we missed Rene today

[Dukes]

Needed him up front, replacement Gash tried but needs time to blend into the team. However, he and probably the whole team would benefit from a standard 4-4-2 formation - sorry to sound like a record stuck in a groove.

Albeit that O'Connor would have put his chances away on another day, I still believe 4-3-3 does not suit us and I wonder how many other clubs in this division play this way?

Partisan as I am, I thought today we had a number of players head and shoulders above the opposition - Jamie Day and Alan Power being prime examples but the system failed them.

8 games without a win should be telling the coaching staff something....

PS - The best game I've seen Marcus Kelly play - shame about the colour of his shirt.

[BartonRaz]

Totally agree about Rene. He's simply not going to replaced either, unless Justin can unearth the next Charlie Austin.

The signing of Howe almost cushioned the blow of losing Tomlin, someone who was clearly too good for this level and could produce a moment of magic when it was so desperately needed - AFC Wimbledon for example. He would have had a field day today because the service in the second half was spot on.

Going to go against you (yet again) on the formation front, I thought that we won a lot of games last year purely because teams didn't know how to defend the 4-3-3, and we looked more dangerous with 3 up top today. Agreed that Day and Power were quality, Power inparticular, don't know where that performance came from. If he can keep that up and we can bring in this 'quality' midfielder (Byrne anyone?) that supposedly could have been signed before the Luton game, then Power, Porter and said midfielder all of a sudden look far more formidable than Power, Spence and Johnson.

As for Kelly, it's a shame we never knew he was a decent left back when we had such dross as Peter Hawkins and Paul Watson, not to mention the fact that we wasted 3/4 years (and a considerable amount of money in wages no doubt) trying to encourage Kelly to take his man on.

[HiHoRushden&Diamonds]

Agree with this, i think O'Connor playing off gash in a 4-4-2 would be much better than having O'Connor and Charles out of the game stuck out wide. Although i would take Howe over Gash without a shadow of a doubt.
Alan Power was inspired today, owned the pitch.

[Dukes]

Yes and I thought Corcs was out of position today - he's a defender not a holding mid-fielder, although he'll always do a job wherever the manager plays him.

[wewantourdarbyback]

I thought Corky played well today, tried to put himself about and ran our play in the first half when the rest of the team were out of ideas.

[DiamondsR4ever]

Yes and I thought Corcs was out of position today - he's a defender not a holding mid-fielder, although he'll always do a job wherever the manager plays him.

i disagree i thought he had a good game and him playing the holding mid role should strengthen the defense as well.

i also thought playing him there allowed Power to play a role further forward which resulted in probably his best performance in a diamonds shirt.

[Cotty]

Sorry to disagree but, much as I like the lad, I thought it was one of the worst performances I have seen from Corcs. The other player who should be mentioned for playing well, as he has done consistently since coming into the team, was Joe Day. Also thought Osano and Stuart looked better than of late. All we need is someone who can put the ball into the net instead of trying to walk it in - but that's been our problem for years.

[sheriff1993]

I have always said that we would like to see Corcoran playing as a holding midfielder because I think it would allow our other CM's like Power to push forward more, I think his passing was a bit off because there were several times when he needlessly gave away possession. On another day I think that it could work and I personally think that the formation we used against K*ttering would have been a better choice than the 4-2-4 we played against Luton (not that I went to that game though).

What we need now are a big centre back (Ollie Thorne if the speculation is correct), a Mark Byrne like midfielder (Power possibly after his performance last game?) and a goalscoring striker (Rene Howe maybe) or a player like Simeon Jackson/Billy Sharp - someone who gets in the box, is composed and scores regularly.

[Three of Diamonds]

We deffo need a striker that gets in the box, we seem to have too many that play around the edge but none straight in front of the goalposts. There was a delivery against K*ttering, but no one there. I'd like to see Sam Smith given the job, he's got all the attributes but seems to lack the experience.

[Dukes]

Agree with you 2ofD re Sam smith - but it seems a bit of a Catch 22 situation when he can only get experience by getting experience...