Boxing Day Fixtures

[denzel ecfc]

Leyton Orient v Charlton
Bristol Rovers v Portsmouth
Burton v Blackpool
Cheltenham v Shrewsbury
Exeter v Wycombe
Fleetwood v Carlisle
Lincoln City v Bolton
Oxford Utd v Cambridge
Peterborough v Reading
Port Vale v Barnsley
Stevenage v Northampton
Wigan v Derby

So, a repeat of the opening day fixtures. In our case, its winless in ten against winless in thirteen.

Of course we will lose, fully expecting Wheeler to come the bench and head in the winner.

Sick of this now.

 

[valefan16]

You’d like to think we would be massively fired up for this one after what happened on the opening day if nothing but for professional pride but after a half arsed effort in the QF of a major trophy I won’t hold my breath that Crosby can get that reaction here!

Would be nice to win and rest some ghosts but with the injuries and fixture schedule we’ve had I’d snap your hands off for a point to stretch the unbeaten run.

Wilson maybe to get 45/60 minutes here which instantly improves us from Loft or Uche?

One slight concern is illness with Loft and Uche being ill last few days though as we can’t afford to lose any more with the raft of players missing as it is.

Play as we did yesterday and against Boro we get beat comfortably here, play as we did against Wigan and we’ve a chance.

See which Vale turn up.

 

[thewwfc]

No idea what’ll happen vs Exeter (other than it’ll probably be a shite game and the very opposite of a good advert for lower league football).

But.

In the event that we can somehow sneak a win, then surely that has to grant every ECFC fan’s Xmas dream of Caldwell Out?

For a team in our relegation-worthy run of form to rock up with a win has to be the final nail in the coffin.

That said, it’s a million miles from guaranteed, wouldn’t rule out an Exeter win either with our form being what it is.

 

[Gassy]

So after a couple of tough games away to Bolton & Blackpool, we finally get an easier game in Pompey at home.

Hoping we can end their undefeated away record, but would obviously take a point.

Had a few players sick in the camp last week so hopefully they recover in time

 

[valefan16]

No idea what’ll happen vs Exeter (other than it’ll probably be a shite game and the very opposite of a good advert for lower league football).

But.

In the event that we can somehow sneak a win, then surely that has to grant every ECFC fan’s Xmas dream of Caldwell Out?

For a team in our relegation-worthy run of form to rock up with a win has to be the final nail in the coffin.

That said, it’s a million miles from guaranteed, wouldn’t rule out an Exeter win either with our form being what it is.

Is Exeter all on Caldwell though, as he did have most of his key players sold in the summer and clearly haven’t recruited to replace, would another manager get much more when they’ve had to resort to playing a centre half up top at times?

 

[Don Tonberry]

So after a couple of tough games away to Bolton & Blackpool, we finally get an easier game in Pompey at home.

Hoping we can end their undefeated away record, but would obviously take a point.

Had a few players sick in the camp last week so hopefully they recover in time

I honestly would have taken a draw too if we hadn't dropped points to Fleetwood yesterday. Now I feel like we need to win but this is a tricky fixture on paper. I still fancy us to win because of how good we've been on the road this season.

 

[denzel ecfc]

Is Exeter all on Caldwell though, as he did have most of his key players sold in the summer and clearly haven’t recruited to replace, would another manager get much more when they’ve had to resort to playing a centre half up top at times?

Yes, its his recruitment. Every Exeter fan was saying we needed another striker BEFORE we sold Nombe. The only thought is that he might have been prevented from paying money for one, hence the boards reluctance to sack him.
But sacking him if we lose on Boxing Day would also be a poor decision, given that he has identified players to bring in, and any new manager would have to start again.
Would be nice if we could announce pre-agreements like Carlisle have done with Armstrong just to quieten the noise, but I'm now resigned to thinking that very few players want to come here now, we are such a basket case.

 

[Luke Imp]

Bolton...eek! Only single seats available last night so should pretty much be a sell-out.

We'll have 35-40% possession, 4 shots with 1 on target having struggled all game to get a foothold and sustain any sort of pressure in the final third. The midfield will get the ball, look up at the front three, wonder what the point is, and opt to pass sideways or backwards instead.

Can't blame Skubala, he's said himself he doesn't want to play 3-4-3/5-2-3 but a) we don't have the personnel to change things and b) he said he's only had 2 or 3 proper training session since he's been here because of the Sat/Tues/Sat schedule.

 

[Moonie]

Fleetwood Town versus Carlisle United Nil. Not looking forward to this one - thankfully I didn't get a ticket, and at least I can turn ifollow off if/when it turns out to be as bad as yesterday.

Wigan on Friday isn't going to be much fun either...

 

[Muzzle]

Bolton...eek! Only single seats available last night so should pretty much be a sell-out.

We'll have 35-40% possession, 4 shots with 1 on target having struggled all game to get a foothold and sustain any sort of pressure in the final third. The midfield will get the ball, look up at the front three, wonder what the point is, and opt to pass sideways or backwards instead.

Can't blame Skubala, he's said himself he doesn't want to play 3-4-3/5-2-3 but a) we don't have the personnel to change things and b) he said he's only had 2 or 3 proper training session since he's been here because of the Sat/Tues/Sat schedule.

I wouldn't be too pessimistic mate, our current form is all over the place...going for a draw myself

 

[Tangerine_tart]

If we can't beat Burton away I'll lose support in Critchley. We are a beaten puppy away from home.

 

[The Terminator]

We need to score first to stand any chance of getting anything, some mixed performances in recent weeks - poor at Cheltenham but found a way to win, poor first half and good second half against Bolton but lost.

Would imagine Wellens will tinker with the side a bit again, got the impression he was saving Darren Pratley and Idris El Mizouni for the forth coming games - El Mizouni went off with a knock 20mins after coming on though Saturday.

Charlton are a bit of a mixed bag, alot of firepower at this level but shakey at the back. Their firepower alone should be enough to beat us.

 

[hellogregory]

Fleetwood Town versus Carlisle United Nil. Not looking forward to this one - thankfully I didn't get a ticket, and at least I can turn ifollow off if/when it turns out to be as bad as yesterday.

Wigan on Friday isn't going to be much fun either...

Thankfully I didn’t get a Fleetwood ticket either. But I have also bought ticket and arranged to go to Wigan away. Can’t remember the last time I dreaded an away game this much. I’ll still go but as you say it won’t be fun. It’ll probably be as bad if not worse than blackpool the other week.

 

[hellogregory]

Expecting another pathetic defeat for the worst team in the League.

Just roll on January. Not that we’ll stay up, the rot has set in too much for even 5 new signings to salvage, but at least we might go down with a bit of fight and have something to build on in League 2 next season.

 

[Si Robin]

A few of our fans were watching the game with the Carlisle commentators on Saturday and apparently they were saying the problem with making 7 new signings is that 4 of the current squad still have to start. Now that's brutal.

Shrewsbury at home today. I'd love a Boxing Day win, seems like ages since we last had one.

 

[EricSabin]

Off to Stevenage today, hopefully we can get something and continue our excellent run. The P word is starting to be bandied around so maybe we’ll be back to earth with a bump today.

 

[leedsvaliant]

Blimey. You're only 4 points above us and we have a game in hand! We haven't even contemplated play offs, we're more concerned about relegation!

 

[Bartonyellow]

If we can't beat Burton away I'll lose support in Critchley. We are a beaten puppy away from home.

We will be in giving mood - don’t worry. We like to gift a goal or two.
Can see this been a 3-2 defeat for us.
New manager hopefully before new year.

 

[hellogregory]

Today is the day I expect to finally see this terrible team end up where it deserves to be, rock bottom of the league. And it’s been long overdue, the worst team in the league by a country mile. The only surprise is it’s taken till nearly the new year. Once we go bottom that’s where we’ll stay I can assure you.

 

[valefan16]

Blimey. You're only 4 points above us and we have a game in hand! We haven't even contemplated play offs, we're more concerned about relegation!

Plus you have the dreaded January… look at what happened to us, Rovers and Exeter on our return to L1 post December, all with decent points hauls at the turn of the year.

 

[Floreat Salopia]

Cheltenham away.

I can’t see where we can get anything from any game we play currently with how decimated we are. Aaron Pierre was the latest player to go off injured at the weekend so we’re struggling big time in defence now as well as midfield and attack.

I’m working today so can’t go to the match even if I wanted to, but I was shocked to see Cheltenham are charging £28 for today’s match in the Salop end. That is bloody disgusting for League 1 football. Shame we’ve already played them at home because I would have charged their away supporters the same price.

Anyway…

Cheltenham 2-0 Salop

 

[EricSabin]

Blimey. You're only 4 points above us and we have a game in hand! We haven't even contemplated play offs, we're more concerned about relegation!

Yep! Everyone I’ve spoken to recently has just said let’s avoid a dogfight but it’s testament to the job Brady is doing

 

[thewwfc]

It’s crazy to think that anyone currently in the drop spots would think that they’re done for.

No-one is irretrievably adrift at the moment, and there’s invariably someone who tanks in the second half of the season.

Might not be us, but we could very easily get dragged into the relegation dogfight, as could a few others on similar points.

 

[valefan16]

It’s crazy to think that anyone currently in the drop spots would think that they’re done for.

No-one is irretrievably adrift at the moment, and there’s invariably someone who tanks in the second half of the season.

Might not be us, but we could very easily get dragged into the relegation dogfight, as could a few others on similar points.

I work in blocks so I want us to have 25 points by the end of game 23 (Blackpool on Friday) currently on 26 so less to do second half of the season but 46 points kept you up last year and 40 the year before so it’s hard to judge a target.

There isn’t a Crewe or FGR this season really now Cheltenham have got themselves out of deep deep trouble and on the flip side no one at Ipswich level or Argyle so may be a lower promotion total and higher survival.

 

[valefan16]

Tom Sang added to the injury/illness list so our bench is made up of a keeper, three youths (one recalled from Stafford this morning) two centre halves and a James Wilson who has played 15 minutes since injury three months ago…

Not overly optimistic.

Arblaster, Jones, Ojo, Plant, Thomas, Uche, Conlon, Clark, Cass and Sang out of top of my head.

Not ideal with games coming thick and fast.

 

[valefan16]

Oddly big Uche ten minutes before kick off replaces Dipepa on the bench! Not sure what’s changed in 50 minutes and feel for Dipepa unless he’s injured as the youth product came on to set up the chance we equalised from at the weekend!

 

[thewwfc]

Our commentary team have just described Exeter v Wycombe as an eagerly-awaited fixture…um, by whom exactly?

 

[kieran_vale]

We are such a banter club. Just never learn the lessons week after week.

Enough is enough for me, Crosby is a glorified PE teacher not a football manager.

 

[thewwfc]

dear god - this is every inch as bad as I expected it to be.

Two sides low on confidence and playing to not lose rather than trying to attack positively.

Pass, pass, pass...misplaced pass, possession turns over, then the other side does the same thing.

Or we hoof it to Vokes and he flicks on to no-one.

Could be anyone's game really, but neither side deserves 3 points on the basis of what's been shown so far.

 

[The Terminator]

Edged out Charlton 1-0, game was low key, not many chances for either side. Pretty sure our goal was our first chance of the second half - Made by Dan Agyei, who is slowly feeling his way back into the team.

Galbraith played well as an Attacking midfielder and Pratley and El Mizouni also did well in midfield for us.

Charlton were very, very average I thought but they did cause us one or two issues, we had to take a few bookings, managed to keep May and Blackett-Taylor quiet which was a big reason we won in the end. Our best defensive performance for a while.

Their fans had the right hump at the end, not suprising as they should be doing alot better with the players they have than what they are.