Cam on, fear the noise: Cambridge (H) Sat 2 Mar 3pm

[BWFC_Insane]

Coz you didn't suggest there was owt wrong in 2017, when we were W18 D9 L8 at the same point, because you liked Parky and the way he played?

Match day 35 in that season we went to Fleetwood who were above us at the time with ourselves scnuthorpe and them battling for second spot and overran their midfield with the return of Pratley and won 4-2.

It’s possible we do something similar Tuesday. I’m fairly sure that there were a lot of complaints that season. Indeed I remember them.

All true. Just not from your good self.

Well aye. But we went up.

But that was just as uncertain at the time as it is right now. The win against Fleetwood came off the back of a run of poor results, not as the apex of a fantastic run. Yet you seem determined to predict oh so confidently that we're going to bollix it up this season, apparently all because of Evatt's perceived failings.

I’m not predicting that. And yes that win was off the back of a poor run for sure. I suspect I did have complaints then though . But others definitely did. That’s life I guess.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I suspect I did have complaints then though . But others definitely did. That’s life I guess.

I can confirm you and plenty others did!

You're just a pessimist. It's fine. We all want the best for the team.

[Worthy4England]

Coz you didn't suggest there was owt wrong in 2017, when we were W18 D9 L8 at the same point, because you liked Parky and the way he played?

Match day 35 in that season we went to Fleetwood who were above us at the time with ourselves scnuthorpe and them battling for second spot and overran their midfield with the return of Pratley and won 4-2.

It’s possible we do something similar Tuesday. I’m fairly sure that there were a lot of complaints that season. Indeed I remember them.

All true. Just not from your good self.

Well aye. But we went up.

I think we know you'd rather play with a target man, quick from back to front, POMO, whatever. I'd much prefer us to be quicker from back to front too, but I'm not going to see much of that under Evatt.

I think where it gets folks arse out of kilter is "that's the only way it can occur," so I'm going to holler about everything else and point out how shit it is, when it's probably "about the same.," at this point

Respect to Parky, from a worse position at the same stage, we went on a run. Not sure it felt likely before it happened, so as we keep saying, there's a lot of season left.

[boltonboris]

I was expecting to come on here and read about a composed, polished performance where we dominated our oponents without getting out of second gear, but instead it's a feckin doom fest.

I'll do it instead.
- Great for Coleman to get a clean sheet. He deserves it. Won us the points v Wycombe a few weeks ago and finally got his C.S today
- Maghoma was superb (again) and another one who has had to come out and mention that his family is getting abused. I'm not surprised our fans don't like him though. They've never really taken to talented young players from his erm... Heritage.
- Dacres Cogley. See above. Really should have scored with that early opportunity, but he's just a feckin android. Keeps going and going ang going.
- Thomason. Combative as ever and a lovely goal with his standing peg. Needs to polish his game a little, as his technique receiving the ball is still a bit off, but his energy levels and his drive are truly exceptional.
- Collins. Great for him to get off the mark. Takes up some great positions but then gets told to get between the posts again. He needs to be considered a #10 for him to work here, which I'm positive he will. Would like to see him with Charles.
- Sheehan. Architect. He's just *chefs kiss

[TANGODANCER]

I was expecting to come on here and read about a composed, polished performance where we dominated our oponents without getting out of second gear, but instead it's a feckin doom fest.

I'll do it instead.
- Great for Coleman to get a clean sheet. He deserves it. Won us the points v Wycombe a few weeks ago and finally got his C.S today
- Maghoma was superb (again) and another one who has had to come out and mention that his family is getting abused. I'm not surprised our fans don't like him though. They've never really taken to talented young players from his erm... Heritage.
- Dacres Cogley. See above. Really should have scored with that early opportunity, but he's just a feckin android. Keeps going and going ang going.
- Thomason. Combative as ever and a lovely goal with his standing peg. Needs to polish his game a little, as his technique receiving the ball is still a bit off, but his energy levels and his drive are truly exceptional.
- Collins. Great for him to get off the mark. Takes up some great positions but then gets told to get between the posts again. He needs to be considered a #10 for him to work here, which I'm positive he will. Would like to see him with Charles.
- Sheehan. Architect. He's just *chefs kiss

All this plus a mention for Dempsey who is ever striving to drive us forward. He tends t get ignored in comment; he shouldn't.

[BWFC_Insane]

I was expecting to come on here and read about a composed, polished performance where we dominated our oponents without getting out of second gear, but instead it's a feckin doom fest.

I'll do it instead.
- Great for Coleman to get a clean sheet. He deserves it. Won us the points v Wycombe a few weeks ago and finally got his C.S today
- Maghoma was superb (again) and another one who has had to come out and mention that his family is getting abused. I'm not surprised our fans don't like him though. They've never really taken to talented young players from his erm... Heritage.
- Dacres Cogley. See above. Really should have scored with that early opportunity, but he's just a feckin android. Keeps going and going ang going.
- Thomason. Combative as ever and a lovely goal with his standing peg. Needs to polish his game a little, as his technique receiving the ball is still a bit off, but his energy levels and his drive are truly exceptional.
- Collins. Great for him to get off the mark. Takes up some great positions but then gets told to get between the posts again. He needs to be considered a #10 for him to work here, which I'm positive he will. Would like to see him with Charles.
- Sheehan. Architect. He's just *chefs kiss

Cogley and Maghoma seem unpopular yet I think both are excellent. Cogley is having to play too many games and do too much running but he’s doing a great job in the circumstances. The same thing happened with Bradley.

I think Maghoma is exceptional - if he were more consistent he’d be in the top flight already but he’s getting better and better.

Thomason is outstanding and will hopefully be captain here one day as he just has ‘it’. Whatever that undefinable thing is that makes a player special he has it.

Collins needs a free role as he picks up so many good spaces. But I don’t think he will excel if he’s asked to stand against centre halves as that isn’t his game at all. He reminds me a bit of young Gudjohnsen. It’s taking him time to find his role and settle in and also for our players to understand him. For me I hope he stops trying so hard and just settles into it. He’s got bags of ability but it’s a question of bringing that out.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I was expecting to come on here and read about a composed, polished performance where we dominated our oponents without getting out of second gear, but instead it's a feckin doom fest.

I'll do it instead.
- Great for Coleman to get a clean sheet. He deserves it. Won us the points v Wycombe a few weeks ago and finally got his C.S today
- Maghoma was superb (again) and another one who has had to come out and mention that his family is getting abused. I'm not surprised our fans don't like him though. They've never really taken to talented young players from his erm... Heritage.
- Dacres Cogley. See above. Really should have scored with that early opportunity, but he's just a feckin android. Keeps going and going ang going.
- Thomason. Combative as ever and a lovely goal with his standing peg. Needs to polish his game a little, as his technique receiving the ball is still a bit off, but his energy levels and his drive are truly exceptional.
- Collins. Great for him to get off the mark. Takes up some great positions but then gets told to get between the posts again. He needs to be considered a #10 for him to work here, which I'm positive he will. Would like to see him with Charles.
- Sheehan. Architect. He's just *chefs kiss

In a post that made me nod in agreement so much I risked a neck-ache, this is the one that made me call the chiropractor. Nothing hugely against Vic, Bod or Jerome but like you I think Collins with thrive as a second striker and Charles is easily the best pure 9 we have. I can picture Dion running off the shoulder and Collins finding him. It's a combo that could get us promoted.

[BWFC_Insane]

I was expecting to come on here and read about a composed, polished performance where we dominated our oponents without getting out of second gear, but instead it's a feckin doom fest.

I'll do it instead.
- Great for Coleman to get a clean sheet. He deserves it. Won us the points v Wycombe a few weeks ago and finally got his C.S today
- Maghoma was superb (again) and another one who has had to come out and mention that his family is getting abused. I'm not surprised our fans don't like him though. They've never really taken to talented young players from his erm... Heritage.
- Dacres Cogley. See above. Really should have scored with that early opportunity, but he's just a feckin android. Keeps going and going ang going.
- Thomason. Combative as ever and a lovely goal with his standing peg. Needs to polish his game a little, as his technique receiving the ball is still a bit off, but his energy levels and his drive are truly exceptional.
- Collins. Great for him to get off the mark. Takes up some great positions but then gets told to get between the posts again. He needs to be considered a #10 for him to work here, which I'm positive he will. Would like to see him with Charles.
- Sheehan. Architect. He's just *chefs kiss

In a post that made me nod in agreement so much I risked a neck-ache, this is the one that made me call the chiropractor. Nothing hugely against Vic, Bod or Jerome but like you I think Collins with thrive as a second striker and Charles is easily the best pure 9 we have. I can picture Dion running off the shoulder and Collins finding him. It's a combo that could get us promoted.

Yeah if we can find a way to make that work and get it firing it feels like the key to promotion.

Charles being back then not then back then not is concerning though. He was set to return over a week ago then told he had a minor setback and it would be this week. Now it’s an ‘outside chance’ for Saturday.

I’d say it’s important that we don’t risk him as the last thing we need is for him to break down completely. It would be better to keep him till he’s properly fit and let him and Collins then form a partnership. If it fires in time it could make the difference.

[officer_dibble]

https://www.bwfc.co.uk/news/vote-kia-pl ... h-february

Get on here and vote for Coleman

[Mar]

- Maghoma was superb (again) and another one who has had to come out and mention that his family is getting abused. I'm not surprised our fans don't like him though. They've never really taken to talented young players from his erm... Heritage.

Not sure I agree with you here. Sure we'll have some people that take race, religion, nationality, etc. into consideration and those sort of people can't be helped, but for the vast majority of fans I think we're relatively open minded.

As far as Maghoma goes, I think there's lessons to be learned from the club about narrativization.

Compare him to Afolayan.

Maghoma comes in, gets an assist within his first 180 minutes of football (game 3, after 12 mins, 17 mins and 70 mins). 10 days.
Afolayan comes in, gets an assist within his first 180 minutes of football (game 2, after 29 mins and 81 mins). 4 days.

Maghoma plays the next match after his assist (30 mins coming on as sub) in a 4-0 defeat against Wigan, a 1-1 draw with Burton and then missing for 5 games due to injury.
Afolayan goes on a 12 game unbeaten run, with only one extra assist.

Maghoma comes back in, gets 3 goals in his next 7 matches.
Afolayan registers only 1 goal contribution for the rest of the season scoring on the final day.


Maghoma's impact is arguably better, yet the fans love Afolayan and Maghoma gets criticism. It's not that Afolayan is better than Maghoma, just that the narrative sinks in.


Maghoma's body language on the pitch looks like he's frustrated and petulant at times, couple this with comments off the pitch and family backlash and there's a narrative that's grown that we don't like the player. Far from it. We're just crying out for something joyful to support, whether that's goals or Okocha-esque leg pumps. We can deal with the frustrated and the petulant, take Diouf for example, but what can't be done is winning the fringe over via criticism.

Megson wasn't as bad a manager as was made out and the biggest thing issue with him was that he never tried to win over the fans. He was an uninteresting appointment and we were right to be critical over his appointment, but not against him. It painted a narrative that he never escaped, nor did he try to.

I think Maghoma is great, but the club and the player could do with switching the narrative, as whats currently being done, isnt helping.

[BWFC_Insane]

^^Sorry but suggesting it’s a narrative thing is stretching it. I suspect BoltonBoris is right sadly with his assessment.

[officer_dibble]

Maghoma is currently in my top 3 for player of the season. Between him, Sheehan and Baxter as it stands I reckon.

[BWFC_Insane]

Maghoma is currently in my top 3 for player of the season. Between him, Sheehan and Baxter as it stands I reckon.

Ooof. Maghoma, Cogley, Baxter, Thomason, Sheehan.

Right now would be Thomason for me. But there is enough to go that things can change. I mean Dion comes back and bags another 5 or 6 and scores the goal that takes us up - it’s him then.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Yeah right now it's Tomo/Sheehan/Baxter as my top 3 – but that's harsh on 17-goal Dion and the indefatigable JDC.

What you want is for the POTY vote to be a really tough matter of parsing excellence, rather than it going by default to Tim cocking Ream.

[Prufrock]

I like Maghoma, and his ceiling is very very high. On the ball and in tight areas he's far too good for this league, some of the things he's done in a white shirt have been unbelievable. The goal the other week v Charlton, the assist on Saturday.

He's still very raw though, and can be woefully bad off the ball, there were a couple of moments on Saturday where he'd made an unpredictably terrible decision that took another two of our players out.

If he didn't have those, he'd already be playing higher, and if he can iron them out he can play in at least the Champo if not the prem. I hope we keep them and he irons them out, but he's not in the running for POTY for me, as others have been better.

Agree with the Sheehan/Bax/JDC shortlist personally (in that order). Thomo has been excellent but missed too many games by his own hand to get in there for me.

[boltonboris]

Agree with the Sheehan/Bax/JDC shortlist personally (in that order). Thomo has been excellent but missed too many games by his own hand to get in there for me.

Yup

[dave the minion]

Yup again for me. Thomo is superb and I really like him as a player, but he's played himself out of my top 3 by, err, not playing so much......

[The_Gun]

Yup again for me. Thomo is superb and I really like him as a player, but he's played himself out of my top 3 by, err, not playing so much......

This would also be my line of thinking on Thomason. I believe if he picks up another three bookings he will be banned for an additional three matches, so he really does need to be careful now.

[officer_dibble]

Agree with the Sheehan/Bax/JDC shortlist personally (in that order). Thomo has been excellent but missed too many games by his own hand to get in there for me.

Yup

That’s where I am with him. And I think JDC has been good but I’ve enjoyed watching Paris.

[boltonboris]

Cambridge have just appointed Garry Monk (insert Abbey jokes here). That's a great appointment for them and they've got Barnsley (a) and Derby (h) in their run in.