Week ending 25th September

[Cas]

Losing 3-0 now. I really hate Derek Adams' face. Looks like one of those spitting image puppets gone wrong.

 

[valefan16]

Well, they won the first 45 minutes 0-1 but we won injury time 2-0.

Bloody physical side are Harrogate. Jumping into players in the air, arms around necks and swinging arms. Refs letting them get away with it.

Casey

They were terrible against us in terms of being overly physical (which cost them) and pretty limited if I’m honest. I was stunned they were unbeaten based on what I saw Saturday.

 

[Cas]

Feel like shit just want McCall back.

 

[AR27]

Tinpot trophy or not that was embarrassing from our fringe players. No wonder we see an unchanged lineup every Saturday.

 

[Gassy]

Swindon fans, hows JML getting on?

 

[Casey]

Harrogate had a extra team member on the pitch tonight. For all our faults Crawley try to play football. Harrogate pushed, shoved and pulled themselves to a point tonight ably abetted by a ref who appeared to have them in an accumulator.

I know they are instructed to allow the game to flow and not pull up for little fouls but when players are taken out by sliding tackle or felled by a flailing arm surely you've got to give a free kick? Drysdale was just not good enough tonight. The assessors need to have a good look at him.

The less said about Nadersan's sending off the better. He let himself and the team down by his actions. He fouled the centre back (though the ref had been letting those go all night) and when the defender shoved him in the back he turned and squared up to him. I have no idea if a head was used but why give an idiot ref a chance to make a decision?

Down to ten men and with a midfielder in central defence due to injuries (Francomb and Lynch injured in the game tonight) we sat in two lines and set out to stop them. Apart from an own goal we did it with only a few scares.

If you get a half decent ref a good side in this league will beat Harrogate. If you get Drysdale forget it.

Casey

 

[AR27]

Lavery and Robinson injured before even playing tonight. No loss but also rumours Vernam has done his hamstring. Good job we've got strength in depth....oh wait.

 

[BarraMatt]

Why the fuck is 35 year old Paul McShane playing for United's kids?

 

[kieran_vale]

Why the fuck is 35 year old Paul McShane playing for United's kids?

Didn't realise it was actually that Paul McShane. Reminds me of the time when Stoke would put the likes of young up and comers like Charlie Adam in their team in this competition. Just shows how much of a farce the whole thing is really.

 

[Cas]

Lavery and Robinson injured before even playing tonight. No loss but also rumours Vernam has done his hamstring. Good job we've got strength in depth....oh wait.

Imagine if Cook had got injured when he came on. Silly sub for me.

 

[The Terminator]

I went to Brentford 7-0 Oldham this evening - Just so I could tick the ground as I won't get many chances to do it.

Oldham were terrible I thought and gave up quickly, it could've been more than 7 if Brentford were more careful with their chances.

 

[Fedora Dale]

Didn't realise it was actually that Paul McShane. Reminds me of the time when Stoke would put the likes of young up and comers like Charlie Adam in their team in this competition. Just shows how much of a farce the whole thing is really.

Paul McShane was with us for 18 months prior to joining United. He would still be playing in the Championship/L1 but for injuries, which restricted him to playing about half the games while with us. He's also done all his coaching badges, and joined United primarily as a coach. However, having a very capable "older head" able to lead on the pitch (if fit) rather than just shout from the sidelines seems a pretty sensible move for all concerned.

We've done the same thing at a lower level, with Jim McNulty being retained as playing cover while coaching/mentoring our young lads and getting his badges.

****

As for tonight, although I couldn't go it looks like Dale gave it a good go against a pretty strong Burnley team. Jake Beesley seems to be getting better every game, and the others didn't let anyone down. And if someone had said that Stephen Dooley, who's spent his previous Dale career as a mercurial and lightweight wide player, would be reinvented under Stockdale as a pretty effective holding/tackling midfielder I'd have asked for a pint of whatever loopy juice they were drinking!

 

[Indian Dan]

Swindon fans, hows JML getting on?

Not too keen on the kitchen gadgets!

Seriously, not seen much of him. Made a couple of fleeting sub appearances and started in the Pizza Cup where he spurned a couple of very good chances. A striker he is not. Garner has seemed to have assembled a lot of players of a similar mould and JML is one of them. If I’m allowed these days to say this, I think we’re a bit of a poofy team.

 

[Agombar stool]

Why the fuck is 35 year old Paul McShane playing for United's kids?

Seems some of the Premiership clubs are doing this now with senior players. Olly Lancashire is at Southampton I think and there are others. I guess its to have some experienced old pros who can guide the youngsters and the old bucks can study for their coaching badges etc.

 

[Devon_Lad]

Very tough game on Sat, hoping for a win but will take a draw if offered one now.

 

[Conker]

Mansfield injury list is now even longer, with Gordon and Stirk doubtful for Saturday, alongside Perch, Nartey and Forrester.

We may need to move Hawkins, our beat attacking player so far to CB on Saturday, play Hewitt at RB.

 

[Kauto Star]

I would caution that we’re probably a little better than some people might think. We’ve got the division’s top scorer and only let in 4 goals from open play in 10 games. Hope Clough is similarly unconcerned.

Had you down to win the league before a ball was kicked. Your good start has strengthened my opinion. I think you will win the league at a canter in the end

 

[leedsvaliant]

Loft has been out injured since the 2nd game of the season, you'll have to stop Aaron Jarvis which is significantly easier.

I'm glad about that. Loft caused us huge problems last year and looked a handful. Eisa always seemed to have a blinder against us too. It all points to a potential victory, so put your mortgage on a Scunthorpe win.

 

[AR27]

Six players out for Saturday, five being attackers. Vernam the latest one on the treatment table after stupidly being sent on midweek.

Nailed on win for Crawley.

 

[IanPVFC]

We've sold out our initial allocation for Scunthorpe, though no idea how many this is?

 

[Devon_Lad]

Apparently we have already travelled nearly 2500 miles this season. And it's just shy of an 800 mile round trip on Saturday too. Good to get most our long fixtures out the way early I guess and with a decent record to go with. Just Carlisle to go after Saturday.

 

[BogDaddyO]

Apparently we have already travelled nearly 2500 miles this season. And it's just shy of an 800 mile round trip on Saturday too. Good to get most our long fixtures out the way early I guess and with a decent record to go with. Just Carlisle to go after Saturday.

I reckon you'd like it up in Carlisle, anti-vax rallies every Saturday.

 

[Casey]

Six players out for Saturday, five being attackers. Vernam the latest one on the treatment table after stupidly being sent on midweek.

Nailed on win for Crawley.

Ahhh but only one central defender available at the moment.

I'm hoping we can patch up one of them for Saturday but who knows? This game seems to be a case of no defence v no attack. Anything could happen!

Casey

 

[The Terminator]

We've hit some form and I'd expect us to name an unchanged side for the 3rd game in a row playing 3-5-2.

I'd imagine Danny Johnson will get a good reception from us, he did bag 20 goals last season and overall he did well for us. But when he left the club just produced a small statement syaing he'd left and didn't even thank him etc.

All the other players including Conor Wilkinson who signed for Walsall got a thank you etc. I heard he was a bit of a distruptive chararcter in the dressing room and one or two didn't take to him, I know he fell out with Conor Wilkinson which basically meant both players were off in the summer. When your two main goalscorers fall out, then you have a problem! From January onwards he was regularly moaning at his team mates and the refs during games and something never felt quite right with him.

We also wanted Oliver Hawkins as well but he chose Mansfield over us, we ended up getting Harry Smith and he has done suprisingly well though given he had no pre season games at all.

Mansfield are on a poor run, so another test for this group of players against an out of form team. But anyone can beat anyone in League Two on their day.

 

[hellogregory]

I reckon you'd like it up in Carlisle, anti-vax rallies every Saturday.

Is there?

 

[MadJohn]

Apparently we have already travelled nearly 2500 miles this season. And it's just shy of an 800 mile round trip on Saturday too. Good to get most our long fixtures out the way early I guess and with a decent record to go with. Just Carlisle to go after Saturday.

A veritable windshield insect holocaust every other Saturday. What a needless waste.

 

[Devon_Lad]

A veritable windshield insect holocaust every other Saturday. What a needless waste.

I'm all for localised lower football, give me Tiverton Town away over Barrow any day of the week

 

[Conker]

I'd imagine Danny Johnson will get a good reception from us, he did bag 20 goals last season and overall he did well for us. But when he left the club just produced a small statement syaing he'd left and didn't even thank him etc.

Football fans really take stuff like that personally don’t they, long as players are not disrespectful like Ollie Palmer it doesn’t bother me.

Johnson come off the bench last two times and scored two good goals so I expect him to start, we’ve got a absolute disaster of a injury list for our defence so I’m hoping we manage to keep Hawkins upfront and not put him at CB.

 

[Scunny Pacifist]

Any Port Vale fancy meeting for a scrap? Me and the bairn can get 10 boys together
Unfortunately one use a Mobility scooter and another one has only one legs. Tescos at 2.50?
Gonna smash you

 

[Chief Rocka]

No David Ferguson, Gary Liddle or Gavan Holohan for us tomorrow, I think we are going to be well up against it, presumably means Molyneux at LWB, Timi back in at CB you'd imagine, though we do have Luke Hendrie who I'd totally forgot we signed and you'd think Daly in at CM?

Really not confident.