Thetownend.com

The Opponent:  Gillingham

There are 4 games I wanted to win at the start of this season more than any other. The 2 against The Slave Traders goes without saying, and pushing closely behind for me is the 2 games against Gillingham.  I have very little, if any interest in the rivalry that dates back to the 70’s which must have been covered on The TEF more times than I can remember.  Having spent the first 20 years of my life living in Kent and ‘enjoying’ the bad streets of Medway I can only conclude what most people already think of Gillingham. Its a town full of gypos, chavs, and Kentish people and visiting Priestfield, as an away supporter, makes you feel about as welcome as a bacon sandwich in a synagogue.  Gillingham have always had difficulty drawing massive crowds. Most of the folk in East Kent can’t be arsed driving or getting the train to see them and the people of the Medway towns seem to lend much of their support to West Ham, Charlton and Millwall, this could be down to the fact that the average Gills fan really does resemble a Fungi off Channel 4’s Benefits Street type character (5ft 4, short man syndrome, unkempt and generally obnoxious). The Chairman of Gillingham, Dubai based Millwall fan Paul Scally, has been owner of the club since 1995, buying it for £1 (similar to average property worth in surrounding area). People who know Scally are in general agreement he is one of the biggest cunts in football, although I am sure his mother loved him at some point.

Safe journey to anyone making the trip along the M4 and M25 before landing in the armpit of England, If you are driving today can I recommend using Clacket Lane Services if you want a cheap burger, (they have McDonalds) and its not much further until you get to the main gypsy camp itself. If you plan on getting to the area with time to spare then don’t. The best thing to do is stay on the train and get off at Faversham a little further down the line. This is where you will find the best beer, brewed in the town by Shepherd Neame.  For the lager lovers amongst us they have a lovely drop called Hurllimans (spelling), locally nicknamed as Hooligans. For the history boffs making the trip, check out what’s left of Rochester Castle, its a few miles from the ground and remains at least 1% nicer than the ugly sister that is Gillingham, and last but not least, take an umbrella, for staying dry purposes, as well as self defence.

Weather or not? – After an early morning shower we can expect a largely dry day with periods of sunshine throughout the afternoon, temperatures around 9 Celsius with a light South Easterly breeze. No doubt it will be pissing down in Swindon.

Where the opposition gather – From what I understand Kent County Council will soon be installing broadband internet connections throughout the 12’000 ‘homes’ across Gillingham, although local resident Paddy O’Flytipper has said he will be suing KCC for damaging his heather crops.

http://fansonline.net/gillingham/mb/view.php?id=208319

Last 6 –  DWLDWL (Currently 15th on 29 points)

They have served us both – Ken Lambert, Curtis Weston, Luke Rooney, George N’Dah, Iffy Onoura, Freddy Fox, Arthur Fowler, David Skea, Jack Rutherford, Jimmy Bain, Deon Burton, Aaron Brown, Graz, Darius Henderson, John Gorman, Sammy Simms, Jock Wilson, Arthur Beadsworth, George Travers, John Emanuel, Trevor Benjamin, Alan Reeves, Fred Fisher, Frank Nouble, Austin Berkley, Jimmy Glass.

The Odds -  Gillingham 13/5 Draw 12/5 Swindon 11/10 – Have they not seen our away form? 2 wins away from home all season and they offer 11/10?

The Son Says – Despite a hard week of primary school, he still remains confident that we will win every game from today and forever more, 2-0 victory.

The Prediction – We will win this 2-1 and face the curses of 6254 horse smugglers, driveway tarmaccers, tarot card readers and people smugglers, with 499 from Swindon. Goals from Nile Ranger and Dant N’Guessan.

And Finally – The name Gillingham is recorded already in the Domesday book of 1086. It is said to have been named after a warlord, Gyllingas, from the old English gyllan, meaning "to shout". He was a notable man in Kent history as he led his warriors into battle screaming and shouting. How appropriate.

COYR COYR COYR

0.00 hrs. 18 fucking months  :)

Any lucky heather shaw?

I'm all out. The thread starting at bang on midnight is all the luck we need. Today's thumping of the travelling diddycoy is secured.

Fortune tellers 1 Selhurst park winners 3

Would love to trounce the gypos but our away form and the fact its tneir cup final leads me to a draw
2 each.
At least the weather looks like staying dry which is good for those travelling to the stand with no roof.

2-0 to Gills in another abject performance in which Ranger is dropped after it transpires he has missed training again.

Really don't know, were absolute bollocks away from home, maybe we'll fluke a draw like they did earlier, knowing our luck, though we wont. Therefore 2-0 to the hedgehog bakers.

It was more lucky when I used to post the threads up at 3am whilst pissed up. :)

Working Friday nights just isn't the same.

Heartfelt...SR...was Gylingas a man of Kent, or a Kentish man? Our only hope here, is the unwritten rule of the occasional cup upset...although the fact the Pikeys cashed in by getting a first point at the CG in prob 25 years, means anything other than a loss is unlikely. I know it's a league game, but it's their cup final.

He is a man of Kent Reg, I however am a Kentish man.

Pitch is shit, not one for the pretty football. Need a change in tactics.

I'm here already....patchy cloud from my window.

Is it possible to repeat that Shite from Tuesday night? I fucking hope not but I am worried that Cooper will set up some ultra negative 'lets not lose' formation. If we get dicked today , he will get some shit for sure.

Fuck it, I'm going for a 3:1 win......

Hopefully me and little miss flash will stay dry. She was with me when we lost the game but won promotion under PDC....it gave her the bug.

2-0 defeat and another shit away performance I fear.

Put it up Friday before you go to work then

It better not fucking rain. It would be nice to see a good away performance for a change, but I would be happy with a point.

That was truly impressive.  I imagine Rosso's home as a laboratory, kitted out with all the latest precision astronomical hardware purely in order to get the timing right.

Pitch has passed a precautionary inspection.  Game on

Loss.

The last time we won there was in Dec 1986.  The time before that was in Nov 1937.

This doesn't look good, does it.

Head to Head: Gillingham vs STFC (http://swindon-town-fc.co.uk/HeadToHead.asp?Team=Gillingham&B1=Go%21)

2-0 gillingham.

If Kent is the garden of England, Gillingham is the compost heap in that garden.

Away form would indicate another defeat, I've a sneaking suspicion we'll nick a win today though. 0-1, 85th minute winner from Pritchard

I honestly can't see our away form improving today unfortunately.

2-0 Gillingham.

2-1 to Gillingham, we just can't win away at the moment.

I've got a good feeling about this!  2-1 Swindon COYR

Not even a hope of a chance, sadly

Gillingthewheelsontheirhousesgoroundandround 0 Town 1

It's gonna be a 2-1, but which way I couldn't say. Let's say Gillingham, because the last time I predicted a loss we won.

520 stout Swindonites to make the trip to the second worst place spelt Gillingham in the country. The one in Dorset is much better, and that's saying something.

I've been listening to a newly created 90s playlist on Spotify all morning. For this reason alone, I am in an unusually good mood. As a result, I'm going to let blind optimism lead the way, go against all reason, and predict a 2-0 win.

A wind and rain swept 3-0 drubbing i'm afraid

Our away form is so depressing that I'm not even gonna bother with a prediction, just say in passing that the match preview was so much better (I'm still laughing at some of it) reading than what the match report will be like. Ray McHale would turn in his grave.....

Hall, Branco, Ward, Thompson and Macevely playing today.

God only knows how that will work!

@SamMorshead_SA: TOWN v Gillingham: Foderingham; N Thompson, Branco, Ward, Hall, McEveley; Luongo, Kasim, Mason; Pritchard; Ranger

I'm confused. So which is the worst?

Am going for 5,3,2 today.
Unusual formation for Cooper Power.
Unless Hall has to play.

Will tell come 5pm whether right decision or not.
Strong bench tho

This is starting to piss me off now, just how shit does Hall have to play to get dropped, the guys absolutely useless. Does his loan agreement say he has to play or something?!

As average as Hall has been this season (last two games apart as he was playing out of position), Ward has been equally average. Yet somehow he seems to get a pass for his poor performances.

I guess we need a scapegoat, Hall appears to be it & if he is bombed out then it will have to be someone else.

What formation is that? 5-4-1? 5-3-2?

Ward is our player though and is also captain, there's not really any other captain material in this squad which must be a factor. My gripe with Hall is he's not our player and in reality letting him carry on the way he is isn't even going to benefit us long term as he's Spurs player not ours!

Branco showed more passion and urgency v posh than ward has as captain this season.

Jmac would be a better choice tho as captain tnan ward imho

Anyway. Ko time

Town fans at Gills from about 10 mins ago, courtesy of the Flash.

(http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g171/jjedmunds/PhotoCrop_2014-01-18_02-58-58-PM_zpsaea31cb1.jpg)

Let's hope not as he's not actually dead yet.

Anybody listening on Player? I'm trying to and, as usual, it's crap. Cuts out every 20-30 seconds. Is it just me that has this problem or do others too?

Think that may have been the joke Paul...

Nope keeps cutting out for me too, its pathetic.

I'm so shocked.

Fucks sake.  :badmood:

Ugh. 0-1

"Basic set piece" according to Sam M. Typical.

Was coming,
We do start so fucking slow.
Plenty of time left

Shit defending away from home? Where I have I heard that before  :suicide:

Same old story.  Can't defend a set piece.

Can't defend. End of.

Can't defend full stop. Fed up of being so pathetic against hopeless sides.

Yes there is, unfortunately our recent away form has told us this time will be taken up by us huffing & puffing a lot, not scoring & then letting in another goal.

Hope I'm wrong, but it does appear this one is going the same way

Just turned it off. The Swindon players have decided to replay Tuesday's game (and almost every away game of the season) by the sound of it and it's too depressing trying to listen to that with the shit service on offer from Player.

I predict we're going to get hammered.

I can't listen to this.

It's not so much the actual football that's pissing me off, it's STFC player. So bad that it's just not worth bothering with. Fucking appalling service which is unacceptable especially considering there is no alternative for many of us.

Can anyone enlighten me as to why Ranger is in the side?

Isn't he due for his appointment with the Crown Prosecution Service?

He's in the side because that's what we're paying him to do.

And no, he isn't due for a few weeks yet.

I generally listen to the oppositions player commentary. Doesnt cut out and generally far better quality commentary. Gillingham one isnt cutting out.

It is an awful service of such poor quality.

Ah OK.

This sounds like they are all over us :( gonna be a long afternoon.

Which sums us up away from home currently. Sounds shambolic again!

You sound like Ranger!

Ah okay, I thought he was supposed to be there now.

I'm listening on player too. It all sounds pretty dire  :hmmm:

why the fuck have we gone back to 3 at the back?! is Hall undroppable? Cooper away from home completely bemuses me

Come on the town, time to turn it around still

At least shitty getting dicked at home

I thought we had none at the back

Why would that be any consolation out of interest?

Good save by Nelson from Kasim.

It is if you've got to go to work in Brizzle on Monday morning

If we nick a goal before half time the pendulum swings.

Other cliches are available!

Fair point. I work in laaandan you slaaag so it's palace and arsenal only!

@SamMorshead_SA: Back three all over the place again as McDonald collects the ball and shoots wide when he should do better.

Thank god we aren't playing anyone decent otherwise this game sounds like it would be over!

HT 1-0 to the Pikeys we sound about as poor as the STFC Player service.

It's unbelievable isn't it? Everyone, even the rosiest tinted glasses wearer, can see that our defence is shit. yet Ward and Hall have played every single game this season.  I'm certainly starting to think that the claim that we have to play the Spurs players is true. I can't see any other reason why Hall is playing today.

Well obv I cant stand the fuckers...

Better from town at last, period of pressure that should hsve ended with a goal.

Cant see what we can change ht, the 2 gills CBs are giants so no point going the ariel route.
Maybe some pace up from from Storey or Barker.
Sounds like the back 3 plus wingbacks not working defrnsively

Read Cooper in today's Adver. He actually says loanees from Prem League teams must almost be guaranteed to play.

Surprised Mason has escaped any flak - he's been piss-poor

Get Hall off at HT and bring on Harley. Go 4-3-3 with Mason and Pritchard supporting Ranger.

Mason has quality and gets dropped and shoved all over the place, plus his injuries. Still needs to be better for us though.

Hall is the worst of the 3 and always fucking plays!!!

Kasim to get the equalizer, Ranger to head the winner.

I haven't got anything against player particularly. You get to listen to the games and they post all the highlights, better than nothing.

Maybe its because he the only one of the centre halves that has shown he can pass the ball to his team mates consistently.

Either that or maybe Cooper thinks Branco deserves to play, but doesn't quite trust him yet.

As for why Hall & Ward have played all season, before the last couple of games most people thought we needed another CH, as they didn't trust Branco after his performance in the JPT game early this season, and Troy & Oakley have both been out injured most of the season.

Doesn't sound like a bad shout. 5 at the back really hasn't served us well - amazed Cooper's still using it.

Also can't help that they keep changing it.

Well Cooper needs to start showing his tactical worth now.  Needs to start showing he can make a difference at half time.  He has had it relatively easy so far with regards to flak for the performances, but sooner or later he has got to start taking some of the responsibility for our away tactics and results.

Cos he doesnt like to change things around


 :ty:

Been a while since I've backed against us in an accumulator but the price on the Gills was too big to pass up.

Sadly it's all too predictable so far

Hall injured...

Well it looks like some people are getting what they were after

Blessing in disguise.

Sounds like Hall's hamstring, Barker coming on.

Have to change things now and looks like Hall out for a while ( if he survives the stretcher ride )

Barker on then  :hmmm:
Flat back 4 ??

As a ball playing cb I reckon Hall is decent. It just hasn't seemed to work defensively for us this season.

Come on Ronnie!

on the ball fine, but he isn't quick, he gets beat in the air regularly, and gets out muscled all the time. Its difficult for anyone in that regard with Akinfenwa though. Hope Branco and Ward take the opportunity together.

Really don't get the hype about Pritchard.

Pritchard booked for trying a Maradona hand of god

He blows hot and cold. On his day he tears teams apart. Shame it doesn't happen more often.

Have you seen him play

I have been saying that as early as the QPR game and got slammed so have stopped saying it now.  It seems he has a fan club amongst town fans similar to One Direction.

Yep.

Collins scores for Hibs, they were 3-0 down at the time though

Makes the wrong decision far too often as well, usually resulting in giving the ball away and adding pressure.

Better player than Mason tho esp when on fire

I am getting really fucked off with our away performances and coopers apathy,we have a talented squad and are not punching above our weight which is what coopers has resorted to stating latley ,and don't get me started on "we fine in the center back dept" shit that he said this week.

I've seen him four or five times this season and he's been either poor or anonymous in all except one - Bradford, where to be fair, he was superb.

He needs to add consistency although obviously that goes for the team as a whole

Puts so much pressure on the team to win the home games.

Can't quite remember when we last had a season where the home/away form has been such polar opposites

6134 at the campsite
372 travellers town fans

Ajose scores for Peterboro

Fair play to him
Liked Ajose

How many of you looked at that and for a second your heart soared in excitement?

Shitty equalise

He played well at home to Coventry where he scored 1 and created the other.

But I didn't realise but that was his only goal at home.

As you say he does blow hot & cold. He does obviously have some talent, but does sometimes try to do too much.

fuck

Let's hope our home form holds or we could be in trouble.  :badmood:

Pathetic

FFS. They can't even get it right for my prediction league prediction. Pathetic.

Game over lets all go home.

FFS game over
Another defensive cock up

Oh well

Pikey fuckers.

Now for all the Cooper out retards, Power signs the players, decides how we play and most likely does pick the team.

Have you seen our home fixtures coming up  :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

:nod:

My prediction is on.

And I'd still back us to beat most of them. That's what makes our away form so infuriating!

Could be worse could be Bolton fans currently losing 7-1 to the plastics down the road

Can't recall anyone calling for Cooper out? Not on here or at games anyway

Based on home matches we are 3rd, on away matches we are 21st.

Grim.

There've been a few on facebook in recent weeks, but the day we start taking that as a gauge of public opinion is the day we lose all hope for the world.

Amazed we're as high as 21st. Genuinely.

To be honest, that didn't take much predicting

People are going to start getting more vocal soon for sure.  If we were just plain shit it would be easy to take, but the Jekyll and hyde nature of our home v away performances, Is confusing to say the least.

Its not the first season we've been proper shit away from home, but I don't recall such a contrast between home and away results (cue Reg and his Rothman's).

We have 9 points, better than Crewe, Sheff Utd and Notts County.

I reckon it could have something to do with them not travelling up the night before games, if as i heard, they stopped that

Think quite a few of us predicted the result today.

Something NEEDS to change with our away form

Yep, not happy about it though.

Really don't know, were absolute bollocks away from home, maybe we'll fluke a draw like they did earlier, knowing our luck, though we wont. Therefore 2-0 to the hedgehog bakers.

What an awful fucking afternoon. I'm fucking freezing, and we were abysmal. Couldn't put two passes together, nervy at the back and lacking any passion or desire.

On the upside, at least I get to leave this shit hole now.

Fuckit. See you later. Can't be arsed to listen to what Cooper thinks. Not got a problem with him, but just sort it out.

This seems to be the generic report of our away games last couple of months.

This...exactly this.

I don't think they'll be many calling for Cooper to go and as we all know, it's Power pulling the strings anyway.

Realistically though, I don't expect us to gain promotion under him this season, next season or any season after unless something changes.  The formations and tactics just do not work away from home and he/they seem to have no desire/ability to change this.  We are a different team on the road.

Yet again those who have travelled are served up a pile of shit.  Wish I'd put some money on the scoreline now, might feel a bit better now.

Not every club in this league can afford an overnighter am sure and if that is the reason its a pretty lame one

Fuck knows what the reasoning is but away form is dire and cant see it changing
I was planning another 3 away trips this season but doubt will follow up on that

Meh another saturday over with

Two away games to teams in the bottom half who are effectively fighting relegation. I don't know whats worse, the fact we lost both or the fact we couldn't even score 1 goal against those defences. Cooper says we'll play attacking away from home but im yet to see that!

Everyone knows Cooper isnt making any decisions so why even have him. The home form has papered over the cracks. Any 'normal' home form and we would be in a right fucking mess. The sooner we get 15 more points the better. Hall cant defend yet it appears he has to play every game and we'll move him around the back 4 to accommodate him. Stop sucking spurs off and play a team that will be tough to beat. Play 2 up top so Ranger has someone to help him and can actually get his flick on's.

We need a couple more players in but maybe Power is to busy trying to blame both of these defeats on Sam Morshead too....

Ideally we're looking for about 15 points....looking at the fixtures and applying a bit of logic, we should manage that, but it may well be tight....

Pick any srason between 1976 and 1980

Sounds like Barker was sharp.

Straw clutching!!

But, just like the team, away from home too fucking predictable!

Jmac interview far more of emotional than Coopers was, actually sounds gutted

McEverley well pissed off obviously!

What did Cooper say?  Too many young players, no leaders?  Or did he admit the fact we play a totally different formation in every match just could be the reason.  Ranger needs support up front from the first whistle!!

Pick any of his interviews from last umpteen away games and was the same drivel

- players only played for 20 minutes
- should have scored when on top
- young inexperienced players
- blah blah fucking blah

I always expected us to be shit over the winter months, we have skilful players that like to keep the ball down and play. But with all the pitches/weather not suiting our style, it isn't going to work.
Better teams have muscle,fight and varied tactics, we have one style and were struggling with it.

JTP is reality our season. 

Im in Rochester waiting for a pizza......it will show eventually....unlike an away goal....

Fucking hopeless today....i say it once, I say it a 1000 times, if it ain't working change it.....NOT when its too late, two goals down and the games gone FFS...

After Tuesday there is no defending that today.....all that went were let down.

Roll on the fucking home games!

Have to say that after Sheff Utd away only been to one match,when a team plays with no passion it makes mine dwindle...from reports from mates who went to both Stevenage and Gills today it has been sadly lacking.
For me for all his faults that is what i loved about the last manager here...the passion from him came out in players(some very ordinary ones) in nearly every match.

Think Cooper has done a decent job with what he has been given up to now,but whether people like it or not he has got to start getting it right because many natives(rightly or wrongly) are getting restless.
Was itching to go today....sorry for the people there.

How many more fucking times?  Turn the record over Mr Manager!!

Could we not start bringing in some experienced players then?

I was going to the away leg of the JPT, but wont now, as we have zero hope of a result , we might as well say to Peterborough you can have 3-0, and well try and win the 2nd leg. Save everyone a lot of time and money. Yep I'm pretty pissed off.

Or playing, Harley, the one we've got

Upside: Sam can re-use pretty much any of Cooper's old post-match interviews.

Unfortunately it feels like its a case of how narrow we can keep the defeat. Its on TV, midweek, JPT, and away. Those going deserve praise and sectioning on their return.

Cant see too many travelling for that
Cheap tickets or not
Apart from the tv fact we have another away defeat v warsaw to squeeze in before

I have got a nice picture titled "Pikey Cunts" in the pub for the 2nd half

:D

Heard most of Cooper's post-match interview but I didn't hear one bit properly - when he was talking about "mumble mumble criticising the half-time team talk". Did I hear that right and if so who was he saying was criticising the half-time team talk? Or did I just mishear it?

Did anyone else interpret Cooper's comments about a new striker as a dig at Ranger? It left me with the impression that Cooper wasn't the one who agreed to give him another chance.

Anyway, we're half way through the transfer window and the mass exodus of players that many expected has yet to happen. If we improve our away form ee could easily be play off contenders and if we don't we have the home form to keep us safe and eventually we'll fade into midtable obscurity which is more than most expected this season.

I like Cooper and I like what he is trying to build. I believe that if we are patient then we could see some real excitement in the next couple of seasons. Although the post match interviews are becoming tediously repetitive, I agree...

After the past 12 months at STFC things could be far worse and depending on who you listen to then in the next 12 months our league position will be a minor concern.

I haven't heard Cooper's comments from today but I have noticed him having a dig on a few occasions. I'm wondering if it's an attempt to keep Ranger on his toes.

Well I cant see us keeping any of the spurs boys ( thank fuck in 2 out 3 cases ) so will be more loans coming in then I expect.
IF we get another striker that will be a loan ( N'Goo would have been coming in as such ) so guess we could be in the same position next season as this - although our own players will be a year older so maybe the young and experienced line wont get trotted out as much.

We simply are not consistent enough for the championship and even if did manage to scrape our way up we would be straight back down with little or no investment.
On the flip side of that, performances such as Wolves and Rovrum as well as some of our home games show just how good we could be.



Indeed, we still have a club to support - even if a jekyll and hyde one

Didn't think Cooper was keen on Rangers return after his 'how many chances can you give him' type comments after the Peterborough game.

They could have stayed at mine for nothing.10 in the living room with sleeping bags,4 in the shed and the other 6 on the lawn in a tent

Think things are bit better than "at least we still have a club to support" which kind of implies we're clinging on by our fingernails. Not suggesting everything in the garden is rosy and there's clearly plenty of work to do in all areas but I think it's a little bit better than "at least we're still here"

I'm with Batch, I thought he made it fairly clear that the players might have voted him back in but he still wasn't impressed.

I thought he said we need a number 9 when asked if we needed players. I probably misheard the context though as I was only half listening.

I meant we have a club still in respect to how it could have gone when Black bailed.

Things are deffo rosier in the garden in terms of budget and that will improve end of this season when more of PdCs big earners are off the books.
Quite how that leaves the on field squad time will tell.

I still contend the actual level of peril was grossly overexagerrated (mainly in order to burnish Jed's reputation)

You may well be right there  :hmmm:
Every account differs

Have to stay in for a week-again!Thoroughly depressing afternoon in the worst away end in the league.Only 3 players (Pritchard again,McEveley and Barker) looked as if they wanted to be there,no one else worth more than 4/10.Thompson has become shockingly bad and Luongo,Mason and Kasim must have passed more balls to blue shirts than red.Ranger a complete non-presence and the back 3 shambolic.A good side would have been 4-0 up against us at half time.Thompson is not good enough to play the wing back role in fact he's not good enough to be in the side full stop,Byrne is a better player.Dont really understand MC's reluctance to use Storey,who under the circumstances would have been a better option today than N'Guessan I reckon.

Check the stfc facebook pages, twitter etc... Plenty of retards about.

At the end of the day we're 9th in the table (only 5 points off the playoffs), and 2 games away from Wembley. And all this has been achieved with half the wage budget of last season, an almost entirely new squad made up of inexperienced prem/ex prem players and cast offs like Kasim, Branco etc, we have a new board too. What more do people want under the circumstances?

Effort?

Aquaducts?

I don't think it's about effort but more about stage fright. Too many Premier League/Championship reserves/development players who can't handle playing under pressure in front of a crowd, because they're used to playing in meaningless games in front of no fans... Travelling up on the day of the game probably doesn't help them either. I think we need an experienced cb and and an experienced midfield enforcer and we'll be ok.

Beaten sides often look like they are not trying when that is not the case.
I honestly don't think we should expect anything this year. Already exceeding expectations(well mine at least)

True...I think we mostly said at the start of the season this side would struggle on the road, especially away at hoofball merchants like Stevenage on a wet Tues/Weds. We do though need a win on Saturday, because I'm not sure this squad has the mental strength to deal with a major slide...

17:55 18th January 2014

by Swindontownfc.co.uk

TOWN Manager Mark Cooper spoke to the media after defeat at Gillingham.

On the performance..
In the first half we huffed and puffed without too much up front. In the second half we came out I thought we had a spell for 20 minutes where we played well but we needed to score. We had them on rack and when you're on top you need to score. If we do score then I think we have a chance to win the game but we only played for 20 minutes out of the 90.

On the goals conceded...
We gave a silly free-kick away and no-one picked up their man for the first goal. (For the second goal) we're gambling to try and get back in the game. You're hoping you can defend it and get a bit of a break to get the ball up to the strikers but it never happened.

On errors made...
They're individual errors. It's simple: if you don't defend a ball when it comes in your box and score when it goes in theirs you're not going to win football matches. They're young, they're learning and they're only going to learn by playing.

On the tactical set-up..
We went to three at the back to make sure we could get the ball out the back which is what we're all about. There is no point to the 'keeper whacking it down the middle.

Read more at http://www.swindontownfc.co.uk/news/article/weonlyplayedfor20minutes-1302303.aspx#iizdefTr53SL6O1F.99

What did Jay Mac say in his interview? I heard it was a bit more no holes barred

Thank you.

I'm over the moon with where we are.....as I said Tuesday....I feelin my piss we will win the JPT....but...I want a shift out of club for the money I've paid...and for two matches running, I haven't got it....

20 minutes?

There must of been a time slip when I went for a piss.....was that Charles Dickens draining the lizard next to me?

5 minutes at the most...

As an old bastard, I am rapidly coming to the conclusion that I would rather have a team of older players who realise that they are very, very lucky to be playing professional football and would run their balls off to maintain their quite well paid existence.

Give me eleven totally dedicated players who are willing to give 100% week in and week out and I will not fault them.

Give me players who think they are better than they think they are are and they can then add to the thousands of "might have beens" plying their so called abilities in non-league football or not even at all.

Currently, pissed off, does not even cover my emotions.   

So, what was it that J Mac said? Nobody has answered the question that has been asked a few times now.

I heard it and got the impression he was well pissed off with the attitude of some of the team. To me, he sounded very wound up and not at all happy with the way the game went.

Others on here may disagree but that was my reading of his comments.

Its a Casio wristwatch  ;)

“We’re giving ourselves a mountain to climb with stupid, sloppy goals too many times now. We keep seem to be saying the same things every week and I think there are a lot of people getting tired of it – not just the fans but us as well.

“We’re not happy at all and personally I’m not happy at all either. People do digged out but people just don’t learn from their mistakes. I don’t know what we’re going to do, it’s very disappointing."

Fair play to him

That smacks to me of a few young egos.

Sounds like a player that does actually give a shit. Shame some people find it necessary to groan every time the ball goes within 5 yards of him. It sounded like he gave everything today, although I am fully prepared to be told otherwise as I was not in attendance. The sad thing is, with Grant Hall likely to miss a few weeks he will become the scapegoat again. Fucking sick of the negativity shown towards him, embarrassing is an understatement. He will never be Roberto Carlos but at least he gives a shit, I wonder how many of the other 10 that started along side him feel the same way.

Jay Mac for captain, perhaps Ward can concentrate on defending then.

I'm not sure about that.

After a shaky first few weeks of the season he is generally considered to have been our best defender this season. Now you could argue that isn't a hard achievement but I'd like to think the rational fans amongst can see he has had a good season. Of course there are plenty of the irrational types around.

Totally agree about him for captain, those post match quotes are evidence enough of his suitability.

Bet he dont play again after that, Power will lock him the shed or something

Thanks. Straight honest talking, got to respect that more than the usual spiel from Cooper.

JMac has been Jeckyll and Hide this season - from match to match and from one minute to the next. You can see the good or you can see the bad. The one thing that is stonkingly obvious is that the problems in defence stem from the centre regardless of whether its a centre 2 or 3. JMac makes a hell of a better wing back than I thought he would. He was always a Jamie Vincent clone under PdC but seems to play with a lot of freedom now. Nate Dog is / was good in a back 4 but is bollox as a wing back.
We need to sort the centre of defence out and I'd happily see the back of both Ward and Hall. Ward just isn't a leader this season and Hall just hasn't cut it. He may have potential and he may be a ball playing defender but it counts for shit if he's crap in the air, gets caught in possession and needs to man the fuck up.
We need a leader in the centre of midfield - a Foley type - a fucking horrible little cunt who kicks the fuck out of anything and is up for a scrap.
Overall though we've exceeded my expectations. The bad news is that the issues we have have been glaringly obvious for some time but fuck all has yet been done to rectify them.Will it be done in this window???

Flash - was it as bad as Stevenage ?

I was at Stevenage, and to be honest, I don't think hoofball is fair.

They totally outplayed and out fought us, and although they played it long, it didn't look like hit and hope to me.
Direct, maybe, but not hoofball.

We were just rubbish

Jmacs interview

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01pbgbs

17 minutes in

Pikeys were better than Stevenage but with two up top we would of pressed them more.

Just a few reflections - and I was not there! - but it seems glaringly obvious where our problems away from home are and if the manager has any guts he will sort it out, if he is allowed to and that I very much doubt.  If Ranger plays he must have another player up alongside him, Nile loses interest too quickly if he is isolated.  We have been poor defensively all season, more so on our travels - but our home form papers over the cracks.  Consecutive defeats against Stevenage and the caravan dwellers are hard to take, a point from each of the games would have been satisfactory I think - but we were never really in with a shout.  And things could have been a lot worse as we really shouldn't have won either of our last two home games on the balance of play.  But the biggest concern for me is the total lack of passion shown, and that is something the management have to address and address quickly.

Gills are only 5 points behind us now.

A few weeks ago if you saw the fixtures Stevenage, gillingham and Shrewsbury in consecutive games you would be rubbing your hands.

I know its revolutionary but I think we should go 4-4-2 in our next away game;
Wes;Barthram,Branco,Ward,JMAC;Pritchard,luongo,Kasim,Barker;DNG,Storey

Why would he not be allowed to 'sort it out'? If we're unable to sign players it's because we're skint and there's no sense spunking money away to achieve a position in midtable

Hardly...the analysis a few weeks back, was that the second half of the season would be shaped by how we might do away at the lower table home strugglers like Gills and Stevenage and then how we might do against stronger teams at home like Cov and Posh. The worry always was that on the evidence of losing at other strugglers like Sheff U, Shrews and Oldham, we might very well not get much on the road anywhere, and so it's proved.  However on the upside we passed the Cov and Posh test both massive wins, providing a bit of breathing space. Had we lost those 2 we'd now be 4 points above Notts County and looking over our shoulder.

I would say it's entirely possible we'll maybe only pick up a couple of points on the road before the season's end....leaving us to find 4 wins and a draw at the CG....probably coming from these fixtures Sheff U, Shrewsbury, Oldham, Crawley, ColU, Bradford, definitely doable, but could well be tight, and a McMahon style late season meltdown may just be the sort of thing this squad can't cope with.

Having listened to the Cooper and McEverley interviews I was trying to work out who they thought were at fault ? What I picked out was:

- Cooper not happy with lack of effort from Ranger. Comments about needing someone who runs around and tries for the team. Mentioned that he was dominated all game by the centre half
- Cooper mentioning that we didn't win a header in the box from which they scored. He then praised Branco and was lukewarm when the interview suggested McEverley played well. McEverley however, seemed to be blaming other who don't seem to learn. Was that a dig at Hall? Or was it Thompson who people have said has been poor of late?
- Cooper said that some needed a rocket, but he wasn't sure whether they would respond. Easy to think Ranger might be one, but who are the others?
- Cooper commented on being criticised for not getting a response from his last 1/2 time team talk. He said that today he pointed some fingers and there was an improvement in the second half. So who improved?
- When I have listened to games over the last couple of weeks, I haven't heard much about Luongo or N'Guessan. Are they people who aren't learning or wont respond to the hairdryer treatment? Or are they just doing the donkey work that doesn't often get noticed or appreciated?

Can anyone give player ratings to shed some light on this or any other points?

Pretty much sums up what is wrong as a unit
Not sure of the reasons why as seemed to have plenty of it early season.
Maybe the awful away results are getting to them

Halls injury could well be a blessing in disguise, maybe troy can be given a chance with us.  we need to get back to basics with a 451 442 formation away from home keep it simple get Kasim back in front of the back four, keep Pritchard out on the wing hopefully Tijane will be back soon because we don't have any other wingers n'guessan more of a foward, ranger needs a storey to play up front with maybe barker. Oh and cooper do some resource on the teams we will be playing it may help. As others have said sofar this season has been better than expected, just need to keep our home form up and pick up afew points away from home and all is rosey again. Coyr

I think it speaks volumes that we're halfway through the season and still haven't settled on a preferred system. What really put it into perspective, for all our talk of how the 4-4-2 was dead, and the 4-5-1 the unavoidable future as corroborated by all the top flight teams, was seeing Tim Sherwood, the shadowy alleged puppet master behind our 4-5-1 system, switching Spur's formation to a 4-4-2 immediately on becoming their manager!

Personally, I don't think the 4-4-2 is the answer, in and of itself at least.

I'm starting to think that the common denominator in our good performances was never the system, seeing as those performances have come in a lot of shapes and varieties, but the attitude and effort of the players.

One thing particularly bothering me at the moment is that we seem to be sitting deep a lot more and allowing the opposition to keep the ball, rather than hunting down in packs, committing lots of men, throwing in last ditch tackles and playing with the high tempo, high energy, high risk/ reward game we seemed to be doing in the first quarter of the season. I remember many of us during that period declaiming that we probably had the best midfield in the division. I think some of us went so far as to say it was Championship quality.

How many of us think that about the midfield now?

Seeing as the players haven't changed, seeing as their technical ability is still the same, and seeing as we still generally play the same 3 man Kasim, Luongo, Mason midfield we were rapturous about at the start of the season, whatever the arrangement of other players around them, what seems the likeliest explanation for the drop off in quality, the way the midfield is set up, or the attitude and effort of those midfielders?

Our squad isn't big enough to have enough competition for each places.
These players have no fear of losing their place - and definitely no fear of being bombed out the club. Ranger has been given enough chances, so anyone else can get away with whatever without fear of running out of chances...

There's something to be said for having a bit of discipline at the football club.

Not sure we "passed the test"

Scraped 2 unconvincing wins in games we really shouldnt have and Posh are on a bad a run as we are in the form table

(http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/ab225/mark_woolhouse/formtable_zps17507ccc.jpg)

If we lose the luck we enjoyed in those games we will get bugger all at home v the top teams left to come here.

I guess it all depends on how well Cooper can manage to turn our away slump around - pretty soon am sure it will impact on our home results as players suffer loss of confidence.
After 2 bad results away anything but a resounding thumping of the shrews am sure will have the CG making its displeasure heard, which am sure will go a long way to helping the confidence levels  ::)


Pretty sure he is still not 100% yet - might have been Cooper who said still needs at least another development game.
But even without Troy going back to a flat back 4 with Thompson as a RB not wing back should be more stable with Branco replacing Hall.Or even use Barthram instead of Thompson
I didnt go yesterday but from all accounts Jmac had a decent game on return, have been one of his critics in the past but am prepared for him to prove me wrong  :nod:

Troy is too busy watching Celebrity Big Brother to follow our results let alone turn out for us.

personally I would say
Fods-4/10
Thompson 3
Ward 4
Branco 4
McEvely 6
Hall 3
Pritchard 6
Luongo 4
Mason 3
Kasim 4
Ranger3
subs
Barker6
NGuessan 5
Byrne 5

Dare is suggest Mark Cooper isn't a very good manager/head coach?

A very frustrating, but not really surprising 90 minutes. A real grim afternoon stood on that joke of stand.

The pikeys are a poor outfit, lets make no mistake about that but they were comfortable throughout yesterday and we didn't have a clue how to trouble them.

A 20 minute spell I hear Mr Cooper said we had? When the fuck was that? The bloke is lucky there was a mass exodus after the 2nd, because it wouldn't have been a nice send off for him at full time. He was getting plenty of abuse when he trudged off at half time, along with 'Cooper sort it out' being chanted. I stayed until the end, but couldn't bring myself to find the effort to give him any stick. My mood matched the performance - completely flat.

I can accept lining up with FIVE defenders against such a poor side if it means we are resolute. The opposite was the case. All over the place at the back.

As I am sure has been said, McEvely put in a good shift but Thompson cannot play a wing back role. He has no attacking quality and that will prevent him being any use at a higher level. A very good defender in a back four, but ask him to go forward and he is clueless.

Ward was ridiculously good last season and extremely reliable. The same can't be said for this season but I don't put it down to 'his legs have gone'. He had no pace last season but now he is just left stupidly exposed on an almost weekly basis. I can forgive him for awkwardness on the ball as that has never been his game.

Branco never seems to win the first ball but I don't think he deserves any stick for his performance yesterday. Hall is far too inconsistent and it is no wonder he gets stick. If he was a youth lad here then fair enough give him time but I wouldn't be upset to see him return to Spurs.

A midfield trio of Luongo-Kasim-Mason is a luxury away from home. All very good footballers, and effective at the County Ground but we need an experienced head in there for matches like yesterday.

Pritchard huffed and puffed and Ranger was starved of service. Barker was lively and should start next Saturday.

And this leads me to Mr Cooper. A likeable man, who steadied the ship in difficult circumstances in the summer, and for that he deserves great credit.

However, lets be honest here. He is out of his depth. I would be very confident that a reasonable manager would have this side in the top 6. We know what they can do. A reasonable manager would be knocking on the chairman's door for what is needed, and I don't think it is much - an experienced central midfielder.

Cooper knows he can get away with a mid table finish. Next season will be the interesting one, and I think a more difficult one - what will the fans settle for?

Ambition comes from the fans in my opinion. If the fans settle for 2nd best consistently (or mid table in this scenario), then so will the management and players. Lack of ambition is a disease for a football club.

I feel for those who also went to Stevenage on Tuesday. Yesterday was not the worst I have seen this season, that would be Shrewsbury but it was not an enjoyable afternoon.

Dar-es-Salaam????

We won both games, how doesn't really matter....had we not, then we'd be looking at needing 21 points, meaning winning at least 1 away game and 6 more home games with the likes of Wolves, Brentford, Preston and Rotherham to come.

You're right though about Saturday, really need to win this one...massive game.

The negativity on here is really sapping my enthusiasm for the rest of the season.

Congratulations you bunch of bastards,  you've helped save me a few quid

 :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:
Tis the team you need to thank
I had at least 3 more away trips planned but they are shelved so will save me a small fortune

I don't think you're sticking your neck out too much there mate

I'm going over to the UK next weekend and was thinking of staying for a week - taking in 3 games. The performances in the last couple of games has certainly sapped the enthusiasm I had. Normally I'm excited about going home to see The Mighty Reds play......but I doubt that I'll even bother to go Saturday now. It winds me up that such a talented bunch of players are so pathetic against rubbish teams away from home. We have the best striker in the league. The best goalie. Undoubtedly the best midfield. Thompson, on his day, is one of the best fullbacks. Ward, on his day, is a good defender. McEverley's not bad - he's played at a higher level and, again, on his day is a good defender. There's no excuse for being so poor. I'm sick of hearing the excuse that they are young. That's bullshit. They are just a bunch of lazy, apathetic wasters. What they all need is a good kick up the arse and if that don't work send the useless cunts packing. Play Barthram, Storey, Byrne, Barker, Louis Thompson......get rid of the likes of Ranger and bring Ajose back. Get players in the side who give a fuck.

You can tell you are not here to watch games

Thompson is a shadow of the defender he was last year and has been since november and his injury.
Ward isnt the player he was last season as well, maybe a season too many for him at this level or just the company around him not helping.
McEvely was also guilty of jeckyll and hyde performances earlier in the season
Chuck Hall into that and you can see why our back 4 is a shambles at times.

Even Wes doesnt seem the player he was last season - still a v good keeper maybe he is more exposed than previously with the defence stuttering.


Again, on its day it can be,
Mason very poor recently and has been up and down all season.
Luongo is another who has been poor the last couple of months
Kasim had a sticky patch but seems to be coming thru that but unless all 3 fire together that midfield is very lightweight and crying out for an enforcer type

Having said that our home form is decent and the other STFC arent that good at the moment so even we should triumph saturday.
Dont deny yourself the possibility of watching a win  :beers:

Perhaps the fact that nobody has come in for any of the players speaks volumes

Deactivate your account for a few weeks and go to the games.....you won't need us then :)

What will I do at work?

Fair point.  I still think most people would have taken this position at start of season.

 :badmood:

Didn't go yesterday, went to watch Sunderland v Southampton instead (won some tickets/good time to see the Northern family) but sounds like the same old thing that's cost us again away from home - poor defending, mistakes, no desire, no attacking prowess and only a couple of players showing up. Really need to win the next few home games against Shrews and Oldham, and in between attempt to get something off Walsall - a team who played us off the park earlier in the season that have 'gone off the boil' so to speak.

Our average number of away fans has dropped by 28% compared to last season, the highest drop in the division.

Just noticed that
Minus 235 on last years average

That will rise ( hopefully ) after we play shitty tho, dependant on how many tickets we get and how many decide they want to have the piss ripped out of them ( unless our away form improves by then )

On a serious note we do seem to have had an awful lot of northern trips.
Not sure how that compares with last season

And if the current form continues, I would imagine they'll drop further as the season progresses.

Have we got more games further afield this season, which could have impacted on the figures?

Yeah it won't get much better, the only 2 away games that we'll take a decent amount to will be City and Orient.

Looking forward to orient. A local game for me!

Know the feeling, it was nice directing fellow town fans looking very lost at Stratford last season, although I didn't actually go for a myriad of reasons.

We had a charismatic passionate manager last year

I'm going to get stick for that

That we couldn't afford.  Done.

Well, I must be super loyal then, I've been to 3 more away games than home games so far

Who was it that use to post the stats thread where it showed current standings and points needed for relegation/safety and promotion. All this relegation talk has got me worried could we not get this up and running again so we can smash the first target and start to relax.  

That's absolute bollocks.

MacDonald was about as passionate as the fish counter in Waitrose.

Liar, we don't have a waitrose in swindon..............yet. Coming soon but not yet.

Me.

52 is the guaranteed safety point.

Aaaaaand… this week's comedy show:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zdLGkOeyzQ (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zdLGkOeyzQ)

I've said it before and i'll say it again. Go back to the 4-3-3 that we looked good playing. Get Kasim in the holding roll and forget about him going forward (Coopers mindset to get him further up the park is stupid considering the other players we have!) stick Luongo and Mason/Harley in there with him. Ranger up top with Pritchard on one side and N'Guessan the other or Byrne perhaps away from home for his pace. Drop Hall, play Branco and Ward and maybe even get TAH back in when fit.

don't make stupid comments like

"Everyone knows we need a number nine that wants to fight for the club and wants to run about like the rest of them"

Every game i've seen this season Ranger has been excellent, worked hard, held the ball up brilliantly etc. He's not the problem the manager is! I heard that in McEveley's interview as well.

Expectations were low at the start of the season but we have some of the best players we've had in this division for many a year and what is being achieved i don't think is good enough!

You didn't go to Saturday or Tuesday then? Or Brentford Boxing Day other than the first 20mins. Nile's not been winning his headers or holding the ball lately. He loses interest when he gets isolated I think.

Wouldn't say no to the team you've picked in your first paragraph particularly though.

I am baffled by people throwing their toys out of the pram saying they aren't gonna go on Saturday because our away form is shit. We're not away on Saturday? and our home form is excellent!

Not surprised at performance or result. We need to find a formation and just fucking stick to it. I can take losing if they at least attack and try to win the game. I think we'll end up midtable this year, which is probably a bit better than I expected in pre-season, then I think some coaching changes and a change of philosophy are needed in the summer. This nice football style isn't producing nice football anymore, we are lacking in very basic areas and its becoming more and more obvious that we don't research the teams we play anymore.

Only managed to catch the second half driving back from Devon but from what I heard we were doing ok until the second against run of play goal. Cooper doesn`t like Ranger and he makes that pretty bloody obvious, which I think is unprofessional especially as he is without doubt a talented footballer - I like Cooper but he is inexperienced and needs to set up not to lose away from home - something he is struggling to do - he can`t blame the players if he is picking the system by which they play. Home games I have been too - we look confident most of the time. Personally  I don`t like McEveley  as he comes across as someone who blames everyone but himself....keep the faith we won`t be that far off the play offs come the end of the season.

http://swindon-town-fc.co.uk/StatAttack/AveragePointsPerGame.asp?Season=2013-2014

That uses an average based on the past 10 years, not sure if DV figures out the entire league every week.


If anyone is unprofessional then it's undoubtedly Ranger!

It's not fair to call Cooper inexperienced either given that he's been managing since 2004 and has over 400 games as a manager, albeit not all at league level.

Managers are normally so complimentary about players that can't be arsed...



He's trying isn't he. We tried 4-6-0 for a bit, that's a the biggest attempt not to get beat we could do!  

Not saying Cooper shouldn't be criticised, but the players aren't putting it in either. I'm sure they aren't deliberately being half arsed away from home,  but  they don't look like they are busting a gut either. Probably as mentioned a confidence/conditions thing.

Wish we had a midfield bruiser.

Darren Bullock?

I posted in response to something by Reg a month or two back that the comings and goings in Jan and impact it might have on our ability to win away would decide our season.  Looking at it right now, seems pretty evident we have a team capable of bossing others in the right conditions, but with inexperience and less than favourable conditions (being away seems to cover that), we'll continue to be up and down until a nice safe mid table finish becomes our natural home. C'est la vie.

I would like to see Harley replace Mason in midfield. From recent reports and what I have seen Mason has done bugger all since Crewe at home and Harley's experience might help us.

Is it fuck...

I hope you're right in assuming a mid table finish will be ours for the taking...but this week has been very damaging. I've not been to either game, but the general comment from those that have, seems to be a lack of effort coupled with repeated ineptitude in the most basic of elements, a pretty toxic cocktail, which needs sorting asap, because a repeat on Saturday, and with Saddlers coming up after...will leave your assumption looking a bit shaky.

i think you got rather over excited based on a few good early season performances

It's not a zero-sum game, just because Ranger is unprofessional, doesn't exclude Cooper from also being so. I agree though that Ranger would try the patience of a saint and I'd find it hard to criticise Cooper for making his displeasure felt, especially if Ranger wasn't his pick in the first place.

No need to repeat yourself

The other thing I - correct me if I'm wrong - Cooper on playing the 4-6-0 formation saying something along the lines of 'we wont play that formation again as the fans have let it be known that they believe that to be too negative'

Now is the formation not down to the manager, rather than fans, surely he should know how to et the best out of his players, yes I know it is negative, but if he came out and said right I have set us up to be solid to not concede and to hit on the break etc etc then fans would understand why he wanted to play like that, would he say the same if fans complained about playing 4-5-1 or 3-5-1-1 though