Sat 2nd & Mon 4th September Fixtures

[SVH]

 

[thewwfc]

MASSIVE mid-table glamour clash as 13th takes on 14th at Sixfields.

Whilst it's too early to take table placings seriously, I'm not expecting either side to be a promotion contender come the end of the season, so I'm expecting this game to be two "meh" sides cancelling each other out.

I see Diving Danny Hylton's landed up at the Cobblers, and there's a bit of needle there since he's a bit of a pantomime villain for us, but I don't think he's actually been playing this season (at least not if Soccerbase is to be believed).

Neither side seems to be prolific in the goals department - and our leading scorer is a centre-back - so this could be an excellent candidate to end up a bore draw.

 

[valefan16]

Oxford away, proper bogey ground for us and location of one of last seasons real stinkers.

They are top, we are unbeaten in 6 and playing very well at the moment so could be a good test to see where we are at, both sides seem to have well performing midfields so could be a key battle.

Losing wouldn't be the end of the world, we have a few winnable games coming up but would be great to keep momentum going, would take a draw but if we did sneak it then a very good start to the season would become excellent.

Most of our attacking players were largely rested bar the last 20 minutes last night and Ojo and Clarke didn't play at all so would imagine we will bring them all back in, Devine will obviously be wanting a place in the XI but cant see us being that open to play him and Chissy.

Interesting to see what kit we wear in this one as our away kit has a Shorts clash and largely the same Navy as their pinstripes and our home kit has a lot of yellow on it this season.

 

[BogDaddyO]

So tired of being in Stevenage's league, what a grim, dirty, anti-footballing, non-league club.

Anyway. Feeling optimistic after the excellent win over Cambridge, that was all well as we've played in a while.

Despite that, Stevenage and Fatty Evans are very much a bogey act for us, they'll likely set up to press and nick a cheap goal from a corner that should have been given as a goal kick, as is their way.

Heart says win, head says draw, stomach says defeat, could be anything.

 

[Don Tonberry]

Given our poor performance against Peterborough's second string where we were playing against 10 men for 30 minutes, brought on our first-team players and still couldn't win, I'm not hopeful for Saturday.

Lose, and I think the fans turn against Mousinho. It has been an underwhelming start to the season despite not losing in the league yet.

 

[Si Robin]

If we don't score on Saturday, we will equal the EFL record for games at the start of the season without scoring a goal. That was Burnley in 97/98.

Given we didn't even look like scoring against Barnsley last season and haven't looked like scoring at all this season, I'm not hopeful.

 

[HutchECFC]

Burton (A) - Looking forward to it, hopefully a few more bodies in beforehand, seeing as with Nombe going/gone, we have 1 fit striker at the moment, in Cox.

Be interesting to see if Blackman, Caprice, Harper and Chauke all play for Burton. Think Blackman has been injured, which coincidentally happened after he had a stinker 10 minutes earlier.

Over 400 tickets sold in advance as of yesterday lunchtime. Hope they've got enough faggots this time!

 

[hellogregory]

Saturday depends on what happens before the transfer deadline.

If we don’t adequately strengthen the forward area of the team and/or sell Moxon, it will be Carlisle nil Shrewsbury whatever they can.

This current front line is the worst I can remember. It’s been a really poor transfer window, but it can still be saved in the penultimate days.

 

[BRFC_Gas]

Lincoln at home. Not sure what to expect from either team to be honest but they sit 4th and we are 17th albeit after only 5 games.
We haven't quite clicked yet, we either create loads of chances and miss most of them or create very little.
It was quite an entertaining game last season with plenty of goals and Barton wont have made any friends from the away game either to add a bit of spice!
Just hope another striker is here by the close of the window.

 

[Didcot Ox]

Oxford v Port Vale

I hope Vale turn up, and give us a good game, and hopefully turn up in numbers. They’ve started well, so no reason to bring less than a 1000.

We’ve really looked good, since the Cambridge game, and to be honest they played us at the right time. The wheels are now in motion, and I expect a close game this Saturday. If Vale’s defence are a little fatigued after playing. Saturday, and Tuesday. It could be a long afternoon for them.

I’m going Oxford 3-1 Vale.

I hope Port Vale finish top half this season, as I like Crosby.

 

[valefan16]

Oxford v Port Vale

I hope Vale turn up, and give us a good game, and hopefully turn up in numbers. They’ve started well, so no reason to bring less than a 1000.

We’ve really looked good, since the Cambridge game, and to be honest they played us at the right time. The wheels are now in motion, and I expect a close game this Saturday. If Vale’s defence are a little fatigued after playing. Saturday, and Tuesday. It could be a long afternoon for them.

I’m going Oxford 3-1 Vale.

I hope Port Vale finish top half this season, as I like Crosby.

We rested much of our side last night so shouldn’t be any excuses on fitness.

Should be a decent test we’ve a decent footballing technical side this season, far superior to last season but this is going to be a big test at a ground we’ve lost at every time! This fixture is 90% of the time in recent decades home win for either side it seems but we’ve lost 4-0, lost 2-1 after equalising deep in injury time, lost 2-1 after a goal from half way and a missed penalty from us! And lost 2-1 when we had the best away record in the league so it’s one that’s a bit cursed for us.

Would take a point and then go into a run of games where we will be favourites. (Not that this ever means anything!)

 

[EricSabin]

MASSIVE mid-table glamour clash as 13th takes on 14th at Sixfields.

Whilst it's too early to take table placings seriously, I'm not expecting either side to be a promotion contender come the end of the season, so I'm expecting this game to be two "meh" sides cancelling each other out.

I see Diving Danny Hylton's landed up at the Cobblers, and there's a bit of needle there since he's a bit of a pantomime villain for us, but I don't think he's actually been playing this season (at least not if Soccerbase is to be believed).

Neither side seems to be prolific in the goals department - and our leading scorer is a centre-back - so this could be an excellent candidate to end up a bore draw.

Delighted to be involved in a mid table clash. Hylton has been a massive flop, no goals, regularly injured and we’ve been trying to flog him. Currently out injured too so we’re stuck til January I think.

We’re creating plenty but not sticking many away, are you likely to come and have a go or repeat the Rovers blueprint?

 

[codaplenty]

Charlton away, they are not in the best of form so maybe a chance of a point. Cant score at the moment and still making dreadful errors at the back, architects of our own downfall. Not expecting anything here so a draw would be like winning the lottery ha ha

 

[Gassy]

Lincoln at home. Not sure what to expect from either team to be honest but they sit 4th and we are 17th albeit after only 5 games.
We haven't quite clicked yet, we either create loads of chances and miss most of them or create very little.
It was quite an entertaining game last season with plenty of goals and Barton wont have made any friends from the away game either to add a bit of spice!
Just hope another striker is here by the close of the window.

Lincoln is usually a good game at both grounds tbf. Both teams always give it a go and 2 sets of passionate fans.

No idea how we’ll do, either lose by a goal or win by 2. And that all depends on whether we sign a striker or not IMO

 

[thewwfc]

Delighted to be involved in a mid table clash. Hylton has been a massive flop, no goals, regularly injured and we’ve been trying to flog him. Currently out injured too so we’re stuck til January I think.

We’re creating plenty but not sticking many away, are you likely to come and have a go or repeat the Rovers blueprint?

We're kind of schizophrenic right now, we're "trying" to be a more ball-to-feet side after many seasons of being renowned for being direct.

But on Saturday v the Gas, because they have a reputation for trying to ping it around (and also because we'd started to ship a few too many) then we went negative and counter-attacking.

Vs Sutton on Tuesday we were the other way round, we were the ones creating a bunch and playing passing football, but not actually scoring, so it's anyone's guess which version of us turns up, although maybe the fact it's an away game for us points more to the counter-attacking version, not sure.

Anyway, we're somewhat less than the sum of our parts at present, so I'm not holding my breath for the win.

 

[EricSabin]

We're kind of schizophrenic right now, we're "trying" to be a more ball-to-feet side after many seasons of being renowned for being direct.

But on Saturday v the Gas, because they have a reputation for trying to ping it around (and also because we'd started to ship a few too many) then we went negative and counter-attacking.

Vs Sutton on Tuesday we were the other way round, we were the ones creating a bunch and playing passing football, but not actually scoring, so it's anyone's guess which version of us turns up, although maybe the fact it's an away game for us points more to the counter-attacking version, not sure.

Anyway, we're somewhat less than the sum of our parts at present, so I'm not holding my breath for the win.

Interesting, we’ve had our style changed similar to you it seems. In League 2 we were very much a high press all energy team, win it back and break quickly style of play and it was really effective, but this year we’ve gone possession based. Brady has done it really well and has us near the top of the average possession stats this year. Think it’ll suit us a bit more if you come to have a go.

 

[thewwfc]

I think you'll do better if you get the first goal, we seem to flap and go to pieces quite easily and get confused as to how we're supposed to be playing if we go behind.

We have a lot of young loanee kids as well, which doesn't help - they're good players, but perhaps not all of them have the level-headedness that comes with experience.

 

[BRFC_Gas]

We're kind of schizophrenic right now, we're "trying" to be a more ball-to-feet side after many seasons of being renowned for being direct.

But on Saturday v the Gas, because they have a reputation for trying to ping it around (and also because we'd started to ship a few too many) then we went negative and counter-attacking.

Vs Sutton on Tuesday we were the other way round, we were the ones creating a bunch and playing passing football, but not actually scoring, so it's anyone's guess which version of us turns up, although maybe the fact it's an away game for us points more to the counter-attacking version, not sure.

Anyway, we're somewhat less than the sum of our parts at present, so I'm not holding my breath for the win.

Blimey I cannot even imagine that side of yours I saw on Saturday actually passing it around. Hope to see it at Adams Park in the return fixture and maybe Joey can lift his Wycombe curse. Probably not though..

 

[thewwfc]

Blimey I cannot even imagine that side of yours I saw on Saturday actually passing it around. Hope to see it at Adams Park in the return fixture and maybe Joey can lift his Wycombe curse. Probably not though..

I can't see it either when we play against you, but in fairness it's clear that the low block and counterattack frustrates the hell out of, and works against, Joey Barton sides (not just you, it was the same when he managed Fleetwood) so I can see why we played the way we did given our poor start.

 

[BRFC_Gas]

I can't see it either when we play against you, but in fairness it's clear that the low block and counterattack frustrates the hell out of, and works against, Joey Barton sides (not just you, it was the same when he managed Fleetwood) so I can see why we played the way we did given our poor start.

I saw on your forum someone laughing that we were still expecting a typical Ainsworth side, yet that is what we got.
Fair play it works, did for Cambridge too although they did it at home, that's why we play better against higher sides last season and lost to pretty much everyone at the bottom at least once.

 

[thewwfc]

I saw on your forum someone laughing that we were still expecting a typical Ainsworth side, yet that is what we got.
Fair play it works, did for Cambridge too although they did it at home, that's why we play better against higher sides last season and lost to pretty much everyone at the bottom at least once.

I wasn't expecting it either to be honest, it was like Ainsworth never left. Right down to the goalie playacting, which we had stopped doing.

 

[The Terminator]

I would expect us to be unchanged from last Saturday.

Stevenage are the complete opposite to what we are, no doubt we will boss possession and they will try and hit us on the break and with set plays. Piergianni always causes problems against us no matters who he's played for.

We're not the biggest of sides physically which is a weakness of ours despite how good we can be in possession.

 

[folletto]

Charlton away, they are not in the best of form so maybe a chance of a point. Cant score at the moment and still making dreadful errors at the back, architects of our own downfall. Not expecting anything here so a draw would be like winning the lottery ha ha

Sounds similar to ourselves, although with Jason Pearce in charge I’d at least hope we’re a bit tighter at the back. Unfortunately the fans have already turned toxic this season so will be on the players backs. Is Stockley likely to play, think him scoring would cause riots in the home end

 

[codaplenty]

Stockley has had injury/illness problems. If he plays it will be a bonus.Marriott unlikely to feature after picking up injury so could be featherweight up front.
1-0 to you

 

[E10rifle]

Stevevansanage don’t historically like playing on our big pitch very much. Much more difficult to launch our wingers into the stands when you actually have to move to catch them. Still, they’ve taken to League One like shithouses to water so I’m sure it’ll be a tough outing. If we play like we did last week we’ll win but I’m expecting a scrappy, uncomfortable watch with one goal in the game at most. First time this season that the away end won’t be full, which is odd for a club whose fans seem desperate to manufacture some sort of rivalry with us.

 

[denzel ecfc]

Not very optimistic now. Though we should get in a couple of strikers today or tomorrow, I'm not sure if they will play. Aitchison who played up front last week is out with concussion thanks to a Stevenage player launching him into the hoardings, Scott is still out, which leaves 18 year old Sonny Cox or makeshift forwards.
Still, who knows what will happen.

 

[Grumpy Grecian]

Bit harsh there about the Stevenage player there Denz.
Even GC says now that, after reviewing the video evidence, it looked a genuine accident with no malice intended.

 

[Soz]

i'm strangely not as excited by our start as i would normally be, think we've rode our luck a little at times since barnsley and although you can't argue with results, im not convinced by the crosby system just yet. hope im wrong but i think we could get found out when we come up against the higher quality/in form teams which we've not seen yet...no offence to those we've played yet.

I think a point would be an unexpected bonus for me.

 

[valefan16]

i'm strangely not as excited by our start as i would normally be, think we've rode our luck a little at times since barnsley and although you can't argue with results, im not convinced by the crosby system just yet. hope im wrong but i think we could get found out when we come up against the higher quality/in form teams which we've not seen yet...no offence to those we've played yet.

I think a point would be an unexpected bonus for me.

Which would you say we rode our luck in?

Its developing but this midfield is light years ahead of the one last season and Blackpool and Reading are no mugs. Time we will though but as you say if we can do it against a team in as good or better form as we are then maybe we can get a little excited.

Overall we seem better than last season (not that hard though) but have the added spark of Ollie Arblaster who lets be fair is looking an unbelievably good loan signing.

 

[Bar Carousel]

Given our poor performance against Peterborough's second string where we were playing against 10 men for 30 minutes, brought on our first-team players and still couldn't win, I'm not hopeful for Saturday.

Lose, and I think the fans turn against Mousinho. It has been an underwhelming start to the season despite not losing in the league yet.

Sadly I think you're right about a crowd reaction if defeat on Saturday.

Get where those pissed off are coming from, but the reality is we're sixteen unbeaten and regardless of opposition that is no mean feat, and something to build on. Squinnying we aren't winning enough might be valid to an extent, but it reeks of entitlement at the same time. I think it's probably as much to do with the uninspiring brand of football (which isn't as advertised) as much as results though. I see we've been renamed Drawsmouth on social media.

Sometimes I think the weight of expectation from the crowd is the biggest hindrance we have from ever leaving this division.

Hoping we come out with something to prove, get an early goal and aren't spending 90 minutes passing the ball about in the first and second third like normal.