Thetownend.com

Thought I'd start a thread as nobody else has. Boycotting this one today, but it will be interesting to hear how the lads perform.

TOWN STARTING XI:
Henry, Purkiss, Conroy, Lancashire, Hussey, Iandolo, Dunne, Linganzi, McDermott, Norris, Woolery

SUBS:
Robertson, Thomas, T Smith, Brophy, Twine, Mullin, H Smith
 

 I've liked what Flitcroft has said so far, but today's stuff reported in the Adver re this game, could have come straight out of Luke's mouth.

 OK, I get he's toeing the party line, but if you want to be regarded as a gruff norverner who speaks as he sees, this was a good opportunity.

Flitcroft strikes me as more of a man that just wants to get the job done rather than getting involved in politics. Luke's main problem was not being able to get the 'just get the job done' bit right.

Reg, the vast majority of those inside football don't give two hoots about yours on my views on the tournament.  It's another game on the schedule, one that some of them will probably get excited by.  Even those that do speak out tend to be against the fixture congestion and not the format.

Strong team, if WH play as they did last season (no wins and 1 draw in the 3 matches) then we should have enough about us for the win, I can't be bothered to listen to it, if WHTV was covering it live, as Chelsea did last season in the similar tie, then I may have watched it.

Luke Williams positively wanked over young premier league players getting games.

Anyway as long as nobody gets injured that's all I care about.

This.

Boycotting but hope Town win well.

Flitcroft strikes me as a guy who say he hated the tournament if that's what he thought, suspect his comments were genuine and I can see why they would be from his point of view.

For most clubs it's useful for giving squad players a run out in the early stages. Plenty of reasons for the clubs to favour it more than 95% of us lot do.

We played a cup game last week where we could only field 4 subs, because of players carrying knocks... we've a big game at the weekend, against Morecambe who've started well. We don't have the option of rotating much, so it's a game we don't need.

Strikes me that Flitters is probably talking with his Leicester U 23 hat on... namely toe the line as there's good jobs to be had at that level, should STFC go tits up.  I don't blame him... but just can't see how in any way he might think tonight a worthwhile exercise.

Probably because we had such a last minute pre-season fixture list so another game helps bed in the patterns of play etc.  Plus, the club was supportive of the new format and probably expressed a desire to do well given the prospect of a Wembley final.

0-1 Martin Samuelsen

You're not selling it to me.

I'm not trying, I hate the thing and isn't that goalscorer a large bearded Sun columnist?

Boycott from me.

I want us out asap.

No injuries and give some youngins a run out for me.

I thought Power voted against the successful new format for this season?

Shall we guess the gate..? 2100

NO disrespect to any who go...just not for me.

Hopefully a record low.

I think you're right, if my memory serves me right.

I thought we voted in favour for some reason. Boycott for me aswell.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSaqo2KYKw0

HEIA NORGE

he did FH, he voted to revert to old format  iirc. The club can do no more.

Probably the original vote a couple of years ago, sure we did on that one.

Goal NORRIS

Norris..goal machine

Very strong Hammers side, apparently.

1-2

Linganzi is dreadful


Sent from my iPhone

I hate to break it to you, but we are a fourth division side, most of our players will look equally as bad throughout the season at some point.  Players like Drysdale managed to play at a higher level, that's how poor people will look.

2-2

Give Flash a prize - attendance 2082.

Not much more than a friendly tonight but the way we are defending is a bit of a concern with another 2 shipped tonight. Think we all thought we were going to be a solid build from the back team so has come as bit of a surprise, hopefully just need to build an understanding together.

That's disgracefully high IMO.

Although I suppose people are free to do what they want

Agreed.

I hate to add to your worries but we conceded 3.

 :)

At least for the moment they are.

They scored just after I posted. Sounds like Vigs will be out on Saturday as got an Achilles problem, not ideal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNJFPPtCLAE

Well done OST. There's not a lot that brings a smiley to Reg's face.

Agree with the sentiments about the gate being too high, although it's fairly similar to last year's home attendances. Last year we had 1961 against Chelsea, and 2698 against Oxford (including 533 away fans, according to whom the game didn't happen).

That Samuelson is one hell of a player.

So did we lose then?

After we went a goal down I stopped checking Twitter, checked the BBC red button about an hour ago and yes it appears we lost 2-3.

Jolly good.

Yep - should be out on loan to a Championship side this year. Full Norway international already.

He would be better served going down a couple of leagues to L2 and having a great season rather than an average one in the Championship....cheeky bid? :D

He didn't set the league on fire last term while on loan at Posh but he obviously has bags of talent.

It would make me so happy if that happened

Unfortunately there is probably more chance of us signing Gareth Bale.

That wouldn't make me as happy.

  I noticed that last night all the Div 4 teams had a problem seeing off the kids. Now this could be a Div 4 managers conspiracy to kill off the comp.... make sure the final is Spurs U 21, playing at their home ground v some norvern monkeys, or it could be that Div 4 football is just a different beast. I'd hazard a guess that Luke's team would have seen off the junior Hammers, yet been completely unsuited to Div 4.

Adver report, WHU 3 shots on target - all converted!!  Problems at the back?

The first goal sounded like it was a defensive error but the other 2 didn't.

Haven't seen the goals but maybe Vigs would have saved 1/2/3 of them?

But, if you don't risk Henry in games like this then you don't know how he will cope when played in anger and not in a crappy cup game.

Too early to say for me, I'm only judging it on the league games.

If we ship a couple Saturday then maybe but 2 in 2 league games doesn't concern me.

The standard of goals from Norwich were pretty high quality and I'm guessing those kids last night are technically solid so I don't care we conceded against them

Can't speak for Carlisle but we only conceded one vs Exeter due to fortune and finishing.

Not too worried yet about the defence though. We started the season quite leaky under Di canio too

Indeed.

Under Macari when we won this league in 85/86 we conceded 14 goals in our first 8 games with only one clean sheet.

Under PdC when we won this league in 11/12 we conceded 15 goals in our first 12 league games but we had 4 clean sheets in those.

Last season we had let in 17 goals in the first 12 matches.

So far 2 conceded in 2 league games isn't that bad, the only time we have let more than a goal a game in has been as BD says in the cup games against teams from much higher leagues.

Far too early to say if there is a defensive problem, we sound a lot stronger at the back than we did in the last couple of seasons already though.

If my memory serves me right, we were shaky under PDC to begin with.

Then, just by chance, McCormack filled in at defence due to injuries and turned out to be a revelation. There he stayed, and our defence frailties were a thing of the past.

At Carlisle I wasn't too worried about the back four, they looked fairly solid. It was the lack of any cover from midfield that was worrying.

Our last 3 forays in this league the early season results were...

Under PdC  first 13 league games WLLLLWWWLWLDW finished 1st
Under Wise first 13 league games WWWWWWLWLDDDD finished 3rd
Under Macari first 13 league games LLWDWLLLWWWWW finished 1st

Bad error for the first goal (Dunne & Lancashire), second one stemmed from Dunne being caught in possession and the third just making use of space in behind a full back (can't remember which one).
But big spaces in behind the full backs (mainly Hussey) throughout the game which West Ham exploited.

Have noticed in all of the games so far that Dunne & Lingazi don't play as out & out holding midfielders.
On Saturday there were instances where both were up near the halfway line and Exeter found it easy to play through & behind them to attack the defence.
Hopefully once they have worked each other out, then one will sit when the other one goes forward.
Also, when Conroy plays then the defence should have a bit more confidence to just push up a bit, as he is probably the quickest of them.

I'm sure DF will pick up on any tweaks that need doing & react accordingly.

The goals are up now (starts at 2.29 in).  Sloppy defending for the first two WH goals and bad luck for the third.  Can understand why the Ref gave a free kick instead of a pen at first. 

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/10990902/checkatrade-trophy-round-up-wins-for-man-city-notts-county-west-ham-and-swansea

It's definitely the midfield. We were overrun at times by both Exeter and the Irons. Seems strange playing, essentially, 2 holding midfielders.

Last night, obviously McDermott isn't match fit and you won't get much cover from Iandolo - ditto Brophy.

The other thing that worries me slightly is we have only scored 1 goal from open play - Woolery. Another pointer to the midfield not really clicking.

We've looked far less solid than I thought we would so far.
We've looked far more threatening than I thought we would.

Call it a draw.

Not true, Mullin at Carlisle

Does handball count!

The first 2 goals conceded were very sloppy, the 3rd could have gone anywhere off the post but unfortunately it went into the path of the West Ham player.

Defence needs work but it also needs protection from midfield, which at this moment it doesn't seem to have which is wierd as we play with 2 defensive minded midfielders.

On the plus side, we are now good at set pieces! If we aren't creating anything in the game, at least you know we have the ability to score from a dead ball situation.

Some sides in the past have become very successful by doing exactly just this.

If you strengthen your defence but make a few set piece chances per game and convert 1 or 2 per game then you are onto a winner, even if its not the most exciting to watch we will start competing with teams again and be difficult to beat.

Now lets work on that defence.

The Morecambe game is going to tell us a fair bit, as to whether we're going to compete and be difficult to beat. They've had a decent start, not sure about players left over from last season, when they won 2 of their last 17, but it should be a game we can at least draw.

That's the dream

Extended highlights are here:
http://www.whufc.com/news/articles/2017/august/15-august/highlights-swindon-town-2-3-west-ham-united-u21

Jeesh, that mistake for the first was criminal....get the fuck ups out the way for the league.

Good to see us create plenty.

For some reason they always seem to start well and then tail off. They won 4 of their first 5 last year and basically fed off it for the rest of the season. They have quite a consistent squad and management as well. So it's probably as hard a time as any to go there.

I'd imagine that Bentley, who was so say considered for the Town job might have a point to prove.

But I don't understand? Where's the dig at Reg?

You're even beginning to sound like him.

Summer 2017

IN

Patrick Brough    Carlisle United    Free
Adam Campbell    Notts County    Free
Steven Old    GAIS    Undisclosed
Vadaine Oliver    York City    Free
Garry Thompson    Wycombe Wanderers    Free

OUT

Ryan Edwards    Plymouth Argyle    Undisclosed
Paul Mullin    Swindon Town    Undisclosed
Peter Murphy    Unassigned Players    Retired
Liam Wakefield    Unassigned Players    Released

Also, Morecambe drew at newly promoted Lincoln and grabbed a last minute winner at home to Cheltenham... it's a solid start but hardly spectacular.

Frankly I think it will be nothing short of miraculous if we come away from Morecambe with anything other than a resounding defeat.

Patrick Brough cant handle his red bull and vodka, seen it with my own eyes. He watched the playoff final in 2015 in magaluf on a stag do with us