On paper an easy home win, but we're not playing on paper. I think Fox has been rumbled, which undermines Slade's whole defensive philosophy of playing for a draw lumping the ball up to the big man and hoping something happens. In truth we're relying on the opposition to be even worse than us, which may be the case, let's see.
3 wins from 14 league games so far with our "top 6 budget" would be unacceptable to any half competent CEO and an owner with ambitions of promotion. Sadly we have neither. Rumours on the various blogs that Ajose will be recalled today (although the lad has been cack to date) Danny Wilson is no mug at this level, so expect the Spirites to go tight on Holmes and Lookman. A decent manager could mix things up to counter that. Slade will just tell Jason Pearce to hit 80 yard balls instead of the usual 70 yards. Anything less than a win today and Slade must be consigned to spend more time at Dunkin Donuts.
I think we're going to win today, though nowhere near confident of betting on it. There's no logic to my prediction, but then there's a lack of logic to Slades game plan. Somehow, somewhere we will score two today and that will be enough.
If we lose against a side who have lost their last 5 games Slade will be thumbing through pardew's book of excuses. Expect something lie "I suppose it's my fault Fox keeps getting skinned?" or "I suppose it's my fault Magennis can't control 80-yard hoofs aimed 6' above his head?".
Hoping for a win today. Not confident, but the line up looks okay. Thankfully, Slade is now just obeying the fans. Seems okay, he's useless when left to his own devices. 3-2 to us.
The dullest game of the season and a lucky win against a team who outplayed us for large parts of the game. What on earth has happened to Lookman? His body language is terrible and he barely looks interested. Wasted on the corners again today - he is very bad at taking them. Particularly poor for us today were Fox - selling THD looks an incredibly bad decision - and Crofts, who is simply awful. The attendance was barely more than 8000 and the atmosphere non existent - it wasn't so long ago we got 20,000 plus for kids for a quid fixtures. Today we had less than half that. A boring mid table finish at best if Slade stays.
That was dull, lookman looked uninterested. The wizard is my favourite player in years though, thoroughly entertaining when he is good and bad.
Slade has coached the enthusiasm and flair out of Lookman. He will be sold in Jan. Holmes had also gone backwards in recent weeks. My God isn't Crofts sh1t...
Had to laugh at the "official attendance " today of 10,000 Bars in the CE empty, and the West Stand seems to get emptier by the week.
Sack Slade now he is embarrassing with his ineptitude ...really can't stand him now he just winds me up . We were abject today as we are most weeks
Well, yesterday was a tipping point for me yesterday. Possibly as I was following online rather than at the game, so the removal of fans from CL and the closing of the match thread was right in my eyeline. We got out of jail with an 85th minute winner, but I didn't smile, jump, raise a fist or do anything I used to do in happier pre-roland days. There was no feeling. The club have declared war on the fans (Katrien said so on Talsport) so why should I care ig they win a match against Chesterfield? It may coe back - gootball fans are notoriously fickle, but right now yesterdays fantastic result does nothing for me. It was always likely these people would begin to act like the Oystons and that is really where we seem to be now. I hope the likes of Sue Perks and Incorruptable Addick enjoyed the empty stadium yesterday, for the rest of us, we'll have to dream of the day Roland sells and his horrible hangers on gert kicked out of the club.
CARD should be stepping up the protests now but....... the problem is......... the people who really care about the club have stopped going
@ken shabby I did thoroughly enjoy the description of Rick Everitt & the CARD leaders on ITTV as "attention whores" Absolutely nailed it.