Saturday 27th August

[Cas]

Crewe at home for us. I wonder if Hughes will stick with 442 or go back to 4231. We gave everything in yesterday's cup tie with Blackburn, so I wouldn't be surprised if he freshened things up a little, especially since Crewe didn't play last night. I'd like to see us persist with Harratt partnering with Cook, but not sure about 442 myself. I think I'd go ahead and keep an unchanged team.

Not really sure what to expect from Crewe. I'd be disappointed if we didn't win honestly. 3-1 City. Cook to score yet again!

 

[E10rifle]

Banana skin at home to Hartlepool. About time we had our good start derailed so we can be 11th by the end of September.

 

[DearneValleyRover]

No idea about Saturday, it was a difficult enough game before the loss of 3 of our back 4 last week. No news if any will be back and the Freeman rumour has gone quiet so as it stands I can only see a loss

 

[RiftHouseLad]

Banana skin at home to Hartlepool. About time we had our good start derailed so we can be 11th by the end of September.

Look out of your window, Come and tell us if you see any flying pigs. 4-0 Orient at least.

HARTLEPOOL UNITED
Chief Operating Officer, Stephen Hobin said:
Judge us when the transfer window closes.

That was in reply to supporters concearns regarding the
Quality or lack of ,regarding early season signings.

We will judge you Stephen, Don,t worry.
And the puppetmaster.

 

[Agombar stool]

Stockport away. Probably a draw.

 

[Chief Rocka]

We're gonna get paggered, a carbon copy of the limp wristed display of last season.

 

[F!RTHY]

Crewe at home for us. I wonder if Hughes will stick with 442 or go back to 4231. We gave everything in yesterday's cup tie with Blackburn, so I wouldn't be surprised if he freshened things up a little, especially since Crewe didn't play last night. I'd like to see us persist with Harratt partnering with Cook, but not sure about 442 myself. I think I'd go ahead and keep an unchanged team.

Not really sure what to expect from Crewe. I'd be disappointed if we didn't win honestly. 3-1 City. Cook to score yet again!

We seem to have a decent record against Crewe. I can’t believe it’s been 7 years since we last played them at home - where does time go.

Anyway, I digress.

4231 for me - same team as per last Saturday. Angol in for Harratt.

3-1 City

Cook, Chapman and Oliver.

 

[Soup Ladle]

Orient will absolutely slaughter us

 

[The Terminator]

We will either win this comfortably or lose by the odd goal, would like to think the mentality Wellens has installed in this team since coming here will mean there is less chance of us slipping up against teams out of form, but anything can happen on the day.

Having said that in EVERY game we've played so far we've started slowly, the only team to punish us so far for that was Swindon which kicked started us into what was our best performance of the season so far and we didn't even win.

We will concede a few goals this season from pissing about with it and playing out from the back, we've given the ball away cheaply a few times doing this and no one has so far punished us. Man City and Liverpool rarely (if ever) get punished playing out from the back because they're too good, but in League Two it will happen often because teams down here are of course nowhere near as good.

If Hartlepool press us they might get some joy, no idea how we would fare against sides who would prefer to sit in because no one has tried that against us yet.

We was lazy at times last week I thought, despite playing farely well and controlling the game. Colchester were ineffective for long periods of the match with us 1-0 up and we seemed to go through the motions too much at times.

Apart from the first game at Walsall, Hartlepools games have been tight and this one will be no different I'd have thought, especially with them trying to stop their poor run of form.

I would expect us to play the same side as last week.

 

[Cas]

We seem to have a decent record against Crewe. I can’t believe it’s been 7 years since we last played them at home - where does time go.

Anyway, I digress.

4231 for me - same team as per last Saturday. Angol in for Harratt.

3-1 City

Cook, Chapman and Oliver.

Yep, four wins out of the last five we've played them. I notice Kelvin Mellor plays for Crewe. Didn't know that. I'd be targeting him all day long!

 

[PuB]

Carlisle away for us, don’t think we have a very good record up there but it’s been a long time since we last played each other. We’ve improved of late and seem to be starting to gel, a few players might have played themselves in to contention last night (Tutonda especially but as a wing back, with 3 centre backs).

 

[AdamStag]

Not overly confident at imposter sutton (of course the proper one being in nottinghamshire)

will certainly need to beef up the side with some physicality and hope for a strong ref and see where it goes - we won’t get anywhere with the same midfield and attack which started for our latest home win saturday.

Hoping boateng and/or quinn starts in midfield, wonder if akins will be back?

 

[Optimistic Poolie]

I have PTSD from this fixture last season, and although it was DC’s final game and he was already halfway out the door, that squad/team would have paggered the current shower of shit.

We will lose, comfortably.

 

[Sestonpoolie]

Banana skin at home to Hartlepool. About time we had our good start derailed so we can be 11th by the end of September.

Are you drunk?!

 

[Sestonpoolie]

If Hartlepool press us they might get some joy, no idea how we would fare against sides who would prefer to sit in because no one has tried that against us yet.

We was lazy at times last week I thought, despite playing farely well and controlling the game. Colchester were ineffective for long periods of the match with us 1-0 up and we seemed to go through the motions too much at times.

Apart from the first game at Walsall, Hartlepools games have been tight and this one will be no different I'd have thought, especially with them trying to stop their poor run of form.

I would expect us to play the same side as last week.

You should find out on Saturday,as our lot couldn’t press a pair of fecking trousers.

 

[Gerald Hattrick]

Crewe at home for us. I wonder if Hughes will stick with 442 or go back to 4231. We gave everything in yesterday's cup tie with Blackburn, so I wouldn't be surprised if he freshened things up a little, especially since Crewe didn't play last night. I'd like to see us persist with Harratt partnering with Cook, but not sure about 442 myself. I think I'd go ahead and keep an unchanged team.

Not really sure what to expect from Crewe. I'd be disappointed if we didn't win honestly. 3-1 City. Cook to score yet again!

Hit the nail on the with not know to expect. Wouldn’t surprise if we won 3-1, lost 4+0 or a high scoring draw. With Brook out for a few weeks it’ll be another change but dont think anyone has stepped up other than CBR coming in for Sambou. First goal will probably dictate where we go in this one.

 

[RotherhamDale]

Home to Crawley in a 6 pointer. Glad I'm working.

 

[E10rifle]

Are you drunk?!

Teetotal as it goes. Everything is going far too serenely at Orient. You are all prophecying doom. We are the shortest-priced favourites in the entire EFL. Of course it’s going to be 0-1.

 

[Soup Ladle]

Teetotal as it goes. Everything is going far too serenely at Orient. You are all prophecying doom. We are the shortest-priced favourites in the entire EFL. Of course it’s going to be 0-1.

Not a chance but at least it might be our lowest away following for some time.

 

[Boz]

Rovers home to Colchester. While we played much better in losing to the Barcodes than I’d feared, Jamieson picked up what looked like a hamstring injury, so our threadbare squad looks even thinner with him out. Probably Micky forced to revert to a back four, as the other fit central defender after Byrne and Turnbull ‘isn’t ready’. We need a win but it’s got the feel of a scrappy draw.

 

[Gunit]

We’ll do well to keep it to 4 or 5 vs Mansfield. They’re too good for us.

 

[Casey]

Rochdale away. 6 pointer...?

It's so early in the seasonthat both teams are still in with a shot at automatic promotion...but it feels like it.

Our start has been everything you hear about playing tippy tappy football in league 2 going wrong. Slow, lifeless and so scared of making an error the players are forcing each other into them by suicidal passing...and Rochdale are below us!

I'm not sure how much hope we can take from our great win over Fulham on Tuesday. For a start I doubt Rochdale will have 67% possession and only one shot on target The result Tuesday should have a feelgood factor around the team and that will hopefully let the lads play forward passes but although I want it to happen I'm not really confident it will happen.

Small steps. Can we have the first game this season where we have more shots than the opposition?

Casey

 

[Agombar stool]

Rochdale away. 6 pointer...?

It's so early in the seasonthat both teams are still in with a shot at automatic promotion...but it feels like it.

Our start has been everything you hear about playing tippy tappy football in league 2 going wrong. Slow, lifeless and so scared of making an error the players are forcing each other into them by suicidal passing...and Rochdale are below us!

I'm not sure how much hope we can take from our great win over Fulham on Tuesday. For a start I doubt Rochdale will have 67% possession and only one shot on target The result Tuesday should have a feelgood factor around the team and that will hopefully let the lads play forward passes but although I want it to happen I'm not really confident it will happen.

Small steps. Can we have the first game this season where we have more shots than the opposition?

Casey

The way Crawley have started sounds like us under Garner for a bit last season, certainly at home anyway. (away we seemed to hit the ground running) I think you have to stick with it and it will slowly bear fruit, the confidence of a cup win can't be underestimated, and if you can get Telford scoring that would be lovely. (for my fantasy side)

 

[Casey]

Telford been out injured. He has come on as sub in the last two but only for five minutes.

Casey

 

[BogDaddyO]

Os are 50/1 with bet365 to win 5-0 on Saturday...

 

[Salvador]

Crawley at home. Our players look devoid of confidence. Crawley sound as shit as us. Can see this being 0-0.
Debating whether to go or not. Very many pints required if I do.

 

[Loyal Dale]

Rochdale away. 6 pointer...?

It's so early in the seasonthat both teams are still in with a shot at automatic promotion...but it feels like it.

Our start has been everything you hear about playing tippy tappy football in league 2 going wrong. Slow, lifeless and so scared of making an error the players are forcing each other into them by suicidal passing...and Rochdale are below us!

I'm not sure how much hope we can take from our great win over Fulham on Tuesday. For a start I doubt Rochdale will have 67% possession and only one shot on target The result Tuesday should have a feelgood factor around the team and that will hopefully let the lads play forward passes but although I want it to happen I'm not really confident it will happen.

Small steps. Can we have the first game this season where we have more shots than the opposition?

Casey

We haven't had a shot on target for approaching 300 minutes.

That's the latter part of the Grimsby game plus 3 full matches since. Our caretaker Manager (Jim McNulty)must be the only one ever to have taken charge of two games...no shots on target, scored nil and conceded six.

I'm away working, but would otherwise have been there for this. It could get quite ugly if we continue with the negative stuff seen recently. Hopefully, the team will have been bollocked, although I'm not sure by whom, as McNulty doesn't seem to know what day it is.

 

[joethegill]

Local derby with Carlisle this weekend, a ground we rarely do well at. On my two visits I've seen a 0-2 defeat and a quite spectacular 5-0 hammering having only been 1-0 down at 80 minutes, so quite frankly I'm not going there again unless it's important, which this isn't.

We don't score goals, and defensively we're either rock solid or wide open, so that's fun. Harris wants one more in before the window shuts next week, likely to be a defender. We've been 5 at the back the last two games and got two 0-0s for our trouble, so I'd expect the same defensively. Question is what we do further forwards - personally I'm a massive fan of a 5-2-3 shape, as long as Williams is available for the 2 in the middle alongside O'Keefe. The 3 man forward line probably suits us best, and gets (in theory) our best attackers in their best areas with Adelakun, Mandron and Green. Also means we don't have to play Olly Lee, which is always a bonus.

Morris
Alexander - Wright - Ehmer - Baggott - Tutonda
Williams - O'Keefe
Green - Mandron - Adelakun​

Turner, Law, Kashket, Reeves, Lee, MacDonald, Walker

Carlisle 1-1 Gills, 227 travelling GFC in a crowd of 5400.

 

[Agombar stool]

Telford been out injured. He has come on as sub in the last two but only for five minutes.

Casey

Doh! That just shows how much attention I've been paying!

 

[Son of Cod]

Walsall away who seem hit and miss, but have slowed down after a decent start. We're looking solid but having problems scoring. Could go either way really. Our best bet might be to stifle them and look to score on the counter and from set pieces.

Think we might see our first sub-1000 following this season but pay on the day might help boost the numbers a bit.