Luke Imps 50th birthday special;- League 2 fixtures 03/11/2020

[SVH]

Interesting that the bookies pretty much have a 7 horse race for the title after tonight’s games with Newport at 6/1 favourites and Cambridge 7th favourites at 10/1 so 5 other teams in between. Personally I think anyone is capable of beating anyone this season apart from the bottom 4 or 5 sides! Not sure how Carlisle are 20/1 when they’re in 5th!

Interesting that the bookies don’t seem to fancy us too strongly for promotion 3/1, to win the league 12/1 or to go up via the play off’s 14/1.

Cambridge United have 23 points off 11 games, having already played Bolton and Tranmere (even if they’re both underperforming), Newport, Carlisle, Crawley, Port Vale, Exeter and Salford, and won the other three 5-0, 5-0 and 2-0 all away from home.

 

[masi51]

Four more years

of play off defeats........thats a bit negative !!

 

[valefan16]

Interesting that the bookies pretty much have a 7 horse race for the title after tonight’s games with Newport at 6/1 favourites and Cambridge 7th favourites at 10/1 so 5 other teams in between. Personally I think anyone is capable of beating anyone this season apart from the bottom 4 or 5 sides! Not sure how Carlisle are 20/1 when they’re in 5th!

Maybe squad depth doesn’t sit with the bookies with Cambridge? Say they lost Mullin for a period of time?

Was surprised though, might be worth a few quid!

 

[Arbury]

Mullin only came for the last 20 last night by which we was already winning, we would undoubtedly be a worse team without him but still a good team.

very fortunate last night to go in at 1-1, Salford should have been out of sight long before we scored but since that there was only ever one winner.

KTF

 

[Son of Cod]

Also surprised by the length of the odds, but definitely not surprised that Cambridge aren't favourites. Without checking, how often does a team that has done absolutely bugger all for several seasons win the title? Again, without checking, how often do early season pace setters in L1 and L2 win the title? I'd hazard a guess that both are very much less often than not.

I'll admit, I haven't seen a jot of Cambridge this season, but my gut tells me Newport, Exeter and FGR are more likely title winners based off recently being close alone.

 

[Laker]

Don’t think we deserved the win last night but don’t really care either. We were worth more than a defeat at the weekend so swings and roundabouts.

Frankly I don’t care how we beat most teams, let alone Salford.

Edit: I also don’t mind about being talked down or being the underdogs. Low expectation suits me absolutely fine.

 

[SVH]

Another interesting stat - We have 10 different scorers already this season. Whilst Mullin is grabbing the headlines with 11 goals, Joe Ironside is just as important to us with his excellent hold up play. He also has 6 goals this season, so it's certainly not all about Paul Mullin.

I thought the game last night very much mirrored the game against Port Vale. Salford pressed us like men possessed first half but were never going to be able to keep that up in the second half. The only difference, Salford could have been out of sight but we managed to stay in it.

We were the better side in the second half and could have scored more with Knibbs and Mullin missing good chances.

If we stay clear of key injuries I've no doubt we'll be in the mix come the end of the season. Salford are the best team I've seen so far but I think the best they can hope for is the play off's. Too many individuals in their team.

 

[SVH]

Don’t think we deserved the win last night but don’t really care either. We were worth more than a defeat at the weekend so swings and roundabouts.

Frankly I don’t care how we beat most teams, let alone Salford.

Edit: I also don’t mind about being talked down or being the underdogs. Low expectation suits me absolutely fine.

Si Robin will tell you differently, because we scored 2 goals and Salford scored 1. Meaning we won 2-1 and deserved the victory.

 

[shoddycollins]

of play off defeats........thats a bit negative !!

Beat me to it

 

[SVH]

Also surprised by the length of the odds, but definitely not surprised that Cambridge aren't favourites. Without checking, how often does a team that has done absolutely bugger all for several seasons win the title? Again, without checking, how often do early season pace setters in L1 and L2 win the title? I'd hazard a guess that both are very much less often than not.

I'll admit, I haven't seen a jot of Cambridge this season, but my gut tells me Newport, Exeter and FGR are more likely title winners based off recently being close alone.

Crewe, Accrington and Bury from memory? I could be wrong though.

Whilst I don't think we'll win the league I still think promotion odds of 12/1 are very generous given our position and the teams we've played so far.

 

[valefan16]

Its early to say and usually you'd expect bookies to be cautious, you usually get one or two that start on fire and drop off, Newport last season, think FGR did it for instance. Can Mullin keep up form thats not his standard? Can Hoolahan/Mullin stay fit.

Cambridge have a chance and have had a dream start though so it will be interesting to see if they can keep it up.

 

[valefan16]

Crewe, Accrington and Bury from memory? I could be wrong though.

Whilst I don't think we'll win the league I still think promotion odds of 12/1 are very generous given our position and the teams we've played so far.

Crewe finished like a train the season before and Bury bounced back from the drop.

We managed promotion from nothing in 2013 mind, went into the season with no kit and 2 players as in admin and blew the league away early doors, similar to Cambridge we scored loads of goals and Pope who had not been scoring many in the seasons prior like Mullin got 31 (this included a dry spell Jan-late March!)

 

[masi51]

The gap between the play offs and where we stand this morning is not out of reach.
The big question can the gap be breached with our team/players yes....will it be NO... I bought into Evatt big time
and still think he will become a decent manager/coach but it wont be at Bolton. Injuries have hit us bad but that is why you have a squad so i wont make that as a excuse. Evatt came out last night and said Mansfield wage bill is twice ours.....really !!
Evatt just to stubborn for his own good wont change system and plays the same players week in week out
Quote......3 players are currently carrying the team Sarcevic,Santos, Delaney
Well change the other fucking 8.

 

[Son of Cod]

Crewe, Accrington and Bury from memory? I could be wrong though.

Whilst I don't think we'll win the league I still think promotion odds of 12/1 are very generous given our position and the teams we've played so far.

Oh yeah, very generous and surprising. I'm not saying you aren't contenders as that would be idiotic of me to say that having not seen you kick a single ball so far this season, I'm just trying to offer a reason why those odds might be so long. Those 14/1 playoff odds are even more tempting!

I view as Crewe as a bit of an anomaly in that their promotion team was several seasons in the making, nurturing a substantial amount of that squad from a very young age. I'll give you Accrington though for sure, they came out of nowhere actually. Did Bury not come down and go straight back up? That seems to be a very common route of promotion (not necessarily title winning) in L2 for sure.

 

[shoddycollins]

Oh yeah, very generous and surprising. I'm not saying you aren't contenders as that would be idiotic of me to say that having not seen you kick a single ball so far this season, I'm just trying to offer a reason why those odds might be so long. Those 14/1 playoff odds are even more tempting!

I view as Crewe as a bit of an anomaly in that their promotion team was several seasons in the making, nurturing a substantial amount of that squad from a very young age. I'll give you Accrington though for sure, they came out of nowhere actually. Did Bury not come down and go straight back up? That seems to be a very common route of promotion (not necessarily title winning) in L2 for sure.

Stanley might have been mid-table the season before promotion but finished 4th the season before that.

 

[BarraMatt]

Evatt likes to bring up budgets, and argues that he's trying to compete with teams with twice as much, as it only serves to make him look like even better if he's doing a good job.

For example he'd routinely mention in interviews when here that he had a bottom four NL budget to work with, when the chairman confirmed later that it was realistically top half.

Everyone knows that his Bolton budget will be comparable with other sides given that he's got Doyle, Delfouneso and Sarcevic on their books.

 

[Greenacres]

Its early to say and usually you'd expect bookies to be cautious, you usually get one or two that start on fire and drop off, Newport last season, think FGR did it for instance. Can Mullin keep up form thats not his standard? Can Hoolahan/Mullin stay fit.

Cambridge have a chance and have had a dream start though so it will be interesting to see if they can keep it up.

This is true, Rovers were top for a while but then suffered injuries to key players and fell away badly after the Festive Season. I think our squad is better this season, so we might not be so vulnerable if we lose a player or two, as demonstrated by our ability to find cover for the COVID four. This is going to be a really challenging season, for all teams, and just like the US election (at 0945 the day after) the outcome is hard to call.

 

[Son of Cod]

Evatt likes to bring up budgets, and argues that he's trying to compete with teams with twice as much, as it only serves to make him look like even better if he's doing a good job.

For example he'd routinely mention in interviews when here that he had a bottom four NL budget to work with, when the chairman confirmed later that it was realistically top half.

Everyone knows that his Bolton budget will be comparable with other sides given that he's got Doyle, Delfouneso and Sarcevic on their books.

Comparable? Only Salford will have a bigger budget, guaranteed.

 

[Luke Imp]

done

50th? Cheeky git. Still a young 33!

 

[tommytit]

Deserved win for us, bit nervy at times but we had a fair few efforts second half and eventually Matty Stevens bundled one in.

Orient decent, Brophy especially was a big threat.

I thought you guys played some nice stuff, using so much width, which we struggled with, so it was a surprised both goals came from set pieces.

Disappointing to lose, but probably a fair result. We always look a threat going forward, but probably didn't create as much as we usually do.

 

[masi51]

Evatt likes to bring up budgets, and argues that he's trying to compete with teams with twice as much, as it only serves to make him look like even better if he's doing a good job.

For example he'd routinely mention in interviews when here that he had a bottom four NL budget to work with, when the chairman confirmed later that it was realistically top half.

Everyone knows that his Bolton budget will be comparable with other sides given that he's got Doyle, Delfouneso and Sarcevic on their books.

We will get better but i dont see us improving enough to bother the play offs, just because he wont change
We have a mixture of outstanding players for lge 2 mixed with utter dross

 

[masi51]

Comparable? Only Salford will have a bigger budget, guaranteed.

On what do you base that???
Doyle Sarcevic aside i dont see big salaries

 

[Si Robin]

Si Robin will tell you differently, because we scored 2 goals and Salford scored 1. Meaning we won 2-1 and deserved the victory.

Which is the correct answer. We lost 2-1 meaning Oldham scored 2 more goals than us and deserved to win, despite our 70% possession.

 

[Devon_Lad]

Beat me to it

Probably true though

 

[valefan16]

Bolton have a chance if they can improve, Tranmere were nowhere 2 seasons ago floating lower mid table before a mad run.

It is still early days.

 

[BlackHaddock]

Our 'Dark Horses' are playing like Donkey's, but don't write us off yet.

 

[Son of Cod]

On what do you base that???
Doyle Sarcevic aside i dont see big salaries

Yep, so two huge salaries for this division that nobody else in the division other than Salford has. Plus the likes of Delfounso, Miller, Comley, Baptiste, etc. all established players in this division. You also did your business very early, so you're probably paying over the odds for most of them.

 

[masi51]

Yep, so two huge salaries for this division that nobody else in the division other than Salford has. Plus the likes of Delfounso, Miller, Comley, Baptiste, etc. all established players in this division. You also did your business very early, so you're probably paying over the odds for most of them.

Tranmere certainly have with Spearing, Vaughan and Khan.....Mansfield most certainly

 

[masi51]

Bolton have a chance if they can improve, Tranmere were nowhere 2 seasons ago floating lower mid table before a mad run.

It is still early days.

Certainly see us improving with our better players returning, but until Evatt changes his mindset we are going nowhere

 

[Son of Cod]

Tranmere certainly have with Spearing, Vaughan and Khan.....Mansfield most certainly

Ah yeah Tranmere could well be top two. Mansfield don't seem to be as bad this season as usual, in all fairness.