I get why the shortage of quality players but I don't understand why Egan-Riley (1 Premier and 3 Championship appearances) was chosen ahead of McNally (60 Championship appearances).

For those who saw the match and seen McNally play, have you any comments to make?

Thought he was one of the ‘better’ players tbh

McNally going to Coventry i believe

For me Parker should of gone to a back 3, even if he didn’t want to throw Humphreys in then go with eganriley mcnally and esteve with roberts and pires

At a guess (and going from SP's comments about players who dont want to be here), the squad is being factored into 3 bands:

1. Players that want to be here.
2. Players who are still applying a good work ethic and may/may not leave.
3. Those who want out or are one foot out the door.

I think McNally probably falls into the second category, whereas Egan-Riley is in the first, ergo he got first shout at the starting place. Applying that logic however does leave me intrigued as to where Trafford stands.

It does explain the lack of O'shea, Weghorst, etc.

Where is as Worrall ? Surely we signed him exactly for a situation like today ? In his signing interview he said he was fit and raring to go !!! Not even on the bench

123EasyasBFC wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 24, 2024 9:13 pm

For me Parker should of gone to a back 3, even if he didn’t want to throw Humphreys in then go with eganriley mcnally and esteve with roberts and pires

Easy to say but how far out did he know O'Shea wouldn't be involved? Changing personnel late in the week is one thing, changing the formation is much more difficult.

Darthlaw wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 24, 2024 9:14 pm

At a guess (and going from SP's comments about players who dont want to be here), the squad is being factored into 3 bands:

1. Players that want to be here.
2. Players who are still applying a good work ethic and may/may not leave.
3. Those who want out or are one foot out the door.

I think McNally probably falls into the second category, whereas Egan-Riley is in the first, ergo he got first shout at the starting place. Applying that logic however does leave me intrigued as to where Trafford stands.

It does explain the lack of O'shea, Weghorst, etc.

Where has SP said players don't want to be here?

Edit- just seen the clip of his press conference on the post-match thread. I'd only seen his interview

FCBurnley wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 24, 2024 9:15 pm

Where is as Worrall ? Surely we signed him exactly for a situation like today ? In his signing interview he said he was fit and raring to go !!! Not even on the bench

Knowing the situation with O'Shea they may have been working on the selected back four before the Worrall signing.

TheFamilyCat wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 24, 2024 9:16 pm

Easy to say but how far out did he know O'Shea wouldn't be involved? Changing personnel late in the week is one thing, changing the formation is much more difficult.

Yes it is and maybe the fact koleosho was with the squad it was a decision made extremely last minute that he was going to be fit.

It’s early days, but our attacking strategy appears to be to consistently knock the ball about across the back 4 and launch a ball in behind to the oppo who we’ve tried to lure forward.

It worked well vs Luton and Cardiff, but it looked predictable today and the approach wasn’t helped by a downgrade in ability and pace compared to those opening games.

I hope we’ve got more variety up our sleeve than tiki-whacka.

Who sanctioned the signing of Houtondji? Serious question, coz we have spunked £3M -£4M on this pup. I’ve seen better quality in the National League. We’ve seriously had our kecks down on this deal. And why in Gods name did he start today? Was SP making a point?

How far off being fit is Redmond?
Desperately need more attacking options

bumba wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 24, 2024 10:44 pm

How far off being fit is Redmond?
Desperately need more attacking options

Won’t see him until at least Oct/Nov at the earliest

Claretitus wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 24, 2024 10:37 pm

Who sanctioned the signing of Houtondji? Serious question, coz we have spunked £3M -£4M on this pup. I’ve seen better quality in the National League. We’ve seriously had our kecks down on this deal. And why in Gods name did he start today? Was SP making a point?

Let's settle down. This is a young boy moving to a different country and a higher level making his debut out of position.

claretspice wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 24, 2024 10:53 pm

Let's settle down. This is a young boy moving to a different country and a higher level making his debut out of position.

It never ceases to surprise me how quick some people are writing off players based on 1 or 2 games, especially when as you say playing out of position

I thought he was the only one up of the forward players looking to find some space, which he often did, but nobody was making the pas to him

Biggest mystery was playing Jay Rod when Zeki is on the bench

AGENT_CLARET wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 25, 2024 9:48 am

Biggest mystery was playing Jay Rod when Zeki is on the bench

It's not a mystery if he's sold in the coming days.

AGENT_CLARET wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 25, 2024 9:48 am

Biggest mystery was playing Jay Rod when Zeki is on the bench

The way Zeki was warming up during half time I was expecting him to be on from the break tbh

taio wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 25, 2024 9:50 am

It's not a mystery if he's sold in the coming days.

He wouldn't have been on the bench if he's being sold just like O'Shea wasn't

AGENT_CLARET wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 25, 2024 9:55 am

He wouldn't have been on the bench if he's being sold just like O'Shea wasn't

Probably, but would still explain the mystery

Realistically Parker didn’t have a lot of options with two keepers and six players on the bench who have never made a start for us.

As he said himself afterwards the situation is changing by the hour and he hadn’t given any thought at all to the Wolves game as presumably he has no idea who will be available.

His most telling remarks though were about the performance or lack of it of the eleven he did put out.

Zeki should have been on at half time. Ridiculous he wasn’t.

He should’ve started. He’s our player, and if we’re that bothered about sorting a sale to Benfica, he shouldn’t have been on the squad.

RVclaret wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 25, 2024 10:01 am

Zeki should have been on at half time. Ridiculous he wasn’t.

He should've started

Yep I also accept both comments that he should have started.

Amdouni and McNally should have started.

With no wingers available he should have played 532, with the 2 being Foster and Amdouni. We still don't seem to understand the importance of controlling cm.

Why was Dodgson not on the bench instead of 1 of the younger kids?

summitclaret wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 25, 2024 10:15 am

Why was Dodgson not on the bench instead of 1 of the younger kids?

I wondered about this, maybe he is in the next shipment out of the club?

Hipper wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 24, 2024 9:04 pm

I get why the shortage of quality players but I don't understand why Egan-Riley (1 Premier and 3 Championship appearances) was chosen ahead of McNally (60 Championship appearances).

For those who saw the match and seen McNally play, have you any comments to make?

I thought it was likely we had credible offers for McNally and Amdouni
Not for CJER

ClaretLoup wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 25, 2024 10:20 am

I wondered about this, maybe he is in the next shipment out of the club?

Same

Hopefully Parker has a plan B, or can adapt a bit.

Im Not sure why we didn't go 442 sure up with 2 bsnks of 4, get someone around foster, and play for 2nds and/or set peices

Then see how it goes

We had 3 RB and 3 Strikers on the pitch playing in all sorts of positions, and they looked like no plan at all, just players thrown together and a get out there

Dare I say it, it was a very Southgate type selection and performance.

Hlin no way am i blaming Parker for the result, i think the fans and players were beaten at 2pm when yhe team sheet came out, however hopefully it was a bump in the road, and Parker shows he can adapt, set up and have a plan per opponent/game.

The very least I expect to see is maximum effort from all, I don't think I did yesterday and that was my concern.

summitclaret wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 25, 2024 10:15 am

Amdouni and McNally should have started.

With no wingers available he should have played 532, with the 2 being Foster and Amdouni. We still don't seem to understand the importance of controlling cm.

Said the same myself - poor tactics from the manager when so short of experience in central midfield

I get he knows little from day to day re what players are going to be available (injuries or transfers) but you make the best of what you've got - two centre backs on the bench

Tactical formations are often changed within a game and these guys are professional enough to deal with changes even if forced upon them at the last moments