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Reply | Just back
at 13:43 10 Dec 2025
Nah, you can’t really blame RND for that . He was goalside, and square with his back 4 colleagues, where he was meant to be. The ball was pulled back across the middle of the box. If he was touch tight, a cross to the back stick would have been undefendable for him as Roberts would have had the run on him. This is why getting near to the byline and squaring it/pulling it back is so hard to defend. The issue was letting Gray have the ball where he did unmarked… |
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Reply | Just back
at 13:39 10 Dec 2025
Kone played further forward last night so they were a true “2” alongside each other. He didn’t drop into the ‘10’ position much at all, and I thought he looked a lot better for it. |
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Reply | Julien Stephan - He is doing quite well !!!!
at 13:38 10 Dec 2025
I’d still much rather have had an experienced pro who’s played over a season at right back in this league (winning our player of the year in the process) to face up to Gray, than a lad who has played about 4 pro games in that role. That was the sensible option. Dunne would almost certainly have fared better because he spent a whole season faring well in that role against wingers quicker than him.
Like I said, no harm done, but it was a mistake that almost cost us. Praise wouldn’t be so forthcoming if the keeper saves Morgan’s shot or it gets blocked on its way through. I reckon there’d be a lot more frustration. But it’s great it wasn’t.
Several things can be true at once. He’s doing a good job, is possibly a better coach than Cifuentes (think we need longer to judge, but hopefully the case, but his subs made us worse yesterday and cost a goal. We don’t all need to be all in on him or all against him. It’s why I didn’t get involved in the Norwich flak. |
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Reply | Just back
at 12:04 10 Dec 2025
Those stats are simply not true though, Brian. Cook won and competed for more than one header all game! I saw that with my own eyes.
Dunne had a good game but there was one moment where he let the ball bounce, and was battling Dykes (lost out) rather than playing the ball and Cook came to cover. I didn’t see Cook put a foot wrong at all during the game. |
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Reply | Julien Stephan - He is doing quite well !!!!
at 11:43 10 Dec 2025
He deserves huge kudos for ditching the failing game model, instilling a more direct and pragmatic style of play, playing 442 (or variations thereof - last night was a very clear 442 with Kone pushed on), and taking control of the playing matters. That put his head above the parapet in a new role in a new country. Ballsy. Like it.
Have heard he is very popular with the players, which is great.
Like Dave said, I like him and I liked the previous manager. This is a better squad so we should be better than last year, and we are. How much better? Difficult to say.
One small note of caution, last night his subs almost cost us 2 points. Putting Morgan on out of position against Gray was a huge risk and Birmingham immediately targeted him and scored a goal from it. He could have shoved the more experienced Dunne out there and put Morrison at centre half. Poku came on and was miles off it out of possession defensively. Those subs really hurt us in the last 10 mins. It was the only time Brum looked lively. Morgan got himself (positionally he messed up for their goal letting Gray run behind him free to then receive the pass and set up the goal) and Stephan out of jail a bit.
No harm done though thanks to another arrow from Morgan. That’s two laser like strikes from him this season. |
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Reply | Just back
at 11:22 10 Dec 2025
RND for me. Thought he was foot perfect last night. Defensively superb but also beat his man to the byline twice and swung in two good crosses. He is rock solid. He’s not a 6/10 most weeks full back. He’s a 7-8/10 full back most weeks. Best we have had in over a decade IMO. Would very much like us to sign him permanently, not to resell, just to be out left back for 4 years.
As Gab says, the key to last night’s performance was the excellent pressing of Kone and Burrell. Superb work rate.
Think we need to be a little careful with Burrell though. He was running on fumes for the last 20. We don’t want to risk him breaking down. I would rest him up at Boro and play Dembele as a forward in his role. Dembele is not a winger IMO as he’s a liability off the ball.
Small mention to Steve Cook, didn’t make a mistake all night, won some key balls and generally played very well. Dunne scored a great header, but as a centre half thought Cook had the better game. |
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Reply | Rest of the Championship thread 25/26
at 11:08 9 Dec 2025
Sorry, WTF?! Why are the Welsh Government, which is little more than a glorified council, giving over £17m over two years to a football club in non-repayable grants?! How are they justifying giving tax payers money to a football club?
With the income Wrexham have this season, they really should be top 6. |
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Reply | Ashes thread
at 18:55 5 Dec 2025
I mean, let’s be honest, Margot Robbie probably *shouldn’t* do that. |
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Reply | Ashes thread
at 14:08 5 Dec 2025
He bowled one over for 9 runs. He bowled as you’d expect, like a mediocre part timer. Root is a better off spinner, IMO. |
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Reply | Ashes thread
at 13:52 5 Dec 2025
Bowled too short too. And the other reason they scored so many runs in that rgeion was Stokes’ a refusal to put a 3rd man in for most of the innings. It was infuriating. If the bowlers are struggling to pitch it up successfully, then out a 3rd man. Free runs every over.
Fundamentally, this England team looks undercooked. They don’t look like they have played much cricket recently. 9 ducks in 3 innings. Dropped catches. Bowlers 5mph down on pace from the first innings they bowled. It all screams they are short of cricket. Funny that.
The problem with this England set up is that it doesn’t seem to accept it could be wrong (as well as the lack of accountability stuff I posted on this thread the other day).
England have to bowl them out for around 400 tomorrow, and then gain parity no more than 1 or 2 down. And then they need to grit out the 3rd session. If they lose wickets in that session wafting away, they deserve all the criticism they will get. If they show some resilience with the bat tomorrow, they could finish the day around 120 ahead, hopefully for the lose of only 3, maybe.
If they can bat the two sessions on the 4th day, they’ll have a 300+ lead, AND Aus beginning their innings under lights with a new ball, which puts them in the box seat (shame we have no spinner for day 5).
However that whole strategy relies on batting time. These day night tests are all about how you manage time so you’re bowling and batting at the opportune times. It requires brains. |
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Reply | Ashes thread
at 22:45 3 Dec 2025
I would too. But Broad seems to think it’s a huge advantage to bat first. He reckons the “afternoon” session (2nd one) is the very hard one to bat in. He thinks bat first, get a start, get through session 2, and then you can bat through sessions 3 and 4.
The problem with his logic is this England team only average 67 overs an innings…which is a smidgeon over 2 sessions. Don’t want half of an innings to be in a the hard session.
So I’d bowl, and try to bowl Aus out in 2 sessions with the assistance of the hard session. Then try to bat well in sessions 3 and 4, before the really tricky session swings around.
I doubt England will apply this sort of thinking and will simply do what they think is the most aggressive thing. |
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Reply | Eastward Ho ! Match Fred
at 13:27 30 Nov 2025
I struggle with this assumption.
The league is not strong. It’s not obviously better than last season.
We finished 15th last season. This season the squad is much better. I think that is broadly accepted. So surely we should be better than 15th.
So we should be a mid table side, shouldn’t we? That should be our expectation.
And, secondly, if we didn’t think we could improve on last season, why did we change Head Coaches?
And, finally, simply accepting we’re a bottom half side can become a self fulfilling prophecy. We have to raise standards, and part of that includes raising our sights. |
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Reply | Isaac Hayden
at 08:10 30 Nov 2025
Watching the highlights back, it stood out how ineffective Varane looked. Easily beaten for an early shot. Missed the header at the near post for the Mbengue og, and looked like who Cook went mad at after the 3rd was curled in.
I also noticed in those highlights Madsen have a rant at him as well.
I’d start there when looking at this team. If Field is now out injured for a while, it’s Hayden or Morgan in there. If were to play 3, the one of Chair or Saito has to make way.
With Nardi, I don’t think he is *the* issue. Goalkeeper is certainly an issue, but I don’t think he’s the reason we lost or conceded 3 goals. Against Hull, Hamer barely came off his line and let a goal in at his near post. Nardi has made some big saves since he’s back in the last two games. Still very shaky at crosses, but he’s no worse than Walsh or Hamer. Personally, I’d say overall, he’s the best of the 3 (not to say Walsh can’t improve past him). However the back 4 need to be more aerially dominant when they have a keeper like him in behind them. From the highlights I’ve seen and what a friend who was there said, it sounds like we just weren’t at it all game. So typical and so expected of us away at a relegation zone side who hadn’t won at home in a blue moon. |
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Reply | Furs leaving
at 08:22 29 Nov 2025
As I keep saying lots of people know a lot more than is in the public domain because people talk. However there are serious insinuations of legal action which means no one can say everything they would want to. And people at the club have their livelihoods to think about, so they need to get things out through others. To ask for fans who are saying they know more than they can let on to just spill the beans on a public forum is, to be put it bluntly, stupid.
Instead some fans are trying to make other fans aware of what they can get away sharing, and some fans are trying to warn others who, not privy to the same information, they can see are misreading the situation(s).
Consider who on this MB has actually met members of our leadership, looked them in the eye, spoken with them, asked questions, etc. Then consider what their opinion seems to be about them. I have found there to be a remarkable consistency in these people.
And all of this does not mean everything the club and its leadership do is bad; it isn’t. But doing some good things doesn’t make the concerns of many less valid. |
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Reply | Furs leaving
at 00:20 29 Nov 2025
Entirely reasonable. Perfectly fair. But Clive’s point is valid.
All I’d add: If I didn’t know a lot of what I know, I’d probably agree with Matt Winton’s opinions too. |
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Reply | Furs leaving
at 22:03 28 Nov 2025
Have you considered some fans know more than what was included within the WLS article?
As I keep saying…football is a people business, and people talk.
There are lots of people who know a lot more than is in the public domain. And they can’t say too much on a public MB for fear of potential legal action.
Everyone is entitled to ignore posters. I’d merely suggest you consider what’s posted. Entirely your choice though. |
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Reply | Furs leaving
at 18:19 28 Nov 2025
Because he fell out with someone, I would suggest. |
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Reply | Loveliest Town in England Match Thread
at 12:14 27 Nov 2025
Very good points. I think that’s fair. And those stats back up my thoughts from yesterday. Varane far less involved last night than Madsen but Madsen’s pass completion not his best. I think Madsen is carrying Varane atm.
There’s no doubting Madsen is having a good season, a world away from last year’s no show. I am surprised he’s not being rested here or there. If he picks up an injury, it would be reasonable to blame the club for potentially overloading him. If Vale is fit, I’d have Vale as his understudy in that role. And Field as Varane’s, who I think should be dropped to the bench for a couple of games. |
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