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Post by Del on Feb 2, 2023 14:17:50 GMT
This Saturday we are at home to Stevenage who are having an excellent season in League two and are looking good for an automatic promotion place.
This will be a huge task for us to take all three points and a test for our newly enlarged squad. I envisage we will start with the team that started last week at Harrogate and hopefully there will be a big crowd at GGL for this one.
Stevenage got knocked out of the FA cup at Stoke last week and sometimes this can have a knock on effect on their league form. We are good enough to beat them and i expect a tight game.
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Post by Andy K on Feb 2, 2023 14:58:15 GMT
I think this is the best time to play Stevenage. We're much improved in our own form and playing with confidence and I think we can all agree with respect to signings and those back from injury, a stronger squad. Their away form isn't that fantastic (only 3 wins in the last 10 at Crewe, Doncaster and Crawley), and more often than not draw rather than win and have drawn the last 4 away league trip - one of those being Leyton Orient, but the others being Grimsby, Colchester and most recently Harrogate.
Throw into that mix the possibility of an FA Cup hangover (although ideally they would have gone to a replay which would have happened a few days after our game) and we're in the best place possible to exorcise the ghost of that horrific Tuesday night at The Lamex.
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Post by Amber Aleman on Feb 2, 2023 17:01:32 GMT
It's 3rd v 4th in the form table, 12th v 2nd in the league table. They could only draw 1-1 at Harrogate last month, while we won 1-0. But in their last home game they beat table-topping (though recently out-of-form) Orient 3-0.
I'm not going to attempt the link, but Steve Evans's pre-match interview on YouTube includes some complimentary words about our manager.
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Post by pinewalker on Feb 2, 2023 19:24:57 GMT
It was a few weeks ago I was writing about Stevenage for the Villa fans forum. I wrote then that I expected this well drilled team to park the bus. Then try to nick a goal late on through a contrived penalty or one of their well worked set pieces. In fact they earned a fully-justified penalty then scored a famous victory with a short corner routine.
I think Sutton can get round the back of their fullbacks, at least on the right - our left winger usually cuts inside. Then if we can shoot straight from a narrow angle their keeper isn't the safest handler.
Sutton will need to be wary of Stevenage at set pieces.
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Post by garethl on Feb 2, 2023 19:34:45 GMT
We’ve got every chance. Likely it’ll be close, they’re a tough nut to crack. We’re in a far better place than we were at their place, also the night of Jon Barden’s horrific injury. Even then it was close for a half. Big game in the context of our season I feel.
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Post by Amber Aleman on Feb 2, 2023 19:47:35 GMT
Stevenage's first choice keeper Taye Ashby-Hammond (on loan from Fulham, and who's previously appeared against us for Maidenhead) was injured this week in training and won't be fit for Saturday. They've just signed an Icelandic goalie on loan from Reading (I'd guess the Royals' third choice behind Deano), and he's likely to play against us.
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Post by terrier on Feb 2, 2023 20:09:38 GMT
Stevenage's first choice keeper Taye Ashby-Hammond (on loan from Fulham, and who's previously appeared against us for Maidenhead) was injured this week in training and won't be fit for Saturday. They've just signed an Icelandic goalie on loan from Reading (I'd guess the Royals' third choice behind Deano), and he's likely to play against us. The Icelandic goalie had a good spell on loan with Exeter City a couple of years ago. Fans there wanted him signed permanently but it didn’t happen. |
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Post by Del on Feb 2, 2023 20:14:40 GMT
Stevenage's first choice keeper Taye Ashby-Hammond (on loan from Fulham, and who's previously appeared against us for Maidenhead) was injured this week in training and won't be fit for Saturday. They've just signed an Icelandic goalie on loan from Reading (I'd guess the Royals' third choice behind Deano), and he's likely to play against us. The Icelandic goalie had a good spell on loan with Exeter City a couple of years ago. Fans there wanted him signed permanently but it didn’t happen. No it wasn't cold enough in Exeter! |
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Post by sol on Feb 3, 2023 17:28:13 GMT
This should be great - Stevenage are playing well and so are we.
I actually fancy being sensible for once with my prediction 🎈⚽️
SU 2 v 0 Stevenage
C.Eastmond 57’
OMAR 63’
(sensible - 1-1)
⚽️🎈
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jr
1st team skipper
Posts: 2,100
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Post by jr on Feb 3, 2023 18:01:36 GMT
If we can win this one then i really think we can mount a promotion challenge. Stevenage have been the best side I've seen in L2 this season. They were desperately unlucky in the FA Cup last weekend with an outrageous decision of a penalty given against them.
Watch out for Reid who is a fantastic player and in top form at the moment.
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Post by paz on Feb 3, 2023 20:14:35 GMT
I would take a draw  I agree, a victory would be a great moral boots going forward.. |
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Post by sallycat on Feb 4, 2023 9:41:29 GMT
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Post by usus2 on Feb 4, 2023 11:57:52 GMT
From an ethical chemist, perhaps.
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Post by paz on Feb 4, 2023 12:53:20 GMT
Lol boost! Although moral boots sound handy! |
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Post by terrier on Feb 4, 2023 13:01:54 GMT
The last home game was more than a month ago. Be good to get back to GGL.
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