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clarevoyant., on 27 April 2025 - 09:44 AM, said:

Don't know the law, but as applied yesterday it means that a goalie just has to fall down and pretend an injury during a penalty area incident and he'll be given the ball in a bounce-up. I can see it catching on.
Joking apart, all such forms of gamesmanship are ruining the game. I can't say killing it, because more and more people seem happy to put up with such garbage, but there are times when it certainly makes me think about packing it in. I don't pay to watch cheating.

Everybody looked very puzzled when Naylor was apparently the choice for the 'number 10' role, and sure enough it cost us the first half. Good player though he still is, it unbalanced both attack and midfield and they ran through us as if we weren't there. I imagine it was Naylor's frustration at the way things were going that led to that horrible foul and penalty - how else to explain sheer stupidity.
We were dragged back into it by Metcalfe, and Naylor found a bit more time and space in midfield and we got back on top and made them look very wobbly at the back, but playing a defender as an attacker was barmy in a game we had to win.
Metcalfe is worth his weight in gold, Mandy's incredible fitness levels got us the equaliser, but there's now a question mark over Fleck when we've got backs to the wall. Superb passer and organiser, but sadly short of pace. A good pre-season might sort it, touch wood.

Never thought Ash Palmer would get a game this season, and he wouldn't have done normally, but he's getting better every match. Some of last season's howlers were dreadful, but he's never put a foot wrong this time, and he's even started to pass like a midfielder instead of just passing to Mandy.
One grumble. I know Mandy put in a superb cross for the second goal but otherwise we've reverted to the Geoff King dead ball waste. Admittedly on slim evidence, but Metcalfe takes absolutely superb corners, and we should be using him. Plus he gets better every game.

Brookie, on 12 April 2025 - 11:54 AM, said:

When the opposition are playing pretty triangles around a third of the way into your half, then 10 men are going to be behind the ball anyway. The way to beat it is to attack quickly before those 10 have chance to get behind the ball. Chance would be a fine thing.

 Wooden Spoon, on 09 April 2025 - 09:16 PM, said:

Back to first principles and get the defence right. To be fair it was what Cookie was trying to do before the ridiculous injury situation left him playing his 4th and 5th choice CHs. Palmer and Grimes have to go, but It'll be to a lucky NL club that gets in first.
After that it's keep or recruit players who can play Cook's favourite pass -pass-pass game but can do it through the heart of a defence rather than on the half-way line or the wings. Tall order, but I'd be wary of writing off Madden, Banks, Jacobs, Fleck or Naylor on those terms, and Mandeville and Duffy obviously qualify. I'd also like Metcalfe if we can afford him - he's got a lot more to come.
But with a rock-solid defence behind them who knows what midfielders and attackers might come good after looking ordinary as things stand.