[bluepooch]

These all scored yesterday and we didnt;

Slew,
Harrison
Gnanduillet
Novak
Roberts
Boco
Duffy.

Just being a bit mischievous ,I'm bored.

I'm happy with a clean sheet for the first time in ages.Keep the same defence next week.

[Devongone]

I don't think you are just being mischievous, it's worth pointing out, just as we should also note RAGLAN is played 2 conceded 0 at Oxford. Novak is only a sub at Charlton, we never gave Harrison a chance, but he might not have been worth it, Gnobody really seems to want Nando, and Duffy never showed us much. IMO that Boco and Roberts would vastly improve our current side. And Slew he is an enigma wrapped in a conundrum; Blackburn invested in him as a future star, they saw enough to keep him for years before giving up, he's had loans galore, signed contracts and clearly managers see something in him, but no one has yet found the key. Maybe it'll be Plymouth.

Ironically Wilkinson has failed nearly as often as Jordan Slew yet he was yesterday's choice to pep up our attack. I'm not so sure yesterday's defence is the answer. When the cost of a clean sheet is that you don't score yourself I think that's a high price to pay. I never think it is just the defence; it is the team which is not working properly.

At least we are closing in on the answer. Ricky German made it to the bench if not off it. I think we'd get huge advantages from him on the pitch, not only with his ability, but a very young lad sparks a team .... You can't do an O'Shea and become invisible when a seventeen or eighteen year old is putting in a shift next to you. Older players will look out for him and the younger ones will want to make sure this youngster doesn't show them up. Come on Danny get him on the field.

When you're dangerous in attack and your midfield is working you are never going to have a bad defence. And it's hard to get goals when you are struggling at the back.

The most hopeful sign yesterday was that the young keeper sounds as though he did better. If that means he is more comfortable with this defence then that is a good sign, because any team will struggle with a jumpy keeper as Man City proved at 2-0 up yesterday. (What an ask that was of Claudio Bravo, who is a good keeper, new team in a new country and a debut in a major derby match. Pep is obviously good, but I wouldn't have thanked him for that if I was Claudio!)

Just for the record Conor Wilkinson has played 53 games as a pro' and scored just 6. In representative games at U-17, U-19, U-21 he is played 19 scored 2.

By contrast Rai Simons has played 22 pro' games and scored 4 and in 22 games representatively he netted 28. (I'm sure Bermuda's programme is easier than Ireland, but he has played 5 full internationals and did get a goal. So who's the best bet?

[bluepooch]

You have a good point backed up by stats but Ill make a judgement when I actually see Wilko play.
I did comment on here that I thought Simons was poor in pre season friendlies and the fact that he wasn't even on the bench yesterday kinda backs up my opinion.He's gone backwards since he's bulked up.
I'm also concerned that Ched hasn't scored in 4 but I haven't seen him play for what seems ages so I don't know how well he's playing.
At this rate we will see Ricardo very soon.

[Devongone]

I haven't seen Wilkinson either but I've read the opinion of Bolton fans and it is a million miles from flattering. Paul Cook gave him one game on loan last season which also says a lot.

The contrast with Simons was deliberate ...... because you think he's become a no-hoper. His stats aren't great but they a way in front of Conor Wilkinson who seems like a forward who can't score. Statistically worse than a no-hoper isn't the place to be.

Ched's current lack of goals says a lot about the team for me. The whole team isn't functioning and our 0-0 at Oldham could hardly be classed the "scoop" as our website described.

We only gave Dennis 5 minutes, so clearly Danny doesn't think he's the answer. I'm serious about throwing Ricky German in there. Playing with Ariyibi and Evans might help him take an enormous step forward in his career. Mind you before I did it I would ensure he had a nice pay rise and contract first, for when the big boys come to check him out.