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There’s two things that I enjoy when I think about Salford. The first is something that TOOT would enjoy! At their ground there are several bushes of Pampas Grass and someone from Colchester invariably gets thrown in or dives headlong into the grass much to the chagrin of the Stewards.
The second is their team walk on song. Dirty Old Town. Originally written when Salford was in Lancashire in 1949 by Ewan MacColl and today they play the Pogues version from 1985 with Shane MacGowan on vocals. It is one of the most evocative and atmospheric songs.
Still today we will enjoy the Post Horn Gallop at the JCS.
An element of pride was restored at Chesterfield on Tuesday night. Oscar Thorn was clearly POTM and Jack Payne’s goal gave us a deserved point.
None of this matters however if we cannot start to win our home games. Today Karl Robinson brings his Ammies to North Essex fresh from a victory over Swindon Town. Luke Garbutt will be in the starting line-up. When Garbutt was here at Colchester he looked to have a bright future in the premier league but injuries cost him the opportunity and today at 31 he is content to play in League Two.
Do not forget that today is a 12:30pm kick off and we are live on Sky Sports +
Now these TV games are making me lazy. I am missing Away games because of the ease of watching the Sky Sports televised games. Consequently, I have only been to two Away games so far this season. Although Barrow is lined up in a fortnight.
DC celebrated his 46th birthday with that point against Chesterfield and DC admitted that they were the best team that we have played this season. I wouldn’t disagree except that given their percentage of play and number of shots and corners the fact that that they can’t convert draws into wins at home might ultimately cost them promotion.
Today DC must prepare for life without Samson Tovide for several weeks. Owura Edwards is also injured as is Teddy Bishop. Milton Oni is also out for the season. They are all big losses. Oscar Thorn may be the answer to one of those positions but Lyle Taylor cannot be expected to lead the line all on his own.
DC must also decide on the future of Flanagan and Hunt. Neither of whom have set the league alight.
Also, what is he going to do with Kells who seems to be overlooked at present. And Manny Egbo must surely start ahead of Hunt. Arthur Read is also out of favour but why. The fans love the guy and he scooped all the honours last season.
I suppose that is DC and NC are Managers and I’m not!
Anyway, I think the following starting XI 4,4,2.
Macey
Egbo Goodliffe Donnelly Iandolo
Woodyard McDonnell Payne Read
Thorn Taylor
Subs: Smith Anderson Flanagan Kells Gordon Hunt Hopper
Weather in Colchester will be 14 degrees Celsius, partly sunny dry and a gentle breeze. Perfect for football.
Scoreline 2-0 Colchester with Taylor and Thorn on the scoresheet.
Attendance just over 4,200 with 250 from Salford.
Enjoy the game.
Early start for the Ammies (5:15am), safe journey.
Up the U’s
Durham_exile
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Dirty Old Town - Ammies to come unstuck at the JCS this lunchtime on 11:59 - Oct 27 with 900 views
Our League record since the Cowleys took over is P33 W6. D16. L11. So just a point a game, which was just enough to survive last season. The style and standard of play looks increasingly like the National League. Something has got to give soon.
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Dirty Old Town - Ammies to come unstuck at the JCS this lunchtime on 12:55 - Oct 27 with 848 views
Dirty Old Town - Ammies to come unstuck at the JCS this lunchtime on 12:33 - Oct 27 by MarkyMark47
Our League record since the Cowleys took over is P33 W6. D16. L11. So just a point a game, which was just enough to survive last season. The style and standard of play looks increasingly like the National League. Something has got to give soon.
As an aside I note Don Cowie, Ross County Manager, full of praise for Noah Chilvers saying he was the inspiration in their comeback win against Killie yesterday.
As for the record since the Cowleys arrived, it is abysmal. If it was any other management team I'd be calling for their heads. But then I'd be banging the drum for the Cowleys to replace them! We can only hope things just click soon. All managers/head-coaches have a shelf life. I'd be more than sad if the brothers have reached the end of theirs.
Danny and Nicky worked very hard to make their way into the full-time professional game. They'll be giving everything to turn around this season and ensure their tenure at Colchester United doesn't end in failure.
Up The U's!
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Dirty Old Town - Ammies to come unstuck at the JCS this lunchtime on 13:34 - Oct 27 with 826 views
There is an interview with Harry and Jamie Redknapp in the paper this weekend in which Jamie calls out the madness of ex-players turned pundits calling for managers to be sacked after just half a dozen games in charge. That is bonkers and unfair, but 33 games is enough to form a judgement on progress and sadly there isn't any real sign of that.
[Post edited 27 Oct 14:59]
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Dirty Old Town - Ammies to come unstuck at the JCS this lunchtime on 14:59 - Oct 27 with 784 views
Dirty Old Town - Ammies to come unstuck at the JCS this lunchtime on 12:55 - Oct 27 by BLACKCAT
As an aside I note Don Cowie, Ross County Manager, full of praise for Noah Chilvers saying he was the inspiration in their comeback win against Killie yesterday.
As for the record since the Cowleys arrived, it is abysmal. If it was any other management team I'd be calling for their heads. But then I'd be banging the drum for the Cowleys to replace them! We can only hope things just click soon. All managers/head-coaches have a shelf life. I'd be more than sad if the brothers have reached the end of theirs.
Danny and Nicky worked very hard to make their way into the full-time professional game. They'll be giving everything to turn around this season and ensure their tenure at Colchester United doesn't end in failure.
Dirty Old Town - Ammies to come unstuck at the JCS this lunchtime on 14:58 - Oct 27 by MarkyMark47
There is an interview with Harry and Jamie Redknapp in the paper this weekend in which Jamie calls out the madness of ex-players turned pundits calling for managers to be sacked after just half a dozen games in charge. That is bonkers and unfair, but 33 games is enough to form a judgement on progress and sadly there isn't any real sign of that.
[Post edited 27 Oct 14:59]
Certainly enough to form an opinion, not enough to make a decision. The bulk of those games were last season, with a squad they largely inherited, and whose confidence was shot. They had one brief, avoid relegation - and although it was closer than any of us would have liked, they did it. In the summer they lost the cream of the young talent and had to set about completely rebuilding the squad. I would argue that the bulk of our squad now is collectively better than that which was left post-summer sales. Their appointment has also had a huge positive effect on the fanbase too, and galvanised the U's support, particularly with the BWA (though to be fair they were already working hard on that pre-Cowley).
This season though has so far failed to deliver, and it's safe to to say that the team has yet to gel is a massive understatement. Some stunning individual matches, but interspersed with some really dreadful ones. Ten minutes in at AFC Wimbledon we all thought HMS Piss the League was already halfway out of the harbour, only for reality (and some awful decisions from officials) to drop the anchor on that idea. Regarding the latter, I know we're not the only ones, and most would agree that these things usually balance out over a season, but Lady Luck seems to have left the building right now. How many apology letters are we up to right now?
Injuries too, and yes we're not unique in this position by any stretch, seem to be hitting us hard in key positions almost on a weekly basis. As was said above, if this was another management team and Robbie decided enough was enough, we'd all be screaming to get the Cowleys in. Well, we've got them, and whilst some might say be careful what you wish for, we have to give them time to sort this malaise out. This isn't just a Cowley issue, this is a rot that has set into our club ever since John McGreal sneaked us into the play-offs thanks to Covid.
I stand by what I said, if we're still in this predicament (or worse) at Christmas Robbie has a difficult decision to make, give the Cowleys the January transfer window to turn things around, or get shot and give someone else that chance. I personally hope he backs his not insubstantial investment and sticks with them, whatever may come. And if it takes a drop into the National league to finally turn around this mentality, then so be it - there, I've said it.
I also want to retract my comment about Oscar Thorn's substitution on Saturday. Back then I was still wearing my brown-tinted spectacles, but on sober (literal and metaphorical) reflection, that was the right call. Whether Salford had recognised and nullified his threat, or his young legs had gone, he wasn't as effective second half, and it was probably the right call to replace him. He's still a huge talent though.
So we go again on Saturday, back where it all began for the Cowleys. I'm looking forward to it, and whether we win or lose, it's the reaction on and off the pitch I'll be looking for.
I watched an enthralling interview just hours after Ian Holloway had arrived at The County Ground. It really is worth listening to, not sure if l have ever heard anything to compare to it.
Swindon Town is a big club and next Saturday promises to be quite an occasion.
There is a lot on this match.
I am expecting something on a different level from anything we have seen this season from both sides.
Let's hope for a great match!
Just for the record, l have tremendous respect for both management teams and their tactical and motivational skills may well determine who goes through to the second round.
UPDATE
The interview with Ian Holloway l referred to was the one on the Swindon club site - around 20 minutes, but the shorter 4 minute example on Sky Sports is also worth a watch.
[Post edited 27 Oct 22:17]
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Dirty Old Town - Ammies to come unstuck at the JCS this lunchtime on 08:46 - Oct 28 with 569 views
Not one player in the Saturdays squad had come from the Florence Park football factory. The Cowling template on its inception was to have 50/50 side of young and old present in the side. So something is wrong somewhere. Although luckily to be one of the leagues lowest clubs with Category 2 status, playing other clubs at this level to high for there abilities, has overlooking results are nearly all defeats . Clearly the young players picked up for U18 /U21 are struggling at their levels or the rare exceptional be jettisoned into national league level for rapid progress. So perhaps the fixture list should be levelled to play Category 3 sides instead of 2 sides which are nearly all Championship level. Losing to such sides regularly cannot help young players abilities .
Dirty Old Town - Ammies to come unstuck at the JCS this lunchtime on 19:42 - Oct 27 by wessex_exile
Certainly enough to form an opinion, not enough to make a decision. The bulk of those games were last season, with a squad they largely inherited, and whose confidence was shot. They had one brief, avoid relegation - and although it was closer than any of us would have liked, they did it. In the summer they lost the cream of the young talent and had to set about completely rebuilding the squad. I would argue that the bulk of our squad now is collectively better than that which was left post-summer sales. Their appointment has also had a huge positive effect on the fanbase too, and galvanised the U's support, particularly with the BWA (though to be fair they were already working hard on that pre-Cowley).
This season though has so far failed to deliver, and it's safe to to say that the team has yet to gel is a massive understatement. Some stunning individual matches, but interspersed with some really dreadful ones. Ten minutes in at AFC Wimbledon we all thought HMS Piss the League was already halfway out of the harbour, only for reality (and some awful decisions from officials) to drop the anchor on that idea. Regarding the latter, I know we're not the only ones, and most would agree that these things usually balance out over a season, but Lady Luck seems to have left the building right now. How many apology letters are we up to right now?
Injuries too, and yes we're not unique in this position by any stretch, seem to be hitting us hard in key positions almost on a weekly basis. As was said above, if this was another management team and Robbie decided enough was enough, we'd all be screaming to get the Cowleys in. Well, we've got them, and whilst some might say be careful what you wish for, we have to give them time to sort this malaise out. This isn't just a Cowley issue, this is a rot that has set into our club ever since John McGreal sneaked us into the play-offs thanks to Covid.
I stand by what I said, if we're still in this predicament (or worse) at Christmas Robbie has a difficult decision to make, give the Cowleys the January transfer window to turn things around, or get shot and give someone else that chance. I personally hope he backs his not insubstantial investment and sticks with them, whatever may come. And if it takes a drop into the National league to finally turn around this mentality, then so be it - there, I've said it.
I also want to retract my comment about Oscar Thorn's substitution on Saturday. Back then I was still wearing my brown-tinted spectacles, but on sober (literal and metaphorical) reflection, that was the right call. Whether Salford had recognised and nullified his threat, or his young legs had gone, he wasn't as effective second half, and it was probably the right call to replace him. He's still a huge talent though.
So we go again on Saturday, back where it all began for the Cowleys. I'm looking forward to it, and whether we win or lose, it's the reaction on and off the pitch I'll be looking for.
Up the U's!
I fully agree with that balance Wessex - even the drop into non league bit. This sick parrot is far from 'on the mend'. Time is needed.
Moor Pinot
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Dirty Old Town - Ammies to come unstuck at the JCS this lunchtime on 10:51 - Oct 28 with 534 views
Far too early to start another round of sackings. DC’s main failure is that he cannot live up to his own hype and bullshit. We need some reality; we are a badly run club that sells anything worth a few quid and spends buttons to replace them. Just above the relegation zone is our realistic position with this wafer thin and cheap squad. No one else is going to come here and do better with the budget available and if the club continues to be run like this, ultimately, we are only going one way. Anything else is denial, or at best, wishful thinking.
We’ve signed a few excellent players, but far too many donkeys on the cheap. I am utterly astonished that anyone can think we have a better squad than last year, when Mingi, Fevs, Chilvers, McGeehan, Smith, Bradley, Goodman and even Hall are now playing regularly for better clubs and we’ve somehow ruined Read.
It’s a very thin line between clueless and tactical genius and often comes down to luck. Something we continue to be starved of. If a manager brings on a sub and the ball ricochets off of his arse and he scores the winner, the manager is genius. If the sub hits the woodwork four times and we don’t win, then he’s clueless. With Edwards, Bishop and Tovide back and couple of consecutive wins, we could be well on our way to safety. There are no good teams in L2 this year.
It is unbelievable that with all the injuries, DC cannot turn to the academy for some emergency back-up.
Providing we are not in the bottom two at Christmas I would give them another transfer window to put right some of the howlers they have made in the transfer market, but they need cash, which I suspect is in short supply.
I don’t buy the idea that the Cowleys have been backed. It’s like having your granny’s silver down to Cash Converters, trousering £200, then popping round Home Bargains for a £1.25 bag of plastic knives and forks and then saying that you’ve treated your gran to some new cutlery.
As for dropping into the National League, there’s no way back from there nowadays, that will be the beginning of the end unless a billionaire sugar daddy appears.
[Post edited 6 Nov 15:15]
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Dirty Old Town - Ammies to come unstuck at the JCS this lunchtime on 11:29 - Oct 28 with 515 views
Dirty Old Town - Ammies to come unstuck at the JCS this lunchtime on 08:46 - Oct 28 by bwildered
Not one player in the Saturdays squad had come from the Florence Park football factory. The Cowling template on its inception was to have 50/50 side of young and old present in the side. So something is wrong somewhere. Although luckily to be one of the leagues lowest clubs with Category 2 status, playing other clubs at this level to high for there abilities, has overlooking results are nearly all defeats . Clearly the young players picked up for U18 /U21 are struggling at their levels or the rare exceptional be jettisoned into national league level for rapid progress. So perhaps the fixture list should be levelled to play Category 3 sides instead of 2 sides which are nearly all Championship level. Losing to such sides regularly cannot help young players abilities .
So how do you go about playing other Cat 3 sides? You change to a Cat3 academy, or better still a Cat 4 which is more befitting.
It's not just the best recruits that the big clubs are hoovering up. If we get any promising coaches, scouts etc, the bigger clubs academies have the money to poach them. That chap you said steered Bradley to the U's, I believe he's now at Brentford?
DH who I understand was instrumental in signing some cracking prospects is now at the Binners and so it will go on. We are out of our depth trying to compete with the big boys.
The idea is great, you cannot fault the commitment and the money spent, but like most ideologies, it doesn't actual work in the real world, but it's a big shout to admit you are wrong and to chalk off so much time, effort and money, so I guess it will continue until something goes bang, or by some miracle we discover the next Messi.
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Dirty Old Town - Ammies to come unstuck at the JCS this lunchtime on 11:31 - Oct 28 with 513 views
Dirty Old Town - Ammies to come unstuck at the JCS this lunchtime on 10:51 - Oct 28 by TheOldOakTree
Far too early to start another round of sackings. DC’s main failure is that he cannot live up to his own hype and bullshit. We need some reality; we are a badly run club that sells anything worth a few quid and spends buttons to replace them. Just above the relegation zone is our realistic position with this wafer thin and cheap squad. No one else is going to come here and do better with the budget available and if the club continues to be run like this, ultimately, we are only going one way. Anything else is denial, or at best, wishful thinking.
We’ve signed a few excellent players, but far too many donkeys on the cheap. I am utterly astonished that anyone can think we have a better squad than last year, when Mingi, Fevs, Chilvers, McGeehan, Smith, Bradley, Goodman and even Hall are now playing regularly for better clubs and we’ve somehow ruined Read.
It’s a very thin line between clueless and tactical genius and often comes down to luck. Something we continue to be starved of. If a manager brings on a sub and the ball ricochets off of his arse and he scores the winner, the manager is genius. If the sub hits the woodwork four times and we don’t win, then he’s clueless. With Edwards, Bishop and Tovide back and couple of consecutive wins, we could be well on our way to safety. There are no good teams in L2 this year.
It is unbelievable that with all the injuries, DC cannot turn to the academy for some emergency back-up.
Providing we are not in the bottom two at Christmas I would give them another transfer window to put right some of the howlers they have made in the transfer market, but they need cash, which I suspect is in short supply.
I don’t buy the idea that the Cowleys have been backed. It’s like having your granny’s silver down to Cash Converters, trousering £200, then popping round Home Bargains for a £1.25 bag of plastic knives and forks and then saying that you’ve treated your gran to some new cutlery.
As for dropping into the National League, there’s no way back from there nowadays, that will be the beginning of the end unless a billionaire sugar daddy appears.
[Post edited 6 Nov 15:15]
I'm mainly with you on most issues. Too early to even think of changing the management. Agree the squad is mostly worse than second half of last season. Not sure that we miss Chilvers that much and definitely don't miss Goodman! And definitely agree that dropping into the National League would be a catastrophe as it's so tough to get out of these days. Of the new players that the Cowleys presumably had a choice over, I think the best to date have been Macey, Bishop, Payne and Taylor.
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Dirty Old Town - Ammies to come unstuck at the JCS this lunchtime on 11:44 - Oct 28 with 502 views
Dirty Old Town - Ammies to come unstuck at the JCS this lunchtime on 11:31 - Oct 28 by MarkyMark47
I'm mainly with you on most issues. Too early to even think of changing the management. Agree the squad is mostly worse than second half of last season. Not sure that we miss Chilvers that much and definitely don't miss Goodman! And definitely agree that dropping into the National League would be a catastrophe as it's so tough to get out of these days. Of the new players that the Cowleys presumably had a choice over, I think the best to date have been Macey, Bishop, Payne and Taylor.
I would add Woodyard to your list. Macey is like Marmite, people seem to love or hate him.
AFC Wombles certainly wouldn’t swap him for Goodman, who I believe is ever present and has conceded the lowest number of goals in the league!!!
In truth, I suspect they are both decent L2 keepers when they’ve got a functioning defense in front of them.
[Post edited 28 Oct 12:12]
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Dirty Old Town - Ammies to come unstuck at the JCS this lunchtime on 11:50 - Oct 28 with 497 views
Dirty Old Town - Ammies to come unstuck at the JCS this lunchtime on 11:31 - Oct 28 by MarkyMark47
I'm mainly with you on most issues. Too early to even think of changing the management. Agree the squad is mostly worse than second half of last season. Not sure that we miss Chilvers that much and definitely don't miss Goodman! And definitely agree that dropping into the National League would be a catastrophe as it's so tough to get out of these days. Of the new players that the Cowleys presumably had a choice over, I think the best to date have been Macey, Bishop, Payne and Taylor.
Just to clarify, I was very careful to state my comparison with last seasons squad was the post-summer sale version, once we'd cashed in Chilvers, Bradley, Mingi and Fevs.
...and yes, relegation would be a disaster, but we've been circling the drain for four seasons now - something has to give.
Dirty Old Town - Ammies to come unstuck at the JCS this lunchtime on 11:50 - Oct 28 by wessex_exile
Just to clarify, I was very careful to state my comparison with last seasons squad was the post-summer sale version, once we'd cashed in Chilvers, Bradley, Mingi and Fevs.
...and yes, relegation would be a disaster, but we've been circling the drain for four seasons now - something has to give.
I see the National League as a bit like the photos you see of climbers queuing to get to the top of mount Everest.
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Dirty Old Town - Ammies to come unstuck at the JCS this lunchtime on 13:16 - Oct 28 with 456 views
Dirty Old Town - Ammies to come unstuck at the JCS this lunchtime on 11:44 - Oct 28 by TheOldOakTree
I would add Woodyard to your list. Macey is like Marmite, people seem to love or hate him.
AFC Wombles certainly wouldn’t swap him for Goodman, who I believe is ever present and has conceded the lowest number of goals in the league!!!
In truth, I suspect they are both decent L2 keepers when they’ve got a functioning defense in front of them.
[Post edited 28 Oct 12:12]
I very nearly included Woodyard! He's incredibly industrious so yes I think I'd add him to the list of successes. Too many of the other signings (including those loaned) look a bit anonymous to me. I'm glad for Goodman if he's doing well but he made a few terrible errors that really cost us and he never seemed to command his area, but maybe that's improving with experience.
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Dirty Old Town - Ammies to come unstuck at the JCS this lunchtime on 16:14 - Oct 28 with 405 views
Dirty Old Town - Ammies to come unstuck at the JCS this lunchtime on 14:18 - Oct 28 by MarkyMark47
I very nearly included Woodyard! He's incredibly industrious so yes I think I'd add him to the list of successes. Too many of the other signings (including those loaned) look a bit anonymous to me. I'm glad for Goodman if he's doing well but he made a few terrible errors that really cost us and he never seemed to command his area, but maybe that's improving with experience.
I was surprised to see that Goodman was only 19 at the start of last season (he's only 20 now), and we gave him his first appearance in first team football. I thought he was a bit older.
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Dirty Old Town - Ammies to come unstuck at the JCS this lunchtime on 16:34 - Oct 28 with 400 views
Dirty Old Town - Ammies to come unstuck at the JCS this lunchtime on 11:50 - Oct 28 by wessex_exile
Just to clarify, I was very careful to state my comparison with last seasons squad was the post-summer sale version, once we'd cashed in Chilvers, Bradley, Mingi and Fevs.
...and yes, relegation would be a disaster, but we've been circling the drain for four seasons now - something has to give.
Don't forget Hall and McGeehan. You could make a pretty decent team out of the players that were here last season and are now elsewhere. I'd fancy them to beat our current lot too.
I don't think relegation is the answer. We just have to keep getting marginally better each season. If you have a shock season like Carlisle did two seasons ago then you possibly end up in the worse place than you started. The same could happen to Crawley.
Dirty Old Town - Ammies to come unstuck at the JCS this lunchtime on 16:34 - Oct 28 by RSCOSWORTH
Don't forget Hall and McGeehan. You could make a pretty decent team out of the players that were here last season and are now elsewhere. I'd fancy them to beat our current lot too.
I don't think relegation is the answer. We just have to keep getting marginally better each season. If you have a shock season like Carlisle did two seasons ago then you possibly end up in the worse place than you started. The same could happen to Crawley.
Along with Fev and Mingi, I was disappointed when McGeehan left. I initially wasn't bothered about Hall moving on but now I know better as Flanagan is definitely not an upgrade in my opinion. And I liked Smith, who was in and out of favour with the Cowleys but had a nice touch and a bit more height than some of the current squad.
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Dirty Old Town - Ammies to come unstuck at the JCS this lunchtime on 16:50 - Oct 28 with 384 views
Dirty Old Town - Ammies to come unstuck at the JCS this lunchtime on 16:45 - Oct 28 by MarkyMark47
Along with Fev and Mingi, I was disappointed when McGeehan left. I initially wasn't bothered about Hall moving on but now I know better as Flanagan is definitely not an upgrade in my opinion. And I liked Smith, who was in and out of favour with the Cowleys but had a nice touch and a bit more height than some of the current squad.
And height of players is important to an extent. I saw one of the current Arsenal team describing their squad as "looking like a basketball team"!
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