Cheltenham Town v Burton Albion

[Jon Palmer]

Team news, live updates and reaction all here this afternoon:
https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/s ... on-9138108

[asl]

Mr Duff in attendance.

[Leckyfan]

Both goalmouths looking very muddy/wet. Could be significant chances of errors in the six yard box.

[HamTown]

Both goalmouths looking very muddy/wet. Could be significant chances of errors in the six yard box.

Which isn't what Smith needs

[asl]

Looked a cast iron penalty for a trip on Lloyd. Not sure what the ref saw to decide it wasn't.

[Herbie53]

Looked a cast iron penalty for a trip on Lloyd. Not sure what the ref saw to decide it wasn't.

Definite penalty, and the away fans have the cheek to feel hard done by with a correct booking

[Alf]

We’ve had a decent amount of the ball but really lack a bit of quality when it comes to playing the ball into the box. Same problem with our set pieces.
Another dreadful reffing decision with Lloyds penalty decision.

[Leckyfan]

Looked a cast iron penalty for a trip on Lloyd. Not sure what the ref saw to decide it wasn't.

Definite penalty, and the away fans have the cheek to feel hard done by with a correct booking

No.

Just watched the replay several times. Lloyd fell in the box after a push (with a left elbow) by the Burton player, but crucially the offence took place just OUTSIDE the box. Looked a clear free kick (and a card), but not a penalty.

[HamTown]

Get Jordan Thomas and go for it. A draw isn't ideal

[CTFCfan99]

Fuming at that performance. Complete garbage

[art vandalay]

Poor. Apart from a good 20 minute spell in the first half I thought we looked tired. Not a single shot on target and that’s in what many would call a must win game. Right now I‘m struggling to see where those six wins or whatever will come from.

[CTFCfan99]

They just didn't look interested. Where was the urgency. This was the definition of a must win game and they produce that. Tactics all wrong and effort not good enough

[CTFCfan99]

Cant remember the last time I was this pissed off after a game. Fail to win Tuesday and that'll be a big nail in the coffin with the fixtures after

[Herbie53]

Looked a cast iron penalty for a trip on Lloyd. Not sure what the ref saw to decide it wasn't.

Definite penalty, and the away fans have the cheek to feel hard done by with a correct booking

No.

Just watched the replay several times. Lloyd fell in the box after a push (with a left elbow) by the Burton player, but crucially the offence took place just OUTSIDE the box. Looked a clear free kick (and a card), but not a penalty.

Fair enough, I've only seen it in (bloody cold) real-time

[Alf]

We need more quality up front. We just lob the ball hopefully into the box rather than playing it
specifically and win very few headers.
It’s all a bit ‘hit and hope’.
Round the front of the box we take the option of passing out to the wing rather than creating a shooting opportunity.

[Ihearye]

We need more quality up front. We just lob the ball hopefully into the box rather than playing it
specifically and win very few headers.
It’s all a bit ‘hit and hope’.
Round the front of the box we take the option of passing out to the wing rather than creating a shooting opportunity.

yep, it was not an enjoyable watch against a pretty poor team

[CTFCfan99]

I would start Nuttall and Keena on Tuesday. Think the forwards look completely gassed and need a break. Shake up the midfield too - Pett, Kinsella and Harrop. Would love to have Thomas on from the start but unless we change formation that won't happen.

[asl]

Two poor teams, neither deserving to stay up, on that performance.

[1985CTFC]

Two poor teams, neither deserving to stay up, on that performance.

Same could be said for Exeter, Shrewsbury PortVale Carlisle and Cambridge. At least Burton and us got a point. Not ideal performance but points wise better than 5 around us and on par with 2 others, Charlton and Burton.
All about points until season end.
We go again Tues night

[Jerry St Clair]

Awful weather
Awful game
(semi) Awful result

These are the sort of dross days you have to endure to properly enjoy the promotion parties. We served our penance with that one today, that's for sure.

[HamTown]

I would start Nuttall and Keena on Tuesday. Think the forwards look completely gassed and need a break. Shake up the midfield too - Pett, Kinsella and Harrop. Would love to have Thomas on from the start but unless we change formation that won't happen.

I think it's worth changing formation and starting Thomas. Him and Ferry are the only 2 that look like creating a chance and Ferry could well be injured.

Harrop for Sercs I'd agree with too

[asl]

Same could be said for Exeter, Shrewsbury PortVale Carlisle and Cambridge.

I can't judge any of those teams based upon the match I watched, today, unfortunately.

[Warwickshire Robin]

Really disappointingly flat performance especially second half. Lacking energy, spark and quality in the final third.

Felt sorry for the front two (three if you include Keena) as the service to them was almost non existant.

Back three did ok and think Bradbury would have got MotM if left to the very end but not arguing with Kinsella getting it as he was by far the best midfielder on show

Wondering why we bothered signing Sloggett as he cant even get on the bench when we need fresh legs.

[1985CTFC]

Same could be said for Exeter, Shrewsbury PortVale Carlisle and Cambridge.

I can't judge any of those teams based upon the match I watched, today, unfortunately.

From fans response they were all c!#p. So we gained on them all by a point. Nice to have had 3 but better than nothing.
Which of all the teams around us have the spirit and guts and will to survive. Going to be intriguing to see.

[paperboy]

I would start Nuttall and Keena on Tuesday. Think the forwards look completely gassed and need a break. Shake up the midfield too - Pett, Kinsella and Harrop. Would love to have Thomas on from the start but unless we change formation that won't happen.

I'm just praying that Rob Street might return earlier than anticipated because we can't keep flogging Taylor and Lloyd.
Trouble is given Keena is so inferior we can't rotate our strikers given that Nuttall is even behind Keena in the pecking order.
If I keep slagging off Keena he's bound to score isn't he, even if it's a penalty....oh hang on he's off those.

[Garby74]

It's almost like we have used up so much energy to catch up we are flatlining.

The high press high energy cheltenham have gathered the most points....but at the moment we are a spent force.

The emotional and physical miracle the players have performed has caught up.

Stick or twist?

I like Thomas...we need a hero.

Bradbury and Curtis were immense today.
To be fair smith settled too.

We are missing somthing in the middle.

[asl]

Bradbury and Curtis were immense today.

Agreed. I would have had either as MotM - not taking anything away from the actual recipient. Talking of which, if you haven't yet watched Kin on the BBC iPlayer, you're missing a treat: one of the beat things I've seen on TV for a while.

[Jerry St Clair]

The amount of space we had in the middle today was insane. Everytime Pete or Sercs had the ball, they seemed to have acres to play into. But we just did very very little with it. It's almost like we're better reacting, like we did against Port Vale, than trying to create.

A word on Andy Smith. I thought he played really well today. He made one sensational block in the first half in the penalty area to snuff out a decent chance. After Tuesday night, I thought that showed huge character.

[Broadway Brian]

I would start Nuttall and Keena on Tuesday. Think the forwards look completely gassed and need a break. Shake up the midfield too - Pett, Kinsella and Harrop. Would love to have Thomas on from the start but unless we change formation that won't happen.

I said during the match that today was the game for a Street / Lloyd combination. Pulling their defence out into the channels, roughing up the big lumps. Sercs then picking them off down the middle.

Taylor was being drawn out and nullified, any flick on Lloydy won was not therefore capitalised on, and their defence had a relatively easy ride once it was Keena and Taylor.

Ferry the most creative outlet over recent weeks. We need a Plan B.


I'm just praying that Rob Street might return earlier than anticipated because we can't keep flogging Taylor and Lloyd.
Trouble is given Keena is so inferior we can't rotate our strikers given that Nuttall is even behind Keena in the pecking order.
If I keep slagging off Keena he's bound to score isn't he, even if it's a penalty....oh hang on he's off those.

[art vandalay]

A total of two shots on target in our last three games must be a big concern.

[Warwickshire Robin]

The amount of space we had in the middle today was insane. Everytime Pete or Sercs had the ball, they seemed to have acres to play into. But we just did very very little with it. It's almost like we're better reacting, like we did against Port Vale, than trying to create.

A word on Andy Smith. I thought he played really well today. He made one sensational block in the first half in the penalty area to snuff out a decent chance. After Tuesday night, I thought that showed huge character.

Agreed re Andy Smith. Was worried when he got caught in possession early on but really grew into the game and with the other 2 cbs were very good albeit they werent really tested defensively very often.

[Robin]

It's almost like we have used up so much energy to catch up we are flatlining.

The high press high energy cheltenham have gathered the most points....but at the moment we are a spent force.

The emotional and physical miracle the players have performed has caught up.

Stick or twist?

I like Thomas...we need a hero.

Bradbury and Curtis were immense today.
To be fair smith settled too.

We are missing somthing in the middle.

We no longer have the forwards (other than Lloyd who looks very ineffective now) to play a high press and don't have the pace to get in behind teams either this is the heart of the issue, Burton forced us to play long by packing the midfield and leaving no space for us to play between. I thought we wasted a lot of set pieces and Burton rode their luck at times to almost snatch all three points when Luke had a rush of blood at the end.

[Robin]

A total of two shots on target in our last three games must be a big concern.

How many did we have yesterday, I could only think of two both for Taylor one which seemed a certain goal but defender blocked it and the other the free header which the keeper caught easily.

[everyman]

It's almost like we have used up so much energy to catch up we are flatlining.

The high press high energy cheltenham have gathered the most points....but at the moment we are a spent force.

The emotional and physical miracle the players have performed has caught up.

Stick or twist?

I like Thomas...we need a hero.

Bradbury and Curtis were immense today.
To be fair smith settled too.

We are missing somthing in the middle.

We no longer have the forwards (other than Lloyd who looks very ineffective now) to play a high press and don't have the pace to get in behind teams either this is the heart of the issue, Burton forced us to play long by packing the midfield and leaving no space for us to play between. I thought we wasted a lot of set pieces and Burton rode their luck at times to almost snatch all three points when Luke had a rush of blood at the end.

Lloyd ran straight down the tunnel when taken off,was he ill ?

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

A total of two shots on target in our last three games must be a big concern.

How many did we have yesterday, I could only think of two both for Taylor one which seemed a certain goal but defender blocked it and the other the free header which the keeper caught easily.

BBC says no efforts on target, out of eight shots in total. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68389256

CTFC.com also says zero on target from eight. https://www.ctfc.com/matches/fixtures/f ... 02-mar-24/

I suspect they both get the data from the same provider.