Doing it by numbers..V Shrewsury away Sat 22nd Jan. 3'oclock

[TANGODANCER]

So many unpronounceables in both sides (us from new players, Shrewsbury from tongue-twisters) that the commentaries may well need to revert to shirt numbers to follow the game.. Shrews have a new signing in Tyrese Fornah, and we have Jon Dadi Bodvardsson and await with bated breth on Dempsey..ahem! A couple more of ours will hardly have unpacked their suitcases, so it should be fun and games all round. The New Meadow awaits...Have at it...

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Interesting to see if Bod’s fit enough to start. He’s played a couple of games for Iceland recently but we may err on the side of caution. But Charles probably still isn’t up to the full 90 yet either so if Baka retains his place we may not get to see much of the Bod-Charles partnership. Oh and there’s also Dapo to consider…

Presume the other nine are unchanged. After this we’ve got midweek off, but then we play the next four Tuesdays as part of nine games in 29 days. That will take some shrewd personnel juggling.

[GhostoftheBok]

I think this is a real test of whether we've turned a corner or not. They're in good form and play in a way we usual struggle against.

No idea who of Baka and Dad Bod will start. I think Baka did well enough last game to keep the shirt, but I doubt the new guy has come in to sit on the bench for too long. Options are never a bad thing, though.

Big question mark is still Dapo. Charles is clearly "the man" up front for Evatt and you can't drop Lee after his last performance, so it looks like the bench again. A few games as a sub won't wreck him, but he will have to get into the 11 eventually you'd imagine.

[Bruce Rioja]

I can't see why we'd change anything from Saturday (unless there are injuries/ suspensions Im unaware of). Charles to start, Afolayan to come on for the last half hour. New boy to come on for the last ten maybe? Depending on how the game's going, of course.

[officer_dibble]

Regardless of who starts I don’t think we’ll be seeing the obligatory Delf sub appearance!

[The_Gun]

I think this is a real test of whether we've turned a corner or not. They're in good form and play in a way we usual struggle against.

No idea who of Baka and Dad Bod will start. I think Baka did well enough last game to keep the shirt, but I doubt the new guy has come in to sit on the bench for too long. Options are never a bad thing, though.

Big question mark is still Dapo. Charles is clearly "the man" up front for Evatt and you can't drop Lee after his last performance, so it looks like the bench again. A few games as a sub won't wreck him, but he will have to get into the 11 eventually you'd imagine.

As I've said previously, Dapo is our best player, so isn't going to be sat on the bench for long. Don't know about this Saturday, but if we're persisting with two up top then Dapo will be one of the two more often than not going forward.

[GhostoftheBok]

As I've said previously, Dapo is our best player, so isn't going to be sat on the bench for long. Don't know about this Saturday, but if we're persisting with two up top then Dapo will be one of the two more often than not going forward.

You may be right.

My own take is that Charles will start most games and the other position will fall to either Baka or Dad Bod.

I also think we will play 4-3-3 at times, when Evatt thinks it fits.

My view is that Dapo is currently the one who'd step in were Charles injured or if he is out of form, but that he's most likely to force his way in at '10', given the fact that we were often a 5-2-3 against Ipswich. You don't drop Lee at the minute, though.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

My view is that Dapo is currently the one who'd step in were Charles injured or if he is out of form, but that he's most likely to force his way in at '10', given the fact that we were often a 5-2-3 against Ipswich. You don't drop Lee at the minute, though.

Which makes it interesting when/if Dempsey arrives. Genuine options.

[The_Gun]

I am a huge Kieran Lee fan, but he's at a point where he struggles to play more than one game a week, so I can definitely see him being rotated during our run of Tuesday-Saturday games. If Dempsey does join then he would be the most obvious replacement, but prior to that we might see Dapo there.

[GhostoftheBok]

Which makes it interesting when/if Dempsey arrives. Genuine options.

Absolutely. Dempsey can play in any of the three midfield positions we used last game. I think the weakest link was Williams, due to his lack of mobility, but he's a reliable player for us. Tactically our most import midfielder is now Morley, assuming we get Dempsey in, as he's the only one who offers something we can't cover for. *edit* Except when we go to a 4, then it'll be Williams again.

Going to be fascinating. Not just this season, but next. I don't know if Evatt views Morley as a Scholes or a Carrick and I think that'll determine how others fit in around him.

Even more fascinating/difficult when Sheehan is (hopefully) back next term.

[TANGODANCER]

Even more fascinating/difficult when Sheehan is (hopefully) back next term.

And more-so again when Isgrove is back on track...

[GhostoftheBok]

Interesting comments from the Shrews boss.

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/19 ... ers-clash/

[officer_dibble]

He’s bang on - they’ve not lost in the league since December and have really turned it around. They will be favourites to win I’d expect.

[GhostoftheBok]

He’s bang on - they’ve not lost in the league since December and have really turned it around. They will be favourites to win I’d expect.

There were a lot of things in the performance against Ipswich that other sides will target. Hopefully we improve game on game.

[TANGODANCER]

Let's rock, yeah let's rock.
Everybody in the Lofthouse block
Get dancing' to the Unibol Rock

Number seventeen said to twenty three
You're the neatest midfielder I ever did see.
Pass the ball to me, keep it on the floor
I'll dance round three defenders and I'm sure to score.

Let's rock,every body let's rock..
Everybody in the Lofthouse block
Get dancing' to the Unibol Rock

We've got lots of numbers so we'll do just fine
Thirteen's not unlucky and we've got a Nine.
A Scandanavian striker and a handy laddie
But we can't speak Icelandic so we'll call him Dadi..

Let's rock,every body let's rock..
Everybody in the Lofthouse block
Get dancing' to the Unibol Rock


Just passing time...

[TonyDomingos]

We'll shit 'em 4-0 (copyright Keyser).

[GhostoftheBok]

We'll shit 'em 4-0 (copyright Keyser).

Opened the door this morning to let the cat in. Dead Shrew on the doormat.

It is ordained.

Unless we lose. In which case it was probably just a small field mouse.

[LeverEnd]

We'll shit 'em 4-0 (copyright Keyser).

Opened the door this morning to let the cat in. Dead Shrew on the doormat.

It is ordained.

Unless we lose. In which case it was probably just a small field mouse....

..... and a metaphor for our midfield.

[LeverEnd]

Based on very little as I missed the Ipswich win, I'm going to predict a battling and encouraging 1 all draw.

[GhostoftheBok]

They're a good side. I think we have more ability in our squad than they do now, but Udoh is really dangerous and they have a good spine and balance. Ebanks-Landell and Pennington at the back have both had games in the Championship. Then they've got pace in key areas.

Like I say, I'd not swap squads with them; but if we blitz them it'll be some showing.

Given our away form I will take any form of positive result as something to build on.