Richard of York gave battle in vain.

[Baboo]

According to Radio Oxford before the game, Wilder does not normally have a substitute goalie on the bench, but did last season because of Turley's knee problem.

I am loathe to be critical of CW but I would always have a back up goalie on the bench. It is such a crucial position. Matt Day was our outfield player who was first to don the keeper's jersey in the event of injury or dismissal. Wonder who it will be this season?

[Radley Rambler]

According to Radio Oxford before the game, Wilder does not normally have a substitute goalie on the bench, but did last season because of Turley's knee problem.

I am loathe to be critical of CW but I would always have a back up goalie on the bench. It is such a crucial position. Matt Day was our outfield player who was first to don the keeper's jersey in the event of injury or dismissal. Wonder who it will be this season?

Dannie Bulman - apparently he is quite good between the sticks. I agree though that not having a keeper on the bench is worrying.

[Mally]

According to Radio Oxford before the game, Wilder does not normally have a substitute goalie on the bench, but did last season because of Turley's knee problem.

I am loathe to be critical of CW but I would always have a back up goalie on the bench. It is such a crucial position. Matt Day was our outfield player who was first to don the keeper's jersey in the event of injury or dismissal. Wonder who it will be this season?

If Turley did storm off then you can hardly blame Wilder for not having a keeper.

[Baboo]

According to Radio Oxford before the game, Wilder does not normally have a substitute goalie on the bench, but did last season because of Turley's knee problem.

I am loathe to be critical of CW but I would always have a back up goalie on the bench. It is such a crucial position. Matt Day was our outfield player who was first to don the keeper's jersey in the event of injury or dismissal. Wonder who it will be this season?

If Turley did storm off then you can hardly blame Wilder for not having a keeper.

&quotWilder does not normally have a substitute goalie on the bench&quot.

[Hog]

Are you sure? Always seemed to have one last season.

[Brahma Bull]

Positives for me included Clarke, Bulman, Midson and Green. Constable worked hard and Potter did well for five-ten minutes.

Negatives were Kelly but the main one was Billy Turley. The reports on the other thread about Billy were pretty accurate, as I witnessed the events unfold. If he did leave at 2.55pm, which I haven't a clue, then he should be fined and I'd guess he'll be putting in a Transfer Request based on his pathetic behaviour.

That one off-the-field issue could have costed us yesterday. Thankfully the majority of our squad behaved much more professionally.

[Baboo]

Are you sure? Always seemed to have one last season.

&quotAccording to Radio Oxford before the game, Wilder does not normally have a substitute goalie on the bench, but did last season because of Turley's knee problem. &quot

[GodalmingYellow]

First XI should be:

Clarke
Carruthers
Creighton
Foster
Batt
Green
Murray
Chapman
Potter
Constable
Midson

Subs:
Turley
Bulman
Clist
Day
Rhodes

Wot no LSD?

Just my (current) thoughts on the best players in the squad.

[deanwindass]

First XI should be:

Clarke
Carruthers
Creighton
Foster
Batt
Green
Murray
Chapman
Potter
Constable
Midson

Subs:
Turley
Bulman
Clist
Day
Rhodes

Wot no LSD?

Just my (current) thoughts on the best players in the squad.

...and no Danny Bulman? Strange, he's one of the few definite starters for me. My first 11 would be (though Chappers is out for Tues) a 433 / 451:

Clarke

Batt, Creighton, Foz and CC at the back

Bulman playing behind

Chapman and Clist in a midfield triangle

With Potter / Rhodes and Green playing wide / as wing forwards off

Beano

Subs: Billy, Murray, Killock, Deering, Midson

I think that not only does that formation give us width (and also 2 quick full backs) but it also allows us to incorporate Chappers in the midfield role. It's also adaptable - could move Green up with Beano and play Chapman or Clist wide of a mid field 4.

[GodalmingYellow]

Wot no LSD?

Just my (current) thoughts on the best players in the squad.

...and no Danny Bulman? Strange, he's one of the few definite starters for me. My first 11 would be (though Chappers is out for Tues) a 433 / 451:

Clarke

Batt, Creighton, Foz and CC at the back

Bulman playing behind

Chapman and Clist in a midfield triangle

With Potter / Rhodes and Green playing wide / as wing forwards off

Beano

Subs: Billy, Murray, Killock, Deering, Midson

I think that not only does that formation give us width (and also 2 quick full backs) but it also allows us to incorporate Chappers in the midfield role. It's also adaptable - could move Green up with Beano and play Chapman or Clist wide of a mid field 4.

Bulman was in my squad. The question for me is whether he is better than Murray and Chapman, and I would have to say he isn't. That being the case, he doesn't fit into my starting XI without messing about with natural playing positions.

I'm stunned you would leave Murray and Midson out your starting XI. They were 2 of the best players in the entire Conference last season.

My squad gave us a proper 4-4-2, with everyone in natural positions and cover in every position.

[Simmeister14]

Why are none of you including Killock in your starting XI's. I think he is a by far superior player to Carruthers and Sandwith!

Discuss

[GodalmingYellow]

Why are none of you including Killock in your starting XI's. I think he is a by far superior player to Carruthers and Sandwith!

Discuss

He's not a natural left back.

[deanwindass]

Just my (current) thoughts on the best players in the squad.

...and no Danny Bulman? Strange, he's one of the few definite starters for me. My first 11 would be (though Chappers is out for Tues) a 433 / 451:

Clarke

Batt, Creighton, Foz and CC at the back

Bulman playing behind

Chapman and Clist in a midfield triangle

With Potter / Rhodes and Green playing wide / as wing forwards off

Beano

Subs: Billy, Murray, Killock, Deering, Midson

I think that not only does that formation give us width (and also 2 quick full backs) but it also allows us to incorporate Chappers in the midfield role. It's also adaptable - could move Green up with Beano and play Chapman or Clist wide of a mid field 4.

Bulman was in my squad. The question for me is whether he is better than Murray and Chapman, and I would have to say he isn't. That being the case, he doesn't fit into my starting XI without messing about with natural playing positions.

I'm stunned you would leave Murray and Midson out your starting XI. They were 2 of the best players in the entire Conference last season.

My squad gave us a proper 4-4-2, with everyone in natural positions and cover in every position.

I really rate Midson but wouldn't start him ahead of Beano in that 433 / 451 formation and don't think he'd be suited to playing in one of the wide births.

Murray &quotone of the best players in the entire Conference last season&quot - really? We must have been watching a different player. He's technically very good - one of our best probably and probably too good for this level which may be part of the problem - but he gives the ball away too much, isn't physical enough and seems to be unable to do anything other than look for the killer pass. I'm therefore picking Chapman in the Murray role because I think he's just as good technically and more effective.

I think you'd be crazy to leave out Bulman. Without him who's going to hassle the opposition centre mids and get stuck in? Clist? Never. Murray? Not effectively. Chapman? Probably more than the others but it's not what he's known for. Wilder will always pick Bulman because he frees up the less physical and more creative midfielders to play. He's our watercarrier.

[Dr Bob]

Whilst there is an obvious reason for people selecting their first eleven plus five subs, one thing that was clear from the conversations I had in The Priory before the match was a widely held belief in and optimism about the depth of quality we have throughout the squad - indeed, relative to the level we find ourselves playing at, this is possibly the best squad we have had, in those terms, for many years.

Meanwhile CW has said that with games coming thick and fast (in this opening period of the season and, to be sure, at various points later on), a certain amount of rotation will be needed (let alone once injuries and bans start to, ahem, kick in).

I think the discussion here, about player X, Y or Z that someone has left out of, or included in, their 16, is a reassuring sign of that depth of the squad this year beyond just those 16 names.

[Yellow River]

First half we were poor and cannot complain at the half-time score line.

We looked a little nervous at times, perhaps it was the big build up and high level of expectation for this match, maybe certain players are still settling in, or whisper it Wilder played the wrong team at the start!

How many times in the past (especially at the Kassam) have we had a big build up to a match, big crowd, only to 'freeze' on the day and not perform? Therefore to win was important for all concerned. I will imagine that CW will let the players enjoy this victory over the weekend but will be giving one or two (or more) a kick up the backside on Monday morning

Still a win is a win and all that, we will improve, and the last 5 minutes was what live football is all about, great stuff.

Everyone appears in agreement that Murray is not very effective on the right wing, I'm surprised Wilder keeps playing him there.

Our left hand side looked poor first half, I think the critisism of Sandwith is jusified to an an extent but somewhat over the top. He had a poor Kelly in front of him and with the nervous Foster and Creighton along side at the back.

Clarke looks an excellent GK at this level, although I wish he would throw it out to the fullbacks more often.

Bulman was much better in the second half, Clist did a tidy job at left back , Midson showed some good touches, Constable worked his socks off as usual.

Our subs made the difference, Green was a real handful for the York defence and looks very motivated, Potter is livewire and will cuase Confernce defenders plenty of problems this season, Rhodes was positive which was good to see however he always cuts inside rather than try and go past the outside of the fullback.

My team for Kettering would be

Clarke,

Batt, Foster, Creighton, Killock,

Potter, Bulman, Murray, Clist,

Constable, Midson,

subs Green, Day, Deering, Sandwith, Rhodes.


I've nothing against Carruthers and would be happy to see him start but CW has made it pretty clear that he won't be playing. Patterson put him on the transfer list and now Wilder has frozen him out - why?