Swindon Town V Southampton Official Matchday Thread

[Batch]

I'm one of the shameful ones and I'm off to bed.

Likewise. Or maybe I am in bed and this is a bad dream.

[Stef Troll]

Saints will beat a lot more teams in the championship with more comfort than tonight. Yes they were a much better side than us but they didn't look so confident after we scored, I was worried before ko we were in for a thumping and still think the extra game tonight has done us more good than harm.

Saints will beat a lot more teams in the championship with more comfort than tonight.  

Are you drunk ?   Did you watch the same game as me.  

[Colin Todd]

These...

Can't be arsed to over-analyse the performance but...

Absolutely no shame in losing tonight, and thought we done ok for the majority of the match, bar Smith throwing in their second. Before the whole Clarke/PDC thing, the only thing that really pissed me off was the complete negativity and general wakerish behaviour from most of our fans, who just appear to be fucking stupid, screaming for us to chase the ball and break their legs and then calling our players every name under the sun for not running around like a headless chicken... I just don't get it at all.

They were always going to dominate possession and when we pressed as a team, and kept our shape, forcing them to play long, we started to get some joy.

this. I've heard some crowds described as knowledgeable.  Ours in the main is the exact opposite.  

When a team is passing the ball around their back 4 and midfield patiently you need to press as a team and make them lose patience and go long. Like you say, when we did this it worked and we had some joy.  

Many of our fans would rather have our central midfielders in headless chicken mode trying to tackle their centre backs then complain when we dont have a midfield.

[Keroooosh]

First half was awful. They ran rings round us and showed us how to play football.
Second half was much better IMO although i think they did ease off and Clarke should have levelled it.
Dont think you can question the desire and passion as i thought they all put a shift in and were committed to the town.

On a personal note, happy that Keroooosh scored as it finally justifies him as my name

[reeves4england]

Jesus Christ, if we are all being honest here, 3-1 flattered Swindon.  5 or 6 nil was a true reflection on the game.  I didnt expect Swindon to win the game, i just expected the players to give it their all.  For me though only Kerrouche and maybe Flint did this.  I remember watching Swindon lose a couple of seasons ago to Bristol Rovers at home (think we lost 4-0).  I wasnt bothered we lost 4-0 as the players gave it their all on that day.  

I swear to many people on this forum have rose tinted spectacles when it comes to making comments about Swindon.

We deserved to lose by at least 2 goals, I don't question that... what frustrates me is the amount of people reacting as though we'd just lost Chippenham or something.

As for the performances, I thought Caddis gave his all but was outclassed, Ritchie gave his all but was marked out of the game, Clarke gave his all but was well marked out of it, Kennedy gave his all but couldn't deal with Holmes...

I was pissed off at half time because half the team had given up. They came out after the break with a more positive attitude and it almost got us a result we didn't deserve against a much stronger team.

[Mplanney]

from what i heard from someone in the tunnel.  clark came up to di canio saying if u think i'm going to run timmorow you can fuck off.  dicanio put his arm around him and he said get off me and started pushing him off, then some sort of argument with fit.ess coach and he ran down tunnel, then ran back out to the pitch.l

[sonicyouth]

I just got in.

First half outclassed and chasing shadows. Southampton were good but we made it easy for them, weak midfield and Kennedy too easily losing his man for the cross that led to the first goal. Smith was at fault for the second goal.

Second half we came out and fought for it a bit more. Not much more to say other than we would have been extremely fortunate to take it to ET, 1-3 was a very fair result.

J Smith again looks a pace behind the game and offers nothing. Kennedy would be a better option on the wing as most of his attributes lie in his ability to strike a ball, positionally he is very lacking. Connell struggled to get in the game but to take him off so early was baffling and insulting to a professional trying his hardest. Kerrouche's contribution, aside from a wonderful free-kick, mostly involved running and running and running and running. Esajas looks useless and Clarke will likely never play for us again. Comazzi, Caddis, Richie all had decent games. Flint was very good.

There's a good team somewhere inside our massive squad, further additions tomorrow will only complicate matters.

Can't be arsed to comment on Clarke v Di Canio aside from the fact it makes us look like a bunch of Sunday league amateurs.

[Colin Todd]

of the more critical points,

surely P Smith needs to be dropped now.

I dont mid J smith, i think he has potential but he can be ponderous on the ball.  

at times both of our full backs can be defensively weak. however both are good going forward. to be honest at our level its usually one or the other isnt it?  If caddis defended like jamie vincent for example he'd be playing at a much higher level.

I'd rather commazzi played than Devera

[Notts red]

Don't see many teams in complete control time wasting for the fun of it. To many fans looking to slag the team off at  any opportunity.

[Arriba]

I didn't go tonight but i really am worried about Di canios man management. Even before his spat with Clarke i would be asking what the hell he is doing with Connell?  I'm sure the poor fucker wishes he never signed for us as he has not been given a fair crack at all. How many other players regret signing i wonder?

[kaufman]

Well Dicanio is 2nd most talked about thing on twitter.
I'm beginning to hate the human race more so this evening (I might go to New York and work for caesar)

[DiV]

This club is a fucking joke.

I'm at work on my phone - can the next poster please explain the Clarke thing for me.

All I got from the radio was he was out on the pitch and refusing to go down the tunnel and Wray was talking to him.

This plus the treatement of Timlin and Connell (I'm assuming he wasn't injured?) Is fucking stupid.

[jb]

Don't see many teams in complete control time wasting for the fun of it. To many fans looking to slag the team off at  any opportunity.

Excactly, they were time wasting at every opportunity.

[Colin Todd]

the subbing of connell was bizarre as he was doing ok-ish and was certainly trying.

[sonicyouth]

My post was more negative than it was meant to be. Clearly my drive home listening to Creedence Clearwater Revival did not have the desired effect...

I'll clarify: we were a bit crap first half, we were a bit good at times in the second half. A couple of changes in personnel, a settled first XI and a bit less hoof and hope when under duress and we'll come good I reckon.

Di Canio's entire career has been based upon spur of the moment decisions, gut reactions and naiveity. So far nothing he has done has shown me that he has matured.