2020/21 General Match Thread

[That Fat Centre Half]

Pretty stop start game here, never got any rhythm going so far. Rochdale playing a very high line and squeezing the midfield space that we normally like to play in which is making things tricky as we dont really have the pace to keep them honest and force them deep so far, lot of frustrating offsides. Having said we should be ahead with Collins and Hylton having teal good chances. Last 5 or so of that half we started to look better.

 

[Gassy]

As soon as I saw the line up I could tell we were going to win today

 

[Bottega Don]

Just as I predicted really. Oxford score with both their shots on goal. Two god awful sides today.

We're getting dragged right back into the relegation battle, loss next week we're in big trouble.

 

[BelizeHatter]

Edgey but got the job done. Shinnie and Stacey are so key. Stacey's run for the first is so typical as he drives into the gap when faced with two defenders and usually puts in such dangerous balls. Lua Lua just has to start. Hes almost impossible to get the ball off with such strength and a low centre of gravity. Pressure was on and we got it done. Couple tricky away games now.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Real good result with some tricky, long away games coming up. Made a bit hard work of it but got the job done and when we scored the first I felt pretty comfortable about things. Pleased for Hylton to get a goal today, albeit a scrappy one but for me Lua Lua really needs to play with Collins. He was taking the piss at the end and Rochdale couldn’t get it off him. He just gives our attack a different dimension and I think he just gives defences something different to think about allowing others to make hay.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Someone is going to miss out with 90 points. I poo pooed that a few weeks ago.

 

[Gassy]

Has anyone ever been relegated on a positive goal difference? We’re not far off

 

[Gassy]

Someone is going to miss out with 90 points. I poo pooed that a few weeks ago.

Care to complete the predictor now?

 

[Kenneth E End]

Mick McCarthy was at Kenilworth Road today looking at James Collins who has become the first striker in the division to hit 20 goals this season. You know that lad from Coventry with a Midlands accent?

Looks like we'll lose him for the Doncaster match for him to go to Gibraltar and probably sit on the bench which is really gutting at this stage of the season, but no other unless there is an unexpected postponement in the next week.

I'd say Portsmouth are likely to lose Curtis too, but the cupboard is pretty bare since Robbie Keane retired.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Just wanted to add to my comment above because I don’t think he gets the credit he deserves at times, but thought Jack Stacey was absolutely class today and should have been the named man of the match. Was solid defensively and pretty much created the first goal although won’t get the assist credit. The lungs on that lad must be something else with the amount of distance he covers he never looks flustered or tired. If I was Mick McCarthy I’d be looking for an Irish granny of his after his performance in his company today!

 

[djs]

re my comments about Lee and LuaLua yesterday...........

I rest my case.


PS
Pelly.
One great piece of defending apart, what the hell was going on with him today?

 

[codaplenty]

A fair result for both teams in conditions which got steadily worse throughout the game
Be glad to see the back of Tom Eaves tilll next year -he's a class act. As for Fleetwood its the first time this season we have salvaged a point after being behind
Two things you can say, Fleetwood will not make the play offs and the Gills wont get relegated !

 

[PuB]

A fair result for both teams in conditions which got steadily worse throughout the game
Be glad to see the back of Tom Eaves tilll next year -he's a class act. As for Fleetwood its the first time this season we have salvaged a point after being behind
Two things you can say, Fleetwood will not make the play offs and the Gills wont get relegated !

Thanks for the write up, apparently the conditions were awful?

PS I don't appear to be able to reply to your message the other day, I didn't mean any offence by what I said and didn't take offence by your post. Hope you have a good few games and push the playoff spots. All the best.

 

[Don Tonberry]

Absolutely destroyed Bradford today and they are, without a shadow of a doubt, going down. I can't remember the last time a team came to Fratton Park and defended so badly. We hadn't won in the league since New Year's Day but we could have had double figures today.

 

[PUSBCCFC]

Can't believe how we've dragged ourselves into a bit of a play off push.

 

[Gassy]

Btw Coventry fans, moaning you had the worst strike force in the league, JCH has now scored 4 in 5 appearances for us.

What a signing. He's already 1 goal away from top scorer ffs

 

[codaplenty]

Thanks for the write up, apparently the conditions were awful?

PS I don't appear to be able to reply to your message the other day, I didn't mean any offence by what I said and didn't take offence by your post. Hope you have a good few games and push the playoff spots. All the best.

Cheers mate, the conditions were s....... and no excuses tough for both sets of teams. There was a god almighty bang in the 1st half, some people thought it was the lifeboat being launched, turns out it was a gas explosion down the road at a nursing home, fortunately nobody was killed
6 pointer for you lads next week against Oxford, we could also do you a favour by getting a result at Walsall -lets hope we are both smiling come Saturday night !

 

[Robert Molenaar]

I can't be arsed following us anymore. What a wasted journey, but I expected no less.

Definitely down, but that's not the worst bit. Over 15 contracted players for next season, all of them awful. No manager, no players worth keeping and an owner who you would think doesn't want anything else to do with the club apart from trying to get his stake back (which is never happening)

Club is on it's arse.

 

[eric read]

Just as I predicted really. Oxford score with both their shots on goal. Two god awful sides today.

We're getting dragged right back into the relegation battle, loss next week we're in big trouble.

Although I think that's true of the first half, I don't think its a fair assessment of us in the second half, where we dominated you, particularly in the last 30/35 minutes.

We set up at the beginning as we did for last weeks win at Blackpool, which was a mistake and led to the turgid first half where both sides looked like they'd set up not to lose. It was like watching two away sides. Thankfully Robinson realised and changed it early into the second half, and after that Gavin Whyte and Jordan Graham had your full backs on toast.

We're now getting players back from injury and the last two games (both wins) have been the first time we've really had options on the bench. It's been a horrendous season for us, with a record breaking poor start and unbelievable injuries but over the last 20/25 games our form and results have been top half, so I think we'll be OK, although this league is ridiculously tight.

 

[PUSBCCFC]

Btw Coventry fans, moaning you had the worst strike force in the league, JCH has now scored 4 in 5 appearances for us.

What a signing. He's already 1 goal away from top scorer ffs

Good to see him doing well. Coventry fans rated him as a striker but funnily enough his problem was a lack of goals.

 

[Caer]

Another win which given 10-man Barnsley were still a class above, Luton still grind out results and Portsmouth might be back to winning ways we couldn't afford to drop points.

We look to have come out of our 1-1 draw wobble earlier this year but the next challenge is taking our chances as Barnsley won't allow us as many in a weeks time. Trophy semi-final tomorrow which will either be a game too many or a nice morale boost for a squad that might not have played at Wembley before. Then on to Wycombe away on Saturday who haven't had the best of results lately but will probably be as up for the game as they were for the fixture at the SoL.

 

[Gassy]

Losing 1-0 at half time to Sunderland in the semi final of the check-a-trade.

We've actually been the better team here (and sky agrees) but 1 piece of pure skill by Grigg puts them ahead

 

[K-Win]

Bit of a dream final for the Checkatrade. Balls.

 

[Gassy]

Completely outclassed second half.

At first I was a bit annoyed and disgusted how they celebrated reaching the final, almost like they won’t the FA cup final or something, but tbf they’ve gone through some crap recently so fair play.

The only issue I have with Pompey Vs Sunderland now is when it sells out, we will hear yet more propaganda from the EFL how this is proof that actually this version of the competition is better and fans believe it, hence they attend the final

 

[K-Win]

To be honest..... I would have gone to the final but I happen to be away that weekend.

Hypocritical, I know, but Wembley games don't come along that often I guess.

What does the trophy look like? I'm imagining a design with screwdrivers, paint-rollers, spanners etc?

 

[K-Win]

What does the trophy look like? I'm imagining a design with screwdrivers, paint-rollers, spanners etc?

Just found a picture. Bit disappointing. Maybe represents a weird outlet pipe or something.

 

[Gassy]

Tbf the trophy is better looking than you'd expect.

I'd probably have come back for the final. Like you say, its not often (although actually we've been 3 times in roughly 10 years which is pretty good) you get to go. Or you might not go again for another 10 years+

Interestingly I put a poll on our forum a while ago if people would go if we got there. Roughly 250 participants with roughly 60% said they'd go, with 40% said not.

 

[UTS]

As we (Bury) were in with a shot of the final it crossed my mind whether I’d attend the game at Wembley had we have got there. I’ve not attended a single game in the competition since the format change, mainly due to lack of interest rather than active protest. I’d probably have gone to Wembley but more for the day out, the result wouldn’t have bothered me too much, which is a blessing and a curse. Although the game is at Wembley, because it’s the checkatrade I think it wouldn’t have had the ‘big game’ feel that you’d get in the play-offs or league/FA Cup.

 

[Gassy]

As we (Bury) were in with a shot of the final it crossed my mind whether I’d attend the game at Wembley had we have got there. I’ve not attended a single game in the competition since the format change, mainly due to lack of interest rather than active protest. I’d probably have gone to Wembley but more for the day out, the result wouldn’t have bothered me too much, which is a blessing and a curse. Although the game is at Wembley, because it’s the checkatrade I think it wouldn’t have had the ‘big game’ feel that you’d get in the play-offs or league/FA Cup.

That was interestingly a reason said they would go on our end. A lot of families said it’s a great chance of a day out, but also less tension of the nerves.

I can understand that, I’ve been to Wembley with Rovers twice and despite getting promoted both times, I enjoyed the feel of Wembley much more when I went to watch England

 

[Jamo]

Granted this was just before they rejigged it to include u23 teams, but I think every single Barnsley fan would say they loved their day out at the 2016 JPT final. Brilliant atmosphere but not intimidating in the least, Oxford fans were brilliant and to top it off you go into it knowing there's a 50/50 chance of some silverware at the end.