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Reply | There’s only one Jamie Mackie
at 16:17 28 Jul 2020
Have I dreamed it, or is Sorrento not where Warnock took the squad for a pre-promotion season "training camp" that ended up being an hour of football and an team-bonding jolly while Neil and Sharon had themselves a nice holiday?
Maybe Mr Mackie liked it so much he goes back regularly? |
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Reply | West Brom report - plus discussion about this site next season, feedback welcome
at 03:10 25 Jul 2020
Can only echo everyone's thoughts here.
Abroad on and off for the last 15 years - including the last eight - and right now this forum and a whatsapp group with two Rangers mates from school is just about my strongest connection to the club and, to a certain extent, the UK.
Never miss a preview, oppo interview, or match report. Attempt to limit my forum browsing for the sake of my productivity but it's usually daily.
Would certainly make a monthly or annual contribution as you see fit, without expecting any extra content. Think keeping the site free to read would work best too as I love sharing the reports with friends who are fans of other clubs.
You would certainly not be considered a charity case as you already offer plenty of incredibly top quality content, though I understand why you might want to offer some kind of reminder or incentive to pay up. Definitely ditch the weekly podcast thing - overkill and too much work for you. I like the "Gold Member" idea, or special members' rights...not sure what.
Exclusive content would be good but there's so much free stuff out that that it'd be hard to know what would merit that label, especially once a month...it is your writing that makes your content stand out.
A commemorative printed annual, compiling match reports, interviews, forum posts of the season - only printing as many copies as there are members or something - could be the one.
I'm a writer and would happily proof any books or similar projects for free.
Olly |
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Reply | Good stream if anyone is interested
at 22:55 1 Jan 2020
W13R thanks for making my day; have always been a big fan of West Ealing and today reminded me why!
Woke myself up hanging at 10am Colombia time for kick-off after four hours sleep and was livid to see the game, yet again, was not on QPR+.
Not got my laptop with me and it's usually impossible to find a decent unofficial stream on a mobile.
This one was impeccable and gave me the best possible start to the year.
Owe you one! |
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Reply | The Small Talk Thread.
at 03:47 30 Jan 2018
Give us a shout if you want any Colombia tips.
Managed to persuade a colleague to take his honeymoon here; he went over Christmas and absolutely loved it. So I should be able to pass on some honeymoon specific pointers as well as the usual gems that spoil us here. |
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Reply | Peterbrough Game
at 04:22 14 Jul 2017
More importantly, who is Athletico Bilboa?
Is it a relation of Rocky's? |
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Reply | Any Middlesex Supporters on Here ?
at 20:23 24 Sep 2016
Bl**dy hell Hunter, unbelievably jealous.
Was reduced to 10 hours of Colombian craft ales. Feeling the pain this morning.
First year I've not played a single day of Middlesex League cricket, as I could only afford a short trip back and it clashed with two weddings (rather inconsiderate to get married in a Saturday in the cricket season).
Still, heading to Rio to play in the South American Championships (affectionately known as the ballSACs) in October, so not complaining too much... |
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Reply | Any Middlesex Supporters on Here ?
at 00:06 23 Sep 2016
It's very hard to escape the feeling that we've thrown this away, but the exceptional circumstances mean we still have an outside chance.
I imagine we'll just bat normally in the morning session; if Gubbins and Malan stick around then the score rate will naturally be decent. Unless we set them 150-200 then it's game over.
I'd argue we don't want to leave them too many overs to get the runs because our best hope is forcing them to bat very aggressively. Their tail is full of hitters who will continue to hit whatever the target because they have nothing to lose. Funnily enough it's looking tough for
220 in 30 overs sounds about right. Set them 200 off 50 overs and I fear they'd cruise to victory. These days you can expect to score 80+ easily in the last 10 overs if you have wickets in hand, so they'd have no need to rush early-doors at all.
TRJ is flying and you'd back him to take early wickets again; this time let's not give them the option of consolidating...
Yes, we're choking under the pressure but those incredible victories at Scarborough, and at Taunton without any bowlers, were the kinds of games Championship-winning sides take and we'd fully deserve the title. Let down by the bloody weather and Lord's pitch early in the season really...
Gawd knows what's going on in Compton's head but he can't be anywhere near the slip cordon tomorrow...
I'll be up at 4am tomorrow to watch in any case. |
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Reply | Any Middlesex Supporters on Here ?
at 14:34 20 Sep 2016
One here.
Woke up at 5am to follow.
So very tempted to fly back for the four days.
Reasonably happy with the start but it can go awry very quickly.
Very aggressive line-up from Yorkshire; could go one of two ways.
Glad for the absence of Bairstow, Rashid, Lehman and Plunkett.
I think we've done enough to deserve it...fantastic advert for county cricket!
Come on the Sex! |
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Reply | Match Thread: SUPERS vs Birmingham
at 15:31 27 Feb 2016
So far, easily the most glowing we've had from the commentators for a while...
Glad Chery has got a game.
Don't mind Henry playing with Faurlin probably not 100% fit. |
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Reply | JFH lost the dressing room already?
at 19:17 11 Jan 2016
Too right Antti.
Warburton's, or his editor's, headlines are often disgracefully different to what the article says... |
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Reply | [Cricket] South Africa v England
at 20:44 13 Dec 2015
I'm heading to the Newlands ODI on 14th Feb. Would have much preferred to make it to a Test but this coincides with my cousin's wedding so is the only game I can get to...
Any Rs gonna be about? |
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Reply | Sports Books
at 16:18 9 Dec 2015
Not football, and not revealing any unknown gem here, but I finally got round to reading Beyond A Boundary by CLR James.
By far the greatest cricket book I've read (there's a lot of competition) and easily the best sport book. Heavy of the socio-political stuff and perhaps not the lightest read but beautifully written and, for a cricket tragic such as myself, utterly life-changing. |
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Reply | Colin for another six months?
at 23:57 26 Nov 2015
Even for Fernandes' unrivalled levels of incompetence this would be an awful decision... |
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Reply | Has Ramsey got lucky today?
at 16:57 24 Oct 2015
Probably a coincidence, yes.
Not a coincidence that Clint Hill (probably the best defender we've had since Macca) has returned to the team and we've subsequently stopped letting in goals.
He HAS to play against Brentford. |
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Reply | Match thread
at 17:17 3 Oct 2015
Remarkably inaccurate predictions Hooparoo!!  
Now if you could just predict that Henry will stay in the team all season, Smithies will never get a game, we'll never score nor keep a clean sheet again, then we might be onto something...
 |
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Reply | Benny is back!!
at 16:58 18 Sep 2015
A few observations...
4-2-3-1 is not a defensive formation. We won the league with it under Warnock and are the league's top scorers. Playing two striker does not automatically mean you will attack more. I'd suggest the problem is not the formation. Given the quality of our front four I think it is the ideal formation.
For me Ramsey has really let himself down with his central midfield picks and (lack of) substitutions in the last two games. If we'd played 4-4-2 with Henry and Tozser in the middle things would have been even worse. He spent the summer talking about, and signing, players with lots of running in them, because he'd clearly diagnosed that under Redknapp we were slow and immobile. Up top we're full of running (when Matty can be arsed) but with that pair in centre mid we're going to be playing far too deep and the smooth transition of play from back to front is going to be difficult. Plus we are going to be under the kosh against any team with pace.
Doing it once against Forest was perhaps worth a go, leaving both on for 90 minutes a mistake, repeating the same mistake now makes it look like he has a damaging blind spot.
But I don't mind honest mistakes every now and then. Some will say that this is why you need a more experienced manager but experience is no guarantee. Even world-class managers make plenty of picks and substitutes that have every man and his dog scratching their heads at the logic. And 95% of managers have their blind spots. I'd still say that Ramsey, in the kind of side he has built alongside Les, has done much more right than wrong.
I'm pretty confident that the management will be able to correct this blind spot soon (if Tozser and Henry start together again on Saturday I might start getting a bit angry to be fair). I actually think Ramsey is suffering from being a bit too safe and conservative – NOT with his tactics, which I think are essentially attacking, but with picking inadequate experience over youthful potential. For some reason it's perceived as a "risk" to start Doughty but not a "risk" to start Henry. But things are much more likely to go wrong with Henry out there IMHO. To be honest with our front four, we only need a vaguely competent middle two. This conservative nature is why he doesn't change things mid-game as much as he probably should.
And some perspective. Most managers get a lot of things wrong and a lot of things right. I'd say Ramsey has on an upward trajectory this year. He just has to learn from his major mistakes and let loose a bit with his selections. |
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Reply | Blackburn - Rovers Return Match Fred
at 19:42 16 Sep 2015
Strange, last time we were in the Championship I seem to remember getting streams of some sort for 90% of games... but apart from Sky games there have been none this year. |
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Reply | Blackburn - Rovers Return Match Fred
at 19:29 16 Sep 2015
I think the formation is bang on and enables us to get Luongo, Phillips and Chery in dangerous positions.
My big issue is having Henry and Tozser there... they are far too slow and immobile, meaning we play far too deep, which is why we have to resort to long ball and leave Austin looking isolated...
In fact having Henry anywhere near the pitch is pretty worrying. My biggest criticism of Ramsey is that he's a little timid to follow through on the ideas that he wants to promote, which I think are generally good. Perhaps it's because it's his first job, but I don't see why he can't play Doughty over Henry. More legs, a slightly better passer, and just as physical.
This timidness comes across in his substitutions too.
Today I'd be much more confident with Doughty and Faurlin in the middle... assuming Ale is not fully recovered?
Anyway we should still win comfortably, but Blackburn are due a win so I have that inevitable worried sensation... |
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Site Scores| Forum Votes: | 37 | | Comment Votes: | 0 | | Prediction League: | 0 | | TOTAL: | 37 |
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