Opening Weekend Matchday Thread

[Sydney Posse]

Not sure what to expect from our game at Salford. They appear to have shed loads and brought loads in. They’ve been pants over the last couple of weeks so hoping they are still getting used to each other. Maybe a good time to play them. We have a few injuries but should still field a strong team. Would take a draw but think we may sneak it

 

[saddler78]

Grimsby at home judging on what we have looked like so far fancy us to nick it 2-1

 

[The Terminator]

Away at Oldham it is then, we've played well so far overall in the two cup games. But we've still got a few problems in our game when it comes to defending, we don't really keep clean sheets and we usually need to score at least 2 goals to get anything out of games. We've only record one 1-0 win I think with Ross in charge, we seem to get too comfortable in matches when we're in winning at times and just concede weak goals out of nothing.

Danny Johnson and Conor Wilkinson have started the season well for us going forward at least, more often than not we will create chances during a game.

Not going to take Oldham lightly, they have their issues off the pitch but I know that once on it its forgotten about. Piergianni has nasty habit of playing well against us as well. Not sure what to expect from Oldham, but we've only won twice at Boundary Park in our last 12 visits, so not a happy hunting ground usually. Conor McAleney is good signing for this level.

As always with ourselves, I predict there will be goals in our games.

 

[Posh Harry]

Can’t see us getting anything at Walsall. Lack of games and fitness definitely an issue. Can see a 3 or 4-1 defeat here.

 

[Bottega Don]

We've never beaten Newport so tomorrow would be a great time to start, would absolutely take a point though.

 

[immariner]

Can’t see us getting anything at Walsall. Lack of games and fitness definitely an issue. Can see a 3 or 4-1 defeat here.

Yeah I wouldn't be surprised. We've at least 4 first teamers injured (Mohsni, Hendrie, Wright, Hanson, off the top of my head) and a few who have only played 1 game in 6 months. Our 15 year old goalscorer from Tuesday is likely to be on the bench.

 

[denzel ecfc]

Not sure what to expect from our game at Salford. They appear to have shed loads and brought loads in. They’ve been pants over the last couple of weeks so hoping they are still getting used to each other. Maybe a good time to play them. We have a few injuries but should still field a strong team. Would take a draw but think we may sneak it

Be nice if we played some youngsters and they all played well, given the admission from P Nev that they dont bother with young players.
Looks doubtful that William's will play though

 

[Sydney Posse]

Be nice if we played some youngsters and they all played well, given the admission from P Nev that they dont bother with young players.
Looks doubtful that William's will play though

Yep would be great if a couple of youngsters did well here. I’d also like to see Ajose start but am not expecting him to be picked. I thought Williams was sold but it appears not just yet?, but yep, can’t see him being played now with supposedly 2/3 clubs interested

 

[devilofajob]

Games at Vale are usually entertaining, and was where we played our first game in the football league.
Would settle for the 2-2 of that game but feel we may lose 3-2.
At least we won't have the worst away following in September.

 

[WH_Stag]

Can see Tranmere nicking it.... Got a much improved squad but its going to take time to see anything decent.

 

[shoddycollins]

I expect Cambridge will beat us today. Like Mansfield I can't see us getting off to much of a start, indeed we already conceded 6 and scored 1 in our opening two competitive fixtures.

We've got basically an entire new squad. According to E361 only 16.3% of the minutes played last season are from players still at the club that's lower than Bolton and the lowest of the 92. We only have two players in the squad who were here 12 months ago (Hayden and Mellish) and neither were first team players back then, and only four of the players who started when we played Cambridge away on the 29th of February (our last league away game and Cambridge's last league home game) are still at the club (Hayden, Mellish and our two goalscorers from that day, Anderton and Alessandra).

We also seem to have played fewer friendlies than most, only five, and you could tell when we played Oldham that most of the players in the squad still had no idea about their team-mates. It's going to take time for the team to settle.

Think Kayode and Furman are still out injured while Patrick might not be fully fit yet, and then long term injuries to Norman, Dickenson and Dixon continue. I expect that Devine will come in for Furman and we'll be otherwise unchanged from the Oldham game but a much better performance is expected. It may be that Toure will play up front where he ended the Oldham game and Mellish will play on the left of a 4-4-2 but we'll see.

____________________________Farman____________________________
Tanner__________Hayden__________McDonald_______Anderton
______________Devine_______Guy_________Mellish_______________
Riley_____________________________________________________Toure
_________________________Alessandra____________________________

 

[valefan16]

Big game, two good results in the cups and expectation is high... hopefully we can make it 17 years without defeat in the league opener, although today’s opponents came closest to ending that in 2010.

We have a few of the injuries back now with Oyeleke and Montano back and Cullen now up to speed.

Crawley have always give us a good test and expect that will be the case despite losing a couple of their better attacking players.

2 defeats in our last 17 league games and 10 unbeaten overall...hopefully all is intact come 5pm.

 

[Railway Blue]

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.

I thought Salford averaged a respectable 3,000 last season?

 

[Stringy]

I'm sure there are better right backs around but I can see Jones fitting into a top three team. It's a bit unfair to judge him on a loan spell when the team were on form before he joined.

The fact you keep picking up on his pace as a weakness and the fact that he replaced Haydn White in your team kind of fit together. Sounds like you tried to bring in a replacement for one of the fastest defenders in the league and didn't change your style of play to reflect the loss in pace; that's not the player's fault. It would be like replacing Peter Crouch in your team with Michael Owen and then complaining that nobody's getting on the end of the headers.

To be fair White was probably the fastest player in the entire league

Some fair points, but defensively he was mediocre too, and his delivery was probably below that for Mansfield. I think he’s going to do okay, but Bolton could have got better without a doubt, and the fact he’s likely to play RWB I believe? Makes it a even more strange signing.

Great points.

Jones might be good enough if used correctly but I'm not certain. That Oldham game Jones was terrible but otherwise he seemed steady and despite not setting the world alight I don't recall him doing that much wrong.

Before the leg break I had no doubt that White was then good enough for top three. Before that season he seemed prone to lapses in concentration and I often thought he might pick up a red card.

 

[Monkey Tennis]

Last time we faced Stevenage, we beat them at Wembley. They seem to be pinning their hopes on star striker Inih Effiong, so we should beat them comfortably. I'll say 7-0.

 

[hellogregory]

I expect Cambridge will beat us today. Like Mansfield I can't see us getting off to much of a start, indeed we already conceded 6 and scored 1 in our opening two competitive fixtures.

We've got basically an entire new squad. According to E361 only 16.3% of the minutes played last season are from players still at the club that's lower than Bolton and the lowest of the 92. We only have two players in the squad who were here 12 months ago (Hayden and Mellish) and neither were first team players back then, and only four of the players who started when we played Cambridge away on the 29th of February (our last league away game and Cambridge's last league home game) are still at the club (Hayden, Mellish and our two goalscorers from that day, Anderton and Alessandra).

We also seem to have played fewer friendlies than most, only five, and you could tell when we played Oldham that most of the players in the squad still had no idea about their team-mates. It's going to take time for the team to settle.

Think Kayode and Furman are still out injured while Patrick might not be fully fit yet, and then long term injuries to Norman, Dickenson and Dixon continue. I expect that Devine will come in for Furman and we'll be otherwise unchanged from the Oldham game but a much better performance is expected. It may be that Toure will play up front where he ended the Oldham game and Mellish will play on the left of a 4-4-2 but we'll see.

____________________________Farman____________________________
Tanner__________Hayden__________McDonald_______Anderton
______________Devine_______Guy_________Mellish_______________
Riley_____________________________________________________Toure
_________________________Alessandra____________________________

It’s a good job we’ve got players to come back, because that team over the course of a season would get relegated.

Thankfully with Kayode and Patrick added to the attack, and then Dickenson later on, we’ll have enough going forward to pick up points. Plus it sounds like Norman might be back sooner that we thought so we won’t have to cope with butter fingers in goal for too long.

 

[Conker]

It's that time again, time to be let down on a weekly basis

 

[BarraMatt]

I must admit, I'm anxious about this one. Strange feeling to begin the first game in a higher league and say we should really be winning. Even worse that I'm working so won't be able to watch or check the score.

Incoming Barrow forum meltdown at 5pm after a draw or defeat.

 

[Monkey Tennis]

I must admit, I'm anxious about this one. Strange feeling to begin the first game in a higher league and say we should really be winning. Even worse that I'm working so won't be able to watch or check the score.

Incoming Barrow forum meltdown at 5pm after a draw or defeat.

"Why did Dunn not sign another striker when we told him we needed one?"

 

[chipmunx]

"Why did Dunn not sign another striker when we told him we needed one?"

because Hindle will get a hat-trick today

 

[hellogregory]

Would there really be a meltdown is Barrow got a draw from their first game back in the football league?

 

[chipmunx]

Would there really be a meltdown is Barrow got a draw from their first game back in the football league?

not if we're above Carlisle...

 

[denzel ecfc]

Debuts for Key and Dean. 5 academy products in the starting lineup plus Sparkes on the bench.
Presume Law is still recovering from injury. Williams not in the squad so he is probably on some motorway about to sign for someone else

 

[shoddycollins]

Patrick and Kayode both start for us which improves our chances massively.

 

[Conker]

Cook and Bowery upfront for Mansfield, nobody would have predicted that. Rose is injured, Maynard on bench.

 

[kieran_vale]

Same lineup as the one that played at Scunthorpe last weekend for us with Rodney on the wing again. Will see how that goes but got some really nice options on the bench with the likes of Manny, Montano and Robinson.

 

[Casey]

Not too far off in my predictions for the starting side.

Davies at right back and Ashford up front in place of German.

Morris
Davies, Craig Tunnicliffe Doherty
Powell Francomb Fergusson
Nadesan Ashford Frost

Casey

 

[kieran_vale]

Not too far off in my predictions for the starting side.

Davies at right back and Ashford up front in place of German.

Morris
Davies, Craig Tunnicliffe Doherty
Powell Francomb Fergusson
Nadesan Ashford Frost

Casey

That close to your strongest team then Casey?

Bright opening from Vale, pressing well and looking to stretch Crawley by switching wide often.

 

[shoddycollins]

Fk sake. The end of the season can't come quickly enough

 

[shoddycollins]

15 minutes in and we've already conceded a couple more soft goals. Ronald Mcdonald is absolute gash, bring back Byron Webster