v Preston North End (h) - 10/11/23

[neophox]

5 hours ago, Mercer said:

Unbelievably, odds on Preston win are 3/1.

We will barely have a defence come Friday and behind that defence will stand a nervous, error prone, 'draculaesque' goalie. 

The aerial bombardment will be akin to America's bombing of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia!

This is some opportunity to fill those Christmas stockings - make the most of it and soften the blow of a PNE win.

Is this for real? Hopefully Carter has recovered to play through the pain.

[neophox]

Just now, neophox said:

Is this for real? Hopefully Carter has recovered to play through the pain.

I'm the opposite think it could be a high scoring affair.

[CambridgeRover]

Come on blues. Could be a huge game for dolan. Concerned about players missing

[joey_big_nose]

Midfield and up front picks itself... defence is a real nightmare. Having only four recognised centrebacks has come back to bite us. Across a season you always need five. Main positive is Hill looks absolutely fantastic in the air so if they go direct he will be competitive.

[roversfan99]

To have 3 centre backs unavailable simultaneously is obviously quite unlucky albeit not inconceivable, but the issue is made a lot worse by the fact that we dont even have any other players who can do a reasonable job there outside of the 4, nor any depth at full back. Had we got a second senior left back for example, even with only one centre back, ideally he could do a job at CB but even if not, we could at least still then keep him at LB, Brittain RB, and we would be left with one player in the back line out of position, not 3.

It would show what Tomasson feels in terms of how far away Batty is if he doesnt play. There was an article a couple of weeks ago in the LT with Broughton quoted about how we never planned to sign a left back because of Batty with all of the usual "blocking pathways" spiel which to me seemed like a positive spin on a negative situation with the budget slashing. If Batty doesnt play, it shows that potentially Tomasson didnt agree with that.

[Upside Down]

We'll smash em 6-0

[Mattyblue]

They are selling tickets in the upper tier, I see… won’t somebody think of the bin bags!

[Tugayisgod]

10 hours ago, neophox said:

Is this for real? Hopefully Carter has recovered to play through the pain.

If it's a hamstring unfortunately you can't play through that.

[Tugayisgod]

If nothing changes I would go

Brittain, Hill, Pickering, Batty.

I would also bring Travis in alongside Tronstadt in  place of Adam Wharton to give more protection to the back 4 . They will need it

[Hasta]

So if Carter is out and we do line up:-

Travis - Hill - Pickering - Britain

That means we will have our right back at left back. Our other right back at centre back. Our left back at centre back. And a midfielder at right back.

Lick your lips all you shadowy Preston fans reading this.

 

[wilsdenrover]

36 minutes ago, Hasta said:

So if Carter is out and we do line up:-

Travis - Hill - Pickering - Britain

That means we will have our right back at left back. Our other right back at centre back. Our left back at centre back. And a midfielder at right back.

Lick your lips all you shadowy Preston fans reading this.

 

Hill might well be our right back but he absolutely is a centre back.

 

[BlueXIII]

This has to be the worst defensive injury crisis I've seen, like this is brutal. No centre backs of any kind left.

JDT is pointing out in interviews he keeps losing players in the transfer window and not getting replacements. And that he is told we need to manage expecations. 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

5 minutes ago, BlueXIII said:

This has to be the worst defensive injury crisis I've seen, like this is brutal. No centre backs of any kind left.

JDT is pointing out in interviews he keeps losing players in the transfer window and not getting replacements. And that he is told we need to manage expecations. 

That’s why I’m so annoyed with Wharton. 3-0 up and cruising, absolutely no need to give the ref a decision to make.

[joey_big_nose]

7 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

That’s why I’m so annoyed with Wharton. 3-0 up and cruising, absolutely no need to give the ref a decision to make.

Think it ultimately finish him at Rovers. I imagine if we were not already looking to replace him in January it will have moved up the agenda.

Its such a shame as he was so good two seasons back, but positionally,  decision making, being able to compete one on one and his distribution still all over the show. Im sure the thinking would have been to give him a chance this season, but getting sent off with the squad where it is will change minds.

[Hasta]

42 minutes ago, wilsdenrover said:

Hill might well be our right back but he absolutely is a centre back.

 

Sshhhhhhhhhh. 

Edited November 6, 2023 by Hasta

[G Somerset Rover]

2 hours ago, Tugayisgod said:

If nothing changes I would go

Brittain, Hill, Pickering, Batty.

I would also bring Travis in alongside Tronstadt in  place of Adam Wharton to give more protection to the back 4 . They will need it

Surely we'd be better off moving Brittain to LB and bringing in Trav to RB (where he came through as a youngster)? From what I've seen of Batty, he is not ready at all. At least that's then four senior(ish) pros at the back.

Edited November 6, 2023 by Gavlar Somerset Rover!

[Sweaty Gussets]

Just now, wilsdenrover said:

You’d certainly hope not!

We wouldn't have many players left if a mistake (that wasn't a mistake) is going to cost someone their place at the club. 

[wilsdenrover]

2 minutes ago, Sweaty Gussets said:

We wouldn't have many players left if a mistake (that wasn't a mistake) is going to cost someone their place at the club. 

We’d certainly have no goalkeepers…

[Tugayisgod]

10 minutes ago, Gavlar Somerset Rover! said:

Surely we'd be better off moving Brittain to LB and bringing in Trav to RB (where he came through as a youngster)? From what I've seen of Batty, he is not ready at all. At least that's then four senior(ish) pros at the back.

Trav to me yesterday looked a bit lost, not sure where he was supposed to play. Dolan helped him out that last 20-25 minutes.

Just think with Millar probably playing wide left for the Nobbers on Friday, the full backs on either side, whoever they may be, will need protection from both our  two wide attackers, (probably moran and Siggy), or our midfield players 

[wilsdenrover]

Has Garrett ever played left back?

[DuffsLeftPeg]

Surely Patrick Gamble is worth a punt in defence? 

[Sweaty Gussets]

Just now, DuffsLeftPeg said:

Surely Patrick Gamble is worth a punt in defence? 

odds on

[philipl]

All three results equal odds in my book.

Likelihood of ending 11 v 11 not very high.

Based on recent results for both sides, this could well be high scoring.

People saying Wahlstedt is lacking in confidence have him wrong. He just makes wrong decisions when the ball is in the air...

[rigger]

5 minutes ago, DuffsLeftPeg said:

Surely Patrick Gamble is worth a punt in defence? 

Sometimes you just have to take a risk.

[Admiral Nelsen]

2 hours ago, Tugayisgod said:

If nothing changes I would go

Brittain, Hill, Pickering, Batty.

I would also bring Travis in alongside Tronstadt in  place of Adam Wharton to give more protection to the back 4 . They will need it

 

I can see the temptation, but if that ends up being our back four then I think we need to lean into our strengths rather than try and beat them at their own game.

Our best chance of winning comes from dominating the ball and having more quality through our creative players, so there's no way that I'd be dropping Wharton.