Swindon v Bournemouth Official matchday Thread

[Dr Pierre Chang]

With the squad we have we should be doing so much better.

How good really is our squad though?

It's not as good as people seem to think. 2/3 players away from a squad capable of promotion but without them it really isn't all that.

Only one decent striker. No experienced defender. Lack of creativity in midfield, yes it looks alright on paper but they are all too similar - Prutton is a poor mans Douglas, Timlin - a league 2 player, and Ferry who is of course a very capable player but not creative.

We want a winner and who does he bring on? Micheal fucking Timlin, who I don't think is of any use when protecting a lead, let alone looking for a winner. Why did he not throw Dossevi on? Even at 2-1 down he was reluctant to throw the bigger boys up there from the back.

[NorwayRed]

No it's full of tossers like me who's opinion I wouldn't trust on the colour of their own pants.

My point exactly. My views are in that category as well. Based on 3-4 games a season on tv, highlights, interviews and match rapports, it seems that I fit that bill too, doesn't it?

So of course I can can judge individual player's performances on thevery small amount of exposure I am able to get, right?

 

[sonicyouth]

Happy new year, Sonic Youth! Enjoing Norway?

The match is on Sky sports 1HD, so you have to find a pub broadcasting that channel. If you are in the Lillestrom-area that is probably: Martins or RePUBlic.

There will be pubs in Oslo showing the game, look for a pub that has Sky Sports-membership. Not every sportspub has it.

Check this link for a full list of football pubs: http://www.fotballen.eu/Emner/pub.html

Godt nyttår I'll try Lillestrøm otherwise it'll be a Monday night in Oslo I think. I'd forgotten about it being on TV... Thanks.

[NorwayRed]

Cheers.

Well, just don't bring any friends to watch the game unless they are Swindon-fans. It might be pants! 

Come on Swindon!

[Nemo]

I don't think that was quite as apolocalyptically bad as some have put across on here, but it's a long way from ideal and another fucking game where we can't come from behind to win- it's easy to dismiss that as a stupid stat but it backs up the lack of a plan B and seems so far to be the story of our season.

I'm still in the Wilson in camp for now, but we need to get a serious grip on where we're going and fast.

[joteddyred]

I don't think that was quite as apolocalyptically bad as some have put across on here, but it's a long way from ideal and another fucking game where we can't come from behind to win- it's easy to dismiss that as a stupid stat but it backs up the lack of a plan B and seems so far to be the story of our season.

It's anything but a stupid stat when we're rapidly approaching 2 years since we last managed it!  As soon as we go a goal behind, we all then know that's any chance of 3 points gone.  I'm sure other teams in the league are probably aware of the fact we don't ever win after going behind either?

[adje]

Wont be long before we start bringing Morrison on up top!

[THE FLASH]

Well that was shit!

Where is our fighting spirit gone??   Nothing....gutless...

Bournemouth are an OK team who play to their strengths very well and are well organised AND have a fighting spirit.....look at the old Lunker Fletcher up front...was a pain in the arse all day without looking like he was going to score.

We in comparison are piss poor in all departments.

Look over your shoulders ......cause thats where we are going to be.

Relegation dogfight time...

I hope Pericard stays becaue if he doesnt Wilson is fucked.....got the blame for defeat today listening to the clueless pricks outside the TE and if he goes it will be Wilson as the target.

AND....dont whine about the ref as he was shit for both sides.

[Batch]

Finally back from Pizza hut. I had a tuscani something or other followed by cookie dough for desert. Very nice indeed.

Now onto the game. Which can be summarised by this : shit.

I got to the ground and found that Ball was starting instead of Perricard. I was quite pleased by this, been wanting to see what they (Austin and Ball)  can do together for a while. Should have known better.  It didn't help when we were turned to attack the Town End first half. I hate that.

We started the game badly, we were out muscled and out fought by Bournemouth and it came as no surprise when Bournemouth took the lead. I am not 100% sure what happened in that one. I thought Smith had punched/flapped it clear then the ref pointed to the spot. I am told somebody (Austin) elbowed the ball before Smith got there. Anyone enlighten me?

Anyway it seemed to wake us up. I thought Prutton played extremely well given his utter gash performance a few games ago. But we still seemed intent on knocking the ball long far too often.

We got the equaliser when Ball pulled the ball back to Ritchie, who side footed it powerfully and accurately home.

Right time to kick on and get the winner. We had them under pressure with corner after corner it was surely a matter of time.

Then Ritchie got fouled in the box. But the Helen Keller ref decide that because Ritchie fall ended outside the  of the area he wasn't going to give the penalty. 'Tardtastic.

Half time comes and goes. Note to self. Bring your own refreshments next time because £3.60 for a Bovril and an Oasis is taking the piss. Even a litre of petrol is cheaper.

Second half was initially much the same, both teams huffing and puffing but getting nowhere. or defence was not well protected an personally I think was doing well to break up the 'muffs attacks as they were often stretched and under pressure.

Mr Magoo in the blue wasn't helping as fouls were going unpunished. It came to a bit of a head when a late challenge on Sheehan ended up with Sheehan retaliating for what should have been a straight red. But it wasn't, the ref gave yellow. Austin also took a flailing arm in the chops. Not sure whether it was intentional or not, but the ref refuse to stop play. This started the degradation in Swindon's standard of play.

The winning goal came when the defence I praised in the last paragraph failed to clear a throw in, instead allowing the #5 enough time and space to have a picnic before swivelling on the ball to stear home a fine finish (for a centre half).

Still enough time to win. We had our subs on, Rose for the injured Sheehan, Perricard for the slightly lightweight Ball and Timlin on for, well, answers on the back of the postcard. Just after Perricard came on we had our  best bit of Town football. McGover flicking the ball over the top of Caddis (?), the cross fining Perricard who hit a low well placed shot into the bottom corner, until the keeper stuck his leg out to clear.

And that was as good as it got. We ran totally an utterly out of steam. Nothing in the tank. We were back to being outfought and outplayed. Austin became a prize twat falling over a lot and shooting from impossible angles and distance. Perricard was Perricard. Timlin was Timlin. Prutton played deep. Ritchie went missing (for large parts of the game actually), McGovern was dead on his feet - his head told him to pass one way, his feet disobeying. The defence did OK again but that's irrelevant.
------------
In summary I'd say Smith, Sheehan, Cuthbert and Prutton did well today. Caddis, McGovern tried hard. The rest were largely passengers. So naturally Ritchie was given MOM :facepalm .

The problems are threefold.
1. The defence isn't quite where it was last year (but looks to be improving, hardto say for sure).
2. The midfield is a big problem area. We can't seem to get the ball down and play football. We need to do this as we can't out-muscle teams, we need to outplay them. But we are hoofing too much.
3. If Austin is off form we don't have any strikers to take the pressure off.

[Batch]

I hope Pericard stays becaue if he doesnt Wilson is fucked.....got the blame for defeat today listening to the clueless pricks outside the TE and if he goes it will be Wilson as the target.

Is there a typo in that somewhere?

[DiV]

We started the game badly, we were out muscled and out fought by Bournemouth and it came as no surprise when Bournemouth took the lead. I am not 100% sure what happened in that one. I thought Smith had punched/flapped it clear then the ref pointed to the spot. I am told somebody (Austin) elbowed the ball before Smith got there. Anyone enlighten me?

Smith came out and got a one handed punch on it, the punch went downward and hit Frampton who was stood about 2 yards away max on the shoulder.

The ref then gave a penalty, Caddis seemed to be the one arguing the cause and the ref did an odd elbow signal. Caddis from what I remember was infront of the Bournemouth player (probably Fletcher) who was infront of Smith.

BBC had it down as handball against Frampton.

I think he's given handball against Phil Smith?!

[THE FLASH]

Is there a typo in that somewhere?

Read it again...

[Batch]

Smith came out and got a one handed punch on it, the punch went downward and hit Frampton who was stood about 2 yards away max on the shoulder.

The ref then gave a penalty, Caddis seemed to be the one arguing the cause and the ref did an odd elbow signal. Caddis from what I remember was infront of the Bournemouth player (probably Fletcher) who was infront of Smith.

BBC had it down as handball against Frampton.

I think he's given handball against Phil Smith?!

Thanks. I think. I'm sure the football league show highlights will clear it up!

[DiV]

Bournemouth fans seem to think Austin handballed it.

I dont remember him even touching it?

[Iffy's Onion Bhaji]

I dont even care. I'm more pissed off that none of our players could be bothered to try and get to the ball first on the rebound.