Crewe vs Chesterfield

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

So we welcome Chesterfield to Gresty Road again after a season-long hiatus.

Gary Caldwell's side have only won 3 in their last 25 games I believe, 2 of which came against likely relegation candidates Port Vale both this season and last season. Despite having one of the better squads in the division on paper, they've had an indifferent start to the season and that's probably down to the manager if anything...

I see us as two even sides on paper. Ben Garratt (set pieces apart) and Tommy Lee are two of the better keepers in this league. Both sides also have plenty of experience in their defence, youthful midfields and plenty of versatile attacking options with experience. I reckon with Chesterfield needing a win urgently, this'll be a more entertaining and open game than our last couple of games.

We really need to improve how we play in the midfield. We've looked defensively capable for most the season. Unfortunately with Jones missing in midfield, we need a player who can contribute goals and assists from the centre of midfield. So far, Cooper seems to be creating all our goals and only Dagnall and Porter are finishing them in league games. If we carry on like that, we won't be near promotion. It's time for Lowery and/or Wintle to build on their decent starts to the season and start causing a threat in the middle of the park for teams to cope with.

No Conor Grant for this game as he's been ruled out after being concussed at Grimsby. So my team will be: Garratt, Bakayogo, Nolan, Raynes, Ng, Cooper, Walker, Wintle, Ainley, Dagnall, Porter. Subs: Richards, Stubbs, Pickering, Lowery, Dale, Kirk, Bowery.

Going for a 2-1 win for us but it wouldn't surprise me one bit if we lost this game given the amount of space we've given the opposition to play at home games this season. Stand off the likes of Kristian Dennis and give them room and they'll punish us. Really need to get into Chesterfield's faces and press them into making mistakes. With their confidence being fragile from their recent run, we need to exploit this and I'm sure Artell realises this too.

 

[JJ1532]

Excellent summary of our strengths and issues. Time to sacrifice a bit of that defensive stability for some more attack minded football. Get the full backs forward at every opportunity(which is where not having a natural RB badly hurts us) and get Walker forward to support the attack.

The last 3 league displays have been very patchy performance wise and we need to be a lot better than what we were against Grimsby.

 

[WH_Stag]

Crewe 2-0 Chesterfield

Caldwell has to get sacked soon surely?

 

[CFC91]

Great preview.

I'm going Saturday and have heard rumours of a Beer Fest in Crewe, any details flying about? Twitter was sketchy..

As for the game, no idea what will happen. We will click I think at some point and start to pick up points, just not sure when. Will say 1-1 but think I am being optimistic.

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

Great preview.

I'm going Saturday and have heard rumours of a Beer Fest in Crewe, any details flying about? Twitter was sketchy..

As for the game, no idea what will happen. We will click I think at some point and start to pick up points, just not sure when. Will say 1-1 but think I am being optimistic.

Aye the Crewe Rail Ale Festival at the heritage centre (15 mins walk from the station and ground and near the big Tesco in town) is on September 8th-10th. As I've been living out of Crewe for the last four years and only just moved back, I can't tell you what it's like. But it does seem to be a really popular thing that's getting bigger each year.

 

[spireite]

Great preview.

I'm going Saturday and have heard rumours of a Beer Fest in Crewe, any details flying about? Twitter was sketchy..

As for the game, no idea what will happen. We will click I think at some point and start to pick up points, just not sure when. Will say 1-1 but think I am being optimistic.

I agree with this. We have the feel of a side who just need the pieces to fall in place, and the squad of players for it to happen. But there's a fuck tonne of reasons to be pessimistic. Caldwell can't afford to lose this one, I think we might scrape it.

 

[Crewelad87]

Our ability to bounce back from a set backs will determine how well we will do I feel. Under Davis a bad loss was usually followed by a few more.

Have a feeling it will be tight, maybe just a narrow win.

Crewe 2-1 Chesterfield (Porter, Dagnall, O'Grady) 3,866 (525 Spireites)

 

[Roger Stone]

Impressed by Cooper when we played Crewe. If you can keep him quiet you've got a chance but that's easier said than done, we put 2 men on him to little effect and Crewe were down to 10 too. Chesterfield ok against us first half but fell apart after the break. Would expect a Crewe win by 2 goals.

 

[dannyc5]

So we welcome Chesterfield to Gresty Road again after a season-long hiatus.

Gary Caldwell's side have only won 3 in their last 25 games I believe, 2 of which came against likely relegation candidates Port Vale both this season and last season. Despite having one of the better squads in the division on paper, they've had an indifferent start to the season and that's probably down to the manager if anything...

I see us as two even sides on paper. Ben Garratt (set pieces apart) and Tommy Lee are two of the better keepers in this league. Both sides also have plenty of experience in their defence, youthful midfields and plenty of versatile attacking options with experience. I reckon with Chesterfield needing a win urgently, this'll be a more entertaining and open game than our last couple of games.

We really need to improve how we play in the midfield. We've looked defensively capable for most the season. Unfortunately with Jones missing in midfield, we need a player who can contribute goals and assists from the centre of midfield. So far, Cooper seems to be creating all our goals and only Dagnall and Porter are finishing them in league games. If we carry on like that, we won't be near promotion. It's time for Lowery and/or Wintle to build on their decent starts to the season and start causing a threat in the middle of the park for teams to cope with.

No Conor Grant for this game as he's been ruled out after being concussed at Grimsby. So my team will be: Garratt, Bakayogo, Nolan, Raynes, Ng, Cooper, Walker, Wintle, Ainley, Dagnall, Porter. Subs: Richards, Stubbs, Pickering, Lowery, Dale, Kirk, Bowery.

Going for a 2-1 win for us but it wouldn't surprise me one bit if we lost this game given the amount of space we've given the opposition to play at home games this season. Stand off the likes of Kristian Dennis and give them room and they'll punish us. Really need to get into Chesterfield's faces and press them into making mistakes. With their confidence being fragile from their recent run, we need to exploit this and I'm sure Artell realises this too.

I doubt it will be Walker and Wintle, they were shambolic on Saturday. Walker was especially poor with the ball. Good CH, but doesn't look like a Crewe midfielder for me. And from what I've heard, the club think this too. It will be Wintle and Lowery if fit. Wouldn't be surprised if bakayogo drops out again and Dale comes in for Ainley.

 

[spireite]

Fucking wow. I don't even know what to say. That's got to be curtains now for Caldwell.

 

[TimeyWimey]

I gave this a miss ffs. But fuck yeah!

 

[WH_Stag]

Fucking wow. I don't even know what to say. That's got to be curtains now for Caldwell.

Hes doing a great job... Chesterfield really are in a mess

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

Fantastic performance from us to a man. Could have and should have been more than 5. Porter's disallowed goal was offside but the other one should've stood in my opinion. Plus a good clearance to deny Walker on the line and Nolan couldn't do much about the own goal but the game was dead and buried then. Chris Porter, 6 games in the league, 6 goals. Inspired signing and one of the best signings in League Two this Summer for sure.

Thought we bossed the midfield, Lowery was fantastic today, easily his best game for the club. Brad Walker had a very good game in midfield too I thought. Maybe the 3 man midfield suits his style of play better? Some neat football for most of our goals today but what was Tommy Lee doing for the third goal? He really had an appalling game today and I know he's come back from a year out but he looks like he's in sharp decline by account of his performance today.

Chesterfield were the worst side I've seen at the Alex in years, and that includes the Grimsby side we walloped 5-0 in February. That squad on paper should be doing a lot better than where it is in the league currently. Caldwell is a clueless manager and you can clearly see the players aren't playing for him at all. If they give Caldwell his P45 and get a manager in that knows this league there's potential in the squad to kick on with the abundance of experience in the ranks. That said, O'Grady for the big money he's rumoured to be on was useless today, I thought he'd cause our back-line problems but he barely did anything of note.

Cambridge at home on Tuesday Night, be a very different proposition than Chesterfield as Shaun Derry sides always beat us, but I genuinely believe if we keep this home form up we're going to be in or around the Top 7 this year.

 

[TimeyWimey]

Cambridge at home on Tuesday Night, be a very different proposition than Chesterfield as Shaun Derry sides always beat us, but I genuinely believe if we keep this home form up we're going to be in or around the Top 7 this year.

Already awaiting January with trepidation. Players 'gutted' they're still playing for us could go and decimate the squad. I'd even worry about a L1 team panic buying Porter if he carries on.

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

Already awaiting January with trepidation. Players 'gutted' they're still playing for us could go and decimate the squad. I'd even worry about a L1 team panic buying Porter if he carries on.

JJ can be as "gutted" as he likes, if Wintle-Walker-Lowery keep up their form in the midfield or if Grant gets in the side and Jones slacks on his return he's going to find himself on the bench.

Strange one considering he's featured in three of the most dire seasons in the club's history. Had a good year last year granted but nowhere near ready to move up two divisions. Believing in your own hype isn't always a good thing...

 

[JJ1532]

Delighted how we kicked on in the 2nd half as we were far too passive in the final part of the 1st half. Really put them to the sword and kept pushing for more goals, great to see. I'd agree that the midfield were superb to a man, they flourished with all the space Chesterfield gave us. Defence was solid for the most part yet again, restricted another team to very few clear cut chances, they only scored because we put it in for them. Pleased for some other lads apart from Dagnall and Porter to start chipping in, especially to see Cooper and Ainley get off the mark. Delighted for Ng as well, had a tough start to the season, but he was full of confidence today.

Chesterfield were horrific though, so open and passive, made it easy for us to pick them apart. Forwards had nothing, defence played a stupidly high line and were lucky we couldn't spring their offside trap that often. Caldwell will be out of a job soon, can't play tippy tappy football at this level and expect to win games. Woefully naive, which is a shame because I applaud any manager that wants to play a passing game.

Great 3 points, which we needed ahead of a tough few weeks(Exeter, Coventry and Wycombe) on the road. Hopefully we can stay unbeaten at home on Tuesday.

 

[Fandemonium]

Thankyou Crewe.

The last thing we needed was some nondescript draw, scruffy single goal defeat that offered the 'rose coloured binocular' brigade licence or the excuse of another sending off.

Five-one will do quite nicely, under the circumstances.

I'm told Gary Caldwell will now pursue a career outside of football.

Thousands of Chesterfield fans will argue he's been doing that for the last nine months.

Now then, which fucking twat employed him...

 

[Crewelad87]

Just glad this time we've managed to score 5 vs Chesterfield and win.

As I said before alot will depend on how we bounce back from set backs, and wow did we bounce back here. Brilliant to see us not just relying on Dagnall and Porter for goals aswell.

Could do with another positive result vs Cambridge on Tuesday before a very tough trip to table topping Exeter.

 

[Crewelad87]

Also he might only be 5ft fuck all and look about 12 but what a player Tommy Lowery is becoming. So composed on the ball, sounds like we missed him so much at Grimsby, he's a key player for us now, him and Owen Dale will make us very good money in time.

 

[dannyc5]

Lowery is brilliant. Walker was better in midfield than I though he would be. I liked the formation we played. It now looks like we've got different options all over the pitch.

Felt a bit bad for the Chesterfield fans. Their players didn't seem too interested, and defensively they were horiffic. We know what they're going through. Just glad it's not us any more.