Midweek Memoirs of Mr Bodell

After another abject display at the weekend, you have to say that if it wasn`t for the fact no-one appears to want to go up, we`d be dead and buried in terms of promotion chances. As it is, it`s going to be hard, and the way we`re playing, a trip to West Brom without Eustace is looking decidedly worrying.

So, the last week…

How must Jay DeMerit feel? The lad is meant to be 'club captain` but this seems to mean very little as John Eustace, Richard Lee and Darius Henderson have all been picked ahead of him as captain since his return. It`s unfortunate that he got injured such a short time into his tenure as skipper, but to have come back and seen others picked ahead of him can`t have done him much good. I can see the sense in Darius getting the armband against Plymouth after two penalty misses, but I don`t think Richard Lee is much of a captain, as a goalkeeper that is. With Henderson and Eustace both suspended, DeMerit should finally re-claim the armband on Saturday.

Does continuity mean anything to Aidy?

It`s about time that John Joe O`Toole was dropped. Aidy`s been quick to drop players who haven`t done well this season [and in the past], and another poor performance from the young man confirmed to me that we need Bangura alongside Lee Williamson, especially as Bangura is a similar player to John Eustace.

What is the point of friendlies? Capello calls up the likes of Agbonlahor and Wheater before dropping them! Friendlies are meaningless games which should be used to try out new tactics, systems, formations and players, I.E the uncapped Agbonlahor and Wheater instead of Gerrard, Ferdinand and Beckham…

Give Becks his 100th cap. I was dead against Beckham winning his 100th cap on sentiment, but I`ve decided, ten minutes again the Frogs wont hurt him and indeed in the long term it will do England the world of good because it can be over with. People say let him win it on merit, but playing in such a pathetic league, he can`t. Let`s move forward, he wasn`t the player he was and it`s now Bentley time!

Respect the ref. Well the respect for referees initiative lasted a long time eh Mr Mascherano. The bit that really gets me is that he has today come out and said he doesn`t understand why he was sent off! Talk about thick; no wonder they say footballers aren`t all that sharp! He should have worked out though after the Ashley Cole debacle in midweek, it would have been incredibly unwise to have tested the referee`s patients a few days later.

Petty F.A
I presume that Javier Mascherano will be putting his feet up for two extra weeks after taking so long to leave the field of play on Sunday? What`s that, you doubt it? So do I. Little club syndrome strikes again, Mascherano took a lot longer than Eustace`s 63 seconds yet I doubt he will suffer an extra two matches.

Keep the faith,

Tom Bodell