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The Hotel End / Cobblers Corner / Re: Bolton Wanderers (h)
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on: February 08, 2024, 12:01:24 pm
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As the thread is up I may as well add some stats. We have little history with Bolton, only 14 games of which we have won 5, drawn 1 and lost 8, both teams scoring 19 goals. We have only played them 6 times at home winning 2 and losing 4 including the last 3, we last beat them in 1967 completing a 2-1 double that season. Our other home victory was in 1965 when he hammered them 4-0 in the season in the top flight. Bolton are in good form winning 6, drawing 1 and losing 1 of their last 8 games. They are the divisions 4th highest scorers with Dion Charles bagging 13 (17 in all competitions) and Victor Adeboyejo 8. They also have the best defensive record and in their 13 away games have only conceded 9 goals with 7 clean sheets while scoring 21 (only 3 games scoring more than 2). They have won 8, drawn 2 (Burton, Oxford) and lost 3 (Reading, Portsmouth, Leyton Orient) and they rate their 'keeper as the best in the division.
Our referee is Jeremy Simpson who has not been very active this season with no games during November, December or January. In 12 games he has issued 50 yellows, 2 reds and awarded 1 penalty and 7 of his games were in the Championship. In his first 10 games he issued 31 yellows but 19 in the last 2, last Saturday in his first game back in the Burton v Lincoln game he produced 11 yellows (8 to Burton) and 1 red.
Given our awful record against the top 6, Bolton's current form, their meagre defence and Hoskins likely to be missing (presumably replaced by Appere) it is difficult to be optimistic about this game. After last week JB may return to a back 4 but it is unlikely that Sherring will start and if neither McWilliams or Sowerby are back in midfield Fox could start but won't last the 90 minutes or we may see Gape for the first time. Should be well over 7000 in attendance who will be hoping for a vast improvement on the last 2 games.
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124
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The Hotel End / Cobblers Corner / Re: Relegation Watch
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on: February 07, 2024, 12:01:08 pm
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I doubt we will be dragged into the relegation fight, no team has gone down in the last 10 seasons with 51 points and last season Cambridge stayed up with 46. The average number of points to avoid relegation in the last 10 years (ignoring the covid shortened season) is 48.1 points.
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125
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The Hotel End / Cobblers Corner / Re: Portsmouth (a)
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on: February 06, 2024, 12:55:05 pm
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I plead for leniency m'lord.
Posh is the only game in 8 against the top 6 that we have not lost and I recall saying as we left the ground they would feel aggrieved leaving empty handed. The only other game I think we got more than we deserved was at Charlton because we were under pressure for a lot of the second half and they looked more likely to get another goal. However, it is so satisfying because it was our first winner over Posh for a long time and it caused Appleton's exit at Charlton.
On the other hand several games spring to mind where we should have taken more points than we did and these spring to mind:- Away at Wigan where we were winning 1-0 about the 70 minute mark and lost and at Shrewsbury, I'm not sure how we lost that game. Home to Stevenage a draw would have been fair after we dominated the 1st half and them the 2nd, lost to Wycombe a game we could have won, after playing 40 minutes with 10 men Orient equalising in the last minute.
Taking off 4 points from the Posh and Charlton games and adding on points from the rest we would probably have 3 more points now.
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126
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The Hotel End / Cobblers Corner / Re: Jon Brady, the future
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on: February 05, 2024, 18:25:15 pm
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Earlier Duston ended his post with "off topic my arse!!!" to which I replied with a single line light hearted quip. He then comes back accusing me of abuse and a foul mouthed second line to his reply, I guess this speaks volumes to his character.
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129
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The Hotel End / Cobblers Corner / End of season predictions.
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on: February 05, 2024, 12:59:43 pm
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Now the transfer window is closed and we can see what we have to work with how many points do you think we will have when the season ends?
February looks as though it could be a tough month unless we can get injured players back so probably a low points haul, with this in mind I am predicting 57 points which should see us finish around 14th/15th.
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130
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The Hotel End / Cobblers Corner / Re: Portsmouth (a)
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on: February 05, 2024, 12:55:40 pm
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Results show we cannot compete with the top teams. We have played 8 games against the top 6 and lost 7 of them the only game we won was Posh at home and on the day a draw would have been a fair result.
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133
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The Hotel End / Cobblers Corner / Re: Portsmouth (a)
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on: February 04, 2024, 10:10:07 am
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With the team we were able to put on the pitch away to the league leaders this was 99% going to end in defeat, whether it was by 1 goal or 6 will be irrelevant as our goal difference should not come into play at the end of the season. What was disappointing was the manner of the goals concede as Portsmouth were not made to work very hard for them, we continue to ship in free headers from set piece situations and afford opposition wide players acres of space as we did against Shrewsbury. Yesterdays 3rd goal from our free kick was pure Keystone Cops.
We have not kept a clean sheet in our last 10 away games and have conceded 22 goals and at least 2 goals in 7 of those games but we have avoided defeat in 5. Despite being in mid table only 4 teams have now conceded more goals than us and up next we have the divisions 4th highest scorers. If Hoskins has hamstring trouble he could miss a chunk of games so other players need to find their scoring boots. Unless we suddenly get more injured players back this could prove to be a difficult month with a low points haul.
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134
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The Hotel End / Cobblers Corner / Re: Jon Brady, the future
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on: February 04, 2024, 07:57:36 am
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His "look what I am having to put on the field" was regrettable but I think his meaning was that he had half of his first choice 11 missing. Taking the defenders and midfield we had 2 out of the 7 players who would normally be in the team if everybody was fit, Guthrie would be the only defender who would have Sherring alongside and 2 of McGowan, Koiki and Odimayo would be the full backs and then Sowerby and McWilliams would be in midfield. His comment was more a frustration of not having players available for selection.
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135
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The Hotel End / Cobblers Corner / Re: Portsmouth (a)
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on: February 03, 2024, 11:56:59 am
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I imagine that our possession % will be quite low but at Oxford on Tuesday Portsmouth didn't cope well with the ball over the top. Any points today will be a bonus, just hope we don't suffer a heavy defeat.
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137
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The Hotel End / Cobblers Corner / Re: Players Under & Out of Contract
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on: February 02, 2024, 19:19:53 pm
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Maybe but they are both under contract for next season. Magloire when fit has shown to be a good player and Dyche stepped up last season in a very makeshift defence that won us promotion and put in some good shifts but it remains to be seen if he can make the step up to a higher level.
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138
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The Hotel End / Cobblers Corner / Re: Portsmouth (a)
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on: February 02, 2024, 19:14:53 pm
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Portsmouth have stuttered a bit recently and in their last 9 games they have 3 wins, 3 draws and 3 defeats and 2 of each in their last 6 at home scoring 7 and conceding 11 including the 2 big home defeats GPC mentioned. Prior to this they only concede 4 goals in their first 8 home games and appear to be badly missing Regan Poole. In their 14 home games they have won 8 (1 more than us), drawn 4 and lost 2 scoring 19 and conceding 15. Having played 2 more games away they have scored more goals 27 but conceded fewer 12. Their home draws have been against Bristol Rovers, Cheltenham, Charlton and Fleetwood so that offers us some hope.
Our record at Portsmouth is poor as we have only won 3 of the 21 games with 4 draws and 14 defeats and we have only kept 1 clean sheet. They have been busy signing 5 new players and as we haven't kept a clean sheet in our last 9 away games it would seem that we have to score to get any points from a game few will be expecting us to. As we know we heavily lost the home fixture 0-3 when their number 8 Robertson, on loan from Man City, ran the game for them but he is no longer there.
With our injury list JB will have few options selecting his starting 11 and if McGowan is out Lintott is the obvious choice to replace him. I wonder as we would expect to come under a lot of pressure if JB might resort to a back 3 with Monthe coming in to shore up the defence as we are not likely to control the midfield. If he does I would leave Simpson on the bench and play Bowie down the middle where I prefer to see him instead of out wide. JB has hinted that we may get 1 player back but if we do it will probably be on the bench.
I won't be rushing down the bookies to put any money on us and I regard the game as a free hit but we have returned with points from other away games when it looked unlikely.
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139
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The Hotel End / Cobblers Corner / Re: Players Under & Out of Contract
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on: February 02, 2024, 18:46:15 pm
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I would offer new contracts to Sherring, McWilliams and Odimayo, possibly Appere depending on his form in the remaining games as he is carrying a knock. Fox has looked good when fit but that has been too rare and it would not be good to have the risk of him missing a chunk of the season. Abimbola I have not seen enough of but would not be among the high earners. Burge I would let go as he is a shadow of last seasons player and also now seems injury prone. I doubt Wolves will be very pleased if after recalling Moulden from his loan where he was playing every game he is left to warm the bench here. I think we should give him a run of games and if he proves to be as good as Rochdale fans said then get him back for next season. Willis has not let us down and I would not be against offering a new contract. The question is how many centre backs JB wants as if Sherring and Willis both stay we would have 6 with Guthrie, Monthe, Magloire and Dyche.
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140
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The Hotel End / Cobblers Corner / Re: Portsmouth (a)
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on: February 02, 2024, 18:29:37 pm
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Marvo, I don't think I have ever insulted or called another poster names as I think it is totally uncalled for and hope that my conduct is better than that. I really did not think that after a light hearted comment I would be accused of "having a dig" as none was intended but please think again before you defame posters in future.
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