?

[Westbars Spireite]

Horton is what he is. He's ragged and loose. But he's quick, he can tackle and occasionally his crosses hit the mark. Everyone (well barring one poster) knows that he's inferior to Gordon and there's no shame in that but he will give his all and won't let anyone down through lack of effort.

[dtp]

Westbars Spireite, on 17 January 2025 - 02:49 PM, said:

Horton is what he is. He's ragged and loose. But he's quick, he can tackle and occasionally his crosses hit the mark. Everyone (well barring one poster) knows that he's inferior to Gordon and there's no shame in that but he will give his all and won't let anyone down through lack of effort.

Just about right, I reckon.

Apart from that we have nobody else fit enough to play LB at present so now is the time for him to either stake a claim for a squad position or otherwise earn a move away.

Of course, others are somewhat in the same boat but not actually starting games. Our squad gets more bloated if we have more additions. They cannot all be named in the final squad of 22 so there will be some sifting out to do.

[Westbars Spireite]

dtp, on 17 January 2025 - 03:12 PM, said:

Just about right, I reckon.

Apart from that we have nobody else fit enough to play LB at present so now is the time for him to either stake a claim for a squad position or otherwise earn a move away.

Of course, others are somewhat in the same boat but not actually starting games. Our squad gets more bloated if we have more additions. They cannot all be named in the final squad of 22 so there will be some sifting out to do.

Thinking more about the possible returnees tomorrow, were any timescales actually given re Gordon? Could he be one of the returnees he's planning to bench?

This post has been edited by Westbars Spireite: 17 January 2025 - 03:14 PM

[jack bauer]

Westbars Spireite, on 17 January 2025 - 02:35 PM, said:

Listening to Cook's interview it's fair to assume Paddy Madden will be one of the subs. Cheered me up to hear him so positive actually as he rarely gives much away.

was a good interview, love cook's attitude, when asked about the markandy situation, he was just "we move on", i like that, it's gone, no bad feelings towards anyone but the club moves on now.

[Westbars Spireite]

jack bauer, on 17 January 2025 - 03:16 PM, said:

was a good interview, love cook's attitude, when asked about the markandy situation, he was just "we move on", i like that, it's gone, no bad feelings towards anyone but the club moves on now.

He's probably annoyed but it's part of football, he'd do the same and there's no point getting into it especially given the ongoing negotiations with Blackburn for McFadzean. If anything I'm surprised he didn't say (through gritted teeth) that they had been a pleasure to deal with over his loan.

This post has been edited by Westbars Spireite: 17 January 2025 - 03:20 PM

[dim view]

dtp, on 17 January 2025 - 03:12 PM, said:

Just about right, I reckon.

Apart from that we have nobody else fit enough to play LB at present so now is the time for him to either stake a claim for a squad position or otherwise earn a move away.

Of course, others are somewhat in the same boat but not actually starting games. Our squad gets more bloated if we have more additions. They cannot all be named in the final squad of 22 so there will be some sifting out to do.

Westbars invited brave souls to predict the team. What's yours?
Does it include a sub goalie?

This post has been edited by dim view: 17 January 2025 - 03:20 PM

[Osborne again]

Westbars Spireite, on 17 January 2025 - 02:49 PM, said:

Horton is what he is. He's ragged and loose. But he's quick, he can tackle and occasionally his crosses hit the mark. Everyone (well barring one poster) knows that he's inferior to Gordon and there's no shame in that but he will give his all and won't let anyone down through lack of effort.

True,he gives his all every match, and the thing is, his mistakes can be coached out. It's certainly not lack of talent,more a case of switching off now and again. I think he has the gig for a while yet, so hopefully he can build on his performance against Rotherham.

[LondonBlue]

Osborne again, on 17 January 2025 - 03:20 PM, said:

True,he gives his all every match, and the thing is, his mistakes can be coached out. It's certainly not lack of talent,more a case of switching off now and again. I think he has the gig for a while yet, so hopefully he can build on his performance against Rotherham.

Horton definitely offers more of an attacking threat than Gordon, and occasionally throws in a performance where he looks like the real deal. Gordon more of a 6.5/10 every week for me - a more solid option.

[dtp]

Westbars Spireite, on 17 January 2025 - 03:14 PM, said:

Thinking more about the possible returnees tomorrow, were any timescales actually given re Gordon? Could he be one of the returnees he's planning to bench?

Webb has dropped hints about Metcalfe, Jacobs, Aroujo and Williams in the next couple of weeks or so. It has previously been said that a couple could be out for the season and it has been assumed one of those is Dunkley. Previously, it was suspected the other could be Williams but now he has decided not to have an operation maybe we are down to just one now. Very little has been said about Grigg and Gordon though.

Tomorrow’s bench could be interesting.

This post has been edited by dtp: 17 January 2025 - 03:23 PM

[warfey is a spireite]

Take plenty of wipes tomorrow down those dog **** streets

[Osborne again]

LondonBlue, on 17 January 2025 - 03:21 PM, said:

Horton definitely offers more of an attacking threat than Gordon, and occasionally throws in a performance where he looks like the real deal. Gordon more of a 6.5/10 every week for me - a more solid option.

Gordon is a proper full back who's learning to hone his attacking skills, where Horton is more of an attacking full back who hasn't quite grasped the idea of defending. As I've said before, it's not all the time,but he does switch off. Horton is excellent whilst attacking and he has built an understanding with Ryan Colclough which makes the duo very dangerous for the opposition.