IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER

Please note that Mr Gardiner has changed his Christian name to Oliver

A lot of criticism has been merited but not to the venemous degree of some. I think some peeps think are living on past glories and the expectation that we are a top league outfit. Dunc has always had a tendency to speak before he thinks and is crap at post match interviews. I suspect that he has also been taken back by the abuse directed at him. I suspect that he also realises that he has been used as a fall guy and promised to him about the future are up in the air. He is not an experienced manager and tried to install a play from the back system in a team with no settled formation or understanding of each other. BUT what was the evidence on Friday. He has been too concentrated on defence and has been amiss in how he has played individuals - McKay, Doran, Devine and Lawal being examples. He also did not recognise the importance and impact of contracted players. His dislike of Roddy McGregor is surprising. We had eight loanees on the park at the end of the end of the Raif game. They may end up saving our season and I would gladly keep at least 4 of them.

That is a major concern and probably came about due to the confidence about monies from the Battery Farm. And another reason for taking on Ferguson who would have attracted better players with better wages and prospects. I am afraid that this season was all about survival and that was apparent when we jettisoned some worthies to save on the wage bill.

I don't think that it was because we had a bad 10 minutes. That was simply to be expected. It was a defensive lapse at fault and a rare lapse at that. I am in no doubt that if we had another decent forward to partner Samuel that we would have been in the play offs. I think that Lawal has a lot of potential but not yet playing in a central midfield role. I would take the risk of playing him up front and letting Billy play in a number 10 role. I think his pace will frighten other teams and Samuel has an out card which he hasn't had all season.

Oh dear - same old excuses - same old script - clearly delusional and body language shows that he really doesn't care

Where would we be if we had another forward to support Samuel ?

The way McKay is being played as a number 10 simply is not working as he no longer has the stamina to go forward. Pepple simply is not good enough. I bet a few will think that I have totally lost it but I would play the palindrome up front with the Tinkerville Taz.

So who and what are the alternatives on the bench ??

How about raising the crossbar 3 feckin inches

Raif have 3-5-2 which suggests that they have sussed us out. We need to change now.

Well we are bossing it and should be at least 2 up. But what role has been given to Billy. I was fuming to see him near half way looking for short ball and knock offs. That should be the role of Anderson and Longstaff and now McAllister. What a waste.

There is no smokie without fire ?

tm4j is the Luke Littler of Reviews and Reports

Prefer Nob End maself

It would not surprise me that Dunc will go for the same starting X1 as Hampden. That has positives, maybes and negatives. Playing the same 5 at the back will provide the stability required and hopefully another shut out. I can see this allowing Harper to be more of a wing back but Kerr is not really that type of player. Anderson and Longstaff ran and ran and tackled and tackled. But they are stuck in the middle of the park and with only Samuel as the forward option. Starting Doran and Billy is risky. Both can produce something different, especially from free kick positions, but they need to support Samuel more. That's why I would play Doran alternating wide right and left. Billy did have a couple of chances at Hampden but I would play him closer to Samuel. As for the Tinkerville Taz then same again please. He will not give the Raif defence any breathing space and he is a cert to win free kicks. And with Billy ploughing likewise for an hour both may get more clear cut opportunities. What we can't allow to happen is giving away an early goal. Raif at home is a far more difficult task than the Spiders away. But I reckon Dunc and his dogs of War will be howling at the end of 90 minutes AND I would take a point if offered now