Tuesday 18th & Saturday 22nd February

[spireite]

Draw away win at home has been a recipe for success in this league for as long as time tbf

 

[loz]

Yes to a degree. However we have conceded the 4th lowest ever amount in league 2 at this stage. So I recon it will continue.

That's what will take you up. We should have scored at your place after 2 mins. We didn't and never got another sniff. As far as performances are concerned, you'd take 16 lousy ones if you could win the remalnder.

 

[GTFCfish]

Aye. Despite not attending many matches due to distance or army cadet commitments they're both die hard Dons. Their sister has no interest in football.

They both haven't got the heart to tell you that it's MK Dons they secretly follow.

 

[GTFCfish]

So poor away that we're 8th in the away table. You do know you get promoted from this league by winning at home and drawing away?

We're trying the opposite route by winning away and then absolute pot luck what were gonna produce at home each week.

 

[iWomble]

What have results got to do with anything? I'm saying, you always look poor away from home. Only so long your defence can bail you out of games.

What have results got to do with anything apart from being the entire objective of playing a football league match? Can't help you there I'm afraid.

We got away with one last night for sure but I don't actually care if we look poor away - we're doing enough to be in the automatics with those irrelevant results. I'd be interested in how many times you've watched us over 90 minutes to form that reliable judgement anyway. Your last sentence is just wishful thinking.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

Agree with the over sentiments from the Notts clan. Another frustrating watch, Colchester full value for at least a point.

Not surprised it was a low scoring draw, was actually very surprised that the game was so open and entertaining for the first 20 mins could have been 2-2 at that stage. A starting lineup without McGoldrick, Jones, Whitaker, Jarvis, Austin is always going to struggle to create.

Thought we were incredibly sloppy, not for the first time at home, and uncharacteristically this included the likes of Palmer and Platt. If their lad up top had anything about him we would have been punished at least a couple of times. Gordon played well, Bass was excellent, Abbott nearly scored another absolute worldie this time from 30 yards. Edwards awful the rest bang average at best.

Colchester should have gone for the win when we ran out of ideas.

But at least Grant actually produced a goal/assist so that's a bonus. But him and Edwards as a combo ain't cutting it.

 

[jacobncfc]

My one big positive is that Traore lad looks sharp as anything. Wants the ball and to actually turn and come forward with it, excited for when he’s ready for a start because him and Jatta could cause some right problems. Feel sorry for AJ at the minute, with that line up we’re putting out he’s the only genuine attacking player we have on the pitch, looks very isolated.

Also, as much as I love the man, some kind of intervention needs to take place to get Matty Palmer off corners. He’s dreadful at them.

 

[gary]

Despite our recent poor away performances we are still 11 unbeaten. As Jackson alluded to in his post match interview you are going to get these type of performances over a season. Let's be honest league 2 is a 46 game slog. I'd probably settle for another poor performance and a point at Colchester on Saturday.

 

[Crewelad87]

Same as last season Barrow travel to our place to face a very threadbare Crewe team. Looks like it will be a week or so early for any/many to return. Knight-Lebel is back from suspension but Cooney is now suspended, so not better for numbers there, but maybe abit better off in terms of quality. Other than that were probably still going to he without 10 or so 1st team players. Youngster Finn Roberts is back from loan so I'd expect him to be involved after impressing on loan at Chester.

We're bottom of the form table, so really need a win to inject abit of confidence and keep alive hopes of being in the promotion race. We do have players coming back soon but we also have a really tricky run of fixtures, Chesterfield, Doncaster, Salford, Notts and Vale all coming up in the coming weeks.

 

[DearneValleyRover]

Same as last season Barrow travel to our place to face a very threadbare Crewe team. Looks like it will be a week or so early for any/many to return. Knight-Lebel is back from suspension but Cooney is now suspended, so not better for numbers there, but maybe abit better off in terms of quality. Other than that were probably still going to he without 10 or so 1st team players. Youngster Finn Roberts is back from loan so I'd expect him to be involved after impressing on loan at Chester.

We're bottom of the form table, so really need a win to inject abit of confidence and keep alive hopes of being in the promotion race. We do have players coming back soon but we also have a really tricky run of fixtures, Chesterfield, Doncaster, Salford, Notts and Vale all coming up in the coming weeks.

Don’t worry we usually oblige in other teams recoveries

 

[leedsvaliant]

Same as last season Barrow travel to our place to face a very threadbare Crewe team. Looks like it will be a week or so early for any/many to return. Knight-Lebel is back from suspension but Cooney is now suspended, so not better for numbers there, but maybe abit better off in terms of quality. Other than that were probably still going to he without 10 or so 1st team players. Youngster Finn Roberts is back from loan so I'd expect him to be involved after impressing on loan at Chester.

We're bottom of the form table, so really need a win to inject abit of confidence and keep alive hopes of being in the promotion race. We do have players coming back soon but we also have a really tricky run of fixtures, Chesterfield, Doncaster, Salford, Notts and Vale all coming up in the coming weeks.

Undoubtedly you'll have a full complement of players all fully fit and raring to go when you play us.

 

[Son of Cod]

Wimbledon have been absolutely terrible.

Don't get everyone's obsession over them, personally. They've been very lucky in a few games lately. Their defence is just so solid. They look poor away from home, which could be the reason they miss out on the top three.

I don't think they're terrible or even remotely bad, they just seem incredibly dull from what I've seen. But they're very good at being hard to play against. I heard a mad stat on them on NTT20, that said of the 16 matches they've taken the lead in they've gone on to win 15 and in those 16 matches they've only conceded four times once they've gone ahead. When we played them, I thought they were really one dimensional and pretty toothless looking for a side that has Stevens and Bugiel up front, who for me are one of the best, arguably the best, strike partnership in the division. I think they're probably one of the most boring good teams we've seen at this level for some time.

Am I being overly harsh, Wimbledon fans?

 

[leedsvaliant]

I don't think they're terrible or even remotely bad, they just seem incredibly dull from what I've seen. But they're very good at being hard to play against. I heard a mad stat on them on NTT20, that said of the 16 matches they've taken the lead in they've gone on to win 15 and in those 16 matches they've only conceded four times once they've gone ahead. When we played them, I thought they were really one dimensional and pretty toothless looking for a side that has Stevens and Bugiel up front, who for me are one of the best, arguably the best, strike partnership in the division. I think they're probably one of the most boring good teams we've seen at this level for some time.

Am I being overly harsh, Wimbledon fans?

My take is that they're very physically strong. They've got some big lads who are very difficult to outmuscle or go around. If you've played football, you'll know how difficult it is to play against players that are physically stronger than you.

They also seem pretty well drilled and are likely to grind out the odd win just by being organised.

Having said that, I'd agree that they were terrible the other night. As bad a performance as I've seen from anyone in the top 6 this season. If Fleetwood had anything about them up front, it could have been 4 or 5-0 easily. Wimbledon just couldn't keep the ball and their passing was woeful. But yet they still came away with a point. They seem a bit more expansive at home and generally stronger.

 

[FiRTHYY]

MK Dons (h) - decent record against this lot, especially at Valley Parade.

The only concern I have is the affects from last nights semi-final and what this might have taken out of the lads. Although a few of ours missed last night due to being cup-tied, influential players such as Halliday, Pattison and Sarcevic played the full 90 mins.

Lewis Richards and Cierán Kelly still injured - Jack Shepherd suspended (big loss).

Expect Huntington, Adaramola, Leigh and Mellon to start.

GK: Sam Walker

CB: Aden Baldwin
CB: Paul Huntington
CB: Romoney Crichlow

RWB: Brad Halliday
LWB: Tayo Adaramola

CM: Ritchie Smallwood
CM: Alex Pattison

AM: Tommy Leigh
AM: Bobby Pointon

ST: Micky Mellon

Wonder what the odds are on Tommy Leigh scoring at the weekend? He’ll be up for this one, I’m sure.

It’s our annual community foundation day, so expecting decent numbers in the home end.

3-1 City (x2 Mellon and Leigh on the scoresheet) - 18,576

 

[hellogregory]

Great to see that Hunts is still playing and presumably playing well for Bradford.

He struggled last season in League 1 but always thought he’d still be more than useful in League 2. Big mistake we made in releasing him.

 

[gary]

I don't think they're terrible or even remotely bad, they just seem incredibly dull from what I've seen. But they're very good at being hard to play against. I heard a mad stat on them on NTT20, that said of the 16 matches they've taken the lead in they've gone on to win 15 and in those 16 matches they've only conceded four times once they've gone ahead. When we played them, I thought they were really one dimensional and pretty toothless looking for a side that has Stevens and Bugiel up front, who for me are one of the best, arguably the best, strike partnership in the division. I think they're probably one of the most boring good teams we've seen at this level for some time.

Am I being overly harsh, Wimbledon fans?

 

[kieran_vale]

I don't think they're terrible or even remotely bad, they just seem incredibly dull from what I've seen. But they're very good at being hard to play against. I heard a mad stat on them on NTT20, that said of the 16 matches they've taken the lead in they've gone on to win 15 and in those 16 matches they've only conceded four times once they've gone ahead. When we played them, I thought they were really one dimensional and pretty toothless looking for a side that has Stevens and Bugiel up front, who for me are one of the best, arguably the best, strike partnership in the division. I think they're probably one of the most boring good teams we've seen at this level for some time.

Am I being overly harsh, Wimbledon fans?

I’ll speak up for Wimbledon on this. Outside of the first 20 minutes of our game with them I’d say they are the best TEAM we’ve played this season. Other teams have clearly better individuals but they were very impressive as a unit and the way our whole team dropped to the floor the moment the final whistle went told me all I needed to know about how they extended us even if somehow we got the win. Maybe not the most attractive side to watch but who cares, their results speak for themselves at this point just IMO.

 

[WilsdenBantam]

Great to see that Hunts is still playing and presumably playing well for Bradford.

He struggled last season in League 1 but always thought he’d still be more than useful in League 2. Big mistake we made in releasing him.

Not played much, but when he has he’s been very good. Surprisingly so to a degree, think he’s good to have around the club as well.

 

[gary]

I like that boring good team. Yeah you are probably right. We aren't great to watch even when we're playing at home . Pragmatic and well organized sums us up. It's fare to say we aren't easy on the eye. We obviously have some good player's. We can play decent football at times but we can mix it up when needed. Teams like us quite often get promoted out of league 2.

 

[Meadow]

We're not pretty to watch. My offspring were bored stiff last night. However we're effective.

 

[Agombar stool]

We're not pretty to watch. My offspring were bored stiff last night. However we're effective.

Must have had a negative effect on their self esteem I'd have thought.





(That's it now, I promise!)

 

[OneDecentLester]

Swindon (A).

Tough game with the form they’ve been in under Holloway, who’s probably proved every fan in league 2 wrong btw as I think we all saw that as a poor appointment at the time but fairplay to him.

We’re very inconsistent at the moment which is to be expected with how much change we’ve been forced to make to this team during Jan due to injuries/recalls & sales etc.. and many of the new lads brought in are young, so we’re blowing a bit hot & cold tbf.

We were brilliant first half against Walsall and should have been 0-3 up, but then we started the 2nd half in the worst way possible conceding two soft as shite goals from corners within the first 10 minutes (We’d only conceded 1 from a corner all season before that) and that then led to us falling off a cliff performance wise and we were rubbish for the rest of it. Fingers crossed we see a repeat of the first half performance rather than 2nd half performance this weekend.

 

[spireite]

Swindon (A).

Tough game with the form they’ve been in under Holloway, who’s probably proved every fan in league 2 wrong btw as I think we all saw that as a poor appointment at the time but fairplay to him.

We’re very inconsistent at the moment which is to be expected with how much change we’ve been forced to make to this team during Jan due to injuries/recalls & sales etc.. and many of the new lads brought in are young, so we’re blowing a bit hot & cold tbf.

We were brilliant first half against Walsall and should have been 0-3 up, but then we started the 2nd half in the worst way possible conceding two soft as shite goals from corners within the first 10 minutes (We’d only conceded 1 from a corner all season before that) and that then led to us falling off a cliff performance wise and we were rubbish for the rest of it. Fingers crossed we see a repeat of the first half performance rather than 2nd half performance this weekend.

I think we might see a few changes to that team against Walsall. Cook was absolutely fuming at that performance. I can see Mandeville getting a start, maybe Colclough, Madden up front. Donacien RB, I wonder if Williams will get sat an all.

 

[iWomble]

I don't think they're terrible or even remotely bad, they just seem incredibly dull from what I've seen. But they're very good at being hard to play against. I heard a mad stat on them on NTT20, that said of the 16 matches they've taken the lead in they've gone on to win 15 and in those 16 matches they've only conceded four times once they've gone ahead. When we played them, I thought they were really one dimensional and pretty toothless looking for a side that has Stevens and Bugiel up front, who for me are one of the best, arguably the best, strike partnership in the division. I think they're probably one of the most boring good teams we've seen at this level for some time.

Am I being overly harsh, Wimbledon fans?

Not at all. We can play a bit at times, but games are mostly scrappy and we win them by outfighting and outcompeting - which was entirely missing from Tuesday. Omar is a battering ram and a never-say-die warrior while Stevens does nothing apart from put the ball in the net, so although highly effective together they're never going to be great to watch.

Though it's an awful lot better watching us win untidily now than during the last 7 seasons of what were largely defeats.

 

[Son of Cod]

Fair comments, Wimbledon fans, thanks. Good that you seem to know what you are and are fine with that. I'm definitely not dissing you lot either, you've got a great shot at promotion and god knows I've seen plenty of Town teams over the years at this level that have been twice as dull that finished in the bottom third of the table!

 

[codaplenty]

I’ll speak up for Wimbledon on this. Outside of the first 20 minutes of our game with them I’d say they are the best TEAM we’ve played this season. Other teams have clearly better individuals but they were very impressive as a unit and the way our whole team dropped to the floor the moment the final whistle went told me all I needed to know about how they extended us even if somehow we got the win. Maybe not the most attractive side to watch but who cares, their results speak for themselves at this point just IMO.

League tables don't lie and the Wombles are where they are on merit. However I said on here that Fleetwood's performance against them on Tuesday was the best I've seen in years. We were without our two top scorers in n Coughlin and Virtue and that has an impact on any team. We not only went toe to toe with them but outplayed them all over the park. Optimistic for next season !!

 

[jacobncfc]

We’re still without Jones and McGoldrick for Saturday. Really hoping Whitaker is fit to start, we can’t be having Grant and Edwards as our two tens again. I think both are decent players but they do their best work without the ball pressing the opposition, and at home teams for the most part just sit in and let us have it anyway. That side we have on Tuesday just doesn’t have enough attacking players in. Worst comes to worst I’d be playing Abbott higher, he’s at least got a rocket of a shot that’d be a threat around the edge of the box.

Just need to grind out another boring 1 or 2-0 win that we’ve had a few of at home recently and keep with the pace until we get players back. Thankfully Tranmere appear to be particularly bad at the minute.

 

[Son of Cod]

How long are Jones, McGoldrick and the vastly experienced Whitaker all out for? Also what happened to Jevani Brown? I thought that might have been a bit of a shrewd pickup but I don't think I've seen his name mentioned once all season other than seeing it on the bench on Fotmob from time to time.

 

[1862]

We’re still without Jones and McGoldrick for Saturday. Really hoping Whitaker is fit to start, we can’t be having Grant and Edwards as our two tens again. I think both are decent players but they do their best work without the ball pressing the opposition, and at home teams for the most part just sit in and let us have it anyway. That side we have on Tuesday just doesn’t have enough attacking players in. Worst comes to worst I’d be playing Abbott higher, he’s at least got a rocket of a shot that’d be a threat around the edge of the box.

Just need to grind out another boring 1 or 2-0 win that we’ve had a few of at home recently and keep with the pace until we get players back. Thankfully Tranmere appear to be particularly bad at the minute.

It would be a bit weird but if Whitaker and Traore are on minute limits it'd be better to stagger them. Probably it'll never happen as if one of them starts well but then goes off after half an hour, the fans would go mad.

How long are Jones, McGoldrick and the vastly experienced Whitaker all out for? Also what happened to Jevani Brown? I thought that might have been a bit of a shrewd pickup but I don't think I've seen his name mentioned once all season other than seeing it on the bench on Fotmob from time to time.

Brown went back to Bristol Rovers in January, he wasn't really getting any minutes and didn't do that well when he did. I had hoped he could contribute more but it didn't work out. Whitaker has effectively taken his spot in the squad.

 

[jacobncfc]

How long are Jones, McGoldrick and the vastly experienced Whitaker all out for? Also what happened to Jevani Brown? I thought that might have been a bit of a shrewd pickup but I don't think I've seen his name mentioned once all season other than seeing it on the bench on Fotmob from time to time.

Two or three weeks for the main two. Hopefully in time for our Wimbledon/Grimsby double header. Whitaker returned as a sub on Tuesday, apparently he’s just ‘tired’ as he’s a child who’s never played football before. I think we should depose the sport scientists, everyone keeps getting injured anyway. We had Jarvis, another new signing, on the bench at Vale and couldn’t bring him on for the same reason, which is ridiculous.

We sent Brown back to Bristol Rovers in January. He never really did anything other than demolish Alfreton Town in the cup. In his defence he’s got quite a languid style that really didn’t lend itself to making an impact off the bench. Few nice touches but zero league goals.