| Team Selection 16:18 - Jul 31 with 2689 views | spell_chekker |
Grimshaw
Connolly, Ekpiteta, Williams, Thompson
Carey, Fiorini, Virtue, Bowler, Yates
Madine
As far as formations go, it seems to me like we're playing 4 at the back and a lone striker as the constants. The other 5 outfield players adapt to whatever phase of play may exist and so we could be transitioning between loads of different formations (could be 4-5-1, 4-1-4-1, 4-3-3 or something else at any given moment).
Surprises:
- Yates playing wide.
- Fiorini playing deep.
Debuts:
Fiorini: Played well particularly in the first half showing dome excellent vision.
Thompson: Solid, clean sheet.
Williams: Not in any trouble, clean sheet
Corbeanu: Couldn't be judged after coming on late
Subs: didn't have any effect on proceedings. The number of changes was quite bewildering. The subs came on lateish.
Dougall for Virtue (65mins)
Lavery for Madine (71 mins)
Corbeanu for Carey (82 mins)
Thorniley for Thompson (83 mins)
Hamilton for Yates (83 mins)
MoM:
I don't know. Fiorini perhaps for his first half showing or maybe a defender should get it for the clean sheet.
I'll have to go for Connolly clean sheet and a goal. | |
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| Team Selection on 21:40 - Sep 18 with 579 views | spell_chekker |
2- 1 defeat away at Millwall.
TEAM:
Grimshaw
Ekpiteta, Thorniley, Husband
Connolly, Dougall, Patino, Thompson
Corbeanu, Yates, Lavery
SUBS:
Maxwell, Gabriel, Williams, Carey, Hamilton, Poveda, Garbutt
SUBSTITUTIONS MADE (4):
Gabriel for Connolly after 72 mins (straight swap)
Poveda for Yates after 72 minutes (allowing Lavery to move to a central position)
Hamilton for Husband after 81 minutes (Thompson to left back of a back 4)
Carey for Patino after 89 minutes (gets an extra 30 seconds of stoppage time!!)
SURPRISES:
- Sticking with a back 3/5.
- Not packing the middle of the park.
- Ekpiteta on the right of the back 3 with The deep defending and small Thorniley central.
- Connolly preferred as a wing back to Gabriel.
- The young, inexperienced, lightweight and returning from injury Patino chucked into a midfield two that was odds on to be overrun from the start.
- Front 3: I can understand the choice but there were other choices available.
OTHERS:
- Appleton can't be judged until October's fixtures have been played.
- Things were on the up until the squad began to get further decimated during / after the QPR match.
- Despite waiting until the end of October, eyebrows must start to be raised with some of the decisions made in the last 2 matches.
COMMENTS:
- Staying with a back 3/5: we got away with it a Huddersfield but in that instance it was a judicious choice due to injuries and suspensions. Players were starting to trickle back and but it was understandable that Appleton stuck with the same eleven and formation for the Rotherham game. Following that match, it was plainly obvious to one all that this formation / strategy had run its course and had to be binned.
- The midfield can still be packed even when a back 3/5Â is played. For example a back 3, full backs pushing fairly well up to protect the flanks of a narrow midfield diamond - allowing for only 1 up top but we never threaten anything anyway so nothing lost there!!. This may have been a much better way of frustrating the opposition and then nicking a sly goal.
- Connolly as wing back before Gabriel. Smacks of desperation and the only thing I can think of is "grinding a point out" - in that case why didn't we pack the middle and frustrate them?.
I can understand if you play Connolly as right back and Husband as left back in a back 4 as is shouts out THOU SHAT NOT PASS. But really, this back 3/5 and the weak midfield gets one wondering if the manager's lost it or not
- The front 3 were chosen to grind out a point.
CONSPIRACY THEORY:
- It's a case of the 1 and the 1. That is to say the single holding midfielder and the lone striker.
Appleton's favoured, and appealing, strategy relies on these 2 fundamental roles.
Yates can make a fist of it and perhaps Beesley can be that striker.
The ever injured Stewart is the only guy on the books who can cope with the solo holding role.
In the transfer window we missed our targets who can perform these vital functions in Appleton's system.
Subsequently, Appleton is refusing to play ball - he's refusing to set the team up to "get the most" out of what he's got.
- All the different formations, tactics and player recruitment (whether it be a success or failure) will never replace the spirit and fight that this squad seems to have lost in the last couple of weeks.
- Very Grayson (second spell) type decisions)
- Players coming back, International break, end of October to be certain but alarm bells are starting to ring. | |
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| Team Selection on 05:16 - Sep 19 with 575 views | BringBackTheRedRoom |
Agree with most of that Spell.
It's had that Grayson feel since QPR.
Selection, formation and subs have been strange over the last 3 games. | |
| ‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’ |
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| Team Selection on 20:26 - Oct 2 with 553 views | spell_chekker |
TEAM:
4-3-3
Maxwell
Gabriel Ekpiteta Thorniley Thompson
Poveda Wright Patino Dougall Corbeanu
Yates
Subs: Connolly, Madine, Carey, Lavery, Hamilton, Grimshaw, Bridcutt.
Surpises:
- Grimshaw gropped in favour of Maxwell
- Patino playing deeper than Dougall. He's tried Fiorini out in the number 6 position and t seems fundamental to Appleton that his defensive midfielder be comfortable on the ball. All well and good but isn't it a bit muddled to play Dougall in an advanced role when you've got Carey on the bench?
- Yates playing as a lone striker. It worked in as much as we packed out the midfield and didn't get overrun by automatic favourites Norwich. On the other hand we still didn't score nor created much. We need to give Beesley a shot or I reckon it's worth a punt on trying Corbeanu as the lone front man.
Full debut: Wright
Sustitutions: Again late in the main.
Madine on for Poveda after 69
Carey for Dougall after 83
Hamilton for Yates after 83
Lavery for Corbeanu after 83
Other thoughts:
- It's not the first time Thompson's cost us a goal and if the manager's going to drop Grimshaw for "a couple of indifferent performances" then surely, in order to be consistent, Thompson's got to be dropped for Husband against Sunderland.
- Even though we're short in some departments, we've now got enough players back to make a go of playing 4-3-3 with 1 holding and 1 up top. Let's hope we can soon get back to where we were in the first half at QPR before injuries and suspensions struck. | |
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| Team Selection on 20:54 - Oct 5 with 538 views | spell_chekker |
0 - 0 away at Sunderland.
TEAM: 4-3-3
Maxwell
Connolly Ekpiteta Thorniley Thompson
Wright Patino Dougall
Yates Madine Lavery
SUBS
Carey, Hamilton, Corbeanu, Poveda, Garbutt, Grmshaw, Bridcutt
Surprises:
The biggest surprise, nay shock, was seeing a starting eleven that was so bereft of creativity and ball control. Even with our depleted squad there were several different permutations Appleton could've made.
SUSTITUTIONS: Only 2 were made, one of which was near the end of the match.
Corbeanu on for Lavery after 66.
Poveda on for Madine after 85.
Other thoughts:
- I'm going to wait until the end of October or even the boycotted World Cup break to definitively pass judgement but right now, Appleton's starting to lose me.He's still got time to turn it round but it's looking bad.
- Under Critchley, despite injuries, suspensions, loss of form, tinkering, changes of formation - the players were always well coached and knew exactly their jobs. This enabled us to finish mid table.
- Appletpn wants to play a strict 4-3-3 with 1 holding ball player and a lone front man. This may change if Bridcutt and Beesely ever get up to match fitness but at the moment and since the start of the season we haven't had the players to fill the vital No.6 and No.9 roles. Granted, there were some '3 I think) games where circumstances force us to go 4-4-2 and 3 at the back but for the other games Appleton stands accused on not getting the best out of what he's got. For example, it's stupid to continue playing either Yates, Madine or Lavery in a lone role up top. Also I don't think many were in agreement when he decided it was a good idea to play Connolly as a wing back. Playing Dougall more advanced is another fool's move. Appleton's got to be more flexible to get the best out of the players at his disposal.
- Finally and possibly most importantly, congratulations to everyone involved for that gutsy 2nd half display. Spirit like that more than anything else will be needed to keep us out of trouble this season. | |
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| Team Selection on 20:29 - Oct 10 with 507 views | spell_chekker |
Watford Home.
Team
4-3-3
Maxwell Ekpiteta Thorniley Thompson
Wrighr Patino Carey
Corbeanu Madine Yates
SUBS:
Lavery, Hamilton, Poveda, Garbutt, Grimshaw, Bridcutt, Trusty
SUBSTITUTIONS:
Bridcutt for Carey at half time
Lavery for Corbeanu after 66 mins
Hamilton for Madine after 74 mins
Points of note:
- A starting line up more suited to receiving the ball.
- Williams is still injured but Ekpiteta and Thorniley seem to be forging a partnership as our first choice centre halves.
- We'll be shafted if and when Ekpiteta gets an injury. This must be addressed in January.
- The second half midfield felt right. Bridcutt directing from deep with Wright and Patino advanced. It's a priority that this midfield three are given a good long run of matches together. Maybe a late sub here and there but don't rotate them - they must play together all the time until at the very least the world cup break and then even beyond into the new year. If all is going well in December Fiorini will have to be patient.
- Yates place is wide in a front 3. Bin the idea of him alone through the middle.
- Good substitutions made in time changed the course of the game. | |
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| Team Selection on 20:12 - Oct 13 with 495 views | spell_chekker |
We've got enough players to now start playing in a progressive formation that resembles something like Appleton would like.
Now is the time when we hang our hat on something, draw a line in the sand and give a formation and players a long run together. This must be until at least things can be assessed at the World Cup break and, unless something is glaringly wrong at this juncture, preferably beyond until after the festive period. The untouchables as José Mourinho would say.
My list of nailed on starters from what we have available:
Goalkeeper
Right Back, Ekpiteta, Thorniley, Left Back
Bridcutt
Wright, Patino
Left Attacker, Central Attacker, Yates
Goalkeeper: Happy with both, no preference.
Right Back: Obviously Gabriel when fit. Lyons may or may not prove to be OK if he can step up from the LOI. Connolly is a great stand in utility player for now but not long term.
Left Back: Happy with both Thompson and Husband. A slight personal preference for Husband - he's got the same inspirational grit and determination as Connolly but I feel hjs attacking play and ball skills are underrated.
Left Attacker: Anderson when fit. Corbeanu has many positive attributes but I prefer someone with more foot-on-the ball skills. Poveda's not right yet. Can Carey be effective there? Will Fiorini be able to play there when fit? Looking for someone to stake a claim to the shirt.
Central Striker: A worryingly weak area which requires much consideration by the recruitment team. Pay the lion's share of the Bowler money to get someone who is bob on for the roll. In the meantime, it's a cross your fingers job that Beesley will eventually be in shape and ideal for the roll. Of the the 2 players currently available - Madine and Lavery - I'd go with Madine 'cos he's a better foil for Jerry coming in from wider. Play Lavery if you want to defend from the front and press.
A special mention for Stewart: If fit, a slight preference between him than Bridcutt.
Thorniley gives his all and we've also got Williams but they are both really back up. We are crying out for Ekpiteta's partner. We need to sign someone Championship ready in this position. Spend all the "Critchley" money on this transfer fee.
We'll see what Appleton does. That's what I'd put everything behind for the foreseeable future. [Post edited 13 Oct 2022 21:12]
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| Team Selection on 08:27 - Oct 14 with 482 views | BringBackTheRedRoom |
Bridcutt has only had 45 mins | |
| ‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’ |
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| Team Selection on 12:32 - Oct 14 with 479 views | spell_chekker |
Yes, 45mins in next to nothing, understood.
Something just felt right about it, that we weren't going to give ground and get overrun as per usual. One of the rare occasions over the last 2 or 3 years that we've had a functioning midfield making things tick over.
You're right about only 45 mins, but still. | |
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| Team Selection on 20:33 - Oct 17 with 469 views | spell_chekker |
Away at Sheffield United:
Surprises:
Dropping Wright.
Playing Lavery wide in a front 3.
When I saw the team I thought we were going to take a pounding and at one point it looked on the cards.
It's occasionally deserted us this season but if we keep it up the spirit we showed will take us easily to safety.
Hearty congratulations to the manager and players for a full blooded performance.
Other remarks:
I've not posted about it before but have often thought that Yates' relative goal drought over our championship time is due to him taking one touch too many, hesitation, controlling the ball with his first touch. His first instinct is now to shoot first time and it's paying dividends.
Thompson has to be sanctioned for wayward passing and his red. He'll have to get to the back of the queue and wait his turn for another chance. | |
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| Team Selection on 11:07 - Oct 18 with 467 views | BringBackTheRedRoom |
Only one loan player started on Saturday | |
| ‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’ |
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| Team Selection on 19:39 - Oct 20 with 450 views | spell_chekker |
Lost 3 - 1 at home to Hull.
Team (Formation: damned if I know):
Maxwell
Connolly Williams Thorniley Garbutt
Patino
Dougall Yates
Wright
Corbeanu Madine
Substitutes:
Husband, Carey, Hamilton, Poveda, Grimshaw, Bridcutt, Trusty
Sustitutions:
Bridcutt for Wright on 57
Husband for Garbutt on 63
Hamilton for Madine on 63
Poveda for Williams on 80
Surprises:
- Although Husband came on, his rehabilitation, like many other players, is taking much longer than expected.
- Bridcutt signed fairly recently but has been training with us for a lot longer. He's presumably still not, and may never will be,in shape to play 2 games a week.
- If Poveda is still crocked / unfit, why did we take him on loan?
- Is Dougall now an advanced midfielder and are you happy with it? Can't argue against it because of his goals and assist in the last 2 games. Doesn't feel right though.
Substitutions:
- Appleton tried his best to affect the game by putting the subs on early enough
- The last substitution (Poveda for Williams) saw the team morph into a weird 3 at the back free-for-all set up. A desperate move but good on the manager for having the courage to try and radically shake things up.
General feeling:
- when successful, the team still play Critchley's high tempo, all action style. The current threadbare squad can't do that twice a week. Tired isn't the word for them. Has Appleton failed to impose his own tempo and ideas on the squad or is he simply going with what works and the players know?
- Not for the first time, the formation was disjointed and players didn't seem to know what their role was. Are they as well drilled as previously?
Defence: a very very flat back 4.
Midfield: A difficult one to read. From what I could tell, Patino and Dougall were deep with Dougall given more licence to get forward. Yates seemed to be in there as well (was he just pushed back by their high and adventurous right back?). To my mind Wright was the furthest forward.
Attack: Nothing to say sums up their impact on play.
Summary:
- Due to injuries and suspensions a real patched up side was thrown together resulting in the performance. A hotch potch which couldn't be blamed on anyone.
- Appleton couldn't have done much more with the resources available. He could've tweaked the starting line up a little bit but it wouldn't have changed the dire circumstances we were in. | |
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| Team Selection on 08:59 - Oct 21 with 448 views | BringBackTheRedRoom |
Shipping too many goals, need Dougall back at CDM
Williams and Poveda looking like wasted loans
TBH we look a bit League one at the moment | |
| ‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’ |
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| Team Selection on 12:28 - Oct 21 with 443 views | spell_chekker |
That's the tricky thing about Dougall scoring and assisting.
I think he should be defensive. No point in putting a ball player there if they're going to get overrun. Surely the manager can see that?
Bridcutt might turn out to be the man for that position.
Anyway, even though Dougall score, I thought playing him advanced was one of Appleton's mistakes against Hull. | |
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| Team Selection on 12:30 - Oct 21 with 443 views | spell_chekker |
The Corbeanu loan as well.
Again, it's tricky 'cos he's scored 3 goals and assisted but the guy gives the ball away all the time, putting pressure on our team. | |
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| Team Selection on 12:33 - Oct 21 with 442 views | spell_chekker |
It's difficult to get on Appleton's back about stuff though 'cos the sale Keogh's left us incredibly thin at the back and the need for a loan striker's been glaringly obvious for at least 2 transfer windows.
So, what do we do? Blame the recruitment team or congratulate the club for not paying over the odds and waiting for the right player to become available? | |
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| Team Selection on 21:08 - Oct 25 with 423 views | spell_chekker |
After the 4 - 2 home win against Preston.
TEAM (4-3-3):
Maxwell
Connolly Ekpiteta Thornilry Husband
Patino Bridcutt Dougall
Yates Madine Hamiton
Subs: Williams, Carey, Thompson, Wright, Corbeanu, Poveda, Grimshaw
SUBSTITUTIONS MADE (3 non tactical subs - all due to injury):
Carey for Bridcutt 30 mins
Williams for Thorniley 80 mins
Thompson for Husband 86 mins
Surprises:
- a start for Hamilton
- Not a surprise to see Dougall continuing in his successful advanced role with Bridcutt behind covering. Good to see that there was no funny business, moving Patino back when Bridcutt was subbed off for Carey. Dougall reverted to his natural role.
General play and formation:
- Defensive mid, attacking mid, yes of course but to a less extreme extent. I suspect there was a healthier notion of the 3 midfielders being exactly that. 3 in the middle battling and playing together and doing a job without having a heavily defined defensive or attacking thing imposed.
- Full backs pushing up higher to protect the midfield flanks. Braver. Due to Husbands presence?
- The main tactical point. Until our second goal Preston appeared to be the better drilled and more dangerous outfit. However, there was something I expect from an Appleton team in evidence which is a rather passive defensive block (not high and not too deep, a mid defensive line), not a high tempo pressing thing either. More like 3 midfielders supplemented by full backs pushing up and Yates dropping back - PNE looked good without ever really threatening. We soaked and soaked them up. I think that this passive mid line soaking up thing is a big Appleton plan and it's the first time we've seen it for a while. The opposition punch themselves out and then we hit them. It worked as We were under pressure but we weathered it without ever being in serious trouble. Then we took control and we won.
We tried to play this way earlier in the season (before QPR injuries) and it looked bad. This time it came off. I think it's the Appleton style. | |
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| Team Selection on 03:18 - Oct 26 with 409 views | BringBackTheRedRoom |
9 of the starting XI were here last season (became 10 when Carey came on) [Post edited 26 Oct 2022 3:19]
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| ‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’ |
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| Team Selection on 20:48 - Oct 26 with 397 views | spell_chekker |
Yeah, I've been thinking about the loans.
Fiorini as yet unknown due to injury but a big Appleton signing.
We very much set our stall out by "quality prem loans" and it doesn't seem to be working out as expected with the jury very much out on Williams, Poveda and Corbeanu (even though he's got 3 goals).
The world cup break will give us time to mull over a few of these questions. | |
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| Team Selection on 12:05 - Oct 27 with 385 views | BringBackTheRedRoom |
Thompson and Wright not pulling up any trees at the moment. | |
| ‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’ |
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| Team Selection on 18:04 - Nov 1 with 375 views | spell_chekker |
Win away at Coventry.
No analysis other than to underline 2 things.
- Out with any hotch potch thinking with players being played in their preferred positions.
- Sensible rotation ok when necessary but emphasis on performances and wins keeping the shirt.
All this being said in the knowledge that injuries and suspensions don't always allow. | |
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| Team Selection on 20:28 - Nov 2 with 366 views | spell_chekker |
1 - 0 loss away at West Brom.
There's not much more the manager could have done with his team selection.
Carey and Wright didn't work in midfield.
Hamilton thrives off Patino's passes.
Can the wafer thin squad cope with a Sat / Tues / Sat schedule? It doesn't look like it. [Post edited 2 Nov 2022 20:45]
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| Team Selection on 20:08 - Nov 9 with 334 views | spell_chekker |
3 - 0 home loss against Middlesborough:
Maxwell
Ward Ekpiteta Husband Thompson
Yates Dougall Patino
Carey Madine Yates
Subs: Williams Hamilton Lavery Wright Poveda Grabutt Grimshaw
Surprises:
- The makeshift back 4 wasn't a surprise
- A start for Ward
- Husband at centre half - Williams still suffering from illness?
- Our most likely goalscorer playing in a sitting position protecting the right back '(there are other was of protecting the RB such 2 sitting mids or god forbid 3 at the back + other stuff)
- Persisting with a lone striker when everyone knows none of our available front men can play that role effectively (especially when they're playing their 4th match in 11 days and carrying a groin injury) There are other systems you can play other than a lone striker. I'm not suggesting it 'cos it'd be ludicrous but to illustrate a different system that'd would meybe even serve us better would be by playing Carey as a false 9. Playing either Lavery or Yates off Madine would do!!
Substitutions:
Williams for Husband on 54
Lavery for Madine on 64
Hamilton for Corbeanu on 64
Wright for Patino on 79
Remarks:
- The Husband re-injury. Poor.
- Once more, the players didn't seem to know what was expected from them in their roles.
- Whatever the formation was it seemed like chaos. The team hardly had any shape.
Others:
- The manager seems to sway between muddled thinking and then getting his head screwed back on.
- The manager's got to start trying to get the most of what he's got and pay less attention to his own personal preferred way of playing. | |
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| Team Selection on 14:08 - Nov 11 with 328 views | BringBackTheRedRoom |
"The manager's got to start trying to get the most of what he's got and pay less attention to his own personal preferred way of playing."
Totally agree | |
| ‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’ |
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| Team Selection on 15:19 - Nov 11 with 323 views | spell_chekker |
For example, he's got to start focussing on clean sheets.
Get a more expansive game going once you're confident that the defence is solid and the back door isn't going to be left open.
Besides anything else, we've got to tighten up at the back.
Obvious stuff. | |
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| Team Selection on 15:41 - Nov 11 with 320 views | spell_chekker |
What Appleton should do is called "playng to pour strenghts".
He isn't at the moment. [Post edited 11 Nov 2022 15:42]
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