It looks as though I’ll be able to play an unchanged team for the midweek game, other than the forced switch of Power in for the injured Michael Woods. With Olembé and Shuker at the top of their game at the moment, we may not even notice the central midfielder is missing. At least, that’s what I hope will happen.
In other news, the Reserves face Tamworth Reserves in a friendly tomorrow. It’ll be my chance to finally get a proper look at skilful striker Esteban Casagolda, who’s on trial with us for another two weeks. Not sure how I’ll make up eleven fit players who aren’t wanted for the first team match squad against Forest Green, but I’ll figure something out.
Friday, 31 August 2012
Thursday, 30 August 2012
Day 138
Rui Marques returned from his one-match suspension for today’s trip to Bath. Kanouté dropped to the bench to make way.
Bath lined up conservatively, with a flat five-man midfield and Jamie Cook as lone striker. I worried about this, because we’ve struggled against crowded midfield’s in the past. But we’ve got Richardson and Woods in the centre now, and we didn’t before, so I hoped they would make the difference.
We opened the scoring in the 19th minute. Olembé and Park linked well on the left wing before the Cameroonian swung a cross towards the near post. Barnes-Homer managed to get his head to the ball, but couldn’t direct it goalwards under attention from Watkins. Paul Stonehouse found himself in the path of Barnes-Homer’s header and snatched wildly in an attempt to clear. The ball bounced off his shin and rolled towards the goal line. Stonehouse panicked and slid in desperately, only succeeding in bundling the ball over the line—right out of his goalkeeper’s grasp.
Bath drew level on 25 minutes. Cook rose unmarked to meet a corner ball from the edge of the six-yard box. His header went in off the underside of the bar.
Smith should have put us back in front on 30 minutes. With a clear shot on goal and plenty of time, he shot straight into the Bath keeper’s gloves from 20 yards out. Back up the other end, Bath went close on the stroke of half time. Only a quick reaction and great diving save from Halstead kept the scores level.
Woods put us ahead in the 48th minute with a brilliant 25-yard strike. It was the central midfielder’s first goal for the club, and it calmed the Lincoln nerves.
We nearly scored a third just a minute later. Smith ran with the ball down the right and chipped into the box from the byline. Barnes-Homer rose well to head goalwards, but his effort went just wide. Not to worry, though, as it took only a further two minutes for Olembé to double the lead.
Woods intercepted a loose ball deep inside opposition territory, then slid a pass sideways to the onrushing Cameroonian winger. Olembé took a touch before rifling a low left-footed shot at the far-bottom corner. Garner dived well to his left, but the strike was too powerful, and it shook the Bath net—to the horror of the home fans behind the goal.
Gowling made it four in the 58th minute, left unmarked on the far post to head across goal and past the hapless Bath keeper.
I took the three-goal lead as an opportunity to rest Olembé, replacing the winger with Russell before the match restarted. Woods was forced off six minutes later with injury, moments before a planned substitution for Power. I had been looking to keep the midfielder fresh for the midweek fixture; with the injury I just prayed he’d not spend much time out.
Laurent replaced Shuker in the 74th minute, and once again looked bright. The Frenchman’s been impressive since returning from a long-term injury; if he keeps this up he’ll be getting a run in the starting lineup before long.
I could not have been much happier with the second half performance. The boys were brilliant, especially Woods, Richardson, and Olembé. My pre-match prediction that Richardson and Woods would be vital in central midfield proved right; they won the ball and controlled the play throughout the final hour (or the middle half hour, for Woods).
The injury verdict on Woods is a dead leg. He’ll be out for a week, which unfortunately means he may miss the next two matches.
Bath lined up conservatively, with a flat five-man midfield and Jamie Cook as lone striker. I worried about this, because we’ve struggled against crowded midfield’s in the past. But we’ve got Richardson and Woods in the centre now, and we didn’t before, so I hoped they would make the difference.
We opened the scoring in the 19th minute. Olembé and Park linked well on the left wing before the Cameroonian swung a cross towards the near post. Barnes-Homer managed to get his head to the ball, but couldn’t direct it goalwards under attention from Watkins. Paul Stonehouse found himself in the path of Barnes-Homer’s header and snatched wildly in an attempt to clear. The ball bounced off his shin and rolled towards the goal line. Stonehouse panicked and slid in desperately, only succeeding in bundling the ball over the line—right out of his goalkeeper’s grasp.
Bath drew level on 25 minutes. Cook rose unmarked to meet a corner ball from the edge of the six-yard box. His header went in off the underside of the bar.
Smith should have put us back in front on 30 minutes. With a clear shot on goal and plenty of time, he shot straight into the Bath keeper’s gloves from 20 yards out. Back up the other end, Bath went close on the stroke of half time. Only a quick reaction and great diving save from Halstead kept the scores level.
Woods put us ahead in the 48th minute with a brilliant 25-yard strike. It was the central midfielder’s first goal for the club, and it calmed the Lincoln nerves.
We nearly scored a third just a minute later. Smith ran with the ball down the right and chipped into the box from the byline. Barnes-Homer rose well to head goalwards, but his effort went just wide. Not to worry, though, as it took only a further two minutes for Olembé to double the lead.
Woods intercepted a loose ball deep inside opposition territory, then slid a pass sideways to the onrushing Cameroonian winger. Olembé took a touch before rifling a low left-footed shot at the far-bottom corner. Garner dived well to his left, but the strike was too powerful, and it shook the Bath net—to the horror of the home fans behind the goal.
Gowling made it four in the 58th minute, left unmarked on the far post to head across goal and past the hapless Bath keeper.
I took the three-goal lead as an opportunity to rest Olembé, replacing the winger with Russell before the match restarted. Woods was forced off six minutes later with injury, moments before a planned substitution for Power. I had been looking to keep the midfielder fresh for the midweek fixture; with the injury I just prayed he’d not spend much time out.
Laurent replaced Shuker in the 74th minute, and once again looked bright. The Frenchman’s been impressive since returning from a long-term injury; if he keeps this up he’ll be getting a run in the starting lineup before long.
I could not have been much happier with the second half performance. The boys were brilliant, especially Woods, Richardson, and Olembé. My pre-match prediction that Richardson and Woods would be vital in central midfield proved right; they won the ball and controlled the play throughout the final hour (or the middle half hour, for Woods).
The injury verdict on Woods is a dead leg. He’ll be out for a week, which unfortunately means he may miss the next two matches.
Wednesday, 29 August 2012
Day 137
We’re expected to beat Bath pretty comfortably away from home tomorrow. It’s important that we win, I think, after the disappointment in the FA Cup against Crewe last time out.
The journalists at the pre-match press conference really got on my goat today. They kept asking for my opinion on how other teams would fare in their matches this week, pressing me for a response when I told them it wasn’t my place to make predictions. I gave them their headline, though, stating that I think we’ll win the league this season.
I’m actually not so confident. But I think we’re a great chance for it, and we’re setting the pace, so it’s time to put out a challenge to the other managers: pick up and keep up, or be left in our dust. If we’re still top at Christmas, then I’ll be confident. But a lot could happen in the meantime, so it’s just big talk for now.
The journalists at the pre-match press conference really got on my goat today. They kept asking for my opinion on how other teams would fare in their matches this week, pressing me for a response when I told them it wasn’t my place to make predictions. I gave them their headline, though, stating that I think we’ll win the league this season.
I’m actually not so confident. But I think we’re a great chance for it, and we’re setting the pace, so it’s time to put out a challenge to the other managers: pick up and keep up, or be left in our dust. If we’re still top at Christmas, then I’ll be confident. But a lot could happen in the meantime, so it’s just big talk for now.
Tuesday, 28 August 2012
Day 136
As expected, Alloa rejected my exchange offer for Paul Hartley. I switched out Richard Pacquette for Tony Sinclair and resubmitted the offer. They’ll almost certainly turn it down, but I want to try anyway.
The free transfer and loan transfer deadlines have now closed. That’s it, then—we’re stuck with the current bunch until January, with a couple of them finishing up their loan deals in December.
The free transfer and loan transfer deadlines have now closed. That’s it, then—we’re stuck with the current bunch until January, with a couple of them finishing up their loan deals in December.
Monday, 27 August 2012
Day 135
Alloa refused my offer to trade Richard Pacquette for Paul Hartley. No surprises there. I added Danny Lloyd-McGoldrick to the sweeten the deal, but I expect they’ll turn that down too.
We’re still roughly £1,500 over the weekly wage budget. If I could get rid of the players I don’t want, we’d fall under budget. Platt, Sinclair, Nicolau, Pacquette, Rodney, and Lloyd-McGoldrick together earn £2,900 a week. And they’re the players I want to sell. Why doesn’t anybody want them? I don’t even care if they go on free transfers. I just don’t want to terminate their contracts (unless they become a disruptive influence, in which case I’ll bite the bullet and do it).
Do other managers have this much trouble offloading players?
We’re still roughly £1,500 over the weekly wage budget. If I could get rid of the players I don’t want, we’d fall under budget. Platt, Sinclair, Nicolau, Pacquette, Rodney, and Lloyd-McGoldrick together earn £2,900 a week. And they’re the players I want to sell. Why doesn’t anybody want them? I don’t even care if they go on free transfers. I just don’t want to terminate their contracts (unless they become a disruptive influence, in which case I’ll bite the bullet and do it).
Do other managers have this much trouble offloading players?
Sunday, 26 August 2012
Day 134
I did some looking ahead. We have six league games before Christmas, along with one cup game (the FA Trophy First Round), plus two more before the new year. That’s nine games over the next 46 days (and ten over the next 49, since there’s another game on the 2nd of January). It’s more than a game a week, but not a brutal schedule by any means.
There’s a strong likelihood that I’ll be able to field a near full-strength side in every one of those matches. A couple of players may get burnt out and need a rest, but there’s enough of a buffer for them to recover. And we’ve got enough depth that I can do light rotation—Laurent, Russell, Atkinson, Power, Nutter, Kanouté, Watson, Anyon, Taylor, and Smith are all second or third choice and all capable of playing regular Conference football. In fact, I expect Laurent, Russell, Nutter, and Kanouté to push for a spot in my first-choice eleven over the next six weeks.
It’ll be a crucial period. If we do well, we’re set for promotion. If we do badly, we’re back in the mix with the other playoff challengers. And if we fall somewhere in between, with middling performances and so-so results, we could give Mansfield a clear run at the title.
There’s a strong likelihood that I’ll be able to field a near full-strength side in every one of those matches. A couple of players may get burnt out and need a rest, but there’s enough of a buffer for them to recover. And we’ve got enough depth that I can do light rotation—Laurent, Russell, Atkinson, Power, Nutter, Kanouté, Watson, Anyon, Taylor, and Smith are all second or third choice and all capable of playing regular Conference football. In fact, I expect Laurent, Russell, Nutter, and Kanouté to push for a spot in my first-choice eleven over the next six weeks.
It’ll be a crucial period. If we do well, we’re set for promotion. If we do badly, we’re back in the mix with the other playoff challengers. And if we fall somewhere in between, with middling performances and so-so results, we could give Mansfield a clear run at the title.
Saturday, 25 August 2012
Day 133
I got a scout report on Alloa player/manager Paul Hartley. He’s a former Scottish international, and a brilliant player, but he’s lost all his speed. I’m tempted to get him so that he can just walk around the centre circle directing the play. I can’t get past that rating of 4/20 for pace, though, especially when he has 6/20 for acceleration and stamina.
I offered to trade him for Pacquette. I doubt Alloa will accept. I still need to get the wage bill down, so I’d love to trade Pacquette for someone who could actually be of use during the second half of the season.
I offered to trade him for Pacquette. I doubt Alloa will accept. I still need to get the wage bill down, so I’d love to trade Pacquette for someone who could actually be of use during the second half of the season.
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