Let's get at the Boro'!

[SC Cobbler]

Can't wait to see the lineups at 2pm on Saturday. If Costelloe starts I'll have blind optimism we'll get something. Without him, I'll fear the worst...

[itsme]

Sometimes in a relegation scrap the manager has to swallow his ego and do what’s best for the club in terms of getting a result.

10 minutes of fosu off the bench could be valuable.

That maybe true but it won't happen

[itsme]

When was the last time we did the double over them

[GrangeParkCobbler]

So its time for the Nennnnn derby as The Cobblers make the 40-odd mile trip up the A45 and A605 to face the old enemy in Peterborough United.

Pish, after struggling for a time this season, have now only lost one of their last 10 in all competitions and have moved away from relegation danger to sit in 14th place as it stands, putting them five points and five places above ourselves.

Finally promoted to the Football League in 1960 after five successive Midland League titles they have spent a number of seasons as high as the Championship in their now 55 year league career, the latest of which came in 2022.
They were relegated the following season though and last season a fourth placed finish led to playoff semi-final defeat to eventual winners Oxford United. This season has been inconsistent, but at least its been entertaining as Posh have scored 61 goals but conceded 67. Eight home wins against six home defeats and their 35 goals scored is second only to Birmingham. They have yet to suffer defeat at home in 2025, and last time out at London Road they put Charlton to the sword with a 3-0 win. That win and their midweek 4-3 win at Crawley was sandwiched by a 3-1 loss at Reading last Saturday. After our meeting they have back to back games against Birmingham to look forward to, firstly in the league and then next weekend in the Trophy final at Wembley as the Posh seek to retain the trophy they won last season.

Kwame Poku and Malik Mothersille both have 11 league goals to their name, Ricky-Jade Jones has 16 for the season with nine of those in the league.

Darren Ferguson is in his fourth spell as Posh manager, Saturday will be his 655th game at the helm and so far has 295 Posh Wins to his name.

This will be the 80th meeting between the teams, Posh well out in front with 37 wins to our 23. At London Road we have 11 wins against 23 defeats. We have lost our last five League meetings there scoring just two goals and conceding 14 in the process.
Last Cobblers league victory at London Road was in April 2006 when a solitary Scott McGleish goal was enough to take the points. Last season Posh ran out 5-1 winners with five different scorers. We have also lost 3-0 this season under the lights in Posh's run to the Trophy final.
At Sixfields of course we have won the last two seasons and we travel on Saturday looking for our first league double over the Posh since the 1986/87 season.

Its Simon Mather who has been allocated this game by the EFL supercomputer. He refereed the reverse fixture this season too and has flashed 127 yellow and 7 red cards in his 34 games although strangely there were no bookings in that derby game back in December.

[Deepcut Cobbler]

Peterborough United FC (First Team) v Northampton Town FC (First Team)
Football League 1   
Referee: Mather, Simon
Assistant Referee: Smith, Daniel
Assistant Referee: Grunnill, Wayne
Fourth Official: Walchester, Callum

[WasRambo]

We'll win with a Brazil like performance

[Bingers]

We'll win with a Brazil like performance

Hurrah!

[Terryfenwickatemyhamster]

Pish, after struggling for a time this season, have now only lost one of their last 10 in all competitions and have moved away from relegation danger to sit in 14th place as it stands, putting them five points and five places above ourselves.

Cheers GPC. But that sentence alone strikes the fear of God into me.. Gawd elp us...

[Manwork04]

I have a very bad feeling about this game.

[Merry Comrade]

 Why all the negativity? I am convinced we will get at least a point. I was far more worried about the game last Tuesday as our home form has been mostly dire and imo most of our best performances have been away from home.

[Risdene]

Looking forward to the game and meeting up with my group.of mates on the river at Charter's Bar. I can taste the real ale now!

[west stand oap]

Peterborough are in good form and in their last 9 games they have won 5, drawn 3 and lost 1 (at Reading). Only Blackpool and Birmingham have scored more goals but o0nly Crawley have conceded more. Although they conceded 3 goals in each of their last 2 games (Reading & Crawley) they appeared to have tightened up defensively as in the previous 10 games they only conceded 8 goals and kept 5 clean sheets. Also in their last 6 home games they have only conceded 3 goals.

They have scored more than 1 goal 14 times (8 at home) and only failed to score 8 times (4 at home)
They have conceded more than 1 goal 20 times (8 at home) and only kept 6 clean sheets, all in their last 15 games (3 at home)

We have only kept 1 clean sheet in our last 13 games and it would be a surprise if we kept one tomorrow. But having failed to score in 5 of Nolan's 10 home games we have scored in all but 1 of his 9 away games and have only lost 1 of the last 8.

I assume that either Eaves or Costelloe will start (maybe not both as we are away) which will probably mean Hoskins returning to right wing back. I wouldn't hazard a guess who the 3 centre backs will be, he may put the names in a hat and pull 3 out. Having not played on Tuesday McGowan could return and we are going to need leaders on the pitch and given Posh have plenty of pace up front we need some centre backs with pace to match them. I hope we can stop our recent dismal form at London Road but I wouldn't put money on it.

[Terryfenwickatemyhamster]

Why all the negativity? I am convinced we will get at least a point. I was far more worried about the game last Tuesday as our home form has been mostly dire and imo most of our best performances have been away from home.

I really hope you're right mate. I thought we went there in better shape last season, and come away a very poor second. I have engaged optimistic mode. But if you're wrong, I might turn it off until the end of the season. 😉😊

[cobbler151]

We are going to get absolutely roasted tomorrow

[Melbourne Cobbler]

The game I have been dreading. They’re in form, we’re not, a game that really matters, the clouds are gathering for the perfect storm. I’ve kind of written this one off. The problem is we got ragged against Rotherham, we’re just going to get kicked when we are in the gutter. Reading, Shrewsbury, Crawley and Wigan are our windows of opportunity. Grit your teeth and brace yourself.

[WasRambo]

Bar Shrewsbury and Cambridge who have to at least share the points, I don't see many, if any of the bottom seven or eight getting much tomorrow so it's a free hit as far as I'm concerned. Go out and get at 'em.

Hopefully Wrexscum will trash Burton at lunchtime and relieve a bit of pressure. Bolton have crept into the last playoff spot so will be keen to beat Brizzle to stay there. Orient will want to beat Wigan to leapfrog Bolton should they slip up. Stevenage Crawley could go either way but even if Crawley win, they can't move above Burton, even if they Burton lose

so everyone, just chill, we play one game at a time, let's see where we are tomorrow night. A sneaky win and the rest going to form and we actually move up a place....

[everbrite]

Cheers GPC. But that sentence alone strikes the fear of God into me.. Gawd elp us...

Bet u r a Sulker on Christmas Day

[cobblerscoombsy]

Can't wait to see the lineups at 2pm on Saturday. If Costelloe starts I'll have blind optimism we'll get something. Without him, I'll fear the worst...

+1

[bungle]

We need to be more positive with the team selection and go for them.

The best fit player in their best position gives us a positive team with options on the bench.

                              Burge

McGowan, MaGloire, Mbete, Guinness-Walker

                  Perry, Taylor, Pinnock

              Castelloe, Eaves, Roberts

Subs: Tsanev, Dyche, McGeehan, Hoskins, Fosu

We all have opinions on team selection but we need goals to beat the free scoring Fen Dwellers!

Surprised you'd put McGeehan on the bench given he's our top goalscorer.

I agree, though, that Nolan needs to move away from the 3-5-2. It's clearly not working either defensively
or from an attacking perspective. Teams know that they can hurt us by getting in behind Hoskins and Pinnock,
neither of whom are natural defenders. On the other hand, the 3-5-2 just leads to endless hoofing into the channels
or long diagonals pinged by the wing-backs. Neither Hoskins or Pinnock are able to get in behind the opposition's defence
because their starting position is too far back and there is no playing through the thirds.

I would go with this on current form (given that Magloire probably won't be fit):


                                Burge
   
              McGowan Dyche Mbete Guiness-Walker
     
                            Perry          Taylor

                                 McGeehan


                    Roberts  Costelloe     Pinnock


The only way to compete against teams that are better than you in terms of quality
in this division is to press them like mad from the front. Brady's relative success last
season was largely based on the effective pressing of Bowie, Appere and Hoskins.
Costelloe is the one forward player we have in this high-pressing mould, which is why
his absence has been so keenly felt in the last few games.

Eaves doesn't have the mobility to press, which is why I think the best way
to use him is an impact sub when we get to the 'throw-the-kitchen-sink-at-them'
stage of a game.

Pinnock has played well under Nolan and probably edges it over Hoskins at the moment.
Roberts remains an enigma. His all round play and touch is Championship-level plus but
he needs to show way more composure in the final third if he's going to get us goals
and assists.

[Gustavo Palcrice]

What, no Fosu?