There's a Moose loose about these U's Take Twos. Cambridge United Away. 20/02/2024

[DJBlu]

But more importantly for you, Vic is Vic and he seems to be bearing the brunt of your current attacks on the team. Even if the stats were reversed you'd still be peddling cr@p to justify why Dion is better......

Attacks on the team? Dear me. I’m responding to the nonsense I see written about our top scorer (those attacks on the team) and explaining why it is nonsense. He’s our top scorer for a reason. He’s having a hard time. For sure. But context is still he’s our best striker and if Collins does take that mantle then he’d be our second best.

It's the dig at Vic. It's easy to say Dion isn't doing that badly without the comparison to one of our own as there are probs other strikers in the league on a worse footing, there are some worse than Vic who currently sits at 13th in the top scorers this season.

[TANGODANCER]

I could better understand some of the animosity that's creeping in amongst the fans right now ( even on here) if we were third from the bottom of the league and not from the top? We're doing very okay if we look at the team as a whole instead of victim hunting because of titles. What does it really matter who scores as long as somebody does? Two of our recent best goals have come from a defender/wing back, whilst our "strikers" toil in attack and defence for the team. This is the strongest Bolton squad (built over a couple of years) we've had for a fair while and we should think ourselves lucky and well managed and organised as a club.

Dion Charles? Leave him alone, better still give him a bit of support and he'll soon be back at doing what he does best. The fact that he's just bought a house in Bolton should show his level of commitment to the club. Come on Dion, you can soon get the doubter back behind you; get that ball in the net.. Let's start tomorrow...

[BWFC_Insane]

But more importantly for you, Vic is Vic and he seems to be bearing the brunt of your current attacks on the team. Even if the stats were reversed you'd still be peddling cr@p to justify why Dion is better......

Attacks on the team? Dear me. I’m responding to the nonsense I see written about our top scorer (those attacks on the team) and explaining why it is nonsense. He’s our top scorer for a reason. He’s having a hard time. For sure. But context is still he’s our best striker and if Collins does take that mantle then he’d be our second best.

It's the dig at Vic. It's easy to say Dion isn't doing that badly without the comparison to one of our own as there are probs other strikers in the league on a worse footing, there are some worse than Vic who currently sits at 13th in the top scorers this season.

The context of what Dion in a slump is doing relative to other players is important.

I could understand more if we had a striker banging them in but we don’t. Not close. Yes Collins maybe will but the existing options haven’t been.

That’s the relevance. Dion is our top scorer for a reason. I don’t know whether it’s best to leave him in or give him a breather but some of the criticism is odd. Nobody else is going to get close to his total this season.

[GhostoftheBok]

Not going tomorrow as it's Mr Ghost's birthday and apparently a late away day at Cambridge doesn't count as a "nice night out."

All this "Dion or Vic or Collins or Bod" stuff is grand, but ultimately they're all good players and can all play together. The manager has to decided which pairing is most likely to hurt Cambridge, with an eye on the weekend too.

We obviously need to factor in Dion's mental state at the minute with his off the pitch stuff, but we can't really tell from the outside what's going on. Insane's right that the manager has to make a all on what's best for the player. I was livid with Dion against Barnsley and thought his selfishness was a massive liability in the first half, but he looked like he'd had a kick up the arse for the second period and I'm happy to see him start if that's best.

Cambridge are no mugs, but we should definitely be looking to clean them out.

[GhostoftheBok]

The context of what Dion in a slump is doing relative to other players is important.

Na, it was just an ignorant dig. At least own it.

If you've watched Dion and Vic recently and think Dion has played as well as Vic fair enough. It's absurd, but what can anyone say at this stage?

[Worthy4England]

I don't think it's overly controversial to state that Dion scored more than Vic.

It's only 4 games since Dion scored vs Premiership Luton. Obviously if your top scorer goes through a bit of a phase (as most do) then you feel the impact unless others step forward. Which others have, generally, as we have exactly the same results "last 5" as every other team in the top 6. Saturday, Ashworth stepped up, Carlisle lots of people stepped up, Cheltenham, Vic stepped up.

I'm a lot less worried about us grabbing a goal with Dion in a dip in form this year, than I was last, albeit wouldn't necessarily put the house on it being a forward.

[BWFC_Insane]

The context of what Dion in a slump is doing relative to other players is important.

Na, it was just an ignorant dig. At least own it.

If you've watched Dion and Vic recently and think Dion has played as well as Vic fair enough. It's absurd, but what can anyone say at this stage?

It was a comparison of their scoring records across the same period and same number of games. What’s ignorant about that?

And if we want to compare the performance on Saturday then Dion was very poor but still better than Vic, unless of course you think an inability to trap a straight pass consistently and not let it bounce off you at all angles is a good thing.

Dion worked very hard and won possession and at least was there around the box to snap shots off even if they were absolutely woeful.

Vic offered nothing at all. And it was incredibly noticeable how Bod who isn’t very good right now either within minutes of coming on made the ball stick more than Vic had all game.

It was a bad day for the two strikers all round. I’d still start them both on Tuesday again. Personally. But Evatt will have the better information to make a decision on what the right choice is.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

Problem is Insano, you tell us at every opportunity how Vic can't trap a bag of cement. It is almost every post that mentions anything to do with strikers or team form. No one denies you the right to think he's shit, but it gets really tedious reading it every other post. I don't rate Morley, but after bringing it up in discussion a few weeks back it's been discussed. That doesn't mean I wont mention it again, but I don't need to every week in some bizarre hope others will start to agree or that folk need reminding. The forwards had a poor game by their standards. Mention it, discuss how it might be improved or how it can be fixed (if something needs fixed), but enough with 500th Vic can't trap a ball/it bounces off him.

[BWFC_Insane]

Problem is Insano, you tell us at every opportunity how Vic can't trap a bag of cement. It is almost every post that mentions anything to do with strikers or team form. No one denies you the right to think he's shit, but it gets really tedious reading it every other post. I don't rate Morley, but after bringing it up in discussion a few weeks back it's been discussed. That doesn't mean I wont mention it again, but I don't need to every week in some bizarre hope others will start to agree or that folk need reminding. The forwards had a poor game by their standards. Mention it, discuss how it might be improved or how it can be fixed (if something needs fixed), but enough with 500th Vic can't trap a ball/it bounces off him.

When he plays well I also mention that too.

My point was not about criticising Victor but pointing out that Charles is still critical to our fortunes because he’s the only one scoring goals. Collins may well too. And that would be most welcome. But the priority has to be getting Charles sorted and firing again. More than anything else. Because it’s clear that bar the new boy potentially we don’t have the goals in our strikers otherwise. Thats just how it is.

I could be plenty critical about Charles recently and have been but priority now is for me getting him back on form at all costs.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

It was a bad day for the two strikers all round. I’d still start them both on Tuesday again.

Now this I do find interesting. You'd maintain the Dion/Vic partnership? Would you keep Collins on the bench, or start him at 10 and thus surely weaken the midfield?

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

Problem is Insano, you tell us at every opportunity how Vic can't trap a bag of cement. It is almost every post that mentions anything to do with strikers or team form. No one denies you the right to think he's shit, but it gets really tedious reading it every other post. I don't rate Morley, but after bringing it up in discussion a few weeks back it's been discussed. That doesn't mean I wont mention it again, but I don't need to every week in some bizarre hope others will start to agree or that folk need reminding. The forwards had a poor game by their standards. Mention it, discuss how it might be improved or how it can be fixed (if something needs fixed), but enough with 500th Vic can't trap a ball/it bounces off him.

When he plays well I also mention that too.

My point was not about criticising Victor but pointing out that Charles is still critical to our fortunes because he’s the only one scoring goals. Collins may well too. And that would be most welcome. But the priority has to be getting Charles sorted and firing again. More than anything else. Because it’s clear that bar the new boy potentially we don’t have the goals in our strikers otherwise. Thats just how it is.

I could be plenty critical about Charles recently and have been but priority now is for me getting him back on form at all costs.

To be fair you did, but you still don't need to bang on every other post. If Ghost was telling us Morley was a genius every post I'd be having a word with him too

[nicholaldo]

Kachunga's going to score, isn't he?

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Kachunga's going to score, isn't he?

3 in 18 league games, so he's, ahem, due one.

Was their player of the month in December. Scored twice in successive games.

[BWFC_Insane]

It was a bad day for the two strikers all round. I’d still start them both on Tuesday again.

Now this I do find interesting. You'd maintain the Dion/Vic partnership? Would you keep Collins on the bench, or start him at 10 and thus surely weaken the midfield?

I’d have him off the bench.

He’s been here less than a week. Dion and Victor are our best strike force as it stands. That’s nothing at all against Collins but I think he can adjust to us over time. I’d like to see him play with Charles also but I think it’s too soon to do that.

I’d also say that if the front two fire it’s good if not we can then change it mid game. I doubt Vic or Dion have necessarily the same impact off the bench right now.

[boltonboris]

There's nowt wrong with saying that Vic played absolutely shit on Saturday. He did.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

It was a bad day for the two strikers all round. I’d still start them both on Tuesday again.

Now this I do find interesting. You'd maintain the Dion/Vic partnership? Would you keep Collins on the bench, or start him at 10 and thus surely weaken the midfield?

I’d have him off the bench.

He’s been here less than a week. Dion and Victor are our best strike force as it stands. That’s nothing at all against Collins but I think he can adjust to us over time. I’d like to see him play with Charles also but I think it’s too soon to do that.

I’d also say that if the front two fire it’s good if not we can then change it mid game. I doubt Vic or Dion have necessarily the same impact off the bench right now.

Fascinating.

Whatever our views of the individual strikers, many of us have been banging on for months about a lack of effective options up top. Then we spend the biggest wodge in a decade (that's felt like a lifetime) on a striker, who comes on and assists with his second touch and nearly scoresathereafter.

I'd start Collins in a heartbeat - the only questiopn for me is which of the two incumbents to out on the bench. They'll come on anyway - and for me, that's part of the decision-making. Who makes more of a difference off the bench? I think it might be Dion... and if he scores, then we unveil AC/DC on Saturday...

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

There's nowt wrong with saying that Vic played absolutely shit on Saturday. He did.

No one is saying that. Just asking Insane to leave him alone for more than 2 minutes.

[BWFC_Insane]

It was a bad day for the two strikers all round. I’d still start them both on Tuesday again.

Now this I do find interesting. You'd maintain the Dion/Vic partnership? Would you keep Collins on the bench, or start him at 10 and thus surely weaken the midfield?

I’d have him off the bench.

He’s been here less than a week. Dion and Victor are our best strike force as it stands. That’s nothing at all against Collins but I think he can adjust to us over time. I’d like to see him play with Charles also but I think it’s too soon to do that.

I’d also say that if the front two fire it’s good if not we can then change it mid game. I doubt Vic or Dion have necessarily the same impact off the bench right now.

Fascinating.

Whatever our views of the individual strikers, many of us have been banging on for months about a lack of effective options up top. Then we spend the biggest wodge in a decade (that's felt like a lifetime) on a striker, who comes on and assists with his second touch and nearly scoresathereafter.

I'd start Collins in a heartbeat - the only questiopn for me is which of the two incumbents to out on the bench. They'll come on anyway - and for me, that's part of the decision-making. Who makes more of a difference off the bench? I think it might be Dion... and if he scores, then we unveil AC/DC on Saturday...

But I think that it takes players time. We threw Taylor in out of necessity and he clearly looks a very good player…you can tell…but he struggled especially as the second half started. Fitness for sure but arguably also some adjustment to how we play.

Throw Collins in when he barely will have had a full training session with any of his partners feels a bit desperate to me and arguably might end up setting him back too. But I won’t be screaming blue murder if he’s picked, he looks a quality striker. I’d just say right now his impact off the bench might be more than as a starter.

[Mar]

It was a bad day for the two strikers all round. I’d still start them both on Tuesday again.

Now this I do find interesting. You'd maintain the Dion/Vic partnership? Would you keep Collins on the bench, or start him at 10 and thus surely weaken the midfield?

I’d have him off the bench.

He’s been here less than a week. Dion and Victor are our best strike force as it stands. That’s nothing at all against Collins but I think he can adjust to us over time. I’d like to see him play with Charles also but I think it’s too soon to do that.

I’d also say that if the front two fire it’s good if not we can then change it mid game. I doubt Vic or Dion have necessarily the same impact off the bench right now.

Fascinating.

Whatever our views of the individual strikers, many of us have been banging on for months about a lack of effective options up top. Then we spend the biggest wodge in a decade (that's felt like a lifetime) on a striker, who comes on and assists with his second touch and nearly scoresathereafter.

I'd start Collins in a heartbeat - the only questiopn for me is which of the two incumbents to out on the bench. They'll come on anyway - and for me, that's part of the decision-making. Who makes more of a difference off the bench? I think it might be Dion... and if he scores, then we unveil AC/DC on Saturday...

Is it not entirely possible that we go with three up top? As in DC & VA with AC behind. I thought that was the entire purpose of signing CMG but it's not worked out so far (injuries, ANC). We bring in AC with CMG as the sub and we have an entirely different pathway when attacking.

Three pronged attack:
Charles -> Bodvarsson
Adeboyejo -> Jerome

(Behind the striker)
Collins -> Mendes-Gomes

Two pronged midfield:
Sheehan -> Thomason -> Morley
Maghoma -> Dempsey

Two widemen:
Ashworth -> Ogbeta (plus Randell when not injured)
Dacres-Cogley -> Ramsay (plus Matheson)

Three CBs:
Santos -> Taylor
Toal -> Jones
Iredale -> Forrester

GK:
Baxter -> Coleman


That's the way i'm seeing it at the moment.

Gives us a bit of flexibility attacking wise and unlocking the defence with either a long shot or some trickery. Still think we're missing a trick up top due to N'lundulu being injured as I think we're lacking pace in backup strikers, but maybe we'll get that with CMG's flexibility.

We're seeming pretty well setup Morley seems more on the periphery so perhaps that's why he's looking less and less relevant. Possibly resolvable by giving him game time like we saw with Jerome's improvement in output due to more game time.

There's no one in the squad that i'm thinking doesn't warrant a place in the squad. Clearly that's going to be revised during the summer but at the minute we're well setup this season.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

We threw Taylor in out of necessity and he clearly looks a very good player…you can tell…but he struggled especially as the second half started. Fitness for sure but arguably also some adjustment to how we play.

Throw Collins in when he barely will have had a full training session with any of his partners feels a bit desperate to me and arguably might end up setting him back too. But I won’t be screaming blue murder if he’s picked, he looks a quality striker. I’d just say right now his impact off the bench might be more than as a starter.

I see what you're saying. But while we are very process-oriented and system-based, strikers have more leeway to Make Things Happen. Midfielders need more "content download" but I don't expect Evatt will be spending £750k on a forward only to reprogram him.

That assist was more about talent than plan – although Ashworth had been told to get in at the far post, Collins still had to find him. And boy how he did. As I said at the weekend, when the new boy got it out wide, I initially thought "oh FFS there's nobody in the middle to aim at" - but then Ashworth beetled in and Collins hit an absolute pearl of a cross.

Get him on, get things happening. If he needs more instruction as to our methods, we can give them on the fly. He'll find his feet - and the feet of others. I think he'll get plenty of assists for both Vic and Dion.