A Tutu won't do. V Cambridge at the Unibol Tues Feb 1st, 8-0'clock. 1

[brommers95]

Well we made hard work of it at times, but you can’t complain with a solid 2-0 win (is it me or is 2-0 the most satisfying winning scoreline in football?)

I think Charles is turning into everyone’s favourite player - has pace, work ethic, good feet, vision and a real desire to make something happen in front of goal. An absolute steal at £300k.

Dapo has benefitted massively from the short break from the starting XI and now looks back to his best. Enjoy him while you can folks because if I think he’ll get a Championship move in the summer.

I still have concerns about our lack of cover at defensive mid and with young Trafford - he doesn’t give me much more confidence than Dixon did. I feel harsh writing that after four clean sheets in a row, but I think he will probably cost us points sometime before the season’s up.

Anyway, four wins on the bounce, 11 goals scored, 0 conceded and 3rd in the form table (last six matches). Life is good

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Was Xav on the bench btw? He’s fit now?

No and dunno.

[officer_dibble]

Well we made hard work of it at times, but you can’t complain with a solid 2-0 win (is it me or is 2-0 the most satisfying winning scoreline in football?)

I preferred 6-0…?

[TANGODANCER]

Not a TUTU then, but a DAMIEN....(or a Geoff if you like).Get in...

"CAMBRIDGE boss Mark Bonner says Wanderers are under pressure ahead of tonight's clash at the UniBol." Distant drums again...

[KeyserSoze]

Wonder if bonner will wax lyrical again about wanderers tonight.

Couldn't watch it but very happy to hear the reports and to be beat them, especially after watching us not break them down in the loss away earlier in the season.

[nicholaldo]

Well we made hard work of it at times, but you can’t complain with a solid 2-0 win (is it me or is 2-0 the most satisfying winning scoreline in football?)

I think Charles is turning into everyone’s favourite player - has pace, work ethic, good feet, vision and a real desire to make something happen in front of goal. An absolute steal at £300k.

Dapo has benefitted massively from the short break from the starting XI and now looks back to his best. Enjoy him while you can folks because if I think he’ll get a Championship move in the summer.

I still have concerns about our lack of cover at defensive mid and with young Trafford - he doesn’t give me much more confidence than Dixon did. I feel harsh writing that after four clean sheets in a row, but I think he will probably cost us points sometime before the season’s up.

Anyway, four wins on the bounce, 11 goals scored, 0 conceded and 3rd in the form table (last six matches). Life is good

I'm in agreement with you regarding Trafford. It might prove to be that he just has a slightly eccentric goalkeeping style but the jury's still out for me, especially regarding his positioning and wariness in dealing with crosses into the box.

[Harry Genshaw]

Enjoyed that. Played some great stuff in that first half. Under the cosh for long periods of the 2nd, they're a good side but despite some good approach play, did Trafford have a shot to save?

Good shout on George Johnston who has really mixed it up lately with dashes forward causing panic in the opposite ranks.

Dapo and Charles though. An absolute privilege to watch them.

[BWFC_Insane]

Well we made hard work of it at times, but you can’t complain with a solid 2-0 win (is it me or is 2-0 the most satisfying winning scoreline in football?)

I think Charles is turning into everyone’s favourite player - has pace, work ethic, good feet, vision and a real desire to make something happen in front of goal. An absolute steal at £300k.

Dapo has benefitted massively from the short break from the starting XI and now looks back to his best. Enjoy him while you can folks because if I think he’ll get a Championship move in the summer.

I still have concerns about our lack of cover at defensive mid and with young Trafford - he doesn’t give me much more confidence than Dixon did. I feel harsh writing that after four clean sheets in a row, but I think he will probably cost us points sometime before the season’s up.

Anyway, four wins on the bounce, 11 goals scored, 0 conceded and 3rd in the form table (last six matches). Life is good

I'm in agreement with you regarding Trafford. It might prove to be that he just has a slightly eccentric goalkeeping style but the jury's still out for me, especially regarding his positioning and wariness in dealing with crosses into the box.

Distribution isn’t very good either. Not conceded a goal. But I’m in the camp of he doesn’t give me confidence. Does do a lot of organising though in fairness back there.

[Mar]

Corners still atrocious - come on work on them!

I got the impression they are being worked on. Santos got his head to one (IIRC) and there was a near post one that was almost a decent set piece. I don't think they're being ignored as we think.

[nicholaldo]

One of the most incredible, practically absurd things about us currently is that despite playing as centre-backs Jones and Johnston still have the opportunity to advance forward to a ridiculous extent. Evatt wasn't the first manager to play overlapping centre-backs and it isn't the first time he's tried it here, but I can't recall, for example, Wilder's overlapping centre-backs overlapping the wing-back and playing a cross inside from the byline as Jones has been doing.

I appreciate it helps that Jones is a full-back by nature but even so it's quite a sight.

[Mar]

One of the most incredible, practically absurd things about us currently is that despite playing as centre-backs Jones and Johnston still have the opportunity to advance forward to a ridiculous extent. Evatt wasn't the first manager to play overlapping centre-backs and it isn't the first time he's tried it here, but I can't recall, for example, Wilder's overlapping centre-backs overlapping the wing-back and playing a cross inside from the byline as Jones has been doing.

Fairly certain Basham did something similar at least once or twice for it to be picked up on by the BBC. Clearly we're not close enough to actually tell if that is the case but it is impressive to see us playing the way we are.

[officer_dibble]

Championship Wilder Sheff u did the overlapping Centre half thing pretty well from memory. Basham filled in there but I think it was Egan and O’Connell?

[TANGODANCER]

One of the most incredible, practically absurd things about us currently is that despite playing as centre-backs Jones and Johnston still have the opportunity to advance forward to a ridiculous extent. Evatt wasn't the first manager to play overlapping centre-backs and it isn't the first time he's tried it here, but I can't recall, for example, Wilder's overlapping centre-backs overlapping the wing-back and playing a cross inside from the byline as Jones has been doing.

I appreciate it helps that Jones is a full-back by nature but even so it's quite a sight.

Maybe it's just one ploy in the new Evatt box of tricks?

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

did Trafford have a shot to save?

No, not according to the stats: zero efforts on target. Traf’s a funny one - clearly doesn’t lack confidence but doesn’t always look like he knows what he’s doing. Can’t argue with four bagels in a row, tho. The defence looks organised - he has made a difference, Gethin definitely has, and Johnston looks like he’s communicating more.

Set pieces - Morley is the best taker we’ve had in a while and it will come. John is very inconsistent - cracker then clanger.

Centre-backs overlapping - yep, it’s been done before and it’s one of the things you can do with a back three (and against a low-block team). Johnston more usually stays at home while Geth uses the half-spaces created by Foz’s pace, but Johnston can also get forward well. MJ dropped in a couple of times. We have intelligent players now throughout the team. It’s really really pleasing.

[Worthy4England]

Wonder if bonner will wax lyrical again about wanderers tonight.

Pretty balanced I thought. Overall he was happy possession was 50/50, coz I think last time at ours, we didn't give them the ball

[GhostoftheBok]

Dapo has benefitted massively from the short break from the starting XI and now looks back to his best. Enjoy him while you can folks because if I think he’ll get a Championship move in the summer.

With us, at this rate.

Trafford is getting better with every game. He's very young and therefore has loads of holes in his game. I agree he will cost us goals, although playing like this maybe no points. Even though he didn't have a save to make this was his best game in men's football. Fewer errors than I've ever seen him make and got his key decisions right. He'll continue to improve.

That first half was the best we've ever played under Evatt from a coaching perspective. This side will continue to improve. We are now good at football. Yay.

[Bruce Rioja]

Distribution isn’t very good either. Not conceded a goal. But I’m in the camp of he doesn’t give me confidence. Does do a lot of organising though in fairness back there.

Didn't put a foot wrong by way of reading and collecting balls into our box last night. He might not give you confidence but he does to our defence, so, you know?!
His distribution does need working on but he's still a boy. Jaaskelainen's distribution needed working on for 15 years.
First goalkeeper in the entire history of the club to keep four clean sheets from debut, and still you're fecking moaning.

[The_Gun]

Well we made hard work of it at times, but you can’t complain with a solid 2-0 win (is it me or is 2-0 the most satisfying winning scoreline in football?)

I think Charles is turning into everyone’s favourite player - has pace, work ethic, good feet, vision and a real desire to make something happen in front of goal. An absolute steal at £300k.

Dapo has benefitted massively from the short break from the starting XI and now looks back to his best. Enjoy him while you can folks because if I think he’ll get a Championship move in the summer.

I still have concerns about our lack of cover at defensive mid and with young Trafford - he doesn’t give me much more confidence than Dixon did. I feel harsh writing that after four clean sheets in a row, but I think he will probably cost us points sometime before the season’s up.

Anyway, four wins on the bounce, 11 goals scored, 0 conceded and 3rd in the form table (last six matches). Life is good

Aye, I did think last night that he'll be off in the summer unless we get promoted. There actually aren't that many Championship clubs throwing the kind of cash around that I would guess it would take to buy Dapo, though. I would suggest £5m+ would be needed.

[TANGODANCER]

did Trafford have a shot to save?

No, not according to the stats: zero efforts on target. Traf’s a funny one - clearly doesn’t lack confidence but doesn’t always look like he knows what he’s doing. Can’t argue with four bagels in a row, tho. The defence looks organised - he has made a difference, Gethin definitely has, and Johnston looks like he’s communicating more.

.

Had one header he had to claw out of the top corner. To be honest, I thought it was in..

[TANGODANCER]

Morecambe's boss giving an early indication of how they see us/how to beat us. Distant drums already.

"“We have to take the positives from that and take the performance into Saturday against Bolton because, if we go and press them the same way as we did against Sheffield Wednesday, if we can go and press a club like that with players of that calibre away from home, we can certainly do it at home against Bolton.”