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Reply | The Madsen rehabilitation thread
at 17:26 22 Apr 2025
I would suggest that for nearly a third of last season, Chair's numbers are skewed due to the numbskull, neanderthal approach of Ainsworth. During that time, he was largely a bystander but still managed two goal assists in the first 14 league games. Enter the MC and he scores 7 goals and 6 further goal assists in the 30 games in which he was involved thereafter.
Very impressive last season and still showed his quality during this campaign, albeit being hampered by injuries that have restricted him to just 19 starts. [Post edited 22 Apr 17:34]
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Reply | Cricket 2025 County/International Thread
at 11:26 22 Apr 2025
Fair question.
As an Essex supporter, but first and foremost a cricket fan, it wasn't a clean catch, pure and simple. Jamie Porter has gone down in my estimations for cheating. It wasn't just his lack of honesty for the non-catch, but along with others, squaring up to the Worcestershire batsman who was perfectly within his rights to call into question the legtimacy of the "catch". All very unedifying and marred what was an excellent contest up until then.
It is to be hoped that Jamie and Essex show good grace when future questionable decisions go against them, which will happen during a long season. Sadly, I have my doubts. [Post edited 23 Apr 11:27]
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Reply | Do Saints really need Ronnie Edwards?
at 07:59 22 Apr 2025
Might just be me, but I can't see Eze being bought by any of the so-called bigger clubs. There are at least four of his teammates at Palace who I suspect will be coveted a lot more than Eze by such clubs: Guehi, Mateta, Wharton and Munoz. Even the goalkeeper, Henderson.
Ismaila Sarr has had a better season in terms of goals scored in the premier league.
Eze has got this club circa £20m already, the most received for any departing player from QPR. Were we to receive a further windfall, I wouldn't entrust our worldly-wise Director of Football in spending it wisely. [Post edited 22 Apr 8:47]
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Reply | Cricket 2025 County/International Thread
at 14:26 14 Apr 2025
Good start for Kent, now keep it going.
From the outside looking in, it appears that you've got a stronger squad this season than you had last year. You've still got the two J Denlys to consider for selection, Quinn, Parkinson??.
Just read that Dudgeon is unfortunately out for the season after sustaining a knee injury when training. That's a shame after he bowled so well in Kent's first victory against Northamptonshire. |
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Reply | Steve cook staying
at 10:56 14 Apr 2025
Seriously hope this is true. In spite of his injuries this season, he's still played in 31 league games this season, 36 last season. Morrison has only managed 15 to date. JCS just 11.
His knowledge and experience will be invaluable for the likes of Morrison. He's played about 180 premier league games, played at this level and below with Bournemouth. He's still durable, has a fantastic attitude, still has a lot to offer on the pitch and in imparting his wealth of knowledge to younger defenders on the training ground.
He's virtually the same age as Van Dijk. If Liverpool have finally come to their senses and offered him a new contract, I see no reason why we shouldn't do the same with Cook. We need some experienced players in our squad for next season and Cook fits that bill perfectly. Were we to not sign him, we'll be hard-pressed finding an alternative with that level of experience at all levels, including the premier league. [Post edited 14 Apr 10:58]
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Reply | Rest of the Championship thread
at 14:53 12 Apr 2025
If Plymouth were to go down, I'd like to think that we would be looking at their forward, Hardie. He's only in his second season at this level, yet scored 13 league goals last season and could match that number again by the close of this one.
Would love to see Sheffield United fail to get promoted. |
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Reply | Rowett reacts to QPR defeat.
at 09:56 10 Apr 2025
That's a very balanced assessment. Those first two goals shouldn't be happening at any decent level of football. It was as if their keeper was a complete novice playing in goal for the very first time. Do I care!! Thank you for being so charitable, Jamie Cumming. [Post edited 10 Apr 9:59]
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Reply | are we safe, yes or no....
at 08:05 10 Apr 2025
We are now and I didn't think that we would win last night to essentially achieve it.
Thank goodness for divine intervention with our two goals in the first-half. Whatever their keeper was doing on both occasions is beyond me, but who cares. We've avoided the drop for at least another season.
Focus now fully on some other sports that largely cover the spring/summer months: cricket and rugby league from hereon, until the resumption of another arduous season starting at some point in August. Hopefully, with the MC still at the helm. [Post edited 10 Apr 8:12]
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Reply | Kolli on his way?
at 16:24 9 Apr 2025
Totally agree. His numbers would back that up.
Having just turned 20, he's a talent with a physical presence and is already better suited to this league than many of the other signings, Anderson included, that were all deemed as being better than him at the start of the season.
However, I hope the injuries and alleged/actual off-field interferences cease, so that he can realise his undoubted potential whilst at this club. [Post edited 9 Apr 16:29]
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Reply | Charlie Kelman’s Leyton Orient
at 10:28 9 Apr 2025
If he weren't contracted to us as a player, I am certain that the general consensus would have been that he is the kind of player that we should be expressing an interest in. Irrespective of the fact that the level of defending is obviously not at championship standard.
He's still managed 17 league goals, which is just one behind a £15m striker who is way too good for that league and Fulham wanted to keep as part of their 1st team squad. [Post edited 9 Apr 10:38]
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Reply | Team for Oxford
at 13:16 8 Apr 2025
I'd say that he would be more effective as a makeshift striker than Lloyd, ostensiibly a striker or Bennie. He can actually head the ball in attacking areas and has on many occasions shown good movement in the penalty area to create a heading opportunity. Physically strong too. I'm sure that there will be aspects where he will be found wanting but that's no different to when either Lloyd or Bennie is used.
If it's good enough for Arsenal with Merino, dearth of strikers being of their own making, it needs to be seriously considered by us as an interim measure.
Previous defenders that spring to mind who were effective as makeshift/converted into strikers: Paul Warhurst and Ian Marshall from the dim and distant past. [Post edited 8 Apr 13:28]
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Reply | are we safe, yes or no....
at 08:50 8 Apr 2025
Very much potential parallels with Brum. In the absence of some key players returning, worrying times indeed.
With Luton, Cardiff and Derby playing tonight, the bottom end of the table could concertina before we play tomorrow. Albeit Derby have the hardest game tonight, on paper, anyway. [Post edited 8 Apr 9:07]
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Reply | Cricket 2024 County/International Thread
at 08:10 8 Apr 2025
This is why the 4-day championship has to remain an integral part of the domestic cricket season. Look at how some of the sides, in both divisions, managed to draw games from positions that look pretty desperate after the first few days. I like T20 as well, but there's no room for the ebbs and flows that happen in test matches and the 4-day game so frequently.
Still Surrey to win division one again, for me. They were missing at least 3 players who are playing/sat on their pants in the IPL: Curran, Jacks & Overton. Throw in the odd appearance from Gus Atkinson and that's pretty scary, but well done Essex. Just a shame that Foakes (ex Essex) figured prominently in both innings in helping them to achieve the draw. [Post edited 8 Apr 8:27]
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Reply | Team for Oxford
at 13:40 7 Apr 2025
Regardless of permutation of players that are fit for selection, we are not beating either Oxford or Bristol City and I'm worried.
Our attacking midfield/striker options won't make any discernible impact against any of the sides that we have left to play.
Cardiff was the game for us to win, as they were awful. Yet, our attacking players couldn't even do the basics: offer for the football (repeatedly), be strong and not be so easily dispossessed, keep hold of possession, some link-up play, attack the full-back when in one v one situations: a situation Yang was in on at least three occasions in the first-half alone, but baulked each time.
Finally, how about improving your weaker foot to be more confident on match days to at least be able to cross a ball and make the defender realise that you can go both ways. I'm old, but Dave Thomas, Andy Sinton, Trevor Sinclair, even Wayne Fereday could do this. Yet we're told that the game is so much better nowadays, yet many of the current players occupying the same positions, can't fulfil the basics required.
It's a moot point whether Lloyd would have been anywhere near the crosses, had they materialised, but at least try. [Post edited 7 Apr 14:04]
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Reply | Rest of the Championship thread
at 10:51 7 Apr 2025
They've got some players there that are of a higher grade to what we have playing in similar positions. Most notably: Cameron Brannagan who is a very versatile midfield player, playing in a deeper-lying definsive role at present, but can play in the advanced midfield positions too.
How he has not been signed by another championship team way before Oxford got promoted, is beyond me. Way better than Verane, Colback, Madsen, Anderson. [Post edited 7 Apr 10:54]
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Reply | Dembele has had a free ride this season
at 20:51 4 Apr 2025
Now I'm the first to admit that on reflection, some of my threads to some posts on here have been ill-considered and crass to the extreme. This post is right up there with those.
The lad has only started 11 league games and 5 sub appearances. In that small amount of time he has as many goals as Smyth and one fewer assist. Same number of assists as Saito, two fewer goals.
if he's viewed as a disappointment then the same has to be said of the other two. Who in spite of running around a lot, appear to not have the required consistency, in terms of end product, better decision-making, showing for the ball a lot more like Chair and being physically stronger. All traits that are needed in this division for players that play in that position. Unfair comparison(s), but Gnoto and Dolan are of the same/similar height and possess the above traits.
Can Dembele cut it at this level? I have my doubts, but those reservations apply equally to Saito and Smyth who have both flattered to deceive in my view.
For reference, hamstrung Willock had four goals and four assists last season after having played the same number of games as Smyth and Saito, in far fewer minutes, as his game time during GA's reign were limited. [Post edited 4 Apr 22:39]
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Reply | Cricket 2024 County/International Thread
at 08:39 4 Apr 2025
Very magnanimous of you, but it's Surrey's to lose. No other squad, in what I believe will be a very competitive county championship involving the other teams, comes close to Surrey's.
As an Essex fan, don't worry about us beating you over the next four days. Our highest-scoring batsman in the championship last season, Dean Elgar, is unavailable for this game. I'm guessing that will mean an opening pair of Paul Walter(!) and Cox followed by Westley, Critchley, Pepper, Thain, Allison, Harmer, Snater, Cook, Porter. That's an incredibly brittle batting line-up and inexperienced in some areas. We'll do well to keep our status in division one beyond this season.
I also think that the 2nd division county championship will be very competitive this season. Hope Kent do well, as they're kind of my second team. However, I fancy Leicestershire to be the dark horses, as they have rebuilt well over the last few years and now have a good squad that could challenge for the top spots. I'd take Rishi Patel back in a heartbeat. He was never given a proper chance at Essex.
All the best to all teams, enjoy and support the great county game whenever you can. [Post edited 4 Apr 8:50]
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