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

[TANGODANCER]

No prawn sandwiches here Carr's pasties and Hotdogs and like it. Just two points atween us and they've lost the last three. A good time to widen gaps a bit and establish ourselves as contenders. It's already looking tough at the top so Hoping Jon Dadi and co will be back and up for it. A bit of "Guess who's coming to dinner? in the Boss's selection box team choices, but he seems to be getting it right so far. Loving the wolf-pack tackling, so up and at em Whites.

[KeyserSoze]

They are just a couple of places behind us, however are stumbling off a four-game losing streak. One came against one of the early frontrunners, Portsmouth, while two more came against mid table sides Derby and Fleetwood (Some bloke called Josh Vela secured the points for the cod army). The other was a home loss to Stevenage in the pizza cup, who funnily enough dumped them out of the League ?Cup a week earlier.

Jonson Clarke-Harris has top scored the last two seasons for the club after Ivan Toney's departure and continues to lead Posh this season with five, closely followed by Jack Marriott with four. Keeping those two quiet will be a key factor given no one else has scored more than one.

Doesn't sound like we'll have much new blood coming in, with the likes of Izzy and Beck lined up for the elf trophy next week. Tempted to rotate the midfield for freshness, although it's difficult to change when the unit is playing well. How would you line up at the top?

Will be tougher than the form book suggests, I think, they've had some tough games early on, but will go for a noncommittal 2-1 win which I reserve the right to edit after the match.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

They're on five straight losses, three in the league plus the two cup loses to Stevenage (Stevenage!). Before that they'd won five of the first six, including four wins to nil and racking up 14 goals. Victims then included Wednesday and Plymouth. So yeah, variable.

Potential good news is that 'assist king' Joe Ward, who plays on the right of their wingback system and has created 5 goals in 10 games, has a very sore foot after getting a kick v Fleetwood – x-ray revealed no damage but they're leaving the decision late. Local press suggest his absence (and presumably five straight losses) could prompt a change of shape – but they seem to lack natural fullbacks, according to one of several Angry Locals whose Twitter opinions were massaged into a local-press 'piece', as they are these days.

https://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/spo ... nt-3843442

[BWFC_Insane]

I hate to be confident as it means we always lose. But I do fancy us. Which probably means we are going to mess it up and get beat by shedloads.

Not sure I’d touch the midfield. Bod with Charles if he’s fit. If not I’d go Baka and Charles.

Like to see Beck start if he’s ready and Iredale drop into back three but doubt Evatt will do that.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I hate to be confident as it means we always lose. But I do fancy us. Which probably means we are going to mess it up and get beat by shedloads.

Not sure I’d touch the midfield. Bod with Charles if he’s fit. If not I’d go Baka and Charles.

Like to see Beck start if he’s ready and Iredale drop into back three but doubt Evatt will do that.

Interesting decision for the Pizza Cup game on Tuesday. Seems perfect for Beck but that would be to overlook John, who has sat on the bench unused for the last three (non-Pizza) games since the warm-up injury at Plymouth. No minutes at all since Aug 23rd so he needs a runout.

[brommers95]

Haven’t the foggiest what Evatt will do these days. Wouldn’t surprise me if he leaves the side unchanged with a two week break until the next league game. Equally, it wouldn’t surprise me to see the midfield trio and two up top completely rotated.

I’ll hazard a guess at Morley coming in for Thomason and Dapo starting in place of Kachunga.

[officer_dibble]

Aye a home game against a team conceding goals sounds right for Dec John.

Would like to see Dapo (or JDB) in up top with Charles. Backing Charles to score again Saturday…

[TANGODANCER]

As ever, much (all) will depend on our defensive performance. Right now it's good. If we keep it that way and take our chances (okay, no xxxx Sherlock) a clean sheet gaurantees one point, and if the front lads are on form (with a rest coming uo, why not Jon Bod and Charles leading the pack? Hit em where it hurts. Shoooting boots mandatory..

[Prufrock]

Baka was hopeless again when he came on on Tuesday. Stays behind Kacha for me, but both would be behind Dapo or Bod.

He's not dropping Johnstone after Tuesday. I'd keep the midfield the same after the last two games and with a break coming up. So Dapo for Kacha one change.

[Harry Genshaw]

Just has the feel to me, of one of those games where we come unstuck. If Insane's feeling confident there needs to be at least one other pessimist on here to appease the football gods.
Their front two have looked lively when I've seen their highlights and I'm still unsure at our ability to properly, press home advantage against weak or low morale opposition.

1-2 loss

[The_Gun]

Last time I watched us play this lot was at London Road in December 2019 when a certain Ivan Toney scored the winner. I trust they have no one of that quality anymore.

I presume they're an ok side, but their recent run of games indicates they're very beatable, so we should clearly be targeting three points tomorrow. As ever with us, not conceding daft early goals should go a long way to us getting the right result.

It would be tempting to play the same team as beat MK on Tuesday, but I doubt Evatt would do that, and I'd personally go with the same team suggested by Brommers - swapping Kacha for Dapo and Thomason for Morley.

3-1 Bolton

[BWFC_Insane]

Thomason was man of the match Tuesday. I was amazed when he started against Charlton and was proven wrong.

I think it would be nonsensical to drop him when he’s clearly improved us in there.

Young lad. Has two weeks rest after. He’s in for me. He and Lee if able are first choice picks. MJ could be left out but I rather feel this is a game he will be needed for.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Aye a home game against a team conceding goals sounds right for Dec John.

Nah mate, I'm not saying John will come in for Iredale tomorrow, and indeed I think that would be a bad decision: if their right-wingback is their main assister, I'd rather he face Iredale than John, whose reverse gear has often been questioned.

What I meant was, it would make sense to blood young Owen Beck v Tranmere in the Pizza, but that would be a big snub to Declan John.

[BWFC_Insane]

Aye a home game against a team conceding goals sounds right for Dec John.

Nah mate, I'm not saying John will come in for Iredale tomorrow, and indeed I think that would be a bad decision: if their right-wingback is their main assister, I'd rather he face Iredale than John, whose reverse gear has often been questioned.

What I meant was, it would make sense to blood young Owen Beck v Tranmere in the Pizza, but that would be a big snub to Declan John.

Aye if it’s Iredale or John tomorrow then Jack gets the nod for me.

Mainly because he has a delivery into the box that we’ve not seen for a long time.

[The_Gun]

Thomason was man of the match Tuesday. I was amazed when he started against Charlton and was proven wrong.

I think it would be nonsensical to drop him when he’s clearly improved us in there.

Young lad. Has two weeks rest after. He’s in for me. He and Lee if able are first choice picks. MJ could be left out but I rather feel this is a game he will be needed for.

You have a point regarding Thomason, but I feel like Morley is also a real talent and I hope he gets plenty of matches this season. To be honest, I'm not familiar enough with Peterborough's style to suggest an optimal lineup from our side. GT was good against an incredibly passive MK, but I still have a nagging feeling that there are some games he might not be best suited for.

[Worthy4England]

^^ probably three games running where Thomo has been motm...

[BWFC_Insane]

Thomason was man of the match Tuesday. I was amazed when he started against Charlton and was proven wrong.

I think it would be nonsensical to drop him when he’s clearly improved us in there.

Young lad. Has two weeks rest after. He’s in for me. He and Lee if able are first choice picks. MJ could be left out but I rather feel this is a game he will be needed for.

You have a point regarding Thomason, but I feel like Morley is also a real talent and I hope he gets plenty of matches this season. To be honest, I'm not familiar enough with Peterborough's style to suggest an optimal lineup from our side. GT was good against an incredibly passive MK, but I still have a nagging feeling that there are some games he might not be best suited for.

Morley doesn’t do enough off the ball compared to GT and whilst he’s clearly a better player on it we just need to weigh up what sort of game it will be. I’d suggest GT will be useful given they are a good side on the ball.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Interesting that Evatt seems to prefer GT above Morley/Dempsey when we go man-to-man.

[BWFC_Insane]

Interesting that Evatt seems to prefer GT above Morley/Dempsey when we go man-to-man.

If you think you will dominate the ball then Morley is a good bet. If you think it will be more even then I’d say GT looks the part for those sorts of games. I do wonder against the likes of Morecambe or teams who come and sit deep whether now a midfield two of Morley and GT is the answer with Lee or Dempsey in front doing the pressing. GT and Morley can make those runs from deep better than MJ and are better when they get forward too.

But tomorrow is more one for two holders I suspect and that’s probably GT and MJ. But if Morley plays it wouldn’t be a shock. Be very very harsh on Thomason though.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

If you think you will dominate the ball then Morley is a good bet. If you think it will be more even then I’d say GT looks the part for those sorts of games. I do wonder against the likes of Morecambe or teams who come and sit deep whether now a midfield two of Morley and GT is the answer with Lee or Dempsey in front doing the pressing. GT and Morley can make those runs from deep better than MJ and are better when they get forward too.

But tomorrow is more one for two holders I suspect and that’s probably GT and MJ. But if Morley plays it wouldn’t be a shock. Be very very harsh on Thomason though.

All sounds reasonable. I do like the idea of GT and Morley, two north-western lads aged 21 and 22, at the heart of the midfield; there's even a left/right balance there. But as you say, for certain games.

All I'd 'argue' with is that players shouldn't see rotation as punishment. Thomo doesn't deserve to be 'relegated' to the bench, but Lee's performance at Ipswich didn't warrant him not getting a minute in the next game v Wycombe, Williams' efforts v Villa didn't deserve a similar overlooking for the Plymouth game, etc.