(Despite the lack of evidence, the commonly accepted derivation of the word POSH - to keep out of thesun while journeying to India in the days of Empire, that was the way to travel)
Following a very strange week in which we managed to win at Sunderland and lose 4-0 at bottom club Bradford City, we travel to the London Road Stadium to face a Steve Evans side sitting very comfortably in the play-off zone - although they have slipped a bit since setting the pace with Portsmouth in the automatic promotion positions a couple of months ago. There aren’t any ex-Saddlers in the current Peterborough line-up, but there are two names of previous managers that will ring a bell (for hugely different reasons) - Mick Halsall and John Barnwell…
Bradford City’s potential for scoring in spite of their position in the table was evident just over a week ago when they again scored 4 goals - against Peterborough United in the 2nd round of the FA Cup, the only significant difference was that Peterborough also managed to score 4 (and then go through on penalties) whereas our goal attempts were something of a damp squib.
Current League One form for Posh …
3 Nov Wycombe Wanderers (A) Lost 1-0
17 Nov Bradford City (H) Drew 1-1
23 Nov Coventry City (A) Drew 1-1
27 Nov AFC Wimbledon (H) Won 1-0
8 Dec Oxford United (H) Drew 2-2
15 Dec Shrewsbury Town (A) Drew 2-2
We must wait and see what response comes from the Saddlers’ players after what must have been quite a tongue-lashing from Dean Keates following the final whistle at Valley Parade. We are still in the top half of the League One table (surprisingly), but the statistic that sticks out like a sore thumb is our -10 goal difference, the 6th worst in League One. We are not scoring with any regularity, but we’re certainly leaking goals routinely … and this defensive weakness seems to have worsened since we acquired an ex-Premier League player as defender/coach - no doubt someone can retrieve the exact figures, but it’s just an impression brought about by our recent results. GeorgeDobson’s return to competitive football is eagerly awaited, although this game may still be too soon for him - the same thoughts go for Joe Edwards. It will be interesting to see what effect the manager’s words have had…
Prediction? Ever the optimist, a 1-1 draw would be something of a recovery for us, specially against a Peterborough side determined to strengthen their League One position. Let’s see if Liam Kinsella can (again) show the strikers how it’s done!!
Keates needs shooting if he plays 4-4-2 IMO. Honestly could be another Bradford (or even Luton) as likes of Maddison and Dembele in attacking midfield will be too much for midfield to handle and then you come to their strikers v Guthrie and Martin…need Fitzwater starting. Hopefully Dobbo is back aswell.
Actually Martin might have a decent game. He’s a bit of a legend at Posh as he was their captain and played in every game when they went up to the championship in 08/09 so sure he’ll want to go back and show them (and our fanbase) he’s still a player. DK also played for them at the same time so law of the ex and all that.
Posh are another who are better away from home, think I’m right in that they’ve only won once at home in the league in last three months?
Optimistically I’ll go for 2-2. My first visit there anyway so hopefully won’t be the last which it certainly will be if it’s another Bradford!
Of all the games this season I think this one is pretty easy to predict, we will lose but by how many i couldn’t predict, we aren’t scoring many and from the chances we Are creating we are missing, sometimes you get one chance in a game and if you put it away it is enough, but we are having a few good chances and doing nothing with it.
I’ll go for a 4-1 hammering, and hope that’s as bad as it gets!
Got to be one of the top home win certainties on the coupons. So watch us go and do a ‘Sunderland’! (though somehow I doubt that will happen, we seemed to have forgotten how to score from chances).
Me too (meaning I agree, not that I have been sexually harassed ), 7 points from their last 6 games and not a great home record (4-4-3) so nothing to fear. Also there should be a bounce back from last weeks second half showing.
I’m putting my balls on the line and saying we will win this. Just because we’re Walsall. Contrary to the point of frustration, sure, but that’s the club I’ve grown up with.
No Martin or Ginnelly(the rumours must be true). Fitzwater in for Martin and Wilson for Ginnelly. Ginnelly will be a big loss if he goes.Dobson on the bench withe Edwards.
Who knows? It just shows how difficult it is for clubs like us. We give him a chance with a one year deal and he shows some promise and is immediately snapped up by a Championship club. Incidentally in this case I don’t blame the Club for the length of contract as like most of us I expect they were unsure of how he would perform. Anyway lets hope whatever we get is put into the playing budget.
), 7 points from their last 6 games and not a great home record (4-4-3) so nothing to fear. Also there should be a bounce back from last weeks second half showing.