1st Matches of 2021-22 Season: 7th August 2021

[FGR Stroud]

Thread moved to main forum by public demand.
At this time of season, good luck to all teams in EFL2.

 

[kieran_vale]

Got no idea what to expect with Vale as a large part of the team has changed. I think we look more athletic than the ageing team we were putting out last season but it will take a while to all come together. Seen various previews having us anywhere from 12th to 4th and honestly all of them are solid arguments to make.

I’ll be interested in how Rodney and Wilson develop their partnership up front. Wilson seems to like dropping deep and Rodney is a very instinctive player also. Sometimes he doesn’t even know what he’s doing so not sure what chance anyone else has.

 

[Casey]

Feel a bit sorry for Hartlepool. Finally get back into the football league and their first match they have to cope with the teeming hordes travelling from Crawley.

Looking at those odds I think they don't know what to make of the two teams. Nearly evens for a home win and just about 2-1 for an away (though I've never heard of 23/10 before) says we don't know so we're playing it safe.

Casey

 

[shoddycollins]

We may or may not win. I will base my prediction for the rest of the season on that.

 

[Agombar stool]

We may or may not win. I will base my prediction for the rest of the season on that.

Sounds like a sensible idea. I might steal that one.

 

[Soup Ladle]

Well gents it's a pleasure to contribute to a matchday thread on this section.

Here we are back in the football league eh? I never thought I'd see the day, let alone in 4 years which isn't a long time compared to some. We've been through the shitpit down there, narrowly not going pop, lots of (even) shitter players and teams than we'd had before, soul destroying results againsy sides you'd never heard of. The standard punishment ex league clubs get. Ashton Gate was dreamland, still watch the pens over and over and the scenes. Fucking class.

After a while before it all sank in, we realised oh fuck were playing Crawley in a month, no players, no pre season, kit or owt. Sign whoever you can DC, there's not much money. Yep it's been a shite pre season, loads of momentum squandered but we have a team to put out at least.

No idea the crowd but hope it'll be decent. No idea on the result either, don't know what's been going on here last few years. A home win would be just the ticket after a difficult 6 weeks or so and would give us a huge boost. Bookies have it right, I'd take a draw.

Whatever happens I'll enjoy tuning into a Pools football league game again.

 

[BarraMatt]

No idea what could happen in ours. Pre season results have been average to say the least and the fact we've been moving around places to train has hardly been ideal preparation, something that Cooper seems pissed off about.

Zanzala is out and with Quigley's loss we are short of firepower, Josh Gordon and Luke James had about 9 goals between them in 70 odd games last season.

If we get a result it'll be a boring 1-1, 0-0 and would probably have to keep a clean sheet to win.

 

[BarraMatt]

Oh, and we don't have a full time head physio to help with these injuries we've picked up. We only have one helping out in the short term.

 

[RiftHouseLad]

Well gents it's a pleasure to contribute to a matchday thread on this section.

Here we are back in the football league eh? I never thought I'd see the day, let alone in 4 years which isn't a long time compared to some. We've been through the shitpit down there, narrowly not going pop, lots of (even) shitter players and teams than we'd had before, soul destroying results againsy sides you'd never heard of. The standard punishment ex league clubs get. Ashton Gate was dreamland, still watch the pens over and over and the scenes. Fucking class.

After a while before it all sank in, we realised oh fuck were playing Crawley in a month, no players, no pre season, kit or owt. Sign whoever you can DC, there's not much money. Yep it's been a shite pre season, loads of momentum squandered but we have a team to put out at least.

No idea the crowd but hope it'll be decent. No idea on the result either, don't know what's been going on here last few years. A home win would be just the ticket after a difficult 6 weeks or so and would give us a huge boost. Bookies have it right, I'd take a draw.

Whatever happens I'll enjoy tuning into a Pools football league game again.

Just about sums things up.

no disrepect to creepy creepy, but i think they are a mid table club.
so seeing as we are well behind others, it could have been a far more
Difficult match.
Could have been Bradford at home, looking forward to that one.
Think we,ll have a half decent crowd considering.
Not forgetting creepy are bringing a coach load.
Safe journey.

 

[EricSabin]

What’s the moment you’ll feel like you’re actually ‘back’ at the football?

For me it’s either gonna be walking into the pub at the ground and ordering at the bar, or the PA announcer at 14:58 saying ‘Port Vale, and….NORTHAMPTON TOWNNNNN’ and the first strains of the liquidator starting up over the tannoy

 

[valefan16]

Tricky game although we’ve had a couple of decent results at Sixfields in recent seasons with the come back with ten men and the aerial bombardment we weathered and nabbed last time.

As mentioned huge changes at Vale, big money spent and some experienced names in but might not click straight away with the amount we’ve changed the squad this summer.

Not really seen much about Northampton this summer having come down so not sure what to expect really.

We haven’t been beaten in 17 years on the opening day, the longest in English football currently so would be nice to keep that going.

Feel it will be a low scoring draw. James Wilson for us.

 

[kieran_vale]

Tricky game although we’ve had a couple of decent results at Sixfields in recent seasons with the come back with ten men and the aerial bombardment we weathered and nabbed last time.

As mentioned huge changes at Vale, big money spent and some experienced names in but might not click straight away with the amount we’ve changed the squad this summer.

Not really seen much about Northampton this summer having come down so not sure what to expect really.

We haven’t been beaten in 17 years on the opening day, the longest in English football currently so would be nice to keep that going.

Feel it will be a low scoring draw. James Wilson for us.

Lets be honest we all know the drill with Vale. Different team but if we are not 3-0 up within 20 minutes there will be the usual suspects coming out with “<insert latest scapegoat> is shit”, “sack the manager” or my personal favourite “Carol is more interested in feeding the poor than Vale winning”.

I hope people understand as you rightly say it’s going to be a bumpy start in some form or other. It always will be with this turnover.

 

[EricSabin]

Tricky game although we’ve had a couple of decent results at Sixfields in recent seasons with the come back with ten men and the aerial bombardment we weathered and nabbed last time.

As mentioned huge changes at Vale, big money spent and some experienced names in but might not click straight away with the amount we’ve changed the squad this summer.

Not really seen much about Northampton this summer having come down so not sure what to expect really.

We haven’t been beaten in 17 years on the opening day, the longest in English football currently so would be nice to keep that going.

Feel it will be a low scoring draw. James Wilson for us.

Quietly I think we’ve put together a decent side but I’m not sure whether we’ll score enough goals

Looking forward to it though, loads in the away end and a bit of needle. Let’s hope for an entertaining game and maybe a shit ref to get the juices flowing

 

[Huntsman94]

Walsall on Saturday will be a good test. We’ve had a good pre season which does good things for the confidence but can’t read into it much in terms of how we’ll fare this season!

We look really solid at the back but up front have struggled a bit. I’m sure we’ll get a new number 9 in before the window close but can’t see that happening before Saturday. Hopefully we’re able to run Monthe ragged though!

Don’t know what to expect from Walsall but expect it to be a difficult game. Last season they were by far the best team to come to Prenton Park but hopefully we get the better of them this weekend. I’ll predict a 1-1 draw.

 

[Robshep]

Quietly I think we’ve put together a decent side but I’m not sure whether we’ll score enough goals

Looking forward to it though, loads in the away end and a bit of needle. Let’s hope for an entertaining game and maybe a shit ref to get the juices flowing

That seems to be the main worry for most clubs supporters on here. Goals.

 

[EricSabin]

That seems to be the main worry for most clubs supporters on here. Goals.

Indeed. Easy to say we need a 20 goal a season striker but realistically how many are available/attainable

One workaround is attempting to strike it lucky with a champ/prem youngster but how often does that work

 

[kieran_vale]

It’s great to have like we did with Pope in our promotion season but it isn’t completely necessary either I think. Cheltenham from last season their top scorer didn’t get double figures if I remember rightly. Would prefer share them round the team to be honest as otherwise it’s a dangerous game relying on just one player.

Expect it will be a good atmosphere at Sixfields on Saturday. Reckon by Tuesday at the latest we’ll have sold the 1300 or so allocation.

 

[Boz]

Walsall on Saturday will be a good test. We’ve had a good pre season which does good things for the confidence but can’t read into it much in terms of how we’ll fare this season!

We look really solid at the back but up front have struggled a bit. I’m sure we’ll get a new number 9 in before the window close but can’t see that happening before Saturday. Hopefully we’re able to run Monthe ragged though!

Don’t know what to expect from Walsall but expect it to be a difficult game. Last season they were by far the best team to come to Prenton Park but hopefully we get the better of them this weekend. I’ll predict a 1-1 draw.

That seems to be the main worry for most clubs supporters on here. Goals.

Agree with both of you. The Saddlers have a new manager and like Rovers a much changed team, but don't think a Manny Monthe=Ash Taylor pairing at the back is a recipe for clean sheets. Manny's distribution has always been the weakest part of his game and sounds like Ash has become as bad. However, unsure Rovers have the fire-power to take advantage. A draw would be an improvement on last season. so would settle for that.

 

[RLC]

Agree with both of you. The Saddlers have a new manager and like Rovers a much changed team, but don't think a Manny Monthe=Ash Taylor pairing at the back is a recipe for clean sheets. Manny's distribution has always been the weakest part of his game and sounds like Ash has become as bad. However, unsure Rovers have the fire-power to take advantage. A draw would be an improvement on last season. so would settle for that.

Generally agree, but I think we might get a narrow victory. We have looked pretty sharp in pre-season and actually created quite a few chances against Burnley on Saturday.

You can definitely get at a Taylor-Monthe pairing, which does not look watertight at all. However, Labadie will be his usual self in midfield, and I think Connor Wilkinson is a very good player, one that I would not have minded coming to Prenton Park.

It will be interesting to see whether we have any new recruits in the week ahead.

 

[Robshep]

Agree with both of you. The Saddlers have a new manager and like Rovers a much changed team, but don't think a Manny Monthe=Ash Taylor pairing at the back is a recipe for clean sheets. Manny's distribution has always been the weakest part of his game and sounds like Ash has become as bad. However, unsure Rovers have the fire-power to take advantage. A draw would be an improvement on last season. so would settle for that.

Having not been near Prenton Park since February 2020 i will not have a clue what to do. Much like our team in the last in the last 3 months of last season.
At least we now have a posh place to drink from November. Until us lot get in there anyway.

 

[Boz]

Generally agree, but I think we might get a narrow victory. We have looked pretty sharp in pre-season and actually created quite a few chances against Burnley on Saturday.

You can definitely get at a Taylor-Monthe pairing, which does not look watertight at all. However, Labadie will be his usual self in midfield, and I think Connor Wilkinson is a very good player, one that I would not have minded coming to Prenton Park.

It will be interesting to see whether we have any new recruits in the week ahead.

Broadly agree, certainly capable of winning if things fall our way. Apart from Duffy, whose been a triallist for weeks, can’t see any new signings going straight into the first xi, even the elusive proven striker due to lack of match-fitness.

 

[Moomin]

We’ve got injury doubts for 3 key players ahead of Saturday’s game: Alex Hartridge in defence, Archie Collins in midfield and Matt Jay in attack, which is annoying to say the least! Jay might make it but Collins looks to be struggling badly after a knee injury yesterday.

Bradford will be tough opponents and I see them as a top 3 team under Adams. I’d be fine with a draw.

 

[JaredSUFC]

I didn’t think it was possible to get excited for a trip to Forest Green but I’m excited.

It’s a tough test for our first ever EFL game. Other than kind of watching the Brighton game whilst at work I’ve not seen us in pre-season so I can’t judge our performances. We do have the spine of our title winning team so hopefully we can make a decent start

 

[E10rifle]

Bookies not fancying us much. Hopefully we’ll shithouse a draw against the run of play.

 

[Indian Dan]

Just glad to have the club back and heading in the right direction - off the pitch, anyway. Not sure how long the euphoria of Power leaving will last before the short term memory moaners will be out if, as expected, we have a shaky first month.

The shit that’s coming out re last season is quite unbelievable. Manufactured relegation - target achieved via a complicit Sheridan. Hopefully, he and Power never get near a football club ever again.

 

[Bone Idle]

We start with 6 away games 4 in the league 1 in the efl cup and 1 in the micky mouse and finances dictate i can only go to 3 0f them, so i will give oldham a miss on saturday so i can go to ipswich on tuesday and then northampton and tranmere looking forward to it.

Good luck to everyone for the season unless your playing us that is


Oh and i hope the gods of football look down on you when you play salford and you batter the shite out of them.

 

[Conker]

Always important not to read much in to the opening game, should be a decent contest with a good crowd against Bristol Rovers.

Can’t lie it’s going to be nice not watching it on iFollow!

 

[Sydney Posse]

Absolutely no idea. Bradford are tipped as they always seem to be, we’ve got some promising new players but also some key injuries apparently. Our new man Nombe up front looks the business but I suspect there’s some gelling to be done before we get going. Would definitely take a point from this one

 

[Indian Dan]

Going to be a decent league this season, I reckon. Maybe some of the ‘nearly’ clubs have had their chances recently and will slip back and some of the under achievers will come to the fore.

Bring it on!

 

[Chris FGR]

Bit of a banana skin, never easy playing a team that's just come up plus we seem to have quite a few knocks, couldn't pick our strongest xi in any of the friendlies. Will be good to see Omar again, top lad and decent player.