Thetownend.com

Today I have to say that I disagree with King and say that we did not play too badly.  We had the lion's share of possession and perhaps the first half was lost as we failed to create the chances our possession deserved.  Walsall did defend extremely well, but it was easy to see why they are where they are in the league.

After the triple substitution King made, which I had mixed feelings about, we still did not look that much of a threat going forward, although Fallon did hit the bar and we won a penalty which I thought was a little dubious - you cannot say we haven't been lucky in recent weeks.  I'm glad King made such a gamble, but personally I would have left Roberts on for a little longer and held Caton back - he's no doubt a great talent, but at his age and with his statue, he has a tendency to be bullied off the ball all too easily.

Obviously, the playoffs are now gone, and the only thing left is to do a triple over Bristol City, which be for me the only highlight of this season.  I still haven't seen Swindon win since September, but I am worried as to where we go from here.  Howard was inexplicably missing from the squad, we are losing a midfield battler in Robinson and a quality left-back in Nicholas, and yet Duke and Hewlett remain in the starting XI after a series of hopeless performances.  This is a big summer for Swindon - we could be right back where we started in this division unless King is very thrifty in the transfer market.  As to whether or not he should stay or go is another debate, but I stand by comments I made at the start of the season - if we fail to reach the playoffs it is a gross underachievement, therefore he should go.

It was absolutely abysmal. Not only was it remarkably dull, uncreative and a completely apathetic performance but half of them were totally useless!

It wasn't great, I have to concede (spoken like a true politician!) but I'm used to unimaginative, dull performances at the County Ground.  For a couple of seasons we have not had a spark in midfield - Miglioranzi is the closest we have but all too often he is not at his best, as he wasn't today.  For me, not including substitutions, only Duke, Hewlett and Miglioranzi disappointed in terms of levels of performance.  It was just that our midfield did not know how to break Walsall down and subsequently we had very few chances.

Evans made a mistake, but other than that played well - good kicking also.

O'Hanlon and Heywood were solid and were not undone by Joachim's pace, but when he came down the left flank, funnily enough where Duke inhabitats, he gets half a chance and unlucky for the 'keeper it slips in.  We are not a bad side, but today has shown we are not a great side neither.  We lack players in key positions - midfield being the most obvious.

Ratings-wise, I'd say:
Evans - 6 (mistake let him down)
Jenkins - 7 Solid
Heywood - 7 Did well, didn't hoof it constantly
O'Hanlon - 7 Ditto
Duke - 5 Too many loose passes.  Throw-ins seem to be his only asset
Igoe - 8 Brilliant, did what he was supposed to do, keep it up!
Smith - 7 Played well, but was well marshalled by their right back
Miglioranzi - 5 Anonymous, nothing came off for him
Hewlett - 3 Get a hold of the ball laddy
Parkin - 7 Okay, didn't see much of the ball
Roberts - 7 Ditto

But even after Duke and Hewlett went off we were still average.  There doesn't seem to be a scapegoat today, that's perhaps what makes defeat so hard to take.

The few pluspoints I could extract from today's game was the performance of Fallon when he came on, and King's newfound willingness to gamble!

Jenkins was poor i thought...

I don't think I'd say igoe was that good. He had an average game I'd say. He just seems like he's tired All the time and does not really get stuck in like he used to. On his day he's an amazing player.

I don't think I'd give any of them more than a 5 today, maybe a 6 for Caton, Smithy and Parkin but the rest were toss. I'm struggling to think of a worse performance, maybe Bournemouth at home earlier this season.

i didn't think we played so badly all game, we had good patches where we should of taken our chances and won the game. i can't remember walsall having too many chances except the goals.

but the first half was very boring and uncreative with only parkins chance which should have gone in. second half was alot better and credit to king for trying to change the game with three subs as i thought fallon brought something new to the game, and good to seecaton who didn't really have the chance to do much anyway.

Rose-tinted spectacles mate - why would you give Caton a 6 and not Igoe?  Caton hardly had a touch, yet Igoe at least created some chances.  Don't just give a certain player a higher rating on reputation.

Bournemouth at home was bad, but Colchester at home was worse :|  We were all hungover to boot.

Igoe created a little, but he gave the ball away nearly endlessly whereas Caton was creative, busy and practically created the chance that won us a penalty.

The only one that came out with any credit yesterday was Fallon, as when he came on he looked like the only player who had something to play for, the others didnt look interested

As for Sean O and Heywood being soild and keep Joachim marked...he scored one and made the other....Sean O has his worst game in a Town shirt....

As for Igoe being good, Igoe was only good today compared with the incredibly low standards he has set himself this season....