Thetownend.com

Pre match world of pools of vomit and spent party poppers.
Welcome to 2018. New Dawn Fades...

Nice trip to Zone 5 today.
A reciprocal hammering would be a very good start to the new year.
And Mark McGee is a git.

Hopefully the ‘away’ Swindon will turn up today and notch up number 9.

That drubbing at home must rate as the lowest of the low - or was Crawley worse, or Luton, or Newport - time for revenge!

A nice, tidy 3-0 will do.

Barnet's home form is worse than ours.

Confident of a resounding victory today.

Why is Barnet slang for hair?

Barnet fair... in the late 19th century, it still retained something of its country atmosphere.

3-1 Swindon

Pitchforks back out at 5:00 for the knee jerkers...

Barnet fair.

Ah, on the same lines as Berkshire Hunt, then. Ta.

I thought it was Jeremy Hunt...

I see the Vigs/Smith 'gurney' rumour has been put to bed :)

0-0 att: 2,854 (405)

Just a quick one.

Town fan in Bristol. Is there any way of listening to the commentary not using Ifollow?

1-2 Town.

Team was you were from Saturday

(https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/26220392_1780568225316348_2550623372726767502_o.jpg?oh=e7b08430f46fbc6c41e061da582009ca&oe=5AB3F72D)

Vigs not even on bench.....

but no vigs on bench

Not that i'm aware of, other than BBC Wiltshire Radio, which doesn't allow you to listen online annoyingly.

Buy buy baby, baby buy buy

352 worked at home but retaining it for this game is a mistake in my eyes - should stick with the winning formula of 4 at the back away.

352 suits the fit players we have available imo.

Dreading this. Hate playing struggling teams.

Right, invested in iFollow today so a) it'd better work and b) we'd better be bloody brilliant. Why they decided that you could only have video or audio is typically half-arsed of them.

Is anyone there? Amazing goal by Iandolo. Can't have meant it.

Iandolo 17, Free Kick. He's been training with/watching Matty Taylor, I reckon. Haircut 0 - 1 Town

Oops. 1-1

Akinde, 20 Haircut 1 - 1 Town.

Never lasts haha. Could be quite an end to end game!

Has everyone else gone shopping except Redfrog and I.

Well we know Chalkies and Flash have been dragged out shopping, but I can see that everyone else isn't in the away end.

I'm here.

their header was too easy, our goal was a bit lucky.

doing ok,. fine margins...

https://mobile.twitter.com/jiff1967/status/947849985655300097/video/1

Sheehan sent off at Luton after 4. they are 1-0 down. we've lulled them into a false sense of security with our boxing Day capitulation

I'm here. No shopping today but spent 2 hours driving picking up kids from various places they got pissed in. Playing happy families today. Getting stuck into the wine shortly. Wish I was at Barnet.

Yep. Definitely meant it  :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

games p. poor right now

A lot of early baths in L2. Two off in Luton v Lincoln, Charlie Cooper off for FVR and one off in Yeovil v Crawley!

Yay 2-1. Preston.

Another  Town free kick, another goal. Haircut 1 - 2 Town Matt Preston

nice timing. becoming a free kick specialists aren't we 🔥 🔥 🔥

Enjoyed a Barnet fan shouting 'good half that boys' on 45, only for us to equalize moments later.

Shite first half. Iandolo is not a left back, they are attacking down that side every time with success. Saying that, he scored a very good (wind assisted) free kick and set up the 2nd.

Central midfield is still a huge issue.

Lucky to be ahead, decent little ground.

https://mobile.twitter.com/jiff1967/status/947857520806301696/video/1

We’ve been poor, they’ve been worse.

Some twat sat behind us managed about 30 seconds before he started slagging off our team (particularly Norris). Surely you can at least give them long enough to fuck up before you start.

not been a great game, but frankly if the score stays like this who cares

One more town then shut up shop please.

Are Barnet trying to kick their way to victory (as in, kick our players)

nervous last 5...

4mins injury time...

FT

Yay.

Wasn't pretty, from ifollow it looked like we did OK for a bit just after half time but increasingly under pressure, though not really in serious threat of conceding.

Anyway, 6 points after Luton seemed impossible so credit where its due.

Mad season!

Two wins after that dicking is due some respect.

If you take the important Christmas period as four games that kind of sort the men from the boys so to speak, three wins and one loss is not a bad stat is it?

6pts from 3 matches. That's promotion form....I'll take that.

Its excellent.

Luton, lets just forget it...

or even 9pts from 4, that's 2.25pts per game....even Luton, over the season so far have just over 2pts per game. Maybe we're being too harsh.

It's pretty decent. Now a week or so off, before we fold at home against a shit but bafflingly better than us Forest Green. Inevitably.

We’ve got a great chance now to get the squad right. Get the right players in, playing in the right positions and we should make autos.

This league is so God awful a little improvement in the second half of the season should be good enough.

Ooops. Vigs and Brophy out in Swindon when they shouldn't have been. Hence dropped for disciplinary reasons.

Goddard has flu

Awful squad, awful season, but when was the last time we looked like scoring from set pieces?

 We go into our mid season break, in decent shape.  Chance for a few to recharge their batteries and Flitters to maybe strengthen a slot or 2.  I guess the likes of Ellis and Knoyle, would like to be playing, having just got into the side, and we'll probably drop down the league as it's so close, but it should be of benefit.

Or already knew they wouldn't be playing because they're not wanted so thought "fuck it"? Just playing devil's avocado....

yes Paul, always two sides to every argument.

we'll only hear one though, just damages the player to spout off, even if moving on.

Don't expect much these days in terms of quality but that was a "workmanlike" performance.We defended well I thought.Iandolo had a tough job keeping their outstanding player Campbell Ryce quiet but did a decent job.Woolery looked a handful 1st half but faded 2nd.Lancashire played a captain's role everyone else 6/10 but good enough.Personally I thought the ground was characterless like so many new grounds but the away bar was superb

In one. Those two are off. Shame about Vigoroux but his attitude stinks and doesn't deserve the term "professional" top be applied to him.

Campbell ryce was excellent at the cg. Surely we would be able to get him if we wanted. Would be a good addition. Great result today and who would have thought putting Robertson in the team would improve it. Strange days but long may it continue. A good January and who knows.

Don't normally comment on match day results but fair play. a good win.
Could of stuck another one in though(had a tenner on 1-3) CUNTS
As an aside, it sounds like we are still shit at corners.

Could have easily slipped up today.  Can’t ask for a better response to the Luton debacle.  Transfer window is key.  Let’s hope Flitcroft brings in what we need and not more of what we’ve already got.

You must have been quite near us then. Cunt behind me slated Norris every time he touched the ball......and even when Woolery passed the ball across the box about 2 yards behind him the fucker still blamed Norris for not scoring.

Some of our fans are wankers, they really are. Norris isn't the greatest player, none of our team are......it's League 2 for fucks sake. But he always puts the effort in and is our top scorer after all. Admittedly, I don't get to see many live games but in the ones I have been to Norris has played well. He does his job of target man well - receiving the balls humped up to him and laying it off for someone else, rarely giving the ball away (apart from the Notts County game where he had a bit of a stinker, and still got the goal.....). I don't think fans appreciate the workrate he puts in.

your right, I definitely don't appreciate Norris.

he is the best 'target man' we have though.

He put fucking zero effort in against Luton but yes on the whole he is under valued

A few players have stepped in and / or stepped up. Robertson knows his limits and is effective in a back 3 against a big target man – it’s the Coventry-type scenario, having to cope with raw pace from deep, that he’s obviously not going to handle. Dunne has had 2 cracking games, and both of the junior wing backs have put in 2 strong shifts under difficult circumstances. 

Our ratio of set piece goals remains remarkably high, and must be close to an STFC record. It feels as if the majority of players have chipped in with 3 or 4 goals.

Whatever anyone thinks about Norris, and opinions are most certainly varied, there can be little doubt that he is not in a position to play 90 minutes of every game and that urgent support is required. Let’s not kid ourselves – one goal from open play since September is not a healthy stat.

I know it’s not many but it’s more than one. Norris against Notts County and, I think, both the goals at Yeovil spring to mind.

He’s scored penalties in every month of the season, but otherwise the (deflected) Notts County goal is all he’s had since September, in any competition. We are kidding ourselves if we say that he can cope with the current demands on him.

Ah, I see. I thought we’re on about the entire team.

As you were

I think Norris had a better game defensively yesterday, getting his head to numerous set pieces delivered in to our box.

Funny you should say that, I thought he looked better against Notts County when he was defnding, hes a big lump that can get in the way of things but his control at times is some of the worst I have ever seen.

Maybe you have hit onto something, Andy Rowland did it successfully, Warhurst, Dublin and Sutton have all done it at a good level too.

He is what he is, an average league 2 striker.

Nothing wrong with that

Matt Elliott was also handy in both boxes.

Norris is quite useful in our own box - he made a number of decent clearances in the final moments yesterday.

In general, we weren't great but good enough to beat a poor Barnet side. Never really looked under any pressure seeing the game out, and actually had some really decent openings to put the game further beyond them.

Individuals wise, Iandolo struggled defensively first half against JCR, mostly because he was fairly isolated, but one v one he was really good second half, and Preston seemed to back him up and bit more too. Also, his set pieces were a real threat.

Back 3 were fine - perfectly suited to this type of game. Robertson on the ball is hilariously bad though. Knoyle did ok but wasteful in the final third.

Was probably Dunne's best game for us (that I've seen), but again he's suited to that type of game. Linganzi.... meh.

Front 3 were busy, but just lacked a little bit of quality/composure/decision making. They had plenty of opportunities to work something together to give one of them a good chance but just weren't good enough.

All in all, a par performance, which was enough.

I agree that he's more effective defensively. Peacock ended up that way for us.

I think his confidence in front of goal is totally shot, and he's therefore happier at the other end.

If there's potential for that to work, great. But, regardless of whether he's viewed as a decent forward, it's hard to dispute that some cover is needed for him.

Unfortunately when Power spoke last week he seemed more intent on getting cover in defence, which I don't think is necessary at all.

Luke Norris isn’t very good

Luke is a decent enough Div 4 player.  As last season showed Div 3 is probably a step too far for him.  However we're in Div 4 so he'll do just fine.

Luke Norris is awful!

His Notts County goal only went in because of a deflection. He scores penalties (which we have had a large amount for some reason), but in open play the guy is terrible. He can barely win a header, his anticipation and movement are severely lacking.

Our entire game under kick and rush Flitcroft is going back to front as quick as possible, we need a forward who can allow us to do that properly.

We need at least one forward, probably two given Smith has gone.

Akinde would be ideal

Agreed.  A lump in the role would be better.  Norris just isn't up to it I don't think.  I'd actually say he isn't even a Div 4 player - the issue I suppose would be can anyone else put a penalty away?  In our team, set piece specialists are probably worth a position.

You do realise that this is largely how football is played in England... and to get a top end operator is hugely expensive, look at the fees paid out for a Lukaku, or Diego Costa.

Andy Carroll was for a while the record British transfer fee when the Scousers bought him from Newcastle.

 It's axiomatic that in Div 4, you're not likely to get a top end operator, but rather a limited player, which is what Luke is. The key is that he works hard for the team, which Luke does.

How many genuine centre backs have we actually got?  Not incluuuding Conroy!

And we saw with Harry Smith that while someone might look right on paper, on grass there's a good chance they won't improve us at all.

We'd be likely getting someone in from the level below, and there's really not much quality down there when it comes to big target men.

Akinde is constantly linked with a move away from Barnet but really didn't look up to much at all yesterday, goal aside. didn't look anywhere near fit enough. If we're going to have a real go this year, and there is money there (or we can raise it through sales) then maybe Ikpeazu, or Reuben Reid, or worth a bid.

For me Luke is OK in Div 4. atm we're doing OK for goals from around the team, but could do with Keshi, Kaiyne or Paul Mullin, getting a few more than current rate.  Keshi is the one I wonder most about, I wouldn't be surprised to see him go back this month, but get a feeling that if he was signed, got some games and that sense of not being on loan he could develop.  Woolery shows signs of improving and Mullin is steady Div 4, with some potential.

Akinde has only scored four this season but has spent a long time out with injury so I guess his fitness levels are not where they should be.

He(Norris) impressively smashed the ball in the net in the aftermath of Iandolo's goal!

Someone, maybe Preston, easily shouldered him off the ball yesterday. Ikpeazu is a grade a cunt - dirty fucker, could do well here.

If there is a realistic option I’d go for Godden at Stevenage

Realistic you said

Is he not? What’s his supposed worth, then?

Charlton bid over £1m for him

Fuck! Scrub him off the list, then.

£1M?!

Don't believe that. They only paid £800k for Ajose who was proven a level higher... Same age too.

If Power thinks splashing, say, £200,000 on a striker would be likely to ensure promotion, I’m sure he would.

He must know what improvements are needed. Depends on how much he really does want promotion.

The market has inflated somewhat in recent years... I mentioned Andy Carroll was a British record, think it was about 35 mill in 2011, something like that anyway.

Ty Godden maybe... 5.40 in

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qA2tduJTkw


I had genuinely forgotten we even had Conroy...

^ The first match I can remember attending

3 fit ones (none of whom appear to be injury prone), plus Purkiss has played much of his career there and isn’t currently needed at right back. Ok, better players would be nice, but that’s always going to be the case at this level, all over the pitch. By my count, we have 8 fit defenders / wing backs.

Compare that to the numbers of fit holding midfielders (2, both of whom therefore need to start every game) and lone target men (1, who needs to start every game) that we have, and I know where I’d want to prioritise cover.

Unfortunately with Smith gone there is no-one pushing for his type of position and accordingly looked well off the pace against both Luton and County and if there was another "big" guy he could well have been replaced . Cannot comment on Barnet as was not there but he never fills me with real optimism.

Norris v Barnet
Good defensive work in last 10 mins
Excellent lay off for Anderson who should have scored
Powderpuff effort on goal after excellent Woolery set up
General huff and puff
Er. .that's it

I wasn't there, but on the highlights my first reaction was that it was a terrible lay-off from Woolery, causing Norris to break stride and reach back for the ball, when it should have been laid on a plate for him

R4E he had so much time and space he could have taken a touch and set himself better in my opinion

Norris is a bit of a marmite player, I can forgive him being a bit average as long as he puts in a bit of effort, which most of the time he does.

FFS, didn't we give Charlie Henry player of the year once

Wasn't criticising him just pointing out his strengths and limitations as I saw em on the day