The fat lady is definitely starting to warble.. Peterborough away Portsmouth home Fleetwood away Southend away Having just dropped 5 out of 9 Can we go 12 out of 12 I guess the odds are tilting towards play-offs? The form of Charlie Wyke was a revelation yesterday, the ref did not give a couple of pens... If fit Mcgeady and Maguire must start..
We have to, there is no other option, I don’t want to rely on other teams, and if we do that we’re up. No one wants the playoffs
I blame 3 other teams having excellent seasons. I mean, middle of April and losing only 3 times normally equals a comfortable promotion.
I'm quite comfortable with having 3 away games out of the four left, although I admit it's not good for the traveling support. Some of our best performances of the season have been away from home, so I think we have a good chance of taking 9 from 9. The one fly in the ointment is Pompy at home who we have yet to beat this season. We need to be at our very best in the last home match of the season.
Pompey seemed ordinary yesterday mind, but they have that knack of winning games, the Coventry game was a complete one off. I would have hoped to draw with Portsmouth and win the other 3 but Barnsley have a good run in so might get to 94 points. Could Luton not win another match can we catch them ?, best performance of the season at home yesterday or maybe Barnsley. If Jack had changed that defence 2 months ago we would be top of the league now.
Thing about Honeyman is he pops up everywhere. His workrate is phenomenal - his issue is that he isn't very good on the ball!! I think we miss him when he doesn't play. But, that said, he does occasionally pop up with the right pass or shot!
That's the thing, Marcus . . . . the Honeymonster just isn't very good (it doesn't matter about the 'on the ball' bit) He's decent in the Third Division, but, unfortunately, that's it You're not suggesting that you'd prefer him to play rather than Maguire, are you ?
Arguably though, we play better with Honeyman in the side than without. As of 26th March we'd gained 2.07 per game and scored 1.89 goals per game with him in the side versus 1.77 points gained and 1.11 goals scored without him. Part of this might be down to playing a different system when he's not been in the side but his contribution shouldn't be underestimated.
I see maguire as more of an alternative to Morgan/Gooch than honeyman. I also think we need Leadbitter back in the team (for corners of nothing else) , who I do see as a step in for either honeyman or power.
We need both though. Honeyman never runs out of steam. Maguire doesn’t do that work that Honeyman does. We missed him when injured (as we missed Cattermole too - but Cattermole is a far better footballer than Honeyman) If you lose Honeyman'sworkrate whose going to do all the chasing he does?
Maguire's preferred position is on the wing anyway. I think our best side includes him, Honeyman and McGeady as the three behind a central striker (at this moment in time that's Wyke). Honeyman doesn't fulfil a traditional 'Number 10' role as he's not that type of player but he is a livewire, constantly on the move, harrying people, and popping up to take a pass when its needed. Behind him, it's two from Cattermole, Leadbitter, and McGeouch for me. Power can look good but I think we look better as a team with 2 of those 3.
When/if fully fit, my team would be : Wyke McGeady, honeyman, maguire Leadbitter, cattermole Oviedo, Dunne, Flanagan, O9 GK a bench of: Grigg, Morgan, Gooch, power/mcgeouch humme, Ozturk/Baldwin, GK With Morgan, Gooch as swap ins for McGeady and Maguire Power or mcgeouch as CM swap ins *forgot about Sterling but he could be in the bench for either Morgan or Gooch as needed
Aye, I think this is about right. Honeyman is a bit "defensive" to be playing AM, but with those CBs we need to be defending from the front. McGeady/Maguire/Wyke should have enough to score plenty in this league.
