Saturday 20th Jan Fixtures

[Tom_CUFC]

Harris said, "If at times we have to be ugly away from home, so be it to gain results".

I mean, he's not wrong, but if that's gonna be his approach against every team in the division then away games are going to continue to be a real fucking slog for us for the duration of his time here, like they have been for most of the last 18 months. We're a small fish in this league and staying up every year for now is a success, but it'd be nice to have the intention of having a bit of a go away from home at teams in the bottom half, at least for an hour before we decide to grind out a point.

Guy gives me proper Shaun Derry vibes, absolute cliché machine, fist pumping after every win, and signs beginning to show of the dour football he became known for elsewhere. Fine whilst we're picking up points, we should be fine this season, but that sort of mentality very rarely works long-term, it didn't for Bonner once he switched to it, will get ugly quickly if the results stop coming.

 

[denzel ecfc]

Another nail hammered into our coffin with Exeter’s point today.

7 points adrift having played a game more. Cheltenham remain 3 points ahead of us but have 3 games in hand on us. They could pull away with even a win and a draw in those games.

The way it’s going we’ll be officially relegated by Easter. But in reality we’re already as good as down. Shame for us.

Not really, we should be targeting three points there. You'll catch us up no problem

 

[Super_horns]

Totally inept ref deciding the outcome of a football match once again. Gavin Ward today.
Also noticing recently linos not keeping up with play, maybe many overdid it at xmas?

Small fussy ref.

 

[AmberRich]

Harris said, "If at times we have to be ugly away from home, so be it to gain results".

I mean, he's not wrong, but if that's gonna be his approach against every team in the division then away games are going to continue to be a real fucking slog for us for the duration of his time here, like they have been for most of the last 18 months. We're a small fish in this league and staying up every year for now is a success, but it'd be nice to have the intention of having a bit of a go away from home at teams in the bottom half, at least for an hour before we decide to grind out a point.

Guy gives me proper Shaun Derry vibes, absolute cliché machine, fist pumping after every win, and signs beginning to show of the dour football he became known for elsewhere. Fine whilst we're picking up points, we should be fine this season, but that sort of mentality very rarely works long-term, it didn't for Bonner once he switched to it, will get ugly quickly if the results stop coming.

When we appointed Harris it seemed pretty clear to me what to expect. Ugly football, but points to keep us in the division. Think Paul Barry knows the importance of simply staying in this division, whilst we build infrastructure up to standard where we can start looking upwards again.

11 points from 7 with Harrisball so far, do that over a whole season and we stay up comfortably.

 

[AmberRich]

We were 7 adrift in April last season and by a miracle we stayed up. There's always hope for clubs like Carlisle. Someone always turns it around, plenty more twists and turns.

 

[kieran_vale]

We were 7 adrift in April last season and by a miracle we stayed up. There's always hope for clubs like Carlisle. Someone always turns it around, plenty more twists and turns.

Yeah the only one I think I’m ruling out now is Fleetwood and that’s more because their off-field situation is not great more than anything. Kind of one that usually results in a relegation.

 

[Throbber_for_Dunk]

Fine whilst we're picking up points, we should be fine this season......will get ugly quickly if the results stop coming.

Yeah, I like him enough at the moment and think he's done well enough so far, in the circumstances anyway, but as you say everything you alluded to, his mannerisms, his way of playing, and his soundbites will all look increasing ridiculous when results aren't coming. I find it a nice, bullish difference to Bonner's more pragmatic approach to these things, but no-one likes a pantomime outside winter I guess!

Coming away from four matches in a row thinking we should have scored five is fine when you play well and struggle to finish is fine, but when it eventually goes bad it's going to look like a thoroughly post-Derryian hellscape.

Would be a touch concerned of going back down the player recruitment path during that era as well, if we overhaul what's largely a pretty solid squad for Harris' pals and then it goes sour and we get back into a 40+ play a season revolving door situation we could get quite nastily flushed down.

Anyway, positives, well, the match took place (nice one Exeter, not swapping you out now. Youse are good eggs), I didn't travel to watch it in person and we got a point....Think that covers it.

 

[Arbury]

Harris said, "If at times we have to be ugly away from home, so be it to gain results".

I mean, he's not wrong, but if that's gonna be his approach against every team in the division then away games are going to continue to be a real fucking slog for us for the duration of his time here, like they have been for most of the last 18 months. We're a small fish in this league and staying up every year for now is a success, but it'd be nice to have the intention of having a bit of a go away from home at teams in the bottom half, at least for an hour before we decide to grind out a point.

Guy gives me proper Shaun Derry vibes, absolute cliché machine, fist pumping after every win, and signs beginning to show of the dour football he became known for elsewhere. Fine whilst we're picking up points, we should be fine this season, but that sort of mentality very rarely works long-term, it didn't for Bonner once he switched to it, will get ugly quickly if the results stop coming.

Feel like saying something now whilst we’re picking up points rather than “jumping on the bandwagon” when things turn to shit but I just don’t like Harris, I find his interviews boring and cliche ridden to the point where I don’t want to listen to them and as for the fist pumping! It’s just embarrassing.

100% agree on the Derry vibes and I’m glad he only signed for 18months, sounds pessimistic I know but i just don’t rate him.

As for the game today, it was just dire much like last week but we’ll take the point and move on, we certainly need players through the door and back from injury.


KTF.

 

[Crewelad87]

Now he's fully fit, it's great to see Dan Agyei smashing it at Orient. You guys will really enjoy him, when he's on it, he's hard to stop, and just wait for his shithouse pens

 

[Bobbin']

To me, your priorities should lie in a commanding centre half and a good and a defensive midfielder who can get his foot in and dictate a bit. I'm sure you are looking but from the outside it seems like you've spent the entire time chasing strikers.

Defence is clearly a huge issue, we have picked up Edwards-Green and Macaulay Gillesphey but we’re still some way short.

To be honest, we could sign all the players in the world but I have no belief that they will achieve anything under Appleton, as some of our fans have pointed out, he’s been in charge since September and not a single player has improved under him, and some have seriously regressed.

 

[codaplenty]

Top v bottom and at the end of the game Fleetwood were worth a point
Shocking 1st half performance replaced by a determined, battling 2 nd half
Portsmouth are a good team, but you will have a fight to retain the automatic places for promotion, Posh/Derby/Bolton
will push you all the way and they were more impressive at our place than yourselves.
We continue to 'look' nailed on relegation certs and it's difficult to see us getting out of this mess. The old old story of just getting that win and 3 points is as elusive as ever. Still be nice to renew rivalries with Accy and Morecambe and some old friends over the years who have fallen from the lofty perch of league 1.....

 

[denzel ecfc]

Top v bottom and at the end of the game Fleetwood were worth a point
Shocking 1st half performance replaced by a determined, battling 2 nd half
Portsmouth are a good team, but you will have a fight to retain the automatic places for promotion, Posh/Derby/Bolton
will push you all the way and they were more impressive at our place than yourselves.
We continue to 'look' nailed on relegation certs and it's difficult to see us getting out of this mess. The old old story of just getting that win and 3 points is as elusive as ever. Still be nice to renew rivalries with Accy and Morecambe and some old friends over the years who have fallen from the lofty perch of league 1.....

Don't worry fella, you've got us again in a few weeks, you can get some points there

 

[Marked Ox]

Anyone else supposed to be clapping in the 16th minute?

Is that for Nuneaton who have actually gone kaput?

 

[Marked Ox]

Oxford off. Ah well still doing a day trip of Oxfordshire village pubs

Were you on one of the 3 coaches that did the trip for charity? (Ignore - should have read on - at least you got to scope out Kidlington if we get our move to the new stadium).

The game will have been off because pitch area immediately by the South Stand/dugouts as it gets no sun at this time of the year.

 

[Marked Ox]

The frustrating aspect is that there's little excuse for this not to have been off. This hasn't been spoken of, however the club have equipment to thaw the pitch. I can only assume they didn't do this quickly enough, or Kassam wouldn't allow the groundsmen access outside the usual window... Given the article in the press this week it wouldn't half surprise me if it were this.

It got colder than the covers could cope with apparently.

 

[Marked Ox]

Defence is clearly a huge issue, we have picked up Edwards-Green and Macaulay Gillesphey but we’re still some way short.

To be honest, we could sign all the players in the world but I have no belief that they will achieve anything under Appleton, as some of our fans have pointed out, he’s been in charge since September and not a single player has improved under him, and some have seriously regressed.

With us Appleton was a builder rather than a come in and instantly turn it around. The 1st half of his 1st season was awful and plenty were calling for him to be sacked but what he was trying to do started to come together after January and a good window. The 2nd season was brilliant though.

 

[codaplenty]

Don't worry fella, you've got us again in a few weeks, you can get some points ther he e

Don't worry fella, you've got us again in a few weeks, you can get some points there

I'm not holding my breath mate, I have no problems with the club getting relegated ( apart from some obvious ones ) like many other fans I want to see us going down fighting and that's what lacking, throw the lack of quality in certain positions and it all points to a huge clear out come season end.

 

[EricSabin]

Were you on one of the 3 coaches that did the trip for charity? (Ignore - should have read on - at least you got to scope out Kidlington if we get our move to the new stadium).

The game will have been off because pitch area immediately by the South Stand/dugouts as it gets no sun at this time of the year.

Yes mate had a cracking day. No football to get in the way although would have been a handy respite from the drinking…

Kidlington is a nice place and the landlords of the pubs were very happy to have their January takings boosted with 150 Cobblers fans rolling up and enjoying themselves

 

[Razzmachaz]

Now he's fully fit, it's great to see Dan Agyei smashing it at Orient. You guys will really enjoy him, when he's on it, he's hard to stop, and just wait for his shithouse pens

Been so impressed by him. Powerful and can finish. It's just what we needed as we have had some not so good strikers last couple of years despite the clubs success.

 

[Pompeyblueboy]

Top v bottom and at the end of the game Fleetwood were worth a point
Shocking 1st half performance replaced by a determined, battling 2 nd half
Portsmouth are a good team, but you will have a fight to retain the automatic places for promotion, Posh/Derby/Bolton
will push you all the way and they were more impressive at our place than yourselves.
We continue to 'look' nailed on relegation certs and it's difficult to see us getting out of this mess. The old old story of just getting that win and 3 points is as elusive as ever. Still be nice to renew rivalries with Accy and Morecambe and some old friends over the years who have fallen from the lofty perch of league 1.....

in my opinion i didn't think you was worth a point. You did improve in the 2nd half but not enough to score.

As for us. I agree we will do well to get auto promotion. We were awful especially second half. We desperately need strengthening.

No disrespect but I won't miss going to Fleetwood again its so far from Pompey

 

[Luke Imp]

Defence is clearly a huge issue, we have picked up Edwards-Green and Macaulay Gillesphey but we’re still some way short.

To be honest, we could sign all the players in the world but I have no belief that they will achieve anything under Appleton, as some of our fans have pointed out, he’s been in charge since September and not a single player has improved under him, and some have seriously regressed.

I had a look on your a couple of weeks ago and there was one post on there that listed everything we found here with Appleton - can't defend set pieces or crosses, too lightweight in midfield (and now you've signed Fiorini and Coventry, that won't get better!), can't put a 90 minute performance together etc. It could have been copy and pasted from our forum for most of his time here.

 

[Luke Imp]

As for us, not just a good point but a good performance as well. Back to the old school 4-4-2 in possession but more of a 3-5-2 out of it.

Taylor has got to score at least one of his chances, probably two really. We saw some green shoots against Northampton, then Blackpool, then Wycombe and now Derby. Hopefully we're starting to turn a corner and getting some attacking confidence back into the side...having strikers does help with that!