Start your best 11

[UTB]

Then worry about the next game. Didn’t want Hecky at the outset, totally proved me wrong done a great job I’m sure he’ll get us in the playoffs but today was a bad day at the office.
Unless players had knocks and injuries that we’ll never know about, today he got it all wrong .

 

[Silent Blade]

We need to have enough players for the play offs. Aiming for the play offs is more realistic than aiming for the automatic spot so we need to be careful that we could be running on empty before the end of the season

 

[sufcboy95]

Agree we should pick our best 11 every game and then when we’ve got 10 out injured we can play kids in play offs

 

[Blad]

We need to have enough players for the play offs. Aiming for the play offs is more realistic than aiming for the automatic spot so we need to be careful that we could be running on empty before the end of the season

I know what your saying but as it stands right now we are not in the play offs so resting players hoping we get in the play offs could be the wrong road to go down and could seriously back fire. Being over cautious with players could very easily blow the play offs with crucial points dropped here and there. For me we have to play our strongest side for at least the next 6 or 7 games and really cement our place in the play offs then we can rest with full confidence the players will be needed for the actual play offs.

 

[Micky Narker]

I'd agree if we had Bash, Didzy, Enda, Brewster and Osborn fit plus Goode available to provide backup/start. But we don't. Rotation was inevitable once the injuries started piling up.

Beat Forest and Boro with the likes of Berge and MGW starting then this will be seen as a blip.

 

[Cheesebored]

Agree we should pick our best 11 every game and then when we’ve got 10 out injured we can play kids in play offs

If he keeps unnecessarily fucking about with the team we won't make the play offs smart arse.

 

[Silent Blade]

I know what your saying but as it stands right now we are not in the play offs so resting players hoping we get in the play offs could be the wrong road to go down and could seriously back fire. Being over cautious with players could very easily blow the play offs with crucial points dropped here and there. For me we have to play our strongest side for at least the next 6 or 7 games and really cement our place in the play offs then we can rest with full confidence the players will be needed for the actual play offs.

Heckingbottom is taking calculated risks. He knows better than the fans what injuries the players are carrying. He would be getting advice from our medical staff

 

[Cheesebored]

He would be getting advice from our medical staff

 

[Cheesebored]

Heckingbottom is taking calculated risks. He knows better than the fans what injuries the players are carrying. He would be getting advice from our medical staff

They don't appear to have a great track record.

 

[cooperblade]

Then worry about the next game. Didn’t want Hecky at the outset, totally proved me wrong done a great job I’m sure he’ll get us in the playoffs but today was a bad day at the office.
Unless players had knocks and injuries that we’ll never know about, today he got it all wrong .

Totally agree. I think we should sack all the analysts and sports scientists and go back to the 80s.

You're also right that we'll never know about MGW's dead leg that Heckingbottom talked about in his interview.

 

[UTB]

It’s points on the board that matter, someone could get injured in training or fall ill. Playing catch up and looking to the next game doesn’t always work. As both hecky at Smc have said, and it’s a cliché one game at a time. Still think playoffs are more than achievable.

 

[sufcboy95]

If he keeps unnecessarily fucking about with the team we won't make the play offs smart arse.

2 defeats in 14 days otherwise.
It’s called managing the squad.
MGW was carrying an injury having just come back from one. Berge has just played 2 90 min in 4 days having just come back from injury and Fleck was fucked Wednesday

 

[Cheesebored]

2 defeats in 14 days otherwise.
It’s called managing the squad.
MGW was carrying an injury having just come back from one. Berge has just played 2 90 min in 4 days having just come back from injury and Fleck was fucked Wednesday

The fact they were all on the bench should tell you just how serious the injuries were. I'm aware we're down to the bare bones but using your own analogy, yes I'd rather play the young uns in the play offs than not get there at all.

 

[Cheesebored]

You're also right that we'll never know about MGW's dead leg that Heckingbottom talked about in his interview.

Didn't appear to be bothering him too much when he came on and we suddenly carried a threat.

 

[sufcboy95]

The fact they were all on the bench should tell you just how serious the injuries were. I'm aware we're down to the bare bones but using your own analogy, yes I'd rather play the young uns in the play offs than not get there at all.

There’s still 13 games left, with 8 at home!
It’s the classic over reacting after a defeat away against a team in form. Surely people wasn’t expecting us to go end of season unbeaten

 

[Cheesebored]

There’s still 13 games left, with 8 at home!
It’s the classic over reacting after a defeat away against a team in form. Surely people wasn’t expecting us to go end of season unbeaten

It's not though is it. We'd have won at Huddersfield with our strongest team out. So the plan's to play our strongest team at home and chalk fuck on it away? These are wasted opportunities.

 

[Broomhall Blade]

It doesn’t matter what team he selects or whether he doesn't make any game changing substitution just has long as our fans can understand him everything is ok.

 

[Tezza1889]

Beat Forest and Boro with the likes of Berge and MGW starting then this will be seen as a blip.

We should have beaten Millwall easily with the first 11 playing yesterday, it's 3 points, a harder task against forest and midds clearly, but for 3 points per game.

Millwall were bollocks, thier fans were like church mice till the goal.. They've got away with an easy win from a shite performance.

 

[robbiez666]

We should have beaten Millwall easily with the first 11 playing yesterday

Why? This year, their home record is now P6,W4,D1,L1

They've now beaten us, WBA and QPR. Lost to Forest.

This was never an easy game.

 

[Cheesebored]

This was never an easy game.

On paper before a ball was kicked I'd have agreed.

 

[Tezza1889]

Why? This year, their home record is now P6,W4,D1,L1

They've now beaten us, WBA and QPR. Lost to Forest.

This was never an easy game.

They were garbage, we were worse..

Forest will not turn up and play like we did. Play mcburnie we lose on friday.

 

[Greasy Chap Butty]

We should have beaten Millwall easily with the first 11 playing yesterday, it's 3 points, a harder task against forest and midds clearly, but for 3 points per game.

Millwall were bollocks, thier fans were like church mice till the goal.. They've got away with an easy win from a shite performance.

We should have beaten them with the 11 that were picked. That includes plenty who are in the ' first 11' . We didn't play well enough.

 

[Snowflake]

We should have beaten Millwall easily with the first 11 playing yesterday, it's 3 points, a harder task against forest and midds clearly, but for 3 points per game.

Millwall were bollocks, thier fans were like church mice till the goal.. They've got away with an easy win from a shite performance.

It’s only opinions as to what on any day is the best 11.

 

[ISZA ⚔️]

Yesterday we played the occasion and not our game. It was a seriously low quality game of football. Berge could have started, although I’m not sure he’d have changed much with how it went. MGW was clearly struggling after Blackburn and I’m just glad that’s nothing serious. Basham would have made a big difference yesterday with his presence down the right when we attack.

 

[Keen Blade]

Agree we should pick our best 11 every game and then when we’ve got 10 out injured we can play kids in play offs

Why not ?
The seniors have never done owt but lose.

 

[Champagneblade]

Yesterday we played the occasion and not our game. It was a seriously low quality game of football. Berge could have started, although I’m not sure he’d have changed much with how it went. MGW was clearly struggling after Blackburn and I’m just glad that’s nothing serious. Basham would have made a big difference yesterday with his presence down the right when we attack.

Berge also started against Huddersfield and so did Gibbs-White. We didn't win.

So the conclusion at the time was that we shouldn't be splitting up Norwood and Hourihane as we've never lost when both start.

So having returned to this we lost.

Players are getting tired. Norrington-Davies was good on Wednesday. He wasn't so good on Saturday. Sharp has been crucial of late but ineffectual on Saturday. McBurnie shower promise as sub vs Birmingham, but poor on Saturday.

With games coming thick and fast you have to accept that some of the performance levels will be off.

I don't think it's quite the exact science some are making i.e. had we played X we would have won.

We can't just disregard that the opposition is also trying to win!

We also can't disregard what the medical staff are telling the manager. On one hand we'll be cursing the football Gods for having more injuries, on the other we are criticising the manager for proactively trying to manage best through this. Footballers are finely tuned athletes. You can't give a race horse the workload of a shire horse and expect it to retain it's health.

Think we just have to avoid being too high when we win and too low when we lose.

It will be up and down but for now I still think we have better squad options than Luton, Boro, Blackburn, QPR, Forest and Huddersfield. As long as we can retain those options until the season ends then we'll be in the top 6.

Just need to keep the faith. UTB

 

[ISZA ⚔️]

Berge also started against Huddersfield and so did Gibbs-White. We didn't win.

So the conclusion at the time was that we shouldn't be splitting up Norwood and Hourihane as we've never lost when both start.

So having returned to this we lost.

Players are getting tired. Norrington-Davies was good on Wednesday. He wasn't so good on Saturday. Sharp has been crucial of late but ineffectual on Saturday. McBurnie shower promise as sub vs Birmingham, but poor on Saturday.

With games coming thick and fast you have to accept that some of the performance levels will be off.

I don't think it's quite the exact science some are making i.e. had we played X we would have won.

We can't just disregard that the opposition is also trying to win!

We also can't disregard what the medical staff are telling the manager. On one hand we'll be cursing the football Gods for having more injuries, on the other we are criticising the manager for proactively trying to manage best through this. Footballers are finely tuned athletes. You can't give a race horse the workload of a shire horse and expect it to retain it's health.

Think we just have to avoid being too high when we win and too low when we lose.

It will be up and down but for now I still think we have better squad options than Luton, Boro, Blackburn, QPR, Forest and Huddersfield. As long as we can retain those options until the season ends then we'll be in the top 6.

Just need to keep the faith. UTB

Stick to Beerschot

 

[Eddie odd legs]

Don't understand the "aim for the play offs". If you "aim" for anything then "aim" for the automatic places & take the play offs as an achievement. Personally I think PH is doing the right thing in trying to limit expectation. "IF you can treat triumph & disaster ......?"

 

[Charlieblade]

Berge also started against Huddersfield and so did Gibbs-White. We didn't win.

So the conclusion at the time was that we shouldn't be splitting up Norwood and Hourihane as we've never lost when both start.

So having returned to this we lost.

Players are getting tired. Norrington-Davies was good on Wednesday. He wasn't so good on Saturday. Sharp has been crucial of late but ineffectual on Saturday. McBurnie shower promise as sub vs Birmingham, but poor on Saturday.

With games coming thick and fast you have to accept that some of the performance levels will be off.

I don't think it's quite the exact science some are making i.e. had we played X we would have won.

We can't just disregard that the opposition is also trying to win!

We also can't disregard what the medical staff are telling the manager. On one hand we'll be cursing the football Gods for having more injuries, on the other we are criticising the manager for proactively trying to manage best through this. Footballers are finely tuned athletes. You can't give a race horse the workload of a shire horse and expect it to retain it's health.

Think we just have to avoid being too high when we win and too low when we lose.

It will be up and down but for now I still think we have better squad options than Luton, Boro, Blackburn, QPR, Forest and Huddersfield. As long as we can retain those options until the season ends then we'll be in the top 6.

Just need to keep the faith. UTB

I agree with all the above, and I would add that Hecky is not tinkering for the sake of it. A fit and competent starting XI can cope with most teams we need to go to. Hecky is planning for the best starting XI to be available, and firing for the two crucial games on our run in.
Bournemouth and Fulham games could mean autos, or a starting XI capable, prepared and comfortable with the pressures of the play offs. I think he knows that team already. The next two months is all about getting there unscathed and in good order.

 

[bongleblade]

Heckingbottom is taking calculated risks. He knows better than the fans what injuries the players are carrying. He would be getting advice from our medical staff

i think he was hoping to nick a 1-0 v millwall, or even keep it 0-0. Focus on defence and make the most of set pieces with OMB/Sharp in the box.