This weekend's Fixtures!

[SVH]

I'm not sure why but games this weekend played over Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

 

[denzel ecfc]

Our game moved to the Friday due to Christmas shopping and getting a gap between then and Boxing Day. Can't understand why more clubs haven't done the same.

We showed some spirit in the second half on Saturday for a change but need to add some quality and search for a win.
Still think we are limping on towards January when we hope to splash the cash on a forward (like everyone else...)

1-1

 

[valefan16]

Will look properly after Middlesbrough but another big game for us in terms of pulling away from danger, we finally put performance and result together at the weekend (and have finally found goals!) and seem to be getting bodies back now after a long injury crisis so hopefully another positive result, only won once at Wycombe on our first visit but oddly haven't lost there in 15 years despite Dan's pessimism! All be 4 draws in that time.

A point to keep the table ticking over would be ok but with their form it would be nice to rattle off another 3 points ahead of two really tough home games between Christmas and New Year.

 

[Luke Imp]

Our Derby game got moved twice in the end.

Can't say I'm holding out much hope for this one. Derby are in good form at the moment after what seemed like a slow start.

We were without Erhahon (thigh) on Saturday, which left a gaping hole in our midfield. He's arguably on par with House in terms of influence on the side. No-one is due back from injury either, so we limp on!

 

[Luke Imp]

I'm not sure why but games this weekend played over Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

View attachment 19513

Our game got moved from Saturday to Friday on police advice, and then they remembered trying to police a football match on the same night as the final working day of the year (for most) wouldn't be a great idea and moved it back further to Thursday.

 

[LordJord]

Had some great games against Oxford in recent times, expecting a near full house for this one. Oxford seem to have really struggled since they lost their manager, early thoughts on the new boss?

Feel like we could win due to Oxford's patchy form but would take a draw and just keep trundling on towards safety. 1-1 (Hoskins Pen).

 

[denzel ecfc]

Our game got moved from Saturday to Friday on police advice, and then they remembered trying to police a football match on the same night as the final working day of the year (for most) wouldn't be a great idea and moved it back further to Thursday.

That makes sense, fortunately our games at Cambridge have never needed much of a police presence!

 

[Arbury]

Exeter at home who are in dire form and I’m amazed the “heed heed heed” is stil in charge.

We’ve changed the manager and have benefited from it early doors, hoping that continues on Friday.

Brophy pulled up late against Blackpool after an excellent performance so hoping he recovers, no digby in the middle as he’s suspended so that leaves either may who just isn’t quick enough for this level and I don’t mean physically but he’s a yard off it when reading the game or Thomas who’s a better player but rarely plays 90mins.

2-0 win please.

Oh and fair play to every single Exeter fan that turns up this close to Christmas, that’s some journey.

KTF

 

[The Terminator]

Can anyone offer any advice on what to do pre game before Bolton? I was looking at going to Chorley and then getting the train one stop to Horwich Parkway. Unsure about how busy the trains there get……

For me personally this is a big game as I will complete the 92 for the first time.

Locking myself away for a week to make sure I get there……!

 

[GEORGE]

I'

Our game moved to the Friday due to Christmas shopping and getting a gap between then and Boxing Day. Can't understand why more clubs haven't done the same.

We showed some spirit in the second half on Saturday for a change but need to add some quality and search for a win.
Still think we are limping on towards January when we hope to splash the cash on a forward (like everyone else...)

1-1

l'l bet it stops some of your supporters going though.

 

[Moomin]

My feeling of total apathy towards our club has shifted a bit after a very spirited performance and point at Stevenage. At least it showed the players are giving everything for the manager and the fans.

That said, we’re still in dire form and need that win so so badly. Cambridge away on Friday will be very tough as Harris seems to have gotten them performing well so far and they’ll fancy their chances against us for sure.

As for our lineup, really hope we keep Diabate at the back despite Aimson being available again. He’s a total monster and I’d be playing him week in week out from now on. Aitchison will be suspended, but no great loss there as he’s been ineffective lately. Hopefully Wildschut will start and give us some pace up top.

Fancy a 1-1 draw again, but who knows we may be able to snatch a win.

 

[denzel ecfc]

y

I'

l'l bet it stops some of your supporters going though.

Maybe but still getting on for 300 sold already, so likely to be more there than there were at Stevenage.

 

[Don Tonberry]

Fleetwood at home. Every sign imaginable is pointing to a home win. I suppose another sign of this being "our season" is to not do a "typical Pompey" and find some way of failing to win when absolutely everything is in our favour.

 

[bigfatron]

Sho

My feeling of total apathy towards our club has shifted a bit after a very spirited performance and point at Stevenage. At least it showed the players are giving everything for the manager and the fans.

That said, we’re still in dire form and need that win so so badly. Cambridge away on Friday will be very tough as Harris seems to have gotten them performing well so far and they’ll fancy their chances against us for sure.

As for our lineup, really hope we keep Diabate at the back despite Aimson being available again. He’s a total monster and I’d be playing him week in week out from now on. Aitchison will be suspended, but no great loss there as he’s been ineffective lately. Hopefully Wildschut will start and give us some pace up top.

Fancy a 1-1 draw again, but who knows we may be able to snatch a win.

Should be a decent atmosphere then - we are close to selling out the Main Stand and have started selling some seats in what is usually the away end which will be split home and away for this one apparently.
We are much improved over the last three games, with eight goals compared to about four in the previous ten games.
But we are specialists in helping teams end a bad run, so I am fully expecting a drab 1-0 defeat for the Mighty U’s

 

[thewwfc]

Vale fans will understandably see this as a highly winnable game, but the feeling’s mutual, and we’re desperate for a win.

If they were to come and play an incredibly dull 4-5-1, get an early goal (why not from WW old boy Uche, returning to Adams Park for the first time, and also the first time many WW fans will have seen him in the flesh since he only played for us in the COVID season) and sit back, then we’re screwed.

We can’t cope with bus-parkers, and we can’t score from open play. Our build-up play is very slow and gives defenders ample time to get back and cover...and we’re not even that great from set pieces any more.

 

[valefan16]

Vale fans will understandably see this as a highly winnable game, but the feeling’s mutual, and we’re desperate for a win.

If they were to come and play an incredibly dull 4-5-1, get an early goal (why not from WW old boy Uche, returning to Adams Park for the first time, and also the first time many WW fans will have seen him in the flesh since he only played for us in the COVID season) and sit back, then we’re screwed.

We can’t cope with bus-parkers, and we can’t score from open play. Our build-up play is very slow and gives defenders ample time to get back and cover...and we’re not even that great from set pieces any more.

We will play 3 centre halves, 2 wing backs 2 holding midfielders 2 attacking midfielders and a false 9 almost certainly (We don’t play with a striker at the moment and it’s cured our goal scoring problem, all be it our midfielder who plays up top has 9 for the season!)

Away form is far better than home form and we seem to set up more cautiously, all be it we finally turned our slow possession football of recent weeks into getting it forward faster with spectacular results on Saturday (and the first hour Tuesday in fairness).

Suppose it depends if we rotate with us playing tomorrow then Boxing Day also but we are obviously heavily reliant on Arblaster and more lately Devine in midfield who are well above this level, felt like Crosby has finally taken the shackles off them and Chislett after the Stevenage self implosion but we will have to manage minutes somewhere id think.

Be a tight one. Even if we do get a lead and you don’t look like scoring in a million years we will have a tendency to drop and absolute cube to concede from! Stevenage/Lincoln to name two!

Big Uche has dropped out the pecking order so will probably depend how knackered Garrity is as to if he plays a part.

 

[kieran_vale]

Vale fans will understandably see this as a highly winnable game, but the feeling’s mutual, and we’re desperate for a win.

If they were to come and play an incredibly dull 4-5-1, get an early goal (why not from WW old boy Uche, returning to Adams Park for the first time, and also the first time many WW fans will have seen him in the flesh since he only played for us in the COVID season) and sit back, then we’re screwed.

We can’t cope with bus-parkers, and we can’t score from open play. Our build-up play is very slow and gives defenders ample time to get back and cover...and we’re not even that great from set pieces any more.

With the exception of Saturday sounds there like Vale and Wycombe are virtually identical then.

I get the feeling we’ll come a cropper in this. Call it a combination of tiredness from all the fixtures we’ve had to cram in (with more to come) and also Wycombe is just a very difficult place to get a result at. In all honesty and this probably isn’t the right way to look at things but after winning our last two league games it’s given a bit more breathing space so can live with that.

 

[leedsvaliant]

Vale fans will understandably see this as a highly winnable game, but the feeling’s mutual, and we’re desperate for a win.

If they were to come and play an incredibly dull 4-5-1, get an early goal (why not from WW old boy Uche, returning to Adams Park for the first time, and also the first time many WW fans will have seen him in the flesh since he only played for us in the COVID season) and sit back, then we’re screwed.

We can’t cope with bus-parkers, and we can’t score from open play. Our build-up play is very slow and gives defenders ample time to get back and cover...and we’re not even that great from set pieces any more.

We won't park the bus. We'll have the majority of the possession, we'll concede a soft goal but if we're not too tired we'll also score too. If we're on it then we look a really good team but we have this habit of dropping off and conceding shit goals. I can't call it from game to game...it's a really strange season as we've got a much better calibre of player this year but results haven't reflected it.

 

[valefan16]

With the exception of Saturday sounds there like Vale and Wycombe are virtually identical then.

I get the feeling we’ll come a cropper in this. Call it a combination of tiredness from all the fixtures we’ve had to cram in (with more to come) and also Wycombe is just a very difficult place to get a result at. In all honesty and this probably isn’t the right way to look at things but after winning our last two league games it’s given a bit more breathing space so can live with that.

I’d rather go full pelt here and rest players against Barnsley if I’m honest, then go again at Blackpool. Ultimately they are the two more winnable ones but on the flip side you’d also hope Barnsley is one the lads are desperate to put right after the opening day.

It’s difficult because with the FA Cup replay and extra time we’ve really screwed ourselves over with the fixture congestion.

If we won tomorrow as well we’d have another Tuesday the week after new year as well!

Wycombe will be our 34th game this season which is mental.

 

[EricSabin]

Had some great games against Oxford in recent times, expecting a near full house for this one. Oxford seem to have really struggled since they lost their manager, early thoughts on the new boss?

Feel like we could win due to Oxford's patchy form but would take a draw and just keep trundling on towards safety. 1-1 (Hoskins Pen).

Looks as if there’s about 200 seats remaining for this one, I assume Oxford have sold out. I reckon we’ll nick a point.

 

[Bartonyellow]

I can’t wait for 3pm Saturday.
Well actually it’s 305.
That is when I fly to the canaries for Christmas. As for the football, we will get dicked heavily. Thankfully I will be in the air so cannot hear our keystone cop defenders gifting Charlton 4 goals in 90 minutes.
We are finished. Down unless we appoint a manager that can sort this mess out.

 

[Si Robin]

Carlisle away - I honestly don't know what to expect. We're a much better team now, but we're bottom for a reason.

Rob Street should be back, but it's in defence we've got injury and suspension issues.

I think we can win, but I'll take a draw.

 

[E10rifle]

Congrats in advance for completing the 92 The Terminator. Awesome achievement my friend.

As for the game itself we are actually better away from home than in E10 but I don’t expect that to stop us from becoming sacrificial lambs to an Ian Evatt get-right performance. 5-1 to Noblot.

 

[leedsvaliant]

Looks like Arblaster will be out for us. We look shite without him in the team and he's comfortably the best player we have had in the last 20 years. It's a real blow and after last night's shitshow, we go into this game on a low ebb again. Our defence is an absolute mess...even against Wigan we conceded 2 goals where Wigan weren't even slightly threatening. Also might be without Ojo , who is another of our better players. We'll be knackered after a hectic schedule in which we've basically had to play the same team as our back ups are not good enough.

Wycombe need the win, and I think they'll get it fairly easily.

 

[valefan16]

Looks like Arblaster will be out for us. We look shite without him in the team and he's comfortably the best player we have had in the last 20 years. It's a real blow and after last night's shitshow, we go into this game on a low ebb again. Our defence is an absolute mess...even against Wigan we conceded 2 goals where Wigan weren't even slightly threatening. Also might be without Ojo , who is another of our better players. We'll be knackered after a hectic schedule in which we've basically had to play the same team as our back ups are not good enough.

Wycombe need the win, and I think they'll get it fairly easily.

Think Ojo will play a part even if it’s managed minutes, obviously Blaster is out but I guess whilst a blow it’s one position we have cover considering we seem to have about 100 midfielders! Chance for Walter’s to stake a claim or you could play Sang there if sticking with Massey wide, Conlon is an option also or move Garrity back.

Got a feeling we will maybe see James Wilson return here after 2 months out. He must be ready now after being on the full training for over a week to play some part and the Arblaster loss probably could be negated in having his quality in there.

No excuses on being tired we barely played 50 minutes and it became like a training exercise with neither side getting out of first gear last night so it shouldnt have taken too much out of them! As we’ve said it’s not like we chased them and got in their faces or got physical.

 

[folletto]

I can’t wait for 3pm Saturday.
Well actually it’s 305.
That is when I fly to the canaries for Christmas. As for the football, we will get dicked heavily. Thankfully I will be in the air so cannot hear our keystone cop defenders gifting Charlton 4 goals in 90 minutes.
We are finished. Down unless we appoint a manager that can sort this mess out.

I wouldn't worry. Our defenders gift the opposition goals even when it's not Christmas.

At home we tend to be the better team but give 1 or 2 goals away for free.

Enjoy your holiday

 

[Gassy]

.

 

[Gassy]

Looking forward to Blackpool, hopefully another good performance and I’ll be excited to see what Taylor can achieve second half of the season.

It’s a tough Christmas run in:
Bolton (A) - W
Blackpool (A)
Pompey (H)
Charlton (H)
Wycombe (A)

 

[Muzzle]

Can anyone offer any advice on what to do pre game before Bolton? I was looking at going to Chorley and then getting the train one stop to Horwich Parkway. Unsure about how busy the trains there get……

For me personally this is a big game as I will complete the 92 for the first time.

Locking myself away for a week to make sure I get there……!

Trains fairly busy as a number of Bolton come from Chorley but you'll be okay if they are running on time. Drinking all around the station at chorley, Ale Station, Railway Hotel , malt and hops etc, depends what time you get into Chorley....they are all within a 5 minute walk from the train station

 

[The Terminator]

Trains fairly busy as a number of Bolton come from Chorley but you'll be okay if they are running on time. Drinking all around the station at chorley, Ale Station, Railway Hotel , malt and hops etc, depends what time you get into Chorley....they are all within a 5 minute walk from the train station

Thanks, hopefully getting there for midday.

As for the game, I’m still amazed we somehow won last week despite struggling to break down ten man Cheltenham for 70mins. We have scored quite a few late goals though, so our team has still go the spirit from last season to keep going.

Be interesting to see if Shaq Forde and Ethan Galbraith start as both had big impacts when they came on last week. Not sure if Darren Pratley will start against his old club, IMO he should as we need experience in our team for these games.

I’d take a draw now, don’t think you’ll do us 7-0 like Exeter - probably 3-0/4-0.

We will need to score first to stand any chance of not losing.