Cheltenham Town v Bolton Wanderers

[QED]

Freestone is captain material, if he’s here beyond this season

[Warwickshire Robin]

We were physically outmatched everywhere - Davies for pace and strength, Williams and Smith for pace, Street and Keena for height and strength - but we didn’t try and make up for it with any desire or additional work rate, which is what set Alfie apart. He’d have been pressing and chasing down lost causes because he knew that extra bit of work rate would encourage the rest of the team and get the crowd going.

100% agree. My main worry when our former no 10 left wasn't so much replacing his goals (although that is looking more worrying as each game goes by!) it was who was going to become the heartbeat of the team and the one to drive us on when the going got tough.

No one is stepping up currently and we look so flat and devoid of spark.

[cliffy90]

Wade Elliott's comments after the game: "We could, and this is not being disrespectful, sit in League Two, bob along and be all right, or we can play Bolton Wanderers and Reading and accept we might be on the end of a day like today, which isn't a nice feeling but I think we know where we'd rather be."

[Malabus]

If you let your best player go and not replaced; then the team will struggle. Sluggish, no physical presence and lack of ability.

It's only going to get worse if you don't get competitve players in.

[Malabus]

Wade Elliott's comments after the game: "We could, and this is not being disrespectful, sit in League Two, bob along and be all right, or we can play Bolton Wanderers and Reading and accept we might be on the end of a day like today, which isn't a nice feeling but I think we know where we'd rather be."

Great, if you are a player hearing that....

[shevates]

I dont think ive been to an away game were the possession was 76 to 24, but for that to be the percentage when playing at home is awful. No quality at all.
As for Curtis Davies, hes been an excellent footballer and has had a great career, but why is he playing at 38, and why o why have we signed him
Reading and Pompey next, not getting any easier 2 difficult away trips

[I-Love-CTFC]

I dont think ive been to an away game were the possession was 76 to 24, but for that to be the percentage when playing at home is awful. No quality at all.
As for Curtis Davies, hes been an excellent footballer and has had a great career, but why is he playing at 38, and why o why have we signed him
Reading and Pompey next, not getting any easier 2 difficult away trips

One final payday for Wade's mate Curtis Davies. He should be a pundit on Sky's EFL games, way past his past clearly hasn't got the legs anymore.

[Wellwisher]

Haven’t seen it mentioned but that will likely be Olayinka out for 6-8 weeks - looked like a dislocated shoulder. Seriously unimpressed with the ref for not stopping the game (which I’m sure was because he realized he should have given the penalty), and also Nathan Baxter in goal for doing his best to ignore Olayinka screaming in pain and trying to signal the physio to come on.

I'd have guessed a dislocated shoulder too - poor lad looked to have been in absolute agony. That could be 6-8 weeks, as you say, but if it's a bad one, it's something which could come back on you - remember Bryan Robson, whose shoulder kept popping out again every time he sustained a big hit.

As for the ref, I have some sympathy, since the play was right up at the other end. His Assistant, however, is another matter, esp since that was "his" half of the field. He really should have buzzed the ref immediately.

Whlle as a neutral observer, who was in a good seat to see it, I have to say the original collision wasn't a penalty for me. I actually thought it was poor control by Olayinka, almost a stumble in fact.

[Alf]

Wade Elliott's comments after the game: "We could, and this is not being disrespectful, sit in League Two, bob along and be all right, or we can play Bolton Wanderers and Reading and accept we might be on the end of a day like today, which isn't a nice feeling but I think we know where we'd rather be."

Or we could put our feet up and bob all the way down to the National League. No pressure.

[asl]

Suspected dislocated shoulder according to JP.

Wouldn't have stopped Pele.

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

Wade Elliott's comments after the game: "We could, and this is not being disrespectful, sit in League Two, bob along and be all right, or we can play Bolton Wanderers and Reading and accept we might be on the end of a day like today, which isn't a nice feeling but I think we know where we'd rather be."

Or we could put our feet up and bob all the way down to the National League. No pressure.

Not if we are battling to stay in L1, which the players will be doing - just need all the fans to do the same.

[Anteros]

Wade Elliott's comments after the game: "We could, and this is not being disrespectful, sit in League Two, bob along and be all right, or we can play Bolton Wanderers and Reading and accept we might be on the end of a day like today, which isn't a nice feeling but I think we know where we'd rather be."

Or we could put our feet up and bob all the way down to the National League. No pressure.

Not if we are battling to stay in L1, which the players will be doing - just need all the fans to do the same.

Northamton at home in two weeks is going to be a important game for us. Desperate for a win for the confidence

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

Or we could put our feet up and bob all the way down to the National League. No pressure.

Not if we are battling to stay in L1, which the players will be doing - just need all the fans to do the same.

Northamton at home in two weeks is going to be a important game for us. Desperate for a win for the confidence

Depending what happens between now and then, don’t be surprised if it is a 0-0 like Accrington and Burton last season. Whilst derided at the time, those results did help steady the ship and reset with a clean sheet after defeats and provided a platform for wins in later games.

[Alf]

Wade Elliott's comments after the game: "We could, and this is not being disrespectful, sit in League Two, bob along and be all right, or we can play Bolton Wanderers and Reading and accept we might be on the end of a day like today, which isn't a nice feeling but I think we know where we'd rather be."

Or we could put our feet up and bob all the way down to the National League. No pressure.

Not if we are battling to stay in L1, which the players will be doing - just need all the fans to do the same.

There’s more to winning football matches than ‘battling’……you have to have a certain amount of quality and skill as well.

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

Or we could put our feet up and bob all the way down to the National League. No pressure.

Not if we are battling to stay in L1, which the players will be doing - just need all the fans to do the same.

There’s more to winning football matches than ‘battling’……you have to have a certain amount of quality and skill as well.

Yes. That’s axiomatic.

The players have the quality and skill which they have and that won’t change.

[Alf]

Not if we are battling to stay in L1, which the players will be doing - just need all the fans to do the same.

There’s more to winning football matches than ‘battling’……you have to have a certain amount of quality and skill as well.

Yes. That’s axiomatic.

The players have the quality and skill which they have and that won’t change.

It can. This is down to the Coaching staff. It’s not unknown for players’ ability, skill and quality to improve with decent Coaching.

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

There’s more to winning football matches than ‘battling’……you have to have a certain amount of quality and skill as well.

Yes. That’s axiomatic.

The players have the quality and skill which they have and that won’t change.

It can. This is down to the Coaching staff. It’s not unknown for players’ ability, skill and quality to improve with decent Coaching.

That’s also axiomatic and applies to every team. There’s not going to be big differences from one week to another. As we saw with players like Bonds and Bradbury last season, over the long term our coaches are improving players.

But there’s a limit to how much a player can improve in a short period of time, and most of our players are starting from a lower base.

[QED]

Haven’t seen it mentioned but that will likely be Olayinka out for 6-8 weeks - looked like a dislocated shoulder. Seriously unimpressed with the ref for not stopping the game (which I’m sure was because he realized he should have given the penalty), and also Nathan Baxter in goal for doing his best to ignore Olayinka screaming in pain and trying to signal the physio to come on. I get that he’s a very young keeper just starting out but if you see a fellow pro clearly crocked, at least try and signal the ref rather than f#!$ off to the top of the area and pretend it’s not happening.

Seems like 6-8 weeks was an underestimate from JP’s tweets today - ‘long term’ is the phrase being used.