Stevenage (H)

[globaldiver]

Next up, I think.

Decent start for both teams. 1-1.

[L/H White]

1-0 Charles 

Nervy last 10 mins

[radcliffe white]

3 homes games on the spin isn’t it?

no disrespect to the opposition but we shouldn’t be dropping points, don’t think we’ll smash them

2-0

[Wanderlust]

Ah - great minds etc.

[jmjhb]

Despite being 3rd, Stevenage have only won 1 of their last 5 matches.

Pompey and Oxford have opened up a gap and are also both at home twice in the next week so we need 6 points just to stay in contention of automatics. 

All that said, I think we'll win. 

Edited October 1, 2023 by jmjhb

[Wanderlust]

Apart from the highlights show and a few snippets here and there I know f*** all about Stevenage other than they've had a brilliant start to the season and got put back in their box by a strong Oxford (promotion contenders?) side yesterday. They certainly know how to put "weaker" teams to the sword and have plenty of goals in them but Oxford apart they've done OK against the "stronger" sides e.g. drawing with Portsmouth.

It seems like one of those where we're likely to be in for a game, but if we play well should win especially with home advantage. Wondering if the confidence of a newly promoted side has worn off has been tarnished by the Oxford defeat? Steve three-bellies Evans is a canny manager though, so I imagine he'll fire them up. Also wondering if Wildin and Butler have genuine pace as pace down the flanks has been our Achilles' heel recently (thank f*** it took Crosby until half time to realise it on Saturday) - we'll see.

Play a similar system to us usually so there'll be a match up which either manager could exploit.

Love to win this one - it will move us up to third and set us up nicely for the Carlisle match.

Edited October 1, 2023 by Wanderlust

[paulhanley]

This is where we have to make it count. No "after the lord mayor's show" scenarios can be afforded if we're serious about the top two. Injuries can't be an excuse, in any case presumably Thomason is  back and we know Ashworth is back. 

In fact it has to be six points over these next two games for us to be showing the right signs.

[captainmed]

39 minutes ago, paulhanley said:

This is where we have to make it count. No "after the lord mayor's show" scenarios can be afforded if we're serious about the top two. Injuries can't be an excuse, in any case presumably Thomason is  back and we know Ashworth is back. 

In fact it has to be six points over these next two games for us to be showing the right signs.

THIS.

[Wanderlust]

Just had a look over their squad and Evans has made some decent signings and loaned a few from Prem clubs since getting promoted.

FWIW I don't think anyone from the club has used injuries and suspensions as an excuse for anything. The opposite is the case - Evatt saying that we have strength in depth and now it's time for the healthy ones to step up.

He may be right but personally I'd be more comfortable if we had a full squad available, especially as we use subs a lot and Evatt only seems to want to risk the youngsters when we're winning comfortably.

[Lostock Whites]

6 points in the next 2 games are a MUST!

3 points could be the season between autos and play offs this season

[tomski]

Any win please 

[Zico]

4 hours ago, radcliffe white said:

3 homes games on the spin isn’t it?

no disrespect to the opposition but we shouldn’t be dropping points, don’t think we’ll smash them

2-0

Next 3 games at home v 3 newly promoted teams 

If we're aiming for the top two this should be 9 points really 

[radcliffe white]

20 minutes ago, Zico said:

Next 3 games at home v 3 newly promoted teams 

If we're aiming for the top two this should be 9 points really 

Absolutely

Early but the top 2 have a little cushion and like us have winnable home games coming up 

[FrancisFogarty]

Neither Stevenage or Carlisle will come for a draw so we can’t afford to let them settle. Straight into them from the start.

Two hard fought wins though.

[Tonge moor green jacket]

2 minutes ago, FrancisFogarty said:

Neither Stevenage or Carlisle will come for a draw so we can’t afford to let them settle. Straight into them from the start.

Two hard fought wins though.

Are you sure?

Reckon both would take a draw now.

[Whitesince63]

I think Stevenage have way overperformed so far and are now on the wane so I expect nothing less than a straightforward win on Saturday and the same against Carlisle and Northampton. The only concern I have is tiredness or further injuries because other than up top we don’t have much cover, although Ashworth and George being back will help massively. If we really are automatic prospects we need nine points from these with harder games to come.

[FrancisFogarty]

1 hour ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

Are you sure?

Reckon both would take a draw now.

I think at this stage of the season it's not shit or bust to anybody. Both will look at the table and think they have a chance. Carlisle will have a decent following and want to give it a go.

Stevenage maybe less so, midweek and not a good away following they may put the shutters up later on, but I think they will both be hard games and will both want some beating.

Of course I will be more than happy to be on a humble pie tea come Saturday evening.

[Wanderlust]

4 hours ago, Zico said:

Next 3 games at home v 3 newly promoted teams 

If we're aiming for the top two this should be 9 points really 

Pretty much what established league 1 clubs would have said about us the season we came up.

Obviously we showed them different because we, like Stevenage, signed a load of decent players that would push us forward and ideally on to promotion.

However, our team can beat anyone in this league if we play at our best - and I have no doubt that's what we're aiming for.

[marple whites]

9 hours ago, captainmed said:

THIS.

Exactly

[DomRepWanderer]

Didn't know the fat controller was on our books as a kid.

[bolty58]

13 hours ago, tomski said:

Any win please 

Yes, at the risk of being labelled repetitive, a 96th minute undeserved penalty which hits both posts before agonisingly trickling over the line off the goalkeepers arse resulting in a lucky 1-0 victory will be more than enough to make me happy.

[BeeversLeftPeg]

9 points from the next 9 at home.

These upcoming games are the ones we need to be winning if we have designs on the top 2 this season.

Hopefully grind another couple of wins out this week and then get some bodies back before the Northampton game.

[Whitesince63]

18 hours ago, radcliffe white said:

Absolutely

Early but the top 2 have a little cushion and like us have winnable home games coming up 

Yes White and they also have an extra game during the international break when we don’t play so any slip ups and we could find ourselves a fair way behind. Let’s be fair and not meaning to be disrespectful but if we can’t beat the likes of Stevenage and Varlisle freshly out of L2 then we shouldn’t really consider ourselves automatic potential.

[Whitesince63]

13 hours ago, Wanderlust said:

Pretty much what established league 1 clubs would have said about us the season we came up.

Obviously we showed them different because we, like Stevenage, signed a load of decent players that would push us forward and ideally on to promotion.

However, our team can beat anyone in this league if we play at our best - and I have no doubt that's what we're aiming for.

I don’t think you can seriously compare us to Stevenage lusty. I don’t know what there budget was but even without restricted capabilities to bring in new players we had the likes of Sarce, Doyle, Rico, Jones and Dapo plus so I think everybody expected us to do well?

[anewman]

Will the lifts be fixed in time for this game?