MATCHWATCH : Newport County (h)

[Crowbar6753]

Sometimes we just have to shake our heads and look at this whole situation we are in!! Here we are under just about every embargo the EFL can throw at us with numerous points deductions over the past couple of seasons and we are all here debating which of the three competitions we should take seriously or lightly.
The fact that we are even fighting for the playoffs and on two cup fronts with our current crop of players is just staggering!!!!

This whole situation is frustrating and quite honestly scary yet here we are!! If we can just get this takeover over line it really does show that you can be somewhat competitive and run a club on a shoestring budget if you have a successfully and well run academy such as ours.

Maybe just maybe we can learn from our mistakes and move to a well run club in the near future

[Royals and Racers]

Decent starting X 1 also strong bench

[Clyde1998]

Button
Ahmed - Mbengue - Dorsett - Garcia
Elliott - Spencer - Wing
Camara - Wareham - Akande

Subs: CBC; Craig; Knibbs; Rushesha; Campbell; Kanu; Holzman

[Clyde1998]

Decent starting X 1 also strong bench

Surprised how strong we’ve gone. Clearly want to get through.

EDIT: Seems Newport have made eleven changes too. Should win tonight with the side we’ve put out.

[Sutekh]

Do you think the board targeted Selles with promotion? I mean... we're doing well, but it is a surprise even to us. We know we have a good squad, little depth, playing our admittedly good youth players.

I'd take a cup win like this over promotion right now. Winning a cup and getting out of the financial mess and selling the club sets up nicely for future growth, imo.

I’d be surprised if Selles’ job depends on us getting promoted or into the play-offs, but I think the board (or whoever’s making decisions) wants us to maximise our league position.

There’s a significant gulf in TV revenue between Championship and League One clubs (which has grown with the new TV deal). I imagine getting back to the Championship is viewed as necessary financially, especially without a takeover happening.

A cup run in either the FA Cup or League Trophy pales in comparison to promotion in revenue terms.

If there’s any chance of the play-offs and promotion, and currently there is, the priority will be that.

I’m sure we’d all like a cup run (especially if we can win this Trophy), but the priority will be the league and key players won’t be risked unless we reach the semis - even if it means we get knocked out early from the Trophy.

A cup run might help keep the club afloat, particularly if it comes with a TV showing.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Can we all please stop kidding ourselves that the mickey mouse pizza cup can somehow save the club? TV revenue and prize money can probably buy a few Freddos.

An FA Cup run is a different matter.

[From Despair To Where?]

To be fair, if, and I accept that's a big if, but if we got to the final we could take 30,000+ to Wembley and that would be a decent pay day.

[Vision]

I doubt doing well in the EFL Trophy will help with that.

Do you think the board targeted Selles with promotion? I mean... we're doing well, but it is a surprise even to us. We know we have a good squad, little depth, playing our admittedly good youth players.

I'd take a cup win like this over promotion right now. Winning a cup and getting out of the financial mess and selling the club sets up nicely for future growth, imo.

I'd say we just need to amass enough league points to negate any potential points deduction and drop off in form if we lose key players in January.

I'm all for wishful thinking but I think without a committed takeover then anything other than avoiding relegation is fanciful.

[stealthpapes]

Bit scrappy, few mistakes here and there. Wing almost scored an absolute worldy from nowhere.

[stealthpapes]

Post and out after a terrible bit of Newport defending

[morganb]

Mbengue yellow card - is he now suspended?

[windermereROYAL]

Those Newport fans are a bit annoying.

[windermereROYAL]

So Garcia gets a yellow for tugging back, but when their LB does the same thing it`s not even a foul.

[windermereROYAL]

Missing some easy chances.

[Sutekh]

This is pretty awful stuff, wasting chance after chance.

[Clyde1998]

This is pretty awful stuff, wasting chance after chance.

Should be at least two up. Concerning the amount of chances we’re missing.

Feeling like the sort of game we’ll end up losing 1-0 or on penalties at the moment.

[windermereROYAL]

Should be game over already, Wareham has been poor.

[Hound]

I’ve quite enjoyed it so far - some of the academy lads playing well and showing so good ability

Been a bit more sloppy second half but it’s an entertaining game

[morganb]

Mbengue off injured (hopefully not bad)

[Pepe the Horseman]

We should have scored 10 tonight. Everyone's scared to shoot.