[Amelia Chaffinch]

To set the mood:

Head to head stats are favourable but I'm not sure that counts for much right now.

Last time out we managed a 1-1 draw courtesy of a Rotherham og in the 90th minute.

As we're both firmly planted in the bottom half of the table, that's all I've copied:

First bit of good news is that we could still leap-frog Derby if we win and they don't or they get beaten a gazillion to nil. Unfortunately, all the teams around us seem to be picking up wins with the exception of Blackburn. With a bit of luck their freefall will continue but I'm not fond of relying on other teams to cock up.

The Millers are still managed by Paul Warne who has been in situ since 2016.

They come into this match having lost 3-0 at home to bottom-placed Wycombe on Monday. We may have lost 7-0 yesterday but at least it was away from home and to Norwich at the top. 

Who's scoring for 'em?

Ben Wiles is still in the squad who scored against us last time.

Their Starting XI v Wycombe was:-

No 21 is Angus MacDonald who scored the og last time. Not to be confused with no 4 Shaun MacDonald who was one of the subs:

The second piece of good news is that Saturday will feel cold and Carlos & co may freeze their knackers off:

How bad do our performances need to get before the pundits stop linking Carlos to Bielsa?

A penny for 'em?

To set a more upbeat mood (unless you don't like swing or rock 'n' roll), Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers come from Rotherham. Never seen a white rabbit at the match, though. Then again I'm not James Stewart and Jive Bunny isn't called Harvey. (You'll have to look it up, jj, that reference comes from the days of black and white films - sorry!)

[Lord Snooty]

Nice one, Chaffers.

Now this is a must win game. Lose this and Carlos must go. Win and we're almost there.

[theo_luddite]

Nice one Chaffers.

We should be able to get 50-51 points at our season average points per game, that's 7-8 points from 7 games. For Rotherham to hit that they need to get 1.5 points per game (nobody below Bournemouth has averaged that all season). Wendies need to get 2 points per game (Watford's average all season) and Wycombe need to win every game. As they are all plodding along at 1 point per game season average, chances of that happening to all three are zero, chances of one of them doing it are exceedingly slim and those between us and them (currently Coventry and Brum) also have to up their game average.

Our points per game since the start of the New Year however are way below our average points per game for the whole season.
I still need convincing that something around the time of Careless's contract extension announcement didn't demotivate the whole (or a big chunk of) the squad. That contract extension is why he isn't leaving anytime soon.

Now the Cowley's have another job, we probably aren't paying them off anymore, but we'll be paying Careless and his merry men for quite a while if we dump him and bring someone else in right now and the new manager bounce worked really well at a number of places this season didn't it? Just ask the Baggies.

Not sure how many coaches our Chairlump has to bring in before the one that matches his philosophy turns the side into a top half club but Deano hired and fired more than a few that were in line with his - for a season or so.

[WakeyTerrier]

Lose this and even the most happy of happy clappers will surely have to agree its time to go.

The chairman sacked the Cowleys because he didn't want to be looking over his shoulder at relegation and yet here we are again.

We win and probably stay up off the back of it but the chairman has to back him in the transfer market this summer and by that I mean he has to bring in at least 10 new players and be of decent quality ready to play in the Championship...not 3-5 year projects

[theo_luddite]

Lose this and even the most happy of happy clappers will surely have to agree its time to go.

The chairman sacked the Cowleys because he didn't want to be looking over his shoulder at relegation and yet here we are again.

We win and probably stay up off the back of it but the chairman has to back him in the transfer market this summer and by that I mean he has to bring in at least 10 new players and be of decent quality ready to play in the Championship...not 3-5 year projects

Think there might have been a bit more to it than just looking over our shoulder at relegation tbh. Luton at home last season as an example (just added a comment to my Norwich thread on that) and some of their antics on the touchline but they've turned the boat round in Portsmouth Harbour since arriving on the south coast

Careless held his hand up and said he got it wrong, but it took us (and Norwich) about 10 minutes to see where he got it wrong. Had he not stuck LOB out in the wilderness (again) we might have had some speed in the middle of the park, which Norwich sailed through with ease. He could at least have brought him back into midfield quickly and put anyone at fullback, even Danny Ward for all the effectiveness he shows as a centre-forward. The guys we had in the middle and the back were about as mobile as a container ship stuck in the Suez Canal.

Expecting better this weekend but not holding my breath.

[WakeyTerrier]

I'm fairly sure a clash of personalities didn't help the Cowleys as well, Phil obviously didn't like them telling him a few home truths.

I'm happy to hold my hands up and say I thought it was good move at the time but the more this dreadful run of results go on then the more i have to admit it was the wrong move.
Either he doesn't understand what his players are capable of
or
His players aren't capable of understanding what he wants them to do.

I'd no real complaints on his team selection pre Norwich but as you say that plan and formation was out of the window and half way to Great Yarmouth after 10minutes but yet he did nothing until half time.
At half time he subs Stearman for Scott High and changes formation, low and behold 8 minutes he makes a further 2 changes...what was the point of waiting those extra 8 minutes.
I was telling Mitzi at 3-0 that he should just sub 5 players who wants to save for Saturday instead of risking booking/injuries..the game had long gone.

[Amelia Chaffinch]

Paul Warne prematch comments on the Millers site here

[theo_luddite]

At the risk of stealing jjamez's thunder from his thread on Tuesday

Bottom 8 Team's remaining fixtures, not all in order shown



So Blackburn are the side most in charge of their own destiny

Cardiff are the top 8 side who stick their oar in the most

Wycombe can't take any more points off current bottom 8 sides

I'm sure you can work out the rest (read across the table for where the fixtures will be played)

[jjamez]

Don't worry the I haven't even started yet so there is no thunder brewing.

As for sacking Carlos... Who's available that would be any better? Wilder wouldn't be an option I don't think, Mark Hughes? Pullis? Pardew? Those three give me shivers. Raid Lincoln and pay silly money for Appleton? Or take the chance on another rookie manager and hope he can deliver, maybe someone more able to connect with the players and fans, raid manure for Carrick? I dont see a wealth of options out there at the moment that would be of knowledge to the current amateurs in bromby and Phil, nor do I see people who would want to work with said amateurs.

Let's just get safe, write this season off (another one) rip the squad up and start afresh

[Lord Snooty]

Whatever happens, Bromby needs to go.