[spireitematt]

But Matt, you went for Harrison up front, Clucas or O'Shea and Raglan. How can you say that?

It turned out Harrison and Hump were wrong calls for this game, on this day. Mr Cook changed, got O'Shea on who has great ability but is quite in and out ....... and was rewarded.

Did he get his defence right? I dunno they let two in even when we were apparently dominating possession, but would Raglan in have improved things, or Jones, or Hump?

In the end the manager has to get it right in the 90+ minutes he's got ..... and the players have to make it work. And brilliantly they did. I'd definitely have lumped Gnanduillet on the second we went 2-0 down, but would Hird have then been in the same position to score that goal. Would O'Shea have added his brace? Gnanduillet might have got a hat-trick.

It's great that our manager is able to think on his feet and change a game a round, that he can say that idea's not working and come up with another one. Managers in industry and sport often stick with decisions simply because they are their decisions when they need the flexibility to change. He done great.

I did go for Harrison upfront with Clucas and O'Shea and Raglan but at the end of the day I'm a fan not a football manager and we only get to see the players in matches and not in training. From what I understand from listening to it and following updates online we took control of the game from start to finish but let in two sloppy goals. It sounded like we were more threatening when O'Shea and Ariyibi came on. 

[Devongone]

Sorry Matt, that doesn't wash. There wasn't much heavy-duty training between Tuesday night's match and Friday afternoon was there? If the manager got it wrong (which is arguable as you don't know what the result would have been had he given the players a bollocking at half time and sent the same eleven out), then so almost certainly would you AND I! Your defence might have been better, but mine was the same. I'd have started Ariyibi and had Clucas up front - would that have made us sharper - I dunno - none of us were moaning when Harrison notched at Bradford.

One reason Mr Cook's decisions interest me are because he's a pro'. And their decisions are different, though they are watching the same game as us ..... I'm quite happy to say I disagree with some of his decisions, but on many occasions they turn out right. That's great by me.

What you could say about yesterday was that the game seemed to be going wrong and it appeared the manager's action helped to put it right. His team did, however, concede another goal .... but remember they had Tuesday's game on a mudheap (against a team who beat Chelsea) in their legs, and Yeovil didn't. And now we go on to meet Crewe happy with two wins, but carrying those two matches and without any significant training time to put right any problems the manager has spotted.

Does that defence get another go? Does O'Shea (who I think is a game changer more than a great starter) get his reward and start. Do we give Harrison a boost by starting him? Do we use a fit and eager-to-prove-himself Nando to disrupt Crewe? We might bring in Jones, swap Talbot over and move Darikwa forward to increase the team's energy levels. There are all kinds of options and all kinds of reasons for choosing them. Mr Cook's doin' great. This is the very best time to push on. Another win might put clear water between us and the rest of the division. But if we fail, hey ho ... Crewe are capable of beating anyone in our division, they just don't do it often enough.

[Dancingwilldoit]

Start with Clucas and Ariyibi with Oshea and Roberts up front leave the rest as it was. If its not working we have plenty of options on the bench. Just don't mess with a winning formulae against Crewe. This is Chesterfield we are talking about, we can lose to anybody we are expected to beat and we are more than capable of winning the ones we are expected to lose.
Chesterfield v Sheff Utd play off final anybody?

[spireitematt]

A Chesterfield scout was at Buxton vs Marine today.

[Devongone]

You may be right Dancing ..... except Ariyibi, O'Shea and Roberts would never all start for me ..... but all three were on the field together for the come back at Yeovil ....... so that's probably ollocks. But good teams don't play safe, they incorporate change and make it normal, so I'd play Raglan or Carter to keep Evatt fresh.

Me I'd go Nando up front for this one. Ariyibi Clucas and Roberts behind him. Poor old O'Shea would be on the bench, with Banks, Harrison and Dieseruwe too we'd have plenty of options going forward. The option for me would be O'shea for Roberts (again to preserve an important player.)

The one thing that is different about this Chesterfield team from any other I've known is that we have so many players capable of playing different positions. I think that is the way football will go anyway, but it doesn't half enrich a small squad. We have three players who are a capable of putting in a decent shift at either full back or centre forward. When we had Boco we had four!

Sheff Utd in the final? I reckon neither they nor MKD want to see us in the play-offs, whilst Swindon are probably rubbing their hands. So we need MKD to finish third, Bradford to forget their 0-3 win at Donny, Rochdale to pick up more injuries and Fleetwood to return to inconsistency. Crewe having an off-day would be nice too.

This isn't real is it? We aren't really in the top six are we? (Who could make the jump from Buxton to league football Matt - I know they are doing pretty well.)

[spireitematt]

A striker called Shaun Tuton or a midfielder called Liam Hardy look good enough for Football League. Not sure if this scout was watching Buxton or Marine players. The Marine team was made up of a lot of young players so its no surprise they are down near the bottom.

[Dancingwilldoit]

Glad you don't pick the team Dev. Crewe were no pushover but we bossed it. Could have had another 3 or 4 but we were a tad unlucky. Aryibi Roberts and Oshea caused all sorts of problems but Clucas seemed a bit off it today. Same again for Barnsley please.

[bluepooch]

My MOTM was 'The Enforcer' Mr Sam Morsy.
That Play Off Final v Sheffield Yoonited is getting ever more realistic

[Devongone]

I couldn't believe it when I got home from work and found another win! However good Ariyibi, O'Shea and Roberts were I'd be surprised if they started together against Barnsley. It'd be a very attacking move dontcha think?

I'm glad I'm not picking the team cos I'd have two competing instincts - don't change a winning outfit and try and keep important players fully fit. I'm not surprised Clucas was a bit below par today ...... he's been a star all over the pitch for us ....... and he's there virtually every game. That's one reason I've been so keen to praise Darikwa - he's playing every game, his natural game is high-energy and he doesn't slack. To me like Clucas he's a manager's dream.

But I do worry that we might be exhausting our players so much to reach the play-offs they'll have given their all. That said Paul Cook makes things work. You can only admire him. Keith Hill contrasts his resources to the teams around him, but we're above Rochdale and they are natural rivals for us. We shouldn't be competing with Bradford, Barnsley and Sheff Utd either, but it seems to be Mr Hill who attracts the publicity, whilst Mr Cook sneaks under the RADAR. Maybe that's a good thing = he'll be around to give us another season of this.

[Dancingwilldoit]

Hill failed at Barnsley so other teams will be a bit wary. Cook seems happy with us but it will only be a matter of time before somebody comes calling. Barnsley next weekend is a big big game for us. Win that and I will start to dream about Sheff Utd at Wembley. Sods law is I didn't think we would be anywhere near the playoffs and booked a bloody holiday but hey ho!
Cant be bothered to look it up but I think the big forward yesterday for Crewe played against us with Donny? He would look good in a blue shirt with the service we could give him.