I think thats the first i ever seen a suggestion of a nameless player from a computer game??

Yeah he had a mixed game. Like everyone missed passes but played some good ones too. WIth Travis coming back soon, Forshaw looking alright coming on and Cantwell seeming un-droppable he needs to step up the performance level against Oxford.

Every player we have has improved under Eustace apart from Dolan and Hedges I think. What's happened to Pears, Brittain, Hyam and Travis under him has been truly remarkable. All have gone from being big question marks to top Championship performers. I guess it's the impact of a well organised defence and team spirit.

Id say Gueye is more of a confidence player. Id start him next game as his blood will be up. When hes on it Gueye is so so good. He looked last night like he was in August. His shooting is really poor, but a lot of the rest his game is very rounded imo. He can win it in the air, find space, run in behind, link up play. A real nightmare for any defence. Kind of the ideal target man. But then sometimes forgets how to use his legs for a month or two. So weird!

Fuck me we've been lucky with decisions in this game

Gueyes looking excellent, winning everything

I said earlier the game is perfect for Gueye... Portsmouth dodgy defence, loads of space, high line. He'll get a few more chances.

Always said Gueyes the new Drogba

Cantwell is a technically good player but he just lacks cut through. So little of what he does actually hurts the opposition defence.

We've definitely been by far the better team... Just cant finish.

Id get ACD on for Hedges and Gueye on for Wieman.

Feels like a game for Gueye this

Hayden Carter

Seen a lot worse... Quite a lot of chances already. Brilliant from Cantwell there, abysmal by Hedges!

Portsmouth seem to be playing quite offensively despite looking very poor at the back. We'll keep on getting a lot of chances.

Yes... looks like he is more of a winger signing to me.

What brought you to that point of view?

Asante's goal scoring record is not that brilliant - 1 in 4 at Salford and West Brom, and now dropping to 1 in 25 at Coventry (!!!). Admittedly across those 25 games he's only played about 900 minutes so I guess more like 1 in 10 if we are being generous. WhoScored.com is not that generous with it's assessment....

He signed a new deal after a year at Rovers (https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2021/february/new-deal-for-dolan/) and that he has resisted signing a new one since suggests he is probably on decent money.

Yeah unfortunately due to our messing around with contracts we have created a community of players who have made a huge amount of money running down their contracts. Dolan will know Lenihan, Diaz, Rothwell who each will have made hundreds of thousands from letting their contracts expire. I am sure he will have a Whatsapp exchanges with them to discuss the best way of getting the best deal.

Ah so the coaching staff don't think he has an attitude problem? But you, me and everyone on this board does?

I I am curious about how both the bits in bold can be true??

I'd say he can tackle and press quite well - that was one of his major assets when he got a good run a couple of seasons ago. He would win the ball high up the pitch nicking it off opposition players. He has lost that for some reason. Hopefully he can bring it back. In terms of shooting and goal scoring his numbers are equivalent to any other centre midfielder we have had (i.e. pretty abysmal - Travis, Rothwell etc good for 2 to 3 goals a year which is where Buckley is at over a full season). And I would say he can cover a decent amount of ground for a midfielder too... He has looked demotivated and off it, but he's got those ingredients imo.

Team for me : Pears Britain Batth Hyam Beck Buckley Tronstad Cantwell ACD Leonard Wieman A small innovation I would make is change from a 4231 and turn it into a 433 with Cantwell on the left side of midfield. Kind of how we used to play with Rothwell on the left of a three under Mowbray. He wants to play deeper anyway and isn't much of a goal threat so let's use him in the midfield to dominate the ball with the other two. He's actually pretty good off the ball so I don't see a defensive or workrate issue in this reconfiguration. Tronstad would hold and Cantwell and Buckley expected to get forward. Also I think that sort of 433 setup will suit Buckley better too, think his best season was when he played in a midfield three with him, Travis and Rothwell I think in 22/23?

Yes... we've never really produced strikers, and those that we have that have had decent careers we have moved them on to do so elsewhere (Beattie, Garner etc). I always really liked Paul Gallagher as a number 10, such a clever player. Looked like he was really going to make it in the prem but then had to drop down.