Chesterfield (H) February 15th, 3pm

A much-shortened preview this week, as I’m away from home - that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it…

Let’s have your suggestions as to how we can recapture our performances which saw us establish a 12-point cushion at the top of the table - currently reduced to 7 points, and less if Notts County get anything from their game in hand.

Who should be rested, and who are the likely replacements who could bring the badly needed energy to this fixture? Chesterfield are currently 10th in the League 2 table, and only 6 points away from a play-off place - so they won’t be coming here to gift us anything…

UTS (more in hope than expectation)

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A win here and four points from the last three games would be kind of respectable.

These beat Doncaster last week, but had only won one of the previous seven. So they’re a team that are certainly beatable.

Need to get back to winning ways.

Expect a win, possibly 2-1.
As they’re more likely to attack us which will suit our preferred style/game plan, back to 35% possession, 20 shots and the win. (hopefully)
Edit: Couldn’t be bothered with commenting much on the Colchester and Gillingham games, too oppressively miserable.

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Should play our freshest and best players in their best positions.

Centre halves on the right side of midfield is wrong.

Right sided midfielders on the left side of midfield so that you can crowbar the aforementioned centre half into your team is wrong.

Picking players who are so obviously running on fumes is wrong.

Substituting your big centre forward for a diminutive winger who you ask to play down the middle is wrong.

Just start doing it right again and we’ll be ok. Because right has a better way of working than wrong.

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Not intentionally trying to be negative but feelings are strong after the last months inept performances….

First and foremost, Josh Gordon shouldn’t start the game…

Sadler has to bring in fresh ideas as sticking to his current approach is dragging us backwards…

A couple of players appear to need resting (particularly Barrett who looks spent these days…)

I’d like to see Hornby get his chance in a league game - Simkin is becoming a liability…

Ellis and Matt up front as a starting duo…. DJ to get a decent run out in the second half

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Score draw and the points stagnation continues.
Still think we’ll go up though, due to relative easy run-in of mid to lower table sides.
Possibly in 2nd or 3rd now though. Playoffs and we simply won’t go up.

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Time to bring Ethan Wheatley back into the fold for me, will add some much needed vigour and quality to our front line.

A tough test, Chesterfield are no pushovers and will be another who will come to fortress Bescot and raise their game at the league leaders.

3-1 to the good guys

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Josh Gordon should not be anywhere near the squad, let alone the first team.

I fear some favouritism is creeping in with McEntee and Josh - not good.

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I agree.

Feels like the way some England squads have gone over the last few decades.

“These lads have done it for me before” type mindset.

Or in Josh’s case a stat game of who’s run the furthest in training and match days.

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Let’s also be positive.

If Sadler can put aside the last few weeks of bad decisions…

If we win the game against Chesterfield, the next two games are against the bottom 2 teams in the entire football league.

A positive, reassuring result against Chesterfield, and we could have the opportunity in 10 days time to be on 69 points with 13 games to play.

Massive opportunity.

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I’d like Sadler to grow some balls and make changes

Hornby in
Mcentee cb
Lakin lcm jellis rcm Ethan cdm
J Gordon to be watching love island at home

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I want to see Sadler be brave and make some changes. He has admirably stuck with basically the same players for the whole season but it’s not working at the moment. I would go with

Hornby

Asiimwe
Weir
Williams
Okagbue
Gordon

Chang
Laikin
Jellis

Matt
DJ

Bench : Simkin, Harrison, Barret, Allen, Adomah, Levi, Stirk

I would also like to see Lipsuic on the pitch at some point to see what he is like but I am hoping Jellis will come good again.

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All comes down to team selection for me so not going to make a prediction. I still have faith in this team, given the right players are played and in their correct positions. Hopefully another decent gate down the Bezzla. Not seen how many they’ve sold but would expect around 1500 from them.

I agree. I think the way they play will help us. Harrison up front for me with Matt. Asimwee on the right with Lakin, Stirk and Jellis in midfield with the young lads on the bench .

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My hope is that MS will recognise changes are necessary, my fear is his stubborn refusal to do it and start with similar to Tuesday night.
The goalkeeper situation is a dilemma for me because although Hornby deserves a chance he certainly fluffed his lines at Peterborough the other week.
Barrett looks tired and needs resting for a short time. We’ve suddenly lost the habit of keeping clean sheets which needs to be addressed.
Josh Gordon may not start after possibly picking up an injury Tuesday night and that should pave the way for Harrison with a bit of luck.
I don’t want to see flash crocked but equally I don’t want to see him start.
It’s obvious and has been for a long time that DJ doesn’t fit in with what Sadler wants but when he’s on the pitch there’s a chance he will find the net but sending him on with just a few minutes left is a bit of an insult to him, especially after he was responsible for rescuing a point against Salford.
Finally as others have mentioned put players where they fit naturally JJ being a good example.
It would be lovely to see us return to winning ways but with our current form it seems unlikely.

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Our fixtures after Chesterfield are

Morecambe (A)
Cheltenham (A)
Swindon (H)
Carlisle (A)

So a couple of games between Morecambe and Carlisle who I assume you meant when you said the next two games are against the bottom 2 teams. In fact these are the fixtures irrespective of the result against Chesterfield.

Either way a very encouraging set of fixtures and id be surprised if we don’t get a minimum of 8 points from the next 5 games which is enough to get us to the cusp of the play off with 11 games to go.

Lots to be positive about.

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To Mat:

Be brave, Be bold, Be positive.

Don’t look back after the match and think i wish I’d done this, i wish I’d done that.

I’ll be walking with my cousin Michael in Yorkshire from Hillsborough to Elland Road for the macmillan cancer trust on Saturday. Should be in Wakefield by kick off.

Do us proud Mat.

Do us proud Lads.

No more what if’s.

No more what could have been.

Go for it you Saddlers :red_circle::white_circle:

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Understand that Chesterfield have sold all their tickets for the match so should provide for a good atmosphere, albeit hardly heard a peep from them at the away game.

Seeing a lot of suggestions around changes and find hard to disagree - I want to see Hornby given a chance ahead of Simkin for a start. Accept that Barrett created Matt’s goal on Tuesday night but for a few weeks now, he’s looked somewhat off it for me so either Uncle Albert or Asimwe on the right.

McEntee unbalances the team - Jellis looks far better on the right so put him back there and bring Lakin back in with one of the loan lads on bench. Liked Harrison on Tuesday night and want to see him from start instead of Josh Gordon and given that he is coming back from injury, would wonder how much Matt could last.

Corresponding Saturday last year, Mansfield brought a few and were sent packing after we turned around the previous Saturday’s poor performance against Newport - I believe we will win this Saturday.

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Sorry, I got excited then :rofl:

Missed out Cheltenham re-arranged and Swindon :rofl:

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