Thetownend.com

What was a preparation game for the play offs has suddenly became our biggest game of the season so far. Expect a nail biting 90 mins.

2-1 Town. Smith and Gladwin carrying on from Tuesday.

5-0

It'll either be a struggle to get a draw with an appalling performance which knocks us back down after the joy of the last game, or it'll be a decent win with Preston collecting a single point to keep us hoping.

Swindon - Do a win.

Thanks

X

Already happened - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32245355

Hadn't realised that was last night.
That makes today more nervous!

It's the hope that kills ya!

My first game for a couple of years. Wonder if I'll bring good fortune? 

Agent Luggy has received his instructions.

who's suspended?

Turnbull and Branco I think. Kasim back.

 thank you - I was getting confused

2-0 win.

If we could wrap this one up by half time that'd be great. Imagine it'll be rather more difficult than that though. Any win will do. A comfortable 4-0, a hard-fought 3-2, or a 1-0 with a dodgy penalty that never should have been given and didn't actually cross the line. 3 points is all that matters.

It seems like ages since we had a really convincing home win. Hopefully the shackles are off and we really have nothing to lose . The pressure will only start again if we keep winning. COYR

JUST WIN YOU FUCKERS!!!

2-0 Obika, Hylton

***OOPS wrong thread***

Wrong thread perhaps  :hmmm:

Are pay on the day tickets still sold at the town end?

nervy game, we will draw, franchise will win. then the roles will be reversed Tuesday and Preston will be back in the driving seat.

or we will win 4 0

Yes.

Ta

9-1 Gladwin triple hat trick.

Wait
What ?
Yeovil get one ?

Bit far fetched

No pressure on Yeovil other than playing for contracts but we should have far too much for them.4-2 with Luongo 2 Smith and Hylton on target.

 Games against already relegated sides, can be a bit strange....they can play with a freedom.

Hopefully we can do the same, although human nature being what it is, the renewed sniff of auto, might cause a problem.

Pre match pint in The Merlin,  feeling confident dons will slip up today. 4-0 town, Byrne Luongo Smith Willo. Presuming any of those players start.

Quite right Reg, just ask the Blades!!  Should win this with something to spare - but this is STFC we are talking about!

Yeovil can hold the destiny of the 2nd play off place as we play them today and they play away at the Dongs last games of the season.

As Reg says, often relegated teams spring surprises at this stage of the season, nothing to play for except pride and a new contract.

Be prepared for a possible upset...that said we have enough "in our locker" to easily beat any team in this league.

Comes down to preparation and nerves of the players on the day.

As long as our fans don't get on our backs if we don't come out of the blocks firing on all cylinders early on.

We need patience (which TBF we are getting better at) and then grind out the result we need, we just need wins now, win all our remaining games and I think we will get promoted in the autos because MK will slip up.

Have a horrific feeling this will be 0-1, please prove me wrong town!

We need to play our game.  Stick to the plan, and play the way we can play.  If we do that, we will win.

A win today would be great.  A win together with Franchise failing to win...dreamland.

Dare we dream?

Damn fucking right we can dream!

Like most of us, I'm being pulled this way & that right now.  Just a week ago, completely convinced that it was the Play Offs or nothing.  Mentally, even started getting ready for them.  And now...Preston leave the door open again.

I'm all over the place on this.  Hate being so inconsistent.  Someone is either having a joke at our expense, or this is the prelude to a late season surge to promotion that we'll be talking about for years.

I think thats the general consensus of most Town fans at the moment, its a proper rollercoaster ride.

After MK home I knew it was play offs then PNE fuck up twice and its all open again, either way its been a bloody good season and enjoy it while it lasts, seasons like this don't happen very often in the history of STFC.

Foderingham; N Thompson, Stephens, Ricketts; Byrne, Luongo, Rodgers, Gladwin, Toffolo; Obika, Smith

Subs: C Belford, Barthram, Kasim, Swift, Barker, Hylton, Williams

Unchanged team with Kasim on the bench.

That's an impressive looking bench.

(https://welovelocalgovernment.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/garden-bench.jpg)

Now that IS an impressive looking bench.

*Deep breaths* *Deep breaths* *Deep breaths*

Good luck everyone, let's do this......

Come on town, put this to bed early...

Stand up.  Be counted.

Time to deliver.

They are bottom for a reason, they're shit, come on lads lets do them.

COYR

God I want us to beat this shower of shit or my week ahead will be unbearable.

exactly

bit like me with Gillingham!

Not enjoying this.

It is mate, their older fans are a good set but their young fans, who also follow Man Ure and Liverpool etc are a bunch of arrogant wankers. I want them back in the lower leagues sooner rather than later, especially after them voting against the lower league split of money as soon as they got up to the Championship...forget your roots.

bloody hell thought we'd scored.Damned commentator!

Yeah they do get over excited too easily.

ha,yeah-the only difference is that ALL Gillingham fans are cunts!

Ward nets for Crawley

I concur :D

Franchise 2-0 up.

that ginger cunt has scored

mas pulling minefield strings. not sure they've got into our box yet. yeovil packing defence when needed.

Yeovil have parked the bus!

Penalty to Dongs - Game over

3-0

Story of their season. They love to pack the defence and midfield and kick players and whack it up to their lone striker.

That's worked well hasn't it?

Not so far.... but today? who knows :)

Dongs 4 -0

Pretty even game so far then ?

If it comes to the play offs I hope we avoid the franchise cunts, but I can't want them to go up at the expense of Preston. Come on town score please.

Well that was pap!

So much possession and for the first half an hour we were taking them apart.  Then we start making silly passes and pissing around with nobody seeming to want to shoot.

Yeovil are poor.  We need to step this up.

How on earth is Foderingham not on the shortlist for league 1 Player of the Year?

Plenty of options on the bench.  No need for the button just yet.

(http://beststoppanicattacks.com/stop/no-panic-button-75.jpg)  (http://beststoppanicattacks.com/stop/no-panic-button-75.jpg)  (http://beststoppanicattacks.com/stop/no-panic-button-75.jpg)  (http://beststoppanicattacks.com/stop/no-panic-button-75.jpg)  (http://beststoppanicattacks.com/stop/no-panic-button-75.jpg)  (http://beststoppanicattacks.com/stop/no-panic-button-75.jpg)  (http://beststoppanicattacks.com/stop/no-panic-button-75.jpg)  (http://beststoppanicattacks.com/stop/no-panic-button-75.jpg)

URGH WHY DO WE STAND STILL WHEN WE GET INTO THE FINAL THIRD ITS SO FUCKING ANNOYING

sturrock masterclass in organisation. Rogers going for pass complete record but needs to pass it forward to more dangerous areas. We need to get it in the box quicker.

Just shooting from range.

Wes kept it at 0-0

Wes could be coming off injured then? I hope not.

He hasn't looked quite right.  Doesn't seem to be able to put all his weight down.  Still made a cracking save though.

Better to take him off today if hes not fully fit to rest him for the more important games in the play offs.

I agree.  We have a squad for a reason.

This is painful listening...

Come on lads one nil will do.

If the Yokels have clogged up midfield then we need to fully utilise Byrne/Toffo/Gladwin running at them down the wings.

They have set up their stall to soak our pressure up and hit us on the break, gotta keep the concentration up. Maybe Williams with some extra pace would be a better option than Smith?

If ever there was a game made for Williams to be an impact sub it's this one..

Yeah he'll give away a penalty  :)

Kasim about to come on

FFS

games turned to horse shit half time. that was coming

lolz

If this doesn't wake us up nothing will.

We moan about the commentators, but I misread this and was getting all smug

oh dear

:Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

Its the hope that kills you

More money going up via play offs(hides)

oh fucksake

We've gone to utter shit.  Obika's error caused the goal.  Utter bollocks.

indeed

Deflected shot out for a corner.
Crossbar.

Finally some urgency.

So Swindon, we'll beat Preston 3-0 and send franchise up .....

It's all going tong!  Dongs 5 nil up, SheffU 1 nil up

This rollercoaster is rubbish.

Not sounding great. Think I'd rather play Preston than a rampaging MK Dongs in the POs!

If Town can't beat the divisions worst team at home under reasonably high stakes then I'm relaxed whoever we play.

I gave up hope for lent

Not sure why Cooper took Toffolo off and left Rodgers on either.  He's been shit second half.

Rodgers is great at breaking up the play.

All we need to do now is get him to do it to the opposition instead and he will be a useful asset.

So is it Swift or Hylton who is to be our matchwinner?

I won't be back. Yeovil are so dull

Results against teams near the bottom, especially at home, have cost us this season.

Swindon 1-2 Crawley
Swindon 2-2 Colchester
Swindon 1-1 Coventry
Yeovil 1-1 Swindon
Crewe 0-0 Swindon
Crawley 2-1 Swindon
Scunthorpe 3-1 Swindon

4 points from those fixtures is just awful

This is classic Swindon :(

Crawley,Gillingham etc etc....

.......er,that's it

Fucking dreadful.  1 point against the team that will finish bottom.  

Same old Swindon.  Same old shit.

Some of the body language at the moment is poor.  Given up.

(https://wobbletowiggle.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/banana-skin.jpg)

gutless wonders today

glad I didn't go!

Wonder what Jan made of that?

I had my ticket for today but had to swap it for the Walsall game due to rehearsals this afternoon. Bullet dodged!

Yeah, it's been like this all season.

not really reeves, Tuesday is now pointless

Cooper out. No chance of winning the playoffs. Nailed on relegation next season.

Should I point out it's actually nil points?

Please don't top yourself.

Yeah but me might play well and win...

Embarrassing

What a crazy idea.

1 point from home and away

Ah, I get it now.

To be fair FH if you'd just sat through that gutless performance, you might see my point.  Very disappointing and nowhere near good enough when the autos were still within reach.

Did I disagree it was a poor match? No, I didn't. It was poor, but does that make it 'same old shit'? Nope, because we've actually been rather good for most of the season. One game doesn't change that.

Really,  really frustrating. I'm normally one for positivity but I can understand why we've got so many moaners this season. Luck and wind in the second half were in Yeovils favour. Plod plod plod went our possession and chances went by every couple of minutes. I need to stop going to games.

Sturrock should be congratulated  for coming here and playing the game.

Referee and linesmen were absolute bilgewater. Inconsistent, inattentive, unaware.

A guaranteed 4th place or above finish.

Moan after today perhaps, but all season? Nah.

Poor performance, too many players not playing well.  So much possession it was embarrass - and they were the worst team in the league I have seen so far!  Gladwin excites and frustrates me in equal measure, so much skill, so little effort - although if the shot he put against the post had gone in we would have won easily!  Everybody so flat, no creativity and no real passion!

Very disappointed with the performance today and it makes the remaining games pretty pointless.

Does anyone apart from Thompson run forward with any urgency?

We miss Louis Thompson massively.

To many dire performances like todays. I wont b rushing to buy any play off tickets.
Too many players with an eye on next seasons contracts.

I meant same old shit as in coming up short against poor teams at the bottom of the table.  That hasn't happened in jyst one game, it's been quite a few.

Don't understand the argument, to be honest.  What better way - other than putting yourself in the proverbial 'shop window' as part of a promotion winning side - could there be to secure a decent contract for next season?

I thought you had stopp
Yep, just like Tuesday. I thought you'd given up after last season anyway?!

Flasheart - fuck off with your voice of reason.

:smugfu:

Sorry. Did I mention we're dooooooomed.

The players are knackered.  That much is obvious.  The early season surge that lasted to the end of January was brilliant and unexpected.  But a team of kids (no disrespect intended) were always going to struggle to maintain that to the beginning of May.

Today's result was very poor.  But I hope we are still able to use the next few games to regroup and recharge for the Play Offs.  All it needs is a string of three above-par performances to win them.

That's better. Fuck me, I used to think I took defeats badly.

I'm glad somebody else noticed this, amongst the wrist slitting....I'm now liking the scenario whereby Franchise take the second auto, Chesterfield dump the shell shocked Preston, and we see off Blades whose massive amount of games catches up with them, while we get the benefit of our mid season breaks.

The worst thing of all about this is that I find myself hoping that franchise win their remaining games this season. I feel dirty.

That was total fucking shit. The first 40 minutes we totally dominated and did fuck all. The last 5 Yeovil came into it and our defence showed yet again it was total fucking dross and all over the place. The second half was worse. Plenty of possession and so fucking slow to do anything. The goal conceded was yet again another pile of self inflicted shite. I would have given MOM to Obika again who at least looked as though he wanted it. Too many pedestrian performances out there. I don't know how many games we've lost where we've beaten ourselves. When was the last time we put in a decent home performance.
Great to see Jan Aage although his finishing has got worse.  

First 20 minutes we were bright and looked threatening, Yeovil had a plan, defend, and I wouldn't be surprised if our possession stats for the first half were in the 65%-70% range. But so what. Becase after 20 minutes or so we looked less and less likely to score. Sure Gladwin hit a peach off the post but we were hardly forcing a save out their keeper. Familiar?

Half time came, Alex missed all 5, and then things got worse.

From the first minute after the break things went badly wrong. We looked dissjointed, clueless and lathargic. Here was our big chance to keep the pressure on Preston, and it looked from the outside like we couldn't be arsed. Yeovil pushed us back, scored, packed defence again. Fair play, it worked. Because for 45 minutes our game was plod, plod, plod, plod. We were more one paced than the speed of light. But at least that moves quickly. Not us. Plod, plod, plod. Not one of our team wanted it enough. I'm sure they wanted to win in their minds, but not in their actions. The subs made no difference, plod, plod plod. The strikers had sod all chance, our midfield continued, plod plod, plod.

FFS: It was do or die. Plod, plod, plod That said we did created 2 chances, one off the bar, one off the line that may just have snuck in from Mas. Oh and a free kick where we finally made the keeper save it.

No complaints on Cooper's  team selection. I'll never be Smith's biggest fan but he didn't really have any chance today.  They need a massive kick up the arse today after that gutless wonder display, or we may as well stay in bed for the playoffs.

When the going got tough, we went missing.

It's a truly horrible place to be. Can't stand what they stand for but we come first. Rather play Preston than them that's for sure. (Cue a tanking on Saturday)

I know exactly what you mean. I only hope them missing on autos deflates them (if they do).

I didn't think the performance was that bad. We passed brilliantly and dominated  first half up to the last third, but as often this season we failed to create clear chances close to goal. If Gladwin's shot had gone in, we would have pissed it, but Yeovil were very good at blocking shots and it must have been disheartening.

Second half the lack of penetration was a lot worse but even so we hit the crossbar and another was cleared off the line.  The effort was there IMO, but for me Rodgers never seems to pass forward or bring it forwards and is a very boring player.  Probably under orders I suppose, but we really miss Louis which has become obvious for some time.  Yeovil, one shot one goal. Just one of those unfair football days.

Got to disagree, he had one chance and scored - even if it was against that fucking Rocking Robin!!

Performance not bad until the final third. No cutting edge, same as many games this season. As always, looked good for conceding at least 1. Fair play Yeovil, defended very well, especially as they now have nothing to play for.

I agree.  While I feel dirty at the thought we could help get Franchise promoted, the allure of being the side to break Preston's hearts and confine them to the Play Offs is also attractive...not least because we would then get a second crack at giving their demoralised arses a kick just weeks later.

You must have missed the one he shanked after a bit of juggling. Seeing Jan a age and the two old bastards squaring up in the drs were the only highlights for me today

Chesterfield could yet pip the Blades for 5th spot, but they've got the 82ers, and a trip to Bramall Lane, so not the most likely outcome...

We seem to be lacking a game changer at the moment. Someone when the chips are down can make a goal out of nothing and drag up the performance levels of those around him. Look at past promotion teams where a Calderwood, Alan Mac, Bodin, Horlock even Rory Fallon would come up with a moment. That could have been the nervous 2-1 comeback win but it just petered out.

Our style makes it very easy to adopt an after you approach and pass to the next red shirt especially when shooting opportunities open up around the box. We need to be prepared to mix it up and that can mean an early cross. If Yeovil had been 1-0 up at Preston or Franchise with 10 to go then they would be winding up the pressure and putting it in the mixer.

We need to rest up some of the players now and get them mentally fresh. Luongo is probably the key but we need to get our strikers firing again. In the playoffs we need to score first to have any chance as we are a different side when leading

Was thinking more in terms of possibly meeting up again at Wembley.  And that, if I'm honest, is yet another reason I don't want to see Franchise in the Play Offs.  The thought of them turning us over there is too much to even contemplate.  It would make me ill.  And they, of course, would have the psychological upper hand after the 3-0 debacle two weeks ago.

Ha ha, yes I did see that but it wasn't a chance!!!  pmsl   didn't realise two oaps started fighting!! soapy tit wank

I liken it to playing in friendlies, The last thing you need, is to get an injury before you've signed your contract with your new employers.
If I was Williams for example, I've shown I can score goals at this level and just need to stay fit for next season.
Same goes for all the loanees.
Game changers, our style at home is easily countered by away teams allowing us to play as much football in the two thirds of the pitch that doesn't matter, both are good shouts too.

Haven't read back. Blame me as start of thread.

We are not going up. Simple as that.

Luongo!!  Paynter, Wembley - Leeds!!

After moaning about Luongo (v Posh) I thought he was better this week. First 25/30 he looked to be the key player sitting just in front of the back 4.

The entire team folded after half time, so...

That said, it does feel a bit like the Millwall final year - there are teams we can absolutely outplay or at least outpass (Rochdale), but there are teams we can't cope with (Yeovil at one end, Franchise at the other). We also seem to find it hard to come back from being goal(s) down.

But tonight I'm more worried about not getting to Wembley than getting there and losing.

Oooh, do tell more!

Did you think the same thing before kick off today?

I'm in V179 and this was to the left and below me so somewhere around L190 I would guess. A bit of shouting then the steward called and at the end of the game they squared up again. Looks like one has had a go at the other all through the game and the other one twatted him and they had a go again as they were exiting. They certainly showed more fight than the team.
On a separate note, I thought Luongo was one of our better players today.

Well that was awful. Didn't think we would get 2nd anyway but its left me with no desire to go on Tuesday and no emphusiasm for the play offs at all. Bar the first 30 we didnt look like scoring and looked worse as the game went on.

Do our players prefer playing away than at home as it's less pressure? Do fans get on players backs a little too easily?

Genuine question.

I sat through the match, I'm not gonna sit through this thread either, so I'll just throw out my thoughts...

Bloody frustrating.  Noticed today how deep Luongo sat to accompany Rodgers, which limited his effectiveness.  Someone texted in to the radio that Luongo clearly had his head elsewhere (or words to that effect)...well had they seen him run the show at Spotland, they wouldn't say that.  He will be off at the end of the season, but let's not twist things to fit some agenda (there's enough of that with the election), he looks tired on occasion, but he's still putting in a shift.

Gladwin did well, occasional error, but mostly good.  The general thing is it was a frustrating match.  Yeovil were content with 0-0, defended well, and were well organised.  We had a very poor few minutes and didn't keep the ball in the time before they scored.  A shame and disappointing, but not the end of the world.

We will finish 4th, we have the 3rd lowest wage bill in the division (I think), we play some lovely stuff.  Come what may, it's been a good season...get promoted and it'll be a great one.

Time to prepare for the playoffs.

I know I wasn't there and all that but I've a suggestion.....

Perhaps, maybe, Yeovil under a new manager and with no pressure on them did a number on us? Maybe we weren't that bad, rather they just did a good job and made us look bad? It does happen.

They did that...well organised as I said.  But we let ourselves down, too.

My thoughts are as follows, have to say first time at the CG this season so coming in at this a little fresh.

Luongo was a class a part from the other town players, so much time on the ball, he was the only one with some urgency/pace.

I thought nothing came off for Gladwin, he huffed and puffed but it just didn't happen for him today.

Obits worked his socks off, impressed by him.

Cooper waited far too long to make changes, Rodgers should have been first off, thought he was poorest town player today.

Town looked far too pedestrian and lacked a plan B, God knows what they'll do in the play offs if they fall behind.

That said I enjoyed the actual style of football, so nice moves and let's be honest on another day we'd have easily been two or three up by half time.

Yeovil were awful, worrying that town couldn't break them down.

Luongos playing with an injury anyway i think

I originally read that as JAF fighting with 2 old bastards, phew, clearer now.

What do you mean by 'phew'? JAF fighting with 2 old bastards would have been fantastic.

Teams at home usually try and win. When they come here they quite often defend deep and attacking less, leaving less space for us to play through them.

Today they were just shit. Yeovil were there for the taking.   We were too shit to do so. Its on match days like this you should be glad to be so far away. All our decent home games were before x mas. Most since have been crap. Good crap if we win bad crap if we lose and days like today really bad crap

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/11527191/Old-men-behaving-badly-club-chairman-warns-of-gangs-of-hooligan-grandads-terrorising-football.html

Saggy rather than firm....or in the imagined case of JAF...the SAGA saga

Very frustrating today. We are just too bloody slow. The times when the crowd get excited and actually make a bit of noise are when players are running at the opposition, this doesn't happen nearly enough. We are always looking to pass, but in this league, if you run at players they back off, how many times have we screamed at Swindon players to go to an opposition player this season when they've been running at us. We find ourselves in so much space but the first thing our players do is stop, look around and pass, I'd rather see someone run with the ball into that space and attack with pace rather than spend a couple of minutes stringing together little passes going nowhere and then just giving the ball away to the opposition having achieved absolutely nothing. Possession is  pointless unless there is an end product to it.

Reminds me of a text into Radio Wiltshire last season saying 'if plan A doesn't work, try plan A again.' We just don't change our play and I'd really just like to watch us run at teams, at least then if nothing else we get some entertainment. This style of play is effective, when we can penetrate teams with our smart passes and movement, but when we can't it becomes very very boring and people are just waiting for us to go nowhere and either pass back or lose the ball. We have strikers that will eat up crosses from the byline or quick balls into feet whilst they're running at defenders, but these are not happening nearly enough.

Seems like Wes was as well.  I assume it got mentioned on commentary, as JJ posted about him possibly not coming out second half?

Last week, and at Spotland, Wes hurt his left leg (knee?)...he seemed to be able to run it off.  But given today, I'd be resting Wes on Tuesday, he's far too valuable to us and we need him fit in the playoffs.

I'm not taking this one very well. It's a while since the family's been forced to join the suffering.

But Yeovil. Fucking Yeovil.  :crash:

Today, my family and I were sitting in the DRS in seats I142-44.  We normally sit in the same row nearer to the Town End.  All through the entire game, the blokes in front, to the left and behind us did nothing but MOAN very loudly.  The chap in front in particular has an extremely loud voice and I've no doubt that the players heard him, if not the others.  I appreciate that, having paid for their tickets, everyone is entitled to their opinion and that today's game was frustrating but how does moaning, groaning, heckling and shouting abuse at the players actually help anything?   They even moaned when we were given a dubious free kick in time added on... "Well, that definitely wasn't a free kick", "We shouldn't have been given that", etc.  We've reached our best league position for 15 years and we've qualified for the play-offs, for goodness sake.  DO try to be a bit more positive!  I'm so glad I don't normally sit there because I'd end up throttling someone with their own scarf!  Back to our usual seats on Tuesday night, thank goodness!

Cunt fanny shit fuck.

We are not going up.

So did you say anything to them or just do that British thing and tut under your breath? Expressing yourself can be very cathartic.

was this if we won today?? just asking :girlgiggle:

That was just crap.
No cutting edge against a team that were poor.
Would have been more effective giving the ball to them as they would have given it back to us instead of going sideways and backwards when void of ideas.
Gladwin whilst not having the best of games at least opened up their defence.

I did mention the moaning to them when we were leaving the ground.  The offenders didn't seem to think there was anything with it though.  I'm sure they'll be doing the same on Tuesday but, fortunately, they'll be out of my earshot.  I hate whingers!

This I totally agree with.
Some of our fans are complete twats who don't realise the negative effect Directly has on the players

Well that was pump.

Well that was utter shit.

4D is a fucking jinx.

No real highlights for me at all.

I will now read back...

What was the gate....can't see it on bbc website?

8490 (284 away)

They were playing 6 (six) at the back at times yesterday and 5 with 4 central midfielders. Which completely took Gladwin out of where he's been so affective lately and we had nowhere to go. I thought Swift should've been on for Rodgers at half time, we didn't need someone anchoring midfield like he does. Not that any of that is an excuse for the pace we played at. It did seem that we were going to paste them in the first 15 mins but they settled into their new system that Sturrock deployed and did a good job of it.

No doubt Yeovil packed things out and made it very difficult. Still expected us to throw the kitchen sink in an effort to save our regular season though. Maybe we are just missing a leader, maybe they just can't play that way.

Just saw the goal on TV. Yes Obika lost it, they still had it a bit easy from thereon, we were a bit stretched in numbers I suppose. Looks like Wes saw it late to me, you don't beat him like that if he sees it OK.

They did what they needed to do but we made it easy for them. As Chalkie said a few weeks back we have to try so hard to score but give chance after chance at the other end. Hence why we won't go up cos better teams will punish us more.

I'm pretty sure Orient would have set out to 'do a job' on MK yesterday and yet that game had a rather different outcome. We are a top 4 side and the vast majority of teams in the division are going to play that way when visiting any top 4 or top 6 side, it's a fact of life. Our inability to address this and find a way round it has been for me, by far the biggest disappointment in a generally excellent season. It's cost us a top two spot IMO.

Our inability to get the first goal has been a big problem especially since xmas.

at the start of the season I would have taken midtable, strange however that being in the playoffs feels to me like the season is over.

Great day out yesterday, not even the piss poor performance could take the shine off sharing a table with the legend that is Fjortoft. I'm usually pretty relaxed when meeting footballers, but Fjortoft!? The guy was a hero of mine and it was great to find out he's a really nice guy, as well as being a fantastic footballer.

What did Jan think of Jaybox's flag?

Absolute spot on.

I know many quote Cooper has no plan B but as you said OST teams will come to the CG and park the bus particularly those at the bottom of the league. Identical approach from Yeovil yesterday to Crawley and both the same outcome.
I noticed so many times that Rodgers for example and don't just want to single him out got the ball and automatically looked behind him to find a backwards pass.
Yesterday was crying out for width, small triangles in the corners to allow crosses to the near post.
Instead we tried a few times to beat the defender and every time we came back inside when they banked up on Byrne and Gladwin.
Like Crawley they put two lines of 4 inside their own half and simply let as pass, pass and pass without concern until we got in the danger area. Infact we looked more dangerous when they had the ball as they were not comfortable passing it around.
For far too long yesterday the ball was not in the danger area and their keeper had little to do.
We need to shoot more, but hit the target. Bristol City a prime example.
Due to our fixed style we look better away from home when we are given space to attack in.
Hope Cooper learns from that yesterday and when we are face with a similar game plan, like we will we comfortably beat a real poor team.
As you said MKD v Orient that is how it is done.

To be honest I never got a chance to ask him. We had lunch before the game, when he just chatted and introduced us to his dad and mates, but at halftime he was being interviewed. I saw him briefly after the game but just to say goodbye. I think Ralph stayed on, so he may know.

Nice one. At least this eased the pain on such a bad performance.

Well at least that removes the painful hope of automatic promotion.

Terrible 2nd half.

Had someone sat behind me in the first half, probably in his late 60's, who whined the entire first half before culminating in the line "go on Yeovil, score, that'll show us".  The closest I've come to hitting a pensioner since accidently knocking some old bloke off his feet and smashing his glasses at Bristol City away in 2006 (I was very drunk).  Had to move in the 2nd half, which given the performance was probably a very good decision.

Rest up for the play offs now.  Hate MK to go up but would prefer Preston in the play offs and think we've got an excellent chance against either Sheff Utd or Chesterfield.  Neither will do a Yeovil on us and neither is easily able to do a Franchise on us.

A reflection after yesterday and I cannot disagree with what other posters have said, yes they parked the bus but the wrong Swindon turned up - again!  We were so flat and a lack of pace just made it 90 minutes of endurance for the fans!  Summed it up for me that on Yeovil's first real attack after about 35 minutes they actually had five men forward, we won the ball and instead of a couple of quick incisive passes we just walked the ball up to their penalty area, where it all broke down again.  What has happened to the team that cut Sheff. Utd to ribbbons?

Almost looked liked we only wanted to be in the play offs yesterday. Cooper almost seemed resigned to it before we even kicked a ball before the game. Maybe we're banking on a load of extra revenue through the play offs.

Didn`t see that coming - can`t figure out why Gladwin was playing on the left wing for the second half when he is so right footed....what was that all about. Rodgers should have been replaced at half time. If Smith is going to play he needs to sticker to being a centre forward not wander about aimlessly - I can only presume they thought they would win just by turning up - I wish I hadn`t.....

My first game for 2 years. The flash is correct.
Nice to see flash,jutty and victor.

Serious?   :no:

They beat Rochdale 4-2 on Tuesday.

Let's not forget that arguably one of, if not the best performances of the season was only a few days ago

4 out of 7 home losses is the worry, no wonder Cooper isn't bothered about home tie being 2nd.

Good answer.:nod:

I can see the play offs going one of two ways.

Either - The whole play off scenario suits our playing style perfectly (i.e. teams just going all out for the win with no 'parking the bus' bollocks) and we absolutely blow the opposition away in all three games.

Or - The players go into the semi final first leg looking like they've never kicked a ball before. We go 3-0 down in the first 10 minutes and it's game/play offs/season over before we've even got started.

Obviously, I hope that it's scenario 1 which we see unfold (or something approaching it) but bizarrely, they are both equally plausible.

Unfortunately everyone will do their homework on us , realise our weaknesses which has happened regularly lately and play accordingly. We on the other hand continue to play the same way so unless we raise our game we are going to struggle.

I am a pessimistic cunt but I really cant see how we will be able to play the way we do without giving goals away . Sorry.

I think you wouldn't mind playing us over 2 legs, as we give teams a chance, and can ship a few. It's entirely possible that we may lose out in the first away leg, but also possible that things might click and we'll take either Blades or Chesterfield apart.

I'm still of a mind that our next season rebuild will be better suited to Div 3 anyway....so we've a free shot as far as I'm concerned.

Yesterday reminded me of the game where we were bottom and, I think, already relegated from the Championship and beat Charlton away 1-0 who were top and on their way to the PL.

As regards the POs - our home form, and performances, worry the shit out of me.

I was there.....took the lead from a keeper og and our goal was a Coconut shy for 85 minutes.

False hope as we were fucked anyway but enjoyed the day!!

That was the season from hell - into administration, any decent player flogged off on the cheap and we won 8 games all season.

But, interestingly, both Stockport and Grimsby finished above us and survived in the Championship.

Also Tranmere who look like following them into oblivion this season

And yet there are some people who will tell you Jimmy Quinn did a shit job for us but I would challenge absolutely anyone to have kept us up under those circumstances.

I think away first in the play offs will suit our style of play. Chesterfield or Sheffield will have to come at us and if we can survive the onslaught in first 20 mins then we should be able to exploit space and pick them off. Our possession game should help us keep control of the game if we can cut out silly goals.

If we can take a first leg lead or draw then we are unlikely to face the park the bus approach which undoes us. However, if we have to chase the game then we might struggle unless our strikers find form sharpish.

I can see the play offs panning out like Tranmere in 1993 and hopefully we can fire into an early lead like then and keep our noses in front for the rest of the tie.

We should have had an automatic place secured by now with the team we have and the way we have ripped teams apart etc. there are numerous variables to contend with when the season starts eg. Change of manager, key injuries, poor reffing decisions, bad luck, ill timed postponements and suspensions. I don't have the time or inclination to trawl over every yellow & red card thus season. What I will add is that some fall in to the poor reffing and bad luck category, however, team discipline has been a major factor. The amount of needless bookings we incurred is very poor and must improve next season irrespective of the division we will be in. Actually if promoted it will be imperative that we wise up as they fall over with a stiff breeze in the championship and a light breeze in the premiership.

Cut out the silly goals - this is most unlikely as we appear totally incapable of doing this.
As for park the bus at the CG - the Pikeys and Franchise didn't do this and both won quite comfortably.
 

Then again neither did Shef Utd or Preston

So exactly how many teams have we done this to consistently over the season to make you think this. This team is in roughly the right league position I feel for the football we've played. At home we have generally the same pattern of play sometimes it works others not, we've been inconsistent lurching from great to poor. If we are off our game or teams are set up to frustrate we have generally struggled and not been able to solve the problem.

http://thefootballneutral.com/2015/04/19/the-football-neutral-match-forty-seven-swindon-town-vs-yeovil-town/

Was gonna post that Tans. Nice shout out for Jaybox and considering the atmosphere on Saturday was hardly the best not a bad 'review '

I was going to post this today. He's a comedian I met after he supported Mick Foley on his stand up tour in Bath and stayed in touch ever since via Twitter. Had a good chat over the red ribbon separating the Town End and DRS.

He enjoyed re-telling the story of Wembley heartbreak against us. He's going to Oxford next week I think so I made a point of not getting too into it ;).