VectisSaint

Not all time League we don't. 24 is the all time record for league matches unbeaten. You're on about the record in the Football League. Try to keep up. 😵‍💫

Just found out the sad news that Mel Blyth has passed away. Great player for us and of course part of the 'Class of 76'. RIP Mel.

One day, maybe, but not tomorrow.

Would agree that THB is the best central defender, but he is clearly going to be a class act and will not be with us for long. Disagree about Stephens, what he is bringing to the team is a desire to get forward quickly and make incisive, perhaps a little riskier forward passes. The pass to Alcaraz that led to the Mara goal being a case in point. He made several passes of that ilk against Walsall, and also in previous games. We do seem to have developed this aspect of our game in the last 2 or 3 matches, where before we messed around with it at the back, we now take some risks in getting balls forward from the CBs into the midfield/forwards, and Stephens has been central to this (THB has been doing as well). My hunch is that this is why Martin prefers Stephens over Bednarek, Bedders has been excellent this season defensively, but he is not so good in the area of making incisive passes and playing out with pace from the back. We have looked so much better recently, now that there is pace, and the ball is being moved far more quickly, Meghoma was excellent on Saturday playing out and running with the ball at pace and making good passes to Fraser especially. Personally I wouldn't be averse to playing Meghoma in preference to Manning, who is poor defensively and ponderous on the ball, sadly I am pretty sure Martin will stick with Manning.

Duncan has rightly pointed out on Twitter this morning that this is not the all time unbeaten run record. For League games (Southern League) the record is 24, set from the end of season 1895-6 (4 games) and throughout the 1896/7 season (20 games). The record for "all competitions" (League and FA Cup) would appear to be 21, that run ended in Feb 1897 when we lost to Newton Heath in a 2nd round replay in February. The record I referred to of 9 away games unbeaten I now realise must refer to Football League only and must also have been beaten in 1896-1897 given that we remained unbeaten in all league matches in that season (10 games) and presumably 2 at the end of the 1895/96 season, so record would be 12. Actually the last 4 games in 95/96 were all at home (strange) so the record appears to be 10. So we have a few more games to go unbeaten to break our all time records for unbeaten runs and for Duncan to literally rewrite the history books.

Incidentally, I believe we have already equalled our record unbeaten away run. Avoid defeat at Swansea and it will be a new record. We last went 9 unbeaten away in 1977/78 (promotion season) and before that in 1949/50.

No need for a poll for MotM today.

Alcaraz is having a mare. He should be bossing this, he has the ability, but just doing nothing, giving the ball away.

His first season in charge, or the first half a season he was in charge?

One game away.from.equalling our best unbeaten run in the League (19). In 1921/22 we followed the unbeaten run in the league with a win in the FA Cup (3-1 v South Shields) but then lost our next league match (Brentford 0-1). So Walsall makes no difference to our unbeaten league run record. But as you say it would be a shame to mess the run up now. I'm sure we can put a team out that can take care of Walsall, and it's not like we have another game soon after so plenty of rest and recovery time. January is a very relaxed fixture schedule, unless we get into replay territory. For me, I would just give a break to some of the players who have had fitness/injury issues recently, such as Downes and Bednarek, maybe give KWP a break as well, his ankles must be in a shocking state after Norwich.

Looked like a head/face injury shortly before HT, probably just a precaution to leave him off second half.

Bree went off injured against QPR (hamstring), Martin said he needs a second scan and won't be involved over the festive season series of games. Stephens came in (started) against Swansea and altogether has played in the last 4 games (all wins), not sure why people are suddenly getting excited about him being in the team today.

He's played in the last 4 matches, we've won all of them. Started against Swansea, we won 5-0. Not sure he is being shoe-horned in today.

But he did say it publicly. He said we lost our positivity and played too many back passses (or words to that effect) post match, but that he wouldn't blame Gav in any way. We do still have a tendency to go defensive at times when we don't need to. Not sure if it's fatigue (mental) that sets in, but it is something we need to cut out. There was also nothing wrong with Jack's pass, Gav had loads of time to deal with it, but we all saw what happened, just one of those moments every player has from time.to time. As it turned out no harm was done, except to GD, but it made forma nervous end to what was otherwise a complete walk in the park.

Good job his name isn't Young, he'd be ranked much lower. 😉

Don't want to be overly pessimistic and I'm not a doctor, but this is beginning to sound like something that it might not be possible to 'solve for good', wish the lad well, have experienced similar in my family.

Just have to agree to disagree. Whereas we had 2 good chances knocked back by wrong decisions at the other end (Che's goal was offside).

Rubbish, it should have been about 6-2. Their disallowed goal was offside (just), we had an offside that was wrongly called (not the Adams one). We had so many chances, no one can honestly say it should have been a draw. That said, Manning, Charles and KWP need to look at themselves for some of the stupid mistakes they made completely unnecessarily. Onwards and upwards. Pressure now on Leeds to keep up.

Terrible moments near the end from KWP and Charles (again) made that very nervous ending even without the Baz screw up. Charles is a terrific player but keeps making some really bad decisions.

Certainly not under the radar on Sky, we get mentioned all the time during the other live games (Leeds and Ipswich).

Skates lost

Why are we talking about ACL with regard to Stewart? Have I missed something, thought it was a hamstring

Not when they are 23, fair enough for academy players up to 21ish. Unless he's taking over from Ollie Lancashire.

I tend to agree, but WTF is he doing at the Club if he is never going to play? Still makes him a more viable option currently than Simeu. Yes he is 23, going on 24.

Thought Simeu was out long term, ruptured achilles. Vokins is still at the club.