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O'Brien is one of our main problems at the moment me thinks.

Positives: Can run fast

Negatives:
Work rate = very poor
Positional play = very poor
Crossing = very poor
Heading ability = can't comment, haven't seen him head the ball
Defensive contribution = very poor
Midfield contribution = very poor

Comparison to player that used to occupy his position = possibly 20% as good as Danny Ward.

Consequence = O'Brien is not the total reason we are S**t at the moment but one of them.

He can certainly cross a ball. I've seen him cover Rose on a number of occasions when Rose has gone kamikaze. His header set up the free kick against Brighton which we scored from.

Work rate is decent quite often he use's his pace to get back and help out. He may be shit but he certainly isnt the problem in this team, or even one of the main problems!

what an awful first post.

leave him alone AOB has started 9 games for swindon and hes coming back from injuries to not one but both his hamstrings.

oh and welcome to the forum ya cunt

I wouldnt say he was shit.

I heard Rovers were after him...

That little flick saturday was ace too. One for showboat I reckons!

He's improving, his movement was poor on saturday but he was a threat when he was on the ball, I would have kept him on.

As has been said, he's far from the biggest problem.

He's always going to be hit and miss and is probably only ever good enough to be a backup but then you never know ....

On the subject of O'Brien what's happened to his Range Rover, it's suddenly turned black and all the black paint is peeling off the bumpers.

The obsession with Danny Ward does my head in, he's NOT coming back and O'Brien has been far improved this season imo.  He does what a winger should do which is look to take on people and get crosses into the box.

Just can't understand the abuse towards him, complete joke >:(.

I wish people would stop talking about Danny fucking Ward.....

Nail on head.

danny ward was really good wasn't he.

Shit hot.

Danny! Danny! Ward! Danny! Danny! Ward!  ;)  :D

I hate O'Brien. Instead of him I want a little tricky winger with loads of fancy feet moves, like stepovers and stuff. Someone who waits until the whole defence is in position before crossing a ball. Yep, that's what we need.

He had a lovely face.

I must watch a different player reeves he doesn't take on players enough for me and leaves rose no option to hit it long. What gets on my tits is how with him its ah he has been injured only started 9 games etc well pericard has only started 2 and had the same injuries yet gets dog abuse of the same people willing to give obrien a chance. I don't rate him hope he proves me wrong but seen nothing that suggests he will.

You write a lot of bollocks.  With utter shit like this you'll be a rageing success here

Sounds like a small black bloke we let go to Narwich..

oh but you missed cunt off the list...

Pericard has had alot more game time that O'Brien.

Pericard hasnt had the same injuries. Pericard has not been out for months at a time.

Seriously, I wish we were in a good enough position to even be able to consider calling the left winger the biggest problem.

Both had hamstring injuries may not be exactly the same but pericard played with injuries last season. Don't get me wrong i aint saying it's obriens fault just in my opinion he isn't good enough.Showing glimpses for 10 mins or so a game won't convince me otherwise it's time he showed us why wilson spent some cash on him. not just him though alot of players who we know can perform are not and they need to fucking sort it out.

I don't think O'Brien has a footballing brain and that's his downfall really. I still think he'll be a useful player for us over the course of the season but we need to bring someone else in anyway because he has a high risk of injury.

I think someone basically needs to tell him that as soon as we are  in possession of the ball to start bombing it down the touchline, with his pace no one will catch him and if they sit a man on him out there it leaves more space in the middle.
To me he seems a reactive player and waits for the ball to get to himbefore he runs, if he just keeps bombing down the line in the anticipation that he might get the ball then he is gonna be so much more effective. OK more often than not he won't get the ball but when he does he's going to be in great position

The trouble is there will be nobody to cross to!

If he has enough space then he can be direct and go straight for the box and worst case he's going to make space for other players. Basically all I'm saying is he needs to be more proactive and make runs that will get him into space.

I do think he needs to develop an understanding with Rose, and that will take time - currently, he is not always offering the best option (coming short when he should be hugging the touchline, standing waiting for the ball as Rose advances) HOWEVER I have been very encouraged by his performances since he came into the team against Orient - fullbacks shit themselves at his pace, and his much maligned delivery seems to be getting better. Don't think I've seen him run it out of play yet either (ot let it roll under his foot). I think there's more to come from Alan. (ALAN O'BRIEN, relax!).

i thought he was very good saturday and when he was subbed we lost all our attacking threat.

O'Brien was on the pitch all 45 minutes during the first half Saturday, tell me what attacking threat we had in the first half? One goal from a throw in, one shot into the goal keepers midrif................totally it!

no offence but were you actually there? he was our only attacking threat saturday.

I do worry that with every tackle he's gonna go down injured.

Nice to see players getting a chance. What I've seen of O'Brien this season he's been good. Some players, like Vince and OB, will likely never be good enough for some.

Agree with the point that he hasn't got a footballing brain. His best work appears when someone else has forced the issue for him, a through ball played that makes up his mind for him and that he has to go for etc. I was there on Saturday and although he had a couple of decent runs he was not our only attacking threat as Caddis to got down the line with crosses into the box and resulting a couple of corners and throw ins in the second half in our corner of the ground, first half along with several others he was pretty non existent. Didn't hear the booing when he got subbed but agree with most that its totally out of order however he's played. O'Brien certainly isn't our biggest problem but not our greatest or most improved player either.

Reminds me of Mcnamee..........not in appearance obviously but in his style of play.
Players like that need a system of play ware they are the pivotal point of the team...get the ball to them and they will deliver good crosses.
Fact is our midfield dont get the ball to him/them enough but more of a baffling scenario is that when on the odd occasion they do manage a quality cross into the box............our style of play means generally there is no one there to take advantage.
So in short they are attack minded players,playing in a defence minded team.....it dosn't work.
As a side note to this in almost every game this season we have gained more corners than the opposition during 90 mins and again we are to negative in our play to take advantage....its not a critisism but its a Danny Wilson style of play.....when the team wins 1-0 or get a good solid away draw this style is what we all like.....a manager cant win really.

I didn't go Saturday but I've thought this in other games this season.

AOB will come good for us as long as he stays fit.

when he plays more games and his confidence improves i really think he will be a great asset, being injured for so long must have totally fucked him up,
Matchwinning performance tomorrow i reckon

to go back two pages - the reason people bang on about danny ward is that there was where the bar was. to have someone who is not as good could be seen as a backwards step.

he does offer rose fuck all (absolutely no angles for passes) but when he can stretch his legs he's definitely a big problem for most defenses

i would like to see another left and/or right winger at the club just for some competition though

Danny Ward was on loan. We did not own him. He cannot set a bar. James Milner was class when he was on loan, however I dont expect every Swindon player after him to be that good. Alas Michael Carrick and Shay Given.

It's the harsh reallity of loan signings..

I am starting to think we shouldn't have let Mark Marshall leave...

that's utter rubbish.
we did well with certain players, we need to get players of said quality in order to do as well again (or just fluke our way through but that doesn't happen for a season).
just because we didn't own ward or HRK or Cox initially that doesn't mean they didn't set a standard

He's like Forrest Gump.

I totally understand your point. But you have got to understand the reallity of the situation, finding another Danny Ward is quite a mean task. If you are expecting DW to sign another player of Danny Ward's quallity then I think you are going to be quite upset come the end of the season. I also wouldn't include Danny Ward in the same group as HRK and maybe not Cox, I would say Danny Ward is more in the category of Milner and Carrick.

Danny, Danny Fucking Ward.... Danny, Danny Fucking Ward

O'Brien has only played a handful of games for us, less than Pericard and unlike him he's shown he has a trick or two.

What other player do we have with any pace?
Ball, JPM and Charlie are quick but not fast; Douglas, Prutton, Ferry are pedestrian and Pericard OMG ... we might as well hammer a 6'1" fence post into the pitch and write Pericard 9 on it..!!!

You might gob off over O'Brien's weaknesses but you can't deny the lads got a firework up his arse when he runs. There is a glimmer of some quality and he'll scare the crap out of opposing right backs with his pace.

O'Brien needs time and an opportunity to build up an understanding with the midfield and our left back, who IMO is also a problem - he's a bit 'too average'..!!

Exactly, defenders hate pace and AOB is pretty much the only one who gives us that threat.

I fear that it's too late for Alan O'Brien now. I think regardless of form he'll struggle to win over those who are so keen to shout abuse at him.

Am i the only person  who thought danny ward was just ok?

Owen Coyle....?

He is getting no more shit than jpm or paynter got when they didn't perform. That changed with good performances. Most people i know are desperate for him to perform.

He was a good player and is still young and learning, so he could turn into a fantastic player given time,  but I think theres a lot of rose tinted glasses being worn now he's gone.

I'm bound to be shouted down about this but there were plenty of games last season that he didnt contribute at all, just my opinion and all that. The Adver comments section writers are just using the whole Ward issue as a stick to continue beating Wilson with.

Am I the only one who misses McNamee runs down the wing??

For me, O'Brien is a very frustrating player.

With the ball at his feet or played in front of him he can be very dangerous. He has pace, seems quite determined and his crossing is getting better.

But for me his positional play is poor. Whether it's just the way he thinks or whether he's been told to do it I don't know, but he hardly ever offered an option to Rose on Saturday.  I'll admit to having a moan about him a few times against MK. When your left back has the ball at his feet, you want your left winger hugging the touch line giving an option. O'Brien just kept drifting infield where he gets picked up easily and therefore Rose was left with no option but to punt it long.

If O'Brien can adapt his game and play as an out and out winger then I've no doubt he could prove a real asset.

I like it when McGovern does it, although it is normally towards his own goal in the trail of the winger he was meant to be marking.

At his best Macca excited me in a way none of our current players do.

I'll accept he wasn't like that towards the end of his time with us tho.

mcnamee was fucking rubbish most of the time and it was excellent business to get rid.

END OF STORY.

Macca took the piss out of Pompey in that pre-season friendly. Granted it was only a friendly but the skill shown that day was still phenomenal. Unfortunately he wasn't always like that and what we lost when he left in terms of individual flair was more than made up for by Ward's work rate.

I thought Ward was excellent last season in the main. A 100%'er that chipped in with a fair few goals as well. When you take into account his age he looks a top prospect.

I thought he was decent. Just needed to work on his tracking back and crossing..

Although bit of a tit wanting to play in front of a bigger crowd..

Loves the fame does our Tone..

O'brien spent 90% of the time on Saturday out of position. I agree he's fast as fuck and scares opposition defenders, but you could count the number on runs down the wing he had on one hand.

I'm not saying he's shit, but he is definitely worse than what we had in that position last season. I haven't heard anyone boo him at games, but for me he's not yet delivered much to cheer about.

Rose is the man not in my good books. I want Amankwaah back in the side now.

Amankwah was even worse when he came on Saturday!

The choice is Rose or Kennedy for left back. I think Rose is very average and at 28 will give little more than average performances. Haven't seen enough of Kennedy to make a judgment but if DW brought Rose in to be first choice then we need to go and get Sheehan back.

Assuming we aren't getting any more players in I'd like to see us try

Kennedy-Cuthbert-Morisson-Amankwaah

Of course he was brought in to be first choice, I haven't been impressed with what I have seen so far but I think that having O'Brien in front of him doesn't really help him at all. Hasn't been as bad as Prutton, though.

I'd like to see us get Darby back on loan. He can play at either LB or RB.

I'd drop Rose ahead of Prutton. Unless Rose picks up he's a complete and utter liabilility - DWs Yinka.

Good shout on Darby, I'm sure Wilson said he looked into that. He was very solid looking back on his time with us, it used to annoy me how he rarely got forward but he was excellent defensively.

I'd drop them both, Chalkies. With Prutton we have a ready made replacement, thing with Rose is Kennedy is still young. If Kennedy doesn't start tomorrow then I'm not sure how much Wilson rates him...

I'd give Kennedy a run - he can't do any worse. If he doesn't get a run then get shot of him as he'll never get a run. Rose defensively is as bas as I've seen and he ain't pulling up any trees going forward either. I know its early days and O Brien is not the best person to have in front of him to cover his deficiencies but Rose is a very unintelligent footballer. 

Rose is like the white Casal.

I'd give Kennedy a run out tomorrow and pray to god he impresses.

YES

Genuine question here if someone could answer for me,what does he offer that mcnamee didnt then?

Height.

Nothing, Mcnamee is miles better.

Irishness.


p.s. I heard him getting abused by some of our fans on Saturday, mostly related to his heritage being the reason he's out of position so much

NO

YES

TOLD YOU SO......!!!!!!!!!

GET IN THERE Mr. Sheehan, and good luck O'Brien, a chance to play along side a decent left back.

Thanks for that

The one thing this forum does not like is someone blowing smoke up their own arse


cock

you don't speak for everyone tucky. let him be a dick if he wants :)

sure

enough rope and all that ..............

i just nodded enthusiastically at my monitor. fucking hell

makes a change from PornHub

Fair play to O'brien getting the assist for the 3rd. As i have always said if i am quick enough to say when they are shit then must say well done when it's due.

you've made the basic error of confusing wanking with nodding

They both go hand in hand  :D

BOOOM BOOOOM! :D

Tish !

no that's what i say what i'm wanking.

weirdo