Team v Mansfield???

.......................Smith........................
O'Keefe...MDG...Roberts...Farrugia
.....................Nwakali.......................
.............Russell......Connell.............
.......................Phillips......................
.............Humphrys......DKD..............

Subs
Flavell
McCarthy
LembIkisa
Watters
Rodrigues
Benson
Barratt

 

As our sporting director feels he knows best I'd play a line up of players he's brought to the club in their true positions

 

Last time we met in this fixture 22 years ago:

(23rd) Stags 0-1 Reds (18th)

Matthew Ghent, Dave Mulligan, Neil Austin, Brian O’Callaghan (Goal 31’), Antony Kay, Kevin Donovan, Chris Lumsdon (Replaced by Paul Gibbs 80’), Alex Neil, Mitch Ward, Kevin Betsy, Mike Sheron.

Unused: Craig Parry, Rory Fallon, Dean Gorre, Isaiah Rankin.

 

Bad as that side was I reckon Kay, Mulligan, Betsy and Sheron would walk into our side now. Probably Gorre too.

 

Terrible side, why would you share that Enough to give you nightmares.

 

I can’t see Farrugia playing as a left back in a back four. He’s only just started playing left wing back this season & has mainly played as a winger or forward.

 

Yep, great signing for what we needed….again.

 

Brian O'Callaghan scored a goal in able-bodied football?? Don't be ridiculous.

 

I'd play watter over Humphrys

 

Played central midfield, centre forward, left midfield and right midfield this season

 

He’s mainly been poor. Or injured. Early days and all that, but I keep thinking that based on the law of averages we’ll drop on another quality wing back. I mean, we sign enough of them.

 

I’d play @Jay over Humphrys.

 

I really wouldn't. Unless we're having a drinking competition.

I don't like Humphrys much at all (which genuinely pains me to say because I don't want to be someone who dislikes one of our players) but he had a couple of good games against Northampton and Lincoln.

He has the unfortunate trait of visibly displaying his inner emotions through his body language. And this manifests itself as someone who looks annoyed/disinterested/lazy which we've both picked up on, and taken a dislike. I think this probably makes him look worse than he actually is. And he's been played in the wrong position all season. He's not someone who can lead the line. I don't think that's Clarke's fault either, he'd got nobody else, Humphrys was the only option. (And no, Josiah Dyer is not an option for League 1 football).

I don't think he's very good, but I also think I judge him harshly.

 

I get no pleasure from not rating him either. I want him to prove me wrong. And early in the season I actually felt he was a decent addition. He scored two or three really good, but really different kinds of goals. For whatever reason, he's completely dropped off. Even in the last game, where he was given the opportunity to play wide in a front three, he was as bad as ever.

See if Conor get a tune out of him I suppose.

 

He was terrible in the last game. I don't think we're ever going to like him, but I don't think he'll be here next season for it to make any difference.

I've also got a strong suspicion that my judgement of him is worse than his performances. He's a lad in his 20s trying to carve out a career that will very soon be done. He must have worked so hard to get where he is. What did I do in my 20s? Drunk beer, took drugs and tossed it off. So why do I get to judge him when I'm in my 50s?

 

There is that. And I’ve friends and family who play. So whilst saying I don’t rate a player, I ought to know better. Hard though isn’t it? It’s our team. They represent us.

The day I stop having or sharing an opinion would be worse, because I’d have stopped caring.

 

Really is yes.

Absolutely.

Jacob Butterfield was one of my favourite players. There might be other players that do it, but the only player I've seen live who takes a corner from one side with his left foot and a corner from the other side with his right foot was Jacob. Genuine awe.

 

He did his ACL again late last year, which is harsh because other than that and the one for us 14 years ago (where does the time go?) he’s not really had an injury of note. It was against Jimmy McNulty’s Rochdale too, just to add to the weirdness. And now he coaches in the academy at Leeds.

His eldest lad is playing, but we’ll have to see if it runs in the family. The talent, not the cruciate injuries!

 

He only started playing left wing back for us/this season in his whole career? Or have I misunderstood you bud?

 

I can’t remember who it was or how to find him but a Shamrock fan posted that most of his appearances for them had come as a winger or forward & that he’s only played wing back as cover when they were short.

He’s described as a winger in all the articles when he joined us too.

He certainly looks better going forwards than he does at defending.