I’ll be surprised if Ennis starts.

Earl Jean - I’m Into Something Good

Next to pure footballing ability confidence is one of the things you need in abundance. I remember watching Ian Rush in a game before he went to Italy. He was lurking on the left of the penalty area when one of the Liverpool players crossed a high ball to him. Without hesitation he met the ball with an instant terrific high volley, sending the ball over the keeper and into the far top corner of the goal. A breathtaking bit of skill that only a really confident player would attempt. A while later, when he’d come back from Italy having had a really hard time there, I saw him get the ball in exactly the same position. This time he brought the ball down and passed to a supporting player. The power of confidence.

They’ll do a City and lawyer up. It’ll vanish into the hands of “ m’learned friends “.

The Beatles - All My Loving

I captained a team and looking back I was awful. I expected everybody to be a committed as I was and unfortunately not everybody is made the same way. You can bollock some players and they respond well, some just go into their shells and you’ve made them worse players, as you say. I know that now but I was too young then. That’s my worry with Sammie. Of course I could be completely wrong.

Mm, we all like Sammie and I suppose he’s the out standing candidate but has he got the right temperament ? He strikes me as being the sort of player who expects everybody to be as committed as he is and would bollock anybody who isn’t. Some players respond to a bollocking and some don’t. Having said that he’s a senior player now so he must be under consideration for the role.

Let’s hope Hyam can shake the knock off and we can go with a settled defence. If he is out who’s next for the captain’s arm band ?

It’s what they’d like to do in football.

Some times you need to. Hill’s a centre half and Brittain is a right back so they’re hardly being played out of position are they. I’m not convinced with Wharton at centre half the moment. Like I said - defending the penalty area away from home when we’re under the cosh he’s ok, defending our half when the ball may be our opponents half a lot in a home game, I’m not convinced. When you’re a defender you have concentrate every bit as much when the ball is in your opponents half as when it’s coming your way. One long ball out of defence and you need to anticipate it. I think Wharton needs to work on that part of his game. JDT will do what ever he thinks right and that’s fair enough by me. He’s paid to make these decisions. However If he did move those two I wouldn’t be surprised.

I know l last played when dinosaurs roamed the earth but I would expect the keeper to be totally focussed on the ball and for him to go through anyone in his way to get to it, friend or foe.

Hardly our strongest X1 was it ?

I remember watching that contest were players have to score direct from the corner flag. So left footed shot off the right wing and right footed shot off the left wing. Not easy, I thought I was pretty two footed but I’d have needed a few goes. One Rovers player, I think it was Tom Carney, who was reliant on his left foot all the time did it easily with only a couple of right footed attempts. The thought “ why don’t you use your right foot more “ went through my mind at the time.

It may be this season, it might be in 5 seasons - but ultimately the Chicken Chokers will kill Rovers. It’s a certainty.

That may be so, but look where Bolton are now. They are definitely on the way back.

I think JDT might be tempted to move Hill into Hyam’s position and bring Brittain back to right back. Scott Wharton, like a lot of centre halves, is best under siege conditions away from home. When it’s a question of get a head to it, get a boot to it. Against Swansea at home we should be playing more on the front foot and the back line will be further up the pitch. The ball should be in their half more than ours. Hill’s added pace could prove crucial in snuffing out Swansea attacks.

Their manager was saying the first goal was off side, I can’t see it myself. If City had have scored that goal we’d never have heard the last of it.

Did we make him an offer ? Just asking as I don’t know the answer.

That’s two months away. Mike Newell came back from a broken leg quicker than that I’m really concerned about the number of players we have who are unavailable for selection. Are the medical team at the club up to the task ?.

I was reading the Rochdale v Gateshead report earlier. The ‘Dale are my local team. Apparently Gateshead had two wingers out wide all the game and they left two player up on the half way line when defending corners ! Their coach must be a genius, eat your heart out Pep.

What sort of team did we have out yesterday ? It can’t have been much of a side with the first team/squad playing in London yesterday.

What’s the state of play with Gilsenan these days ? It’s a bit worrying that the injured list is getting longer and longer with no sign of players returning.

Would you care to enlarge on “ they somehow might be worse “ ?

Like you say he should have been out earlier trying to deal with the ball in the air. Once you’re trying to defend an header from 3 yards out you’re on a loser.

I still have my “ Back To Mono “ badge I got in the 1970’s.