Thetownend.com

Actually going to watch the game tomorrow (on iFollow) so it's guaranteed to be shite. Sorry.

Friday is the new Saturday it seems. Are you all asleep?

I have the two free tickets for tomorrow's game from the player sponsorship, I cannot make it now as my son cracked his head open skiing in Austria.  PM me if interested, they are in the Arkells stand and can be collected from the county ground

am I the only one who had to Google phalanx?

I have the two free tickets for tomorrow's game from the player sponsorship, I cannot make it now as my son cracked his head open skiing in Austria.  PM me if interested, they are in the Arkells stand and can be collected from the county ground

Not even sure if spelled right tbh. I was just being flash with my limited Roman History :)

Not even sure if spelled right tbh. I was just being flash with my limited Roman History :)

2-0 Town.

FWIW, I don't care when a team entered the league.. my anticipation (or lack of) is not affected by this.

am I the only one who had to Google phalanx?

2-0 Town.

FWIW, I don't care when a team entered the league.. my anticipation (or lack of) is not affected by this.

That is only one factor mentioned in possibly explaining why people don't get too excited about games v ColU.

Next season in theory, we could be playing FGR who came into the league in 17/18 and are our nearest neighbours or Sunderland who came in 1890, and are t'other end of the country.  Who of those two would you be anticipating playing the most?

4.0 win, Theo x 2, Anderson and Woolery - the chances will go in tomorrow.
Then we will beat Carlisle next week, see you at Wembley.  :pint:

A game is a game to me, Reg. I couldn't really care less.. different if we were to draw a Premier League team away from home in a cup tie.. but Sunderland/FGR/AN Other in a League tie? I'm (personally) not arsed either way.

We're all different.... I've always thought some opponents are more interesting than others.

Today is the most important game of the season so far.... in that it is "must win" to hold on to any even tenuous hope of a PO finish.  Yet it doesn't feel like a big game

Where I agree with you is it does not feel like a big game yet clearly it is.

Was Anderson toss at the more central No. 10 position? It would make more sense to drop one of those 3 DMs in favour of having him in there and Bennett out wide

Like him or loathe him every time I hear Lee Power speak on the radio he always talks a lot of sense to me.

Did he say anything of note?

The only thing Lee Power has done has been to appoint shit managers. I know it's rather a costly fuck up but I still feel he is much maligned. He's probably done a lot of good that had and will go unnoticed by those not ITK.

He did admit he had made some mistakes in choosing the wrong manager, I think hes done OK but many will shout that down and only see the negative things he has done.

I think hes done OK, the biggest mistake for me was giving Williams the job when he didn't really want it, he wasn't ready for it and was very unsuccessful in the role. The rest of his appointments made sense on paper. And lets face it, hes not here to make shitloads of money from us, nobody could do that!

poor so far

especially Carroll and Bennett

I haven't seen so many poor balls just going into touch for a long time.  Woolfy, Vigs and a few others seemingly trying to pass to people in the crowd rather than players on the pitch.

this match is bollocks right now.

knoyle has been poor too Venks, but he's out of position

Struggling to see what Carroll offers to be honest. He loses the ball and then blames everyone

Knoyle is keeping one of the best wide players in the division very quiet,

this Swindon team are absolutely shocking. The whole game is being played at half pace, if we step it up we can win this comfortably.

Absolutely criminal defending, they haven’t had a sniff and then we gift them two goals in as many minutes

You really wouldn't believe what a truly terrible team Swindon have been up until we gifted them the first, but we've dropped to their level. We really need to inject some pace, it's being played like they are running through treacle.

It's almost as though Wellens know what he's doing.

Indeed, a very smart move so far as Senior is a serious threat at this level.

Why the fuck boo Norris?

He gave everything he had, he just wasn't very good at times, hardly worth fucking booing him for.

Woolery's having a blinding second half.

Bennett hasn’t done anything all game ... this is brilliant!

Bennett gives it away AGAIN in a good position. He offers us nothing so far in a Town shirt, he is frustrating to say the least.

Much much better half. Pressured them a lot, everyone has stepped up

This second half has been faultless so far. Broadbent is a real coup. How could he not get in a struggling Gas side?

Get Koiki on for Woolf who is knackered and move Knoyle back to RB.

This, and give Dave a run out for Carroll

Woolfenden MOM.  I also think Dunne has had an excellent game.

Pleased that we secured our football league status for another season. 50 points is normally enough.

Pray 4 Processed Beats...

Carlisle up next. Can’t be arsed to look, but don’t we have a decent record up there?

Oh, and kudos to Wellens. he proved a few people wrong today.

?

Oh, and kudos to Wellens. he proved a few people wrong today.

Wellens' point/game ratio so far would have had us on 78 points if he was here from the start of the season.

That would put us in 1st place. By 9 points.

Jesus. Is that including the Carlisle game?

Yep

17 games played. 29 points won. = 1.7 point per game average. Multiplied by 46 = 78.2

If we don't include the Carlisle game it would work out as 83 points.

We've only played 34 games though! See above.

Balls. I thought it didn't sound right, schoolboy error. Those numbers I gave would equate to total points over the entire season.

Still fucking good, though.

Still quality as you say. 83 would be easily top 3.

Not really we have only won there 4 times in 22 games.

But only lost 1 of the last 6. I’m going with that stat!

Maybe I should go. Been 4 times last ten years and not seen us lose there.

We need to set up a gofundme page for Sutton.

Easily played better last week.

The cross dished up by both sides before the first goal was dogshit.

Oh well....who cares...loved the second goal...superb.  how did the third go in? Thought the keeper had palmed it over?

Comfortably outplayed by Swindon seconds. Yet again our management team simply do not prepare our group of players appropriately. It happens time and time again.

Worst goalkeeping display ever in the 15 seasons of following the U's. Referee worse than Kettle. The better team made to look like clowns by a very average Swindon.

Dreadful - for most of the first half we had them in our pocket, without to be honest much creative flair up front. Gilmartin had already been giving glimpses of the shockers to follow, poor kicking, constantly playing out to a defender who was already under pressure, and having to aimlessly lump to no one the inevitable pass back. However, in the 39th minute he surpassed himself with a dreadfully scuffed goal kick straight to a Swindon player in our own half, and several pinpoint passes later Swindon had an ill-deserved 1-0 lead. Two minutes later and a sweeping cross straight on to the head of a Swindon player, who looked miles offside, headed back past Gilmartin into the far corner, and the game looked lost.

It didn't get much better 2nd half sadly. We huffed and puffed and did try and get back into the game, but by then Swindon were quite happy to sit deep and weather anything we tried. Gilmartin wasn't responsible for Mandron running down a blind alley and losing possession on the edge of our box, but he was responsible for the weak hands to only palm the incoming shot up and over his shoulder and into the corner of the goal. It was good to see Norris come on, and he did at least have a few shots on goal, something everyone else seemed remarkably reluctant to try.

...and the referee was absolutely shocking.

Gilmartin made it quite plain that even though he is GK coach he wanted also to be the regular keeper. In my mind those two jobs are not compatible and he should relinquish his coach post and see then if he continues to be picked as surely the GK coach has important input in the selection process....ergo...pick Gilmartin.
I seem to think we had a surfeit of keepers at the start of the season; surely his job was to groom one or other of them for first team duty, NOT make the position his own. Weak upper management is ruining our club.

I dont remember them scoring in any of them either. Might be wrong I'll check. It is a cracking away day. I got home in a right mess last time about 3 years back. Wife still reminds of it.

We did alright in the game in which Austin got his first goal too. A few songs on the train home.  :-)

I think I'm in the minority, I like Carroll. He does the dirty stuff in midfield and he's effective in that role. I don't think Wellens expects him to be creative, just to break up play and get the ball to one of our players. I haven't got a problem with him passing backwards either, he's not the type of player who will dribble with the ball, or ping a cross over. Win the ball, keep possession,  that's his game.

I think I'm in the minority, I like Carroll. He does the dirty stuff in midfield and he's effective in that role. I don't think Wellens expects him to be creative, just to break up play and get the ball to one of our players. I haven't got a problem with him passing backwards either, he's not the type of player who will dribble with the ball, or ping a cross over. Win the ball, keep possession,  that's his game.

Presumably Bancroft now goes back in the grow bag on the high protein mix.

they have now :)

I think I'm in the minority, I like Carroll. He does the dirty stuff in midfield and he's effective in that role. I don't think Wellens expects him to be creative, just to break up play and get the ball to one of our players. I haven't got a problem with him passing backwards either, he's not the type of player who will dribble with the ball, or ping a cross over. Win the ball, keep possession,  that's his game.

Ref has been awful, he has given us free kicks when he should’ve played advantage and let them waste a ridiculous amount of time

We’ve not played worse than this for a long time. No single player can take any credit.

Been coming. Gilmartin's hands not strong enough.

We've been as bad 2nd half as they were for the first half an hour. No pattern, no flow, no pace. I get the logic of the changes but they were not what we needed. We needed a bit of pace and the ability to pull their players about, It's all been too comfortable since they took the lead.

Don’t get it. On paper this is a team who should be challenging for automatics. On their day they are as good as I’ve seen. But, as has been said, we have a suicidal tendency. No consistency. Something is wrong with their mindset. Seem to be bottlers.

Have to say that we were poor and bringing the ball out of defence. Too slow, easily closed down and put under a lot of pressure. No dissimilar to Carlisle game where they also gave us very little time on the ball. Has our style of play been worked out by every team in the league now

Absolute bobbins versus The Robins

there was little energy to the team at all which matched Swindon for the first 40 minutes where the match resembled a game of walking football.

But only lost 1 of the last 6. I’m going with that stat!

I think I’ve only been once - an FA Cup tie in the 80s when we were low down and they were going well.

Think it was a draw. There was a good old football special train

as I'm sure mentioned that wasn't good today but 3-0!! We played a lot better against Grimsby imo but I don't really care I don't think iv seen a home win this season.

We lacked a lot of creativity and also bravery. The need to pass backwards instead of confidence.

The first 30 started much like previous, no threat to our goal, control of the ball but nothing really happening apart from a blind hoof to Theo who seems to make good of any lumped ball.

Bennett and Carroll were probably the worst offenders. Bennett offered little, gave cheap balls away, created nothing for a supposedly attack minded player. Carroll is a little bastard really but he's ours which is better than having him against us. Seems intent on trying to get a yellow- quite unbelievable how many fouls he gave away and constant whingeing about options in front him without the ability to drive forward himself and poor passing. BUT they bith won us the game, the way of football.

a fantastic result against a team we had to win. I'm really happy with a good 7/8 players of the team and it's look like a team we can build around for seasons to come.

Totally agree with all of that.

I think several of the loans will still be with us next season, I hope Robinson will sign for us on a perm, Koiki will sign on a loan for the season (yes I know he didnt start yesterday) as Wellens said Woolf may or may not re sign next season if Ipswich stay up, Wellens stated that Carroll could be available next season for a year loan, Bennett...not sure about, he offers very little all game then scores almost out of the blue, yes helped by the keeper a lot, but he still took a shot, something Anderson needs to learn to do.

A funny point from the pre match interviews last week, I love how Steve Mildenhall says he constantly rips the piss out of Carroll for coming from Oxford....good lad!

That's the point though.... lots of uncertainty. It's how it is, and what a gaffer has to work with.   

I see Sid Nelson has only played 3 games for Tranmere with 1 start. Can see him coming back in the summer alongside Broadbent.

I think the uncertainty is the same at every club, especially at this level.

Some clubs like Oldham had almost an entire change of personal in the summer and with Scholes coming in the same could happen next season too.

Thats the way football is now, not many long term contracts, although Power said yesterday that he is doing his best to tie down everyone early for next season, the only one dawdling on signing is Vigs and his " representitives" as he calls them.

Also some contracts could be put on hold to see which division we will actually be in next season as there is still a possibility it could be L1.

The specific players are in a way irrelevant. Wellens has shown so far he can recruit, plays effective football and adapts.

Yesterday we played much longer than previously under RW, particularly diagonals, because they're fullbacks are very attacking and small - Very effective it was too. Have seen some comments saying we weren't brave or confident on the ball, but in my mind it's more we adapted and played in a different way against good opposition.

I see Sid Nelson has only played 3 games for Tranmere with 1 start. Can see him coming back in the summer alongside Broadbent.

As someone else said earlier it's almost like the guy with 500+ professional appearances and all his coaching badges knows what he's doing, and knows more than a bunch of weird lower league football fans.

The specific players are in a way irrelevant. Wellens has shown so far he can recruit, plays effective football and adapts.

Yesterday we played much longer than previously under RW, particularly diagonals, because they're fullbacks are very attacking and small - Very effective it was too. Have seen some comments saying we weren't brave or confident on the ball, but in my mind it's more we adapted and played in a different way against good opposition.

I see Sid Nelson has only played 3 games for Tranmere with 1 start. Can see him coming back in the summer alongside Broadbent.

he had picked up and injury early on and had to go of in his first or second hand for them.

Not sure if he's back 100% yet

As someone else said earlier it's almost like the guy with 500+ professional appearances and all his coaching badges knows what he's doing, and knows more than a bunch of weird lower league football fans.

Well, it is a fair comment when the bloke has got us within a sniff of the POs. The fact others, with similar credentials, have failed doesn’t take away from what he’s achieved - so far, anyway!

Don't think the argument stands up, insofar as it's inevitable that most managers fail, and this will be despite having badges and often decent playing careers.  I'm sure all of them thought they knew what they were doing... that's the simple bit.  The tricky bit is the between the ears stuff of man management and the creation of belief, what you might call the magic wand.

A classic example with us Danny Wilson, created a very good team where all his experience as a gaffer seemed to be on display, which then morphed into a terrible outfit relegated where he seemed unable to do much about it.

More to do with the fact we lost 50+ goals than Wilsons management skills.

Ha ha. Just watched the highlights on youtube and just after the third goal I spotted Jacko on the sidelines acting the goat.. (for those of you that know him.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pj0L8DFxjDQ

If it had been a Saturday yes. I doubt i'd make it home on public transport on a Tuesday, so definite no.

Its not that end it's my end Takes me 2 hours to get home from central London on average on a normal day let alone last thing

furry muff.

See that Wellens wants to get the crowds up, and improve the atmosphere, so that the players can't hear the moaners and groaners... Saturday, had the classic DRS moan at Woolf, for passing backwards, which led to the second goal.

Of the remaining 5 games at the CG 4 are v teams in deep relegation shit, so they may bring a few, the biggest gate in Div 4 Sat, was at Meadow Lane for the basement battle v BPV.

As regards Town fans... it may be difficult for this season.

That's the result of years of Cooper and Williams. Back, back, across pitch, back, lose it and concede

That's the result of years of Cooper and Williams. Back, back, across pitch, back, lose it and concede

I dont recall hearing this.....did anyone else

Wellens said: “The only thing that frustrated me was - four or five minutes before we scored our first goal – Theo Robinson had a shot from 30 yards that went over the bar.

“The fans then start signing ‘we’ve had a shot, we’ve had a shot’. I don’t like that, because the players can hear it.

it happened, from the Town End.

Tis a fair bit of twattery, especially when a). we have only failed to score in 2 of our last 9 matches and b). we ended the game with 11 shots and vs Grimsby 18 shots.

Wrongly or wrongly I think it was in response to the game as it unfolded to that point. We scored 2 goals straight after so it must work :) :)

Actually, I thought the fans by  and large grasped this was a critical game and were largely supportive. The atmosphere even raised a notch or two above "morgue".

It points to a problem we as a fanbase have right now. Its not fair on Wellens/the team, but we expect things to go wrong and some sections react accordingly. Its the hangover of sliding from League 1 contenders to division 4 alsorans*

* which may of course turn out to be a bad assumption.

I recall the shot, a volley from a long way out went not too far over the bar but I didn't hear anything like that, it could have been localized to behind his dugout maybe?

I think I'm in the minority, I like Carroll. He does the dirty stuff in midfield and he's effective in that role. I don't think Wellens expects him to be creative, just to break up play and get the ball to one of our players. I haven't got a problem with him passing backwards either, he's not the type of player who will dribble with the ball, or ping a cross over. Win the ball, keep possession,  that's his game.

I dont recall hearing this.....did anyone else

Wellens said: “The only thing that frustrated me was - four or five minutes before we scored our first goal – Theo Robinson had a shot from 30 yards that went over the bar.

“The fans then start signing ‘we’ve had a shot, we’ve had a shot’. I don’t like that, because the players can hear it.