Pre-Match Thoughts - Millwall

After Saturday's win against Rochdale, Posh move swiftly on to a tough trip to the Den to play Millwall on Tuesday night.

Millwall

Millwall come into the game on the back of a 0-0 draw against Oldham Athletic. They missed two penalties in stoppage time at the end of the game as Oldham stopper Connor Ripley singled handedly denied them all three points. This came as good news to Posh, who can leapfrog their opponents with a win at The Den.

They're likely to set up in a 4-4-2 formation, with two banks of four set up to frustrate Posh's attacking threats. Shaun Williams in central midfield is pivotal to how they play, both defensively and the threat he poses when his team attack. He's good in the air, he can pick a pass, and has also been known to hit the occasional screamer, whether that be from open play or a free kick.

Lee Gregory is another threat that Posh need to be aware of. He knows where the goal is, and alongside veteran striker Steve Morison, the Posh back line will be in for a battle on Tuesday night. Fred Onyedinma has been impressive for Millwall this season, and he may turn provider for most chances that drop to Morison and Gregory.

Posh

Jack Baldwin, as we know, has picked up a two match ban after his second red card of the season on Saturday. Posh have sent Dominic Ball back to Rotherham after he and Posh boss Grant McCann had a disagreement over a team selection which saw Ball drop to the bench. That has subsequently led McCann to send him back to his parent team. In his interview, he said we don't need players like that at the football club, so we move on without him, and hopefully it'll be for the better. Ball had performed fairly well in his games with the Posh, but we do have options in the back line, so it shouldn't cause too much of a problem.

Both Anthony Grant and Chris Forrester come back into contention after serving their suspensions. I would expect them both to start, given Baldwin's suspension and Ball's departure, as Michael Bostwick will probably partner Ryan Tafazolli at the heart of the defence. This could see Grant and Forrester playing the holding roles in front of the back four, if Posh decide to continue with the 4-2-3-1 formation which proved to be successful against Rochdale on Saturday. Forrester could play a more advanced role, though, with Leo Da Silva Lopes and Brad Inman also in contention for the midfield spots.

If McCann doesn't want to drop Bostwick into the middle of the back four, he could shift Andrew Hughes across and play Jerome Binnom-Williams at left back. Hughes played a number of games for Newport at centre back. However, at the start of the season, McCann spoke of the importance of having one left footer, and one right footer at the heart of the defence, and the only player he can play in the middle with Tafazolli to keep that balance, is Bostwick.

Tom Nichols, I imagine, will keep his place after his goal on Saturday, which will leave Craig Mackail-Smith, Junior Morias and Lee Angol out of the starting line up. CMS is still in search of his 100th goal, and if he's going to get it in this one, it will probably have to be during a substitute appearance.

Harry Anderson has trained this week and could come into McCann's thinking, but that would probably only be as a substitute. He has stiff competition in his position, with Martin Samuelsen, Brad Inman and Callum Chettle all vying for places in the squad.

My predicted Posh line-up (click image to enlarge):

Subs: Tyler, Binnom-Williams, Inman, Samuelsen, Morias, Angol, Mackail-Smith

Prediction: Millwall 0-1 Posh - After Saturday's result, there's reason to be optimistic. Grant and Forrester's return could play a huge part in snatching all three points from Millwall. Millwall haven't conceded many recently, so I wouldn't expect us to get more than one or two, but having been shut out by Oldham on Saturday, I'm hoping Posh can capitalise on any lack of confidence up top. 

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Post-Match Reaction - Rochdale

Well, it wasn't perfect by any means, but it was certainly a vast improvement on the recent performances from the Posh.

Posh started brightly but couldn't muster anything clear cut to trouble the Dale keeper. That was until Jack Baldwin found space in the box to steer Posh into a 1-0 lead following a corner from Marcus Maddison. A move followed that looked almost like the Posh of old - good work on the right wing afforded Leo Da Silva Lopes the space to set Tom Nichols up for his 12th goal of the season. And just like that, Posh switched back to the team who have been leaking goals in recent weeks, the defence were cut open by a through ball which allowed Joe Thompson a simple one on one finish to reduce the arrears for the visitors. Joe Rafferty saw a red just before half time when he picked up a second yellow for hauling back Marcus Maddison. So Posh led 2-1 at half time, and apart from the goal conceded, it was looking pretty good.

Eight minutes into the second half, Donal McDermott became the second Dale player to be sent for an early bath. His lunging tackle on Baldwin was his final action of the game, as referee Chris Sarginson gave him a straight red card. Posh had a number of chances, but the likes of Brad Inman Marcus Maddison and birthday boy Craig Mackail-Smith all squandered decent attempts to put the game beyond any reasonable doubt. Referee Sarginson brought the red card out for the third time in the game, sending Jack Baldwin off for a second bookable offence, before Paul Taylor ended the contest with a well struck effort which left Wilson in the Dale goal with no chance.

Final Score: Posh 3-1 Rochdale

My man of the match: Michael Bostwick - Didn't put a foot wrong all afternoon, and timed his tackles to perfection. Provided good protection for the back four and a partnership with Anthony Grant seems exciting.

There were plenty of positives on show for the Posh, but some areas for concern, also. The defence, despite looking fairly solid for most of the afternoon, were completely undone by one decent pass for the Rochdale goal. Ryan Tafazolli charged out of the back line on a few occasions to try and win the ball high up the pitch, and one of those ended up seeing his defensive partner, Baldwin, sent off.

Tafazolli was beaten by a Dale man and, in my opinion, should've took one for the team and hauled the man down before he reached Baldwin. He didn't do so, and Baldwin was left with no other alternative other than to let the man run in on goal, or bring him down. He chose the latter, and will now probably miss the next two games due to his sending off earlier in the season.

Posh played more of a 4-2-3-1, which looked pretty good. Grant McCann spoke in his post match interview about the importance of getting his more influential players higher up the pitch - he was spot on. Taylor and Maddison found plenty of space to work in and produced the kind of quality we've become used to seeing from them. Tom Nichols benefitted from their movement and quality deliveries, as did Mackail-Smith, who really should've scored his 100th goal for the club today.

On Tuesday we go to Millwall, and will have Anthony Grant back in contention. Grant alongside Bostwick in a 4-2-3-1 formation could work for Posh. Both are solid, and working together could provide some much needed protection for our still shaky back line. I imagine Leo Da Silva Lopes or Brad Inman could drop out of the starting XI, but I'll revisit that prospect in my pre-match thoughts ahead of Tuesday's game.

So the win for Posh left us just three points off the playoffs, with Millwall drawing to Oldham, and Southend slipping up at Gillingham. Three points on Tuesday could see Posh move level on points with 6th place Southend, and in all honesty you really would have to put Posh right back in the playoff picture should that take place. Southend don't play on Tuesday, so they will have a game in hand, but three points are vital in what has to go down as the most important game of the season so far at The Den on Tuesday!

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Pre-Match Thoughts - Rochdale

After Tuesday night's disaster, the Posh welcome Rochdale to the ABAX Stadium in a must win fixture for Grant McCann's team.

Posh

For 40 minutes, Posh weren't too bad on Tuesday. But that doesn't take away from the capitulation that eventually took place. We were all over the place defensively and didn't look like we were ever going to create enough chances to compete with Southend.

Dominic Ball could come back into contention after being dropped to the bench on Tuesday, as two games in a week might come too soon for Jack Baldwin. Having said that, Michael Bostwick also looked a bit leggy towards the end of Tuesdays game, so at least one of them is likely to play. Chris Forrester and Anthony Grant are still suspended, so Ball could feature either at the heart of the defence, or in front of the back four.

Martin Samuelsen didn't have much of an affect on Tuesday's game, so I'd expect him to start on the bench on Saturday. Paul Taylor could come back in to the line up, whilst Brad Inman will also probably be in contention. Harry Anderson is nearing a return but still has some work to do, so I wouldn't expect to see him in the match day squad this weekend.

Tom Nichols could also return to the line up after his goal on Tuesday night. Craig Mackail-Smith is his likely strike partner, as Junior Morias could drop to the bench. Lee Angol may also be in the question but I imagine he'll be amongst the subs again.

My predicted line-up (click image to enlarge): 

Subs: Tyler, Binnom-Williams, Baldwin, Samuelsen, Inman, Angol, Morias

Rochdale

Posh's opponents are on a run of 7 games without a win in all competitions, but still sit one place above Posh in the League One table. Their last match was a 3-3 draw to Charlton Athletic, where former Posh man Nathaniel Mendez-Laing scored 6 minutes from time to rescue a point for Keith Hill's team. 

Calvin Andrew is one of Dale's main goal threats, and will be one to watch if he gets the nod to start against Posh on Saturday. He was among the scorers in the game against Charlton, and will be looking to continue his run against a fragile Posh defence. Ian Henderson is also a threat, and scored against Posh on the opening day of the season. Posh won 3-2 on the day, thanks to a last minute diving header from Gwion Edwards. 

Steven Davies signed a new one year deal with our visitors recently, but may miss the game through injury. Mendez-Laing could earn a start, but may have to settle for a place on the bench against his former employers. 

It seems Dale's defence may be just as fragile as Posh's, so if Posh can create a few chances, we might be in for a high scoring game, for a change (not meaning to tempt fate, of course).

Prediction: Posh 2-1 Rochdale - I don't know why, but I've gone for a Posh win. Dale's defence looks dodgy and if Posh's can hold firm, I reckon we're fully capable of snatching all three points on Saturday. I'm also backing CMS to bag his 100th goal in front of the London Road End to win the game, so I've got everything crossed for tomorrow's game. 

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Pre-Match Thoughts - Southend United

As many of my regular readers will know by now, I usually do a post before and after each match. But if I'm honest, I had absolutely nothing to say about the shambles that took place at Walsall last week. It was a joke, an embarrassment, and simply not good enough from everyone involved in the incidents in the dying moments of the match.

So moving swiftly on, we host Southend United at the ABAX tonight, in a game which really could make or break our season. Southend are just ahead of us, and in my mind this game really is win or bust.

Posh

Following Saturday's events, Posh will be missing captain (and I use the term in its loosest possible form) Chris Forrester after his stupid red card, as well as Anthony Grant, who picked up his 10th yellow of the season at Walsall. Gwion Edwards was stretchered off on Saturday and will miss tonights fixture, whilst Grant McCann refused to rule out Michael Bostwick, who has been making good progress in his recovery from a broken jaw.

Dominic Ball is capable of playing at the base of the diamond, which could see a return to the line up for Jack Baldwin. Brad Inman could also play as Posh are short on numbers in midfield. Paul Taylor was below par on Saturday, so I'm expecting him to be back amongst the subs. Martin Samuelsen could start, and I'd fully expect Marcus Maddison to return to the line up tonight.

Jerome Binnom-Williams missed out on Saturday, and providing he's fit, I'd expect him to return to the squad, although Andrew Hughes didn't really do too much wrong on Saturday in my book.

I think we're going to see a mix up in the starting XI tonight, and really it's difficult to guess who will play. In all honesty, any one of Saturday's team could be dropped, and I imagine some of them will be.

My predicted line up (click image to enlarge):

Subs: Tyler, Binnom-Williams, Da Silva Lopes, Bostwick, Taylor, Morias, Nichols

Southend United

Southend have enjoyed a good season up to now, and currently sit in 6th - three points clear of Posh. They were pegged back twice on Saturday by Northampton Town, and ended up only taking a point from the game, but have beaten Oxford United and Scunthorpe in recent weeks. 

Their main goal threat is Simon Cox. He's made the step down to League One, and seems to have found his level as he's flourished under Phil Brown this term. Cox's strike partner is likely to be Marc-Antoine Fortune - the veteran striker is also capable of taking his chances, so the Posh defence will have to be alert to keep them quiet tonight. 

Southend may be missing central midfielder Michael Timlin, and centre back Anton Ferdinand - whose partners are both expecting to give birth in the coming days. They both may feature in the match, but it'd certainly help Posh if they were missing and Southend were forced to make changes to their preferred line up. 

Prediction: Posh 1-2 Southend - I can't justify predicting a Posh win after Saturday's farce. Southend have been going very well in the league this season and Posh's weakened midfield might pay dividends in tonight's game. Southend actually have players capable of scoring on a regular basis and I just can't see Posh coming out of it with anything more than a point. Hopefully they prove me wrong! 

Pre-Match Thoughts - Walsall

Grant McCann takes his Posh side to Walsall on Saturday, in search of a second consecutive win in League One

Walsall

Walsall, like Posh, have been fairly inconsistent this season. However, they do sit just four points behind us, as we lock horns with them on Saturday afternoon. Last time out, they went to high flyers Scunthorpe and held them to a 0-0 draw. Like Posh, they're largely an unknown quantity from week to week. 

They do have a new talisman in the shape of former Posh midfielder, Erhun Oztumer. The general consensus among Posh fans is that Oztumer was a very talented player on his day, but those days just didn't come regularly enough. But he seems to hit a run of form this season, and has been an important aspect of the Saddlers team. 

Walsall will be missing another former Posh player: Florent Cuvellier will miss the game with a calf strain, as Walsall are yet to find out the severity of the problem. He limped off against Scunthorpe on Tuesday night and is expected to miss a few weeks. 

Walsall teams in recent years have been really difficult opposition, mainly due to a number of players they'd acquired. But the likes of Tom Bradshaw, Romaine Sawyers have both moved on to Championship clubs. Rico Henry also left the club in the summer to team up with former Saddlers boss Dean Smith, at Brentford. 

Posh

Posh finally scored their first goals at the ABAX Stadium in 2017 on Tuesday, and will be looking to pick up where they left off in the second half of Tuesdays win over Shrewsbury. It may have been the centre backs that scored the goals, but at least we scored then. But Saturday does need to see the attacking players pick up their form and start finding the goal themselves. 

I dont think there will be too many changes from the team that started on Tuesday. However Paul Taylor must be in with a shout of starting after his performance against the Shrews. Marcus Maddison was withdrawn at half time, and there's a chance he may have to settle for a place on the bench on Saturday, 

Gwion Edwards has reportedly been struggling with an injury, but if he's fit I fully expect him to keep his place in the starting XI. If he doesn't make it, Maddison, Leo Da Silva Lopes, Brad Inman and Martin Samuelsen will all be vying for his place in the line up. 

Craig Mackail-Smith may also come back into the reckoning after being left on the bench on Tuesday, but I'm going to predict that Junior Morias and Lee Angol will keep their places in the starting XI. 

My predicted line up (click image to enlarge): 

Subs: Tyler, Baldwin, Maddison, Da Silva Lopes, Samuelsen, CMS, Nichols

Prediction: Walsall 1-2 Posh - I think Posh will return to goalscoring form on Saturday with another two goals. I think Walsall will get one, maybe through Oztumer, who has said he will celebrate if he scores against us on Saturday. Ultimately, I'm predicting a Posh win, and a chance to move into the playoffs, with Milwall being involved in the FA Cup this weekend. 

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Post-Match Reaction - Shrewsbury Town

It may not have been pretty, but a win is a win in my book and it could turn out to be a vital one come the end of the season.

Posh started the better of the sides with Junior Morias and Lee Angol working hard to test Jason Leutweiller in the Shrewsbury goal. Despite their best efforts, it was the visitors who took the lead when Michael Smith handled a deep cross and gifted the Shrews a penalty. It was Stephen Humphrys, who I featured in my Pre-Match Thoughts, who converted the penalty and sent him team one up at the break.

The second half was an evenly balanced affair until Humphrys picked up a second yellow card for standing in the way of a free kick that Posh were about to take. Grant McCann took the risk of playing three at the back and throwing everything we had at the Shrewsbury goal. It paid off eventually when Ryan Tafazolli nodded home to level things up. Taf's goal was closely followed by a first professional goal for his central defensive partner, Dominic Ball. So Posh had the win, the three points, and gained a bit of momentum going into Saturday's clash at Walsall.

Posh created chances but couldn't take them again, which is a regular occurrence at the moment. But at this stage it doesn't really matter who scores the goals, as long as we win, and we did just that. Angol and Morias showed signs of a decent partnership, but CMS came on and did well, so there is more food for thought for McCann ahead of Saturday's game.

Shrewsbury came into the game in really good form, but Posh in the end got just about what they deserved. It may have been Valentines Day, but there was nothing romantic about this victory. A hard fought, well earned three points, and we have to give the players credit for that!

Pre-Match Thoughts - Shrewsbury Town

After suffering heart break in the dying moments on Saturday, the Posh are straight back in action, in a bid to get back to winning ways (again).

Posh

I imagine Leo Da Silva Lopes will be back in contention to at least make the bench after being rested on Saturday, whilst Paul Taylor may or may not return to the fold. Grant McCann has a decision to make regarding who drops out of the squad, if anyone, as we have so many midfield options at the moment.

If I was Grant McCann, I'd be considering dropping Brad Inman back to the bench for tomorrows game, and I'd probably recall Chris Forrester to the starting line up. Inman did OK in spells but didn't have any kind of influence going forward, and at times didn't look like he wanted to get involved too much.

Jack Baldwin will probably be in with a chance of returning to the line up after making the bench on Saturday. I would expect Dominic Ball to continue alongside Ryan Tafazolli for now, though.

Again there is question marks over the options up front. Craig Mackail-Smith was full of running but didn't get any real clear cut chances to score against Sheffield United, but I hope he keeps his place in the line up. McCann then has Tom Nichols, Junior Morias all vying for the other forward position, and it's tough to guess who he's going to start with from one week to the next. I think he'll stick with Nichols, although I'd consider Angol, just to see if the 'big man, little man' combination of Angol and CMS would work.

My predicted line up (click image to enlarge): 

Subs: Tyler, Hughes, Baldwin, Da Silva Lopes, Samuelsen, Morias, Angol

Shrewsbury

The Shrews picked up Freddie Ladapo on loan from Crystal Palace a few weeks ago, and he's settled right in as one of the main men in their attack. My Oldham supporting friend informs me that he was completely incapable of scoring during a loan spell at the Latics, but he's definitely found his feet at Greenhous Meadow so far. He's definitely one I'd expect Tafazolli to be keeping an eye on, and that could be one of the pivotal battles as Posh go in search of three points.

Another striker Posh may need to keep an eye on, if he's in the Shrews squad, is Stephen Humphrys. I had the chance to watch the on loan Fulham front man in a game between the Fulham U23's v West Ham U23's and he was very impressive. He netted twice on that day in a 4-1 win, against a West Ham team which included our very own Martin Samuelsen.

On paper, Posh have by far the better squad, but Paul Hurst's side travel to the ABAX in good form, and in high spirits. They haven't lost in their last six League One fixtures, so Posh need to be wary of their Shropshire opponents.

The Shrews went to Scunthorpe's Glanford Park on Saturday and left with all three points and a clean sheet intact, so they certainly won't be worried about the prospect of playing an inconsistent Posh team.

Prediction: Posh 3-1 Shrewsbury - I'm putting my neck on the line on this one, especially with the Shrews being in such good form. However I thought we played relatively well on Saturday, and if we can play like that, but with more of a cutting edge against Shrewsbury, I think we'll be just fine (I hope).

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Post-Match Reaction - Port Vale

After a difficult January, it's safe to say we got back to winning ways with ease at Port Vale on Saturday.

Posh came out with a point to prove, and immediately started putting the pressure on Vale. Vale's only way out was a host of corners and free kicks which came to nothing. Posh looked comfortable, they just needed a goal to calm any nerves. When Maddison hit the deck inside the box they had the chance, but Maddison saw his effort saved by debutant Leo Fasan. But a minute later, Maddison cut in from the right and hit a curling effort to give Posh a well deserved lead at half time.

Anthony Grant was doing the job he was signed for to absolute perfection, mopping up Vale's attacks before they got far enough to threaten the Posh back line. The game became stretched as the Valliants threw everything they had at Posh in order to get back into the game. You always felt Posh had the capability to capitalise on the counter attack. They did just that, Junior Morias danced inside and fired his first goal for the club, and backed it up 5 minutes later with another well taken effort.

As I said in my pre-match thoughts, now was the time for Posh to knuckle down and concentrate on the league again after the drama of the transfer window had passed. The players all now know they'll be here until at least the end of the season, and seemed to realise that they need to put a shift in for this club again.

Anthony Grant had a solid debut, as did Craig Mackail-Smith, who linked up well with fellow front man Tom Nichols. However the partnership I'd like to see is CMS and Morias, and I'm sure plenty of fans will agree. Morias has proved he knows where the goal is, and CMS showed glimpses of his old self, and I don't think it'll be long before we see that long awaited 100th Posh goal for a player who is already seen as a legend in these parts.

Posh didn't seem to miss the likes of Michael Bostwick and Chris Forrester, which is definitely a huge positive. When we get that duo back, the strength in depth in the squad will be outstanding, and we could be well placed to have a crack at the playoffs, after all.

I still think it's a big ask, but we're not actually that far behind the teams in the playoffs after yesterdays results. Next Saturday's game at home to Sheffield United is all set up to be an absolute cracker.

Final Score: Port Vale 0-3 Posh

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Pre-Match Thoughts - Port Vale

Now the drama of the transfer window is gone, Posh can finally concentrate fully on their return to form (hopefully) in League One, starting on Saturday at Port Vale

Port Vale

Michael Brown took over from Bruno Ribeiro earlier on in the season and is unbeaten at Vale Park so far. He's made a number of changes to the squad, including allowing Anthony Grant to join the Posh on deadline day.

He lost Jak Alnwick, brother of Ben, and brought in Leo Fasan on loan from Celtic. He's also added young QPR midfielders Axel Prohouly and Olamide Shodipo to his ranks on loan, whilst experienced midfielder/defender Danny Pugh joined on a permanent deal from Blackpool.

It's always a battle at Vale Park, and I wouldn't expect this game to be any different. In general, teams leave there knowing they've been in a game, whether they won or not. As of late, the Valliants have been in good form, especially at home, and will be well aware of Posh's recent run of poor results.

Posh

It must have come as a relief to everyone at the club when the window closed. There's always a huge amount of speculation surrounding our players in January, and it looked as though a few heads were turned. But as it is, we didn't sell any of our main assets, so everyone can knuckle down again and start to work towards improving our form.

Andrew Hughes may not be fit for the game, so Jerome Binnom-Williams could continue at left back. Michael Bostwick is out for a month, so I'd expect Dominic Ball to come in for him. I imagine Anthony Grant will start at the home of his former club, possibly replacing Leo Da Silva Lopes. Gwion Edwards could also be in with a shout of starting, following an indifferent display from Martin Samuelsen last week. Craig Mackail-Smith joined on deadline day, but I think he will have to settle for a place amongst the substitutes at this moment in time.

Posh have a number of midfield and forward options, and Grant McCann must be considering changes after the horror show against MK Dons.

Predicted line up (click image to enlarge): 

Subs: Tyler, Hughes, Da Silva Lopes, Samuelsen, Angol, Taylor, Mackail-Smith

Prediction: Port Vale 1-1 Posh - As previously stated, Michael Brown is unbeaten at Vale Park so far, and it's always a battle. I think it'd take a hugely improved performance from Posh to come away with a win, so I'm predicting a draw this week. 

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Post-Match Reaction - MK Dons

It's not often that I'm left with absolutely nothing to say, but this is definitely one of those occasions.

The first half lacked any real clear cut chances, other than Lee Angol having a shot cleared off the line. Harvey Barnes, on loan at MK from Leicester City, looked the most likely of the Dons players to cause Posh any problems, but the teams were as they started at 0-0 as they went in at the break. Marcus Maddison showed glimpses of quality but there was no end product from any Posh players in the first half.

45 minutes without conceding was the positive, but the lack of creativity and firepower was again evident, and something Posh needed to improve on in the second half. I can assure you they did the absolute opposite, Harvey Barnes slotted past Luke McGee to open the scoring, before Kieran Agard made it 2-0. Chuks Aneke scored the goal of the game to make it 3, and Posh's non-existent defence let him find space in the box to make it 4-0 to Robbie Neilson's side.

For my thoughts on why this has happened, again, take a look at my Believing Their Own Hype post from earlier in the week.

The next few days are now vital for Posh, who need to decide whether to accept bids for their main assets - who have all been nothing short of terrible in recent weeks. McCann has stated that the club have targets should they let their current players go - it's time to pursue those players in my opinion.

Grant McCann did finally ditch the diamond formation, in favour of a flat 4-4-2. However the two central midfielders were out of position on countless occasions, and Paul Taylor spent more time in the middle of the park than he did up front. It was a passionless, gutless, and uninterested performance yet again, and this simply cannot continue.

Final Score: Posh 0-4 MK Dons

Pre-Match Thoughts - MK Dons

The Posh are finally back at home in League One, and local(ish) rivals MK Dons are the visitors in a vital clash for Grant McCann's team. I wouldn't call it a must win just yet, but it's certainly a must not lose, after the woeful performance at Oldham in midweek. The game has been designated as Chris Turner day, in order to raise money for the statue of the Posh legend.

Posh

With regards to team news, it's quite difficult to predict what the line up will be this week. With a number of important players putting in below par performances of late, I can see a number of changes for this one.

Andrew Hughes has struggled lately, and with McCann wanting more emphasis on attacking football, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see former Crystal Palace left back Jerome Binnom-Williams in the starting XI.

I'd also expect to see Junior Morias make his home debut, maybe partnering Paul Taylor up front. Lee Angol and Tom Nichols haven't exactly hit off a partnership, and it looks as though it could be time for a change. Marcus Maddison has been linked with Fulham over the past couple of days, and if there's anything in that, it could be time for Brad Inman to step up and start a match for the first time in the league this season.

Predicted Line Up (Click image to enlarge):

Subs: Tyler, Hughes, Edwards, Samuelsen, Inman, Angol, Nichols

MK Dons 

Robbie Neilson is starting to come to terms with managing in English football, and seems to have helped his side turn a corner following their poor start to the season. Chuks Aneke has been a big part of what Neilson is trying to do at Stadium:MK, and he's certainly going to be one to watch, should he feature against The Posh.

They lost Samir Carruthers to Sheffield United this month, but put Northampton Town to the sword in their last league match, running out 5-3 winners against Justin Edinburgh's new team.   They had 4 goal scorers on that day, and they will be looking for a repeat performance at the ABAX on Saturday afternoon.

They currently sit in 16th in League One, but I'd fully expect them to improve on that position between now and the end of the season. That said, I hope they don't start improving against Posh!!

Prediction: Posh 2-1 MK Dons - Purely because Posh haven't lost back to back league games all season, I'm again expecting a reaction to the previous defeat, and hopefully the three points we desperately need at this stage of the season.

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Post-Match Reaction - Oldham Athletic

Following the postponement of the previously arranged fixture between these two sides, Oldham made admission for this game free of charge. And the the Posh fans that turned up well and truly got what they paid for.

Whilst Oldham didn't cause Posh too many problems at the back, the first half didn't exactly go to plan. Posh's best efforts on goal came from Chris Forrester, Michael Bostwick and Tom Nichols, who all tried their luck from 30+ yards out, and never looked like scoring. Oldham had a game plan - to be physical, and punt the ball as far up the pitch every time they regained possession. In the opening 45 minutes, their plan was paying off. They bullied Posh all over the pitch, and didn't give up any good chances at all. Despite being 23rd in League One, they do have a very good defensive record, and Posh looked like they'd run out of ideas as the game reached the half way mark.

So after 15 minutes of advice from Grant McCann, Posh were going to come out and take the game to Oldham? Yes? ...No. Oldham picked up where they left off and started to test Luke McGee in the Posh goal. And just when you thought this game couldn't get any worse - Oldham were awarded a penalty. No one is completely sure what it was given for, but it was given, and Paul Green scored. Junior Morias entered the frame with 15 minutes to go. Posh needed a reaction, and fast. They didn't get it, McLaughlin made it 2-0 to the relegation candidates, and Posh were dead and buried.

Again this seems to be an example of the Posh players believing their own hype after a win. We went to Swindon, won the match and now the players believe they're too good for this level again. We went to Chelsea and put in a spirited display, and backed that up with the embarrassing 5-1 loss at Bury. Whilst these players get ahead of themselves each time they win, we will be staying in this league. The group of players we have at the moment need to realise that they haven't actually achieved anything yet, and while they haven't achieved anything, their dream moves might not actually be forthcoming.

Grant McCann said he didn't want too many signings in this January transfer window, but to be honest, he might not be left with any choice. Something needs to change, and if this group of players aren't going to be consistent at this level, we need players who will be. We have so many players who are clearly very talented, but for whatever reason, it's just not coming together for Posh at the moment.

We may only be in January, but it'd take one hell of a winning run to get us into the playoffs at this stage.

Final Score: Oldham 2-0 Posh

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Pre-Match Thoughts - Oldham Athletic

So The Posh travel to relegation candidates Oldham Athletic tomorrow night, in a bid to make it back to back wins in League One

Oldham:

One of my friends at university, Chris Howarth, is an Oldham fan, and he reliably informs me that his team are incapable of scoring goals this season, so let's hope they don't choose this game to start finding the net... Their last game was a 1-0 loss at Shrewsbury, where former Latics loanee Freddie Ladapo scored the only goal of the game.

They currently sit 22nd, and recently reappointed former Notts County boss John Sheridan as their manager, following Steve Robinson's short stint at the helm. Sheridan has wasted no time in making changes to their squad, allowing central midfielders Carl Winchester and Mark Klok to leave the club. He's also brought in target man Michael Ngoo, as well as bringing Aaron Amadi-Holloway and Anthony Gerrard back for their second spells at Boundary Park.

Chris has also informed that their goalkeeper, Connor Ripley, is one of the main reasons why they don't lose every game by more than a goal or two. However, Grant McCann's first game in caretaker charge of the team last season was a huge 5-1 win at Oldham, and he will be hoping for a repeat performance. Lee Angol netted twice on that day, as did Souleymane Coulibaly, with Erhun Oztumer scoring the other goal.

Posh:

Following Saturday's win at Swindon, Posh will certainly be looking to make it two wins on the spin on Tuesday night. Dominic Ball made his debut, and was solid throughout the game, dealing with everything that came his way. Michael Bostwick's re-introduction to the midfield was also a big positive for Posh, and I would expect him to stay in that position at the base of the diamond.

I imagine it'll be an unchanged side from Saturday's win, unless there's any injuries or transfers that we don't know about yet. All in all, I'm expecting us to win, and in truth, win well against a team who look as though they're fighting an up hill battle to stay in League One beyond this season.

The only area of the team I would possibly expect changes is up front. McCann opted to bring Paul Taylor on up front over recent signing Junior Morias, on Saturday, so if I had to predict any changes, I'd probably expect to see Taylor starting in place of Nichols. However, I'm a believer in the phrase 'if it's not broken, don't fix it', and I think we'll start with the team that started at Swindon on Saturday.

My predicted line up (click image to enlarge):

Prediction: Oldham 0-3 Posh

Let me know your predictions in the comments! 

Follow me on Twitter: @TomLea_