Thetownend.com

A new experience for me to start on of these. Annoyingly no home game over this period, usually one around my birthday (28th) but not at all this year!

I fancy us to nick a point this afternoon. Not sure why, a 2 or 3-0 is probably more likely, but trying to be optimistic. 1-1.

Damage limitation. If we can avoid a major hit to the goal difference, it'll do. The main game left in 2016 is Franchise....a relegation six pointer...

3-0 loss - but hoping for better!!

I'm feeling positive and going for a 3-2 win to the Town to kick start our season. COYR

4-1 loss

Millwall has never been a happy hunting ground for us.

1 win there in 13 matches there and only 2 wins in 19 games at the old and new Den, and with an overall record of just 6 wins from 48 games there.

I think we need new signings badly and cannot honestly see past a defeat of 3-0 or 4-0 today.

I hope that like a whole Isle of Dogs I am Barking up the wrong tree and thats its not our New Cross to bear ;) (end of Christmas cracker puns for now).

Anything other than a dicking here will be a bonus. Can't see our bottlers conjuring up any x mas spirit. Fair play to those who are going. Been to the old and new den both fucking horrible.

This for me.

Was going but decided against it due to fucking about on the tube.

Will be visiting the cauldron of hate at Westbury as they take on Warminster for my fix.

Going to the game with the wife today who hates football, what a loving husband I am taking her to the New Den to watch our brand of the game!

2-0 Millwall.

This is exactly the kind of game in which our bunch of pansies will collapse in.

So that's a nailed on win for Town.

Think we're going to be sent for a big score today! Our kiddie-winks will be burned out in the post-Christmas sugar collapse, plus they'll have been up all night playing with their prezzies. 4-0 'Wall.

Festive greetings to all.

Pre match chorus of Knees up Mother Brown in The Pommelers Rest.
But of a rigmarole getting here.
Tube was quiet so an opportunity for some man spreading in comfort.

Favorite old den moment was Hoddle dummying himself, ends up on backside, they score.

Probably more chance of a smooth ride on a Thamesdown bus than 3 points today.

5 or 6 unfortunately. Only January and 4 or 5 clubs shitness can save us!

I go for a us to score first in a 2-1 win.

3-1 win for the Town! Feel positive today for some reason, might still be drunk! Watching Argyle at home today, best wishes to the travelling Town fans going to Laaaandon

TOWN STARTING XI | Vigouroux; Rossi-Branco, Thompson (C), Jones; Furlong, Kasim, Murray, Doughty, Smith; Hylton, Norris.

Smith LWB??

TOWN SUBS | Henry, Thomas, Rodgers, Barry, Evans, Goddard, Delfouneso.

Any news on Obika's injury?

OS preview says he will be assessed prior to the game, so assuming he failed a fitness test.

I fear we may have seen the last of him at STFC.

And yes Smith at LWB he cant do a lot worse than some games BOO has played there so far.

oh good. 1-0

if I turn off now I'll miss the inevitable collapse..

If the stats are correct about this season (we haven't won a league game when the opposition have scored) the best we can hope for is a draw now.

To be fair it's usually the second goal that leads to the collapse so we need to score next

Smallest amount of comments for a whole first half ever?

Everyone's in mourning for George Michael I'd imagine based on social media.

Well HT sounds like we did ok but still let a silly goal in, not sure if I can be bothered listening to the 2nd half TBH.

I'm in Dallas having breakfast :)

The good news is that none of our other relegation rivals are doing anything much so far, although that will change no doubt, as we're talking Cov, Shrews, Oldham, Chesterfield, Bury, Franchise and I'm hoping that Vale may slump.  Some of these will get a result by 5:00

Wow 3 pages at half time for an away game, must be exciting stuff.

Goddard on for Smith.

Ah well it shows the apathy lately when we are an hour into a league match and not even on the 3rd page of a MDT.

Always wanted to be on page 3

Ha...I am!

I always wanted to be on page 3

I'm back. no collapse then. excellent. come on town

oops. sorry.

fuck me we are gash

Oh no no norris.misses a"gilt edged"

2-0

Cue collapse?

Imagine that is game over then.

Not blaming him but nathan is no saviour is he?

Sounds identical to the chance Norris missed seconds before

We give them one chance...they score....they give is 2 chances we miss both....then they give us another clear chance and we miss....we give them one chance and they score again.....sorry to say but that sounds like relegation form to me.

Sounds like Business as usual then.  :sherlock:

I hate being negative, and yes theres a long way to go and yes we were never going to win there but this is not looking good.

nope.better than the alternatives.

But it's clear Williams and co have fuck all idea of how to coach defending. I'm sick of the same old shit, over two seasons now.

We still need what we needed in August, a goalscorer.

One thing you would say though, it sounds like a better performance than the time we played there under Cooper

I agree on both counts.

a goalscorer.
a coherent plan .
defensive training.
a midfield general.
some proper defenders.
more pace.
some bottle.

apart from that we aren't far off

A keeper when Vigs is sold in January? ;)

The scummers have just conceded.

How many games this season have we missed a gilt edged chance, which would have drawn us level or put us in front, only for the opposition to score directly afterwards?

Rubbish up front, rubbish in defence and not much better in between.  Roll on 2017 ..........

Agree, If you want to be a team that can challenge at the top.

I think a goal scorer will keep us up

with the few chances we make and the goals we conced I worry one may not be enough.

that said, the story can be different at home so maybe you are right.

Expected a defeat. Thank fuck Cov, Oldham, Shrews and Chesterfield all lost too.

I admire your optimism but I have no doubt our piss poor defence and non existent midfield will ensure we still fuck up more than we score.

Williams:
- TMillwall have taken chances we've given them
- Critical of first touch from Norris
- Gregory is one of best strikers in league. Needed to make it hard for him
- Concerning that even with Thompson back we have allowed balls to get into box and team have switched off
- Last game we went in front and didnt look like we would lose. Today, again, we concede and don't look like winning
- Players aren't good enough
- Sean Murray trained well. Chance for him to be deeper than normal and find players up front. He did what he was asked to do.
- Small squad finding it difficult on the road.
- Chance to bring players to club that can help us adapt and change.
- Franchise: Pressure on every game to try to move away from bottom. Will try to come up with answers
- It would be shocking if we didnt bring anyone into the team for the rest of the team.
- Priorities are all over the park.

blaah blaah blaah same shit different game.

 Just about par on the damage limitation front....keeping it down to one would have been better.  Of the other fellow drop candidates Bury got a decent point at Fleetwood their first in 10 games or something and first game that Fleetwood failed to score in....I'd hoped it was going to last week.

The rest look as inept as us, and that's saying something.

The Franchise game becomes massive, they've a terrible home record, and losing a relegation 6 pointer like this would be very damaging.  Very hard to make a case for a Town win though.

I'm paranoid, whys Williams suddenly mentioned 'shocking not bringing anyone in'?!

that better be a throwaway line and not aimed at pressuring those above.

 I'm expecting 3 or 4 ins.

how many brave souls travelled :hmmm:

 I think expecting the cavalry coming over the hill in January unlikely....more likely the wheels will come off the stagecoach altogether.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zye9cIDmwlk

Millwall were shit. We were shitter. No pace, creativity or ambition, defence a shambles. Same old same old really. At least I'll be home by 6.

About 200 maybe.

Apart from a 10 minute spell culminating in Norris missing a sitter we were rotten again. Millwall weren't great by any stretch of the imagination but they were stronger, faster, dirtier, more streetwise, harder working and won at a canter.

Morison is their best header of an all, it's no secret yet again and again he won the flick ons and caused havoc. For the second goal, I think me, stood at the back of the stand, the opposite end of the pitch was closer to Gregory than our defence were, pathetic defending, as per usual.

Apart from Vigs and Thompson, given the chance I'd sack off all of this lot and replace with a new lot. 2016 has been rotten for STFC, last I'll be seeing of the side this year thank God. At least I was home by 5:30.

Why the fuck would an experienced player want to sign for us unless we're looking in the whalley, Ruddock, nalis category. Anyone decent will have choices. Unless we're prepared to outpay then I'm keeping my expectations extremely low. Can see some more young loans in who will be hit and miss. No 1 priority is a leader but can't see it happening. If we did pull off the signings I can't see Luke building them into a team. Can't see us offloading anyone we want to get rid of. I struggle to see how these things can happen without massive investment and letting players rot.

Milwall mate been texting me all afternoon from the ND: 'We're shit, but you'er even shitter" was the general tone.


As soon as January falls, I'd ship out the following; Branco (great heart but too unreliable). Boo (can't defend). Barry (Ditto Boo) Thompson (nowhere near as good as he thinks he is, he aint no captain or leader of men, and he's too injury prone) Kasim (doesn't want to be here - fed up watching him sulk, knowing he's way better but rarely proving it) Rogers (enough said) Furlong (lightweight) Alfonzo (embarrassing).

If we lose Doughty, we're going to have to replace him with someone of equal ability too.

Power needs to spend money on putting right the situation of Williams hanging around like a bad smell. I don't blame him as he's got a couple of years left on his contract, but we need to pay him up and fuck him off immediately. Same goes for Embleton.

Both are out of their depth and are purely there for monetary reasons. The players know it, so do the fans, and having them around the place in a relegation fight is doing no one any good.



 

Remember when we got Greer....he hadn't played for 18 months due to injury and was looking to see if he could play again really. A loan to start with, then a signing. He's still playing. It's rare for such a move to work, but we were similarly in the shit when he came, and he did the job.  I also have no belief, that we'll sign what is needed, but it is just about possible.

That second goal is a shocker.

Mate just rang me - his summary was no motivation, very little quality, just hoping they don't score for an undeserved point but once they went in front writing was on the wall.  Wants a new back three or four he said, and cut out the glory passes - just make sure you find a team mate!

The problem is that is often sideways or back, because there's not enough movement from the players in front of them. Eventually one of them fuck up and we are a goal down, and we know that leads to defeat.

And only one substitute used. Williams/Sherwood  or whoever is picking the team is a cunt !

But Williams is the super coach from on high!!  Perhaps he is so far up his own ass that he doesn't notice things like that!

And one of the strongest benches we have had for a few games!

Mainly blind optimism and an inability to accept the truth.

I don't want a premier league has been in that mould. But there must be a few in the championship available at championship level with better experience and ability than we have now, surely? Affording them may be a different matter.

Unfortunately I can see a striker(s) being the biggest issue. I'm sure we all can. We are in deep shit if we have to rely on the crock and 2 carthorses for the rest of the season.

Sounds positive, ill be making the trip to Franchise so expect a defeat as I haven't seen us win in about 12 games!

It's worse seeing it a second time. Nathan and Branco were arguing i noticed after that goal. No wonder, how can you leave one of the better strikers in the league so unmarked. Totally abject.

I don't buy this super coach shite, he and Embleton should be long gone. Completely out of their depth.
A 'head coach' is not what is needed, but a manager is

Forgive my ignorance but wtf is Sherwood actually doing? There's been fuck all improvement since he's arrived as far as I can see.

When Sherwood came, some of us said he should be spending his time on recruitment ready for January. Hopefully that is what he has been doing and we see some benefits soon.

This side could have a world class manager in place and they'd still be struggling. There's no need to go soul searching for this lot, they're just not good enough.

I'd be inclined to give Sherwood the benefit of the doubt for being new had it not been made abundantly clear that he's been pulling a few of Towns strings for a good while prior to,  seemingly, the most pointless press conference we've ever had. The management structure is a mess.

January's transfer window is crucial.

^^^^^^ this ^^^^^^^^

but I'd add that he needs to be the one that goes in front of the press. like you say, management shambles

That doesn't seem to be unusual. I can't remember when I last saw us use 3 subs.

Sheff U away and Bradford at home

Ah, wasn't at either of those hence it feeling like ages.

287, lowest travelling support in lge 1 today apparently

I guess that's a handful of London reds, just as well Fulham weren't at home as it would have been fewer still + the hardcore Barnes coachites, the sort who go to Carlisle on a wet Wednesday night.

Think it's not solely down to the growing chasm between club and fans, but just a terrible Boxing Day fixture.

It wasn't the worst away performance this season by any means.
The overall lack of quality is very apparent, hopefully one or two of the more obvious gaps can be filled in January to give us enough to stay in the division, followed by what is likely to be a major rebuild in the Summer.

Special mention to Vigs and what looked to be another outstanding save in the second half.

And flat caps seem to be back in fashion.

An altogether good thing.

(http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01757/lett10110_1757659c.jpg)

I spent yesterday morning in Faringdon, and there espied a young chap wearing a bowler hat.....once the more or less sole preserve of middle class city types and droogs.

The lad though may have been Wallonian, and thus making a Magritte style surrealist statement....a good look though.

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e5/Magritte_TheSonOfMan.jpg)

It seems from the games ive been too that our away numbers have fallen massively over the last few years.

Because we are properly shit away from home. No away wins in 18 I think I saw a stat yesterday.

Oldham?

I used to be an avid away fan - even those wanky cup competitions.

Nowadays I can barely be arsed to go the couple of miles to the CG. There is zero buzz supporting Swindon these days.

Actually I must have dreamt that stat as we beat Oldham.

#Swindon have now won just 1 of their last 18 away league games (D8 L9). #stfc #Robins

Three wins in 2016 on the road...in all comps.

Bring on the transfer window. 2 weeks of optimism followed by 2 weeks of... "ok fucking sign someone"

Sent from my GT-I9305

That is beyond feeble!

Just had a look, we have the 4th worst away record so far this season.  Franchise have the worst home record.

Franchise's home record, means that this is a massive game. We really can't afford another defeat. Winning is likely beyond us, but a draw ought to be possible.

It looks like Power accepts that it's the recruitment that has fucked up so Luke will stumble on, despite seemingly no fan having any confidence in him and Embleton

I forgot it was yesterday, thank god that didn't ruin my day. Dongs might have the worst home record, but it will be better after they play us, zero chance of winning with this lot. I was positive at the start of the season, but not anymore, gutless fucks bar 2 or 3 of them. I'm now going to open my emails, and i know it will all be from millwall mates, sending me their approval of another spineless showing. Deep joy.