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Thread | Surely Henry Gray could've been 3rd choice keeper?
at 09:15 3 Sep 2025
Button, for all his experience, won't get on the pitch more than once or twice, if that. Gray is 20. He has to be good enough to be 3rd choice now if they reckon he has a chance of making the grade. |
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Thread | Ben Johnson
at 19:28 1 Sep 2025
Right back he's competing with Furlong, Young and Clarke. I'd personally play any of them ahead of Johnson but appreciate not everyone sees Clarke as good enough.
Right side he's competing with McAteer, Sindre and ultimately Burns too. We expect to dominate in the majority of games and all of the above have greater ability to unlock a defence than Johnson.
So where does he actually fit now? You know what, I reckon his best opportunity might come as a back up to Leif Davis or, more worryingly, to Matusiwa. I actually now see Humphreys as the more viable bench option to cover Leif though as the way of getting more subs on the bench which could further limit Johnson's route. Interesting innit! [Post edited 1 Sep 19:31]
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Reply | Some concern/questioning about McKenna is definitely warranted
at 15:54 31 Aug 2025
Good post. It's the nature of the questions rather than questioning per se. I have been frustrated at times throughout his tenure at Town when the style has become too rigid, slow and ponderous. It happened in League 1 promotion season, culminating in Bristol Rovers on Valentine's Day, in the Championship post Christmas and more understandably throughout last season. Sometimes it came down to personnel - the injury to Hirst against Leicester for example, but in the main it has been the result of us being too slow to move the ball, not taking our chances to counter attack with pace and purpose when the opportunity arises. At the moment, the 4231 set up is more rigid than it has ever been. In previous and successful incarnations, the system has been more flexible with a hybrid right back dropping in as RCB and a player on the right side (Burns) able to cover plenty of ground so that Davis could maraude down the left without too much defensive responsibility at times. Now we do not have a eithe that hybrid right sided defender nor Cameron Burgess at LCB ( or Luongo in midfield) to drop in behind Davis. Greaves just doesn't seem to do this instinctively (and maybe he's not even being asked to at the moment?). To make things even worse, Philogene is quite literally blocking Davis' movement, occupying his space, slowing the game down to walking pace and stifling any tempo in our attack. The question is, is Philogene playing in the position that McKenna wants him to? Is he being told not to try and take his man on (as he is singularly failing to do so at the moment despite doing this all the time at Hull) or has he lost that yard due to injury? For me, it is how Philogene is being deployed yhat is questionable. Shunting Jack Clarke out to the right is another (failing) bi-product of Philogene's role. Don't get me wrong, we have all seen Philogene tear Championship defences a new one before and he is a capable player, but for me right now his attacking contribution (defensively he's good) is holding us back. |
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Reply | Player ratings and general thoughts on yesterday
at 12:28 31 Aug 2025
Yep, Philogene just too slow to move the ball, either to psss or go at his man (which he just isn't even attempting). He is taking Leif"s space but doing nothing with it so as a team it's a lose-lose.
Indeed, if we move the ball quicker as a team, we look so much better and threatening. It looks so obvious to me but it's just not happening yet. |
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Reply | My thoughts on todays game.....
at 18:09 30 Aug 2025
Hirst was poor today. His touch was off and his press wasn't great. Strangely though he should've scored and should've won a penalty. What a different gloss that would've put on it!
He'll benefit from Azon being in the squad and through balls from Cajuste, Matusiwa and Nunez......eventually. |
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Reply | Baffling how Philogene gets 90 mins
at 18:00 30 Aug 2025
Or the pace. His insistence on slowi g the move down when he gets it makes it look like he's trying to draw the fullback into him before skipping past him..........but it's an illusion. He just slows it down and does very little but lay it off, hang on to it until meekly giving possession away, through himself to the ground or put in a cross to nobody. Credit where it's due, he can track back and nick it occasionally and he scored two at Old Trafford (my dad could've scored the 2nd and the 1st was a cross). What's more, he is ruining Leif"s natural game to boot. |
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Thread | Squad cost
at 14:15 29 Aug 2025
Based on rough reported figures & add ons:
Palmer 3 million
Furlong 4m
Greaves 18 m
O'Shea 15m
Davis 1m
Matusiwa 7.5m
Nunez 10m
Phiologene 22m
Szmodics 9 m
Clarke 18m
Hirst 1.5m
Taylor 1.5m
McAteer 14m
Muric 8m
Walton 500k
Townsend 500k
Burns 750k
Chaplin 750k
Ogbene 8m
Egeli tbc 17m
Al-Hamadi 1.5m
Loans with obligation on promotion:
Kipre 4m
Akpom 10m
Cajuste 7.5m
You can dispute a few million here or there I guess but that squad has cost circa £160 million plus the obligations to buy!
Let's not forget the wages btw and the signing of Johnson (market value maybe 3m at least?).
I know Muric is away on loan but that money is spent and he's still our player.
We really should expect a big season
COYB
We really have spent some cash  [Post edited 29 Aug 14:23]
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Reply | H Clarke
at 15:15 28 Aug 2025
Thanks. I hope not. Still think Harry has plenty to offer and can't warm to Johnson anywhere on the pitch. A big wage for not enough for me. |
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Reply | H Clarke
at 15:02 28 Aug 2025
Is it pointing towards a Ben Johnson exit Phil? McAteer, Ogbene and eventually Burns all more likely on the right of midfield, Furlong, Young and maybe Clarke too at right back. Always thought he might work as a DM but seems unlikely. Not expecting any definite information, just your opinion. [Post edited 28 Aug 15:02]
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Reply | Can't wait for mendel to get in the first team picture
at 18:06 27 Aug 2025
Would be good to have someone from our young recruits establish themselves in the first team squad. Wolf is 26. I know Humphreys, Baggott, Barbrook and Ayinde have all been in squads this season but they're hardly regulars. Humphreys was straight out as soon as Cajuste was fit for some game time. Seems a long time since Downes and Dozzell broke through. We need more from our academy, more output. Hopefully Cat 1 will see this happen. |
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Reply | Egeli, plus a CM and a CF....
at 23:23 26 Aug 2025
We were linked to Hamer last summer. Would love to see him in a Town shirt. Has that creative energy that could transform this side. [Post edited 26 Aug 23:24]
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Reply | Egeli, plus a CM and a CF....
at 18:05 26 Aug 2025
Egeli won't count on squad numbers. One CM is as must and then hopefully another no 9 but one of those will be a young prem loan and be signed obout 6.30pm next Monday. I think Wolf goes, Baggot stays and Humphreys too. Townsend not registered and possibly Burns too until January. Button may not be registered and Henry Gray (?) as 3rd choice to free up a space. Does that make 25? |
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Reply | Mark Hudson
at 14:15 25 Aug 2025
Defensively at set pieces we look nervous. On attacking set pieces we are so static. We crowd the area from about 12 yards and then there is too little movement. I seriously cannot remember the lzst thunder ba$tard header we scored from a corner as we don't attack the ball. As far as direct free kicks go, Clarke's weak attempt straight into the wall on Satuurday was as inept and insipid as it gets. |
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Reply | Has anyone got some video of the penalty.. looked soft when I watched it live
at 16:08 24 Aug 2025
This^^^
Not much has been said but in general Johnson does not defend solidly. It was his ball to win and he got underneath it and allowed it to bounce, giving Small the opportunity to cross. He does lots of decent things Johnson but I just don't warm to him at right back I'm afraid. |
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Thread | Thought we could have done with Ogben's direct running in last 20 yesterday.
at 15:56 24 Aug 2025
Constantly passing it from side to side 25-30 yards out was playing into the low block tactics. I guess I understand why McAteer came on though and indeed, he ought to have scored. Ogbene could be very useful to the team this season. Neither Clarke nor Philogene offer directness and strength. Maybe McAteer does and Burns when he returns. We are missing the physicality Burns and Ogbene can bring. |
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