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Post by Bill Bones on Jan 18, 2017 19:07:12 GMT
Pathetic response by the majority IMO. Totally pathetic. Two and a half years ago this place was full of people saying that they'd never heard of Matty Taylor he's fourth choice at FGR how the hell are we going to even stay up in the conference. Slagging off signings before they've even played for the club is not what proper supporters do in my opinion. This Forum has always had a few prats here and there but it's certainly gone down hill over time. Maybe it's just a sign of the times and all fans insist on big names and big money I don't know but I'm proud of DC and what he's achieved and I've got faith in him to take us forward and will support any new signing made. I agree with a lot of what you've posted there but in this particular situation I have to disagree. I'm not a fan of slagging off signings before they've kicked a ball in anger and I can't remember ever commenting negatively on a player before he's played a game in the past. But this is different because we've seen it time and time and time again. Lumley might be a great lad and a great keeper and go on to win 100 caps, but for once there's no uncertainty about this signing. We KNOW that he's not going to be the commanding presence at the back, we KNOW he's totally inexperienced, we KNOW that it's no use in the future because it's a loan, we KNOW that young keepers struggle with the pressure of playing in front of the Blackthorn. With Matty we weren't sure what he'd be like and he ended up being great; with Lumley we already know the story because we've seen it with Nicholls, Walker, Puddy and god knows how many other keepers with no experience and no chance of longevity at this football club.
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Post by Bill Bones on Jan 18, 2017 17:25:28 GMT
Joke signing ffs and that coming from someone who is very positive about the club, can't really fault Wael, and I love DC to bits. But it's excruciating that we insist on signing dross to play in goal. How hard can it possibly be to permanently sign a keeper who is over 25 with experience of league one or the championship. Unbelievably disappointing I'm afraid, can't understand what it is about this football club and signing goalkeepers, been going on about a decade now with Mildenhall the only half decent one and even he played in the relegation season.
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Post by Bill Bones on Dec 5, 2016 21:10:08 GMT
Held off for as long as possible before re-signing and now this? He's replaceable. Thanks for the goals Matty but if you're going to start all this then push off. In fairness, he hasnt done anything yet, it's just a rumour. Never you mind what's a rumour and what's not, he is dead to me now.
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Post by Bill Bones on Nov 11, 2016 11:14:06 GMT
Tom Eaves was mustard for a few weeks, thought his career might explode at the time.
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Post by Bill Bones on Oct 27, 2016 17:50:35 GMT
Anybody got 2017 yet? Purchased today will be installing tonight. Hoping that the Gas now have a "sugar daddy" owner, millions to spend and a new stadium to move into within 2 seasons!! Will be getting it at some point in the near future yes, as have recently got a new machine that should actually be able to run the bloody thing. Let us know how you get on!
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Post by Bill Bones on Oct 26, 2016 8:27:11 GMT
Good times
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Post by Bill Bones on Oct 25, 2016 13:45:11 GMT
anyone know why trialists have to remain unnamed? or if indeed they do have to remain unnamed? Think in a lot of cases it's by choice, if a trialist scores a hat trick it's preferable for Rovers that other clubs not see who it is and come knocking on his door offering a contract on twice the money we were going to get away with offering him.
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Post by Bill Bones on Oct 13, 2016 12:58:37 GMT
They'll give it Southgate, nowt surer. FA man and never going to be controversial/vaguely interesting. Heir to Hodgson.
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Post by Bill Bones on Oct 6, 2016 15:32:52 GMT
Stoke City on local radio to-day saying how important this competition is for them to develop their younger players!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! With a certain Charlie Adam (age 30) scoring for their U23's Tuesday night! Absolutely beggars belief. You couldn't write it.
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Post by Bill Bones on Oct 4, 2016 20:52:20 GMT
Will not be getting any sleep tonight, f*ckin wired!!
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Post by Bill Bones on Oct 4, 2016 13:52:07 GMT
DC has spent money on transfers though. We paid fees for Blissett and Gaffney. DC has been far better for this football club but he was blessed with being the biggest team in the league his first season, the fees to bring in forwards in January twice, far better owners and chairman, and undoubtedly now a competitive wage budget in this division. DC may have made one mistake but Bliss helped get us up. Gaffney proved his worth on loan first, but when I look at Regan, Wright, Hughes, Blizzard, Tunniclife, no goal keeping coach full time because he blew his budget, we all know why we went down. DC interviews our players and does background checks, can you imagine him signing a winger on him being closer to his bird? I completely agree that DC's signings have been far better than Trolls' in every respect. Agree about Bliss and Gaffney too, but you said he hadn't spent a penny, so I thought it worth pointing out that he has had access to some funds. However I'd imagine he has used far less than Trolls to far greater effect, so I think we agree on which is more capable in the transfer market!
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Post by Bill Bones on Oct 4, 2016 13:33:34 GMT
Total nonsense. He breathed life the club and got a tune out out of an under performing squad which was very much in the doldrums. Two legged victory over C*ty, JPT Final in Cardiff, promotion at Wembley and an FA Cup Quarter Final appearance. Not bad for someone without man management skills? I'm sorry to see him leave Cardiff. That club is a shambles and the problems are far beyond any manager. Wish him all the best for the future. He assembled our highest wage bill in our history and no other manager has ever had his money. DC has not spent a penny On transfers, all free transfers and we have the best team spirit ever. Jeff Hughes "I signed because BRISTOL pay good wages" and £130k for him. Mark Wright "I signed because BRISTOL is nearer to my girlfriend in Wolverhampton"............this man ruined a great team where as DC is loyal to his servants. Disley replaced by Blizzard, Elliott with Tunniclife. Paul Trollope left us with the worst team ever for bad attitudes, it was repulsive. The bloke was a disaster, he was nothing without Lennie. If his man management was that good why did he have a training ground row with Ben Foster which went public in the media? Why hasn't he managed since after us until now and his players at Cardiff were not playing for him, go on their FORUM. Guys we've got another romantic fan on here, his record as manager speaks for itself now, loses changing rooms. DC has spent money on transfers though. We paid fees for Blissett and Gaffney. DC has been far better for this football club but he was blessed with being the biggest team in the league his first season, the fees to bring in forwards in January twice, far better owners and chairman, and undoubtedly now a competitive wage budget in this division.
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Post by Bill Bones on Oct 2, 2016 13:38:59 GMT
Reminds me of the start of the season and just before it, people forgetting the previous two years under DC and posting concerns about our transfer dealings. This isn't a dig, but Steve himself question who of our new signings have improved the squad, or similar to that effect. Under DC it seems the squad game is much more important than the quality of any one player. Just had a quick look at our team when we beat Yeovil 1-0 last time we were in league one. The difference is the strength on the bench compared to today is huge. How many of them would get in the current team? I would even take the current version of Lines given he has a better mentality under DC. 36 Logan 05 Coles yellow card 06 Tunnicliffe 15 Anthony 37 Senda 04 Lines 07 Campbell (Brown 90+3) 11 Hughes 22 Pell (G Williams 61) 08 Hoskins 17 Kuffour (McCracken 85) Substitutes 13 Green, 31 McCracken, 14 Brown, 19 Lambe, 20 Reece, 35 G Williams, 18 Richard Who would you have of that lot now? Possibly Logan, possibly a fit Senda and Hoskins. And lines of course but I'd agree he's a better player now. Campbell's legs had gone at this point and no other player would even be making the bench compared to the players we've got now. Really does show how fantastic a squad DC has built. Also how many of that squad are even playing league football now? Just lines and Logan who is getting no game time at Rochdale. To think this side is from what 5 years ago? That's shocking really and shows you how poor we really were! How many of our current squad will still be playing league football in 5 years? I'd be surprised if it wasn't most of them. Spot on. I'd have Logan and Hoskins for sure, and as you say, possibly Senda (remember that chance at Bournemouth?!). That bench is absolute dross! Reading that side almost makes me wince that that was all we had in League One. Reminder of why we ended up in the Conference, and of how much better as a whole football club we are now.
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Post by Bill Bones on Sept 24, 2016 16:44:44 GMT
I suspect his criticism of your post was based on the fact you characterised it as a ROUTINE win. We should be beating teams like Vale at home, especially when you consider their away form over the past year against our home form for the past two years. It should have been, and seemed to be a routine win so we move on. You were spot on, routine win against a nothing side. Doha was upset that you dismissed his team, and presumably even more upset when you were proved right. UTG
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Post by Bill Bones on Sept 23, 2016 16:49:16 GMT
He's gonna miss his mrs if Gaffney bangs
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Post by Bill Bones on Sept 15, 2016 13:56:01 GMT
Posted in my thread too so please don't duplicate!
Roos 5
Leads 6.5 Locks 5.5 Hartley 6.5 Browner 7
Moore 7 Boateng 4.5 Sincs 5.5 Bodin 6.5
Ellis 8.5 MOM Taylor 8.5
Lines 8 Colkett - promising, one or two really sharp passes that were absolutely spot on. Gaffney - ran willingly, but off the pace of game to be honest - not sure I saw any real point in making the change.
Crowd 6.5 Ref 6 Walsall 7
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Post by Bill Bones on Sept 14, 2016 20:44:48 GMT
Odd I thought Gaffney in his cameo performance was far more of a goal threat than Harrison during his 80 mins on the pitch, I think if we were still playing now he still wouldn't have scored, although he's made a vast improvement compared to last season. Sincs does an hell of a lot of work in the middle and helped Lines to tear the Saddlers apart for the last quarter of the game, although why DC didn't bring Lines on early is a mystery as Boateng was having a shocker. Surprised you didn't highlight Brown's stupid attempt at a clever short pass which led to the move leading upto Walsall's goal, for that alone I'd knock a point for his score. The Rochdale game in comparison was like chalk & cheese, DC b@lls up for that one, we could well have two consecutive home wins in the bag now with a bit of luck, lets hope last night wasn't a one off, but it's just a pity it Bradford up next which will be a big test. Didn't see the build-up to their goal all that clearly to be honest, view from the Blackthorn often leaves something to be desired which is why it's worth taking any write-up of live football with a pinch of salt, including this one of course! Other than that I thought Browner had a decent game, will have to have a look at the highlights.
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Post by Bill Bones on Sept 14, 2016 20:37:02 GMT
"...due to work and other commitments...." Leave now. Get your priorities right before you come back. Ha I wish it was that easy! Was a season ticket holder for four consecutive seasons and 90% of the time we were absolute dross! Best for everyone I stick to about 5 a season a think, damage limitation
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Post by Bill Bones on Sept 14, 2016 20:35:04 GMT
Well, it was a higher level than League Two so... Point was really just that it was a noticeably higher level than League Two which we were in last time I saw them!
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Post by Bill Bones on Sept 14, 2016 7:32:26 GMT
So last night was the first time this season I've managed to get up and see us due to work and other commitments. Been far too long and I actually really enjoyed the game despite the frustration of not managing the win. Anyway I hope everyone doesn't mind but I hardly ever start threads and thought it might be vaguely interesting to read some observations of the lads with fresh eyes. I've also deliberately read nothing from anyone else yet because one always has the feeling it ends up corrupting your views of the game.
Having read various posts on here about games we could have played better in etc, I was pleasantly surprised by how well almost all of our lads used the ball - we seemed much more comfortable knocking it around than I'd seen us for quite a long while, as did Walsall, and I think it's possible that if you'd shown me the game without context I might have guessed it was a higher level than league two - surely a positive.
I also liked the fact that we played 4-4-2 - I know it's a point often raised but frankly I've yet to see it convincingly bettered at any level below Premier League, from Championship right down to pub teams. When it's played people know their role, and it's possible to worry about playing rather than trying to remember where you're supposed to be standing. So another positive. However the obvious caveat is that we only managed one goal and that was a penalty and we simply cannot be taking 2 points from 2 home games. It puts enormous pressure now on getting something from the next away game, and we thus end up more likely to lose that and then to spiral.
I don't think that's all that likely to happen over the course of the whole season however, as we have players quite clearly capable of playing at this level. Given how much I've seen about how Matty is our only threat, I was surprised and hugely impressed by Ellis and both wingers, and I thought we looked dangerous almost every time we had the ball. The problem was we also looked in danger of conceding a lot of the time, particularly in the first half. We just looked far too open and didn't seem to have much of a spine at all frankly. I wasn't very impressed with either of our midfielders, thought they spent far too much time away from the middle of the park and weren't an effective shield for the defence at all. I've always been a huge fan of Lee Mansell because he just sits and wins the ball and gives it simply, and neither Sinclair nor Boateng did that convincingly for me last night. Given how much Lines improved the team when he came on you do wonder whether Manse and Linesy remains our best pairing, although of course Hiram needs far more time to settle in, and Collket looked promising too. I also wasn't entirely convinced by Roos and thought Etheridge looked far better. No one around me appeared to remember him but I liked him when we had him and liked him again last night.
There were some right dickheads in the Blackthorn last night but it's one of those you forget almost as soon as the game finishes. However I didn't think the atmosphere was as bad as some have commented early this season. It wasn't great but not awful either. Ultimately, it was a frustrating night because we played well but needed to put the ball in the net - Walsall were decent but we will play better teams and at home we have to be winning games.
Roos 5 - no disasters but just not a significant improvement on Mildenhall as far as I could tell. Didn't inspire great confidence and distribution was a very mixed bag. Whether he could have done more with the goal I don't know, but it did look like a very slow shot.
Leads 6.5 - thought he had a decent game, looked good going forward and a couple of nice moments at the back too. Final product sometimes lacking.
Locks 5.5 - didn't actually notice him an awful lot, however he was part of us being so exposed first half IMO. When Hartley's doing the aerial stuff and the talking you sometimes wonder what Lockyer is doing and whether the armband is affecting him.
Hartley 6.5 - liked the look of him. Strong in the air which we seem to have lacked surprisingly often even at centre half the last few seasons.
Browner 7 - got forward and supported attacks very well at times.
Moore 7 - an extremely encouraging debut IMO. Looked fast and direct, not afraid to go outside his man, and good delivery at times too.
Boateng 4.5 - maybe contentious but I just didn't think that much of him last night - I'm not sure what he added frankly. Not as much quality on the ball as Lines and didn't win it all that often either. I did think it was clear he has played with better players though, sometimes tried balls that our lads were oblivious too. Certainly didn't see much box-to-box from him.
Sincs 5.5 - I was pretty stunned when they gave him man of the match. He is tenacious and sometimes wins the ball when he has no right to - we all know that - but his positioning is far too erratic for somebody with his lack of technical ability. As above, I'd have Manse or Lines ahead of him quite comfortably.
Bodin 6.5 - mixed game. At times looks real quality and arguably our best player, other times backs himself into corners with a trick too many.
Ellis 8.5 MOM - I was stunned by how good he looked to be honest. I can't think of when I've seen him start and have a better game. He won so much in the air and looked fast, focussed, and direct. Unlucky not to score and if he had it would have been an incredible performance.
Taylor 8.5 - just quality. He could have given it a go in the Championship for sure. At times his technical ability and awareness were just better than anything else on the pitch, apart from Linesy maybe. Hadn't always been his biggest fan (going back to Conference year) but anybody who tries to tell you he isn't a stand-out player for us sees the game very differently to me.
Lines 8 - superb when he came on, the only one who matched Matty for quality. Wish he'd have a dig more often.
Collket - promising, one or two really sharp passes that were absolutely spot on.
Gaffney - ran willingly, but off the pace of game to be honest - not sure I saw any real point in making the change.
Apologies for boring you all but that was my take on last night's game, and as I say I hope there's some value in casting a fresh eye over the players. Some on here were getting the nooses ready after the Rochdale game - maybe it was a different level of performance but on last night's evidence I don't see too much to be worried about. UTG!
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