Steven Age v Carl Isle

[shoddycollins]

Team news for us.

Canice Carroll picked up an injury in a bounce game at Hartlepool which we lost 4-0. Mo Sagaf didn't feature in that game which may suggest he was closer in Pressley's thoughts to a start against Stevenage anyway, but now with Scougall and Carroll both injured it seems he will start; Mo is tenacious, but he is small.

I presume that even though Westley Junior has since been sacked, he will have assembled the usual team of giants and shithousers. Having managed at the top level of the women's game I can't see Westleyball being Sampson's style so I don't know what to expect from them.

Regardless of whether Sampson is the right man for Stevenage, and despite their poor start to the season, I still think they will beat us. They have a good record against us (who could forget the Shamal George game?), we have a terrible record away from home (we've only picked up two league wins away in 2019), we are a small team who like to try and pass it around the opposition while they are, well they are Stevenage, and they will have a new manager bounce.

Admittedly we will probably do better against Stevenage than we did against Exeter. Exeter, we could have been on our top game and still lost because Exeter's top game is better than ours, Stevenage we could potentially win if we're on our game. I just can't see it away from home.

Think we'll set up like this:

_________________Collin__________________
Elliot____Webster_____NKP______Iredale
_____Sagaf_______Jones____Bridge_______
Thomas________Olomola________McKirdy

Or at least that's what I would do. Pressley may want to put Hope back in the team but I just think McKirdy's form has been better. He may also want to start Loft, as he does every now and again thinking that he may be a more physical presence but Olomola, despite being shorter looks more physical and is just better, start Olomola please.

 

[hellogregory]

Maybe Gethin Jones will be thrown straight in to the team given how our defence has been performing of late.

 

[shoddycollins]

Maybe Gethin Jones will be thrown straight in to the team given how our defence has been performing of late.

Depends on his fitness I guess. Good to hear that he was at Fleetwood until the end of the window rather than having been released in May and without a club since, as we know a lot of the players we've signed having missed preseason are still some way off full fitness (according to Pressley).

Elliot showed so much promise but we haven't seen it, that said our issues at the back aren't simply the result of players not being good enough and dropping him might not be the answer.

I think probably Hayden hasn't impressed as this knocks him back into fourth choice behind Branthwaite.

 

[hellogregory]

With 2 tough looking games to follow, its hard not to feel like this is must win for Pressley.

Stevenage are winless, second bottom of the league. If we were to fail to win this, you’d expect us to lose both the forest green and Bradford games and then serious pressure would come to sack Pressley.

I still think it’s a little too early to sack him. Don’t get me wrong, I think he’s shit. I thought he was shit last season and shouldn’t have been kept on, but they handed him a new deal so they have to stick with him for a bit, let his new players settle in and see if he can turn his terrible managerial performance round. I doubt he will but they have to give him the chance to. That said if we lose the next 3 games I can see fans just about forcing the board to act.

This is a game I think we’ll draw. New manager thing will take care of its self so they’ll be improved and up for it. We can’t defend so will definitely concede, but I think once going ahead they might sit back a bit as they’ll have forgot what it’s like to be ahead. Then we’ll nick a late scrappy equaliser.

Stevenage 1-1 Carlisle

 

[Vanni]

I want you to beat Boro (obviously) but I can't see it happening. They've got a better side than their current position in the table suggests, and there's also the new manager bounce to keep in mind. 2-1 Boro win.

Sorry

 

[shoddycollins]

With 2 tough looking games to follow, its hard not to feel like this is must win for Pressley.

Stevenage are winless, second bottom of the league. If we were to fail to win this, you’d expect us to lose both the forest green and Bradford games and then serious pressure would come to sack Pressley.

I still think it’s a little too early to sack him. Don’t get me wrong, I think he’s shit. I thought he was shit last season and shouldn’t have been kept on, but they handed him a new deal so they have to stick with him for a bit, let his new players settle in and see if he can turn his terrible managerial performance round. I doubt he will but they have to give him the chance to. That said if we lose the next 3 games I can see fans just about forcing the board to act.

This is a game I think we’ll draw. New manager thing will take care of its self so they’ll be improved and up for it. We can’t defend so will definitely concede, but I think once going ahead they might sit back a bit as they’ll have forgot what it’s like to be ahead. Then we’ll nick a late scrappy equaliser.

Stevenage 1-1 Carlisle

Can't help but feel you're hedging your bets with this 'he's a bad manager and people will want him sacked, but I wouldn't sack him yet' approach.

He improves things and you were right to say we should give him time

He fails to turn things around and you can claim that you saw the writing on the wall before anyone else did.

 

[hellogregory]

Can't help but feel you're hedging your bets with this 'he's a bad manager and people will want him sacked, but I wouldn't sack him yet' approach.

He improves things and you were right to say we should give him time

He fails to turn things around and you can claim that you saw the writing on the wall before anyone else did.

No no You misunderstand me as per.

I obviously wasn’t clear. I think he’s shit, and I’d have had him out the door in the summer. I think I was quite clear about that last season. I only think he should stay because the board made their bed in the summer by extending the contract of a failing manager, so they should lie in the bed they’ve made by giving him time.

So if he does turn things round, I can’t claim I was right because I clearly said he’s shit and wanted him gone in the summer, but the board can turn round and say they were right. Hopefully the board end up right and I end up wrong.

If he fails though, then I can say I was right, but I’m sure I’m not the only one. His record speaks for its self.

So no hedge betting, you cynic.

 

[shoddycollins]

Looks like Gethin Jones is in as a midfielder. At a guess we've lined up

Collin
Elliot, Webster, NKP, Iredale
G Jones, M Jones, Bridge
Thomas, Olomola, McKirdy

 

[shoddycollins]

I mean we could be going three at the back with Gethin as a RWB but what would Thomas and McKirdy do in such a system?

 

[hellogregory]

It’s 3-4-3 according to my sources.

Collin
Gethin Webster NKP
Elliott Bridge Mike Iredale
Thomas Olomola McKirdy

 

[shoddycollins]

According to BBCRC

__________________________Collin________________________
_________G. Jones_______Webster_______NKP___________
Elliot______________M.Jones_____Bridge__________Iredale
_________Thomas_______Olomola______McKirdy_________

Seems like a lot of rejigging for such an important game.

 

[shoddycollins]

Fuck. We're finished

 

[hellogregory]

My 1-1 prediction is still on, for now...

 

[hellogregory]

Our defending is comical. If it wasn’t so serious as our football league status being at stake I’d be laughing.

 

[hellogregory]

Big win for us.

I hope we can build on this. Scoring 3 away from home should give the players confidence.

 

[Carver]

Yeah we can beat the worst teams in the league, so that should be enough for safety.

 

[hellogregory]

Yeah we can beat the worst teams in the league, so that should be enough for safety.

Hopefully.

 

[Carver]

Hopefully.

That's the aim of our club right now, L2 safety/mediocrity with no future hopes.

Yeah, bad times.

 

[hellogregory]

That's the aim of our club right now, L2 safety/mediocrity with no future hopes.

Yeah, bad times.

With the start we’ve had and the alarming rate that we’re shipping goals, survival has to be our primary objective.

 

[Vanni]

I want you to beat Boro (obviously) but I can't see it happening. They've got a better side than their current position in the table suggests, and there's also the new manager bounce to keep in mind. 2-1 Boro win.

Sorry

Well well lookee here. It worked!

 

[Chris FGR]

You're a bit shit at predicting stuff Vanni.

 

[shoddycollins]

You're a bit shit at predicting stuff Vanni.

He's clearly got a screw loose, he keeps predicting us to win the league.

 

[Vanni]

He's clearly got a screw loose, he keeps predicting us to win the league.

Not true

https://www.onefootballforum.co.uk/...2-final-league-table-predictions.21659/page-6


12. Swindon
13. Salford
14. Carlisle
15. Cheltenham
16. Cambridge
17. Grimsby