No Posh nosh at The Unibol. V. Peterborough at home, Sat 17th Sept. 1500.

[brommers95]

I thought we completely deserved the win. First thirty they were the better side. They didn’t create anything but still I didn’t feel comfortable. Towards the end of the first half we got on top and had a great chance that Bradley should have scored.

Second half we continued in the ascendancy and Iredale should have scored and Dempsey fluffed his lines in the box too.

We were comfortably on top but missed our chances. After we made the subs I felt the games was petering our into a bit of a frustrating 0-0 until we got a huge stroke of luck to hand us the points our performance deserved.

Resolute against a physical side who definitely are as cynical as they come.

I have to say that MJ and GT are a revelation in midfield. Against a very physical and combative side they ran the game second half. I could wax lyrical about how good they both were but seriously you will go a long way to see a centre midfield play as well as they did. Brilliant. I’d say Morley has to show the same running and work off the ball as GT does if he is to get back in.

Strange game at times as Dapo was shocking when he came on then got the luck to win it for us.

I thought today Bradley and Charles were a bit off on the ball and that was primarily why we struggled at times to break them down. Iredale had the oddest game I can remember. Looked a pub player then majestic.

It’s a game we absolutely would have lost last season. And it shows progress.

Great write up Insane and it warms my heart to see you gushing with praise

I’ll echo others sentiments about Thomason. It was my first game of the season in-person today and it was really striking how much he’s developed - both physically and mentally. Looks like a genuine L1 starter now, something I didn’t think he would develop into so quickly heading into the season.

What a bloody great win! This team are a good side. Yes sometimes we’ll look a bit naff and frustrate (these are L1 players after all) but we now look like a side who can grind out a win even when things aren’t going well.

I think autos is a step too far for us, but we should be making the playoffs now after such a good start.

[irie Cee Bee]

I thought we completely deserved the win. First thirty they were the better side. They didn’t create anything but still I didn’t feel comfortable. Towards the end of the first half we got on top and had a great chance that Bradley should have scored.

Second half we continued in the ascendancy and Iredale should have scored and Dempsey fluffed his lines in the box too.

We were comfortably on top but missed our chances. After we made the subs I felt the games was petering our into a bit of a frustrating 0-0 until we got a huge stroke of luck to hand us the points our performance deserved.

Resolute against a physical side who definitely are as cynical as they come.

I have to say that MJ and GT are a revelation in midfield. Against a very physical and combative side they ran the game second half. I could wax lyrical about how good they both were but seriously you will go a long way to see a centre midfield play as well as they did. Brilliant. I’d say Morley has to show the same running and work off the ball as GT does if he is to get back in.

Strange game at times as Dapo was shocking when he came on then got the luck to win it for us.

I thought today Bradley and Charles were a bit off on the ball and that was primarily why we struggled at times to break them down. Iredale had the oddest game I can remember. Looked a pub player then majestic.

It’s a game we absolutely would have lost last season. And it shows progress.

Excellent summary and analysis Insane. Everything you said was right on point! I too was really impressed also with out Central midfield Duo. They had control of the game throughout. MJ perhaps just edges it for MoM over Thommo for his tenacity and "never give up on anything" attitude throughout. Thommo fast becoming the first name on the teamsheet. His passing, positioning and running is a delight.

[BWFC_Insane]

For the first time I feel genuinely we have a proper midfield with GT and MJ. Before that it always felt we were a bit light in there.

The problems we had before I feel were down to carrying people like Morley and Sheehan a bit who just don’t do enough off the ball for games like Peterborough. Yesterday it was telling how on top our midfield got and how as the game went on they became more dominant.

[Worthy4England]

Yup. It doesn't feel any worse, today.

I'm pretty happy with first two months of the season. Sure I'd have liked to get something out of Sheff Wed and Plymouth games, but the only major brainfart was probably Port Vale.

To the conversation pre-game, I'd put replacing Thomo firmly in the why would we do that (in the league)? Bucket. That's not a forever statement, but right now, I'd struggle to see any meaningful, defensible logic. As Nich pointed out that's 180 minutes where the oppo haven't had a shot on target. That's not all down to Thomason, but he's certainly part of it.

I suspect there's slightly different logic elsewhere, so Lee might need a bit more rest...

Evatt has said repeatedly, there's more to come. I think he's right. And I look at the more attacking roles and barring Lee who's been generally excellent, it's been a bit more sporadic, but we know we have firepower there, we've seen it.

For Tranmere, I wouldn't be unhappy with starting a significantly changed team although there is an R&R directly after it.

[BWFC_Insane]

Yeah we aren’t firing up front but in a way we know that will come and it’s excellent to be winning games without that.

[Worthy4England]

Yeah we aren’t firing up front but in a way we know that will come and it’s excellent to be winning games without that.

Much easier if you're not quite firing up front when you've conceded 6 in 9. We were on 13 after 9 games last season. Then it got worse.

Scoring, we had 14 after 9 vs 11, but much of that was down to Ipswich away...

[The_Gun]

I was at a food and drink festival in Hastings for this one, so it was a Marc Iles and this thread job for me.

Cracking result backing up Charlton, and we can now officially say we’ve had a good start. Sounds as though Posh were a right bunch of shithouses as well, so extra pleasing victory.

Nice thing now is that we can rotate virtually the whole team for the tramps on Tuesday and still put out a very strong side. I said it before, but I think we’ll win the pizza trophy this season.

Onwards and upwards for the mighty Whites.

[BWFC_Insane]

I was at a food and drink festival in Hastings for this one, so it was a Marc Iles and this thread job for me.

Cracking result backing up Charlton, and we can now officially say we’ve had a good start. Sounds as though Posh were a right bunch of shithouses as well, so extra pleasing victory.

Nice thing now is that we can rotate virtually the whole team for the tramps on Tuesday and still put out a very strong side. I said it before, but I think we’ll win the pizza trophy this season.

Onwards and upwards for the mighty Whites.

Remember the internationals have gone. And we have to keep some in don’t we to stay in the rules?

[The_Gun]

DSB et al will know better than me, but I’m pretty sure virtually our entire first team squad count as ‘qualifying players’, so I don’t think we have any worries on that front.

[officer_dibble]

George Thomason, undropable. Did not see that coming when he started that game against fleetwood last season.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Nice thing now is that we can rotate virtually the whole team for the tramps on Tuesday and still put out a very strong side. I said it before, but I think we’ll win the pizza trophy this season.

Remember the internationals have gone. And we have to keep some in don’t we to stay in the rules?

DSB et al will know better than me, but I’m pretty sure virtually our entire first team squad count as ‘qualifying players’, so I don’t think we have any worries on that front.

The hoops to jump through are much wider than you think.

You only need four 'Qualifying Players' in the outfield 10.

Qualifying Players:
1. Anyone who started the preceding game;
2. Anyone who starts the next game;
3. Anyone in the top 10 most appearances that season;
4. Anyone who's made 40+ first-team starts ever (EFL level and above 'or international equivalents');
5. Anyone on loan from a Premier League Club or any EFL Club operating a Category One Academy.

It's number 4 that includes almost all players in our squad. Even Eoin Toal, who we might reasonably call one of our least experienced options, has played 140 games in the Irish Premier Division.

The QP rule is there to stop clubs picking their youth team en masse, and rule no.4 above is the key way to stop that, with the others really being exceptions for exceptional young players (eg, for instance, Conor Bradley, but also Owen Beck, who would qualify under rule 5).

Internationals is a different matter. James Trafford's been called up by England Under-21s, Dion Charles and Conor Bradley by Northern Ireland, Amadou Bakayoko by Sierra Leone and Owen Beck by Wales Under-21. But Iceland haven't picked Bodvarsson so Evatt says he'll play v Tranmere: “We need to get him up to speed again. He hasn't been called up I believe so we’ve got another opportunity to get some minutes into his legs on Tuesday, which is important for him and I’m delighted to have him back.”

So I make it we have the following available, with Isgrove the only real fitness question mark:
GK: Dixon
CB: Jones, Santos, Johnston, Iredale, Toal, Aimson
WB: Bradley, Sadlier, John, Isgrove(?)
CM: Williams, Thomason, Dempsey, Sheehan, Morley, Lee
CF: Böðvarsson, Afolayan, Kachunga

I'd go

Dixon;
Toal, AImson, Iredale;
Sadlier, Morley, Sheehan, John;
Afolayan;
Kachunga, Bodvarsson

On the bench: Isgrove if possible and give him the last half-hour; Dempsey to replace Sheehan on the hour if need be, and some of the best Bs. Maybe maybe one or two 'insurance' first-teamers like Gethin - we did bring on strong subs vs Crewe - but that there is a strong team and Tranmere are lower midtable.

[Frank Drebin]

Was it just me yesterday that had my heart in my mouth on at least two occasions when Trafford came charging out to tackle the Peterborough attacker, not just for potential injury but getting a red card. If we lose Trafford it will kill off our promotion hopes imo.

[BWFC_Insane]

Bout right that DSB but Iredale was absolutely done in when he went off and potentially had some sort of a knock so I’d say he will be rested.

Bradley is not available either.

[Worthy4England]

Was it just me yesterday that had my heart in my mouth on at least two occasions when Trafford came charging out to tackle the Peterborough attacker, not just for potential injury but getting a red card. If we lose Trafford it will kill off our promotion hopes imo.

Hmm I hear you Frank, but there hasn't been a shot on target the last two games...Have to say I wouldn't like him to get injured..

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Bout right that DSB but Iredale was absolutely done in when he went off and potentially had some sort of a knock so I’d say he will be rested.

Bradley is not available either.

Iles says Iredale had a dead leg, so he'll be fine. I'd like to see him at LCB, in case he has to play there if Johnston - currently very impressive - loses fitness or form.

Beck's absence on U21 duty saves Evatt the John/Beck quandary. And yeah, Bradley's away too (as I said in one part of the above post but not in another!), but I'd rest him anyways.

[BWFC_Insane]

Bout right that DSB but Iredale was absolutely done in when he went off and potentially had some sort of a knock so I’d say he will be rested.

Bradley is not available either.

Iles says Iredale had a dead leg, so he'll be fine. I'd like to see him at LCB, in case he has to play there if Johnston - currently very impressive - loses fitness or form.

Beck's absence on U21 duty saves Evatt the John/Beck quandary. And yeah, Bradley's away too (as I said in one part of the above post but not in another!), but I'd rest him anyways.

Yeah I’d like to play Iredale there too see. My suspicion is Johnston will play though unless we chuck a youngster in. Dead leg isn’t serious but could still be problematic for Tuesday and think he might be rested.

I’d ideally like to see Sadlier in on of the attacking roles too but guess that won’t be possible either.

[The_Gun]

It’d be quite nice to rest both Iredale and Johnston tbh. Have we got a left footed centre back in the B team?

[Worthy4England]

It’d be quite nice to rest both Iredale and Johnston tbh. Have we got a left footed centre back in the B team?

What foot does Toal kick with? Not seen much of him...

[TonyDomingos]

saves Evatt the John/Beck quandary.

Boom! Boom!

My cousin played for Beck at Preston. There are tales to be told ....

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

It’d be quite nice to rest both Iredale and Johnston tbh. Have we got a left footed centre back in the B team?

I'm not an expert on the Bs but I don't think so.

From what I can surmise from parsing reports of their four games so far (excl pre-season), Senior and Toure have played all four - I think with Senior at RCB and Toure in the middle - joined by (chronologically) Yoro, Toal, Tutte (!) and Yoro again. But the internet seems to think Yoro is right-footed. He's also so young that he has four seasons left at underage level. He was born in February 2004.