Festive Period Match(es) Thread And Poll

Festive Match(es) Thread

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The Fixtures​

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Home - Saturday 21st December

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Away - Thursday 26th December - 1:00pm Kick Off

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Away - Sunday - 29th December - 3:00pm Kick Off

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Home - Wednesday 1st January 2014 - 1:00pm Kick Off​

 

6 points minimum. anything less and were in deeper trouble!

 

Ok might of put the thread on a bit to late so will give until Sunday to vote even if we will know the outcome of The Pompey game by then so no cheating . Will add more stuff over the next two weeks.

So with 12 points up for grabs how many will we obtain. Current league positions and League form of are opponents....

Portsmouth - 18th - Current Form - L L D D L - 2pts

Torquay United - 24th - Current Form - L L D L W - 4pts

Rochdale - 8th - Current Form - W W L D L - 7pts

Cheltenham - 13th - Current Form - D D D W D - 7pts



This is going to be a very tough group of fixtures for us a six pointer against Torquay a most definite and a local derby against Cheltenham who are unbeaten in six games. I'm really struggling to see what we can get from these games if we can't find the back of the net regularly.

The Gas - 22nd - Current Form - D L D W L - 5pts



My Predictions (sorry to be negative)

Portsmouth - D 1-1

Torquay United - D 0-0

Rochdale - L 2-0

Cheltenham L 1-2

 

Bloody hope we do but just can't see us winning any these games if we could score more regularly and convert those chances then maybe we would pick up more then 6

 

If you are correct then that would put us bottom for sure.

i think we will win both home games. tempted to say draw at torquay but not 100% and think we lose at rochdale.

 

That wouldn't be a bad xmas if we can win the home games

 

For the record I think we'll win the next 2 games, lose at Rochdale and draw with Cheltenham. That makes 7 points.

 

Manager on tomorrow's clash with Portsmouth

John Ward believes that tomorrow’s game will be an exciting fixture to kick off the busy Christmas period. The manager is hoping that a big crowd will lend something special to the occasion.

Portsmouth have a new manager in Richie Barker, so there could be a few changes in store.

John said: “It is an all ticket game, and all seats are sold out, so there is a good atmosphere involved in that sort of game, even though there always is at the Mem.

“I think there is a really good pre-Christmas football match in prospect.

“They are seen as a big club, and we are the home team to try and take them on and try and beat them.

“It is a big game, and the league positions of the two clubs make it all the more exciting and interesting.

“They have a new manger in, he had his first game last week and wasn’t successful, so he may want to change things.

“Come three o’clock both sets of players will have a good go at it.”

The manager will be without Tom Lockyer, who picked up his fifth booking of the season on Wednesday, and he now has to make a decision as to who could replace him.

He said: “Tom Lockyer got his fifth yellow card of the season, and that is the only thing that is kept over from the game, everything else gets obliterated.

“It is a strange anomaly of football, but we have to put up with it, and that means he is not available for tomorrow.

“We are going to have a look at the situation this morning, and I think for the first time in a while, I am not going to be able to name my team.

“Mark McChrystal comes into the reckoning, but he hasn’t played for a little while, but he is a man of experience and knowledge, and if he feels he has a chance, he will be involved in the squad somewhere.

“There’s also Pat Keary who came on at Mansfield and did exceptionally well on his debut.

“It is a key position, so we will try and get it right. The rest of the team I pretty much know what I want to do, everyone else is fine at the moment.”

Rovers will be looking to put together a good run over Christmas, but the manager is aware that his side need to improve in front of goal.

He said: “We keep reminding ourselves that we have had three defeats in 10 and ¾ games, and we have a developed a way of playing that makes it tough to play against us.

“There has only been one game where we have lost by more than one goal, it has all been pretty tight.

“We are prepared for any game, but we need to improve our goalscoring opportunities.

“That is something we have to push forward. We are creating opportunities to score, and we have got people in this squad who can score, so we just need to be a little bit more clinical.”

 

[video=youtube;ErY6UXJpGfg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErY6UXJpGfg&feature=youtu.be[/video]

 

Opposition: Portsmouth have failed to win any of their last eight matches, picking up just two points. That run includes a 2-0 defeat to Newport last Saturday – Richie Barker’s first game in the Fratton Park dug-out.

Rovers could go above Portsmouth, who currently sit in 18th place, if they can take all three points from tomorrow's game.

Opposition view: After watching Rovers take on Crawley on Wednesday night, manager Richie Barker told the official Portsmouth website: “Having watched that game I know they can play well in puddles!

“That match was never going to finish, so I didn’t learn a lot from it and stopped making notes after half an hour.

“But I saw them a few weeks ago because I knew Crawley would be playing the winners of them against York.

“They’re very hard-working and organised, with a mixture of youth and experience. It will obviously be a tough match away from home.

“It’s a game between probably two of the biggest clubs in this division – people have said for a long while that when Bristol Rovers get things right the place could be rocking.

“I’m sure John Ward will soon get it right there and they’ll start working their way back up the table.”

John Ward’s Comments: "It is an all ticket game, and all seats are sold out, so there is a good atmosphere involved in that sort of game, even though there always is at the Mem.

"I think there is a really good pre-Christmas football match in prospect. They are seen as a big club, and we are the home team to try and take them on and try and beat them.

"It is a big game, and the league positions of the two clubs make it all the more exciting and interesting.

"They have a new manger in, he had his first game last week and wasn’t successful, so he may want to change things. Come three o’clock both sets of players will have a good go at it."

Last Meeting: The last meeting between the two teams came in April 1993, Rovers lost the home tie 2-1.

Team News: John Ward will be without Tom Lockyer, who picked up his fifth yellow card on Wednesday night. Mark McChrystal and Pat Keary could be in contention to replace him.

Tickets: Fans are being reminded that Saturday's home game against Portsmouth is ALL TICKET for home fans, the match is also a Category A game which means ticket prices will increase by £2 from the normal Early Bird price. You have until 5pm on Friday to purchase your ticket. Stand seats for this fixture have already sold out.

Listen Live: Unable to make the trip to the Memorial Stadium tomorrow? Then you can follow all the action from 3pm as Bristol Rovers take on Portsmouth LIVE on Gas Player.

Post-match entertainment: The usual Happy Hour in the bar will be extended until 8pm, and there will be entertainment from Bak2Bak a vocal duo from Gloucestershire.

Betting: Rovers are 6/4 to pick up all three points tomorrow. You can get 6/1 on Matt Harrold to be the first goalscorer, or 18/1 on David Clarkson to score in both halves.
Bristol Rovers will benefit as you bet throughout the season, so make sure you open your Sky Bet account via www.skybet.com/bristolrovers Join the £5 Free Bet Club you get a FREE £5 BET every week - Place a £5 accumulator on any sport with combined odds of 5/1 or more before midnight Sunday. Your £5 free bet will then be credited by 7pm Monday for you to use on any sport.

 

Bristol Rovers defender Tom Lockyer is suspended after picking up his fifth booking of the season in Tuesday's FA Cup replay against Crawley.

The game was abandoned because of adverse weather after 74 minutes, but Lockyer's booking still stands.

Portsmouth boss Richie Barker has a fully-fit squad with the exception of long-term absentee Tom Craddock (knee).

On-loan defender Dan Potts is set to play his final match before returning to parent club West Ham.

 

Voted for seven. But I will probably be disappointed twice.

 

So I was wrong with my 2pt prediction I knew my plan would work all the players read the thread and responded

 

, will i win this too

 

Maybe

 

[video=youtube;9ubIfCByK7I]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ubIfCByK7I[/video]

 

John Ward was delighted to see his side beat Portsmouth yesterday, but the manager was not surprised by the performance.

The gaffer was quick to dedicate today’s win to the home supporters.

He said: “If we count Wednesday, we have had two defeats in 12, and that in itself is a confidence booster.

“Whilst we are delighted that how the team has played, we shouldn’t be surprised.

“It is a nice result today, and a great one for the home support. I have a lot of respect for the supporters, and this one was for them today.”

The manager was very pleased with the attitude and effort shown by his team.

He said: “I was very pleased with the result and the performance. The attitude of the team has been absolutely spot on.

“We had to come through some awkward spells, they started really well, and we had to stand up to that and then grew into the game a little bit.

“The second half I thought we were on the front foot and very positive with our play.

“We played the game in the right way and didn’t mess about, and that is part and parcel of winning a game of football.

“We had two good strikes, and there were a few strong saves from their goalkeeper as well. It was a strong team performance, and subsequently I didn’t have to make a substitute.”

Mark McChrystal came back from injury, and had a solid 90 minutes in defence.

John said: “Mark has trained exceptionally hard and is very good shape, but playing football is slightly different.

“I went for the experience, thinking that if he couldn’t get through the 90 minutes then young Pat Keary could give us a little bit of time as well.

“The adrenalin got him through, and he played the game sensibly.”

And the Rovers side will not have any fears about the busy period ahead.

The manager said: “We have shown real good fitness and strength, and the busy period coming up is not going to worry me or my players.

“They are fit boys and will be ready to go again. The next game is away at Torquay and we are going to have to be strong for that too.”

 

[video=youtube;iCvPEp3dt0w]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCvPEp3dt0w[/video]

 

What a great second goal, inch perfect pass and a great finish.

 

thought the pass was under hit but thankfully clarkson just got it before the defender did and didnt he hit it well. watching the clip again and the shot that clarkson did that hit the bar, what a shot! reminded me of lambert for a second!