Lincoln City (A) Boxing Day

[woolli]

3 minutes ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

Some rough maths says that the current top 4 or 5 all have ppg level on a par with those top teams last season.

It is perfectly possible that a repeat will occur.

Of course teams have to play each other again, (as they did last season), but we're half way through, top teams have played each other, and ppg levels are still high.

 

Like i said previously i still think we will need 95 plus points for the automatics. I think the top 4 now, will be the top 4 at the end of the season, in which order, i havent a fuckin clue!

[gonzo]

1 minute ago, MickyD said:

So who's doing the homework sorting out all of the top 7's head2head results so far? 

It's those results that will be the difference. 

[Tonge moor green jacket]

Pompey have beaten Barnsley, Peterborough, and us.

Drawn with Stevenage and Derby

Lost to Blackpool.

[Wanderlust]

4 minutes ago, woolli said:

Like i said previously i still think we will need 95 plus points for the automatics. I think the top 4 now, will be the top 4 at the end of the season, in which order, i havent a fuckin clue!

Barnsley will be there or thereabouts. I just hope we have a better plan than last time when we play them.

[desperado]

2 hours ago, radcliffe white said:

Dempsey looked really sharp and fresh yesterday would like to see him start against Fleetwood

I’d be surprised if Dempsey and Sheehan don’t start Friday now. Same with JDB and Iredale.

Having good squad depth, especially in midfield, is an area of strength for us. If IE keeps getting it right it could set us apart from the rest.

Great to have those players raring to go with no fatigue having been rested.

[desperado]

1 hour ago, Stig said:

One player I can't work out though is Mendes Gomez. Why was he signed? No idea where he fits in in this formation 

I’m paraphrasing from IE when he bought him. But it was something along the lines of needing different types of players in the squad with different skill-sets. He pointed out that  he can run with the ball, he can play wide or in the middle and has the ability to do something spontaneous and create something from nothing - he did something in a cup game earlier this season didn’t he? 

But his injury has obviously derailed him. And at the moment he’s finding it easier to get into the Guinea (is it Bissau?) side than ours which is understandable.

So could be viewed as a positive that he can go away and get regular competitive game and come back stronger and fitter for the vital last few months when we may need him.

[Mounts Kipper]

2 hours ago, tomski said:

Some of the stuff he does that no one sees (myself included) must be great.😂

I’m not his biggest fan but he does hold it up better than Bod, and is more of a physical presence and allows us some time to get players further up the pitch, sometimes we need those attributes. 

[tomski]

Just now, Mounts Kipper said:

I’m not his biggest fan but he does hold it up better than Bod, and is more of a physical presence and allows us some time to get players further up the pitch, sometimes we need those attributes. 

Mad thing is mate I don’t think he does  hold it up better than Bod. Defo a bigger presence but there is a huge difference in our play when the ball comes to Bod, who is far better in the air and bringing people in to play. 

It’s a shame as I get no joy out of hammering a wanderers player but I’m at a loss to what he brings. I’d love to be wrong but I think I won’t be.
 

[ianofcleveleys]

1 minute ago, Mounts Kipper said:

I’m not his biggest fan but he does hold it up better than Bod, and is more of a physical presence and allows us some time to get players further up the pitch, sometimes we need those attributes. 

Vic was getting regular pelters a few weeks back but I've always thought him to be doing all right. Not a natural at anything, obviously some areas he could be more polished in but gives honest hard graft every game, forages for the ball and holds it up fairly well, does a lot of the pressing Evatt wants, links up well enough with Charles even if neither of them have a reliable first touch. 

[Spider]

Vic starts ahead of Bodvarsson for me.

He’s not a 40 goals a season striker, but he holds the ball up well and most importantly of all tires defenders out after an hour of running and physically bullying them. It’s mentally tiring too.

Thats when the craft and guile of Bodvarsson as a fresh substitute makes more sense.

If you’ve ever been a defender and had to chase a big striker about for an hour, you’ll understand. It’s shit.

 

[radcliffe white]

19 minutes ago, tomski said:

Mad thing is mate I don’t think he does  hold it up better than Bod. Defo a bigger presence but there is a huge difference in our play when the ball comes to Bod, who is far better in the air and bringing people in to play. 

It’s a shame as I get no joy out of hammering a wanderers player but I’m at a loss to what he brings. I’d love to be wrong but I think I won’t be.
 

Me neither his hold up play is nearly as bad as his goal scoring figures, but guess we all see things differently be a boring place if not 

[Big E]

25 minutes ago, Mounts Kipper said:

I’m not his biggest fan but he does hold it up better than Bod, and is more of a physical presence and allows us some time to get players further up the pitch, sometimes we need those attributes. 

I am with @tomski it is a myth he holds it up better. He either loses it because his touch is awful or is pushed off it. He’s not a hold up striker. 
 

if we get crosses into the 6 yard box though he will score. Sadly we don’t see to do that 

[Big E]

14 minutes ago, Spider said:

Vic starts ahead of Bodvarsson for me.

He’s not a 40 goals a season striker, but he holds the ball up well and most importantly of all tires defenders out after an hour of running and physically bullying them. It’s mentally tiring too.

Thats when the craft and guile of Bodvarsson as a fresh substitute makes more sense.

If you’ve ever been a defender and had to chase a big striker about for an hour, you’ll understand. It’s shit.

 

He doesn’t work defenders though. If anything I would say he’s pretty easy to defend against. he gets pushed off the ball far too easily for a big lad and I don’t see the pace on him others seem to. 

hopefully he starts banging a few in because strikers that don’t score a not much use when pushing for promotion

[tomski]

5 minutes ago, radcliffe white said:

Me neither his hold up play is nearly as bad as his goal scoring figures, but guess we all see things differently be a boring place if not 

Aye.

[Tonge moor green jacket]

1 hour ago, Wanderlust said:

Barnsley will be there or thereabouts. I just hope we have a better plan than last time when we play them.

We did win 3-0 at their place last season, so we shouldn't be too much doom and gloom.

[Cheese]

21 minutes ago, Spider said:

Vic starts ahead of Bodvarsson for me.

He’s not a 40 goals a season striker, but he holds the ball up well and most importantly of all tires defenders out after an hour of running and physically bullying them. It’s mentally tiring too.

But he doesn't score so BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! GERRIM OFF! BRING BOD ON (who also doesn't score, but does an equally good job)!! BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[tomski]

4 minutes ago, Big E said:

He doesn’t work defenders though. If anything I would say he’s pretty easy to defend against. he gets pushed off the ball far too easily for a big lad and I don’t see the pace on him others seem to. 

hopefully he starts banging a few in because strikers that don’t score a not much use when pushing for promotion

Hope so. Think the team needs to teeing him up for those taps in. The club have invested too much for him, to call it a bad job and move on. 

I just hope JDB is happy with his game time because I’d be gutted if we let him leave.
 

[Big E]

2 minutes ago, Cheese said:

But he doesn't score so BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! GERRIM OFF! BRING BOD ON (who also doesn't score, but does an equally good job)!! BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Why does Vic keep his place then if they do the same? 
 

 

[Big E]

1 minute ago, tomski said:

Hope so. Think the team needs to teeing him up for those taps in. The club have invested too much for him, to call it a bad job and move on. 

I just hope JDB is happy with his game time because I’d be gutted if we let him leave.
 

Exactly we play more to his strengths and he will score looking at how it went at Burton. 
 

[Johnnyrotten]

11 hours ago, Deanu said:

Fully deserved three points, we completely controlled the game & got into tons of promising positions just for erratic end product to make it tighter than it should have. Didn't feel like they carried much threat, where as Pompey's Yengi was bang up for it against Santos I thought Lincoln's attackers sh*t themselves against him & mentally checked out early. Thomason's one of them players who will go far just because he's a sponge constantly working on his game to improve, fair play to the lad he has the right attitude & has stepped up this season.

Yes, agree with all that.  Tomo is the epitome of the "improved player".  Its not often it happens IMO, most players are what they are early in their career and that's largely how it remains (eg Morley, and that's not a criticism) but you can almost see Tomo improving month by month, whether its passing, tackling, threatening to score, leadership.  As you say, appears to be a sponge, well put. 

[Cheese]

8 minutes ago, Big E said:

Why does Vic keep his place then if they do the same? 

He doesn't. He was dropped for the previous 2 games. They're basically interchangable. It's called 'squad rotation'. But for some reason Bod gets praised for doing his job, while Vic gets pelters. Baffling.

Edited December 27, 2023 by Cheese

[Ani]

1 hour ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

Some rough maths says that the current top 4 or 5 all have ppg level on a par with those top teams last season.

It is perfectly possible that a repeat will occur.

Of course teams have to play each other again, (as they did last season), but we're half way through, top teams have played each other, and ppg levels are still high.

 

Maths nerd time now ! You are right that the top six currently if you take current PPG and project that over 46 games the total point count would be exactly same as how top six finished last year as a whole. 
The difference comes with top 3 where last year they all averaged over 2 points a game, currently only Pompey are doing this at 2.13, Plymouth last year were 2.19. If we beat Fleetwood 46 from 23 puts us at 2 PPG and in second spot.   On target for 92 points (11 more than last year)

Based on current PPG the current top three would get 13 points less than top 3 at end of last season, positions 4,5 and 6 would get 13 more. I have used current top 6 although Barnsley who are 7th have a higher PPG than Stevenage, mainly because I only noticed this after I had done numbers ! 

As it stands 2 PPG over the season would get you second this year. Obviously everything can change second half and head to heads will matter massively. Our record is 8 from 5 which is not bad as we have only conceded 5 points in those 5 games . 

For us in previous seasons dropped points at places like Fleetwood and Accrington have held us back so a win Friday will be a real boost as well as getting to the key 2 PPG. 
 

🤓🤓Appreciate numbers do not always tell the full story but they do show based on current form the top six are closer matched than they were over the whole of last season. Can a couple of teams put together a run and open a gap or will some teams drop back ? We can only wait and see. 

[Big E]

1 minute ago, Cheese said:

He doesn't. He was dropped for the previous 2 games. They're basically interchangable. It's called 'squad rotation'. But for some reason Bod gets the praise for doing his job, and Vic gets pelters. Baffling.

Crazy how opinions differ. I see Vic gets more praise than bod for doing the same job. Remember Vic is the reason we win but Bod is the reason we lose. That’s baffling. 

[Tonge moor green jacket]

Just now, Johnnyrotten said:

Yes, agree with all that.  Tomo is the epitome of the "improved player".  Its not often it happens IMO, most players are what they are early in their career and that's largely how it remains (eg Morley, and that's not a criticism) but you can almost see Tomo improving month by month, whether its passing, tackling, threatening to score, leadership.  As you say, appears to be a sponge, well put. 

I think leadership is correct: he has a desire that is self evident. 

Over the Christmas period in particular, having such players is such a boon.

How often over the years do teams have a mixed bag of results over the festive period?

I do think he may need a rest at some point- maybe even taking him off if we have a game won for example, as we do with Dion, just to ensure he's as fresh as possible. 

[radcliffe white]

All this with Vic is like Deja vu with Kachunga he devided opinion at first but in the end folk & IE realised he wasn’t up to it