Who will top score for us? 18:51 - Jul 24 with 3240 views | SimplyNico | Statements of intent registered by CA and LD today. Views? | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Who will top score for us? on 19:08 - Jul 24 with 2808 views | queensparker | Dykes’ second goal today was absolute class. As was Austin’s header (what a ball from Wallace). Dykes is such a confidence player it could go either way but if him and Austin are on form and playing together that’s a formidable front two. We’ve got a proper team here lads and a proper manager too. Hard not to get excited about the season. | ![](/images/avatars/1909.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Who will top score for us? on 20:24 - Jul 24 with 2725 views | francisbowles | I thought Willock was outstanding as the second forward today. We have great options up front. CA & LD, CA & CW or LD & CW. I think Lyndon won every header that he came to meet from our keeper or defence. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Who will top score for us? on 20:25 - Jul 24 with 2725 views | WestonsuperR |
Who will top score for us? on 19:08 - Jul 24 by queensparker | Dykes’ second goal today was absolute class. As was Austin’s header (what a ball from Wallace). Dykes is such a confidence player it could go either way but if him and Austin are on form and playing together that’s a formidable front two. We’ve got a proper team here lads and a proper manager too. Hard not to get excited about the season. |
Surely Austin, if he stays fit he is a finisher, still not convinced about Dykes ability to convert regularly let’s hope I am wrong! | ![](/images/avatars/1980.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Who will top score for us? on 20:32 - Jul 24 with 2712 views | Wren67 |
Who will top score for us? on 20:25 - Jul 24 by WestonsuperR | Surely Austin, if he stays fit he is a finisher, still not convinced about Dykes ability to convert regularly let’s hope I am wrong! |
Well I hope you are wrong. Dykes will stay fitter tan CA. He will score more goals if we get to keep him all season. He will prove to be a top top finisher. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Who will top score for us? on 20:40 - Jul 24 with 2699 views | CiderwithRsie |
Who will top score for us? on 20:32 - Jul 24 by Wren67 | Well I hope you are wrong. Dykes will stay fitter tan CA. He will score more goals if we get to keep him all season. He will prove to be a top top finisher. |
I'd still back Charlie over Dykes and it may be significant that CA started today with Dykes on the bench. But I was massively impressed with Dykes' 2nd, advancing into the box, taking on the defender, placing his shot beautifully. 1st was a bit luckier but prolific goalscorers get a few of those, they keep making chances and sometimes they get lucky. Dykes seems to be growing in both confidence and skill - CA is probably as good as he's ever going to get but Dykes can improve; that's a really exciting combination. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Who will top score for us? on 22:12 - Jul 24 with 2621 views | FrankRightguard |
Who will top score for us? on 20:40 - Jul 24 by CiderwithRsie | I'd still back Charlie over Dykes and it may be significant that CA started today with Dykes on the bench. But I was massively impressed with Dykes' 2nd, advancing into the box, taking on the defender, placing his shot beautifully. 1st was a bit luckier but prolific goalscorers get a few of those, they keep making chances and sometimes they get lucky. Dykes seems to be growing in both confidence and skill - CA is probably as good as he's ever going to get but Dykes can improve; that's a really exciting combination. |
Dykes has only been back a week | ![](/images/avatars/1496.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Who will top score for us? on 22:34 - Jul 24 with 2583 views | Hastings_Hoops | It’s clear that Austin is very much acting as Dykes’ mentor and acknowledges the need for succession planning. I was sat behind the dugout today and was interested and encouraged to see the conversation that Austin was having with Dykes as he left the field after the first half whistle and Dykes was preparing to warm up for the second half… he was pointing and gesturing / explaining what Dykes needed to do to maximise his opportunities in the second half… I imagine that Warbs played Austin in the first half for exactly this reason - to test the defence using his top level experience and to pass it on to Dykes for the second half. …really good to see that Austin is so invested in his own ‘succession planning’ - top bloke. | ![](/images/avatars/25446.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Who will top score for us? on 22:51 - Jul 24 with 2543 views | strikerace | I think much like last season, Warbs will go 2 up top with Austin and Dykes. I also will guess they will be the top 2 scorers. Wouldn't it be something if they both get 20+ | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) | Login to get fewer ads
Who will top score for us? on 00:59 - Jul 25 with 2435 views | Hunterhoop | I’ll be controversial here. If Austin and Dykes play up front together, I don’t think we’ll be top 6. If we play EITHER of them, with both Chair and Willock behind (or even Thomas and Adomah), I’m confident we’ll be top 6 and both Austin and Dykes will bag 10-15 each. Shape over personnel. | ![](/images/avatars/2027.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Who will top score for us? on 01:30 - Jul 25 with 2417 views | ozexile |
Who will top score for us? on 00:59 - Jul 25 by Hunterhoop | I’ll be controversial here. If Austin and Dykes play up front together, I don’t think we’ll be top 6. If we play EITHER of them, with both Chair and Willock behind (or even Thomas and Adomah), I’m confident we’ll be top 6 and both Austin and Dykes will bag 10-15 each. Shape over personnel. |
I agree with you. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Who will top score for us? on 02:25 - Jul 25 with 2402 views | VancouverHoop | Dykes looked like the puppy's pills in today's highlights. If he can finish like that all season I'm all of a tremble already. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Who will top score for us? on 05:37 - Jul 25 with 2342 views | bosh67 |
Who will top score for us? on 02:25 - Jul 25 by VancouverHoop | Dykes looked like the puppy's pills in today's highlights. If he can finish like that all season I'm all of a tremble already. |
I agree. This is not the same player that started here. He's settled. He has Charlie as his mentor now. He's starting to get an aura about him. This is a much better 'team' than the Scotland one he was playing for. | ![](/images/avatars/1510.gif) |
| ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Who will top score for us? on 10:08 - Jul 25 with 2182 views | QPR_Nippon |
Who will top score for us? on 00:59 - Jul 25 by Hunterhoop | I’ll be controversial here. If Austin and Dykes play up front together, I don’t think we’ll be top 6. If we play EITHER of them, with both Chair and Willock behind (or even Thomas and Adomah), I’m confident we’ll be top 6 and both Austin and Dykes will bag 10-15 each. Shape over personnel. |
I agree. 5-3-2 is a given this season and if the 3-2 is Johansen, Willock, Chair / Austin, Dykes I think Stef could get a bit swamped in midfield. We did actually play this line-up in our last 2 games of last season (Stoke and Luton) and played some lovely attacking football at times but also conceded a number of chances in both games where I think better teams would have punished us. For me Willock and Chair are now absolute musts in our first choice 11 when fit, which leaves space for only one of Dykes and Austin. I’m sure there will be games where they will play together, depending on the opposition and their capacity to hurt us, but against the better sides in the league I think it’ll be one or the other, and I think based on form since March, Dykes edges it at the moment. | ![](/images/avatars/1324.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Who will top score for us? on 10:21 - Jul 25 with 2164 views | Mistication92 | Austin. Dykes will have to be rested after international breaks, unlike Austin, who will have had a 2-week holiday. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Who will top score for us? on 11:00 - Jul 25 with 2124 views | Hastings_Hoops | This is a great ‘problem’ to have! When was the last time we owned two potential 20-goal a season strikers in the squad? [Post edited 25 Jul 2021 11:01]
| ![](/images/avatars/25446.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Who will top score for us? on 11:27 - Jul 25 with 2084 views | EalingHoop81 | I suspect it’s horses for courses. My preference would be 5-2-2-1 with the first 2 deep sitting midfield 2 being a combination of SJ, Field (once back), Ball, Amos, Bettache or Dozell. The next 2 a mix of Chair, Willock, Uncle, Thomas, Amos, Dozell etc and the front sticker obviously CA or LD (or Kelman) But we can amend the above to have one deep midfielder at the base of a 3 like Field or SJ and have 2 midfielders in front that are a little more attacking with 2 up front. It will surely depend on who we are playing and their expected formation. MW favoured the 4-2-3-1 formation previously and has adapted that to a 5 which we are now even more suited to but I suspect he’ll still be flexible | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Who will top score for us? on 14:47 - Jul 25 with 1976 views | strikerace | Lots of options and flexibility, we are deep Think Warbs try to keep both CA and LD on the pitch most of the time I think starting formation is 5-3-2 as said above This could easily be adapted to more of a 5-2-1-2 if need be (again as said above), by swapping out Chair for a more defending player Also remember he had Austin dropping deeper for a bunch of games, like a 1-1 up top. I think this plays into the formation too, and Dykes could drop into this just as easily as Austin (maybe better and leave Austin up top). I can't see Warbs dropping CA or LD for Chair if he can avoid it | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Who will top score for us? on 15:55 - Jul 25 with 1923 views | 80s_Boy |
Who will top score for us? on 19:08 - Jul 24 by queensparker | Dykes’ second goal today was absolute class. As was Austin’s header (what a ball from Wallace). Dykes is such a confidence player it could go either way but if him and Austin are on form and playing together that’s a formidable front two. We’ve got a proper team here lads and a proper manager too. Hard not to get excited about the season. |
We have every right to feel confident about this season and confident that we're on the cusp of something special. And how nice is it knowing that we've done it properly this time? [Post edited 25 Jul 2021 15:56]
| ![](/images/avatars/28456.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Who will top score for us? on 16:08 - Jul 25 with 1891 views | daveB |
Who will top score for us? on 00:59 - Jul 25 by Hunterhoop | I’ll be controversial here. If Austin and Dykes play up front together, I don’t think we’ll be top 6. If we play EITHER of them, with both Chair and Willock behind (or even Thomas and Adomah), I’m confident we’ll be top 6 and both Austin and Dykes will bag 10-15 each. Shape over personnel. |
As Lennox Lewis used to say different styles for different fights. I think we will switch between playing 2 up front and 1 with those 2 in behind them depending on who we are playing. Would agree we looked very exciting with that shape yesterday, Chair and Wilock were brilliant, reminded me of Adel and Routledge. | ![](/images/avatars/1922.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Who will top score for us? on 16:14 - Jul 25 with 1878 views | 80s_Boy |
Who will top score for us? on 16:08 - Jul 25 by daveB | As Lennox Lewis used to say different styles for different fights. I think we will switch between playing 2 up front and 1 with those 2 in behind them depending on who we are playing. Would agree we looked very exciting with that shape yesterday, Chair and Wilock were brilliant, reminded me of Adel and Routledge. |
We shouldn't have a set line up or formation. We need to be flexible not just on a match by match basis but so we can adapt and change during matches too. One nagging doubt about MW is still his 'plan B is Plan A' and we need to avoid that. | ![](/images/avatars/28456.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Who will top score for us? on 16:15 - Jul 25 with 1872 views | daveB |
Who will top score for us? on 16:14 - Jul 25 by 80s_Boy | We shouldn't have a set line up or formation. We need to be flexible not just on a match by match basis but so we can adapt and change during matches too. One nagging doubt about MW is still his 'plan B is Plan A' and we need to avoid that. |
not sure that's true, he often switches between 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3 and various 3 at the back formations. I don't remember us having a manager who plays so many different formations and yet gets accused of having no plan B | ![](/images/avatars/1922.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Who will top score for us? on 16:32 - Jul 25 with 1853 views | dmm |
Who will top score for us? on 16:15 - Jul 25 by daveB | not sure that's true, he often switches between 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3 and various 3 at the back formations. I don't remember us having a manager who plays so many different formations and yet gets accused of having no plan B |
I agree, Dave. The 'no plan B' thing levelled at Warburton might have been the case some years ago, but it just doesn't wash anymore. He's shown excellent flexibility with us, particularly last season. And he never really lines us up in his favourite 433 formation. | ![](/images/avatars/28176.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Who will top score for us? on 16:55 - Jul 25 with 1829 views | WatfordR | I suspect we are going to have a number of different goalscorers this coming season. The importance of Austin and/or Dykes is keeping the opposition CBs fully occupied imo. There's plenty of options to get crosses in from fresh legs late on in games, and maybe that's where Austin/Dykes may get a few chances to add to the tally. But I'd expect the likes of Willock and Chair to target 10 goals each, Johansen maybe 5-6 minimum, and the CBs to add at least 10 between them from set pieces.. If you get about 15 each from Austin and Dykes, and a few here and there from the rest, you probably won't be far off 80 goals for the season. If the defence keep it to less than a goal conceded per game, that'll be plenty good enough for top six. | ![](/images/avatars/1911.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Who will top score for us? on 18:09 - Jul 25 with 1765 views | 80s_Boy |
Who will top score for us? on 16:32 - Jul 25 by dmm | I agree, Dave. The 'no plan B' thing levelled at Warburton might have been the case some years ago, but it just doesn't wash anymore. He's shown excellent flexibility with us, particularly last season. And he never really lines us up in his favourite 433 formation. |
I would slightly disagree with you and Dave to be honest. Up until January last season - and when it looked as if we could still be relegated - it was, in my opinion, a fair criticism of MW that he had no plan B during matches and this, also, was something that fans of every club he has managed prior to us seem to have formed a consensus on. We had an exceptional run after the New Year and we/MW achieved the target of staying up - and ridiculously exceeded it too - but when we're not enjoying a purple patch there is still some concerns as far as I'm concerned about his game management. I hope these concerns soon pass and I'll be the first to admit that I got that wrong 👠| ![](/images/avatars/28456.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Who will top score for us? on 18:28 - Jul 25 with 1739 views | SimplyNico | Based on yesterday's showing, and with the addition of Jojo to come to the team, I think there are going to be a few teams who might be shipping a few goals against us. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
| |