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Post by OohMac on Mar 25, 2023 12:49:28 GMT
It's Wembley week. Would have been good to have a game today, particularly at home as a send off but as we've not I guess it's time to look forwards, southwards to Wembley way.
No I don't think it's the be all and end all. I think whichever team loses will have to snap out of it quickly and whoever wins will also need to park it as promotion is still the end goal. In fact if we're going to get a win then Exeter on Good Friday is more important than thier rivals next week. Though 33,000 may disagree with me.
I have an image in my head of Ken Anderson in his London restaurant pouring a glass of water on the table and it beginning to shake like Jurassic Park. He steps out to see what is going on and sees a stampede on 33,000 fans marching through London in thier way to Wembley. "But I thought they were dead" not quite Ken. Never did finish the job and now we're back and stronger than ever.
For those supporters, for the fans who bought season tickets and never saw a live game and never asked for a refund they deserve this day.
I'm sure there will be more of a focus on teams in the week. Team almost writes itself. Trafford, Bradley, Toal, Santos, Mbete, John, Dempsey, Morley, Lee, Charles and only real debates would be Jerome or Kachunga. Presumed Kachunga but a lot of talk about Jerome this week. And if he's fit enough not real much of a debate on who is more effective.
Only other bone of contention would be does Gethin Jones get in over Mbete. Shuffle Toal across to get Bradley & Jones linking up? Yeah, makes sense but seen Toal not as good at LCB.
Whether or not we win. Well think we've already won. Cop out answer. But if we lose this but make the play off finals that Will do and assume if Plymouth lose this but get automatic promotion or even play off finals they will take that too.
Guess it happens in Europa League every year, that winners go to champions league, but it's a trophy that neither team will want to retain.
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Post by whitesince63 on Mar 25, 2023 18:40:50 GMT
I’m not sure the team is that certain OM. Sheehan must have a shout as he was excellent further back against Wednesday taking the ball off the defenders and switching it quickly so Evatt may decide to keep him there. Much as I like Toal I think Jones and Bradley work better together and I thought Toal handled the LCB role far better than Jones ever did. However, we may now have to include Johnson into the equation because he’s back fit and will have played yesterday in the behind closed doors game. He maybe won’t start but could come on later off the bench if needed. Either way I’d expect Mbete to be the one to miss out. What will be interesting though will be the bench. Obviously we will be missing the likes of Shorty, Victor and Nlundulu so attacking options will be limited and if Lee starts, who would replace him at No10? Maybe move Sheehan there and bring MJ back into midfield? As for the big question, Kacha or Cameron, there’s only one answer for me. It has to be Jerome with his experience and presence surely? Whatever happens we need to get in front because neither Cameron nor Lee will last the 90 and without those two I think our chances are diminished. For me it’s a free hit for both teams and as much as you always want to win a final, once it’s done the more important stuff begins again. Hopefully we will win but if it has the same negative effect as getting there seemed to, maybe we should hope we don’t? 🥴
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Post by riochforthereebok on Mar 27, 2023 9:32:56 GMT
Very interesting last sentence there W63
That’s the Evatt effect When we lose, does he have the right words and strategy to get the lads on side, can he manage them through turbulence?
Can he manage himself through turbulence??
Watching FGR see a slender 1-0 victory over the line over Sheff Wednesday and also seeing them slip at Barnsley makes me so very very angry that we didn’t get a better return when we played them
God I’m so angry 😡 😡😡 but it just proves the point in League One, anyone can beat anyone
Are we down as the underdogs in anyone’s eyes for this Pizza Cup??
They turned us over at their place and held on for a gutsy draw at ours (another win that slipped the net) so we owe them a proper game
Only hope Dion could have added to his 2 NI goals with a couple against Finland to really get him in the mood but if he’s our only goal threat at Wembley, i fear us!!!
I can see extra time and penalties in this one (if that’s the format)
I’ve not been too fussed about this competition at all, it’s the league, always has been and always will be, but I never want to see us lose.
So……
COYWM ⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️
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Post by riochforthereebok on Mar 27, 2023 12:01:03 GMT
Looks like Argyle have outsold us by a few ‘k’
As of 25/03/23 they’ve apparently sold 37500, we’ve done 33000
Goal line technology to be used, but not VAR (thankfully)
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Post by whitesince63 on Mar 27, 2023 12:49:14 GMT
Well I think Plymouth see less opportunities to get to Wembley than we do rioch so it probably explains the slight advantage in numbers. I’ve been I think 6 times now and I’m saving myself for the play offs if we get there as I suspect others are. A cup final of any kind is magic as is your first trip to Wembley so I’ll leave this one to the newbies and hope they have a fantastic day out. I honestly don’t know how well fare, it could go either way. We are just still lacking up top for me and obviously even more so with the ineligible players we have. Plymouth on the other hand seem to have no problems though away from home they don’t seem to be quite as impressive. Recent results have really extended the competition now and I actually see Derby as the most likely to miss out. I never fancied them from the start but they surprised with their good run but with a small squad I think they’re now finding the going tough so it’s us and Posh I think now for 5th and 6th unless of course we win the Pizza Cup then have another fall off after as we did with the semis?
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Post by riochforthereebok on Mar 28, 2023 20:11:42 GMT
I can only hope that Evatt is down in Exeter watching and getting tips from this Exeter side as they are good value for their 2-1 lead (58 mins) over Barnsley
The Tykes are all over the place but still in it
Aimson’s doin ok so far
89th min penalty for the Grecians…….
3-1
What a result
We better be on our guard when we play them, Caldwells got em playing well
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Post by riochforthereebok on Mar 29, 2023 11:17:33 GMT
With Traff, Toal, Bradders and Dion all rejoining our squad for the final on the back of defeats with their respective national sides, I’m hoping there’s no negativity in them, or that they are down, I’m just hoping they come out fighting and are ready for the challenge
COYWM ⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️
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Post by whitesince63 on Mar 30, 2023 8:14:25 GMT
I can’t see them being down Rioch, Dion should be bouncing having bagged his first brace, Bradley appeared to have played well and although Toal didn’t get a game just his inclusion should encourage him to keep getting better so he does. Traf is Traf and I don’t think he’ll be one bit down despite the defeat. All in all the squad should be well up for the final and I’m sure Evatt will take that into account when picking his starting eleven. I suspect having a few players unavailable actually makes his job easier because deciding who to leave out, including on the bench will be tough enough anyway. This is the team I’d start with. Traf Bradley, Jones, Rico, Toal, John Sheehan, Morley, Lee Dion, Jerome
I put Sheehan in instead of Dempsey because he was excellent against Wednesday playing a little deeper and taking the ball off the defenders to get attacks moving and Demps hasn’t been at his best lately with maybe other things on his mind? The only other question for me is starting Kachunga instead of Jerome. I certainly hope he doesn’t because Jerome’s experience and physicality could be a big plus for us. I’ve no doubt Kacha will feature at some point but I hope it’s not by starting? I’ve switched Toal to the left because I just think Jones and Bradley work better together down the right and Jones is definitely worse on the left side. I can’t see Evatt starting Johnson so soon after injury and not match fit although he may come on later. Other than the starting eleven I think the bench pretty much picks itself because the other seven are pretty much all we’ve got without raiding the B team.
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Post by riochforthereebok on Mar 30, 2023 11:03:45 GMT
I never want to see us lose, but by the same token, I’m not gonna scrike if we do get beat, so long as we’ve given everything and we don’t do a ‘Stoke’
W63, you can bet your bottom dollar Kachunga gets in ahead of Jerome!!!
It’s an Evatt thing🤔
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Post by whitesince63 on Mar 31, 2023 9:15:29 GMT
I never want to see us lose, but by the same token, I’m not gonna scrike if we do get beat, so long as we’ve given everything and we don’t do a ‘Stoke’ W63, you can bet your bottom dollar Kachunga gets in ahead of Jerome!!! It’s an Evatt thing🤔 Ha, probably rioch, on the basis that he actually scored in the behind closed doors 3-1 win last Friday against Rotherham reserves!! We can only live in hope then?
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Post by OohMac on Mar 31, 2023 10:37:00 GMT
Main reason for not starting Jerome for me would be can he do 120mins on a big Wembley pitch? No. Would I have him as a penalty takers? Absolutely. Would I have Kachunga in the 5? Well I've not seen him take many but the only memory I have is a behind closed doors friendly at Stockport last summer that he really blasted over. Johnny Wilkinson esqe.
The 5 worry me. Charles, coming off a miss. Morley scored the opening goal of the season from the spot. None since. Then Jerome if on. Declan John? Dempsey? Lee? Wouldn't put a £1 on us winning this.
Talksport had Josh Widdecombe on and he summed it up pretty right. It seems important but its probably the least important game of the remaining 8 in the season.
The difference in winnings is minimal. Remember the PNE game. Billed at £65M game(think that's more than doubled now) remember hearing some podcast that staff were watching the game knowing a loss would mean redundancies. That's pressure. This is a kick about.
My team has changed because I think Jones will definitely play and he needs to play in Right side. Toal isn't great at left so I'm calling George Johnson to come back to it and Toal to miss out.
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Post by OohMac on Mar 31, 2023 10:37:58 GMT
OK your argument to me would be start Jerome he scores two goals, were 3 up and no ones bothered about penalties.
Fair enough. I just have a feeling the tie will be decided on spot kicks.
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Post by davidm on Mar 31, 2023 13:55:51 GMT
Looking forward to this match.
My first visit since the Stoke debacle so we need to wipe that one from our memory.
Despite there being 3 cup-tied players, I think that the team more or less picks itself.
My team:-
Trafford,
Jones, Santos, Toal,
Bradley, Morley, Dempsey, Lee, John,
Charles and Jerome.
Only contentious areas are whether Sheehan has won a place after the Sheffield performance. It would hard on whoever in Morley, Dempsey and Lee misses out and upfront where Kachunga is around.
I hope the manager does not mess around at left wing back. He has done so in the past and it has backfired horribly. Please don’t squeeze Johnston in by dropping Toal or John. Don’t play Jones on the left side of defence.
Upfront, I fear that he will go for Kachunga.
Despite the lack of the cuptied trio, we will have a decent bench – Johnston, both Williams's, Sheehan, Jerome or Kachunga, Mbete plus a keeper?? so hopefully a good team.
Please don’t pick a team to negate the opposition which we did against Ipswich. Play to our strengths!
It will be a difficult match – Plymouth aren’t top of the league for no reason. We actually played quite well against them in both league ganes this year but only got 1 point.
We need a good performance to propel us into the last 8 league games with some confidence.
Always the optimist, I go for a 2-1 win.
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Post by whitesince63 on Apr 1, 2023 8:27:59 GMT
You’ve outlined all the fears I have for this one Davidm, Evatt just can’t help overthinking things sometimes and I also fear the left side roles. Surely John has done enough to prove that he’s the one best suited to the LWB role and if he isn’t then surely it should be the player he signed for that position in Williams. Certainly with two very good options there’s no need to try to fit Jones in there who has as you point out failed there previously. There’s no question in my mind that Jones and Bradley are the best pairing on the right so I’d shift Toal to left centre and not try to force Johnson in straight back after injury. The forward positions are debatable because we have only two options. Start Jerome or start Kachunga. Personally I’d like you start Jerome and try to get the lead which hopefully might negate the need for extra time and certainly penalties. I’m not convinced if we went to penalties we’d win anyway because I’m just not sure who’d take them if we did? Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that and Evatt just puts square pegs in square holes and doesn’t try to be too inventive because from experience he never gets it right!! I’m more hopeful that we’ll win than I am confident because Plymouth have 3 fit and competent strikers and I think in the end it will be down to who takes their chances so hopefully I’ll go with your 2-1 win. 🥴
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Post by sparky on Apr 1, 2023 9:31:18 GMT
Well the journey begins 👍 just setting of for the smoke now. Here's to a wanderers win 😃😃😃
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