Tues 19th & Sat 23rd September

[Claret Forever]

We're already maxed out our budget and couldn't even bring in any bodies in the last window despite wanting some, so can't imagine January will make any difference for us. Unless somebody working charity wants to take the top earner who's hasn't played for almost a year, we're going to have to go with what we've got.

I think we look a little bit closer in quality to a League one team compared to the 20/21 season, but it's still missing something. But going forward is always the most expensive element.

 

[leedsvaliant]

Mcgeouch is still injured. He should be in contention next week. Butterworth just doesn't seem to fit - I do wonder if he couldn't do a job up front, the little glimpses we've seen of him have shown he has a bit of pace (something we're sorely lacking), a decent touch, and an eye for linkup play. As for Alfie, he's proven at league 1 level. Not sure why it isn't happening for him at this point, but it's worth noting that Gibson and Guy have been 2 of our better performers - and that Moxon is our supposed talisman. No idea what wage Alfie is on, but maybe he was signed as cover?

Our recruitment does look questionable though, I have to concede that much. Armer has struggled with the faster tempo, yet Robinson hasn't started a league game. The strikers are all misfiring. And the central defenders and keepers are all dropping clangers here and there.

Butterworth is OK but will do 1 good thing every so often. He's very much a player that you'd expect in a struggling side. For me he's a league 2 player at best. Edmonson similar....he works hard but technically he's a league 2 player. Moxon looked OK against us but seemed to really slow everything down....I'm not sure he's the player needed for this sort of situation.

 

[E10rifle]

Shrewsbury reminded me a bit of ourselves, need to score when on top in games and struggle a bit to get themselves back into games when on the back foot. Didn't think they was a terrible side though.

Have to disagree with this bit. Virtually all of Shrews’ early success in the game came from our errors. Their entire game plan involved lumping it towards Udoh and hoping that the ball bounced favourably or the ref bought one of his multitudinous pathetic dives. Pish at the back too with a flappy goalkeeper. They’re in trouble if today’s anything to go by.

Didn’t think we played particularly well either btw, but got the job done. Can’t believe Galbraith isn’t starting ahead of that fat c*** Moncur.

 

[Si Robin]

On the surface, 3-0 loss looks horrific. And for 15 mins or so we were. Stevenage's first goal is the sort of goal a team concedes when devoid of confidence. However, something clicked on 15 and we took control of the game (something I honestly didn't think we were capable of). For the first time this season we dominated possession, and we actually put decent balls into the box - if only our striker was actually there to receive them rather than sitting in midfield.

Jovan Malcolm really should have scored, but he somehow contrived to hit the bar rather than the huge space just below it, and you kind of knew then that we weren't going to score no matter what we did, but we went into half-time with hope because bloody hell we'd been good. I honestly believe if Malcolm scores that chance, we go onto win the game.

The second half Stevenage came at us a bit more and it was a tight game until another set-piece goal where they managed to have around 4 touches in our box without facing a challenge. From where I was it looked offside, but I was miles away so I have to look back. At that point, our players simply gave up. They feel the whole world is against them and we knew we weren't getting back into it. The third was a shocker defensively, but the game had already gone with the players downing tools after it, Stevenage could have had a couple more.

As usual, there's been a massive overreaction on the socials, but the new man (current favourite - Dave Artell) will have seen that there is potential in this team from the first half performance. The first job though will be to lift their confidence, which at the moment is completely through the floor.

 

[K-Win]

Very pleased with yesterday's win over Lincoln. They are tough to beat and we managed to once again get a result after going behind. It would be just the kind of game we'd have screwed up in the past after good results at Barnsley and Derby over the week.

The squad is showing its depth which allows Mousinho to switch players in and out without affecting the performance level too much.

Alex Robertson has had a great week and could be a real difference maker at this level if he keeps improving. Paddy Lane is finally injury-free and starting to show what all the fuss was about when we signed him back in January making him now first choice ahead of Gavin Whyte. Abu Kamara looks to have made the wide left position his own, particularly as Scully is now out for the year. Tino Anjorin is starting to show glimpses of his talent after three cameos. Youngster Terry Devlin is looking good off the bench too. Kusini Yengi and Christian Saydee should both be back soon to avoid overworking Colby Bishop.

All in all, things are looking good. (It should be noted that we were top around the same time last season, before the wheels came off in dramatic fashion!)

 

[Don Tonberry]

Very pleased with yesterday's win over Lincoln. They are tough to beat and we managed to once again get a result after going behind. It would be just the kind of game we'd have screwed up in the past after good results at Barnsley and Derby over the week.

The squad is showing its depth which allows Mousinho to switch players in and out without affecting the performance level too much.

Alex Robertson has had a great week and could be a real difference maker at this level if he keeps improving. Paddy Lane is finally injury-free and starting to show what all the fuss was about when we signed him back in January making him now first choice ahead of Gavin Whyte. Abu Kamara looks to have made the wide left position his own, particularly as Scully is now out for the year. Tino Anjorin is starting to show glimpses of his talent after three cameos. Youngster Terry Devlin is looking good off the bench too. Kusini Yengi and Christian Saydee should both be back soon to avoid overworking Colby Bishop.

All in all, things are looking good. (It should be noted that we were top around the same time last season, before the wheels came off in dramatic fashion!)

I was about to mention last season. We actually had more points at this stage last season than we do now. But after game 9 we went to Ipswich and everything went tits up after that. Wigan away is another really difficult fixture but win that and I might just start believing.

 

[Marked Ox]

Exeter are probably the best side we’ve faced this season by some margin. They knocked it around and looked well drilled. In reality we could and probably should have been 3-0 up within 25 minutes though by not taking chances it made for a much more competitive game.

We don’t have a recognised centre forward with Harris suspended for three games so we aren’t pressing much/if at all which allowed Exeter into the game. Demetri Mitchell looked excellent. He looks to be a really good recruit.

Despite the league positions of both sides it didn’t half look like both sides had shoehorned players as makeshift strikers! Bodin is a wonderful footballer and technically he’s very good, yet we look a totally different side with him as a false nine. We are effectively playing without a striker right now. When Harris is unavailable and we don’t press, I suspect we’ll invite too much pressure on ourselves and become unstuck.

For me, the pressing nearer the halfway line in the 2nd half allowed the defence to drop deeper, cutting the space behind the full backs Exeter had been attacking in the 1st half. It seemed deliberate that we switched to counter attacking football at the start of the 2nd half. When Josh Murphy and Greg Leigh came on, the space was there for them to exploit, particularly when we looked to cross to Greg Leigh to knock it down into the box.

Josh Murphy played well when he came on which is a real positive as he seems to forcing his way into the team with good performances. Their no 3 (Jules?) had the better of Stan Mills for most of the time but he struggled with Josh Murphy until JM was switched centrally. Loved the cross by Edwards for the 1st game and chuffed with Ruben getting his 1st goal for us which hopefully he'll kick on from now.

Overall, I'd describe our performance as pragmatic which I think is shown by Exeter having more possession but we had more good chances in both halves.

Edit: It was a decent game to watch.

 

[nelsonpfc]

I was about to mention last season. We actually had more points at this stage last season than we do now. But after game 9 we went to Ipswich and everything went tits up after that. Wigan away is another really difficult fixture but win that and I might just start believing.

Last season Lowery and Rafferty got injured early on. Cowley instead of trusting a RB Swanson at RB ended up playing CB at LB and our LB at RB. We definitely have a better squad as we current have 5 injured and one out for family reasons yet are still picking up decent results. At the moment 2nd and 3rd choice forwards out (4 goals yengi and Saydee) , first choice LW (scully). Starter CM from 1st match Tom Lowery, first choice and probably most consistent LB Ogivile and most in form RB Swanson all unavailable.

 

[Arbury]

Very entertaining game v vale who looked a decent side especially in midfield, the little youngster was my pick, looked a very good player(can’t remember the name) although certainly lacked something in the final third, scored a good goal though.

I’m certainly disappointed we didn’t win with the chances we had(Kai Kai header in the first half, Andrews hitting the post as well as the pen) but I dare say vale think the same so perhaps a draw was fair in the end.

Thought the ref got the pen spot on, smith looked the weak link to me in that defence and fuck knows how he gets away with what does.

Hard earned point, onto derby.


KTF.

 

[Luke Imp]

Sounded like we did ok yesterday, which was pleasing. If we'd held onto the lead a little longer, things may have panned out slightly different. We're getting punished for some very minor errors at the minute, which we weren't really making too many of last season - poor headed clearance yesterday, the same at Northampton, a half arsed challenge from a corner at Bristol Rovers, set piece against Carlisle.

 

[leedsvaliant]

Very entertaining game v vale who looked a decent side especially in midfield, the little youngster was my pick, looked a very good player(can’t remember the name) although certainly lacked something in the final third, scored a good goal though.

I’m certainly disappointed we didn’t win with the chances we had(Kai Kai header in the first half, Andrews hitting the post as well as the pen) but I dare say vale think the same so perhaps a draw was fair in the end.

Thought the ref got the pen spot on, smith looked the weak link to me in that defence and fuck knows how he gets away with what does.

Hard earned point, onto derby.


KTF.

He's called Ollie Arblaster . Best player we've had in 20 years and will probably be a future England player...He's brilliant.

We certainly lack the ruthlessness up top although a lot of the sides I've seen this season knock it around quite nicely but offer very little up top.

Agree with you that a draw was a fair result....thought we had 3 or 4 very presentable chances 1st half and even a couple in the 2nd half, but equally you had a penalty and hit the post. Don't mind taking a point from a difficult place to go.

Smith is an odd one...he's not very big, or quick or particularly very good on the ball, but he's got the heart of a lion and is one of the best pure defenders in the division. It's no accident that manager after manager has played him every week. Wouldn't swap him for anyone.

 

[valefan16]

He's called Ollie Arblaster . Best player we've had in 20 years and will probably be a future England player...He's brilliant.

We certainly lack the ruthlessness up top although a lot of the sides I've seen this season knock it around quite nicely but offer very little up top.

Agree with you that a draw was a fair result....thought we had 3 or 4 very presentable chances 1st half and even a couple in the 2nd half, but equally you had a penalty and hit the post. Don't mind taking a point from a difficult place to go.

Smith is an odd one...he's not very big, or quick or particularly very good on the ball, but he's got the heart of a lion and is one of the best pure defenders in the division. It's no accident that manager after manager has played him every week. Wouldn't swap him for anyone.

Yeah wouldn’t say Smudge is a weak link, Cass possibly when he came on sounded like he struggled and the Yak lost his man for the equaliser.

Smudge is proper old school, very strong for his size and even though he’s not the tallest usually wins most battles, had Andy Carroll in his pocket and of course is the silent wind up merchant, apparently doesn’t say anything as he’s getting reactions to get players sent off.

First defender on the team sheet for me and has been for many seasons. He will put his head where it hurts as well and as said he’s a pure defender, he’s not a footballing centre half or quick but doesn’t need to be as that’s what the Yak or Balmer/Cass/Jones are for.