Grecians, but bearing no gifts. Away to Exeter, Sat, 4th Jan. 3'0 clock

[TANGODANCER]

"The face that launched a thousand chips!" Straight back into action on Saturday and still in with a slim chance of making the play offs. An ever decreasing chance unless we put our dodgy start behind us and play some football.

"Fortune favours the brave" has to be our mandate now as it's still a bit scrambled outside the top four and we can still pull the chestnuts out of the fire with a bit of luck and effort. No use appealing to our manager for change as he's as immovable as ever, but the lads fortune is in their own hands regardless. Ian Evatt is walking a tightrope unless things change and he must surely know it. Exeter are but three points behind us and with two more away games to follow; Rotherham and Lincoln, we surely have to do better. So get building a wooden horse ready for an assault on those Grecians...

[GhostoftheBok]

I'm heading down tomorrow for this one, I think; unless I get delayed by the ice around here. Don't fancy risking same day travel with the delays that are possible.

I can't I'm excited for it, but I'm also not expecting anything awful.

We've definitely improved recently. Nowhere near enough, but means we have a chance going into games. That may just mean losing in a less abject manner. Hopefully it means a win.

Mansfield have gone above Exeter in the Home Games league table, thanks to beating us. Mansfield 12th and Exeter now 13th. They'll clearly be playing for pride...

[dave the minion]

You know what - i'm sure it'll be reet. We'll shit ' em....

[boltonboris]

I'd stick Morley straight back in. Morley, Thomason, Matete - Gives us the best balance and shows that if you want him, you better pay for him.

It's incredibly unlikely though, because Evatt's ego will get in the way

[Worthy4England]

I'd stick Morley straight back in. Morley, Thomason, Matete - Gives us the best balance and shows that if you want him, you better pay for him.

It's incredibly unlikely though, because Evatt's ego will get in the way

It's an absolute omnishambles of a clusterfuck. Needs ripping out. We currently have 10 players listed as "MF". Thommo, Sheehan, Morley, Lolos, Demps, Williams, Matete, Arfield, Khumbeni (on loan) and Sharples-Ahmed. Of those you'd think probably 6 were in the selection pool for a start - Thommo, Sheehan, Morley, Lolos, Demps and Matete. All fit and raring to go, I have not the foggiest notion of which three I'd start - albeit there are probably a few configs I wouldn't - it's the epitome of perm many 3's from 6. That's great when it's running smoothly on the tracks, but a nightmare when it isn't. And we see this repeated up and down the squad.

I'm none the wiser up front. Nor particularly in WB's (albeit Schon/Osei-Tutu feel like they might have improved us). All this with a defence that's been going backwards for about 18 months.

Scrap it. Start different project. It'll be fun.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I'd stick Morley straight back in. Morley, Thomason, Matete - Gives us the best balance and shows that if you want him, you better pay for him.

It's incredibly unlikely though, because Evatt's ego will get in the way

It's an absolute omnishambles of a clusterfuck. Needs ripping out. We currently have 10 players listed as "MF". Thommo, Sheehan, Morley, Lolos, Demps, Williams, Matete, Arfield, Khumbeni (on loan) and Sharples-Ahmed. Of those you'd think probably 6 were in the selection pool for a start - Thommo, Sheehan, Morley, Lolos, Demps and Matete. All fit and raring to go, I have not the foggiest notion of which three I'd start - albeit there are probably a few configs I wouldn't - it's the epitome of perm many 3's from 6. That's great when it's running smoothly on the tracks, but a nightmare when it isn't. And we see this repeated up and down the squad.

I'm none the wiser up front. Nor particularly in WB's (albeit Schon/Osei-Tutu feel like they might have improved us). All this with a defence that's been going backwards for about 18 months.

Scrap it. Start different project. It'll be fun.

Completely understand where you're coming from, but I still think that a new manager would take three training sessions, pick a strong team and take it from there. I doubt he'd be driving the team bus off a cliff. There's some useful players there, but as you say it's getting harder to discern the plan.

Evatt's saying he wants (up to) three players to improve the XI, which makes sense. To circle back to another conversation, it's what Rioch did - get Branagan on a free to replace the fading Felgate, get McGinlay with the money from selling Philliskirk, and then borrow David Lee who Phil Neal had long wanted anyway.

Maybe had Bruce had more money to spend there'd have been a wider overhaul, but the point is he got a much better tune out of the players already assembled. I don't look at our squad and think "these players are uniformly incapable" (although I know some do, I disagree). I suspect they're hugely less than the sum of their parts, and we know where the balme for that always falls.

[TonyDomingos]

Is Morley back in the building then?

[GhostoftheBok]

I'm supposed to be setting off shortly. I usually bounce out of the front door to away games. Very little spring in the step today.

[boltonboris]

Is Morley back in the building then?

Yes, travelled with the squad today I think

[Mar]

Hopefully we manage to beat Exeter.

Last 7 games, the only matches we've won have come against 10 men. If we go back to the 8th game, we drew vs 10 men.

[TonyDomingos]

Is Morley back in the building then?

Yes, travelled with the squad today I think

Ah! Great, thank you. I hadn't realised he was back.

[Worthy4England]

I'd stick Morley straight back in. Morley, Thomason, Matete - Gives us the best balance and shows that if you want him, you better pay for him.

It's incredibly unlikely though, because Evatt's ego will get in the way

It's an absolute omnishambles of a clusterfuck. Needs ripping out. We currently have 10 players listed as "MF". Thommo, Sheehan, Morley, Lolos, Demps, Williams, Matete, Arfield, Khumbeni (on loan) and Sharples-Ahmed. Of those you'd think probably 6 were in the selection pool for a start - Thommo, Sheehan, Morley, Lolos, Demps and Matete. All fit and raring to go, I have not the foggiest notion of which three I'd start - albeit there are probably a few configs I wouldn't - it's the epitome of perm many 3's from 6. That's great when it's running smoothly on the tracks, but a nightmare when it isn't. And we see this repeated up and down the squad.

I'm none the wiser up front. Nor particularly in WB's (albeit Schon/Osei-Tutu feel like they might have improved us). All this with a defence that's been going backwards for about 18 months.

Scrap it. Start different project. It'll be fun.

Completely understand where you're coming from, but I still think that a new manager would take three training sessions, pick a strong team and take it from there. I doubt he'd be driving the team bus off a cliff. There's some useful players there, but as you say it's getting harder to discern the plan.

Evatt's saying he wants (up to) three players to improve the XI, which makes sense. To circle back to another conversation, it's what Rioch did - get Branagan on a free to replace the fading Felgate, get McGinlay with the money from selling Philliskirk, and then borrow David Lee who Phil Neal had long wanted anyway.

Maybe had Bruce had more money to spend there'd have been a wider overhaul, but the point is he got a much better tune out of the players already assembled. I don't look at our squad and think "these players are uniformly incapable" (although I know some do, I disagree). I suspect they're hugely less than the sum of their parts, and we know where the balme for that always falls.

I think that'd be hopefully correct, but, it feels a bit like changing someone for "more of the same." The pattern that wasn't working now has a fresh pair of legs trying to deliver the same content as part of the clone machine. It feels like a plethora of mehness and it is a mehness.

[BWFC_Insane]

I'd stick Morley straight back in. Morley, Thomason, Matete - Gives us the best balance and shows that if you want him, you better pay for him.

It's incredibly unlikely though, because Evatt's ego will get in the way

It's an absolute omnishambles of a clusterfuck. Needs ripping out. We currently have 10 players listed as "MF". Thommo, Sheehan, Morley, Lolos, Demps, Williams, Matete, Arfield, Khumbeni (on loan) and Sharples-Ahmed. Of those you'd think probably 6 were in the selection pool for a start - Thommo, Sheehan, Morley, Lolos, Demps and Matete. All fit and raring to go, I have not the foggiest notion of which three I'd start - albeit there are probably a few configs I wouldn't - it's the epitome of perm many 3's from 6. That's great when it's running smoothly on the tracks, but a nightmare when it isn't. And we see this repeated up and down the squad.

I'm none the wiser up front. Nor particularly in WB's (albeit Schon/Osei-Tutu feel like they might have improved us). All this with a defence that's been going backwards for about 18 months.

Scrap it. Start different project. It'll be fun.

Completely understand where you're coming from, but I still think that a new manager would take three training sessions, pick a strong team and take it from there. I doubt he'd be driving the team bus off a cliff. There's some useful players there, but as you say it's getting harder to discern the plan.

Evatt's saying he wants (up to) three players to improve the XI, which makes sense. To circle back to another conversation, it's what Rioch did - get Branagan on a free to replace the fading Felgate, get McGinlay with the money from selling Philliskirk, and then borrow David Lee who Phil Neal had long wanted anyway.

Maybe had Bruce had more money to spend there'd have been a wider overhaul, but the point is he got a much better tune out of the players already assembled. I don't look at our squad and think "these players are uniformly incapable" (although I know some do, I disagree). I suspect they're hugely less than the sum of their parts, and we know where the balme for that always falls.

The thing is those three signings….McGinlay added the goals and workrate and became the focal point (we didn’t know Walker would get the injury at that point). And Lee added serious width, pace and trickery to a side that was previously a little one dimensional at times - and was a level above where we were in reality. Branagan obviously the best keeper at that level.

They were critical and quality. Not just adding another already like what we’ve got. But plugging major holes in the spine and the pace and width we lacked.

The thing is adding another technical but lightweight midfield player from the same league is not the same as signing three players that take you up a level if not two….

[Harry Genshaw]

Can see this being similar to Mansfield. Just 1 goal swing in it. Hopefully we're the right side this time.

[officer_dibble]

Can see this being similar to Mansfield. Just 1 goal swing in it. Hopefully we're the right side this time.

You’re right I think. And conceding two (again) will be a sure fire way of making sure it’s not us!

Who was Ricohs captain and did he change it when he came in, out of interest?

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Who was Ricohs captain and did he change it when he came in, out of interest?

Phil Brown, if I recall. And thus no.

[HMX]

I’m sick of predicting a narrow win for us and getting it wrong, so I’m going to predict a 3-0 win instead. COYWM

[GhostoftheBok]

I’m sick of predicting a narrow win for us and getting it wrong, so I’m going to predict a 3-0 win instead. COYWM

That's more like it.

Exeter have scored 17 at home. A clean sheet would be good going.

[HMX]

I’m sick of predicting a narrow win for us and getting it wrong, so I’m going to predict a 3-0 win instead. COYWM

That's more like it.

Exeter have scored 17 at home. A clean sheet would be good going.

They conceded 4 against Crawley recently, at home, so I’ve (a tiny) reason to believe that if we click today - for once in a quite a while - then we could grab a few. It’s hope more than anything.

[HMX]

Big question for me today is: does Morley start?