No Gooseberries at Shrewbury. Away to Shrewsbury Tuesday 7th Nov 7-45.

[Prufrock]

I think Sheehan has been outstanding basically since he got a run at the end of last year and got his fitness back. If he had the physically he'd be a Premier League player.

Actually thought he was a bit off it last night (still fine, but by the standards he's set recently). There's some player in Maghoma if we can get and keep him full fully fit. And he's got a nice party trick!

Still got CMG to come in too. I can't really work out where he's supposed to go, but they must have a plan to have dropped decent wedge on a permanent contract.

Rico or Maghoma MotM for me last night.

Would be a real shame if any injuries are more than knocks given we just seemed to be getting people back.

[boltonboris]

Agree that for periods Sheehan was 'off it', but once he started going through the gears, I thought he was one of the main differences between us winning and not winning.

He controlled the game for a large chunk of the second half and they couldn't get near him

For that alone he was a contender in a pretty scrappy, but high octain affair.

By the way, how narrow was that pitch!! Bolton European vibes under Sam. Almost impossible for the wing backs to find any space and any pass that wasn't on the toe was out for a throw-in. We did well to get around that in the second half, which was why Sheehan was so important and why Maghoma did well (he's a top player. Hope we can sort a fee out for him)

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Jones is better going forward from centre back. Forrester is better defensively. I don’t think there is a huge amount in it.

After Wycombe Evatt described Forrester – who I've now acknowledged I'm always going to refer to as Jamie – as a good "box defender", which suggests he agrees with you on this player appraisal at least

It's good to pick players on their strengths rather than attempting to minimise their weaknesses... I suspect Jones would (for the attacking reason you suggest) be preferred to Forrester if fit, especially at home to a rival whose attack isn't staffed with bison, but it's not a huge drop-off if not.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I think Sheehan has been outstanding basically since he got a run at the end of last year and got his fitness back. If he had the physically he'd be a Premier League player.

To reach that level he could do with a left foot, IMO, but I understand I'm an old man shaking his fist at clouds.

His lack of a left means Sheehan often has to do a 270-degree turn if he needs to turn right, but he usually keeps the ball and he's certainly been very good this season, so I'll not be burning his effigy just yet.

[boltonboris]

I think Sheehan has been outstanding basically since he got a run at the end of last year and got his fitness back. If he had the physically he'd be a Premier League player.

To reach that level he could do with a left foot, IMO, but I understand I'm an old man shaking his fist at clouds.

His lack of a left means Sheehan often has to do a 270-degree turn if he needs to turn right, but he usually keeps the ball and he's certainly been very good this season, so I'll not be burning his effigy just yet.

Didn't do Xavi and Iniesta any harm

The ability to shift in that movement, is often more beneficial than a right foot to left foot switch, as you can create more space - Takes a fraction longer but does free a couple of yards of space to give him a drive option

[Prufrock]

Aye - not disagreeing his left isn't perfect - the point last night I settled on him being "off it" was when he tried to whip one Tomo style round the corner with his left and ballooned it into space - but I think that turn DSB is talking about is largely about protecting and hiding the ball. When he turns left he often does the same 270° with the outside of his right.

It stops them nicking it off him, at which point they'd be straight at the back three or maybe even Rico, and also hides it so he can shimmy as if doing the 270° but also come back the way he came.

You only need one foot these days

[Worthy4England]

I tend to look at Sheehan's game from two aspects. Going forwards and defending. I think going forwards, he adds and generally makes us better, when he's "on it" and has space. Results are less conclusive for me, when he doesn't have plenty of space.

Defending, when they set about us, he has a tendency on occasion (as all our MF 3 sometimes do) to go MIA. Sometimes that's because we just face an overload through the middle.

I think this might be why we've not seen a bid from a Champo side, let alone a Prem one.

[BWFC_Insane]

I tend to look at Sheehan's game from two aspects. Going forwards and defending. I think going forwards, he adds and generally makes us better, when he's "on it" and has space. Results are less conclusive for me, when he doesn't have plenty of space.

Defending, when they set about us, he has a tendency on occasion (as all our MF 3 sometimes do) to go MIA. Sometimes that's because we just face an overload through the middle.

I think this might be why we've not seen a bid from a Champo side, let alone a Prem one.

Echoes my view too. A yard of space and he’s brilliant. Stand on him and I think he’s pretty ineffective. In this league many teams aren’t good enough to get on top of us in midfield. Next level up that won’t be the case.

Off the ball I think he’s pretty poor tbh. And Thomason isn’t some monster physically but is a ton better off the ball (and a better player imho than Sheehan generally).

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

His lack of a left means Sheehan often has to do a 270-degree turn if he needs to turn right, but he usually keeps the ball and he's certainly been very good this season, so I'll not be burning his effigy just yet.

Didn't do Xavi and Iniesta any harm

The ability to shift in that movement, is often more beneficial than a right foot to left foot switch, as you can create more space - Takes a fraction longer but does free a couple of yards of space to give him a drive option

The reason pep wouldn't pick Mascherano as Bareclona's midfield pivot, and the Argentinian thus migrated to centre-back, is because he couldn't get the ball across his body quickly enough to switch play. Not for Pep's teams, at least. But given our intent to punish space as it opens, this would seem a weakness in our quarterback. Especially when the "couple of yards" it frees are usually behind him.

That said, I take the point that sometimes it's a defensive (or at least possession-retentive) move – as I say, "he usually retains the ball" – but it still sometimes seems like an ability hole rather than a tactical choice.