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Injuries
at 17:12 11 Oct 2026

Is it something being covered by mainstream sports journalists Clive do you know? Seems a big issue when so many players are being affected and it also affects the enjoyment of the fans if the best players aren’t available.

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Injuries
at 16:54 11 Oct 2026

But how does that fit with Millwall who everybody agrees is a well run club? And they’ve had tons of injuries this season, probably more than us and also had a load last season. They’re also the land of the giants compared to us.

Injuries were no doubt terrible last season and the fault of the club’s strategy. I’m not convinced that we can judge them yet so harshly this season given the injuries have happened partly to those who didn’t have a pre season plus Burrell who was playing international football after a crazy few weeks schedule and a couple of freak injuries to Kone and Kemper.

I still don’t understand why the EFL scheduled two back to back three match weeks followed by a packed international break and then another three match week and then two weeks with no midweek games. It’s a recipe for disaster.

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QPR Loan Watch 2026-27
at 16:34 10 Oct 2026

Second goal for Adjetey-Brew. They’re 4-0 up.

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Rest of the Championship thread 26/27
at 15:57 10 Oct 2026

Maybe a new Wrexham manager too? They’ve got very high hopes and losing to Derby who were in the relegation places wasn’t in the script I’m sure.

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QPR Loan Watch 2026-27
at 15:34 10 Oct 2026

It seems like a cracking loan for him!

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Rest of the Championship thread 26/27
at 13:55 10 Oct 2026

Swansea very dangerous from crosses if today’s match anything to go by. Difficult to be totally sure as Norwich’s defence are pants. They’re safely at the top leading 2-1 at the moment.

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Great draw tonight...
at 12:02 10 Oct 2026

Except I didn’t say any of that. Obviously from a playing viewpoint I’d have kept Kemper on. No one is saying any different.

We were talking about player loading when you’ve got yet another three day week. And unless you put on here before Lamptey went on that he was bound to get injured then it’s just the benefit of hindsight. What if Kemper had got injured or couldn’t play on Wednesday? Medicine isn’t an exact science and yet you’re expecting it to be. It doesn’t work like that. Players can be injury free if they carry on playing or get injured even if their minutes are managed. All you can do is maximise the chances of being injury free and minimise the chances of the injuries by being careful with their loading and that’s what we’re doing.

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Blowing Bubbles Up The R's Match Thread
at 10:40 10 Oct 2026

Now that’s why I love LFW. Always a school day (and not being sarky in case anyone thought that).

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Great draw tonight...
at 10:37 10 Oct 2026

Sorry but I disagree Myke. I think Stephan has bought into the medical advice and is following it because he doesn’t want to see us losing players like we did last season.

Yes we’re losing players to injuries but that’s partly due to the mental fixture list - we’re having to play players more than once in four days because we have no choice with back to back three game weeks - and partly because we’re taking them out with a niggle so it doesn’t become a full blown major issue. Players like Lamptey are always going to be a gamble so I’m not expecting a full season from him but if we can manage Kemper and Adamson while Cirkin is suspended then we should be fine going forward.

I’m really glad Stephan listens to the medical staff rather than the fans. If you’d be willing to lose Kemper all season just to get two extra points then we’re never going to agree, so we’ll agree to disagree on this. Personally I think injury management is the single thing that will make or break our season and although we’ll lose people anyway because of the daft fixture list I’d prefer it was for that than stupidly over-playing people coming back from injury.

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Great draw tonight...
at 09:14 10 Oct 2026

You say you get it about loading and then you say that he should’ve kept Kemper on which shows that you don’t. He’s just back after missing most of the season so far. I think it was positive he managed to play sixty minutes after so long off. Also he’s in the past been off with an Achilles tendon injury where he missed over a hundred days of football so not Superman after all.

With our injury issues over the last few seasons we’re crazy if we encourage the manager to actually ignore medical and physio advice. I’m pleased Stephan isn’t a Beale kind of tw*t who destroys players like Willock by ignoring medical advice just to further his own career.

It’s no surprise to me that Burrell got injured on international duty where they’re probably not managing his minutes like we are doing now. I get it’s frustrating but I think we should get behind the medical teams as they’re trying to get our players to maximise minutes across a whole season.

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Blowing Bubbles Up The R's Match Thread
at 09:00 10 Oct 2026

Yes Adamson feels like a new signing this season. People were right to be sceptical last season but he’s really stepped up. Great that he can play both sides and he’s got pace too. He’s also taller than I thought - six foot one apparently - which is useful at the back. Whoever has worked with him - chapeau to them.

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Great draw tonight...
at 08:51 10 Oct 2026

Not really as we’re playing on Wednesday and Saturday. You can’t overplay fast players like Smyth and Burrell as they get injured more easily. Plus he was taking a battering. Obviously in an ideal world we would’ve been able to play Kemper and Smyth for 90 minutes. But Stephan has to look at the bigger picture. Blame the mental fixture list.

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Julien Stéphan Interview
at 01:11 10 Oct 2026

I wasn’t disagreeing with the point about managing difficult personalities. I just think it’s ridiculous to think that Warnock would’ve made the same allowances for Kolli as he did for Adel.

I don’t think Stephan thinks they have to be Stepford Footballers - where’s he ever said anything iike that? But any manager expects their young players to work hard in training. More experienced players who’ve shown their abilities and have less to learn will get away with more. But he’s managed to get on with players as disparate as Mbengue, Dunne, Madsen and Smythy and they all seem to respect him so that’s good enough for me.

I don’t see JS as having a bigger ego than NW. And I’m a bit confused that he’s being accused of having too big an ego and being faux humble at the same time.

But we all have our opinions which is fine. I’m more worried about someone pinching him than whether he’s good enough for us but then I’m still weary about the recent Beale, Critchley and Ainsworth triumvirate that nearly pushed me over the edge. JS is a breath of fresh air in comparison.

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Julien Stéphan Interview
at 20:14 8 Oct 2026

You’re not seriously comparing Kolli and Taarabt? Certain players get away with more because they’re supreme talents. But you have to earn that.

I think Stephan is doing fine with player morale and engagement.

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Julien Stéphan Interview
at 11:28 8 Oct 2026

And last season Kone was also doing the boring bits. This season he hasn’t been able to because he wasn’t fit enough, hence him being dropped too, even before this latest injury. Lloyd is picked more for being a disruptor and for his pace taking some of the pressure off by moving the ball up the pitch.

It boils down to this: Kolli wiil be picked if he works as hard as Kone did last season and is fit enough to do so.

But with both Kone and Burrell injured I really hope Kolli is finally listening snd buckling down because I agree we definitely need a goal scorer.

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Everything that is wrong in the world is in this!
at 11:00 8 Oct 2026

I’d usually agree with you. I get a bit sick of the Daily Mail sad face stories about someone having to pay £50k hospital fees having crashed their moped in holiday in Florida with no travel insurance.

However, big money chucking 87 year olds out of their home to be able to turn an even bigger buck leaves a nasty taste IMO.

[Post edited 8 Oct 11:01]

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Kamara potentially unavailable
at 10:56 8 Oct 2026

Me too.

Hope Finland accepts a mea culpa. But maybe we didn’t expect him to play on Friday anyway but just wanted him not to be injured and to be ready for midweek having rested and trained with us since Wednesday.

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Julien Stéphan Interview
at 10:54 8 Oct 2026

Isn’t the point though that if you’re not working hard enough in training then you won’t be fit enough to last 90 minutes plus may not be up to speed with the patterns of play which is a big thing for Stephan.

So you might score one goal every two hundred and seventy minutes but if you’re not fit enough to play more than 60 minutes that’s spread over maybe four-five marches. If you’re not able to undertake the boring bits of the game because you’re not fit enough/haven’t applied yourself in training/CBA then your one goal every four matches isn’t worth as much as it sounds on paper.

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Ben Bloom podcast
at 10:44 8 Oct 2026

I feel I’ve listened to you more than my family in the last couple of days Clive! But both enjoyable listens and quite a few LOLs.

Thanks.

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Julien Stéphan Interview
at 18:26 7 Oct 2026

Fair point. Maybe Kone’s earned enough brownie points from last season when he was carrying the front line for a number of games. Also he called out Kolli last season for not putting the effort in in training so maybe he’s tougher on him. But I don’t think Kone is getting any more slack either from now on and quite right too!

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