Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2017 2:48 pm
Posts: 4813
Location: In the Armchair.
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THE CAZBAR BIG GAME PREVIEW – NEWPORT COUNTYI found Saturday away to Reading in the FA Cup a bit of a confusing picture, I sort of understand resting players and trying to integrate fringe players, Max Dean certainly needs saving from himself before he burns himself out, but some of those that came in just didn’t look that bothered about fighting for the shirt.
I suggested in my preview last week that MW would make changes and make changes he did including handing Kelly the gloves between the sticks, but IMHO opinion the likes of Mo & Leko did absolutely nothing to enhance their current standing in the team….and that is sad as we are going to need them, but I standby what I said a few weeks ago I think one or both of them will be gone in January, and in will come Gateshead striker Marcus Dinanga.
My overall view of the game was although we looked comfortable most of the time, I felt Reading always had that bit more. The goals though were disappointing, we went man for man at the back and Tucker was outmuscled and turned inside out for the first, Leko in the absence of Tucker who was subbed off early was supposed to be defending the cross and got easily done, and the third was just defensive suicide as we got caught playing it out from the back, in my book all defensive errors, but I’m glad it happened in the cup and not the league, and hopefully we will learn from that.
Our first goal was decent, a sweeping move and a first time cross from Norman with Gilbey finishing it off, and then Dean reacted quickest to a parried save by their keeper to give us a chance at the death, and I must mention that rugby tackle on Dean in the box, how is that not a penalty.
Anyway, enough about the FA Cup for another season, we have bigger fish to fry as we get back to League 2 action at the weekend and travel abroad to play Newport County at Rodney Parade.
Below are the league records of both clubs, plus the home record of Newport County and the away form of the Dons.
Newport (19th) – P 16, W 5, D 3, L 8, GF 26, GA 32, Pts 18.
Dons (12th) – P 16, W 6, D 4, L 6, GF 26, GA 24, Pts 22.
Newport (H) (14th) – P 8, W 3, D 3, L 2, GF 17, GA 14, Pts 12.
Dons (A) (14th) – P 8, W 2, D 2, L 4, GF 12, GA 14, Pts 8.
Below is the Home League 2 record of Newport County with the most recent game shown first.
Newport 3 Walsall 3
Newport 1 Harrogate 2
Newport 2 Colchester 1
Newport 1 Bradford 4
Newport 1 Barrow 1
Newport 2 AFC 2
Newport 3 Sutton 1
Newport 4 Doncaster 0
On Saturday Newport were at home to National League team Oldham Athletic in the FA Cup and ran out 2-0 winners with right wingback Shane McLoughlin scoring both goals.
The Gaffer at Newport County is a former no nonsense Centre Half Graham Coughlan whose former clubs include Blackburn, Plymouth, Swindon, Sheffield Wednesday, Burnley, Rotherham to name just a few of his 11 previous clubs. In total he played 511 games and scored 42 goals which isn’t a bad return for a defender.
This is his 4th appointment as a manager previously being at Bristol Rovers (Resigned), Mansfield Town (Resigned), Sheffield Utd U23’s (Contract End), and now Newport County since October 2022 on a two and a half year contract. His managerial stats have him just above that magical 33% with a record of P 140, W 49, D 44, L 47 giving him a Win Ratio of 35%.
One interesting thing I’ve dug up is that Coughlan has twice been named in the PFA Team of the Year and in addition the PFA League 2 Player of the Year, plus he has been the Plymouth Argle and the Sheffield Wednesday Player of the Year, tells you a lot about the man I think.
Top scorer for the Exiles is 26 year old Winger/Striker Will Evans who is in his 2nd season at the club following a move from Bala Town. So far he has scored 11 goals with 1 assist in 18 matches so it’s going to be key keeping him well marshalled or cutting off his supply line that looks like it comes from former Morecambe midfielder Aaron Wildig.
We have a decent record against County with the details shown below.
2016/17 – Newport 2 Dons 3 (LC) – (Bowditch 2, Tilney)
2018/19 – Newport 0 Dons 1 (Aneke)
2018/19 – Dons 2 Newport 0 (Cisse, Aneke)
2019/20 – Newport 3 Dons 0 (FLT)
2022/23 – Dons 3 Newport 1 (FLT) – (Burns, Dennis, Grigg)
That’s a record of P 5, W 4, D 0, L 1, GF 9, GA 6.
I have to say before I researched the match odds I thought the bookies would have this one fairly even but much to my surprise they have installed us as favourites.
Newport County 2/1, Draw 11/4, MK Dons 13/10.
Trying to look at this with an open mind, I would think a draw is the most likely result, but I’m going to stick my neck out and go for a Dons win.
Regarding team news, we are going to be without Tucker and Robson, but with Lewie back at least we have a ready made replacement in defence, Payne, Grant, and Dean are likely to also start, with Leko and Mo on the bench, and of course Mac back in goal, I’ll let MW sort out the detail, but that would be my call.
Safe travels to all those going to Wales.
Until next time.  WD
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Read the MELTDOWN after every game, no bullshit, just giving it straight
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