Mark - you jinxed it 🤪😬

Wigan winning.

Really need Luton to help us out today

I guess Amazon Prime grabbed Newcastle v Q to show next week and may now be regretting it.

Nkeng is the new Sasu, only luckily significantly more skilled. Suddenly everything is about him and the team needs to be built round him. He's young, he's exciting but he is very inexperienced, he needs a year in which to mature, learn about positioning in defence and attack and we'kk have a gem (to sell).

I’m kind of the opposite of that AIoW - I think* that the penalty rule should be overhauled to the point where only an infraction which stops a goal scoring opportunity should be a penalty. Including anywhere in the attacking half not just the 18 yard box. If the ball hits your arm accidentally while it’s nowhere near the goal then you shouldn’t be penalised with a mostly-certain goal.

I have the unpopular view that any ball hitting any part of the hand or arm it should be a penalty. Sure its harsh on some decisions but its decisive and beyond debate. As things stand there's the double jeopardy of it hitting the hand-ball zone and an interpretation that is neither a definitive decision that's universally agreed nor does reward or punish sides, that have home/large club/crowds biases as an official to surcombe to. soft or not, should equal out over a season, but 99% will be correct without having to interpret motive or shape of the offence

RK - that was a bad decision. Should never have been given.

Interesting pen in Newcastle game. Where could the defender put his arm if he was falling and facing away?

Thanks Trigg (for the 889 answer) 👍

The biggest problem is trying to find a system which accommodates both Browne and Nkeng - neither of whom should be on the pitch to defend. Maybe a 4-3-1-2. With Nkeng and Stevens (now Bugiel is injured) with Browne behind a more workman like midfield to help defend. Would allow Nkeng to drift wide and Browne to find the holes

Blackpool v Carlisle rescheduled for 3rd March

You not have someone like Nkeng on the pitch for him to defend. You accommodate someone like him. He lives by how he attacks. If you play a midfield three as we did then he helps cover the flank to allow Nkeng to attack. We were much better when we changed it to 3-4-3 which reduced Nkengs defensive responsibilities.

Mags has said Blackpool or Carlisle

Well done to our under 18’s who have won the Youth Alliance Cup southern final with a 3-1 win away at Luton Town to progress to the national final. Don’t know when that is or who we will play.

Looking at comments Cardiff fans were actually quite impressed with us and thought we were better than a lot of teams that have played them this season. Seen one or two say we were better than Luton. Talking about not just making it hard for them to play but also creating some decent moves and opportunities ourselves.

Seems like most L1 sides have an ex-Dons keeper these days! Can be confusing - watch the extended Barnsley highlights on the OS - commentator keeps confusing Bishop and Goodman! Very odd,

Oops, posted the link twice

They won. Will meet Blackpool or Carlisle u18’s in the final. [Link] [Link]

When I saw Nathan Trott I thought we'd have a sniff at goal last night

Come on the youth.

U18’s are 3-1 up vs Luton in the final of the youth alliance cup (southern half) [Link]

Their third was like a dagger to the heart for us. Despite the miss after their 2nd for us, I think that had the third no gone in and we'd have made more of a game of it. Good performance by and large, thought we need more of this type of set up in coming weeks. My only negative was Nkeng's lack of tracking back commitment, ie needs to show more urgency, that's my view. Definitely better going forward, but he's raw and that's inexperience for you.

Just seen Stevens' goal again - it was a very good connection

Yeah it was a real shame the final score because we’d been so much better than I was expecting in the first half. We came out in the second half seemingly unable to replicate the same performance - we did have a fairly intense game on Saturday at Barnsley - but it didn’t feel like a four-goal game.