Tuesday 29th fixtures

[EricSabin]

Lincoln v Northampton
Stevenage v Bolton
Stockport v Reading

Just the three League 1 games tomorrow night, Stockport v Reading probably looks most interesting on paper.

We’re off to Lincoln, not really expecting anything so anything will be a bonus especially after a very good week previously with 7 points gained. We’re gradually getting to where Brady wants us to be and I hope he keeps Fosu and Roberts in as they both looked a class above in the last 30 at Stockport and again at Crawley.

Think we’ll get beat here by a team we should really be aspiring to be like. We played Lincoln before their charge towards promotion last year and won at Sincil Bank, a repeat would be nice but can’t quite see it.

 

[masi51]

Played as well as we have all season after turning up and surrendering 4 days previously at Birmingham

Wont be easy but we can nick it, players seem more relaxed away from home at the moment
Stockport next week will see where we are at

 

[Luke Imp]

The game against you lot (and the Bolton fixture three days before) were where we started to see green shoots of what Skubala was trying to do despite the defeat.

We'll have to make changes tomorrow even though we don't play until Monday in the FA Cup. We can't play Montsma again after 90 minutes on Saturday, his first start since March 2023, nor can we risk starting Hackett again after 6 months out. So we'll probably bring Hamer into CB,vMoylan into CM, who isn't really a CM, and move Jefferies to LWB, which upsets the balance because he's right footed. Not really sure whether we can risk Hamilton in CM either because he's been thrown into it quite quickly after 7 months out but we're missing Erhahon, arguably our best player, after going off early on Saturday so we might have no choice in that.

Jackson is out as well, he's a few weeks away from being back and there's been no mention of Makama who was close to a return about 10 days ago but hasn't been seen since. Bayliss is out, as is Street. Walker, Duffy and Earley have hardly been seen this season due to injury so we're about 8 players who are out injured and 3 that we're having to manage carefully as they come back from injury.

Certainly can't afford to be as poor tomorrow night as we were at Crawley (who we lost 3-0 to and Northampton beat 3-0 on Saturday!).

 

[EricSabin]

The game against you lot (and the Bolton fixture three days before) were where we started to see green shoots of what Skubala was trying to do despite the defeat.

We'll have to make changes tomorrow even though we don't play until Monday in the FA Cup. We can't play Montsma again after 90 minutes on Saturday, his first start since March 2023, nor can we risk starting Hackett again after 6 months out. So we'll probably bring Hamer into CB,vMoylan into CM, who isn't really a CM, and move Jefferies to LWB, which upsets the balance because he's right footed. Not really sure whether we can risk Hamilton in CM either because he's been thrown into it quite quickly after 7 months out but we're missing Erhahon, arguably our best player, after going off early on Saturday so we might have no choice in that.

Jackson is out as well, he's a few weeks away from being back and there's been no mention of Makama who was close to a return about 10 days ago but hasn't been seen since. Bayliss is out, as is Street. Walker, Duffy and Earley have hardly been seen this season due to injury so we're about 8 players who are out injured and 3 that we're having to manage carefully as they come back from injury.

Certainly can't afford to be as poor tomorrow night as we were at Crawley (who we lost 3-0 to and Northampton beat 3-0 on Saturday!).

Glad you’ve got a lot of injuries, think we’re at 10 out so we’re pretty threadbare and again will be rotating.

 

[denzel ecfc]

Didn't realise there were games tonight, we are in the tinpot but might tune in if any implosions are happening

 

[Davidimp]

The game against you lot (and the Bolton fixture three days before) were where we started to see green shoots of what Skubala was trying to do despite the defeat.

We'll have to make changes tomorrow even though we don't play until Monday in the FA Cup. We can't play Montsma again after 90 minutes on Saturday, his first start since March 2023, nor can we risk starting Hackett again after 6 months out. So we'll probably bring Hamer into CB,vMoylan into CM, who isn't really a CM, and move Jefferies to LWB, which upsets the balance because he's right footed. Not really sure whether we can risk Hamilton in CM either because he's been thrown into it quite quickly after 7 months out but we're missing Erhahon, arguably our best player, after going off early on Saturday so we might have no choice in that.

Jackson is out as well, he's a few weeks away from being back and there's been no mention of Makama who was close to a return about 10 days ago but hasn't been seen since. Bayliss is out, as is Street. Walker, Duffy and Earley have hardly been seen this season due to injury so we're about 8 players who are out injured and 3 that we're having to manage carefully as they come back from injury.

Certainly can't afford to be as poor tomorrow night as we were at Crawley (who we lost 3-0 to and Northampton beat 3-0 on Saturday!).

Street must have got injured in training, not sure he's been round the squad much lately
Wouldn't be surprised if Monstma and Hackett-Fairchild just swap with Moylan and Hamer.
McKiernan is another option but looks off the pace whenever I've seen, similar to Street.
Makama might be in the squad too.
Our next home league game after tonight isn't until November 23rd.
Read somewhere 7 of our next 10 are away from home

 

[IzzyFook]

Think I'll watch the Lincoln v North'n game and see what Lincoln are all about.

 

[YEO YEO YEO]

Street must have got injured in training, not sure he's been round the squad much lately
Wouldn't be surprised if Monstma and Hackett-Fairchild just swap with Moylan and Hamer.
McKiernan is another option but looks off the pace whenever I've seen, similar to Street.
Makama might be in the squad too.
Our next home league game after tonight isn't until November 23rd.
Read somewhere 7 of our next 10 are away from home

Correct-
Bristol Rovers
Exeter
Wycombe (H)
Wrexham
Rotherham
Charlton (H)
Huddersfield
Reading (H)
Shrewsbury
Bolton

Through to end of the year. Stinking.

 

[denzel ecfc]

Correct-
Bristol Rovers
Exeter
Wycombe (H)
Wrexham
Rotherham
Charlton (H)
Huddersfield
Reading (H)
Shrewsbury
Bolton

Through to end of the year. Stinking.

Ours is the opposite, 7 home and 3 away. Though one of them is rearranged and 2 are at Christmas after which we have 2 away

 

[Luke Imp]

Two changes for us - Hamer for Montsma as expected but Hackett stays in, which is a surprise. Hamilton for Erhahon. Bit of a risk with Hackett and Hamilton's fitness, I doubt either will last more than 60 minutes.

Makama back on the bench.

 

[Davidimp]

Correct-
Bristol Rovers
Exeter
Wycombe (H)
Wrexham
Rotherham
Charlton (H)
Huddersfield
Reading (H)
Shrewsbury
Bolton

Through to end of the year. Stinking.

Bizarrely if we win in the cup and got a home draw in the second round, we'd be at home 3 Saturdays in a row.
Such a weird fixture list this season

 

[EricSabin]

Cracking start. Great work from Roberts and a big slice of luck but who cares.

 

[EricSabin]

Should clear the first corner, don’t, get punished. Been by far the better team so annoying we’ve been pegged back so avoidably.

 

[FredNTFC]

God, nothing wrong with it but Lincoln are proper oldschool aren't they. It's like watching an Ian Atkins team! Very effective, especially against a weak goalkeeper like Burge.

 

[EricSabin]

Now we can’t bloody hold on to it

 

[Conker]

looks like a cracking first half from Stockport.

 

[EricSabin]

Great first 15 then all Lincoln for the next 25. Just started getting our foot back on it before half time and had a decent chance on the whistle. Decent game, crap ref.

 

[masi51]

Controlled that from the start......Still not happy with either the formation or him continually underusing Charles
Two cracking goals from Santos and McAtee. Stevenage not offering anything and kicking anything that moves.
Toal off looks a bad one........He will be the 8th player currently out
Down to our bare bones now........Would play the B team in the cup at the week-end

 

[masi51]

Great first 15 then all Lincoln for the next 25. Just started getting our foot back on it before half time and had a decent chance on the whistle. Decent game, crap ref.

Must be crap he only played 40 mins

 

[EricSabin]

Must be crap he only played 40 mins

The other 5 is accounted for in ‘just started getting our foot back on it’.

 

[EricSabin]

Tom Eaves spilling a shit load of claret after wearing an elbow/forearm from Montsma in the penalty area - again ref not bothered

Edit: And another for the injury list as Eaves heads off

Edit: McGeehan booked for a hand off on halfway, blind eye turned to the Eaves one…baffling

 

[EricSabin]

Game heading for a draw during a boring second half, Roberts stupidly gets himself sent off and then it’s all Lincoln and we can’t hang on. Stupidity and gave all the impetus to Lincoln when the second half was a flat, drab affair.

More worrying is we haven’t got a fit recognised striker at the club at the moment and plenty of injuries elsewhere.

 

[EricSabin]

Worst ref we’ve had all year. Barely any tackles in the match and he’s given 10 yellow cards.

The sending off handed the game to Lincoln (no complaints with the red) really as it was drifting to a stalemate, but I didn’t think they had much quality but on the night neither did we for large spells.

 

[Super_horns]

Bolton seem to be finding some form whilst Stevenage are slipping.

 

[Conker]

Lincoln don’t seem like a side with much quality but they are really dangerous on set-pieces and pretty effective. They play exactly how you expect Lincoln to play all the way back to the early 2000s (that’s as far as I go back remembering them!)

Get the feeling Bolton are starting to finally kick on a bit, and Reading seem like a side that would struggle against a well organised physical side like Stockport, so not too surprised by that result.

 

[YEO YEO YEO]

Not a classic thats for sure. Northampton started the stronger and score with first attack. Under Kennedy that would have been game over. However we manage to get a foot hold in the game and grow as the half goes on. Apart from the first 5 minutes where Northampton could have scored 2, it was all us. Like Saturday we end up with a lot of corners and had some good efforts including 1 off the line. Probably should have been ahead end of 1st half.

2nd half Northampton change it up with Eaves going up top. Think he wins 2 headers and then goes off injuried. 2nd half very fractured with subs, injuries etc. Game would have probably have finished a draw if it's wasn't for Roberts stupid 2nd yellow. There was no quality 2nd half.

We somehow find a 2nd despite not being great with the extra player and easiest 11 mins of injury time we'll see out. We like winning 2-1 at home. We played more football on Saturday but ground it out tonight.

Another injury, this time for Hamer, hopefully not too serious.

Ref very strange today, let a lot of challenges go, but gave a lot of yellows. Very bizarre.

 

[YEO YEO YEO]

Lincoln don’t seem like a side with much quality but they are really dangerous on set-pieces and pretty effective. They play exactly how you expect Lincoln to play all the way back to the early 2000s (that’s as far as I go back remembering them!)

Get the feeling Bolton are starting to finally kick on a bit, and Reading seem like a side that would struggle against a well organised physical side like Stockport, so not too surprised by that result.

Absolutely. Sounds like you've described us to a tee. We are a hardworking outfit and that's why the loss at Crawley last week was very frustrating.

 

[Luke Imp]

Lincoln don’t seem like a side with much quality but they are really dangerous on set-pieces and pretty effective. They play exactly how you expect Lincoln to play all the way back to the early 2000s (that’s as far as I go back remembering them!)

Get the feeling Bolton are starting to finally kick on a bit, and Reading seem like a side that would struggle against a well organised physical side like Stockport, so not too surprised by that result.

I understand where you're coming from, and I know you don't mean that in a disrespectful way and it's only an observation, but I think we're a bit more than just a limited, set piece side.

We've got quality in the squad, it's just not a Birmingham, Bolton etc level of spend of quality nor a quality that lends itself to Birmingham type total football either. It's got some solid L1 level players in it. Skubala proved last season he could get us playing excellent football when we had to go hell for leather to catch everyone up but this season we've been managing our way into the season and arguably we haven't really clicked yet either.

We're light on CB's, even more so tonight with Hamer going off and now down to three. We don't have a proper LWB in the squad and that position has been filled by two wingers, one of which is right footed. I imagine we've managed to field our first choice midfield twice so far this season and we've had times, like this evening, where our forward line has been two Academy products. Erhahon, our best player, is out. Jackson, arguably our best defender, is out. Ring looks a player but he's adapting having come over from Sweden (not even sure where his best position is tbh). We lost Jensen, Sorenson and Taylor in the summer as well. We have 8 out injured and having to throw the long term injured back in at the deep end (I know we all have injuries, not just us).

I mean yes, we could be easier on the eye and play a bit more but as I was saying on a match thread the other day, I think some of that is down to a bit of inexperience and youthfulness in the side (or in O'Connor's case, he's not really a ball playing CB).

You're right about our set pieces though - we're the highest in the EFL for headed goals, too.

 

[Stocky]

Good performance from us tonight. Reading didn't seem to fancy it at all. Could have been more really but a relief that we haven't embarked on some terrible run after 2 or 3 really poor performances.

 

[Who Needs Mourinho]

Good performance from us tonight. Reading didn't seem to fancy it at all. Could have been more really but a relief that we haven't embarked on some terrible run after 2 or 3 really poor performances.

Good mix up of our ‘old’ and ‘new’ styles tonight.

Tried to play when we could but also looked to turn round Reading and go more direct at times as well and added some much need intensity back into our play.