Another fine mess Stanley...Away at Accrington in the Cup. Wed 22-Feb. 8-O'clock.

[Worthy4England]

Just realised a good thread title would have been "Getting a semi on"

After all, it can go either way

Maybe at your age, mate.

[jmjhb]

Kachunga looked sharp when he came on against Wycombe. I expect him to play a big part tomorrow.

Given absentees, looks like he's gonna have to. I'd be delighted if he did. As BWFCi said, it'd be ace if he became this generation's Fabian DeFreitas.

I feel tomorrow is either that story, Charles destroys his old club or Accrington stun Bolton….

It’s one of those three I reckon.

We're going to go through or go out, yes

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Know what he means, though. Think back to any semi (or other big game) and one face tends to come up first. Might be different for some folks but for me:

FA semi v Stoke - Coyle (for picking Elmander in midfield - who'd be so daft as to pick a player out of position in central midfield?)
FA semi v Villa - Holdsworth
LC semi v Tranmere - Malkin - or for us, Comstive
LC final - Mike Riley

[BWFC_Insane]

Know what he means, though. Think back to any semi (or other big game) and one face tends to come up first. Might be different for some folks but for me:

FA semi v Stoke - Coyle (for picking Elmander in midfield - who'd be so daft as to pick a player out of position in central midfield?)
FA semi v Villa - Holdsworth
LC semi v Tranmere - Malkin - or for us, Comstive
LC final - Mike Riley

Play off final you mean. LC semi was Allardyce v Aldridge…and bloody Dave Challinor with the huge throws…

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Sorry yeah. Have to say when I think of *that* LC semi I think of Allardyce.

Meanwhile, any thoughts on who we want to win in tonight's other semi, Plymouth-Cheltenham?

You have to say Plymouth are much the better team... but Cheltenham have been hard to break down... then again, we ain't done much breaking down of Plymouth either... although their carrot-crunching Lev Yashin is injured now....

[Worthy4England]

Kachunga looked sharp when he came on against Wycombe. I expect him to play a big part tomorrow.

Given absentees, looks like he's gonna have to. I'd be delighted if he did. As BWFCi said, it'd be ace if he became this generation's Fabian DeFreitas.

I feel tomorrow is either that story, Charles destroys his old club or Accrington stun Bolton….

It’s one of those three I reckon.

We're going to go through or go out, yes

Took me a while but the offered 3 options are

1) Kachunga becomes De Freitas
2) Charles destroys his old club
3) Accrington stun Bolton

They don't clearly outline what happens in the scenario of Charles and Kacha hat-tricks vs 7 goals from Stanley, culminating in a 7-6 defeat for the Whites...

It's a mess!

[BWFC_Insane]

Sorry yeah. Have to say when I think of *that* LC semi I think of Allardyce.

Meanwhile, any thoughts on who we want to win in tonight's other semi, Plymouth-Cheltenham?

You have to say Plymouth are much the better team... but Cheltenham have been hard to break down... then again, we ain't done much breaking down of Plymouth either... although their carrot-crunching Lev Yashin is injured now....

Cheltenham. Statistically speaking two shocks in semis is unlikely..,one possible.

Get the shock out of the way today and then I’d fancy us against them at Wembley. Lots of space for them to try and block there.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Meanwhile, any thoughts on who we want to win in tonight's other semi, Plymouth-Cheltenham?

You have to say Plymouth are much the better team... but Cheltenham have been hard to break down... then again, we ain't done much breaking down of Plymouth either... although their carrot-crunching Lev Yashin is injured now....

Cheltenham. Statistically speaking two shocks in semis is unlikely..,one possible.

Get the shock out of the way today and then I’d fancy us against them at Wembley. Lots of space for them to try and block there.

Aye - and as Ghost notes, with more eyes on the game, the ref might be a bit tougher on some of the borderline stuff.

[Worthy4England]

Sorry yeah. Have to say when I think of *that* LC semi I think of Allardyce.

Meanwhile, any thoughts on who we want to win in tonight's other semi, Plymouth-Cheltenham?

You have to say Plymouth are much the better team... but Cheltenham have been hard to break down... then again, we ain't done much breaking down of Plymouth either... although their carrot-crunching Lev Yashin is injured now....

In recent memory (since 2019, because prior to that we hadn't played them since the 90's) we're at 4 losses and a draw v Plymouth. The last time we won there was about 50 years back. I'll take my chances on Cheltenham, please.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Does this mean he might be out tomorrow?

[BWFC_Insane]

Does this mean he might be out tomorrow?

Good question. Is it competition specific now? Or is that just yellows. Completely lost with the rules. Have a feeling it’s competition specific….wasn’t Dapo banned for league but could play in the JpT game in the middle? Or am I misremembering?

[TANGODANCER]

Well, it's obvious the Leigh incident has been seen now. In light of that, would you risk him? If he does anything daft, the club are in trouble...

[Worthy4England]

^^ If I recall correct red cards still count for any comp. When Ronaldo joined his new side, his red card from EPL carried over...

[BWFC_Insane]

^^ If I recall correct red cards still count for any comp. When Ronaldo joined his new side, his red card from EPL carried over...

Just checked and yep Dapo was banned for three league games but could play the cup game in between.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

^^ If I recall correct red cards still count for any comp. When Ronaldo joined his new side, his red card from EPL carried over...

Just checked and yep Dapo was banned for three league games but could play the cup game in between.

Here's from the PJT rules:

12 ON FIELD DISCIPLINE

12.1 The Competition is a ‘First Team Competitive Match’ for the purposes of the Football Association’s Regulations for Disciplinary Procedures. However, the automatic sanctions in relation to cautions and dismissals are treated separately under The FA Disciplinary procedures from other First Team matches.

Not sure that tidies it up, though... would a retrospective red be comp-specific?

[GhostoftheBok]

Sorry yeah. Have to say when I think of *that* LC semi I think of Allardyce.

Meanwhile, any thoughts on who we want to win in tonight's other semi, Plymouth-Cheltenham?

You have to say Plymouth are much the better team... but Cheltenham have been hard to break down... then again, we ain't done much breaking down of Plymouth either... although their carrot-crunching Lev Yashin is injured now....

Regardless of style, Cheltenham is the easier game.

We can beat either at Wembley, fitness allowing.

As Insane and others have said previously, the biggest issue in this competition is availability. We're cutting it tight for the semi-final, hopefully we'll be in better shape for a final if we get there.

[Worthy4England]

^^ If I recall correct red cards still count for any comp. When Ronaldo joined his new side, his red card from EPL carried over...

Just checked and yep Dapo was banned for three league games but could play the cup game in between.

Here's from the PJT rules:

12 ON FIELD DISCIPLINE

12.1 The Competition is a ‘First Team Competitive Match’ for the purposes of the Football Association’s Regulations for Disciplinary Procedures. However, the automatic sanctions in relation to cautions and dismissals are treated separately under The FA Disciplinary procedures from other First Team matches.

Not sure that tidies it up, though... would a retrospective red be comp-specific?

Ok - the FA suspensions appear to apply to - broadly - any comp other than the EFL Trophy - so a Red in the league applies to League, FA Cup, EFL Cup etc. It then says "EFL Trophy: Unless specified by The Association: (a) If the sending-off offence occurs in an EFL Trophy Match, the relevant automatic suspension must be served exclusively in the EFL Trophy and (b) if the sending-off offence occurs in any other FTCM, an EFL Trophy Match cannot be used to serve any part of the relevant automatic suspension."

I'm fairly sure the "Unless specified by The Association" bit is to cover things like Cantona getting a shed load of suspension but still being able to play in the ELF Trophy...

[Prufrock]

Cheltenham all day. Though I play football with a Plymouth fan and it'd be a nice day. Though fraught with risk.

[GhostoftheBok]

Leigh and Pressley will be the main attacking issues to deal with, if they're both available. Big, strong lads with no shortage of ability.

I'd trust our back three to handle them, but if they put Leigh in midfield his running will be an issue for us.

[GhostoftheBok]

Evatt said of tomorrow, "Carp Diem"...Carp Day. Presumably he means a day on which to complain about refereeing decisions and generally moan. Looking forward to it. Sounds like a day every Bolton fan can embrace.