Thetownend.com

Happy Boxing day!

Can't see why we can't extend the run and give us all a present of 3 points!

0-1 Town.

yay!! 3-1 to us

SWS started the thread= 3 more points!

2-0 Town with Murray & J Smith to score!

Just back from a very tasty party at a neighbours house :pint:

Suggs - I'm not supersticious in any fucking way, but you've got me hooked with your fucking match-day thread starting bollocks. That's annoying, but welcome.

I think we'll sneak a win today, with Suggs getting the credit once again, despite the fucking mumbo jumbo logic.

Hope you cunts all had a good Christmas day.

Battlefield 3 for my Xmas and that has me up until this ungodly hour.

Right I'm off to get some kip before I leave in the morning!

Thank fuck for that. I had a nightmare last night that Tans started the matchday thread and we got thumped 5-0.

All is well. 3-1 to the Town.

I've got a bad feeling about today. Torquay are on a decent run themselves (sure, not as good as ours...) so will be tricky opponents.  SWS has started the thread so I'm happy with that but can't see beyond a score draw.

1-0 to us

0-2 we have to keep winning

2-0 Caddis, Murray

2-1 defeat.

Hopefully there are no Christmas hangovers in the dressing room and the team are up for it today.  1-0 Swindon to keep this fantastic run going!  COYR

3-1 win. Ritchie 2 and Jervis. With Bodin and another striker out I'm hoping it will unsettle their home form.

Not happy that for ANOTHER year we are away on Boxing Day and it feels like we've played about 4 games at home. However a 2-0 win for us and SWS to be granted the freedom of Gorse Hill.

A very hard fought 1-0 win to us.

Flint scoring from a corner.

Tricky one this. I think we will be struck down 2-1 then return more powerful than you can possibly imagine.

If we come out of Christmas unscathed, will Will start the Wigan thread, or leave it for someone else so he can concentrate on the league?

I think we'll have too much for them. They've got few goals in the team now and our defence will handle whatever they have left.

As SWS has started the thread then Torquay are fucked. 2-0 Town - don't care who scores. SWS the gift that never stops giving - so far.

Our match preview - http://thewashbag.com/2011/12/23/match-preview-torquay-united-vs-swindon/

1-0 defeat.

1-1

Happy Christmas to one and all. On a run with predictions so going to predict an away win as Torguay recent good run has been against lower league teams. Wish I was going but the outlaws are coming round.

4-1 Town on the Prediction League. Would take that.

2-1 Torquay

Convincing 2 - 0 win for the town

Wait a minute, we had full backs called Harry May and Harry Kaye? I like the idea of a team full of rhyming couplets.

Wondering round town with the Mrs and have seen kerrouche and easyjet together. They must seriously be out of favour.

Just about to leave, very excited. COYR

1-1 draw and a funny feeling Connell may score.

Enjoy it Nochee.

I believe were get a close win mainly because there first two strikers are out inc. Bodin.

2-1 town. COYR's.

This is one of those games we 'must win' because of what's going on elsewhere...with at least one of Cheltenham and Shrewsbury to drop points.  Would be a real shame not to capitalise.  (Oxford one up at the moment as well.)  A win for us and a draw for Chelt vs Shrews would be a great set of results.  Fingers crossed.

Oxford 2 up now :(

How the fuck we didnt beat Wimbledon is beyond me.  Oxford all over them, dont think i've seen a worse team then Wimbledon this year

We were pretty poor for large parts of the first 60 minutes, yet Connell could still have had a hatrick.

They have problems up front with Bodin obviously ineligible and Rene Howe suspended so I think we'll win.

2-0 - Ritchie and Murray.

1-0 Town with Flint scoring. SWS goes marching on.

jack midson looks fucking awful

Jervis and Magera upfront

Kerrouche looks to be another casualty of Di Canio's training and fitness regime, along with Montano who has bagged a couple for D&R today.

The worrying thing is that this means Magera will continue to play and offer absolutely nothing at all. I guess he must train hard because he's fucking lazy on the pitch.

i was going to say exactly the same thing SY, but then i thought that maybe he doesn't want jervis up top as "the big man" to win headers n things.

bit unfortunate that Magera is crap in the air (or he was last weekend at least)

i completely agree, just thought i'd offer a different angle

Unchanged team from the last game then.

Wesley Foderingham        
Paul Caddis        
Aden Flint        
Alan McCormack        
Liam Ridehalgh        
Matt Ritchie        
Simon Ferry       
Jonathan Smith        
Raffaele De Vita       
Lukas Magera       
Jake Jervis        

Subs TBA

Oh dear

3-0 last time they started....

Nice to see Bristhole Rovers lose 3-2 after being 2-0 up.

Cheers Lee. I would enjoy a win rather than a 1-1 draw though

2-1 Swindon. Flint bullet header and a Ritchie 35 yard screamer

seriously, I had as much impact on that result from row T of the DRS as Magera did on the pitch!

Yeah fair enough :D I would've liked to have seen Murray start but we can still get a win here. We can get goals from anywhere.

Come on boys - must win game with the Pox winning, don't care how we do it just DO IT!

COYR

I'm going out on a limb and guessing there are very few of us not at Torquay today...

Listening on the radio attempting to get the motivation to continue writing my essay...

Twitter updates for me today. Judging by todays custom, I think it's clear to see that cinemas do not need to be open on Boxing Day.

I think after 6 starts its acceptable to call Magera the worst Town striker of all time. How I long for the days of Vincent Pericard.

Nowhere should be open on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or Boxing Day.

Shaun Close was a lot worse.

Lukas is better than Vince... I know because I've seen him play...

Hehe

Sorry, I should have put this at the end of my other post

 ::) ::) ::) ::) ::)

Certainly the crappiest this season anyway . . . . .

i wish they would turn player on

Very dissapointed the new android app doesn't include audio commentary. Any other way to get out outside the bbc.wilts region on a mobile...? Come on town

And we're off.......I think. I heard a whistle. OK no not yet.

And we really are off......

Northampton 1 Burton 1, after 2 minutes. zzzzzz.

I would imagine the Plymouth fans not too gentle with Buckle after that.

Come on Swindon.  Has to be a win today.

Northampton 1-1 Burton already!

Draw will be best result there for us, keeps Burton behind us and Northampton not in-form and confident ahead of Saturday.

Southend take an early lead

I've only got here & the twitter feed for updates, but seems like we are under a bit of pressure.

Crawley down to 10 men

We always start like this. We'll get in the groove soon.

Northampton down to 10 too.

Sneezing like mad, nose running like a tap, splitting head ache, sore throat and shitting through the eye of a needle.....and listening to what sounds like a boring game!

They have forgotten to turn the audio off on bbc wilts

Thanks for that  :)

Thought I would try my luck being boxing day.

Seconded.

Are more townend members going to games these days... as its dead on here.

Caddis and Ritchie having a pop at each other.

FUCK

Bollocks 1-0 Torquay

1-0 Torquay pretty much right afterwards, Atieno

Bollocks.

3 yard tap in..

Bollocks.  (I was going to reply to post.  No point now.)

Fuck

Cock

Someone ready the kindling in case we need to burn SWS...

fuck a priest!

Not good, sounds as though we haven't shown up at all

Arse

Now I've calmed down...I'd say attendances, especially away from home, are up across the board at the moment.

Ritchie almost scores.

Sounds like we've picked up a little bit just before H/T..

Actually, I'm finding the experience of being able to listen to commentary more frustrating than watching Jeff on SSN.  Wish BBC Wiltshire would turn it off now.

Half Time.

So far so bad!

"Chance for Magera to break"

Well you knew nothing would come of that one.

Half time.

wank, we miss Kerrouche.

think there might be a couple of changes at half time.

We do seem to be. Hopefully Benson arrives on Monday...

What's the view about PDC's half time talks?  Wilson was known for being a bit wet, I know.  Does PDC strip the paint from the changing room walls?  Something needs to change, anyway.

So he's pronouncing our left back's name as Rideoush. How does that work?
Any other variations available?

Seems he goes mental even if we're playing alright.
I sense he will be going mental right about now..

wouldn't surprise me if we see Murray or possibly Connell very early on in the second half..

Risser and the Ipswich boy on?

Had a funny feeling about today.  Come on Town, 45 mins to sort this out and take the unbeaten run into 2012.  Sorry if it's been stated, but where is Kerrouche?

Swindon Town Center.

Corrected for you.

(I'm feeling irritable.)

.....shopping with Esejas

We have another game before 2012 :)

Kerouche was allegedly out shopping in Swindon with Esejas. Its a shame Kerouche and Paolo seem to have fallen out, he looked like he was going to be find of the season not so long ago. He is much travelled though with 7 clubs since 2006, so maybe it was always likely.

Corrected for you.

(I'm feeling irritable.)

Hmmm, Flash sounds a bit down on the performance (via text).

Be happy with a draw now

And a wanking joke to start the half.

Murray for Magera, right sub.

Murray on Magera off

Good.  Radio commentary really laying in to Magera at the moment.

Don't rate Magera at all

Southend's match abandoned due to floodlight failure!

Good break from Town, and the Town fans in good voice. Slightly brighter start to the 2nd half.

You'll struggle to find a dissenting opinion on that. Surely there must be some talent there because he's got a properly decent background, but it really isn't happening here at the moment.

Shame they're not losing at home to Tranmere.  That would have been funny.

Maybe not...apparently no official decision has been made.

Probably best to call it off for the sake of the fans there...

Possession
    Aldershot 41%
    Southend 59%

Attempts on target
    Aldershot 0
    Southend 0

Attempts off target
    Aldershot 0
    Southend 1

Gills equalise against Crawley

He's not scoring goals...simple as.  And at this level, with his background (as you say), he should be.  Wish I could understand what went wrong with Kerrouche.  There is a way back for him.  Both Connell and Ferry have found their way back in to the reckoning (to varying degrees) after falling out of favour.

Pikeys just equalised at creepy Crawley

Gills winning at Crawley

Sounds like we're playing much better this half.

Rocket from Paolo seems to have done the trick.

Pikeys now 2-1 up

As well as learning to score goals, Magera needs to put in some fucking effort and also drop a couple of stone... he looks seriously out of condition.

Beeb stats say 56% possession 0 shots on target so far

FFS Swindon...we've got to nail this.  Ideal opportunity to reel them in.

Funny, I'm sure their keeper's made a save or two.

Flint to get us level from a corner  :headhurts:

Connell about to come on.

Jervis I would guess..

Or maybe not..

Club twitter said he was, then Vic says he's sat back down..

Beeb stats are woefully inaccurate.

shut up you diamandis apologist

Very accurate in their beloved prem - pile of shite for the rest of us tho

Gabby Londo coming on.

De vita off.

Just got back for 2nd half. Has the game improved?

That cunt from the Supporters Club isn't on again is he?

Yes....

Say what?

Nigel Bennett on co-comm, presumably.

Time running out. C'mon Town

Is it just me or is Ridehalgh not pronounced Ridehalsh which is what the commentators keep saying? It's starting to annoy me and I'm not sure why. But surely he is putting 'sh' on the end when it shouldn't.

That's how the Hudds fans reckon it's pronounced.

Come on Town, get the fucking thing in the net

Good save from Murray, Smith misses a sitter.

So close.....

Get some fucking studs Jervis

Doesn't sound right to me. I blame the parents.

Gary Rose saying that Town have rejected a £500k bid for Ritchie.

Murray clears off the line...

Chris McPhee, fucking hell, how is he still a pro footballer?

And so it begins

Jervis for Connell.

Jervis off, Connell on

I may have fucked my last post up..

Connell for Jervis..

He speaks wise words.

Wise words (http://thetownend.com/index.php/topic,42238.msg1022873.html#msg1022873)

Murray pulled down on edge of box, Nigel Bennett convinced it was inside...ref sounds like he's bottling.

clearly a penalty, I can see it from here

Wanker. Foul on edge of area. Yellow. How.

Yellow.

Yellow card and a free kick for the last man, potentially in the box.

Sometimes it's just not your day.

Murray in the area, pulled back, foul just outside the area.

???

Sort it out Vic.

And Connell blocks the free kick. I re-state my earlier point.

You may have fucked up your thread starting career.

And again

I blame SWS.  Let the Inquisition begin.

Connell seems to be taking his defensive duties seriously at least, blocked two goal bound shots.

Had to happen sooner or later I suppose.

Looks like Crawley are also losing their 15 game unbeaten run too.

My second game of the season at Northampton.  My Dad (first game in 8 years) and father in law (first game of English football) coming along as well.  Hate to break it to you lot, but Oxford was my first this year.

Torquay have done a job on us by playing 5 across midfield...and we just haven't had an answer to it.

4 mins added on.

Were you pissed when you started this thread?

Fucking Burton above as now too - bollocks

 :cry:

Fuck you Ling.

No.

Well please make sure you get shit faced next time :)

no bite upfront.

So why has the criticism been focused predominantly on the front two?  No doubt The Washbag (http://thewashbag.com/) will analyse this to death, but I don't get this at the moment.

Because it's not going to be Saint Ferry's fault is it?*







* I have no idea who's played poorly as I've not been at the match, but I suspect Ferry could have scored a hatrick of own goals and we'd all still love him.

Luke Rooney sent off for the Pikeys

ft.

Bollocks...

FFS ideal opportunity to close the gap. Got to get another run going now, keep hold of Ritchie and get a goal scorer in

Cuntyfuck.

Oh well, we have to make sure that we react the right way at Northampton & win that game

Shit shit fucking shit - massive chance missed there

Bollocks, I blame that cunt SuggWillSugg

A bad day.  My two year old looking up at me with a sad face.  (But I think that's just because he's knackered.)

It worry's me how much effort "Ash from potten" probably put into his christmas puns.

It always makes me wonder how people who sit at home & listen to the radio can suggest we were shit.

It can only be based on the opinion of the commentators, and is therefore worth fuck all.

Bournemouth fan I know reckons Ritchie's going to hand his notice in

just what i was thinking

The only motive I can think of for Ritchie to do this wouldn be if Bournemouth's owner was going to break the bank and fund wages that the club (AFCB) could not realistically afford on its own.  Bournemouth's prospects are no higher than League 1 either in the short or longer term.  A step down in several respects.

Have we lost when Dave has started a matchday thread?

That was pretty awful.

Will be interesting to hear what Di canio has to say as he was going apeshit for most of the second half.

I do hope so Ardiles, we need to be adding to squad with some quality, not flogging the quality we already have

That would show a lack of ambition. Could only be for money or because he doesn't like Di Canio.

I don't believe it mind. But I do believe its going to be a struggle to keep him, just not to Bournemouth.

Still frustrates me that we have a proven goalscorer in Clarke. I love Di Canio, I just hope he learns how to manage ego's and attitude, not just boot them out. I think we need him right now. If we can get £1m for Ritchie early in the window I will take that to invest in a winger and a better striker, but now I'm dreaming.

Has PDC spoken yet?

Apparantly so, but I didn't hear it. From Twitter...

Official_STFC Swindon Town FC
PDC: 'We must do better and we will analyse that performance and may make changes for Northampton.'

He's on the radio now.

As normal I have no idea what he's saying but can tell he's angry...

He is on now.

I'm the same. He is less animated than after Rovers, but still moaning saying he needs new players etc.

Disappointing to end the year on a defeat.  An opportunity to close the gap missed again.  We need to get back on track at Northampton, which I don't think will be easy.  We also need to be careful that the upcoming cup games don't knock us off course in the league.

I'm fairly certain we will lose Ritchie in January and hope Di Canio has a replacement lined up.  Neither Gabilondo or Esajas are good enough from what I've seen.  The lack of firepower up front is also a slight concern.

- He doesn't want Bodin back (too young and not ready)
- He doesn't like players talking to press to sort out moves to Swindon or away and then not performing
- He wants to bring in other players
- He doesn't want to keep everyone he's got
- Its not about money for DiCanio its about success
- Then lots of random words strung together in sentences that make no sense whatsoever

I always knew SWS was a twat.

What has interested me, is the amount of our players on twitter showing how pissed off they are about losing.

It's a nice refreshing change from the lot I was following last year not really giving a shit compared to this year.

Even the loan players like Jervis & Foderingham have posted.
It makes a nice change to see the players seemingly caring as much as us fans.

Hide your head in shame

Sorry.

You weren't ratted were you

I can't really understand why Di Canio is so unhappy with the players who have lost 1 game in the last 16. It's obvious we need a forward but is this his only complaint?

Not heard the interview, just going on the cliff notes from NMH

Nope, third ever one started while sober. 1 Draw 1 Loss and a win.

That explains it then

You know what you have to do, go out Friday night & get shit faced.
If anyone objects you can tell them that you have no choice as it's your duty.

Who is melvinlutherking on twitter?
His insults to me are getting quite personal and i wouldn't mind doing to him what happened to the bloke his avatar is

A troll who enjoys getting a reaction. He was particularly prolific on Twitter earlier this year.

It's not a disaster, not much has changed, still 5 points from 3rd place, 9 points from 1st place.
We can't win 'em all.

Roll on Northampton.


I still love you, Suggs ;)

Been back 45 mins, blah, blah etc.

Got what we deserved. Oh we tried, believe me we tried. The game lasts 90 mins not 45. Muscled off the ball in the first half. Played with desire and passion in the second half. Gave the ball away to much and allowed ourselves to play their game not ours ie hoof ball and head tennis. Bevis and butthead up front best strike partnership in all four divisions, their goals for record shows that...................... so why fucking pick them Paolo? Best part of the day was lunch in The Drum @ Cockington and getting home.

Got to agree with Fatbasher!  Their defence was very solid, the ref was a bottler, should have had a pen and it should have been a red card not a yellow.  The lino didn't help him, he appeared to flag for a pen and then march three steps back up the pitch and flag for a foul! Thought PDC made two mistakes, he should have taken Magera off after 30 minutes and Jervis had an hour too long.  What was the aggro about?  Two guys chucked out after three minutes!!

Poor first half but Magera should have scored..... second half better with murray through ref/lino bottled a sending off at the minimum. Connell should have been given at least 15/20 minutes Jervis had minimal impact.Good turnout 1033 = 25% of torquay gate, just shame they still beat us without their main striker rene howe and bodin.
Need to strengthen in window,....... striker x 2, extend foderingham loan to end of season, keep ritchie if not replace as easyjet / gabi not good enough for first team

Sam9255 is to be blamed. He started the " Torquay v Swindon, the build up " thread a week before the game. Wiggy was right when he said " this thread worries me" SWS start the Northampton thread and prove it wasn't down to you.

Clearly, Sam is a witch. He has brought ill fortune upon us all.

Perhaps Sam is Hellen chamberlain in disguise.

I thought Torquay were a decent side, they played some good football and their winger (o'kane?) is a class player.

I also thought Murray offered us so much more than either Jervis or Magera, he must start V Northampton.

a group of our fans were absolute twats for 10 or so mins, but calmed down after a couple of got booted

first half we were abysmal - although credit to torquay for their attacking performance in the 1st and resolute defence in the 2nd

magera and jervis completely unable to win a header or compete in general

murray offered excellent movement and desire to get in goal scoring positions

flints worst game for some time (until he went up front!)

we must have the worst 'shots on target per possession in the final third' in the football league

murray to start against nton, need at least one striker (benson?) probs 2 in jan, a centre mid, wes & ridehalgh, and a wide player (rooney?). and ship out around 10 - evans has already had his contract paid up. all of the foreign players brought in have proven to be utter shit

Not sure what they want, but most of them need rehabilitation and/or an education.

Murray is the most dangerous striker we have and must start.

Not sure what worries me more; the fact it is blatantly obvious we are at least 3 players short of being a consistent top 3 side or the fact that so many of PDC's signings have flattered to deceive.

Second half performance deserved a point though.

Can't say I am that keen on the thought of Jervis' loan being extended despite the goals he has scored. He is very mobile but is poor with his back to goal, whether it is winning headers or holding the ball up. A more experienced player is needed for the second half of the season - Benson?

Connell is very good at that

Well chaps...we wasn't going to stay unbeaten all season and being beaten by the odd goal isn't a disaster in my view,still a team getting to know each other and we will bounce back.
We will be beaten again this season but let us now go on another run....5 points off automatic and not even New Year yet......ecstatic i am not....happy i am.
With big matches v Barnet and Wigan coming up it is a good time to be a Town fan....relatively speaking of course.

I agree, Leefer, and I also think it is a positive sign that the unbeaten run came to an end with Torquary having to resist a lot of pressure in the second half as we went down fighting.

I do though think PDC's team selection got us off to a bad start with his front pairing being so ineffectual and unable to put any pressure on Torquay. The signs had been there against Morecambe when Murray livened the game up after coming on and I thought he deserved a start today.

Maybe...i would have started with Connell against his old club....but its a long season and with a better start in the first 6 games we would be top three.
Its a tough league and you look at the Bradfords and Port Vales who are big fish in this league all coming up short in recent seasons.
I would take third place on goal average right now.......though i still feel we could win it.

He has had more players come good though than be duff hasn't he.

1 defeat in 16 let's wake up a bit here and not panick eh. We all know we need 3-4 players,the manager has said he needs them and the chairman has said he will provide them.

In the summer yes he made a few dodgy signings but i personally am very happy with the way he noticed that early on and let's be honest since the season started the players he has bought in have done a job havn't they

Easy to forget that this is PDC's first season in management.  We knew that there would be mistakes, and we knew that it was likely we would start slowly.  The gratifying part is that, respectively, he seems to learn from the mistakes and that form has noticeably picked up since October.

I still feel that anything other than promotion this season would be a disappointment, but I'm also fairly sure that if we miss out narrowly, both sides (PDC and the club) will want him to have another crack in 2012/13...by which time a lot of the fine adjustment/tweaking will have been completed.

How Magera and Jervis continue to be our front two is a miracle. Our two worst players by a long way

Jervis has scored a couple recently though so can see why he would start him

 
 :no: :no:

No doubt that PDC has made a very positive start, though not sure how his approach to management would have worked at a club without the resources we have in this division. Still, his mindset and determination to succeed are refreshing and I firmly believe we are lucky to have him.

Jervis' latest goal did come off his shoulder mind... ;-)

Good game to miss by the sounds of it. I blame myself for not giving a score prediction for the first time! But let's not panic - win the next two very winnable games and I'm sure we'll be within 1-2 points of the auto places.

Getting beat is never good, but if you have to take it on the chin, the presence of Lingy and Ooh Shaun Taylor in the oppo "dugout" did soften the blow somewhat.

Connell hasn't really delivered so I can understand one of the two starting. But it's a shame Karrouche isn't playing, whatever the reasons.

Really?

I bloody love Taylor & Lingy, 2 of my heroes from the best period in our modern era history.  Still a shit feeling to lose against them though.

I was at work n not in my lucky trackies and away shirt. sorry.

Out of interest, does anyone know who does the scouting now?

A few of our signings this season, Magera particularly, strike me as being signed on paper and perhaps not scouted all that much.

And what can we do to get Kerrouche back in the team? I'm seriously starting to think he'll be gone in a week.

Darren lewis brother is one, and discodazr on twitter is another

Think he posts on here actually

Isn't it agent Darren......Doncaster have a similar arangement, which they have made public whereby an agent does the deals and Saunders makes what he can of the players.

Hopefully they can unearth the next Kasali Yinka Casal  :)

I'm waiting for the next Ibrahim Atiku...

I do think though that di Canio will go in for a spot of Barry Fry style transfer dealing in January...

Didn't see the game so can't comment on specifics but it does sound like it wasn't the best performance.

At the end of the day though, it's still our first defeat in about 3 months and we didn't lose ground on too many other sides above us.

Seems from what I've seen recently and by many of the comments in the last few pages that up front is certainly our most pressing concern. The other 9 players in what seems our best XI pretty much pick themselves at this point, as long as we keep hold of Ritchie, Foderingham et al until at least the end of the season and PdC can sort out a consistent scoring front two - whether from players currently here or not - no reason we can't continue to improve and close in on the top 3 in the new year.

/festively optimistic post

My Torquay match report is now online on the Washbag, give it a read, let me know what you think:

http://thewashbag.com/2011/12/27/torquay-utd-1-swindon-0-town-lack-any-boxing-day-punch/

Ridehalgh has signed til the end of the season...otherwise fine.

Almost every team has a wobble or blip at some point.

Clearly it is a bit early to call this such a thing after 1 game, but if it is, all that counts is how we react. That Northampton game isn't as easy as it looked two days ago.  They had a good match against Burton. And we've already drawn with the Wombles home and away.

If we can pick up 4 points from them and also get a couple of good players when the window opens I think we'll be in good shape.

And although Di Canio seems to be learning from mistakes in some areas of management, in others he clearly isn't.  If as rumours suggest, Kerrouche being dropped is on the back of a training ground spat, it's a repeat of the Timlin and Clarke incidents (not fogetting the Flint scenario). 

It sounds as if Magera and Jervis were as poor yesterday as they were against Morecambe, so you also have to wonder why Connell and Murray weren't brought into the fray alot earlier? They must wonder what more they have to do to start a game when they are watching consistently shite performances up front.

Yep, every team does have a blip, its how they come back from the blip, under most managers at Swindon in the past when we have had a blip after a good run we crumble and go on a run of poor results for a while.

Under Paolo I feel that he will put more of a feeling of self belief into the players than many managers and the blip will be only a tiny blip and we will be back on winning ways at Norfamton, as they are STILL on a pretty shit run of results even after the change of management.

Harping back to the Macari championship winning season.....we lost our last game of the season on January the 4rd that year away at Tranmere and after that day we NEVER looked like losing games, and barely conceded many goals as well...very very much like this season.

Macari had the players wanting to play for each other, they were super fit and despite what some people say we did play some fantastic flowing football that season, very very much as we do this season. In fact we only conceded 15 goals after that Tranny loss that season, and this season we also have a great defence that will do the same.

I genuinely think we will get automatic promotion if not the championship of this division...it is in us to do this and with PdC's guidance I do thnk we can do it.

One game in sixteen is definitely not a blip. Cease with this senseless talk.

JJ - how many players did Macari use that season? I can't see us going unbeaten as long, or winning as many games, simply because di Canio is a bit of a tinkerman at the best of times and we have a large squad with players in and out of favour quite a lot.

Is he? Notwithstanding injuries or suspensions, the 'back 9' has hardly changed for two months - wf, lr, af, am, rc, rdv, js, sf, mr

Fair point but I've lost count of the number of different strike partnerships we've had - is it 11? You need a settled strike partnership to build up an understand not only with their partner (ooo err) but the players behind them as well.

but we've done alright without it, so perhaps I'm wrong.

Well we may see kerrouche (i hope so) as jervis loan would have expired, i think murry deserves a start.

Great day out that. Nice trip down there and then a few beers before and after in that seafront pub (can't remember the name of it). Shame the game didn't go how I hoped it would.

Torquay had a game plan yesterday and it worked a treat. They stopped us playing which is exactly what you have to do beat us. They didn't offer much but they were stronger and hungrier in the first half which was dissapointing. They looked a decent enough side but one that I think won't quite be good enough to make the play offs.

As for us I guess the run had to come to an end at some point. It's always dissapointing to lose a game but that's the first for 3 months and 16 games so it was due and given other results it's hardly a disaster. Frist half we just weren't at the races at all. We didn't get going and we were punished from a set piece again (familiar story). Second half was a lot better from us. We had much more of the ball and pressed for the equaliser but didn't really create that clear cut chance. The final ball was poor too often which is what did for us in the end. Not sure how they didn't get a red when their player pulled Murray back when he was clean through on goal. Crazy decision.

I think yesterday highlighted what we've all known for a few weeks now. We've got away with not having a proper goalscorer in recent weeks but not yesterday. Jervis offers little and for a big man just falls over too easily. Not keen on him really. Magera is even worse. He's the opposite of Jervis in the sense he doesn't fall over but he offers nothing. His touch and passing are poor and he just isn't a goalscorer. Why start him?

In January we need a goalscorer, possibly even 2. I think Murray looks decent but he now needs to start at Northampton. I think we've really missed Kerrouche and Connell. Connell is a very good impact player and Kerrouche brings so much more to the team than Jervis and Magera do.

Onwards and upwards. Another 15 game unbeatean run would be nice.

I didn't go or listen to the game yesterday so can't comment on that, but, Morecambe aside, the last few results have shown that we need a clinical goalscorer to give us that extra edge.

No more fannying about with unproven foreigners or higher league youngsters, I'd much rather we tried to poach someone like Matt Tubbs who knows where the net is.

I think we could be in for him.....
although he would cost a fortune, or maybe mcleod. we have to get out of this league.

Connell, given a run in the team would score goals i'm sure.
I'm not sure if the board will be keen to release mopre money for players considering what they have given Di canio this season to work with.
What's going on with the Clarke situation? He's on big money so either we should fuck him off or play him...

We're 9/11s there arent we.

The keeper, back 4 and middle 4 pick themselves.

Kerrouche is the only striker thats done the business so far. Magera, Jervis, Connell all been disapointments. I guess De Vita to (as a striker)

Has to be Kerrouche and Murray next game, hell....chuck Clarke in for a game whilst he's here!

...or worst comes to worse - bring in Gabilondo and push Ritchie up.

 Interestingly Paolo said "sorry" as he applauded the fans and walked off at the end, and then got a red and White scarf to hold up to that small bunch of annoying, drumming Torquay fans near to the away end.

The first half reminded me of last season but at least they improved in the second half to not entirely ruin Boxing Day.

Was good to see that. We know we're in good hands. We'll be more than fine and when we strenghten in January we'll be even stronger. A lot fo home games for us as well next year which I think could see us through.

My Thought, Jervis was like Bambi, couldnt keep his feet.  Flint had his worst game for some time.  Didnt win a header in defence for the whole game.  Atieno was far superior in the air to him.  Horrible, niggly brute of a player, but he had a great game.  Totally unsettled what is reputed to be one of the tightest defenses in the 4 divisions.  He made it clear the torquay game plan from the start when he went straight into the back of Mcormack uneccessarily when he was never going to get the ball.  As he wasnt penalised he knew the officials were going to allow that sort of shit to go on and he used it.  They out fought us and hassled us out of passing the ball in the first half.

Ref,and more specifically the lino, totally bottled the most important decision of the game from our point of view.  It was right in front of me and clearly a foul which should have resulted in a red card.  Pathetic excuse for officials.  Though we didn't deserve anything out of the first half that should have given us the lifeline to keep the run going. 

Anyways, we lost a game.  Such is life.  Lets panic when we've lost 4 and are down in mid table.

In other League Two news...

Even if he is a Gillingham player, this particular injury has roused a serious burst of sympathy...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/16338426.stm

Oh dear...

Had a great trip down and flew like a bird with hardly any traffic at all.

Parked up easy and had a pint and scampi and chips in the boots and laces and chatted to some true Torquay fans who travel all over the place.

Got a nice spot behind the goal to the far right of the youth.....bouncing all over the world.

The first half was fucking dire.....Torquay had a game plan and with a ref that wasn't going to clamp down on the niggly stuff (including a few challenges we put in) they had a field day.
Magera and Jervis are pish on a good day let alone yesterday when the link up play was non existent....however...at least Magera was trying unlike Jervis who put in a shift that made Prutton look like a Dynamo...he was utter shit....couldnt or wouldn't: tackle, pass, head, run, stand up.

Second half was better but just as we started to get on top we looked desperate and panicked when a little more composure was required.

The keeper made a few good saves and the ref made a howler by not giving a red for Connell being dragged back.......what was he booked for?  If its a foul then he's off, not because im a Swindon fan but because thats the fucking rules!  Mind you i think we were a bit lucky with the Flint incident at Rovers so ho hum......I also feel that Connell should of knocked the ball a bit further into the area with his first touch.

Gabilono just has to beat the first man with a cross........

So...a defeat...no panic from me but we NEED A FUCKING STRIKER....a big brute like Atieno or the like.....Kerrouche would of been a good choice yesterday.

Loved the way PDC held up his scarf to the Gulls fans at the end.....and good to see legend Shaun Taylor.....Ooooooooh!

Could someone do a jervis v kerouche goal to game ratio please,I am out and phone is being a twat

Jervis 12 (+2)  - 5 goals (3 league)
Kerouch 11(+7) - 8 goals (6 league)

Jervis:

3 goals in 10 (+2) appearances in League Two.
5 goals in 12 (+2) appearances in all competitions.
Goal scored every 213 minutes (of 1067 minutes total)

Kerrouche:

6 goals in 9 (+4) appearances in League Two.
8 goals in 11 (+7) appearances in all competitions.
Goal scored every 125 minutes (of 1005 minutes total)

edit: thanks to www.swindon-town-fc.co.uk :)

In all comps Jervis has 5 in 14 apps (0.36 goals a game) Kerrouche has 8 in 18 (0.44 goals a game)

Also in the league Connell has the same goals a game ratio (0.25) as Jervis, although most of Connell's appearances were off the bench.

I think Rhys Evans suffered a similar bollock injury against Portsmouth a few year ago. Jonathan Trigg (the physio at the time) couldn't wait to get his hands on them.

Magera, 726 minutes per goal.

Murray has an average of 83 minutes per goal, albeit from a very small sample.

Thankyou.

Wasnt that mildenhall?

Yea, he was only playing cos Digby was out injured

Yes of course it was. Memory definitely failing!