rudemedic

They are even on record admitting to tapping up Dino while he was at Stevenage. He was announced as Banide was clearing his desk. Curle was pretty similar too, but at least there was a day difference.

I mean even last season you'd have picked out Chesterfield away as one of our toughest games. This season you'd have picked it out as our toughest game, until April, depending on how we are getting on (when it is a "win and you're in" situation that complicates matters). I don't expect him to be as defensive again until April / May or even next August. Then again he could be trying to #ShithouseTheLeague.

Having missed last season’s game I’m heading down the M4 for this one.

Just because it is not smart, doesn't mean he won't do it. I was thinking with it being Borehamwood not that many will go. But as last year's game was midweek there might be a decent following, especially if some decide to make a BH weekend of it in London.

For the record after 13 games last season Barnet had 17 points, 4 points from the playoffs and bottom half of the table but after 23 games they had 40 points and were 5th. That's an example of why arbitrary X number of games is not ideal and it is much preferable to use half the season. You are right about the number of points needed though as I was looking back a little bit further and while 70 points was often enough in previous seasons for 7th there weren't always 24 teams in the division. 75 is much more likely to meet requirements.

Re Nuttall: Fantastic touch from him to control a ball coming down with snow on it then his next touch put Norwood away - where I think he may be disappointed he didn't do better. Plus the scorer from the FK wasn't his man it was Raglan's. That touch alone showed me why he keeps getting picked and even out of position. Languid is a perfect way to describe him. It was my first game of the season and my thoughts: Hogan or Raglan not both in a 2 too similar and both are vulnerable to being got behind. I'd pick Raglan. Despite his pedigree Will Grigg was right up their alley so they controlled him for most part and even his "sitter" was "missed" because Raglan tackled him. The only time I've been impressed with Hogan was when he was playing alongside Yarney. I'd think injuries and suspensions will mean that Hobson and/or Sutton will play soon, especially if Hogan keeps getting booked for dissent and he could have actually got sent off on Saturday with 2 yellows, both for dissent. Sheron and Shelton can work in a midfield but only with wingers / more attack minded players out wide it worked last season so why not this. It worked a bit against Chesterfield because that was how we were set up to play at the title favourites. But I think we all know that Lundstram and probably Ward and Green go straight into the side when fully recovered. We will look a lot more attacking when that happens. It Setting up so defensively away at promotion rivals is fine - we lost a combined 9-2 at the joint title favourites last season. As Borehamwood are likely to be in the playoffs I expect we may play in a similar fashion too, so it may be a bit of a blessing that we are being forced to play SaS together in games where it is more likely to suit us. Getting a draw at the title favourites with what is arguably our 15th choice central midfield pairing is not something to be sniffed at. Nevermind that we had our 2nd choice keeper in goal too.

They nicked a load didn't they? Google says 11 shortly after, 6 in January and 3 more in late March prior to the league game at their place. That's 20 which looked like everyone involved. As someone on Twitter said "I'd recognise that white jumper anywhere."

FWIW cocaine is a hell of a drug and the proliferation of 3 for a ton makes it a lot more available than it was even 20 years ago, nevermind in the 70s and 80s. I fully expect the bloke who pushed their keeper over to get a dawn wake-up call by end of October at the latest. The gold stoney bloke will get one too but a good lawyer and he gets knocked down to pitch invading - the Chesterfield bloke threw the first punch, he is getting a dawn wake-up call too and he will probably be first as Derbyshire 5-0 can sort that by themselves. All 3 will get a football banning order and the one who pushed the keeper and the Chesterfield fan may get (suspended) custodial sentences. I think the only away allocation affected by Saturday's shenanigans could be Chesterfields at our place - see our two games at Wrexham last year. Rochdale will give us the usual "whole" stand - the fact that it is the whole stand, not part of a bigger stand probably helps a bit. If we play Chesterfield next season I can see us getting the same allocation but Derbyshire 5-0 will be a LOT more visible. They may not sell STs in that stand if they get promoted as the fans will get moved a lot more than once if they do.

Just because you asked. I don't know where I'd be happy after 13 games because I don't know if we will have played the 12/13 best teams, the 12/13 worst teams, or something in the middle. Given we've played Chesterfield I don't think we will have played the 13 worst teams. After 23 games, half the season, you usually have played everyone once* and you have a much better idea of how we will do. Plus it will probably even out in terms of playing teams at the right time, as playing Southend first up was probably the worst time to play them. Coincidentally it may have also been the best time to play us, with Norwood (+Dickenson) having been at the club for less than a week (possibly only slightly more than a day) and our injuries in midfield. At 23 games I would want 35 points. As 70 points usually gets you in the playoffs and I expect us to be better in the second half of the season (we got 40 points from the last 23 games last year). The playoffs is much of a muchness as far as I'm concerned and there is not much difference between 2nd and 7th. I expect our first quarter to be our worst quarter in terms of points as our squad depth will prove very useful. Whereas other teams will probably fade if they have injuries. For example, Nuttall / Fondop / Reid and Willoughby all probably play in every other side that plays 2 forwards (apart from Chesterfield, where they'd probably all get on the bench). If we don't look like getting 30 points from 23 games (as we got 40 points from the last 23 games last season) then I can see Unsworth not being in charge for the last 23 games. I think it's fairly obvious that getting into the playoffs is the minimum requirement this year (it isn't what we should be aiming for). If we really don't look like getting into the playoffs or we end up outside them at the end of the season then then I fully expect Oldham to not be managed by David Unsworth come August 24. *Although given the Christmas/New Year double header and us playing Borehamwood in early December and this week, we probably wont. TLDR: 13 games isn't long enough, 23 games is, want at least 30 points at 23 games but under 35 points and Unsworth is under threat. Not making the playoffs this season and I'd think Unsworth is gone. Expect us to be better in 2nd half of season.

Because it really wasn't anyone's business. The fact that things have seemingly improved makes them more comfortable in sharing what is very private information in a common way.

If only someone had already made that comparison

Yes I know Nepomuceno is from Curaçao and I know that Curaçao is Dutch, I also know that the #FrenchLads was used to describe all the usually naff imports from the former owner, even if they weren’t French. Yeah but that wasn’t my point, my point is that team was crap and your mate was clapping like a demented seal as we played 6 at the back to scrape a draw against that massive footballing powerhouse, Exeter. You said that team wipes the floor with this team and I point out that the majority of that team most recently played in the division below us. The current team doesn’t lose against that team, because no-one in that team is scoring, especially not Desire. I’d be worried about that team staying in this division. I was inclined to keep going but @GlossopLatic has already said the jist of what I was going to say and @mcfluff1985 has already succinctly added additional context for those unaware of who @PeteGis

https://footballgroundguide.com/leagues/conference/conference-premier/proact-stadium-chesterfield.html

The playoffs are in the promotion race. If you are only 1 win from the playoffs you are in promotion contention, unless it is mathematically impossible to get promoted, which is usually impossible until 45 games have been played. If we are 1 win outside the playoffs after 46 games, we will have underachieved and discussions will need to be had about keeping Unsworth, if he is still here. If we are 1 win outside the playoffs after 15 games he deserves a chance of putting us in the playoffs after 46 games, as he has shown already how improved he can get the team in the 2nd half of the season. Yes we should be better than just being in the playoffs or within touching distance of them. But we should be better than playing in the 5th division.

Of course we should, as a guide 15 points off the top last season was 3 points off the playoffs. Anyone who says that isn't in promotion contention with 2/3 of the season left to play is deluding themselves.

I'm sure they wouldn't. Team that day: Woods; Hamer, Wheater, Iacovitti, Smith-Brown; Sylla, Nepomuceno, Branger, Fage, Eagles; Desire Segbe Azankpo Subs: Mills (for Nepomuceno), Scott Wilson (for Eagles), Sonhy Sefil (for Branger). Sohny Sefil is the worst player I've seen play for Oldham. Hamer gets in this current side comfortably, Wheater might if he hadn't retired, but as he played last at Conference North Darlington, he might not. Iacovitti is apparently playing at Port Vale but I'd be interested to know if people think he gets in this current side. Woods is Exeter's #2, but as he wasn't always our #1 he might not get in. Given that of the 9 players "still" playing in England (including the aforementioned Wheater), only Hamer and Iacovitti are regularly playing higher than us. Wheater, Smith-Brown, Fage, Wilson and Mills all last played at a team at best in the league below. Sylla threw his dummy out at Hartlepool and has been dropped from their squad but is still under contract. I can't see many people who'd have Branger ahead of our current wide options. Nepomuceno might invoke a discussion, as he was clearly the best of the #FrenchLads, but last played in England at Halifax. Eagles is long since retired and Desire Segbe Azankpo would probably be our 8th choice Centre-Forward. Some would have the kid on loan at Colne, Forshaw, ahead of him.

If we are 15 points from the playoffs after 15 games, Unsworth will be gone. We would have hit a deeper bottom than the aforementioned Halifax home game last season. We are 3 points adrift after 3 games. We won't be 15 points adrift after 15 games. Chill TF out.

Whereas I saw your mate clapping like a demented seal from the Chairman's seat as we played a back 6 to scrape a 0-0 draw against Exeter in League 2. He was very happy to see Oldham set up not to lose. He was on the board too, so actually had "power" to change it. I wonder what your opinion was then? How could you stomach watching an Oldham side set up not to lose against that massive footballing powerhouse Exeter. Or were you fine with it because your mate was on the board? There's probably quite a bit of footage showing you clapping an Oldham team off after we've been battered. Especially when we were set up not to lose when your mate was on the board. You are being as disingenuous as DU is at his peak.

Missed my point. So I shall make it again. The points after 3 games does NOT matter. The points after 46 games does In 15 years time or even 15 days time is anyone going to remember that Wrexham had 4 points after 3 games last season. But I bet loads will be able to recall that Wrexham won the National League last season. FWIW Stockport hadn't just come up from the NLN either. They didn't have back to back promotions. (Took them 3 years). If we had spluttered into our first top half finish for ages then yes I might say Unsworth should be at risk. We didn't, we had a playoff level record after Christmas last season. We were 2nd bottom in December last season. Our game against Torquay was televised because it looked like a relegation 6-pointer in December. David Unsworth has shown he can turn a season around, he did it last season. That gives him some leeway to show he can do it again, but as the season is only 3 games old it isn't in need of turning around just yet. I fully expect us to come strong as the season goes on, our squad is very strong. If Southend had 3 injuries then I wouldn't be surprised to read that Kevin Maher is putting his boots on. Doubly so if all 3 injuries are in midfield. We may not get automatic promotion but there is a reason why the bookies still have us as 4/6 (best odds - 2nd favourites) for a playoff spot. A playoff spot is pushing for promotion. If we are struggling by the end of October then I wouldn't be surprised to find DU gone or on the verge of going. This is mid-August plenty of time and 43 games left.

Last season Wrexham got a record points total across all top 5 English divisions. They had 4, yes 4 points after 3 games. Notts County who got the 2nd best points total ever had 5. The season before Stockport also had 4 points after 3 games. The last time we made the playoffs we had 3 points after 3 games and only 4 after 6 games. (Think that was covered on the podcast recently). The points after X games* doesn't matter, the points after 46 games does. *Unless the season is curtailed thanks to another pandemic. I'm indifferent to sacking managers in the main as we won't progress if we do. Unsworth had turned me indifferent by the home defeat to Halifax last season. That I hope was our rock bottom point. If this season it looks like not being our rock bottom point he can go, that isn't the case currently.

I wouldn't agree. While they are examples from a few levels above Couto is likely to get to, Phil Neville developed into a very handy DM role as he aged (helped by Everton needing someone to play there and them having good fullbacks). John Stones was arguably MOTM in the Champions League final at DM having only really played there this season. Squad size restrictions will often mean versatility is beneficial, although I don't think they apply outside PL and European competitions. Would definitely agree about the loan being beneficial and I'd add Couto probably could have done with going on loan last season too.

IIRC it wasn't just a van he damaged a house too. Fortunately he didn't kill someone given the impact to a house. I heard the stories about him being a dick too, but that was around the time he got done for drunk driving so it could be biased. Bay Horse? FWIW I would wager I saw him play as a kid, although I didn't realise it at the time.

Despite playing in the Welsh league TNS are based in England. Although I'd probably choose to live in Wales given the choice.

Doubt that will be possible while a game is on. Most bookies suspend outrights markets while games are being played. As soon as the markets reopen on the other hand, but I'd wager bookies will factor it in by the time they factor in new odds.

The ref isn't the same. I saw something on social media about him dislocating his shoulder in a staff v year 11 football match at school (he's the headmaster at Woodhey in Bury). For the record he wasn't a Halifax fan he's a known Rochdale fan. The question was whether someone who supports a rival of both sides should have been allowed to referee a game between the two teams, especially as that was his first game at National League level. Tonight's ref is Steven Copeland, who reffed our games against Aldershot (h) and Solihull (a) last season.