Team for the Playoffs

[GRUMPY BLADE]

It's true. Our central midfield has no energy. Our central defence are too slow to push up. Our strikers almost all want to play with their back to goal. It's dire.

Whoever is in charge next year needs to take the risk of replacing most of our supposed key men. And do so without paying fees.

So we need an expert in the lower divisions, someone whose expertise isn't borne out of his own failure. I have no suggestions. Over to Kev....

and there lies the problem

 

[Latters]

We looked better when Robson came on in central midfield. He should start in place of Mrs. Doyle. Kitson and Porter up front. It's no time for starry-eyed delusions about "kids".

I agree with you most of the points you make on footballing matters, but I can't side with you about Robson who has looked abysmal to me since arriving. He wanders out of position and his legs will no longer do what his brain wants them to. His passes, even the basic ones, rarely find our players, and his set pieces have been awful.

Westlake put some decent corners in yesterday. Robson came on and the first one he took never beat the first man.

He isn't the answer. He is worse at passing than McDonald and worse at tackling than Doyle. In fact, I'd say he's even worse at passing than Doyle.

 

[Houso]

My team

Long
McMahon Maguire Collins Hill
Flynn McDonald Doyle McFadzean
Murphy Kitson

I'd agree with that team, but would go with Robson instead of Doyle.

I'd also be inclined to go with Porter or Ironside over Kitson as the latter seems to be more interested in getting into futile battles at the moment.

 

[sheffielder]

I'd agree with that team, but would go with Robson instead of Doyle.

I'd also be inclined to go with Porter or Ironside over Kitson as the latter seems to be more interested in getting into futile battles at the moment.

I am not sure I could trust a midfield of McDonald and Robson, I just have nightmares of Robson making runs when he should of being holding shape against Brentford. I think Kitson might have a good game because it's on TV otherwise he would be on the bench and I would play Porter and Murphy.

 

[Kev Gee]

It doesnt matter who plays.

The end result is the same.

Shit.

 

[Menjo]

Yeovil have two huge centre backs who IMO are quite flat footed. We were getting back into the game when George produced the howler for their second goal. So who to play?

Long
Macmahon Maguire Collins Hill
Westlake Macdonald Doyle Macfazdean
Murphy(for a bit of pace ) Porter

Subs
Coyne
Higginbottom
Robson
Flynn
Kitson
Ironside
Forte

 

[bartman]

I'd agree with that team, but would go with Robson instead of Doyle.

I'd also be inclined to go with Porter or Ironside over Kitson as the latter seems to be more interested in getting into futile battles at the moment.

Robson instead of KMac for me. Doyle has been the better of the midfield two by a country mile in recent games and should keep his place.

 

[Ashtonsmashton]

What we need to get in the summer window is a RM or a LM, and if we were to get one I think we should get luke freeman from Stevenage. Seen him play quite well on football league, in the play offs last season and against us this season. He has pace and skill and can play on the Right or Left.

 

[Latters]

Robson instead of KMac for me. Doyle has been the better of the midfield two by a country mile in recent games and should keep his place.

I just don't see how dropping our best player, probably the most technically able central midfielder in the division, and replacing him with some past it old man whose legs no longer carry out the actions his brain seems to want, will have any sort of positive impact.

Even though McDonald has been playing at a level nowhere near his full ability this season, there are still several occasions every time he plays where any other player on the pitch would either lose the ball where he manages to keep possession, or not be in a position to receive it, when he is. Just watch him play. He will receive the ball, not lose it, even if there are two or three players trying to take it from him, play a pass, then run into space and want it back. Nobody else we have will do this. Dropping him would just reduce the limited amount of possession we've been having lately.

He is the best footballer we have. Dropping him for anybody would be silly. Dropping him for Robson, who has been shit since arriving, would be outright fucking ridiculous.

What we need to get in the summer window is a RM or a LM, and if we were to get one I think we should get luke freeman from Stevenage. Seen him play quite well on football league, in the play offs last season and against us this season. He has pace and skill and can play on the Right or Left.

Freeman from Stevenage, Pogba from Crewe and we'd be laughing. Stick Murphy up front with Porter or Kitson and that would be a decent attacking line-up.

 

[bartman]

He is the best footballer we have. Dropping him for anybody would be silly. Dropping him for Robson, who has been shit since arriving, would be outright fucking ridiculous.
.

He is potentially the best footballer we have but he has rarely shown it this season. The first thing he does when he gets the ball is turn in a circle,he then runs across the pitch and then either passes it out of play or sideways. It is rare that he passes the ball forwards or goes forward even when he has the opportunity to do so.He then proceeds to 'hide' and not take any responsibility in the midfield where for a player of his ability he should be dominating most games

Wembley might be ideal for him but we need to match Yeovil's work rate and KMac is a liability at the moment. I would prefer Whitehouse's energy in there but I think the game would be too early for him so that is why i would put Robson in.

Doyle has also been playing better than McDonald recently(and most of the season) which is why I wouldn't leave him out

 

[alcoblade]

I'd play Kitson up front for sure - that guy is dynamite and you won't fail with him leading the line.....

Oh, sorry, you did didn't you.....

Good luck in the play-offs!

We might win in the play-off's we might not. Doncaster Rovers will always be a footballing non entity followed by 7,000 fans, the majority doing their bit to support a local team but with no deep felt feeling for the club (ie every Donny fan I know).

When the footballing world is populated by plastic clubs like Doncaster, playing in a rented identikit stadium on a trading estate with a Brewers Fayre (stuffed with away fans) as the only local - it will have fully died.

UTB

 

[Large Mendonca]

Hagerty F, Hagerty R, Tomkins, Noble, Carrick, Dobson, Dewhurst, Crapper, McIntyre, Treadmore, Davitt.

 

[Latters]

He is potentially the best footballer we have but he has rarely shown it this season. The first thing he does when he gets the ball is turn in a circle,he then runs across the pitch and then either passes it out of play or sideways. It is rare that he passes the ball forwards or goes forward even when he has the opportunity to do so.He then proceeds to 'hide' and not take any responsibility in the midfield where for a player of his ability he should be dominating most games

Wembley might be ideal for him but we need to match Yeovil's work rate and KMac is a liability at the moment. I would prefer Whitehouse's energy in there but I think the game would be too early for him so that is why i would put Robson in.

Doyle has also been playing better than McDonald recently(and most of the season) which is why I wouldn't leave him out

Have to disagree on a couple of points. It is very rare that McDonald passes it out of play. It is very rare that his pass won't find one of our players. He hasn't hidden in games I've watched either. He usually makes himself available, plays a pass, then continues a run into space ready to receive it back. I've seen him carry the ball forwards on plenty of occasions as well, only to be closed down due to either his inexplicable reluctance to shoot (see, I can spot some negatives, too) or a complete lack of movement and options to pass to.

Robson often makes himself available for a pass, which ordinarily would be good, but it is usually not in the position he should be playing, he then gives the ball to the opposition through shocking distribution. He just isn't very good. As for energy, you'd get more energy from a solar panel in a cave.

 

[Worksop_Blade]

We might win in the play-off's we might not. Doncaster Rovers will always be a footballing non entity followed by 7,000 fans, the majority doing their bit to support a local team but with no deep felt feeling for the club (ie every Donny fan I know).

When the footballing world is populated by plastic clubs like Doncaster, playing in a rented identikit stadium on a trading estate with a Brewers Fayre (stuffed with away fans) as the only local - it will have fully died.

UTB

Damn Right Alco, I'd rather follow United in the 4th division in front of a crowd that even when the shit is clogging the fan will still be around the 13,000 mark, in a proper football ground with history.

What goes up must come down and when the Sky TV bubble bursts the only teams able to get their way back up the leagues will be the traditionally big clubs.

BTW my team for the play offs.

Long

Hill
Maguire
Collins
McMahon

Flynn
Doyle
McDonald
Murphy

Kitson
Porter

Subs:
Coyne
Robson
Higginbotham
MacFadzean
Whitehouse
Ironside
Forte

In other words, the team that could and should have been 5-0 up at halftime against Swindon.

 

[Latters]

I don't think I've actually said what my team would be yet, so here ya go...

GK. Long

RB. Westlake
CB. Maguire
CB. Collins
LB. Hill

RM. Flynn
CM. Doyle
CM. McDonald
LM. Forte (I'd tell him to run to the byline and drill it in at every opportunity. His shooting is far too poor to play up front)

ST. Porter
ST. Murphy

Subs

McMahon
Kitson
Cresswell if fit, Ironside if not. There's always the odd chance Cressy could nick a scrappy goal. Ironside hasn't looked like scoring when I've seen him.
McFadzean
Coyne
Whitehouse
Higginbotham

With that team, Weslake could push on and overlap Flynn on the right, because Flynn isn't bad at covering. Hill is less likely to get forward but Forte has pace that could possibly worry a full back. It also has two strikers that might complement each other in that Porter can win flick ons and rough up the defenders while Murphy can try to play the Miller role.

Two target men really hasn't caused any defences problems against us so I see no other option really.

 

[Worksop_Blade]

Thinking about it, Doyle, Collins, Maguire, Hill, Flynn & Porter all played in last season Play Offs.

They aren't like Yeovil who are all giddy and nervous at the thought of their first PO campaign, Experienced calm heads is what we need and have tbh.

I think some folk should stop getting on such a downer and support the lads and if its 7th time lucky, Get in but if not what will be will be and we start again in August with a new gaffer and some new players.

 

[lawlessdan]

Surely all football requires passing? Even hoof is passing, it's just very optimistic passing.

I'd stick the same side out as today with the exception of swapping Kitson for Porter. Now, Porter doesn't fill me brim-full of confidence but Kitson has been poor of late.

I may get stick for this but Porter can do know wrong in my eyes at the moment, he's one of 4 players I have complete faith in going into the play offs (others being Long, Maguire and Robson). He is winning every header he's getting in to decent positions, battling for everything and just generally looks like he wants it more than Kitson does. I said it last year and I still believe it, if Porter at started at Wembley we would have gone up.

 

[alcoblade]

I may get stick for this but Porter can do know wrong in my eyes at the moment, he's one of 4 players I have complete faith in going into the play offs (others being Long, Maguire and Robson). He is winning every header he's getting in to decent positions, battling for everything and just generally looks like he wants it more than Kitson does. I said it last year and I still believe it, if Porter at started at Wembley we would have gone up.

Aye, he's simply prolific.



UTB

 

[Revolution]

Thinking about it, Doyle, Collins, Maguire, Hill, Flynn & Porter all played in last season Play Offs.

They aren't like Yeovil who are all giddy and nervous at the thought of their first PO campaign, Experienced calm heads is what we need and have tbh..

This is not Yeovil's first PO campaign.

 

[JohnDenver]

This is not Yeovil's first PO campaign.

I've posted it before, but check out what they did to Forest in the Div1 Playoffs. Oof.

 

[Zlatan]

I'd like to see a 4-4-1-1 with Robson in a free role behind whoever plays up front. He seems the best player we have at threading balls through. Would probably go with Murphy and McFadzean on the flanks.

With Yeovil's height at the back we aren't going to win anything by putting crosses in, so might as well have some pace out wide.

 

[UnitedBlade]

Hagerty F, Hagerty R, Tomkins, Noble, Carrick, Dobson, Dewhurst, Crapper, McIntyre, Treadmore, Davitt.

I can see Neville getting the winner at Wembley, especially if he plays without wig

 

[UnitedBlade]

As nothing seems to be working in the last couple of games, I'd go 4-5-1. Encourage the wide players to get behind their full backs and pull the ball back and encourage the midfield players to get up in support. Then pack the bench with attacking players to change it if we aren't getting any joy. Sides know if they pressurise our current midfield they will get joy going forward and easily stifle our attacking intentions.​

Long

McMahon Maguire Collins Hill

Westlake McDonald Whitehouse Doyle McFadzean

Porter

Subs:
Coyne
Kitson
Murphy
Robson
Ironside
Higginbotham (Kennedy)
Flynn (Forte)

 

[Ollessendro]

For the Friday game I would start with the same team that played against Swindon. I would approach the game in the same way as we did for that. Whatever happened (stomping in the changing room, 'I belive in you', 'me and Rhino will batter you', uncle bens rice for the pre match meal .....) needs to be reciprocated. Get them wound up. Get the players motivated. Instill some fucking passion. Play with some intensity and attack them from the off.

If Yeovil's 2 big centre halves are coping with the long hoofs, then I would drag either Kitson or Porter off and play Murphy up front. Try and utlise his pace.

It is difficult to say how I would approach the Monday game. I think we simply need to play our strongest team (either the one that started vs Swindon or Murphy up fron and McFeazden out left imo) and attack from the 1st minute and try and win. Simples!

 

[Northyorksblade]

No I like blackwell.
I liked the team.
I liked his way of football.
And I remember the games I saw when he was managing us, the fans were always upbeat.
And they always won by big scores such as 5-2 vs Charlton

This fan wasn't

 

[anglian blade]

Willie Foulke
Harry Thickett
Peter Boyle
Ernest Needham (c)
Bernie Wilkinson
Harry Johnson
Walter Bennett
Alf Common
George Hedley
Fred Priest
Bert Lipsham

Even though they are all dead they still show more life than the current squad.

 

[judge]

Whitehouse looked a better player than macdonald robson and doyle put together

 

[HoodedClaw]

For me I'd go with a slightly different formation:

Long
McMahon Maguire Collins
Doyle
Westlake McDonald McFadzean
Robson
Porter Murphy

Robson has a "free" role. Doyle does nothing other than protect the back back 3. I was in two minds about putting Whitehouse in instead of Doyle, Whitehouse not having had enough game time for me meant Doyle got the nod.

 

[Ashtonsmashton]

This fan wasn't

At games

 

[Northyorksblade]

At games

A lot more than you sonny Jim