TODAYS GAMES

So we move down to the last 6 matches after todays games and it really is the tasty part of the season where games start to become MUST WIN games and todays match taken in the perspective of finishing in the automatics really is a must win game as defeat is going to leave us five points behind Oxford (who don't play) with the worst case scenario of Plymouth being 6 points ahead and Accrington 5 points ahead. If Portsmouth win it will leave them only 2 points behind us with a game in hand!

In all honesty the automatics is now pretty well down to 2 out of the 5 (Oxford,Plymouth,Accrington,US and Portsmouth) so a win for us today will really put pressure on all the others to win their games. It is quite likely that Plymouth,Accrington and Portsmouth will win their games and a win for us will really start to put the pressure on Oxford as the gap could be down to 2 points.

The interesting thing about all of our rivals todays is that they are all playing teams who defeat will pretty well make them all underdogs for the Play Offs-Exeter,Cambridge and Carlisle are all pretty well down to last chance saloon to put the pressure on Wycombe for the last Play Off spot so that is worth looking out for especially if we are winning!!

The importance of winning todays game is also because it will reduce the pressure on needing a victory at Northampton next week.and depending on todays results if Northampton win today it would mean that a victory for them next week could mean they clinch the Championship or at the very least promotion. Okay we know they ARE going to clinch both but the chance to do that next week will no doubt add pressure and the way they approach the game.

With all this in mind it will be interesting to see how Darrell sets the team up today. Dc has been stressing (rightly so) the poor defending of his team last game and there is no doubt Tom Lockyer will return in defence which will mean one of Parkes, McCrystal or James Clarke being left out but his use of defending of the Team is also a criticism of the midfield department where Lines, Ollie Clarke and Lawrence would have all come out of the Carlisle game with their defensive roles being questioned. The early substitution of Ollie Clarke I think will guarantee he is on the bench today. There is then the small matter of one Daniel Leadbitter surprisingly left out of the starting eleven after perhaps his best defensive performance in the game before. I would not be surprised to see him return at full back which would leave James Clarke,Parkes and McCrystal going for either 1 place in a back four or two places in a back three. After watching the Goals back against Carlisle I think I was over generous with my marking of Parkes and he and McCrystal were both poor on the goals conceded. It could almost be a case of playing James Clarke and Lockyer together but as DC has not done this at all I think it unlikely and he will choose between Parkes and McCrystal probably going for McCrystal to mark Harrold as although Parkes would be more obvious due to his size DC does seem to favour McCrystal against the big men ie Forest green in the Play Offs last year. Of course he may alleviate that problem by playing the three centre halves-I hope not as I feel we should use an attacking formation at home.

So on to midfield. I get the feeling from DC's interview that both Sinclair and Mansell will continue to miss out so that leaves Ollie Clarke, Lawrence, Lines, Montano, Bodin and the very impressive Easter going for the 4 positions or even include Leadbitter in that equation if he goes for the middle 5. After the impressive performance of Easter I think most Managers would give him a start today but this is DC we are talking about and I would say he is the most difficult Manager to predict team selection in all my 50 years of watching the Gas. The key decision could be whether he plays Montano who for me has been the most impressive and key player up until Carlisle and this decision could also influence the position of Bodin. Surely he will play Bodin who has scored in both the last games.

Up front I would fully expect the Gaffney/Taylor partnership to continue although he may consider McBurnie for Gaffney today but I doubt it.
With all this in mind dare I come up with a team !

Well I am going to waste my time and come up with.




                                Mildenhall

Leadbitter Lockyer Parkes Brown

Bodin Lines Lawrence Montano

Gaffney Taylor

Subs McCrystal J Clarke, Easter, McBurnie,Harrison,O Clarke,Puddy

Anyway lets get behind whatever team he selects and cheer the lads on to a very important Victory and see how the other results go and where that takes us. Its going to be a nail breaking but hopefully not a heart breaking last 7 games but remember to get in the Play Offs is a commendable achievement and we are all but there. UTG