March Fixtures And Our Small Squad....

[tufc si]

Including yesterdays game, we'll have to play 4 of the leagues top sides over the next few weeks and that will obviously be a massive tell tale sign of whether we'll get anything out of this season, but I've just had a look at March's fixtures and due to the recent weather and the cancelled games, our fixtures for March look like this:

Sat 3 A Crawley Town
Tue 6 H Aldershot Town
Sat 10 H Bristol Rovers
Tue 13 A Rotherham
Sat 17 A Burton
Tue 20 A Swindon Town
Sat 24 H Port Vale
Fri 30 A Barnet

Were due to have a Saturday/Tuesday game for the whole of the month, 8 games in 4 weeks!! As everyone knows were not exactly bursting at the seems with players (unless Lingy has got some more McPhee's locked away or summin!), so am just wondering if we're gunna have enough squad depth to handle it?? All it takes is a couple of injuries and player condition not at 100% for us to have to start calling up bench warmers and the younguns.

I for one though am quite happy with the away mid weekers as I play footy myself on Saturdays and as I live a million miles away from Plainmoor never get to go to home games. Nice little trip up to Rotherham, Swindon and then Barnet is on the cars so going to be some miles put on the car that month for deffo!!

[stefano]

Including yesterdays game, we'll have to play 4 of the leagues top sides over the next few weeks and that will obviously be a massive tell tale sign of whether we'll get anything out of this season, but I've just had a look at March's fixtures and due to the recent weather and the cancelled games, our fixtures for March look like this:

Sat 3 A Crawley Town
Tue 6 H Aldershot Town
Sat 10 H Bristol Rovers
Tue 13 A Rotherham
Sat 17 A Burton
Tue 20 A Swindon Town
Sat 24 H Port Vale
Fri 30 A Barnet

Were due to have a Saturday/Tuesday game for the whole of the month, 8 games in 4 weeks!! As everyone knows were not exactly bursting at the seems with players (unless Lingy has got some more McPhee's locked away or summin!), so am just wondering if we're gunna have enough squad depth to handle it?? All it takes is a couple of injuries and player condition not at 100% for us to have to start calling up bench warmers and the younguns.

I for one though am quite happy with the away mid weekers as I play footy myself on Saturdays and as I live a million miles away from Plainmoor never get to go to home games. Nice little trip up to Rotherham, Swindon and then Barnet is on the cars so going to be some miles put on the car that month for deffo!!

... and everybody playing us will have to play one of the leagues top sides

[Gullscorer]

I believe Lingy does have the option to bring in one or two more loan signings if needed, though he does also seem to have the knack of bringing out the best in the players he already has, as was shown during Saah's injury and Howe's suspension.

I agree, injuries and suspensions could make things difficult in the coming weeks, but not necessarily as much as we might fear, given the spirit in the squad and Ling's qualities as a manager.

[Dave]

It is a concern with such a small squad, however March fixtures are going to be pretty much the same for every club in league 2 , most have Sat-Tue-Sat fixtures, for some it will be even worse with recent games being called off, thankfully our team played yesterday, some have 2 even 3 matchs to catch up on, so will facing fixtures through April like that aswell.

Starting from yesterday, over the next few weeks the entire top 7 all play each other, this week Gillingham play Southend Monday, then Tuesday Crawley play Swindon and our good selves play Cheltenham, we can't all win, however it is a good chance for anyone of us up the top end to virtully secure a top3 or play-off finish.

Martin Ling has already said he is going to sign a forward, but timing so any 93 day loan rule covers the play-offs, strangly good idea that, Atieno has proved beyond doubt he can do a good job for the team, so he and howe if needed could be rotated.

The new player I should imagine will be a wide forward, so that will relieve the current pressure on Morris and Stevens, what can you say about Mansell, O'Kane and Lahtrope all three look like they could run alL day and all night with out getting tired, and we have cover now at the back, with Macdonald and LRT.

I should imagine there will be a different training progamme during this run of fixtures aswell, so yes will tough, but doable.

[tufc si]

Indeed!!! Gunna be an exciting end of season finale!!.....

[kittiwake]

Looks like Taiwo has been called up to the Kenyan squad later this month!

http://www.futaa.com/football/article/t ... tars-squad" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[AlexGulls]

Looks like Taiwo has been called up to the Kenyan squad later this month!

http://www.futaa.com/football/article/t ... tars-squad" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That says they need to report for training on the 13th February which is Monday...So if that is correct then he will miss the next few games starting with Cheltenham..

[AustrianAndyGull]

Ling has had to contend with a small squad since day one and has dealt phenomenally well with the absences of key players like Howe, Mansell, Bodin and Lathrope at various stages through the season thus far. So no offence tufcsi but we'll manage like we have done all season. I'm sure Martin and the players are used to it by now. Obviously if we get really unlucky and get two or three players sent off or injured then yes it will become an issue but for now everybody knows what they are doing, everybody is happy what they are doing and the team is working just fine.

[gullno4]

Looks like Taiwo has been called up to the Kenyan squad later this month!

http://www.futaa.com/football/article/t ... tars-squad" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Taiwo Atieno, who turns out for English fifth tier side Torquay United, gets a call-up

[Gulliball]

We're probably at the limit now to be honest. Our bench yesterday was weak, when McPhee and Rowe-Turner are the two most attacking players you have to change a game, it should be a sign that a new face or two is necessary. It's not like we have an injury crisis either, Howe was the only player missing yesterday. Lose another one or two and Rowe-Turner would be starting up front with McPhee with Spear and someone else on the bench. We have a run of tough fixtures this month too, so we need someone soon. If Atieno goes to Kenya before Howe is fit we have no striker at the club. It would be a crying shame to get into such a good position and blow it for the sake of a loanee or ideally two.

[AustrianAndyGull]

Spot on Gulliball. That is why i was surprised that Nathan Craig wasn't on the bench yesterday, just if we needed to throw him on for 10 minutes to spice up the attack.

[AlexGulls]

Agreed. I would of thought he'd of got on ahead of Yeoman personally. Though maybe he's still a week or two away from getting up to speed with things.

[bixieupnorth]

at least with bookings being reset we shouldn't have to worry about suspensions, unless rene wants Easter off too of course?!!

the possible tai situation sounds worrying this week tho, if renes knock seems an ongoing problem?

[Wisconsin_gull]

relax Bixie we still got our secret weapon CMP

[Yellow4life]

Just a note on the Taiwo call up, note it is only in the pre released 30 man team so may get dropped before that game