Monday 26th & Tuesday 27th December 2022

[Stroud]

Happy Christmas to all.

 

[denzel ecfc]

Didn't realise Pompey were on such a dreadful run. It'll be a real cracker next week then...

 

[valefan16]

Morecambe at home, on paper and by the bookies odds one we should be looking to win but they do seem a bit deceiving in that they do draw an awful lot and don’t seem to get battered.

A first home game in over a month and with Wednesday away to follow could do with getting the three points here.

 

[K-Win]

Didn't realise Pompey were on such a dreadful run. It'll be a real cracker next week then...

Yes, I think our relatively high league position propped up by our winning start to the season has hidden our collapse somewhat. It's 9 points from 11 games since mid-September now, with only a single win at Forest Green. The consistent draws have now turned into losses.

Worryingly, we traditionally hit our worst spell of the season post-Christmas, so things could get much worse. The January transfer window really is make or break time for the Cowleys.

Even our very forgiving owners may feel forced to act if we get many more games like Saturday with stands emptying on the second goal just after the hour mark. It's very unusual for our fans to do that, but it shows how little faith they have that the team can make a comeback. It's not that we're missing chances - we're not creating any chances, full stop.

Anyway, you may well get your season back on track come Boxing Day. If you have players that can run at defenders then you will cause us plenty of problems. Even if you have a leaky defence, this could potentially be a comfortable one for you.

 

[leedsvaliant]

Yes, I think our relatively high league position propped up by our winning start to the season has hidden our collapse somewhat. It's 9 points from 11 games since mid-September now, with only a single win at Forest Green. The consistent draws have now turned into losses.

Worryingly, we traditionally hit our worst spell of the season post-Christmas, so things could get much worse. The January transfer window really is make or break time for the Cowleys.

Even our very forgiving owners may feel forced to act if we get many more games like Saturday with stands emptying on the second goal just after the hour mark. It's very unusual for our fans to do that, but it shows how little faith they have that the team can make a comeback. It's not that we're missing chances - we're not creating any chances, full stop.

Anyway, you may well get your season back on track come Boxing Day. If you have players that can run at defenders then you will cause us plenty of problems. Even if you have a leaky defence, this could potentially be a comfortable one for you.

When you played us you looked really solid at the back but without any real flair. You scored with basically your only opportunity and then it was just workmanlike and gritty. It looks like that defensive solidity has gone and so your lack of creativity means you are losing games.

 

[leedsvaliant]

Morecambe at home, on paper and by the bookies odds one we should be looking to win but they do seem a bit deceiving in that they do draw an awful lot and don’t seem to get battered.

A first home game in over a month and with Wednesday away to follow could do with getting the three points here.

You'd think we need to be picking up maximum points here after a poor defeat last weekend and the postponement yesterday. We'll get beat at Wednesday, so we need points on the board.

The table doesn't lie. Morecambe have been a consistently poor team for a few seasons but we never make it that easy. We've had a fairly light fixture list through one reason or another, so we should be well rested having not played for over 2 weeks and we had a few sparse weeks before that.

 

[valefan16]

You'd think we need to be picking up maximum points here after a poor defeat last weekend and the postponement yesterday. We'll get beat at Wednesday, so we need points on the board.

The table doesn't lie. Morecambe have been a consistently poor team for a few seasons but we never make it that easy. We've had a fairly light fixture list through one reason or another, so we should be well rested having not played for over 2 weeks and we had a few sparse weeks before that.

Knowing Vale we lose this 0-1 then beat Wednesday!

They seem to draw loads and have actually lost the same number of games as Peterborough so an odd one, do they park the bus and grind out draws? If so we traditionally struggle in those games all be it this season have managed to be more effective at that (Lincoln H, Shrews H).

Be a tough test but one as you say we need to be winning.

 

[WhiteRussian]

Us v FGR.

This will be one I am going to hit the Christmas booze before the match, it might deaden the pain. But then again, we might have a new manager in place and he'll fix the problems and all will be rosy at Stadium:MK.

We really have to be winning this if we are to get out of the mire and I don't care how we do it. A ball to Griggs arse in the 6 yard box and a fumble over the line will do me fine.

 

[The Jovial Forester]

Us v FGR.

This will be one I am going to hit the Christmas booze before the match, it might deaden the pain. But then again, we might have a new manager in place and he'll fix the problems and all will be rosy at Stadium:MK.

We really have to be winning this if we are to get out of the mire and I don't care how we do it. A ball to Griggs arse in the 6 yard box and a fumble over the line will do me fine.

One for the purists. Pure mentalists, that is.

 

[thewwfc]

fucking hell, how are we 3rd in the form table? I'll never disagree with anyone again who says this is a shit league.

Anyway, as I said on the thread for yesterday's game, I really can't imagine that we'll manage 2 wins on the bounce, and we're traditionally shite over Xmas as well (even when we do well as a whole over the season).

The only hope I can hold out is that the gobshite Barton comes out with some nonsense in advance of the game that we can pin to the changing room wall and ram down his throat.

No idea how Brizl Rovers play under Barton though - he seemed to fancy himself as a ball-to-feet footballing purist when in charge of Fleetwood. If that's still the case, it may favour us as we'll just let them have the ball and spoil all day. BRFC are better off packing men behind the ball and hitting us on the break if they want the win.

 

[BRFC_Gas]

fucking hell, how are we 3rd in the form table? I'll never disagree with anyone again who says this is a shit league.

Anyway, as I said on the thread for yesterday's game, I really can't imagine that we'll manage 2 wins on the bounce, and we're traditionally shite over Xmas as well (even when we do well as a whole over the season).

The only hope I can hold out is that the gobshite Barton comes out with some nonsense in advance of the game that we can pin to the changing room wall and ram down his throat.

No idea how Brizl Rovers play under Barton though - he seemed to fancy himself as a ball-to-feet footballing purist when in charge of Fleetwood. If that's still the case, it may favour us as we'll just let them have the ball and spoil all day. BRFC are better off packing men behind the ball and hitting us on the break if they want the win.

Even stranger how are Cheltenham up there? we gave them a good bumming up their place.
Yeah we like to pass the ball about, usually backwards and sideways with the keeper involved but luckily we have defenders who are pretty comfortable on the ball. We can mix it up a bit as well and Joey isnt afraid to change things if it isnt going right, and it usually works.
We have quite a few decent players out injured at the moment too - Loft, Rossiter, Clarke, Grant, Anderton, Anderson, Finley and Rodman. Finlay is the key one, we look so much better with him in the side.
I see Hanlan scored at the weekend, although watching the goal the Ipswich defenders seemed to part quicker than Katie Prices legs.
Hopefully will be a decent boxing day game. Any lightning predicted?

 

[thewwfc]

Even stranger how are Cheltenham up there? we gave them a good bumming up their place.
Yeah we like to pass the ball about, usually backwards and sideways with the keeper involved but luckily we have defenders who are pretty comfortable on the ball. We can mix it up a bit as well and Joey isnt afraid to change things if it isnt going right, and it usually works.
We have quite a few decent players out injured at the moment too - Loft, Rossiter, Clarke, Grant, Anderton, Anderson, Finley and Rodman. Finlay is the key one, we look so much better with him in the side.
I see Hanlan scored at the weekend, although watching the goal the Ipswich defenders seemed to part quicker than Katie Prices legs.
Hopefully will be a decent boxing day game. Any lightning predicted?

aha. we like teams who pass the ball about at the back, given our high press. Yes, it's as obvious as you like that our players will be doing that, but teams who piddle about at the back still make mistakes (especially at this level) so maybe that's a plus for us.

Hanlan was crocked for most of the early part of this season, and has really only come back into the side recently, and he hasn't been prolific.

But we're not playing to his strengths either, since we're so used to punting it long to a target man, but he's pretty crap in the air for a bustling forward. Far better with ball to feet, where he can run at the opposition and/or barge defenders out of the way.

I don't know what the hell the Ipswich defenders were doing to give Hanlan that much space, but I wish more teams would do that - I find it pretty unlikely though.

Lightning? mmm, dunno, perhaps we can hire one of those artificial snow machines they use on fake ski slopes and put on an emergency blizzard if you start tonking us.

 

[Si Robin]

Even stranger how are Cheltenham up there? we gave them a good bumming up their place.

I mean, you had 4 shots on target and scored 4 goals, but we were dreadful in that first half. Second half you sat back and let us attack so it was hardly a bumming. Even though it was 4-0 at half-time, I fully agreed with Sercs when he said to Taylor Perry at half-time - "How are we losing 4-0 to these, they're shit". Apparently, according to Joey Barton, that galvanised Rovers for the second half, where they contrived to have no shots on target and concede a goal.

Ultimately though, we've only lost once in the league since then, which was our last outing at FGR, where we were much worse than against you lot.

Anyway - Plymouth at home. Hopefully Broom has a blinder and gets one over his old team. I'm not overly confident though as we always seem to struggle against Plymouth at Whaddon Road.

 

[BRFC_Gas]

I mean, you had 4 shots on target and scored 4 goals, but we were dreadful in that first half. Second half you sat back and let us attack so it was hardly a bumming. Even though it was 4-0 at half-time, I fully agreed with Sercs when he said to Taylor Perry at half-time - "How are we losing 4-0 to these, they're shit". Apparently, according to Joey Barton, that galvanised Rovers for the second half, where they contrived to have no shots on target and concede a goal.

Ultimately though, we've only lost once in the league since then, which was our last outing at FGR, where we were much worse than against you lot.

Anyway - Plymouth at home. Hopefully Broom has a blinder and gets one over his old team. I'm not overly confident though as we always seem to struggle against Plymouth at Whaddon Road.

That was a bit rich from Sercs although he is probably still smarting from when Garner let him go (another mistake imo), although ironic he said it to a player who was anonymous for the whole half! A clinical first half is as near to a bumming as we are ever likely to give as we seem to shut up shop when we get in the lead usually.
I take it Alfie May has made a difference

 

[Luke Imp]

Away at Burton for us in a game that we'd struggle with over the last two or three seasons (although we did actually win at their place last season) but we're a bit better equipped to deal that that style of play now, especially with being three at the back.

Their form isn't great but they've had a tough last few games.

Worst defence in the league vs one of the lower scorers!

 

[Gassy]

That was a bit rich from Sercs although he is probably still smarting from when Garner let him go (another mistake imo), although ironic he said it to a player who was anonymous for the whole half! A clinical first half is as near to a bumming as we are ever likely to give as we seem to shut up shop when we get in the lead usually.
I take it Alfie May has made a difference

I’ve never read so many excuses/playing it down for being 4-0 down at home at HT in my life.

If the shots were somehow screamers, I might be tempted to agree - but every goal was hit within the 6 yard box, that’s a near guaranteed goal.

And cherry on the cake to claim a penalty concession goal as some great victory and proof that Barton couldn’t galvanise his players.

 

[Si Robin]

Three of the four were absolute defensive howlers. The first was keeper and defender getting confused and leaving the ball to each other, only for your forward to tap into an empty net. The second, our defence left two forwards completely free in the box for one to head in, the third was a corner (I don't put blame on the defence there, but some did) and the 4th was a ball over the top which our defender ducked out of to allow your forward through on goal.

My point is that it wasn't like Rovers were swarming all over us and we were flattered by the 4 - as is often the case in a hammering.

Regarding the second half, whilst it was clear Rovers sat back, the way Barton was talking about it, Serc's comments meant Rovers came out to absolutely put us to the sword - which they clearly did not.

Ultimately, whilst in terms of goals (the only stat that matters), Rovers beat us convincingly, in terms of performance it wasn't as one-sided as the scoreline suggested.

 

[Boletus Edulis]

I mean, you had 4 shots on target and scored 4 goals, but we were dreadful in that first half. Second half you sat back and let us attack so it was hardly a bumming. Even though it was 4-0 at half-time, I fully agreed with Sercs when he said to Taylor Perry at half-time - "How are we losing 4-0 to these, they're shit". Apparently, according to Joey Barton, that galvanised Rovers for the second half, where they contrived to have no shots on target and concede a goal.

Ultimately though, we've only lost once in the league since then, which was our last outing at FGR, where we were much worse than against you lot.

Anyway - Plymouth at home. Hopefully Broom has a blinder and gets one over his old team. I'm not overly confident though as we always seem to struggle against Plymouth at Whaddon Road.

Hi SI,

My first away Boxing Day for a very long time. Coming up on the supporters coach. What’s the atmosphere likely to be, does it tend to be special for you guys or is everyone quiet through too much food? I am guessing no pubs will be open so I assume everyone congregates around the ground. Is there somewhere we can get a bite to eat or a drink?

We are having a relatively unproductive patch, the issue is the defence can be a bit rocky compared with earlier, and the last few games had plenty of chances, just not taken enough. However, the injuries which were affecting us at the back and up front are now working their way through.

One thing I can be confident on, we are unlikely to score from a corner.

By the way, went on your forum, what is it with the Bolton fan that seems to be trying to be using it for his own personal battle against Dale Vince. Suspect if he came on Pasoti doing that he’d soon be banned.

 

[Si Robin]

He's a very strange bloke.

Regarding your day BE - I suspect your fans will take over Parklands, which is just around the corner from the away entrance. It's where I go for a drink before the game, reasonable prices and your standard lagers and ciders on tap. There used to be 5 pubs within 5 mins of the ground, but these have all closed in the last 20 years - including the Cat and Fiddle which Plymouth fans wrecked in your first ever visit to Whaddon Road in 1999

We are only a 10-15 minute walk from town, but if you're on official coaches, then it may seem a pointless trek depending on when you get to the ground. Obviously there's food at the ground (it's shit and expensive), but if you walk up Whaddon Road about 7-800 yards there is a chippy that I've not been to for about 15 years. Used to be quite decent though. I'm not sure if they'll be open on Boxing Day, but I would imagine they will be. After the game, the Chinese takeaway a bit further up the road will be open as well.

In the club car park there is sometimes a food van, and in Parklands car park there tends to be as well. I'm not sure if Plymouth fans will be allowed in the club bar - usually depends on how early you get there.

Regarding the game, I'm not expecting much. We seem to have struggled against Plymouth at Whaddon Road, so hoping that changes obviously. In terms of atmosphere - other than it being a bit more laid back due to being Xmas, it'll be the same as it ever is I imagine (very quiet).

 

[kieran_vale]

Home against the bottom of the league would think we’d start as favourites but just a glance at their last six games above (I will assume Strouds stats are right for a change ) suggests they’ve been in some hard fought games against good opposition so it’s no walkover. Jake Taylor will no doubt want to impress against us. Suppose there’s the subplot with Cole Stockton too after we tried to sign him in the last window, whether we try again in a couple of weeks once it’s open in January we’ll see.

 

[LancashireTrotters]

Massive game against Derby. Proper Boxing Day fixture (just a shame Sky moved it to the 27th).

Next 5/6 games will give us a good picture on how the season is likely to pan out.

 

[Stroud]

By the way, went on your forum, what is it with the Bolton fan that seems to be trying to be using it for his own personal battle against Dale Vince. Suspect if he came on Pasoti doing that he’d soon be banned.

The guy has been identified as Ken Anderson, the former Bolton chairman, who was outed as a charlatan rogue by Vince after Anderson 'bought' Christian Doidge for then Championship team Bolton but never paid the transfer fee nor Doidge's wages.
Doidge was returned to FGR who ended up paying his wages while with Bolton.
Credit to the Cheltenham supporters who quickly identified him and grew weary of his constant moaning. He thought their forum was a ready home as team were obvious local rivals to FGR.

 

[Boletus Edulis]

The guy has been identified as Ken Anderson, the former Bolton chairman, who was outed as a charlatan rogue by Vince after Anderson 'bought' Christian Doidge for then Championship team Bolton but never paid the transfer fee nor Doidge's wages.
Doidge was returned to FGR who ended up paying his wages while with Bolton.
Credit to the Cheltenham supporters who quickly identified him and grew weary of his constant moaning. He thought their forum was a ready home as team were obvious local rivals to FGR.

Thank you, it is a most bizarre intervention.

 

[Boletus Edulis]

He's a very strange bloke.

Regarding your day BE - I suspect your fans will take over Parklands, which is just around the corner from the away entrance. It's where I go for a drink before the game, reasonable prices and your standard lagers and ciders on tap. There used to be 5 pubs within 5 mins of the ground, but these have all closed in the last 20 years - including the Cat and Fiddle which Plymouth fans wrecked in your first ever visit to Whaddon Road in 1999

We are only a 10-15 minute walk from town, but if you're on official coaches, then it may seem a pointless trek depending on when you get to the ground. Obviously there's food at the ground (it's shit and expensive), but if you walk up Whaddon Road about 7-800 yards there is a chippy that I've not been to for about 15 years. Used to be quite decent though. I'm not sure if they'll be open on Boxing Day, but I would imagine they will be. After the game, the Chinese takeaway a bit further up the road will be open as well.

In the club car park there is sometimes a food van, and in Parklands car park there tends to be as well. I'm not sure if Plymouth fans will be allowed in the club bar - usually depends on how early you get there.

Regarding the game, I'm not expecting much. We seem to have struggled against Plymouth at Whaddon Road, so hoping that changes obviously. In terms of atmosphere - other than it being a bit more laid back due to being Xmas, it'll be the same as it ever is I imagine (very quiet).

Cheers Si. I know the coach won’t be stopping and I guess we’ll arrive about 1. I’ll have the fifteen year old with me, and predicting their hormones and what they want to do on the day is always an inexact science. Usually food is top of his agenda.

 

[Boletus Edulis]

The guy has been identified as Ken Anderson, the former Bolton chairman, who was outed as a charlatan rogue by Vince after Anderson 'bought' Christian Doidge for then Championship team Bolton but never paid the transfer fee nor Doidge's wages.
Doidge was returned to FGR who ended up paying his wages while with Bolton.
Credit to the Cheltenham supporters who quickly identified him and grew weary of his constant moaning. He thought their forum was a ready home as team were obvious local rivals to FGR.

Bloke has read All The President’s Men too much, he seems to think he is Deep Throat.

 

[Si Robin]

What's hilarious is that anyone who doesn't care (which is most of us) is instantly a Dale Vince supporter.

Whilst a lot of Cheltenham fans have jumped on the FGR hating bandwagon and, in particular, the DV hating bandwagon, the simple fact is that it's his persona that grates. His proclamations about going through League 2 with ease, his stars on the shirt and his force feeding of vegan culture (I don't believe this last point btw - I have no issues with the food he sells in his ground). None of us are naive enough to believe that anyone with wealth is likely to be completely squeaky clean in their dealings.

The guy is boring now - he relates views of a thread to interest in the topic, so every time someone looks at the thread to wonder what the hell he's going on about now he thinks people want to hear from him.

 

[Si Robin]

Cheers Si. I know the coach won’t be stopping and I guess we’ll arrive about 1. I’ll have the fifteen year old with me, and predicting their hormones and what they want to do on the day is always an inexact science. Usually food is top of his agenda.

If you head back towards town (so right out of the away entrance, then left at the end of Whaddon Road and keep walking down) there's a new pizza place and a kebab shop as well. Whether they're open or not is a whole other question though I'm afraid.

 

[Tea Towel]

Not confident for this one. Fleetwood seem to have a lot of tight games this year and we’ve been shite lately. Only a last minute equaliser and a last minute penalty save have gained us 2 undeserved points from Exeter and Oxford.

1-0 Fleetwood.

 

[geg1992]

Oxford at home which is going to be tough. They always come to Portman Road to shithouse and try to frustrate us, hence why our previous games against each other lack goals. They've been decent recently and Brannagan back. Pretty much a sell out in the home section but only 400 Oxford coming.

 

[cookiemonster]

If you head back towards town (so right out of the away entrance, then left at the end of Whaddon Road and keep walking down) there's a new pizza place and a kebab shop as well. Whether they're open or not is a whole other question though I'm afraid.

Is Simpsons Fish and Chips at the bottom of Whaddon Road still doing unlimited chips? I took my teenager there before an EFL2 game a few years back. He thought he had died and gone to heaven.