PBL

Anyone seen this? According to away fans, we're the third-worst away-day in League One - but still better than Leeds... even Rochdale get a much higher rating: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27782311 Will the new stand help - or is there something else lacking at B.P?

Thought I'd sneak the Vernon question in early - but I'm not suggesting him! Would prefer to see Philly up front as well but would be nice to have a proven scorer if we can find/afford one - when I ask 'who should we go for' it's more 'where can we get a goalscorer on the cheap', hope LJ has some options in mind...

Only 50 league goals in total, this is around normal in recent years but JCH top scorer with 6 - this must be a new low! I can't remember a lower top scorer, or even one in single figures since the late 90s (Allott?). I like JCH as a player, he's only 19 & played a big part in the unbeaten run with the work he put in up front on his own - but not sure he'll ever be prolific. It's obvious we need a goalscorer even more badly than usual next season, with wingers/midfield ideally chipping in with a few more. Would have liked to see Turner in the last few games, but seems he's one for the longer term. So who should we go for - & will Scott Vernon be on the list (not played much since Rooney started banging them in!)?!

Passion, maybe. Meathead, yes - he was right in LJ's face for no reason several times, also pretty sure his reaction influenced the sending-off. He was the same in JPT tie. Was sat next to a family with kids today and Abbot's swearing was worse than anyone in the paddock - not big or clever!

Mixed feelings as well - good to be safe with a couple of games to spare & ten unbeaten but still not convinced with the system (at home anyway, away it can work IF we score first) - JCH working really hard but no support at all. Partner for him (Philly?? he's wasted on the wing or midfield) and pace on the wings definitely needed. Worrall also puts in a shift but no end product, can't beat a man and few crosses, Harkins can beat a man but no pace - shouldn't have got caught on the ball today when he had passes either side, led to their pen. We're too slow generally getting forward, with our passing & movement. Defensively, Brown much improved, Lockwood sending-off harsh but hes a walking foul & Grounds I don't get - yes he has a left foot but whats the point when 99% of his passes go to the opposition (plus embarassing how many times he got skinned by Notts right winger). Hope we keep Wes & Wilson, IMO Rachubka MOTM, also got to keep. Then find some pace & creativity further forward! Both Derry and Abbot contenders for biggest bell-end on opposition bench this season?

Same for me - sat with Bradford fans on a free ticket so saw & heard how the away end was - & they were impressed at how 'noisy' we were. I was pissing myself when they started having a go at Stead... & saying how useful our lad up front looked. Didn't know why we were lower than them in the table & they all agreed that the policing was well over the top Have to say JCH was class but the whole team looked good from up there, definitely a lot better from Connor Brown. Looked like the same system as at Crewe but with Korey a lot better than Byrom in the middle, & Wes running on. Credit to LJ & a great day out, even in the wrong end of the ground!

Really good away performance - we were solid enough at Crewe but much more dangerous going forward today - Worrall much improved, Wes outstanding everywhere, winning the ball as usual but also passing it well and breaking to support JCH perfectly for the first, worked well with him, Korey & Philly in there, all excellent. Harkins quieter but still quality on the ball, showed real class with the killer pass for the second. Stating the obvious, we need to keep him! Happy enough with the defence but never totally confident that we won't give a stupid goal away... Credit to LJ for this, a bit of consistency with a settled side and good man-management too, all season hes been asking for more from JCH - well today that was what he has threatened to be all along - bullied their defence, won his share in the air, held it up and finished superbly for his goals. When hes fit enough to keep going for 90 mins we'll have a player on our hands! Brilliant support, great to hear that noise again. We should be well happy with that following and performance!!

Was sat with Bradford fans (live locally and got free ticket) trying not to smile too much. Great view from up there and we were excellent, well-organised, good shape and quick to break. Really good away performance - Bradford lot were impressed with team and noise from fans. And that's why we persisted with JCH, unplayable at times. Now for a drink - cheers!

Corney's an easy target - but I don't think he's in it for the money... LJ has to take the blame for changing the whole style of the team during the season, some of the players who've gone he couldn't help, but why has he become so negative? When we went to Rotherham (and could easily have won, even with 10 men), we had Lanzoni & Mills at full-back, Sid & Monty wide - pace and quality - and now only Harkins with any quality, and no pace in their places. Of those players who've gone, we didn't seem to want to bring Mills back, and I still dont understand letting Sid go, he had potential at least, and if there were off-field problems, that's part of the manager's job to deal with, not just sacking him off. He said he wanted to stay and fight for his place, and wasn't given the chance. I'd rather have him on the bench as an option than Millar... LJ has shown a lot more faith in Dayton and McDonald, for two who haven't exactly produced. He said we looked weak, so why play Winchester against physical teams? and having talked about building a team, now he wants more loan players?? I don't even know what his tactics are now - he either has to go for real cloggers and makes us hard to beat, if not pretty to watch, or tries to get players who have some pace and hunger to play an attacking game - at the moment we're neither, and its not looking good

Me neither - and they've just scored... 0-1

Also went to my first game at BP in 85 - Grimsby and hooked for life - Mick Quinn scored twice so my first favourite! Spoilt for choice for all-time, Earl Barrett, Ricky Holden, Ian Marshall and Roger Palmer all up there, but has to be Andy Ritchie. Currently - Wes, always gives 100% and been around a while (relatively)!

I like LJ - but I think it's fair enough to question some of his decisions - today Gordon and Roy were talking about taking Kusunga off in the first half, so if they and most fans can see a red coming, the manager should too... Philly isnt a winger and also from what I saw of Sidney and Dayton, on football anyway I'd have kept Sid with his pace and at least potential to improve, which I just don't see in Dayton. Is Kissock any better?

A shame about Sidney but looks like it's just going to be another of the great Dutch-OAFC mysteries, like Orfeo Keizersweerd and Clyde's phone call...

Also have to rely on Player a lot these days - drives me mad when it's not working properly or when we're losing but that made it all worthwhile. Must have been even more special for those who kept the faith at BP, would have loved to have been there. Was in Chaddy End when Redfearn scored the penalty and haven't felt like that for a long, long time. I was bouncing round the room and shouting worse things than Roy - thanks both for a great commentary!

Is it just me because when I hear Gordon & Roy going on about how well we're playing every week, but we still haven't scored, I know a 1-0 defeat is coming?

If Tarky does go, and we can't get him loaned back for the rest of the season, it's even more important to sign Lanzoni up ASAP - should really have done this after his first game, obvious quality. I think the no. 1 priority has to be a striker (as usual), Charlie Mac's the right sort of player but injury-prone, someone who could link up with Danny P and JCH - assuming we hold on to those two! If we could sell, Rooney still doesn't look like the striker we needed, probably on a decent wage but hopefully will start to score if still here. Otherwise a decent squad, just need those injured players back, a bit of consistency, and a goalscorer. Not much to ask...

Dutch lifestyle choices?

Just think it'd be a shame to let Sidney go when there's potential there, and he's still our player for another 18 months to get that out of him - doubt he's on a massive wage, and if it hasn't worked out by next season, let him go then. IMO, worth taking a chance unless he wants to go, and nothing really to lose by keeping him. Unless there's something criminal involved. Remember how we let Orfeo Keizersweerd go too soon...

Unless it's something off the pitch, what I've seen of Sidney so far doesn't warrant getting rid. Of course he's nowhere near the finished article, but you wouldn't expect him to be here if he was. He's settling in to a new country and shows real pace & skill in patches - better decision-making and end product will come with experience, game time & confidence. . Can't understand why he's been left out recently, given our problems scoring/creating at home especially. The bench with only Millar and kids on as attacking options is worrying... LJ should be sending Plummer back and working out what's wrong with Rooney before thinking about ditching Sidney already. And not even mentioning it to journalists before he tells the player he;s on the way out. And where was Kusunga yesterday?

As mentioned above, can we risk giving Mellor or Winchester the run of games they need, in their best positions? Mellor in centre-mid ahead of Smith or Wes, Winchester at right-back ahead of Kusunga or Lanzoni (or even Brown)? I'm not even sure what Winchester's best position is, some good touches but also lacks pace and still too lightweight for me - remember him getting bullied out of it against Stevenage a couple of years ago and doesn't look any stronger now. Frustrating as they've both got some talent, especially Mellor but it's such a physical league unless you're a world-beater you need mental and physical strength and total commitment (which is why Wes makes a difference, despite not being the best on the ball) and I'm still not convinced by either - loaning them out seems the better option, short-term anyway, to see if they've got it. Be nice to have a few more players coming through the youths - LJ not as bad as Dickov for loans, but agree we shouldn't be putting unproven lads like Petrasso & Plummer ahead of our own, unless they're going to improve the team a lot more than those two have - City must have some decent youth players but we haven't seen them yet...

Long-time supporter & OWTB reader, first-time poster - still made up about the win yesterday! Also enjoyed the Player commentary, Mike K sounded very professional and Roy... just his usual. Having seen it, the outrage at the sending-off was justified in that their player had to go if Kusunga was going. Terrible decision. For someone who listens to most away games on Player, think it needs a balance between enthusiasm (which Gordon & Roy both have plenty of) & commentary skills - where both Mikes have the edge. A mix is needed, nice to hear genuine celebration when we win, especially away! Finally, my IT skills don't seem up to editing my profile properly (which is why I think this post is going to feature Brian Kilcline's name, and having been lucky enough to see him in action, I'd like to change it ASAP!) - any tips very welcome, cheers.