Grecians, but bearing no gifts. Away to Exeter, Sat, 4th Jan. 3'0 clock

[Worthy4England]

Big question for me today is: does Morley start?

The big question for me today is "can we win?"

[HMX]

Big question for me today is: does Morley start?

The big question for me today is "can we win?"

Ha oh yeah, I mean my less-big-question

[GhostoftheBok]

Will be surprised if Morley starts. Matete has done well recently and Thommo is captain.

Could start all three, I suppose; but you'd want a more attacking player in the mix.

We'll find out in about 10.

At least the game is on. The weather is nowhere near what was being suggested. Just a bit chilly and damp. Fine Bolton summer day, this.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Morley's in.

[GhostoftheBok]

Morley starts. Pleasantly surprised. Morley and Thommo is the combo I'd love to see work long term.

[Bertie Wooster]

Morley starts. Pleasantly surprised. Morley and Thommo is the combo I'd love to see work long term.

Good to see Morley start, but no Matete ?

Time will tell in a few hours, but if Evatt was going to go with a 2 man midfield then it should have been Thomason dropped as he's been awful recently and Matete has been playing well. For me though he should have gone with a midfield 3 and dropped Lolos.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

Morley starts. Pleasantly surprised.

Possibly reinforcing to Wycombe we're happy to keep him if you don't stump up lots of cash.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Five in: Baxter, Forrester, Morley, Williams, McAtee
Five out: Southwood, Jones, Matete, Dacres-Cogley, Charles
Of the five rotated out, four make the bench but not Southwood
Also still missing: Toal, Sheehan, Adeboyejo (plus Forino, Demps)

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Morley starts. Pleasantly surprised. Morley and Thommo is the combo I'd love to see work long term.

Good to see Morley start, but no Matete ?

Time will tell in a few hours, but if Evatt was going to go with a 2 man midfield then it should have been Thomason dropped as he's been awful recently and Matete has been playing well. For me though he should have gone with a midfield 3 and dropped Lolos.

All fair points but it's not easy to say with any confidence whether it's a "two man midfield" or a "three". Also depends how you cut it; the only time they're really "in formation" is at kick-offs and goal-kicks. Ater that, there's ever-changing jobs to do.

But under those terms, Lolos has been playing as an 8, so part of a midfield three. I suspect Morley will sit more than Thomason and Lolos, in a "one 6 behind two 8s"; but, if we're signing Randall as a 10, Evatt could be trialing "two behind one" (the one currently being Lolos) and Morley-Thomason is a decent combination there. Maybe not the best - you're right that Thomason has been off-form - but not the worst either.

[The_Gun]

I was adamant I wasn’t going to watch this one, but Morley coming back intrigues me.

Is the couch available today?

[Worthy4England]

Surely Morley won't have any sort of clue how we play football after being away for 6 months and "blacklisted" for a fair chunk of last season, I mean all the adjustments we've made over the season must be a huge chunk of content...he might just have to try and rely on footballing brain.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Is the couch available today?

Looks like it

[Mar]

Five in: Baxter, Forrester, Morley, Williams, McAtee
Five out: Southwood, Jones, Matete, Dacres-Cogley, Charles
Of the five rotated out, four make the bench but not Southwood
Also still missing: Toal, Sheehan, Adeboyejo (plus Forino, Demps)

Happy with those changes. Matete unlucky to be missing out given his recent form, I suspect more fitness rotation than actually anything for him to be worried about.

Adeboyejo still ill perhaps? I doubt it.

Charles needs to start scoring from starting positions to warrant the starting role. Given where his goals are coming from i'm expecting him to have the super sub hat on.

Shame Toals missing. Forrester been in a good run of form so hopefully he keeps that up.

Evatt could do with keeping a consistent lineup rather than all this chopping and changing. He seems to be trying to keep everyone happy.

[The_Gun]

Is the couch available today?

Looks like it

Is Derek broadcasting from a submarine?

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Evatt could do with keeping a consistent lineup rather than all this chopping and changing. He seems to be trying to keep everyone happy.

This is the 4th of a run of 11 games in 37 days, and we fans often complain that we want the players to be "on it" and more aggressive. Rotation is fine by me as a theory.

I suspect he's perhaps not so much keeping folk happy as examining his options. He wants new players, so he needs to check his old ones - whether he thinks they'll work with the new ones, but also which ones to jettison.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Is the couch available today?

Looks like it

Is Derek broadcasting from a submarine?

"The satellite link to Helsinki has gone down, but we've patched through to Alan Weeks on the telephone."

[The_Gun]

I don’t know why I’m expecting Morley to make a difference, we’re obviously going to drag him back down to our level.

[Mar]

Evatt could do with keeping a consistent lineup rather than all this chopping and changing. He seems to be trying to keep everyone happy.

This is the 4th of a run of 11 games in 37 days, and we fans often complain that we want the players to be "on it" and more aggressive. Rotation is fine by me as a theory.

I suspect he's perhaps not so much keeping folk happy as examining his options. He wants new players, so he needs to check his old ones - whether he thinks they'll work with the new ones, but also which ones to jettison.

Agreed. I'm not against his rotation solution. Was thinking as a means of changing our our form, not necessarily intended to keep people fit.

[Prufrock]

Jesus wept. We don't help ourselves.

[The_Gun]

Wowzers.

Corners well defended afterwards.