Luton Town (H)

[mattbwfc19]

I know Luton are on a good run of form and there is no downplaying that, but the teams they have beaten/drawn with on this run are hardly pulling up any trees, except Stockport maybe. Even then, Stockport have been iffy. 

i know we have struggled against the teams lower down the table this season, but we shouldn't be worried about Luton tbh. Strong team and decent performance and we win this. 

[Johnnyrotten]

10 hours ago, DirtySanchez said:

Alternatively Barnsley can be relaxed whereas Stockport need a win 

Can work both ways

Probably depends if Barnsley are as "relaxed" as we were in the last half a dozen games last season 😀 (a euphemism if ever I heard one).

Anyway what will be will be and we're just watching it unfold.

[Whitesince63]

4 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

Probably depends if Barnsley are as "relaxed" as we were in the last half a dozen games last season 😀 (a euphemism if ever I heard one).

Anyway what will be will be and we're just watching it unfold.

I actually think Barnsley will be really up for this one being their last home game and also Hourihan’s as well. They’ve given County 5k tickets so I’d expect a big crowd and a good atmosphere and in fact my mates over here have invited me to go with them since I can’t get to the Reebok and I must admit I’m tempted. They seem pretty up for it actually to see off what’s become a really poor season considering the quality of players they have so if I was County I’d be very nervous. I’m split on it actually because I don’t want County to slip up and let Luton or Plymouth in although I do agree with others on here that if we play to our strengths none of the others will stop us anyway. It’s ours to lose.

[RUREADY2ROLL]

7 minutes ago, Whitesince63 said:

I actually think Barnsley will be really up for this one being their last home game and also Hourihan’s as well. They’ve given County 5k tickets so I’d expect a big crowd and a good atmosphere and in fact my mates over here have invited me to go with them since I can’t get to the Reebok and I must admit I’m tempted. They seem pretty up for it actually to see off what’s become a really poor season considering the quality of players they have so if I was County I’d be very nervous. I’m split on it actually because I don’t want County to slip up and let Luton or Plymouth in although I do agree with others on here that if we play to our strengths none of the others will stop us anyway. It’s ours to lose.

 

[Tombwfc]

39 minutes ago, mattbwfc19 said:

I know Luton are on a good run of form and there is no downplaying that, but the teams they have beaten/drawn with on this run are hardly pulling up any trees, except Stockport maybe. Even then, Stockport have been iffy. 

i know we have struggled against the teams lower down the table this season, but we shouldn't be worried about Luton tbh. Strong team and decent performance and we win this. 

 

To be fair 7 wins out of 9 - in the context of this L1 season - is a great effort whoever the opposition is. I think our best runs have involved winning five of nine. 

We shouldn't be worried about Luton, but equally we've won 2 of our last 9 in the league and 3 of our home games against the current top 11.

When people talk about 'if we put a decent performance we'll win' I think they must be talking about a different side. They're no worldbeaters but if it stays 11 vs 11 I'd expect them to give us a real game. 

[BeeversLeftPeg]

15 minutes ago, Tombwfc said:

 

To be fair 7 wins out of 9 - in the context of this L1 season - is a great effort whoever the opposition is. I think our best runs have involved winning five of nine. 

We shouldn't be worried about Luton, but equally we've won 2 of our last 9 in the league and 3 of our home games against the current top 11.

When people talk about 'if we put a decent performance we'll win' I think they must be talking about a different side. They're no worldbeaters but if it stays 11 vs 11 I'd expect them to give us a real game. 

100% it's as good a run of form as any in L1 outside the top 2 this season. Can only beat what's in front of you.

There's no fear of Luton in the playoffs but I would consider them a more dangerous team to play than both Bradford and Stevenage.

[RUREADY2ROLL]

Just would like to see both Plymouth and Luton missing out; either would be a bigger threat than the three in the places now

Edited Wednesday at 09:55 by RUREADY2ROLL

[desperado]

1 minute ago, BeeversLeftPeg said:

100% it's as good a run of form as any in L1 outside the top 2 this season. Can only beat what's in front of you.

There's no fear of Luton in the playoffs but I would consider them a more dangerous team to play than both Bradford and Stevenage.

Absolutely.

If they beat us they’ll be 2nd favourites with the bookies I reckon, and in a lot of peoples eyes (you only had to listen to the reaction to “our Jack” on Talk Sport this morning) their pick to win the play-offs.

Its not being obsessed or fearful of them, just an acknowledgment that the the most in-form team, with high expectations and recent top league experience are a side who will/should be more dangerous than Bradford, Stockport and Stevenage.

But it’s football, Bolton Wanderers and a subjective debate so I see all perspectives from, nobody will touch us, to avoid out-of-form and injury ravaged Stockport at all costs because they have a hoodoo sign over us. 

The reality, and probably what will make this Saturday and  the next month exciting, is that anyone of us could beat/lose to each other.

But it is our turn, I’m fearful of no one. Our attacking threat is better than anyones. Bring it on! 

 

[Ani]

Some massive over thinking going on here and across Bolton sites generally. 
 

Just turn up Saturday, play best team available and get a result.

Then do same three more times.
 

Trying to work most favourable or least favourable combination of results to give us most or least chance to get promotion is 100% subjective. worrying what happens if Stevenage win or Exeter are on the beach. V Bradford is pointless. 
 

After Saturday we need at most to win next 3, or maybe even a draw in there. 

[jmjhb]

24 minutes ago, Ani said:

After Saturday we need at most to win next 3, or maybe even a draw in there

We could even lose the next two, win, then draw and still go up.

[Johnnyrotten]

3 hours ago, desperado said:

Its not being obsessed or fearful of them, just an acknowledgment that the the most in-form team, with high expectations and recent top league experience are a side who will/should be more dangerous than Bradford, Stockport and Stevenage.

 

 

I think we all understand by now that if you mention the strengths of an opponent, you're obsessed with them and fearful.  If you criticise a Bolton player's performance that player is this week's whipping boy or maybe this season's whipping boy because Bolton fans always need one. 

And if two people praise a player they've started a "love-in".

If you question a managerial decision or tactic you're a neghead or anti-SS, and if you praise a performance in a game we didn't win you're a happy clapper.

if you quote any stats (guilty) you're creating a narrative.

Let the subjective debates continue 😀

[desperado]

2 hours ago, Johnnyrotten said:

I think we all understand by now that if you mention the strengths of an opponent, you're obsessed with them and fearful.  If you criticise a Bolton player's performance that player is this week's whipping boy or maybe this season's whipping boy because Bolton fans always need one. 

And if two people praise a player they've started a "love-in".

If you question a managerial decision or tactic you're a neghead or anti-SS, and if you praise a performance in a game we didn't win you're a happy clapper.

if you quote any stats (guilty) you're creating a narrative.

Let the subjective debates continue 😀

Very good 😂

Yes, all topics up for debate.

I’m guilty as charged when it comes to criticising in-game hysterics and post game meltdowns - to be often shot down that folk are just moaning and calling it as they see it, like they would in a pub.

There are certain topics like attendances, formations, tactics that are marmite on here (I don’t mind any of those BTW) 

Seems we’ve found another with end of season play-off permutations 😊

Make a claim that I’d rather not face Luton (even though I think we’ll beat them) with some reasoned debate and possibilities, to see posts about being fearful, obsessed and too much over-thinking going on 😂

All good pub discussions in my view.

[Traf]

Beat Luton, beat Stevenage, beat Bradford or Stockport.

Job done, no overthinking required.

[Dimron]

2 hours ago, Traf said:

Beat Luton, beat Stevenage, beat Bradford or Stockport.

Job done, no overthinking required.

In the words of Tommy... "Just like that"

Luton's  first final and our lot thinking job done.

Hope my pessimism is unfounded

[onefinfrandsen]

2 hours ago, Traf said:

Beat Luton, beat Stevenage, beat Bradford or Stockport.

Job done, no overthinking required.

The perfect route

[Lostock Whites]

3 hours ago, Traf said:

Beat Luton, beat Stevenage, beat Bradford or Stockport.

Job done, no overthinking required.

Yeah. At this point and after 2 previous seasons of Play Off fatigue where we unfortunately didn't get it over the line, I'm not really bothered what, who, when we are playing to be honest.

I'd obviously like us to beat Luton and I think the 2nd home leg does help so there's that.

Even if say the permutations meant that we somehow ended up playing Steveange in the final, would it really matter? 

We are our biggest opponent, it all depends on what we do. We could shit the bed against any of those teams, as could we also batter them.

Stockport are a bogey team of ours, but am I worried about them? No. The play offs is what it is, you have to earn your right to promotion, there's no easy game. Im not really worried about what Stockport, Bradford, Luton, Stevenage etc could do to us. 

I've gained confidence with exception to the recent Cardiff game, where we have played nearly all the top teams, including the team that has got 100 points btw and not lost to in both games and we have been very competitive.

The team also doesn't lay down and give up either.

And backed with the biggest fanbase in the whole league and in my opinion, the best squad on paper. Then let's fucking do it then.

We've got our part to play in the stands. We need the players to feed off our energy and confidence. If 25,000 of us do that, we beat anybody.

Edited Wednesday at 19:57 by Lostock Whites

[Domcarey1]

Looks like a good crowd on Saturday. They’ll sell 3k & you can’t get 2 seats together in all areas bar south lower. Should be a belting atmosphere…

[Johnnyrotten]

31 minutes ago, Lostock Whites said:

Yeah. At this point and after 2 previous seasons of Play Off fatigue where we unfortunately didn't get it over the line, I'm not really bothered what, who, when we are playing to be honest.

I'd obviously like us to beat Luton and I think the 2nd home leg does help so there's that.

Even if say the permutations meant that we somehow ended up playing Steveange in the final, would it really matter? 

We are our biggest opponent, it all depends on what we do. We could shit the bed against any of those teams, as could we also batter them.

Stockport are a bogey team of ours, but am I worried about them? No. The play offs is what it is, you have to earn your right to promotion, there's no easy game. Im not really worried about what Stockport, Bradford, Luton, Stevenage etc could do to us. 

I've gained confidence with exception to the recent Cardiff game, where we have played nearly all the top teams, including the team that has got 100 points btw and not lost to in both games and we have been very competitive.

The team also doesn't lay down and give up either.

And backed with the biggest fanbase in the whole league and in my opinion, the best squad on paper. Then let's fucking do it then.

We've got our part to play in the stands. We need the players to feed off our energy and confidence. If 25,000 of us do that, we beat anybody.

I agree with all of that, there have been times over the season when I couldn't see us beating Northampton never mind Bradford or Stockport over 2 legs.  But at this moment I have confidence in the team that they can perform at a decent standard for 3 games, coupled with a quite refreshing feeling that our opponents aren't exactly at full throttle - namely Bradford and Stockport.  They may be lulling everyone into a false sense of security, but they look as vulnerable as at any time in the season.

Just on the 25k fans, while you mention it - that's an advantage in 1 of the 3 games.  So we still need to get results in the other 2.  And if its Plymouth or Luton at Wembley, we'll be outnumbered, because of the unfairness of playing it in the south.  Possibly Bradford too as they will have more of a novelty factor of going compared to us.  So we can't on the one hand say "we'll go up because we've got 25k fans" and on the other say "if we're outnumbered it doesn't matter".  

Bottom line is, we don't want the crowd to be a factor at Wembley should we get there, we just want the team to perform to its potential.

[jmjhb]

If crowd size was such a deciding factor, we would have been promoted ages ago

[Alf Hartigan]

42 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

 

  And if it's Plymouth or Luton at Wembley, we'll be outnumbered, because of the unfairness of playing it in the south.  Possibly Bradford too as they will have more of a novelty factor of going compared to us.  So we can't on the one hand say "we'll go up because we've got 25k fans" and on the other say "if we're outnumbered it doesn't matter".  

 

All correct but the Plymouth bit. It's 207 miles to Wembley for us but 226 for Plymouth 🤔

 

[Stig]

3 minutes ago, Alf Hartigan said:

All correct but the Plymouth bit. It's 207 miles to Wembley for us but 226 for Plymouth 🤔

 

Plymouth are one of those clubs who can summon a mass of neutrals/semi interested folk who fancy a day out as the only club in their county has made it to a final. Oxford was similar.

Of all the players off contenders we'd only outnumber Stockport. Stevenage and Luton will also get a ton of day trippers who support other London clubs in the main but are local enough to fancy watching a match.

Bradford will be the novelty factor as said.

[Johnnyrotten]

10 minutes ago, Alf Hartigan said:

All correct but the Plymouth bit. It's 207 miles to Wembley for us but 226 for Plymouth 🤔

 

Fair enough 😀 

I bet half of them live in and around London anyway!

[Alf Hartigan]

I'm not sure our home attendances are as good as folk are making out. They are definitely good since we nearly went under, but prior to that we've had some proper barren years in my lifetime. Even in the premiership years we rarely filled the stadium if ever.

[green genie]

5 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

Fair enough 😀 

I bet half of them live in and around London anyway!

700 in London supporters branch. Not quite half but the Kernow Liberation Front exiles always help with the impressive totals we get at far flung midweek games.

[Johnnyrotten]

12 minutes ago, Stig said:

Plymouth are one of those clubs who can summon a mass of neutrals/semi interested folk who fancy a day out as the only club in their county has made it to a final. Oxford was similar.

Of all the players off contenders we'd only outnumber Stockport. Stevenage and Luton will also get a ton of day trippers who support other London clubs in the main but are local enough to fancy watching a match.

Bradford will be the novelty factor as said.

Agreed on all those, except Stevenage.  They'd take about 10k of their own "fans" (about 3 times their normal gate), and even with the day trippers/hangers on they'd do well to take 15k.