18th Jan match thread

[Crewelad87]

Seeing as it's Friday and we have no individual match threads let's have a combined one for this weekend.

Bradford v Scunthorpe
Cambridge v Stevenage
Colchester v Macclesfield
Crewe v Cheltenham
Forest Green v Salford
Grimsby v Exeter
Newport v Swindon
Northampton v Morecambe
Oldham v Carlisle
Plymouth v Mansfield
Port Vale v Orient
Walsall v Crawley

In general it looks a good week for the club's towards the top, most have very winnable fixtures, only Crewe and Cheltenham play each other. Whereas at the bottom it's predictably the other way round, tough away games for both Morecambe and Macc, Stevenage may fancy getting something at Cambridge though.

 

[valefan16]

Big game for us with the top 2 up after we really need to win this against Orient, was a cracker of a game at their place but hoping for a tighter defensive showing from us and a huge reaction to Tuesday's shocker!

Interesting to see how we line up for this after that performance and if he is tempted to go Cullen and Bennett in a two man forward line.

 

[NolansOrient]

As everyone on here knows, despite recently losing to $alford and Morecambe (lol), Port Vale have 14 of the best players in the league so we don't really have a chance.

That said, we've finally managed to offload James Alabi after nearly 2 years, so we're taking baby steps in the right direction.

1 - 1 (Wilkinson).

 

[LeonTheGreen]

Could be a banana skin game tomorrow. Mansfield have underachieved this season but they’ve got some very dangerous players going forwards. I expect us to have the majority of possession, hopefully young Luke Jephcott can add to his 4 goals in 2 games

 

[valefan16]

As everyone on here knows, despite recently losing to $alford and Morecambe (lol), Port Vale have 14 of the best players in the league so we don't really have a chance.

That said, we've finally managed to offload James Alabi after nearly 2 years, so we're taking baby steps in the right direction.

1 - 1 (Wilkinson).

Not sure where anyone has said that? We are pretty much where we should be at the moment. We can't beat the strugglers though so a draw is probably a good bet.

 

[PlymouthCasual]

Actually relatively confident and expecting a win tomorrow so in true Argyle fashion we will lose 2-1 I rekon.

 

[shoddycollins]

Oldham fans planning a boycott in their game with us. Fingers crossed it negatively affects their players.

 

[Crewelad87]

Cheltenham at home. They've picked back up in recent weeks so it will be a tough, tight game. Hopefully now we've brought in a defender Wintle can go back to where and what he's been best at in midfield.

I'd go for

Jaaskelainen

Ng Nottingham Hunt Pickering

Lowery Wintle Ainley

Powell Anene Kirk

Crewe 2-1 Cheltenham (Powell, Anene, May) 4,755 (380 Cheltenham)

 

[Jigsaw]

Not sure where anyone has said that? We are pretty much where we should be at the moment. We can't beat the strugglers though so a draw is probably a good bet.

Can't remember which thread it was in but one Vale fan claimed David Worrall is the best winger in the league, Jake Taylor is the midfielder in the league and Scott Brown is the best keeper in the league.

Can't disagree that all are very decent at this level but I think his comments rubbed a few people the wrong way.

 

[Agombar stool]

Newport away on a quagmire of a pitch which isn't going to be helped by a rugby match on it tonight!

Not sure we're allowed to mention it as it seems to wind up Bradford fans, but apparently Paul Caddis got injured in training this week and will be a big miss. We have signed REG (can't remember his full name!) from Huddersfield on loan and apparently can play anywhere across the back so may slot in. Broadbent who is our strongest, most physical player did well against Crewe and will be a key player for Saturday.

Team news will be important here, unusual but I fancy a 2-0 win. We played some great football on an awful surface at RP last season, and I think we may do the same. Need to build on the great win last weekend and continue to put points on the board.

 

[shoddycollins]

Not sure we're allowed to mention it as it seems to wind up Bradford fans, but

You could insert literally anything into that sentence and it would still be true

 

[valefan16]

Can't remember which thread it was in but one Vale fan claimed David Worrall is the best winger in the league, Jake Taylor is the midfielder in the league and Scott Brown is the best keeper in the league.

Can't disagree that all are very decent at this level but I think his comments rubbed a few people the wrong way.

Woz had the best XAG or whatever its called in the league so was statistically the best at the time (think Adams has overtaken him now) as the most accurate crosser, them two miles ahead but that how much you look into the XG/XAG etc stuff. (Think i mentioned Woz)

Scott is one of the best (single handedly kept us up) but a few keepers are decent in this league, McKeown is outstanding every time I have seen him but harder to judge other players in comparison as you only see them once or twice... the Morecambe reserve keeper Halstead was like Gordon Banks against us last season for example! Might be shit most weeks I have no idea!

Jake is young, has potential to be a top player but that won't be with us, hence Forest now wont sell him to us and will only extend the loan, imagine he is one of the best "young players" and 7 goals from midfield in his debut half a season in mens football but still has a lot to learn.

 

[Buxton Vale]

Finally, a home game after 4 consecutive away games, and one we need to win. I'm not expecting a repeat of the 3-3 earlier in the season, and having Taylor out won't help, but if we can edge a 2-1 I would be happy. I don't see any new players coming in today, so the regular suspects need to put a shift in.

 

[The_Boss]

Concerned a big loss coming our way tomorrow. We've got a tough run of Colchester A, Crewe H, FGR H, Newport A and Northampton H now so a baptism of fire for Kennedy.

 

[valefan16]

Finally, a home game after 4 consecutive away games, and one we need to win. I'm not expecting a repeat of the 3-3 earlier in the season, and having Taylor out won't help, but if we can edge a 2-1 I would be happy. I don't see any new players coming in today, so the regular suspects need to put a shift in.

The Orient game probably summed our season up! We absolutely battered them first half and at half time I am thinking we could get 5 or 6 here... then we were pretty terrible second half... still managed to score a late "winner" with Taylor's stunner then only to concede in the 94th minute!

If we could just put two halves together for once that would be nice! Cant remember the lads' name but their full back was absolutely dire!

 

[Chris FGR]

We're playing Salford at a bad time given how they've suddenly decided to go for it.

 

[LS Bantam]

You could insert literally anything into that sentence and it would still be true

I am wound up by this.

 

[Deepcut Cobbler]

We're playing Salford at a bad time given how they've suddenly decided to go for it.

Until last week...

 

[Si Robin]

Cheltenham at home. They've picked back up in recent weeks so it will be a tough, tight game. Hopefully now we've brought in a defender Wintle can go back to where and what he's been best at in midfield.

I'd go for

Jaaskelainen

Ng Nottingham Hunt Pickering

Lowery Wintle Ainley

Powell Anene Kirk

Crewe 2-1 Cheltenham (Powell, Anene, May) 4,755 (380 Cheltenham)

We may well be draw specialists, but I'd absolutely snap your hands off for a draw now.

We had a bit of a blip, but only lost two league games in that time, so I see no reason why we can't frustrate Crewe.

That being said, Crewe were majorly unlucky at Whaddon Road earlier this season and are the second best team I've seen us play (behind Swindon who will never win at Whaddon Road, regardless of how amazing they are).

I'll go 1-1. Team to be the same as last week's, only with Luke Varney on the bench.

 

[Indian Dan]

We’re just ticking over until the inevitable return of the Ginger Pele!

Donaldson is nearly fit, so he’ll be an automatic starter and then Doyle will be offloaded to us.

You heard it here first!

 

[hellogregory]

2 big games for us coming up. Oldham away tomorrow which I'm going to and Walsall at home next week. Really need to be taking 6 points from these 2 given we have the likes of Swindon, Forest Green and Cheltenham in the not too distant future, but we'll be lucky if we get a point from them.

I'd expect Oldham with Danny Rowe will be looking at our pathetic defence and seeing a great opportunity to really get a confidence boosting 3 or 4 goal victory.

Despite playing quite well (by our standards) against Cardiff on Wednesday we still conceded 4 goals, and bad goals at that. I do not trust this team to build on the good things we did on Wednesday that's why I'm fully expecting a comfortable Oldham win.

 

[HutchECFC]

Grimsby away.. Will take a point at the moment to be honest. They seemed to have started to turn the corner now Ollie is in charge. Just win the home games, draw the away ones. Sorted.

 

[Vanni]

You can all thank me later, or buy us a pint or whatever, but Boro at 16/5 is good value imo. Just the one win in six games (and that was a barely deserved 1-0 win over Morecambe) and it's going to be another make shift side with round pegs in square holes.

I'm still hopeful of picking up a point, but Morecambe win's over Vale means they're now 3 points better off Boro so the latter have got to start picking up wins asap and we're very charitable when coming up against any struggling side. Just ask Macc (a 9 game winless run), Walsall (6 defeats on the trot) and Mansfield (8 games w/o a win).

 

[valefan16]

You can all thank me later, or buy us a pint or whatever, but Boro at 16/5 is good value imo. Just the one win in six games (and that was a barely deserved 1-0 win over Morecambe) and it's going to be another make shift side with round pegs in square holes.

I'm still hopeful of picking up a point, but Morecambe win's over Vale means they're now 3 points better off Boro so the latter have got to start picking up wins asap and we're very charitable when coming up against any struggling side. Just ask Macc (a 9 game winless run), Walsall (6 defeats on the trot) and Mansfield (8 games w/o a win).

Stevanage just have zero up front. Morecambe all be it aided by our lack lustre efforts played some good stuff and had more about them. You’ll get at least a 0-0 and one goal for you probably wins the game.

 

[darren gregory]

Usually play crap against the shitter teams, so 1-1 it is.

 

[AdamStag]

Could be a banana skin game tomorrow. Mansfield have underachieved this season but they’ve got some very dangerous players going forwards. I expect us to have the majority of possession, hopefully young Luke Jephcott can add to his 4 goals in 2 games

Plymouth never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever fail to beat mansfield.

Added to the fact we’re wank and you’re basically halfway to Spain, may as well just not bother, I’m so confident I’ve put £30 on Plymouth at evens - which I also don’t understand.

 

[denzel ecfc]

Grimsby are a bit of a bogey side and have been signing players for fun this week. Not confident. Take a point.

 

[The Terminator]

We are still very much in a state, despite our players putting the shifts in - We're still not really looking like winning games, we do struggle alot more at home than away from home.

Hopefully Lawrence Vigouroux will be able to play along with Ouss Cisse, we needed proven experience at this level - Which we're now slowly getting it seems.

Up front Lee Angol is not getting much support either - Big Criticism of how Ross Embleton has used him in this way.

We don't keep clean sheets, we always look likely to concede but we do still cause teams problems when we have the ball.

Port Vale isn't a happy hunting ground for us it has to be said.

 

[PaulHaddock]

People are far too optimistic at this point. We’re picking up better results but we’re not actually playing that good. Hopefully the new players and Hanson returning can resolve that. Exeter win.

 

[Greenacres]

We're playing Salford at a bad time given how they've suddenly decided to go for it.

Very true, signing Andrade is a bit of a coup for them.

For me tomorrow is about remembering and paying respects to Chris Barker...hopefully that and the rest of the day won't be ruined by the small element of the South Stand who have taken on the role of atmosphere contraceptives.