MATCHWATCH : Northampton Town (h)

[yuomi]

Has to be the end for Button. I'd take JP shanking the odd clearance over Button getting beaten at his near post again (and again).
Still yet to be impressed by Elliott. At 21 he's playing like a 17yo - a bit lightweight and clearly not comfortable wide left. His head drops alarmingly easily.

[Crowbar6753]

Has to be the end for Button. I'd take JP shanking the odd clearance over Button getting beaten at his near post again (and again).
Still yet to be impressed by Elliott. At 21 he's playing like a 17yo - a bit lightweight and clearly not comfortable wide left. His head drops alarmingly easily.

Agreed, Elliot has the potential to be a good player, however, unless Knibbs gets injured then his favored position is pretty much tied up!! This is pretty much a position we have struggled in all season long. Knibbs, Mukairu, Kelvin.E and Elliot have all been given a shot and none have really excelled.
Mukairu looked ok for a bit and then got dropped, Kelvin.E has looked good off the bench but not as a starter. This is a position we will need to look at in the off season unless we change formation which i cannot see happening.

[Royalcop]

Agree on Elliott, too lightweight for this league at the moment - I was amazed he didn’t get hooked at HT given he was on a yellow.

JP played well, especially the one-on-one after Elliott’s mistake. I feel like the defence has more confidence in him and is more settled as a result.

Azeez just wasn’t at it today and seemed to be suffering with cramp in the second half - wouldn’t be surprised if Mukairu gets a run out against Bolton.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Abrefa'a tackle and the crowd's cheer in injury time was definitely a highlight.

[Orion1871]

Agree on Elliott, too lightweight for this league at the moment - I was amazed he didn’t get hooked at HT given he was on a yellow.

JP played well, especially the one-on-one after Elliott’s mistake. I feel like the defence has more confidence in him and is more settled as a result.

Azeez just wasn’t at it today and seemed to be suffering with cramp in the second half - wouldn’t be surprised if Mukairu gets a run out against Bolton.

He seems to struggle with cramp most games.

[Gunny Fishcake]

That corner which he gave to us as a GK was unbelievable. Crowd laughed at that. Plenty more to choose from over and above that

Worst ref of the season surely

Two words: Derby away.

+1

[scumbag]

The Mad Stad was absolutely rocking and the atmosphere around the place had a real air of positivity. Let’s hope we continue onwards and upwards.

[WestYorksRoyal]

I've watched this about 10 times

https://twitter.com/TheMrsDearing/statu ... 8777214437

[stealthpapes]

I thought he actually made reasonable calls on a lot of the grumbles.

The Azeez break he has to call back because its come off him. Then I'm going to trust the lino that Femi strayed offside, given he's johnny on the spot and none of the people round me could have had a clue whether he was off or not.

There was a two hand shove on Elliott, but it was barely anything and Elliott was just too lightweight. He did similar when Mbengue went shoulder to back with their 12 in the SE corner second half, so he was pretty consistent on the pysical stuff. That stuff almost never gets given..nor the little tugs and holds and blocks.

Not to say I didn't join in giving him pelters. He definitely made some bad calls. And he absolutely wasn't a homer.

He got that correct, but late.

He got another drop ball correct and I can only assume people don't know the rules about drop balls since they changed.

There was a shoulder to shoulder that people around me shouted at, absolutely fair and part and parcel of football.

The corner one though, lolz

[Snowflake Royal]

I thought he actually made reasonable calls on a lot of the grumbles.

The Azeez break he has to call back because its come off him. Then I'm going to trust the lino that Femi strayed offside, given he's johnny on the spot and none of the people round me could have had a clue whether he was off or not.

There was a two hand shove on Elliott, but it was barely anything and Elliott was just too lightweight. He did similar when Mbengue went shoulder to back with their 12 in the SE corner second half, so he was pretty consistent on the pysical stuff. That stuff almost never gets given..nor the little tugs and holds and blocks.

Not to say I didn't join in giving him pelters. He definitely made some bad calls. And he absolutely wasn't a homer.

He got that correct, but late.

He got another drop ball correct and I can only assume people don't know the rules about drop balls since they changed.

There was a shoulder to shoulder that people around me shouted at, absolutely fair and part and parcel of football.

The corner one though, lolz

Bit of an Arsene Wenger, but I don’t remember the corner incident.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

Main takeaways from the game...

FIrst time in ages we've had a goalkeeping performance that's influenced the result in our favour and good to see the defence by and large doing a good job against a decent side.

Bindon is quality, can't see us hanging on to him in the summer.

[Snowflake Royal]

Main takeaways from the game...

FIrst time in ages we've had a goalkeeping performance that's influenced the result in our favour and good to see the defence by and large doing a good job against a decent side.

Bindon is quality, can't see us hanging on to him in the summer.

He's young enough and new enough we might get away with it.

Then again, even if we don’t, we still have Mbengue and Dorsett, which is a pretty happy place. Plus Stickland, John Clarke... both had some promise.

[WestYorksRoyal]

His deal expires in 2025, so from a pure business sense a new owner should be looking to sign him up or sell. What's a fair price? £2m up front, with achievable add ons for an extra £1m plus a hefty sell on clause?

If the takeover doesn't happen a pack of doritos and a bottle of pepsi max should do it.

[Snowflake Royal]

His deal expires in 2025, so from a pure business sense a new owner should be looking to sign him up or sell. What's a fair price? £2m up front, with achievable add ons for an extra £1m plus a hefty sell on clause?

If the takeover doesn't happen a pack of doritos and a bottle of pepsi max should do it.

I do think he'd struggle to be first choice in a Champ side yet.

I always think players are better off proving themselves over two good seasons before moving up. One good season is so often hard to replicate in a new environment, often at a harder level. And a lot end up as failed flash in the pans.

[windermereROYAL]

Button at fault for all three up at the Sixfields, nice to see the tables turned yesterday, that said JP gave us a few airy moments too, but all in all a better keeper.

[Snowflake Royal]

Button at fault for all three up at the Sixfields, nice to see the tables turned yesterday, that said JP gave us a few airy moments too, but all in all a better keeper.

That quick chunky sub they put on was getting closer and closer to blocking his passes out, was gettijg quite nervy

[windermereROYAL]

Green park bridge yesterday

[stealthpapes]

I thought he actually made reasonable calls on a lot of the grumbles.

The Azeez break he has to call back because its come off him. Then I'm going to trust the lino that Femi strayed offside, given he's johnny on the spot and none of the people round me could have had a clue whether he was off or not.

There was a two hand shove on Elliott, but it was barely anything and Elliott was just too lightweight. He did similar when Mbengue went shoulder to back with their 12 in the SE corner second half, so he was pretty consistent on the pysical stuff. That stuff almost never gets given..nor the little tugs and holds and blocks.

Not to say I didn't join in giving him pelters. He definitely made some bad calls. And he absolutely wasn't a homer.

He got that correct, but late.

He got another drop ball correct and I can only assume people don't know the rules about drop balls since they changed.

There was a shoulder to shoulder that people around me shouted at, absolutely fair and part and parcel of football.

The corner one though, lolz

Bit of an Arsene Wenger, but I don’t remember the corner incident.

Pretty innocuous in and of itself - player kicked ball off another player and off pitch. No real immediate danger at the time. But ref gave a goal kick, and there was a proper ripple of "you what?" mixed with laughter.

Only remember it because of the other odd/contested decisions.

That stuff almost never gets given..nor the little tugs and holds and blocks.

Yup, both fans and players seem to expect this to get given, from Andy Carrroll vs Port Vale to today.

[stealthpapes]

I should say something about the players.

Pereira kept us in game.
Dorsett makes us stable.
Mola's best game I've seen.
Binden is a gemstone, Mbengue has adapted to CB with aplomb.
Very hard work from both centre mid.
Smith runs hard
Knibbs/Elliott/Azeez a bit flat today.

Moment of magic from a sub and we get a hard won 3 points.

Met old man for lunch and 3 pints. Joined a table on way home with Tom from Birmingham and Tom from Northampton and shared some train beers. Pretty solid RFC 'away' day for me.

[WestYorksRoyal]

His deal expires in 2025, so from a pure business sense a new owner should be looking to sign him up or sell. What's a fair price? £2m up front, with achievable add ons for an extra £1m plus a hefty sell on clause?

If the takeover doesn't happen a pack of doritos and a bottle of pepsi max should do it.

I do think he'd struggle to be first choice in a Champ side yet.

I always think players are better off proving themselves over two good seasons before moving up. One good season is so often hard to replicate in a new environment, often at a harder level. And a lot end up as failed flash in the pans.

Don't disagree with this, but we shouldn't expose ourselves to losing him for free when we have an academy producing talent and the ability to replace on the cheap which is not hard in L1.

Ideally, give him a contract until 2027 or even 2028, let him develop a couple of years more and then sell if we haven't progressed if enough for him. But if we can't sell that vision to him and he doesn't want to extend, plan B is to show him the door and get the money in. Be ruthless. And if his career doesn't kick on, that's his own fault.