Opening Weekend Matchday Thread

[shoddycollins]

Still two weeks to go, and the League Cup and B-team Cup opening fixtures come first but the start of the League Two season is fast approaching. I'm sure people are itching to start discussing actual football and not just transfer speculation so let's get the thread going.

It feels like it's been simultaneously the shortest and the longest summer break. Longest because it's going to be mid-September and the last League Two fixture (Carlisle 2 - 0 Newport in case anyone had forgotten) was in mid-March; yet shortest because most clubs haven't been preparing for the new season for very long. Transfer activity is only really getting going now for some clubs while most will be playing fewer friendlies in preparation than normal. The Champions League final was only last week in this strange summer in which teams started qualification rounds for the 2020/21 FA Cup before the 2019/20 final had been played and the Scottish league season is well under way already.

How this will affect the start of the season is anyone's guess, will everyone be ready in time or will some clubs find that the opening fixtures have come around just a little too soon? The lack of fans is only going to add to the strange atmosphere and that will surely affect the players psychologically and perhaps lead to games being played at a different level of intensity. The fact that anyone watching the games here will be doing so on ifollow could lead to this forum being a little busier, a bit more banter.

Anyway, fixtures.

Barrow v Stevenage
Bolton Wanderers v Forest Green Rovers
Bradford City v Colchester United
Cambridge United v Carlisle United
Cheltenham Town v Morecambe
Mansfield Town v Tranmere Rovers
Oldham Athletic v Leyton Orient
Port Vale v Crawley Town
Salford City v Exeter City
Scunthorpe United v Newport County
Southend United v Harrogate Town
Walsall v Grimsby Town

A few games there see teams fancied to challenge for promotion come up against each other. Bolton v FGR, Mansfield v Tranmere and Salford v Exeter in particular and possibly also Bradford v Colchester; while Barrow host a reprived Stevenage who yet again begin the season away to a promoted side.

 

[valefan16]

Toughy for us, Crawley always give us a good game at Vale Park, hopefully we can get the result at home though.

 

[Casey]

I'm not sure how Crawley are going do this season. We've replaced Ollie Palmer with a lad from Hemel Hempsted, Rico German was on loan in the National South for most of last season and Nadesan had a few niggling injuries last season too. I can see us struggling for goals.

We still haven't seen Bez Lubala so there's a chance he is off somewhere

Id expect us to play a counter attacking style because of the pace up front but I'm not over enthused about the creativity in the side but the defense seems to be solid.

In short, mid to lower table mediocrity for us but teams attacking us could be caught out.

2-1 to Port Vale.

Casey

 

[Monkey Tennis]

A lot of people have us and Stevenage down to finish in or around the relegation zone, so it should be a good indicator of how we'll cope this season. Stevenage seem to have recruited mainly Conference-standard players to an already poor-looking squad, and ours are mostly complete unknowns at this level.
I won't panic if we lose - we were just about bottom of the league after 9 games last season - but it will certainly send a few of our fans into a deep, spiralling depression and the calls for "Dunn out" will inevitably start.
If we get a good striker in and with home advantage, I'd fancy us to win.

 

[BlackHaddock]

My closest game (at Walsall) kicks off our season league wise. No idea how either side will line up or what tactics they will employ. I expect us to be attack minded and go for it, a kind of you score 3 and we'll try and score 4 sort of game. Most likely a boring 0-0 now I've said that!

 

[David Brent]

The BCD Prem games of the season just gone seemed barely above a training session in intensity level. Admittedly that could have been down to some players thinking about being on the beach beer in hand, but I still feel these first few games of the new season will have a similar feel.

A key factor will therefore be which manager can best get their team motivated and ready to bust a gut for the three points. Some players will struggle psychologically playing in an empty stadium.

Fortunately for Salford, the players won’t notice any difference.

 

[BlackHaddock]

A key factor will therefore be which manager can best get their team motivated and ready to bust a gut for the three points. Some players will struggle psychologically playing in an empty stadium.

Fortunately for Salford, the players won’t notice any difference.

Actually the away support was pretty good at Salford for their first season, we took almost 1,000 on a Tuesday night because it was a new ground for us, in fact most clubs took around that figure, so a lot of games would have been fairly loud crowd wise.

 

[The Jovial Forester]

We'll win by at least two clear goals and without looking troubled and panic will set in for Bolton.

 

[David Brent]

We'll win by at least two clear goals and without looking troubled and panic will set in for Bolton.

How's the FGR fanbase feeling about this season? Are you not worried about where the attacking intent will come from having lost Mills?

I've always had a soft spot for Forest Green having grown up not too far away, I hope you boys do well this season. When I wasn't going up to the Reebok on a Saturday to watch Okocha & co. I used to go to training sessions organised by their coaches back in the early 2000s when I was a kid. How things have changed...

 

[The Jovial Forester]

How's the FGR fanbase feeling about this season? Are you not worried about where the attacking intent will come from having lost Mills?

I've always had a soft spot for Forest Green having grown up not too far away, I hope you boys do well this season. When I wasn't going up to the Reebok on a Saturday to watch Okocha & co. I used to go to training sessions organised by their coaches back in the early 2000s when I was a kid. How things have changed...

I'm a bit out of touch mate, live abroad now, but think it's fairly positive but expect mid-table with maybe a push for play-offs if things click, been a fair bit of churn and the new signings are OK but nothing stand-out (I was obviously pissing around above - not impossible but I have no idea).

 

[Back in the DHSS]

I’d take a draw at Mansfield. Absolutely appalling record there with only one win in the last 50 years.

 

[masi51]

We'll win by at least two clear goals and without looking troubled and panic will set in for Bolton.

Do you really believe that?

 

[David Brent]

Do you really believe that?

No he was joking, however let's not pretend we're going to walk it. First game of the season between two teams who have made multiple new signings and players who haven't played a competitive fixture in six months, anything could happen.

 

[The Jovial Forester]

Do you really believe that?

I really reckon it'll be three clear goals but I didn't want to sound cocky

 

[Chris FGR]

How's the FGR fanbase feeling about this season? Are you not worried about where the attacking intent will come from having lost Mills?

I've always had a soft spot for Forest Green having grown up not too far away, I hope you boys do well this season. When I wasn't going up to the Reebok on a Saturday to watch Okocha & co. I used to go to training sessions organised by their coaches back in the early 2000s when I was a kid. How things have changed...

Fairly positive, but probably the same as a lot of clubs, not really sure what to expect given the player churn and short build up to the season. Hope is we can challenge for the play-offs, but given our form from late November onwards we could just as easily be bottom half, think it was 2 wins in 17 or something.

Mills will be a massive loss, one or two of our signings look promising but then so do most new signings during pre-season. When the real stuff starts some usually turn to shit, so hopefully that doesn't apply to many of our new signings.

 

[The Jovial Forester]

I'm really hoping Collins comes good this time, he had that good run at Morecambe and I reckon he's got that in him still. One or two like that shifting up ten percent and we're in business, or as Chris says, one or two dropping off and so do we.

 

[masi51]

Fairly positive, but probably the same as a lot of clubs, not really sure what to expect given the player churn and short build up to the season. Hope is we can challenge for the play-offs, but given our form from late November onwards we could just as easily be bottom half, think it was 2 wins in 17 or something.

Mills will be a massive loss, one or two of our signings look promising but then so do most new signings during pre-season. When the real stuff starts some usually turn to shit, so hopefully that doesn't apply to many of our new signings.

We will know where are at this evening...Our last pre season against lge 2 top team Crewe last season.
Think Evatt will play his starting 11 tonight bar our centre backs who i think are still to be decieded.

Think he will go for this team tonight may get c/h wrong

GK...crellin
lwb Gordon
Rwb Jones
lch Delaney
ch Taft
Rch Santos

CMF Comley
CMF Sarcevic
CMF Crawford

CF Delafoneso
CF Doyle

 

[Boz]

I’d take a draw at Mansfield. Absolutely appalling record there with only one win in the last 50 years.

Me too

 

[Chris FGR]

We will know where are at this evening...Our last pre season against lge 2 top team Crewe last season.
Think Evatt will play his starting 11 tonight bar our centre backs who i think are still to be decieded.

Think he will go for this team tonight may get c/h wrong

GK...crellin
lwb Gordon
Rwb Jones
lch Delaney
ch Taft
Rch Santos

CMF Comley
CMF Sarcevic
CMF Crawford

CF Delafoneso
CF Doyle

Quality line up on paper that, tbh expect you to beat us. Not convinced we'll be good enough defensively.

 

[masi51]

Quality line up on paper that, tbh expect you to beat us. Not convinced we'll be good enough defensively.

You may catch us cold as i do not think we have our centre of defence sorted. We currently have 8 C/H at the club
Baptiste would be a certain starter if fit. Greenidge is a bit of a unknown but is highly thought of. Liam Edwards suffered a couple of bad injuries and is not back any time soon. Harry Brockbank is steady and will improve under Evatt still only young and Adam Senior likewise but i expect he will be loaned out.

 

[shoddycollins]

The BCD Prem games of the season just gone seemed barely above a training session in intensity level. Admittedly that could have been down to some players thinking about being on the beach beer in hand, but I still feel these first few games of the new season will have a similar feel.

A key factor will therefore be which manager can best get their team motivated and ready to bust a gut for the three points. Some players will struggle psychologically playing in an empty stadium.

Fortunately for Salford, the players won’t notice any difference.

Could be a bonus for those of us with generally miserable fans who tend to get on the players backs from the first game of the season

 

[Vanni]

I'm only interested in one match. It's going to be hard to retain the CUFC League title this year but it's just about the only thing we can win so bring it on I say.

U's 1 - Carlisle 2

 

[Conker]

I’d take a draw at Mansfield. Absolutely appalling record there with only one win in the last 50 years.

What a time to change that record, first game of the season is always up for grabs for anybody, and without the crowd too!

 

[Back in the DHSS]

What a time to change that record, first game of the season is always up for grabs for anybody, and without the crowd too!

Hope so, but won’t hold my breath.

 

[ShrimpsMeltdown]

I'm really hoping Collins comes good this time, he had that good run at Morecambe and I reckon he's got that in him still. One or two like that shifting up ten percent and we're in business, or as Chris says, one or two dropping off and so do we.

Can we have him back please?

 

[Chris FGR]

Can we have him back please?

That could actually happen tbh, has ability but hasn't worked out as of yet. Needs to start the season well I reckon, or he could end up down the pecking order and on his way out, especially given how we've now signed Wagstaff.

Still hope he comes good though, I rate him.

 

[ShrimpsMeltdown]

I doubt he'll ever come back here, a sofa bed at the captain's flat for 6 months won't sound too appealing to him again.

 

[Huntsman94]

I’d take a draw at Mansfield. Absolutely appalling record there with only one win in the last 50 years.

Yep I’d snatch your hand off for a point there.

 

[Bottega Don]

We already have 5 starters now injured and I don't believe any will be fit for the first game, will snap your hand off for a point.

 

[hellogregory]

Whilst I think we’ll have a decent season compared to last, I am expecting us to start off quite slow for a couple of reasons. 1. It’s a young team, a lot of new young players will need time to gel. And 2. We’re already plagued with injuries and the season hasn’t even started yet. The team we could put out at Cambridge could have a few players missing.

Can see us dropping a lot of points early on but it won’t be panic stations as I have faith in our coach to improve these players, get them playing as a team and really push for a solid mid table possibly top half finish.