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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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Reply | Loveliest Town in England Match Thread
at 22:13 26 Nov 2025
Proof will be in the pudding come March. Worried about Kone and what’s happened there with his fitness. Looks heavier and slower than when he joined. |
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Reply | Loveliest Town in England Match Thread
at 22:12 26 Nov 2025
Yeah, that’s where I struggle. I think he’s poor defensively. Gave up for that first Hull goal and goes missing too much, in my view opinion. Let his man run off him into the box to set up the chance for that great Nardi save. Also very conservative on the ball. Madsen is the one carrying that central midfield this season.
But we can all disagree though. I simply don’t see it. Think he’s very overrated. |
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Reply | Loveliest Town in England Match Thread
at 22:06 26 Nov 2025
Didn’t say Madsen was poor just that he couldn’t quite complete those killer balls when it was on. Credited his work rate too. But you go building straw men.
I didn’t think the centre midfield was good overall though? Mainly due to Varane. We had a pass completion rate of 67% and only made 7 tackles all game. Felt like the ball spent a lot of time going over our midfield to be fair to them, but don’t think we ever got proper control, not after the first 15 mins.
Our attacking threat came from wide areas mainly fed by the back 4.
And we had less possession. None of the facts scream a central midfield doing a great job. What I saw with my eyes was aligned to that.
I thought it was the back 4 who stood up strong (and Nardi). [Post edited 26 Nov 22:08]
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Reply | Loveliest Town in England Match Thread
at 21:53 26 Nov 2025
Wow! Watched a different game from you. Felt like he went 10 min spells without touching it. Madsen covered a lot more ground. And lots of people posting earlier how our midfield was about invisible. Would have had Varane down as the 2nd worst performance behind Burrell who looked well off it today. |
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Reply | Loveliest Town in England Match Thread
at 21:48 26 Nov 2025
Smyth was exceptional the whole time he was on. Another level of intensity from him.
Field had a very poor first half, but was very good defensively and on the ball in the second half.
Madsen worked hard but kept failing to complete that killer pass when it was on. For me, Varane was anonymous. Coasted through a lot of that.
Word for Cook and Nardi. Cook didn’t put a foot wrong after concussing Hamer! Won everything in the air. Nardi made a match winning save. That wasn’t at him. No right to save that.
Chair was very good all night. Saito dangerous. Felt Burrell wasn’t really at it and Kone is definitely looked heavier and slower. What is the Performance function up to? He looked fitter and sharper after a limited pre-season at Wycombe than he does now he’s been with us months. Concerning.
Blackburn are total toilet though. Would have been annoyed not beating that. |
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Reply | Loveliest Town in England Match Thread
at 21:30 26 Nov 2025
Great cross by Chair. Great run and header by Smyth. Believe the attack began with Field striding onto a lose ball and playing the pass to Chair. Field was awful first half, but has been very good second. Odd.
Not entirely sure where Varane has gone the last 10-15 mins. |
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Reply | Loveliest Town in England Match Thread
at 21:21 26 Nov 2025
What was Chair doing there defensively? Just stood behind Field rather than mark their man on the flank allowing a clear run into the box.
Surprised we’ve taken Saito off. Looked our best source of a goal. Burrell has had a poor game (for once) so would have hooked him. Hopefully I’m wrong and he scores now. |
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Reply | Loveliest Town in England Match Thread
at 21:08 26 Nov 2025
Saw that. But Dunne’s defending to lose the ball over on the touchline was also awful first. First one to hug Nardi. We love an unforced error. |
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Reply | Loveliest Town in England Match Thread
at 20:59 26 Nov 2025
Do we give the players Ketamine at half time?
Burrell, Saito, Mbengue…and probably others all needlessly giving away possession under limited pressure inside our own half. |
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Reply | (No subject) (n/t)
at 20:48 26 Nov 2025
Been in the role 2 years in Jan, plus a year behind the scenes. |
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Reply | Ashes thread
at 09:17 26 Nov 2025
I think that’s all anyone wants. A bit of balance.
Bazball was meant to be playing positive cricket. We can all get behind that. But positive cricket can be running quick singles and twos, rotating the strike in the face of pressure. Putting pressure back on the fielders. It doesn’t need to be - and we were told it never was - simply very aggressive batting regardless of the situation. Ben Stokes himself ahead showed that positive cricket can simply involved very positive, firm defensive shots in the face of great bowling. It isn’t walking down the track early in your innings “just because…”.
There is an accountability problem in the England culture. They have rightly tried to remove the fear of failure to free the players. Great. Get it. But there shouldn’t be zero accountability. When that happens it gives the players an excuse for playing poorly, and playing cricket is their job. It’s meant to be a competitive sport. If you don’t perform over a prolonged period of time, some else gets a chance. This “it’s the way I/we play” line is lazy and bad for any professional culture. It may be the way you play, but if you don’t execute it better in key moments, it needs some adaptation or perhaps England need to pick players who can execute it better? [Post edited 29 Nov 12:30]
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