2020/21 General Match Thread

[ProfessorGreen]

One match does not define a season. I'd be looking it from your own point of view that it would setup Plymouth for a very encouraging finish looking ahead to next year, rather than staring down the barrel of a relegation scrap. If we win all our remaining home games and lose all our away games we still get promoted.

Just like last season's surge up the table did for this year! Doesn't work that way for us unfortunately due to Adams insistence on short term contracts and high turnover of playing staff every summer.

We'll be fine this season (our form over the last 20 games I think someone said we'd be in a playoff place), and I'm pretty sure you'll get promoted, it's just fun to imagine certain scenarios.

 

[Kenneth E End]

But neither will happen. Promotion is still very much in the balance. Its obv in our own hands and a fantastic position to be in - but its far, far from done. To keep seeing some people think its over and we're already up scares me in case the team start to see read and feel the same

No I don’t think anyone is thinking that at all. But when the odds are 1/20, it would be surprising.

 

[DearneValleyRover]

Still playing how we finished the Scunny game. The second goal shouldn’t have happened clear foul on Wilks but not given having said that they look capable of scoring every time they attack

 

[T.A]

Well Done Pompey, thought we matched you first half but 2nd half you turned up a gear and showed up our defensive frailties. I think 3-0 is harsh but it is what it is. Good luck in the final.

 

[Bucket_]

Well Done Pompey, thought we matched you first half but 2nd half you turned up a gear and showed up our defensive frailties. I think 3-0 is harsh but it is what it is. Good luck in the final.

Pompey were outplayed in the first half, if any of those chances you had were finished you'd have had us on the ropes! It was great to see our clinical side return a bit tonight, generally a game like that should provide us with a much needed confidence boost, but we'll see. Good luck for that promotion push, you've certainly got the attack for it!

Now for the debate on whether to go to Wembley or not, there's lots of chat either way on Twitter and the like. Lots of people seem to be sticking to their guns but we'll take a lot though, no doubt. Including me; even though I do completely disagree with the U23 teams' inclusion (who doesn't?) and haven't been to a single game in this cup, I'm gonna really struggle to turn down the prospect of a Wembley final. The EFL might generally be a complete joke and taking lower league football in a worrying direction, but that sucks enough joy out of football without missing out on a chance of seeing your club lift a trophy, boycott aside. But then it is also completely fair to say that you render a boycott redundant if you all turn up for the final, so it's damned if you do and don't.

Maybe if we take lots of banners that contain the likes of "EFL sux" "You can stick your fucking B Teams up your arse" that will never get shown on the telly, that'll do instead of boycotting it?

 

[Gassy]

Table not looking good now. A few teams have pulled themselves to safety.

Anyone from Shrewsbury down are in it, mind you - 5 points is a decent gap as it stands.

I reckon the current bottom 4 are most likely to go down

 

[K-Win]

Well Done Pompey, thought we matched you first half but 2nd half you turned up a gear and showed up our defensive frailties. I think 3-0 is harsh but it is what it is. Good luck in the final.

Cheers T.A Agree with Bucket's comments above.

Jackett made a tactical change second half, pushing our wide players much higher up the pitch which seemed to do the trick. We were definitely second best first half and lucky to go in level. Can see why you've scored so many goals as that is a very decent front line for League Two level.

Hopefully that's given us a boost for the upcoming league games. No Wembley final dilemma for me as I'm away that weekend anyway.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

On paper we should beat Rochdale tomorrow, us being top scorers in the league and them having conceded the most by quite some distance as well - however of the 21 games unbeaten they could probably claim to be the closest to have ended that when they by all accounts pretty much outplayed us at their place earlier in the season so still should be plenty of intrigue in the game.

Id like to see Lua Lua come back into the 11 for Hylton tomorrow, our best performances this season have been with Collins and a pacey partner next to him up top, whether that be Cornick or Lua Lua. Kind of strange how everyone was questioning whether Collins would make the step up a league preseason but its actually Hylton who hasnt really, dont think many would have predicted that! Hes had a stop start season with injury and suspension to be fair to him and has been a great talisman for us since he joined but I just dont think he is the best option for how we are set up to play this season. Every other position is pretty settled although Lee probably has a fair claim to getting his number 10 spot back from Moncur, although would be harsh on him indeed.

Got to say i hope the team arent as nervous as I am for the run in!

 

[djs]

Rochdale are the ONLY side this season to pummel us for the vast majority of the game, and only poor finishing and good defending/keeping saved us from a hammering. They have certainly one downhill since then, don't know why.

I think that I must be the only person who thinks that Lee is overrated, certainly not a patch on LuaLua, who is much more of a team player than Lee will ever be. Oh well.

If Berry is fit I'd have him back as the front midfielder, with LuaLua in for Hylton.

 

[BelizeHatter]

Me too. I think Berry is our best no. 10 with Kaz or Cornick playing off Collins. Hylton and Moncur superb impact subs.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Rochdale are the ONLY side this season to pummel us for the vast majority of the game, and only poor finishing and good defending/keeping saved us from a hammering. They have certainly one downhill since then, don't know why.

I think that I must be the only person who thinks that Lee is overrated, certainly not a patch on LuaLua, who is much more of a team player than Lee will ever be. Oh well.

If Berry is fit I'd have him back as the front midfielder, with LuaLua in for Hylton.

I get where you’re coming from although think it’s a little harsh. I started off this season making a lot of statements on here about how I wasn’t a huge fan of Lee in the 10 role given he can hold the ball a bit too long for me but he really grew into it. The interplay with Shinnie, Pelly, Lee in midfield was a huge part of us to getting to this position and in the 2 months or so before Christmas he had a fair argument for being the best player in the league in my view, he was really that good in those games. He can be selfish at times yes but he is an outstanding player. I’m a huge Berry fan so I’d have him in the side all the time where possible but even I’d admit that the pre Christmas Lee gave us something more than even Berry can.

 

[Jamo]

Berry, Lee, Pearson, Moncur

The amount of ex-Barnsley players helping Luton to piss the league is slightly upsetting.

 

[SoutheySWFC]

Saw Kieffer Moore was out for the season, Ian Hume type of injury without the scar?

 

[Gandalf the Grey]

Table not looking good now. A few teams have pulled themselves to safety.

Anyone from Shrewsbury down are in it, mind you - 5 points is a decent gap as it stands.

I reckon the current bottom 4 are most likely to go down

I'd still fancy Walsall to go down, even though they beat Bradford last weekend; Bradford are absolute tosh and I'd expect them to finish last, especially as Hopkins have left them.

 

[Daz_3000]

Plymouth playing alreet so won’t be that straightforward today so expecting a tough game, Barnsley have a tricky one at southend but i expect them to edge it and pompey, luton should both be home wins however football is never that straightforward.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Got an important 3 games coming up now in the next 10 days (well, they all are).

Rochdale (H) - must win
Plymouth (A) - tough on recent form, but we smashed them at our place
Bradford (A) - a must win.

I'd say we need to get 7 points (I'd take 6) out of those 9 which would take us to 79 points from 37 games. That would still leave us on top regardless what happens over that period.

Whoever scheduled those 2 away games next to each other should be sacked.

 

[Jamo]

Saw Kieffer Moore was out for the season, Ian Hume type of injury without the scar?

Not quite as bad but it was a very nasty clash of heads (as opposed to Chris Morgan's elbow...). Not exactly brightened our prospects of rocking up to Hillsborough next season.

 

[SoutheySWFC]

You don't really rock up though, just arrive, hand us a win and go back home.

 

[Craig]

Berry, Lee, Pearson, Moncur

The amount of ex-Barnsley players helping Luton to piss the league is slightly upsetting.

Even more galling when you consider none of them were particularly good for us.

With regards to Moore, it's the kind of injury that ruins a players career and he might not be the same player when he gets back. Something like that knocks a players confidence and his aerial ability is one of his strong points. Sounds cold but if we were offered a decent fee in the summer I'd offload him.

 

[Bottega Don]

Not confident today as we don't have a RB that can play. This means we will probably play McGahey there who's a bit of a lumbering CB.

Think Oxford will nick it 1-0.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Even more galling when you consider none of them were particularly good for us.

Likewise a bit frustrating you have McGeehan and Woodrow...

 

[Craig]

Likewise a bit frustrating you have McGeehan and Woodrow...

What are you saying that McGeehan was poor for you?

 

[T.A]

Even more galling when you consider none of them were particularly good for us.

With regards to Moore, it's the kind of injury that ruins a players career and he might not be the same player when he gets back. Something like that knocks a players confidence and his aerial ability is one of his strong points. Sounds cold but if we were offered a decent fee in the summer I'd offload him.

Give him us then you ungrateful cold hearted man.

 

[oakroader]

Barnsley down to 10 men
Cmon Southend...

 

[Super_horns]

Barnsley just 1 up though.

 

[SoutheySWFC]

McGeehan the scorer

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

We have stuck with Hylton today, so a little bit of pressure on him to perform today I think. Another off performance from him and you’d think he’d be losing his place next week.

Slight surprise that Moncur has dropped to the bench with Lee coming in, great player to come off the bench though should it be needed.

 

[Daz_3000]

Barnsley impressive even with 10 but Southend are very poor tbh

 

[Jamo]

You don't really rock up though, just arrive, hand us a win and go back home.

That we do.

In other news, what a second half from us this lunchtime. 3-0 and it could've easily been more, with 10 men for 50 odd minutes as well. Over to you Mackems.

 

[Gassy]

Jeez not a fan of the team selection today.

Not confident at all