MATCHWATCH : Barnsley (a)

[Zip]

How is Halilovic still injured? Got a slight pull in January and not played a minute since. Poor stuff

He said he was fit on his Instagram! All very odd.
In reality Yaks is a disappointing loss but we do have options there. Rino is a big loss though.

Given that for some reason Ince sees Meite as a striker, I don’t think we do have options there! Doesn’t fancy Clarke so we’re left with Joao

Oh if Joao gets injured we are in trouble. I was thinking more in terms of our wingers/widemen.

[Brogue]

He said he was fit on his Instagram! All very odd.

Halilovic played a full 90 for the U23s on 14/03 against Burnley U23s (was also on the bench against Blackpool at the end of Feb) - perhaps he had some kind of setback afterwards?

It doesn’t add up. Ince said he wasn’t match fit but Halilovic said that he was. Perhaps he was injured playing for the u23. No real loss. He isn’t worth signing for another year.

"Alen is out again," added Ince. "He came back, trained for a few days and has done something to his thigh again so he's out for another week or so, which is a shame.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Yeah I can only assume that Halilovic has suffered a set back during his return to the U23's. I wouldn't mind him for another season, he's looked ok when he's played, just seemed inconsistent with injuries. He probably hasn't done a great deal to earn a new deal, but has shown some promise on occasions and given his low wages and he's been here a year, it wouldn't be the worst decision we've made.

Every team suffers injuries though, Barnsley have Woodrow and Morris who are doubtful ahead of Saturday I believe who are two key players in attack for them, so it's not as if we are on our own here. Laurent and Drinkwater in the midfield should do a job, I just wouldn't want it being another Blackpool game.

[Zip]

Halilovic played a full 90 for the U23s on 14/03 against Burnley U23s (was also on the bench against Blackpool at the end of Feb) - perhaps he had some kind of setback afterwards?

It doesn’t add up. Ince said he wasn’t match fit but Halilovic said that he was. Perhaps he was injured playing for the u23. No real loss. He isn’t worth signing for another year.

"Alen is out again," added Ince. "He came back, trained for a few days and has done something to his thigh again so he's out for another week or so, which is a shame.

Thanks for clarifying. He’s too fragile to retain.
We could do without Joao playing for Angola today.

[Zip]

Yeah I can only assume that Halilovic has suffered a set back during his return to the U23's. I wouldn't mind him for another season, he's looked ok when he's played, just seemed inconsistent with injuries. He probably hasn't done a great deal to earn a new deal, but has shown some promise on occasions and given his low wages and he's been here a year, it wouldn't be the worst decision we've made.

Every team suffers injuries though, Barnsley have Woodrow and Morris who are doubtful ahead of Saturday I believe who are two key players in attack for them, so it's not as if we are on our own here. Laurent and Drinkwater in the midfield should do a job, I just wouldn't want it being another Blackpool game.

Woodrow hasn’t played for a while so doubt he will play on Saturday. Morris has been playing for a number of games though. I think he will start against us.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Yeah I can only assume that Halilovic has suffered a set back during his return to the U23's. I wouldn't mind him for another season, he's looked ok when he's played, just seemed inconsistent with injuries. He probably hasn't done a great deal to earn a new deal, but has shown some promise on occasions and given his low wages and he's been here a year, it wouldn't be the worst decision we've made.

Every team suffers injuries though, Barnsley have Woodrow and Morris who are doubtful ahead of Saturday I believe who are two key players in attack for them, so it's not as if we are on our own here. Laurent and Drinkwater in the midfield should do a job, I just wouldn't want it being another Blackpool game.

Woodrow hasn’t played for a while so doubt he will play on Saturday. Morris has been playing for a number of games though. I think he will start against us.

I could be wrong but did Morris pick up a knock against Sheff United and either have to go off or was being assessed after the game and it was unclear as to whether he would be fit to play against us? Again, could be wrong entirely but I'm sure I heard that at the time.

[Zip]

Yeah I can only assume that Halilovic has suffered a set back during his return to the U23's. I wouldn't mind him for another season, he's looked ok when he's played, just seemed inconsistent with injuries. He probably hasn't done a great deal to earn a new deal, but has shown some promise on occasions and given his low wages and he's been here a year, it wouldn't be the worst decision we've made.

Every team suffers injuries though, Barnsley have Woodrow and Morris who are doubtful ahead of Saturday I believe who are two key players in attack for them, so it's not as if we are on our own here. Laurent and Drinkwater in the midfield should do a job, I just wouldn't want it being another Blackpool game.

Woodrow hasn’t played for a while so doubt he will play on Saturday. Morris has been playing for a number of games though. I think he will start against us.

I could be wrong but did Morris pick up a knock against Sheff United and either have to go off or was being assessed after the game and it was unclear as to whether he would be fit to play against us? Again, could be wrong entirely but I'm sure I heard that at the time.

I know Morris got a knock in the previous game and went off but he then went on to play against Sheff Utd in the following match. He played the full game v Sheff Utd,

[Snowflake Royal]

I like the work you have done Hendo , but I’m not proven wrong until the match is over . I’ve not based my opinion on past records , just on what I have witnessed . I think he struggles in games to be up with the pace of play and to be in the right place , I believe he is likely to panic when he again finds a player going away from him in a dangerous area , in a big game like this . Let’s wait and see .

I think you make a good point I hadn't really considered. He does seem a bit panicked at times.

Isolated incident and all, but when Gallagher got the better of him in the box he panicked and hauled him to the ground.

When Cooper lost him at the corner he panicked, recovered but over compensated and still left him unmarked having gone too far back post.

He gets quite grabby and lungey when beaten for pace in a channel or on the flank too. He's often so beaten on these occasions it doesn’t result in a foul though.

Something to watch for compared to others, I guess.

[blythspartan]

I wonder if we can still sign another free agent for the last 8 games? I am not a fan but possibly Hal Robson or Robert Beric.

[Stranded]

I wonder if we can still sign another free agent for the last 8 games? I am not a fan but possibly Hal Robson or Robert Beric.

We now have a 25 man squad, so no.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

We'd have nobody to blame but ourselves if Joao was to be injured for any game between now and the end of the season for wasting a slot in our squad for someone like Barker who is barely getting a look in and joined a squad where we were already stocked in wide players when it is evident that we still needed a GK, DF and CF, at the time. We've managed to secure the first 2, but not the later so we are banking on Joao staying fit for the remainder of the season now. If he gets injured this weekend, even if we win, we'd still be deep in trouble for the foreseeable. We have to keep him and Swift fit now since Rino is ruled out for the rest of the season.

[morganb]

We'd have nobody to blame but ourselves if Joao was to be injured for any game between now and the end of the season for wasting a slot in our squad for someone like Barker who is barely getting a look in and joined a squad where we were already stocked in wide players when it is evident that we still needed a GK, DF and CF, at the time. We've managed to secure the first 2, but not the later so we are banking on Joao staying fit for the remainder of the season now. If he gets injured this weekend, even if we win, we'd still be deep in trouble for the foreseeable. We have to keep him and Swift fit now since Rino is ruled out for the rest of the season.

Barnsley will also know this so could easily target Joao with a few hefty challenges, even a red card would be worth it for them if it meant one of their relegation rivals were to be without their star player(s) for the run in.

[Stranded]

So likely team then:

Nyland

Yiadom
Holmes
Morrison
Rahman

Laurent
Drinkwater

Ince
Swift
Ejaria

Joao

Bench: Southwood, Dann, Thomas, Hoilett (Dele-Bashiru if he isn't back on time), Clarke, McIntyre, Barker

[windermereROYAL]

We'd have nobody to blame but ourselves if Joao was to be injured for any game between now and the end of the season for wasting a slot in our squad for someone like Barker who is barely getting a look in and joined a squad where we were already stocked in wide players when it is evident that we still needed a GK, DF and CF, at the time. We've managed to secure the first 2, but not the later so we are banking on Joao staying fit for the remainder of the season now. If he gets injured this weekend, even if we win, we'd still be deep in trouble for the foreseeable. We have to keep him and Swift fit now since Rino is ruled out for the rest of the season.

Barnsley will also know this so could easily target Joao with a few hefty challenges, even a red card would be worth it for them if it meant one of their relegation rivals were to be without their star player(s) for the run in.

That could be a big concern. they are already threatening legal action so i wouldn`t be surprised if they resorted to some underhand tactics.

[Millsy]

We'd have nobody to blame but ourselves if Joao was to be injured for any game between now and the end of the season for wasting a slot in our squad for someone like Barker who is barely getting a look in and joined a squad where we were already stocked in wide players when it is evident that we still needed a GK, DF and CF, at the time. We've managed to secure the first 2, but not the later so we are banking on Joao staying fit for the remainder of the season now. If he gets injured this weekend, even if we win, we'd still be deep in trouble for the foreseeable. We have to keep him and Swift fit now since Rino is ruled out for the rest of the season.

Barnsley will also know this so could easily target Joao with a few hefty challenges, even a red card would be worth it for them if it meant one of their relegation rivals were to be without their star player(s) for the run in.

My memory is getting hazy in my old age and I'm almost definitely confusing different teams/years/players but I remember something like Mac City being in a relegation scrap with us at Elm Park and a clumsy clatter into Nicky Hammond breaking his hand and a bunch of us thought it was on purpose to cause us trouble in the run-in.

Although I think and hope this is just overly cynical and no footy player would wish injury on any fellow footy player. They seem to have some sort of solidarity among themselves and like to know opposition players are ok generally.

Also Joao's injuries are more hamstring or so rather than being bullied. He's a tough chap.

[Hound]

We'd have nobody to blame but ourselves if Joao was to be injured for any game between now and the end of the season for wasting a slot in our squad for someone like Barker who is barely getting a look in and joined a squad where we were already stocked in wide players when it is evident that we still needed a GK, DF and CF, at the time. We've managed to secure the first 2, but not the later so we are banking on Joao staying fit for the remainder of the season now. If he gets injured this weekend, even if we win, we'd still be deep in trouble for the foreseeable. We have to keep him and Swift fit now since Rino is ruled out for the rest of the season.

Who could we have brought in though? Not like there are loads of decent CFs out of contract just waiting for us to call

We tried with big Andy C but WBA snatched him off us

[Zip]

So likely team then:

Nyland

Yiadom
Holmes
Morrison
Rahman

Laurent
Drinkwater

Ince
Swift
Ejaria

Joao

Bench: Southwood, Dann, Thomas, Hoilett (Dele-Bashiru if he isn't back on time), Clarke, McIntyre, Barker

Yep would agree with this as long as Rahman is deemed fit to start.

[NathStPaul]

Not sure why anyone would want Tom Holmes starting tbh, he has been shocking.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

We'd have nobody to blame but ourselves if Joao was to be injured for any game between now and the end of the season for wasting a slot in our squad for someone like Barker who is barely getting a look in and joined a squad where we were already stocked in wide players when it is evident that we still needed a GK, DF and CF, at the time. We've managed to secure the first 2, but not the later so we are banking on Joao staying fit for the remainder of the season now. If he gets injured this weekend, even if we win, we'd still be deep in trouble for the foreseeable. We have to keep him and Swift fit now since Rino is ruled out for the rest of the season.

Who could we have brought in though? Not like there are loads of decent CFs out of contract just waiting for us to call

We tried with big Andy C but WBA snatched him off us

Not suggesting it was easy or that we had plenty of options or anything but I thought we may have had a back up plan to Carroll if it didn't work out. As mentioned above, HRK and Beric were available. I know it goes a lot further than just "being available" but it just seems as if we could have potentially gone for someone in that area, if we didn't already, but not from what we know already.

[SCIAG]

Can’t believe I still have to say this after 15 years but Hal Robson-Kanu is not a striker, he has a career record of one goal every seven games ffs. We don’t need another left footed winger.