Robins vs Stags (CTFC vs MTFC)

[northstandexile]

Hope the pitch is better than the sand pit that we played on last year.

Should come away with three points tomorrow. Can't see many staggies at this one but I should be there.

Is the shuttle bus still running from the racecourse car park?

Last year they had stopped it but heard it might be on again this year, anybody know?

 

[Baratheon]

Agree we should win this one but may be tighter than expected. Hopefully there will be a little more quality on offer from us than on Saturday. Possibly depends on which starting line-up SE goes with. Mellis and Angol to start?

 

[CTFCfan99]

They don't do the park and ride any more but there's usually plenty of street parking near the ground as long as you arrive at a reasonable time. You could also still park at the racecourse and it's only about a 15 minute walk from there.

We've played well in the past few games, starting to come together a bit. Mansfield do look a strong side though so a point might be a good result.

 

[Si Robin]

Don't let our league position fool you, we are playing much better than it suggests.

We're still not scoring like we need to be, but we have stemmed the tide at the other end and that's the important thing. I think anyone expecting 3 points tomorrow, from either side, will be in for a bit of a surprise. It will be a battle, and one thing this group of players can do is battle, especially if Storer is back.

It's been a while since I've looked forward to the next game immediately after the last one, but when the players are giving their all, that's exactly what I am now.

 

[Richard Cranium]

If there was one thing I learnt quite early into my time supporting Mansfield it was too never ever in any circumstances expect 3 points.

 

[Flaxman's Alibi]

1-0 either way.

We've rode our luck in the last fortnight, if we aren't on it that luck will possibly run out.

 

[Flaxman's Alibi]

It's been a while since I've looked forward to the next game immediately after the last one, but when the players are giving their all, that's exactly what I am now.

I've been following a lower league team regularly since the early eighties, the condition is called Cautiousnuttous - the minute you start enjoying following your club WHAMMO, a polished knee straight in the pyrus nivalis!

 

[Hamez]

Think this will be tougher than alot of people think. Sounds like Cheltenham have played pretty well, and had a decent result on Saturday away at Accrington.

Think we'll change the team around a bit to be honsest. Rose won't play, neither will Potter or MacDonald, think they put alot of energy into Saturday & will be rested for Saturday. Hemmings will get another start, he really really needs a goal.

 

[AdamStag]

Happy with a point given we've accumulated 10 points from the last 12.

 

[Never Mind The Paul Cox]

We've got 10 from the last 12, but we couldn't argue if we'd have got 4 or 5....we've been playing absolutely gash whilst the centre halves and goalkeeper have been playing above and beyond.

I know playing crap and not losing is the sign of a good team, but good teams don't do it consecutively and continually get away with it. We either need to improve drastically, or our luck runs out tonight.

I think it'll be a game of two halves again. Stags crap in the first, an Evans rollocking at Half-Time, slightly improved second half to come back and scrape a draw. Seems to be a common theme that we can't start games well at all.

 

[william death]

Thought Mirfin was an excellent signing in the summer, interested to see him on Saturday.

Who else has been impressing for Mansfield?

 

[Luke Imp]

Pearce and Mifin are solid. Likewise Digby.

 

[AdamStag]

Thought Mirfin was an excellent signing in the summer, interested to see him on Saturday.

Who else has been impressing for Mansfield?

He started slowly, but has came into his own, Logan (the keeper) also started very dodgy, but has also done well recently. Pearce and White have also done well - so in short, the defence like mentioned above.

MacDonald in midfield and Rose upfront have also started well.

Hemmings isn't living upto the bill to date, nor is Butcher, but i'm sure both will come good

 

[Hamez]

Thought Mirfin was an excellent signing in the summer, interested to see him on Saturday.

Who else has been impressing for Mansfield?

Mirfin, first couple of games aside, has been brilliant for us.

Danny Rose has pushed on from last season. From the new signings, Mellis is probably too good for this level. Anderson looks decent too.

 

[Never Mind The Paul Cox]

Ask any Crewe fan about Mirfin, and they'll all tell you he was the worst player on the pitch when we played them on the opening day. By a long, long way too.

I was beginning to think there must have been a reason Scunny didn't want him despite all of the rave reviews we had.

Thankfully he's more than become the player we thought we were signing. Pearce is just Pearce....Mr consistent, solid performances every week.

The likes of Bennett (didn't miss a game at all last season, played every minute, picked up a couple of end of season awards) and Diamond (Northampton's player of the season) aren't breaking into the side at the moment, so it probably shows why we havn't been losing despite performing crap.

 

[WH_Stag]

Don't let our league position fool you, we are playing much better than it suggests.

Classic cheltenham attitude hahaha always down near the bottom and still are and always will be but "were still not a crap team, were one of the best!"

Lucky thing you're playing us, because we have a habit of loosing to lower teams, grounds with no atmosphere, a crap pitch and a tough side playing it long always get the better of us.

We've been playing badly lately but still taking chances to win games and our back 4 and the keeper have been a league above so far. Would take a Draw but if were serious about going up this year this is a game we should win and then look forward to a proper game against county!

We need Hemmings to get a goal and get some confidence then he will hopefully be back to his goalscoring best. Hope rose keeps on getting goals too, he's looked great so far. Id want Anderson and Mellis Playing in this.

 

[AdamStag]

Don't let our league position fool you, we are playing much better than it suggests.

We're still not scoring like we need to be, but we have stemmed the tide at the other end and that's the important thing. I think anyone expecting 3 points tomorrow, from either side, will be in for a bit of a surprise. It will be a battle, and one thing this group of players can do is battle, especially if Storer is back.

It's been a while since I've looked forward to the next game immediately after the last one, but when the players are giving their all, that's exactly what I am now.

Your start has surprised me.

With respect I didn't expect you to be near the playoffs,'but you've an alright side.

Hopefully we don't see this tonight. Gary Johnson still ok health wise?

 

[CTFCfan99]

Well that was easy

 

[AdamStag]

Your start has surprised me.

With respect I didn't expect you to be near the playoffs,'but you've an alright side.

Hopefully we don't see this tonight. Gary Johnson still ok health wise?

Obviously We did see that tonight.

We didn't deserve go beat Lincoln and we didn't deserve to beat Cambridge.

Our questionable midfield found out.

Hopefully it'll serve to be the kick up the backside we really need

 

[Conker]

Let’s face it, that’s been coming.

You can’t keep playing shite and blagging it every week, Good performance and a win needed against County. Going to be tough.

 

[Hamez]

Fair play to Cheltenham, sounded like they battered us. As Conker mentioned, it's been coming last few weeks.

Even more worried about Saturday now...

 

[WH_Stag]

Same as always cant beat the shite teams....

Well done Cheltenham, we were bloody awful. Evans needs to sort something soon. Get thumped by county and the pressure is on.

 

[AdamStag]

Same as always cant beat the shite teams....

Well done Cheltenham, we were bloody awful. Evans needs to sort something soon. Get thumped by county and the pressure is on.

Well if we never beat the shite teams what does that make us?.

With respect to Cheltenham we would have gone here expecting something but you can't just rock up and expect to win and keep putting in shite performances. As I said before the game, they've a good side and good manager.

For us, it's tricky, on one hand had you offered me 16 points from the opening 10 I'd have taken it, but I wouldn't have taken the standard that we've played at.

 

[Si Robin]

Classic cheltenham attitude hahaha always down near the bottom and still are and always will be but "were still not a crap team, were one of the best!"

Proper shit we are.

 

[Posh Harry]

Same as always cant beat the shite teams....

Well done Cheltenham, we were bloody awful. Evans needs to sort something soon. Get thumped by county and the pressure is on.

I beg to differ. You beat us and we are shite

 

[Richard Cranium]

Wh Stag, you are embarrasing. Never known anyone have an obsession with Cheltenham.

We deserved what we got last night. Awful performance. Went down Monday aswell to 'prepare correctly' for it and not one single player turned up. Got to be 100x better than that on Saturday or Notts will teach hammer us.

 

[william death]

Obviously We did see that tonight.

We didn't deserve go beat Lincoln and we didn't deserve to beat Cambridge.

Our questionable midfield found out.

Hopefully it'll serve to be the kick up the backside we really need

Anderson, Digby, Mellis, Atkinson looks a pretty good L2 midfield to me?

 

[Conker]

Our midfield has been a shambles all season, not sure why.

 

[Richard Cranium]

It is only Evans changes it every week. Mellis is first name on the team sheet for me, He was the only one likely to make anything happen.

Saturday I'd go Macca, Mellis, Digby, Atkinson but can see him having Butcher in. When Byrom is fit he's in the middle with Mellis for me.

 

[Never Mind The Paul Cox]

The issue with our midfield is that it's too narrow, there's no real width.

The width is supposed to come from the full backs, and with White and Benning playing, it does.
The problem is, they bomb forward and they have no cover, so get caught out and we concede goals. Both have then found themselves dropped for Bennett and Hunt because of that. Bennett and Hunt defend well, but don't go forwards to provide the much needed width. We're then stuck with no creativity and a bunched up midfield that gets bypassed by long balls up to strikers that can't win a header if their lives depended on it (bar Danny Rose) and we create bugger all because of it.