20th February Match Thread

[Luke Imp]

Away at Wigan for us. Very little time this week to do any sort of training with three games in six days.

We're without Bridcutt, who we probably won't see until Easter. Likewise Joe Walsh who's now out for a similar amount of time, which is a big blow because he's been exceptional this season. That's a big part of our defensive solidity not playing. Add them to Morton, Archibald and probably Anderson who got injured in training on on Tuesday and we're thin on the ground again, leaving us with only two CB's and no proper defensive midfielder available.

Rogers and Poole will be available after being cup-tied last night.

By all accounts we looked a bit leggy last night so I'd expect us to freshen it up a bit if we can but options are limited.

 

[Agombar stool]

Home to Crewe on Saturday. I suspect that this will probably see the biggest mismatch in posession stats of the weekend (if not the season). Crewe will have all of the ball, create a myriad of chances and are bound to score at least 2 unanswered goals. We have an emergency keeper from Bristol City making his debut, I suspect he'll be very busy and I hope he's half as good as Mark Travers was before Bournemouth recalled him to sit on their bench.

Under Sheridan we are playing hopeful long ball stuff, which can work at this level - see Wycombe Wanderers - if utilised correctly. However our target man is Brett, 'pork pie pele' Pitman who moves about the pitch as fast as Captain Tom (RIP) did in his pomp last year during his epic charity escapade in his garden. The support from midfield is worse than a 20 year old pair of knickers in a knocking shop and our defence is leakier than a welsh soup kitchen. It really is dire, dire stuff.

I think both ourselves and Crewe come fresh off the back of a break after both our games were called off last Saturday (there are high japes about our cancellation in the riveting relegation thread) and so there should really be no excuses for tiredness.

Can't see anything other than a really simple Crewe win on Saturday. my chosen bookie are offering 21/20 for a Crewe win which looks like the easiest way to double your money this weekend. I watched the reverse fixture earlier in the season and it was men v boys.

 

[Indian Dan]

Only one caveat to that, Bob. It’s supposedly pissing down Fri/Sat so that coupled with the seeming lack of attention to the pitch will maybe negate Crewe’s attempt to actually play football and drag them down to our level a bit. I’ll happily accept relegation if it means Power fucks off and takes Sheridactyl with him.

New owners = new hope. At least until proven otherwise!

 

[SuffolkBlue]

Home to Oxford. We won’t score, they most probably will. 0-1

 

[Agombar stool]

Only one caveat to that, Bob. It’s supposedly pissing down Fri/Sat so that coupled with the seeming lack of attention to the pitch will maybe negate Crewe’s attempt to actually play football and drag them down to our level a bit. I’ll happily accept relegation if it means Power fucks off and takes Sheridactyl with him.

New owners = new hope. At least until proven otherwise!

I heard that there was drainage problems with our pitch (which is usually one of the best prepared in the league) hence why its looking like a farmer's field. Ordinarily this would be resolved financially but because of Covid we don't have the cash to get it properly sorted.

That said, its a good point about the pitch bringing Crewe down to our level. You would imagine they are the sort of team that would usually enjoy playing on our big pitch, possibly not this time.

 

[Crewelad87]

Swindon away, should represent a good chance of 3 points. Both teams have had an extended break due to the weather. Certainly a good thing for us to hopefully clear a few injuries up, in particular Charlie Kirk who had missed a few games but should be back to 100% by now. A few of the long term injuries are getting closer in Daniels, Ainley and Lundstram but still a few weeks off. Offord and Finney a fair way off coming back and Billy Jones returned to Rotherham injured. Weather looks really wet so hopefully it doesn’t effect the pitch too much. I’d expect the team to be.
Richards

Johnson Beckles Lancashire Pickering

Murphy Wintle Lowery

Dale Mandron Kirk

subs: Jaaskelainen, Adebisi, Woods, Evans, Powell, Walker, Porter

 

[Indian Dan]

Seeing Lancashire gives me the tiniest smidgen of hope.

 

[DearneValleyRover]

Home to Hull we are going to get spanked

 

[Bartonyellow]

Home to Sunderland.
I have a sneaky feeling we will win.
We have a good record against them. Although it's better at the sol than the pirelli.

 

[Davidimp]

Away at Wigan for us. Very little time this week to do any sort of training with three games in six days.

We're without Bridcutt, who we probably won't see until Easter. Likewise Joe Walsh who's now out for a similar amount of time, which is a big blow because he's been exceptional this season. That's a big part of our defensive solidity not playing. Add them to Morton, Archibald and probably Anderson who got injured in training on on Tuesday and we're thin on the ground again, leaving us with only two CB's and no proper defensive midfielder available.

Rogers and Poole will be available after being cup-tied last night.

By all accounts we looked a bit leggy last night so I'd expect us to freshen it up a bit if we can but options are limited.

Johnson looked well off the pace needs a rest couple of games on the bench.
Losing Anderson doesn't help.

 

[Boletus Edulis]

Away to Rochdale. We are playing reasonably well, defence is getting tighter. Rochdale will be keen to reverse their recent form and get out of the mire. Hopefully Edwards will be back at right wing back, we always look more comfortable when he is playing on that side. imagine Lowe will start with Jephcott and Ennis up front.

PS What is the story behind the Rochdale Chairman standing down today?

 

[Crewelad87]

Seeing Lancashire gives me the tiniest smidgen of hope.

This will shock you, as it has me. But he’s been pretty decent over the last couple of months. One error a couple of weeks ago but other that he’s been solid.

 

[Indian Dan]

Hope he’s been saving them up for Saturday!

 

[Loyal Dale]

Away to Rochdale. We are playing reasonably well, defence is getting tighter. Rochdale will be keen to reverse their recent form and get out of the mire. Hopefully Edwards will be back at right wing back, we always look more comfortable when he is playing on that side. imagine Lowe will start with Jephcott and Ennis up front.

PS What is the story behind the Rochdale Chairman standing down today?

It came out of nowhere, although it's thought that he never wanted to be Chairman when he succeeded Chris Dunphy 2 years ago. Hardly ever seen at the ground, and even less vocal, it really isn't a surprise.

What all Dale fans must stop however, is the march towards World domination that our CEO has embarked on. He really is not popular, and has the business skills of a slug, whilst tending to say one thing in public and another in private. A thoroughly odious old man., who is thought to be the reason that Dunphy (who was ace) left 2 years ago.

Trouble is, unless we're missing something, there are no candidates on the Board suitable to take over.

Worrying times on and off the pitch at Dale. Go easy on us eh?

 

[codaplenty]

Home to the Addicks tomorrow, there are plenty of positives coming out from Grayson so lets see if this can translate on the pitch. In fairness the team have done ok since his arrival, a draw against Gasheads which was a poor game, cracking win against Donny who have since gone into freefall ! At Plymouth they played descent and lost to an og

We have done ok against the Addicks at home, we need a win as we are slowly dropping down the table so with great confidence we will come out victors 2-1 !!

 

[Boletus Edulis]

It came out of nowhere, although it's thought that he never wanted to be Chairman when he succeeded Chris Dunphy 2 years ago. Hardly ever seen at the ground, and even less vocal, it really isn't a surprise.

What all Dale fans must stop however, is the march towards World domination that our CEO has embarked on. He really is not popular, and has the business skills of a slug, whilst tending to say one thing in public and another in private. A thoroughly odious old man., who is thought to be the reason that Dunphy (who was ace) left 2 years ago.

Trouble is, unless we're missing something, there are no candidates on the Board suitable to take over.

Worrying times on and off the pitch at Dale. Go easy on us eh?

many thanks. typically CEOs do what they are told, so do you have an ownership vacuum without one clear person in charge?

 

[TractorBoys]

So, Lambert is gone - not quite yet - but gone all the same. Had talks with Evans yesterday over severance. They meet next week again to resolve in full.

Paul Cook, Danny Cowley, Nigel Pearson and Neil Harris all in the picture.

Would take any of of those barring Cowley. Would be really disappointed if they got the nod.

 

[K-Win]

If Cook wants the job, go all out for him. He knows how to put out an attractive, passing team that wins matches. Most Pompey fans regret losing him, even if they did ultimately drive him out of the club.

IMHO if he'd stayed with us, we would probably be a mid-table Championship team now.

 

[Indian Dan]

Put some effort in today, ffs.

 

[dannyc5]

Crewe have been pretty poor recently. Don’t think it will be as straight forward as the Swindon fans seem to think.

 

[PuB]

Christ, Gills against Brizzle Rovers is turd

Edit: Scored as I posted, 1-0

Double Edit: Still shit though

Triple Edit: Just got a penalty (missed)

 

[Agombar stool]

Crewe have been pretty poor recently. Don’t think it will be as straight forward as the Swindon fans seem to think.

Pretty poor versus Sunday league hopelessness.

 

[dannyc5]

Pretty poor versus Sunday league hopelessness.

Good point. Pretty poor should comfortably beat Sunday League shite.

 

[PuB]

2-0 Gills win in possibly the worst game ever witnessed by humanity (well some humanity, Steve Evans doesn’t count obviously).

 

[EricSabin]

WE’VE SCORED A GOAL! FIRST IN ABOUT 550 MINUTES! STOP THE COUNT!

 

[EricSabin]

Surman levels up with a stunner then we miss an open goal

 

[GFC4EVA]

2-0 Gills win in possibly the worst game ever witnessed by humanity (well some humanity, Steve Evans doesn’t count obviously).

Awful game between 2 very average sides, just glad they had Hanlon up front as if they had a proper striker, could have been a very different story.
Happy to take the e points and move onto Tuesdays game vs AFC Wimbledon

 

[Hooped Wizard]

Wow we are really quite dire now, wish we hadn’t signed all them players in January.

 

[Indian Dan]

Good point. Pretty poor should comfortably beat Sunday League shite.

Take it you now see what we’ve been on about. Have you ever seen a team, any team, play such mindless drivel. 20% possession in the first half.

 

[Crewelad87]

Take it you now see what we’ve been on about. Have you ever seen a team, any team, play such mindless drivel. 20% possession in the first half.

Still not losing though. Got a bad feeling we will mess this 2nd half up and get beat.