Injuries

Roberts out 6 weeks, Earl out for a month and Jalo needs a shoulder operation and will miss 3 months.

Just what we needed during a bad run of form, let's hope McCarthy and Pines can do a good job filling in.

 

Roberts and Earl both out is a disaster. I'd be looking to recall Shepherd if we can.

More shoulder issues for Jalo is not a great sign either.

 

Can only recall Shepherd and any other subs in Jan mate. Tough times ahead but its exactly the reason we have strength in depth bud. Let's hope the squad can rally

 

Or maybe a change in formation is on the cards? Might not be a bad thing.

 

I doubt the formation will change, Clarke's been avoiding playing the wing backs as full backs at all costs.

 

How come we always end up with our best players out for ages? Roberts needs to be careful. Any injury at 33 is worse than for a 23 year old.

 

McCarthy, Pines and MDG
With O'Keeffe and Gent as wing backs

Be afraid, be very afraid.

 

Pines is ready-made to replace Robbo. Tall, powerful and plays the same exact role. So no issues there. McCarthy can act as cover.

Oliver Wilkinson is a left footed centre half. If you’re good enough, you’re old enough. Until you can recall Shepherd next month.

Jalo isn’t a miss as barely been involved.

 

Very good point, terrible recruitment coming back to bite us yet again, who’d have thought it?

 

Yeah, realised it would be Jan at the earliest. Not good.

 

Terrifying

 

Terrible news. We definitely need Shepherd back in January.

 

Not sure how you can legislate for two of your first choice centre backs getting crocked at the same time. A club at our level can rarely afford to have top quality cover in the squad, so from that point of view we're lucky we've got Pines to step in. The decision to send Shepherd out on loan to get experience was objectively a sensible one - it's just a pity we can't recall him until January, but rules are rules.

As for the full backs - Gent seems to be really coming into form, and looks every bit the player we were told we'd signed. He was badly at fault for Birmingham's winner, but he'll learn from it. He's a young lad, playing for Barnsley in the 3rd tier, and he'll make mistakes.

O'Keefe - personally I rate him much more highly than most people on here do. He's not perfect, but he's involved in a lot of goals we score.

 

Pines replacing Roberts doesn't worry me too much but McCarthy for Earl does and it also means we have no left footed centre back now either.

 

Jalo must see more of Josh Benson than anyone else.

 

Pines doesn't worry me from a head-the-ball perspective, and he will chip in with the odd goal. I'm just more concerned about his feet being on back-to-front.

Need to remember he is off the back of a long layoff too ........ and I don't want him to go the same way as our last muscle-bound, athletic American. (No, not Brek Shea)

 

To be fair jalo looked really good coming off the bench v wrexham and previously. Dkd has been anonymous, watters injured and Cosgrove... well less said the better. Surely jalo wasn't far off the run of games and opportunities the others have had. Shame for him.

 

The Roberts injury seemed summat and nothing. He just sat down and called for the physio....

 

Whatever happened to Nathan James, he was the next bright hope wasn't he? How's he doing on loan at Mickleover?

( no incorrect "gone too long", quips required.....)

 

I liked him. Didn't he feature in the 2nd tier for us a couple of times? Another one who I fear will thrive after leaving us.