3 minutes ago, Guitar Ray said:

I’m not writing Covolan off but we’ve got 2 keepers.  Stone came on and played well.  He’s got the shirt now and it’s his to lose.  Hopefully Stone will be playing well enough that Covolan has to wait a long time before he gets chance “to make it up”.  That’s how competition for places works isn’t it?

It will be interesting to see what Clarke does on Tuesday.  Does he play Covolan or does he pick Stone and add at least an extra match to Covolan's ban??

DC said it might be a disappointing start to the season and so it proved. Even at this early stage he has a lot of questions to ask, notably how to get our 352 formation working. It took the last squad a long time to get used to it and we may have the same with our new one. It's difficult to defend, more easily exploited by the opposition, and harder to use as a platform for attack unless you have a centre back who can bring the ball out with confidence. It will take a while if he sticks with it.

Personally, I don't like it and he may change it when Gibbo comes back if he wants to get the best out of our players. Gibbo and Wozza, two of our most threatening players, need to play together. With three at the back, that implies 343 with Gibbo wide right, Benning on the left and Wozza up top on the right of Wilson/Proctor and Rodney left; that in turn, though, means leaving out either Walker or Pett and DC may not wish to go with just two central midfielders. So the alternative would be 433 with Gibbo and Benning as proper fullbacks and Walker, Pett and Conlon in the middle. Otherwise, I don't see how he is going to accommodate both Gibbo and Wozza together.

Plenty of time to go but some difficult issues to resolve with so many new players. Patient is a virtue, as they say. Or, with the Vale, a blinking necessity.

8 minutes ago, Jacko51 said:

It will be interesting to see what Clarke does on Tuesday.  Does he play Covolan or does he pick Stone and add at least an extra match to Covolan's ban??

I didn’t know we had a choice 

Benning, Stone and a win at home.

56 minutes ago, valiant_593 said:

I think he fits into a 433

                     Stone

Cass       Smith   Martin   Benning

       Conlon  Walker    Pett

Worrall         Wilson       Rodney 

Just dont see enough goals.

Walker Pett Worrall  10 or so between them

Conlan has to be magic again for 10  ?

That leaves Wilson  n  Rodney  for  25 to 30 both BIG questions ?

18 minutes ago, Santa said:

I didn’t know we had a choice 

I thought the ban would not apply in the Cup game because it’s a different competition but apparently it does so I was talking rubbish. 

40 minutes ago, Jacko51 said:

It will be interesting to see what Clarke does on Tuesday.  Does he play Covolan or does he pick Stone and add at least an extra match to Covolan's ban??

The goalkeeper picks himself for this one now.  It’ll be interesting to see what DC does with the team as a whole.  There’s a good argument for giving the same players another chance to gel, equally, certainly after today’s performance, there’s a case for tweaking it a bit, if only to give other players a run out.  Clarke may just change it for tactical reasons, as we know.

Who’s our third keeper? 

Who’s our third keeper? 

The young lad Collinge isn't it?

1 hour ago, PV1973 said:

Who’s our third keeper? 

Pope...oh wait 😂 (sorry couldn't resist)

First opening day loss for how long? Oh well. No need to panic only 2% of the season played. Onwards and upwards. 

Cobblers manager saying after the game that they targeted Covolan. Listen @ 1:48

 

Fine margins yesturday. Not great but neither were they. 

As a few people have already posted, I didn't think we were that bad yesterday. We weren't great either.
Overall I thought it was a poor game of football.
Clarke did try to warn us that his team's start slowly.

12 hours ago, Jacko51 said:

Whoever told you all that rubbish either hasn't been to the game or, like a lot of lads in the away end, spent his time watching the home fans rather than the game.  There was no lack of effort from the players at all.

I do think that will be one thing we do get under DC a team where on the day whatever the result the majority will give 100% effort,only my opinion of course