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Andy seemed to say that 1-2 players will be gone in the next week or 2, more so ITK rather than a rumour (or at least how I took it). Who we thinking? He said they have been involved with the first team recently. Maybe Willoughby out on loan somewhere? Hogan has been a name mentioned recently about leaving but I can’t see it given he’s an integral part of the back 3 we play every game now.

Hope the rumours of us bidding for Sinclair at Dale are true. He’s a good player. A young, quick, direct winger who knows where the net is.

Thought we looked miles ahead of them on boxing day. They looked like the worst team in the division in all honesty. We need to press from the off and get an early goal or 2. Their defence looked truly awful (23 for them is the worst I’ve seen in the league this season). Get at them from the off and we should get a dominant win. Norwood and Stones should be having a field day against that defence, as they did a few days ago. 4-1 the blues.

P.S lets not make this thread about Norwood. Jesus he’s scored 8 goals in his last 10 games in a side that create absolutely fuck all. He is far from the problem and is basically the reason we’re not fighting relegation right now. His all round game and body language isn’t great at times, who cares!? He’s paid a fortune to score goals and he scores goals in a side that is completely useless

What a team they are, I’d love for us to go and dominate teams with slick passing football like they did/do. Number 11 Wearne who came off the bench for them is some player. He’s got more goal contributions than any player in the league. We should be throwing any money we have at them to sign him. Us - absolute dogshit. 2nd half was a disgrace. McGahey is absolutely garbage. Lundstram doesn’t look right, he looks injured. Sheron I actually dont mind but he cant pass and you know, you need that in midfield. No good wingers what so ever. No right back. CB’s are shite bar Hobson. The Squads a mess Mellon has a hell of a job on his hands and barring an absolute catastrophe (say, bottom of the league 10 games into next season) I’d be giving him 4 windows (I know we don’t technically have windows in the NL but Jan 24 Summer 24 Jan 25 Summer 25) to sort this shit out. I expected Gateshead to be good and thought there is a good chance they may beat us, but that today was frightening and simply unacceptable

Wigan fans are NOT happy he’s here. Both Twitter and their forum is full of them saying they don’t want him to extend and want him in/around the first team at Wigan

That crossfield pass from Hobson to Kitching was a thing of beauty. It was absolutely perfect as Kitching also ran onto it

First half we weren’t great but neither where Solihull. Both teams where pretty poor first half. Second half Lundstram and Sheron played further up the pitch and it changed everything. I thought Stones was superb, bit wobbly first 10 but after that was a huge threat. He was so direct in his forward runs. Wigan fans want him back there in the squad, would be trying to extend his loan asap. Sheron really grew into the game, I’m becoming a big fan of his. His work rate is always outstanding, which is all we can ask really when a player is selected. When we went 1-0 down he was the one shouting to all of the players to step it up/games not over etc. His finishing seems to be really good too. If he could pass he’d be playing a couple of leagues higher. Norwood was so poor. He’s a great player particularly for this level but can be a frustrating watch at times. Good support and a great win. We MUST try and follow this up though next weekend. Huge game which will show us where we really are.

I can’t see any transfer movement until January and even then it won’t be wholesale, we have too many average players on long expensive contracts. Today was bad. We have a mentality issue when it comes to games we should be winning (or games we think we should be winning). We’re still 2-3 off even being a serious play off contender. With this bunch, we will always be inconsistent. The way Mellon seemingly wants us to play needs direct wingers who can cross. We don’t have it. We pass it side to side getting 30 yards from goal then struggle. The crossing today was a disgrace, so many trickling along the ground being cleared by the first man. Who out of the squad today would you have day 1 next season if we’re in the NL and the expectation is promotion? Hudson, Raglan, Kitching, Norwood, Lundstram, maybe Sheron? for me that’s it. Says a lot. Gardners our best midfielder but with his injury record I wouldn’t bother. Not sure on McGahey yet. Injured players Hobson I’d keep of course and then maybe Reid. His all round game isn’t great but he does pop up with goals and is a decent option from the bench. We need much better.

Not sure what to expect to be honest. We seem to be trying to keep the ball a lot more and build a possession based style but we have to take our chances unlike last weekend. Not sure on the team either as the rumour mill on Twitter reckons Reid is injured and Hope is on Int duty. If Reid is injured I would give Willoughby a go with Norwood. Know nothing about Woking other than they are in shocking form and just binned their manager. Will go 2-1 Latics Norwood and Hobson.

Haven’t listened to it all yet but have to say I disagree with Daves assessment of the first half and us not being able to make more than 2 or 3 passes. If anything we passed it to much, sometimes we would pass it 20 plus times to then just whip it into nobody. We did that over and over again. 2nd half was a big improvement. Eastleigh didn’t offer much either and certainly weren’t running through us over and over like Dave mentioned. Agree about the flat atmosphere overall though

Yeah I mean with what we currently have. I agree Reid does seem better as an impact player but with our current crop I’d run with him and Norwood as a front 2 for a few games

Stats argument aside I think we can all agree Norwood and Reid need to have a few games together to build a potential partnership. I wanted Willoughby to be given a crack with Norwood but Reid is scoring and seems to have a bit more about him from what we have seen so we should run with the 2 (Norwood and Reid) for a few games.

He isn’t going anywhere. He absolutely loves Mellon, He’s on almost 5k a week plus god knows what other bonuses and lives in Manchester on a guranteed 2 year deal with an option for a 3rd. While it’s frustrating for fans, until the team improves overall he can literally coast to 20 goals this season in play off hopeful side being paid shit loads down the road from home. He was bobbins yesterday but he’s still our top scorer and the most likely player to get a goal.

Alan Nixon confirmed it’s Mellon

Just quoting because of the last bit. We certainly need to be shifting a few out in the hope of bringing in more quality (or so we assume) - but we have far too many players sat on contracts until Summer 2025 (not even 24, 25) on thousands of pounds a week, it’s going to be tough.

Spot on but I’d have Hudson over Norman. Outfield players spot on. For some reason though I think he might rest Dickenson, who has look goosed last couple games

You mentioned the stats say Shelton and Sheron and 2 of the top 30 CM’s in the league, who are the top 3?

So basically we should have signed Booty who we where linked with I do realise his stats for most things will probably be higher this season given how Gateshead play

Does it have up to date stats based on games for us this season? If so who do the stats suggest are our current best players?

Don’t most clubs at this level have like 1 part time analyst if that? How can he track everything. It probably is a combination of an analyst and the sports vest things I just find it amazing there’s so many stats available for players in the 5th division where sometimes a few hundred people go and watch lol

Bit random but how are these stats compiled for these various lower league stats websites? I assume it’s that sports vest/bra thing they all wear? how can that track pass completion, forward/back passes etc? Legit question, never looked into how it all works. Can understand higher up the leagues where there’s a million eye balls and club staff members watching every aspect of every player but lower league I assume its compiled from the vests?

I feel like the initial signings where part of the collective that’s been mentioned on the podcast (Unsworth, ST, Darren Royle) etc as it seemed well thought out early summer. Then Unsworth tells us L1 and L2 standard players phone him everyday (or agents) wanting to come here because we’re close to Manchester (and probably because we now pay well) and the signings then while exciting, all go a bit random (Raglan and Norwood). I’m lead to believe Freeman was a 100% Unsworth only signing and was rushed because fans where going ape shit for a right back that week. ST (head of rec at the time) wanted Cropper or a lad at Stockport

Let’s be honest it was pants for most of that game. Sutton may go on to be a decent CB but for me he’s way out of his depth currently. Yes he’s out of position but he can’t even get most of the basics right. He’s painfully slow, can’t pass and has horrific positional sense. Massive weak link and should be nowhere near a potential promotion chasing side, the same with Shelton. Norwood did well when he came on. Should be starting every game unless he’s shattered or injured. Hobson is a wonderful player, if he continues like this every week he’ll have L1 teams bidding for him next summer. The midfield will improve now Josh is back but that yesterday was a tough watch. SAS can’t start another game together. Don’t shoot the messenger but was told during the week by someone who is usually spot on with info that ST has made it known to Frank he wants a new RB and winger ASAP. I can’t imagine another CM isn’t on that list either especially after today. Ward is struggling with injuries, Gardner is mint but made of biscuits so plays 1-2 then he’s out for a month, Lundstrams just come back so may be a month or 2 before we see really what he’s about, Shelton is atrocious, Sheron i’m not convinced by but willing to give him a proper look next to someone NOT named Shelton. That midfield pack isn’t good enough really. It’s hard to complain after 10 points from 12 and there’s a good chance after 2 winnable home games this time next week we are sat in the play off places. However, for me personally we are still 2-3 quality players from finishing in the play off places.

Norwood has to start for me. Best player in the squad and arguably the division. I’m a fan of Willoughby and Reid but Norwood is a level above, probably a few levels. Imagine how many he can and will score in a team actually trying to win football matches.