League Two Sutton (1) v Rovers (1)

[Am on mobile]

Please no Saunders he couldn't score even if he was in a room full of nude people he is so bad Dennis and Taylor or Connor we really need to win this it could help our shocking away form we need to start getting some points away from home

 

[Sparky]

Our league away record is the worst in the league and shocking. 8 defeats from 8 games and a paltry 4 goals scored. Surely a visit to the bottom of the league side is an opportunity to pick up some points on our travels. Not wishing to be negative but a defeat would send us bottom of the league if FGR win their winnable home game v Grimsby also. It would be tough to take if all the good work from last Saturday is undone.
Sutton have been conceding goals but up front have giant Harry Smith once of Orient who can he a handful. Omari Patrick will have a reunion with Dennis but has been warming the bench of late.

Nigel obviously has personnel changes to make up top. I’ve heard rumours Norris may be out for 8 weeks but may not be true. Either way it’s unlikely he’ll be fit but hopefully Nigel sticks with 4-4-2. As we’re away from home he may be tempted to keep Jennings on the left to help Wood out meaning one of Jolley, Taylor or Saunders likely partnering Dennis. None are ideal really but if pushed I’d go for Jolley who does have some presence or possibly Saunders with his pace. Neither is pulling up any trees however. The other decision is whether to stick with 4-4-2 away from home and whether Walker and Hendry will be enough to protect the back four. Pike in for LOC is another possibility. As we are away I could also see Jennings as a number 10 behind Dennis with Morris on the left. Connor J dropping into midfield at times to give us an extra player in there albeit it’ll impact our attacking input if Dennis is isolated

Predicton. Three points would be nice but I guess a point would be an improvement on our dire away form. That’s what I’m going for.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Sadly, I'll miss this as I'll be away. It's one of my nearest grounds and I have always seen us win. This one could go either way. Sutton will be thinking it's winnable for the same reason as we will. All I can say is that if we don't win against the bottom team with Nigel surely knowing his best team and formation by now, I wonder when the next away success will be. If we keep losing every away game, then even if we pick up points at home, it will be a long slow climb up the league, if at all.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I think the latter of Sparky's suggested line-ups is the most likely, with Jennings playing just off of Dennis in a 4411 and Morris returning to the side on the left. I think a 442 away at Sutton could work well, as they are very direct and are not likely to dominate the ball in the middle third of the pitch as FGR did last week.

The rumour is that Norris is out until February. If that is true, we simply have to get more out of the existing squad at least until the window opens. I think that means using Jennings up front if we stick with the 442, as neither Saunders or Jolley are really up to it.

I think we just have to avoid defeat in this game. A draw keeps us off the bottom and maintains some of the momentum from Saturday.

I am gutted that I won't be at this match, the first of our visits to Sutton I will have missed, but the game is on Ifollow due to the international break.

 

[Ian]

Part of me wants us to go there and really attack them to try and come away with the points but being realistic now that Norris is absent, a draw would stop the slide so I think we should go there to frustrate them and grind out a draw. We wont have much up top but we could hit them on the break. I'm going for a 1-1 in a pretty dull affair.

 

[Boz]

Sutton have not been consistent at home, but dished out a couple of thumpings at home; 5-1 v Notts County, 4-0 v Walsall.

The injury to Luke Norris has put a real dampner on things after the FGR win. If, as seems likely, he's missing for around 12 weeks, Adkins will have to work out how to get the best out of the rest of the squad until a similar type of forward to Norris can be brought in during the window. While agreeing that Jennings is our best option up with Dennis if we're playing 2 or 1+1 up front, getting something out of this game is more important and that should mean leaving Connor where he was v FGR out left protecting that flank while contributing in an attacking way as he normally does. Wonder could Morris feature as the 1 behind Dennis? Otherwise one of Jolley or Saunders, who in different ways have the capacity to occupy the home defence although neither is much of a goal threat.

Will await the injury update with some trepidation. If both O'Connor and Pike are out, then that means Yarney at right-back which isn't ideal. Presumably Connor Wood to keep the left-back slot for now, but will be interesting to see which way Adkins goes when Leake is fully recovered.

 

[bigmart]

Not sure if Walker will be fit, I hope we get something out of the game but think we will lose again 2 1.

 

[dollar'sbloke]

Norris is out, let's just accept it. Unless Jennings leads the line, which I am curious about but Nigel may have already ruled out, then it has to be 451.
Einstein observed about trying the same failed experiments expecting them to suddenly succeed. From heavier Nevitt, Hemmings, Jolley, Dennis, Saunders and Jolley none have succeeded, the two who have left are playing in better sides but not up top.
A double absence at right back would be an issue, I'd expect Pike to play so the defence picks itself. Aptor right, Hendry, Morris and Walker in the hole with left opening up for Taylor . Then Jenno up top which may work better alone with more supporting from behind.
442 and Dennis scoring only works if you have the personnel and get the ball to the final third. For eighteen months without Norris we rarely have advanced possession.
I'd like to see Turnbull thrown up late on, Yarney coming on and try a 442 then. Not sure it is main tactic though.

 

[Ian]

Has Norris been plagued with injuries throughout his career or just when we signed him?

 

[dollar'sbloke]

Has Norris been plagued with injuries throughout his career or just when we signed him?

7 years circa 250 games so nothing striking. Injuries fall into two categories the unconnected other by bad luck or possibly poor techniques and specific recurring ones.
Norris's current woes maybe due to light footwear, don't get me started on that!

 

[Ian]

Maybe we just rushed him back too soon in our desperation to have a decent striker on the field.

 

[Sparky]

Maybe we just rushed him back too soon in our desperation to have a decent striker on the field.

Yes possibly and I think we may have done that with Vaughan for the morecambe play off games Under Keith Hill.

Although similar to Vaughan we should never be in a position whereby we lose one albeit key player and can’t cope. We have a squad of 31 players! Yes your main Striker is key but he shouldn’t be indispensable

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Maybe we just rushed him back too soon in our desperation to have a decent striker on the field.

They will know by now if the new injury is related to the old one. I hope they did not rush a player back without proper assessment or a repeat would always be possible. Hopefully it’s unrelated and just bad luck.

However, I do wonder why Stevenage let such a prolific striker leave his hometown club on a free. Did they think he was injury prone?

 

[dollar'sbloke]

They will know by now if the new injury is related to the old one. I hope they did not rush a player back without proper assessment or a repeat would always be possible. Hopefully it’s unrelated and just bad luck.

However, I do wonder why Stevenage let such a prolific striker leave his hometown club on a free. Did they think he was injury prone?

Same as Dennis sometimes when you do go up, you know you have to upgrade. Also the difference between promotion marauders and trying to make the higher grade can change your forward requirements. Dennis doesn't look great in a struggling team at our level. Norris just seems to have picked up a foot injury that needs time, happens

 

[Sparky]

They will know by now if the new injury is related to the old one. I hope they did not rush a player back without proper assessment or a repeat would always be possible. Hopefully it’s unrelated and just bad luck.

However, I do wonder why Stevenage let such a prolific striker leave his hometown club on a free. Did they think he was injury prone?

I wondered about Stevenage. He was a key player in their promotion season so either he turned down a new deal or they thought he wouldn’t be up to league one standard.

 

[Sparky]

Actually I’ve just read he was released

 

[Sparky]

Nigel has confirmed Norris is out for several weeks (best guess at the moment). He’s had a scan and is going for another for a second opinion so we won’t be seeing him until 2024 and with lots of games over the festive period we need to be able to find a way to win games without him.

Lewis and Starbuck still long term. Those with ‘niggles’ include Hawkes, Walker, Merrie and LOC.

 

[Ian]

It'll be a long Xmas period..

 

[dollar'sbloke]

The upside Pike plays but we have no central midfield. 451 would seem sensible maybe McAlear to do the Walker thing with Jenno Hendry Morris filling in and Apter wide. Whoever up top who will be unsuited anyway

 

[ADD]

Thought the other Norris was much better in midfield than his previous efforts at LB on Tuesday. Yes he came in as a LB supposedly but he had been playing much more in midfield for Liverpool U21's prior to his arrival. Definitely an option I feel - hopefully like Apter has done when he finally got some game time he will come more into contention.