Thetownend.com

It's the last league game at home for a few weeks so I may  be in attendance (FLASH in the chair?).
Walsall have lost their last 5 games.

All things considered.....

2-2 Att: 6,333 (212 away)

3 points please.

IIRC, I attained my original ‘Audrey’ moniker on the back of an attendance prediction that went horribly wrong. Also the only game, away, I’ve been arrested at.

For that, a 5-0 walloping.

 We've had problems atthe CG with Saddlers in the 21st Century.... only 3 wins in 13 matches.

 This could be a good game for starting to show progress on the home form.  Only 2 goals in 4 games, that isn't good enough and needs to change.

??

We’ve got a few monkeys off our backs lately - Crawley being the most recent. No reason why Warsaw shouldn’t be despatched in a similar manner.

Anyone know the Isgrove injury situation?

Suffice to say, I’d been on the Colt 45s ( if anyone remembers that). A fairly mundane cop tbh.

Afterwards was an entirely different matter that could have seen me locked up again!

:D

Whereas Stevenage was a must win sort of game by any method, I'd like to see us beat Walsall by getting a goal or 2 from a different source than the front 2.... they've now 20 of our 26. Credit to them, but I'm not sure I've ever seen such reliance, and ideally would like to see say Doughty chip in.

PS, Colt 45 was proper horrible stuff  :(

Or Anderson or Woolery or anyone really. Fantastic that we have such prolific strikers but as you say it makes me a bit nervous that we're over reliant on them - how do we win games if either/both of Yates and Doyle are injured, suspended, recalled etc?

So is Audrey after a gut full of em  :D (allegedly)

I was a callow youth, now matured into a callow adult!

Swindon 0-0 Walsall in front of 6,395 with 312 Wallies there.

(https://www.gstatic.com/tv/thumb/persons/77123/77123_v9_bb.jpg)

Don't care how we win. Just win.

It could be argued that the other players aren't trying to score, but just trying to set up.... and it would change if they were required, and with that it wouldn't be a problem if we had options of similar types if not necessarily so prolific, off the bench.

But we haven't, so it's a concern....

We don’t score from corners, we’ve had no penalties, no free kick specialist and, for some reason, are loathe to have a pot shot from distance.

That probably covers it.

Walsall have not had a good start to the season with just 4 wins from their first 16 games and sit in a lowly 21st place.

Their current form is LLLLL and are the worst performing team over the last 5 matchs in terms olf results in the whole league right down to National South level.

Their last win was away at Crawley on 28th September that was the end of their 3 match winning run.

They have beaten Crawley away 3-2, Morecambe away 1-0, Northampton away 1-0 and Scunthorpe home 1-0, so 3 of their 4 wins have happened on their travels.

They have scored just 11 times and conceded 23 goals so far and have lost 9 of their 16 games and drawn 3 times.

Their leading scorers are James Clarke and Caolan Lavery both on 3 goals with Adebayo on 2 as 3rd highest scorer from his 13 apperances so far.

On their forum many of their fans are saying this is the worst team, quality and effort thay have ever seen from a Walsall side.

In matches between the sides ar the CG Swindon have come out on top in 22 of the 50 games, Walsall have won 13, We have scored 97 goals vs their 72 in games here.

Walsall have won 2 of the last 8 games at Swindon and Swindon have also won 2 of those mayches. Walsall won 2-0 here on their last visit 3 years ago. Only 3 of the 50 games has finished 0-0.

Rumour is that Darell Clarke had offered his resignation before last weeks home defeat by Mansfield but that it was rejected.

This week he came out in the local press stating that if hios players don't shape up and handle the criticism then they should all go and stack supermarket shelves!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/50181835

Waslall have ex Town "striker" Elijah Adebayo playing for them as their only link to Swindon, a man who their fans have not taken to for his lazy style of football some fans saying he is up there with the worst signings they have ever made, but to be fair they are saying that about most of the current side!

Swindon have no playing staff with a connection to Walsall.

I am going to miss the first 15 to 30 mins unfortunately so I hope we can be a couple of goals up by the time I return on Saturday then normal service will be resumed.

I want to see Doyle get to 20 goals ;)

I used to like Colt 45, could drink gallons of that without it affecting me, I enjoyed the taste weirdly.

Its still feels wrong that we have not been involved in a game with a penalty to either side for so long. Not sure how long last season the run was for but will check later.

We have a free kick specialist, but Doughty prefers to take them ahead of Donohue, Donohue scored a few for Caernarfon Town from direct free kicks but Doughty being the more senior player prefers to take them for us.

1 game last season without a penalty so in competitive games we have now had a run of 20 games without a penalty, 17 of them league games.

Doughty hit 2 pens in the first game at home and then one at Lincoln.

He did but I was talking about consecutive games without a penalty at the end of last season, We conceded one vs Notts County in game 45.

There were four different scorers in the first two games when we didn't have Doyle, and we did play a slightly different formation.  I suppose if we were to lose him, that's what we'd revert to, so there would be hope we'd replicate that.

The set piece one is certainly an area where the perception is very much that we don;t offer a threat - not sure if stats back that up or not as I know fans think teams score from corners when the reality is that it is very rare for any team, more likely is teams score more from corners who get more corners.

Oddly, Fryers did score a header from a corner in those first two games didn't he?

Anderson has continued to get into positions that could end in goals, Isgrove looks a little less likely though.  Certainly the way we are playing means the midfield two are not in position very often to threaten though.  If you think back to the 1990 team with two out and out strikers, we did have someone else in the team chipping in, based on where they played in the team.  I think it was slim pickings outside that though.  Oh for a 1993 Taylor type.

Isgrove is out 4-6 weeks.

Bugger.

Ouch!

Thats not good, he just got back into a bit of form just before his injury last week. Chance for DJ again on then.

Or is this some more fake injury news that Wellens seems to put out with increasing frequency?

That had crossed my mind - although this news comes from Noel Hunt.

So if Anderson is still unfit, that presumably means DJ and Woolery out wide or a re jigged line up.

The good thing is we have options.

Direct replacements - Woolery (who got an assist playing the role) or DJ
Switch to front three of Yates and Anderson either side of Doyle, push Doughty further up field and bring in another central midfielder.  That may even bring Doughty closer to being involved in the goals.  Or Yates and Woolery either side if Anderson was struggling for fitness.  Worst case scenario, we even have Twine.

A midfield containing Lyden, Grant and Doughty sounds mint.

The 90 side scored roughly 40 goals from the front 2 and 40 from the rest.  I'm fairly certain that this is some sort of statistical oddity, but I haven't done the exhaustive research.

If you look at a season of 2 high scoring strikers like Austin/Paynter at this stage, Billy had 2 and Charlie hadn't yet played.

 Parkin/Mooney season had others like Igoe and Gurney chipping in here and there.

Anderson played 65 mins against Crawley and was outstanding.

I'd love to get the data on the Corners thing.  It would not surprise me to find out that you have next to no chance of scoring, and it varies very little by team.  It's more the perception of some teams being better because they play a way which gains more of them.  Who knows?  Someone does, these days.  It's why Taylor, and more recently a player like Flint stand out.  Crosses went out of vogue, probably because data started to show very few are much of a success, why would a corner be any better when the defence can prepare?  In fact, I'd love it if short corners were shown to create more goals.  The again, data led to the long ball crap we had in England.  Maybe someone can set-up an anti-OPTA, that provides insight and guidance on how to use superstitions & footballing style myths more effectively.

Not necessarily a catastrophe providing others stay fit, I've felt we've been carrying him for a good few weeks now so perhaps it will allow him to recharge during his recovery.

Sounds right up Reg's street.  ;)

Ahh!!  Isgrove out for 6 weeks!1

Stat I have ringing in my head is that the average is 1 goal every 47 corners, which even that feels too high (possibly includes 1 or 2 phases after the initial corner)

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/football/blog/2017/mar/27/in-defence-of-the-corner-a-much-maligned-set-piece

That article from a couple of years ago quotes 3% of corners lead to goals, per Opta

You might be surprised to hear that the ratio of corners to goals is almost nil. On average, the data show that a corner is good for (drumroll ....) 0.022 goals. This means that the average EPL team scores 1 goal from a corner about every 10 games.

recently analyzed a set of nearly 13,000 corners taken in the English Premier League between 2011-2013, finding:

Only 17 percent (2,157) "produced a legitimate shot attempt."
Of those shot attempts, 370 were scores.

Glue Pot at 12...

Long Life...now that was the stuff...

I read something on this a few years back, generally it was that attacking teams don't score as many as you'd perhaps expect from corners... not that they never score.  The figure was about 3%, further because of the way keepers are protected, the old loft into the mix has given way to the whipped in lowish and hard, a more difficult technique which is why they often don't clear the first man positioned out near the front post.

This aids the impression that sides are wasting corners, and doesn't give you much chance of knocking in a second ball.

We've had just about 50 fruitless corners since Fryers notched v Carlisle. 

We must be due one on Saturday then!

Back to predictions - we need a win to keep the current run going, although as I have said previously we all need to avoid overreacting to one good / bad result and take a season long perspective.
I think this may be another grind against a packed defence, and would take another 1-0.

So we are pretty much average, probably backing up my random theory that it is more to do with how many you get than a corner being much use.  I'm one that thinks doing something very different tends to work for a while in football.  Time for someone to get creative with an alternative use of the corner.  I know it's become common these days to bring everyone back when defending (I guess to completely nullify the possibility of conceding very often).  However, I've often wondered if teams should leave four me upfront and dare the opposition.  Essentially you'd be setting the team up in a perfect counter attacking formation, relying on those stats meaning you'd more likely get to attack from the oppositions corner than concede.

Attacking, maybe spread people out more and not rely on being in the box.  Again, draw the defenders away, create a situation where you quickly get an option to feed a ball into the box in a more advantageous position than being stuck in the corner of the pitch.

We will beat Walsall with two goals from set pieces.

Doyle named in FIFA’s Team of the Week!

We'll win this. At a canter. 5-1

I agree with reverting to 433
                  Benda
Hunt Baudry Fryers Donahue
       Grant Lyden Doughty
      Anderson Doyle Yates

Woolery and DJ as impact subs if struggling to break them down. However fancy a resounding 3-0 win, with players and fans confident after last weeks demolition of Crawley. Scorers Yates, Doughty (pen) and Anderson. 7132 crowd with 321 from Walsall.

 :pint:

I vaguely recall a game at the CG against Walsall in the mid / late 1970s when we beat them 5-1. Unless my memory is failing, causing me to conflate two different games, there were 4 penalties in that game, 3 for us - all scored by Trevor Anderson and 1 for Walsall scored by Alan Buckley.

Yeah that.s correct. I think thats the only time i've seen a hat trick of pens from a town player. Used to hate Buckley he always seemed to score against us.

Bucko is up there with the likes of James Hayter as STFC specialists.

Fully expect Walsall to sit back and frustrate us - which we are not very good at dealing with. Hoping the past two wins will bring a confident team out

Team selection will be quite difficult, without Isgrove will be play Anderson as a direct replacement?

Anderson looked eager and fit when he came on last Saturday, DJ looks far better wide left that wide right being a natural left footer, but that clashes with where Anderson seems to play best, left sided attacking midfield so as FH says there could be a chance that DJ won't start on Saturday.

Lyden slotted in well when he came on so I think there is a chance we will play with Grant, Doughty and Lyden with Lyden and Anderson playing the more advanced roles as we finished on Saturday vs Crawley. Playing with less width than normally with Yates playing more right striker playing the right channel and Anderson playing nore the left channel.

               Benda
Hunt   Baudry  Fryers   Donohue
                Grant
       Lyden         Doughty
Yates                          Anderson
                 Doyle

I don't think thats Yates best role TBH.

Or DJ could keep his place and we play 442 with Yates up front with Doyle.

Yates has not been playing that well for me recently missing a fair few easyish chances in good positions but he does have a decent work rate, he seems to get his feet in a muddle at times when under pressure in the box.

Hopefully his goal on Saturday will give him a bit of a confidence boost though.

Walsall have in most games lined up a straight 442 they have a fairly inexperienced defence going by Saturdays team with under 100 league games between all their back 4 and an average age of just over 21.

Their most experienced defender 34 year old Matt Sadler was sent off for deliberate handball and is 1 game into a 3 match ban.

Darrel Clarke in the press again today asking for patience from Walsall fans.

https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/walsall-fc/2019/10/31/darrell-clarke-give-walsall-players-a-chance/

Again we agree on team selection.

TBF Buckley used to score against everyone! cracking goalscorer back then, a goal every 2.5 games in a 400+ game career. I too remember the game, Trevor Anderson was massively under rated for me.

IIRC, I saw Trevor Anderson score a late equaliser for us at White Hart Lane in’t Cup

Ah, laments a lost youth. I was stood in the TE for that. Most of if not all were scored in the TE net IIRC? Buckley did get a lot of abuse from the TE that game.

Nope not Trevor Anderson, not sure who you are thinking of. We didn't play Spurs between 1910 and 1980 and Anderson had left us by then.

You probably need to have a rethink on that one, Ray McHale is our only scorer at WHL in the Cup.

You’re right. It was Everton away. Put us ahead with 14 min to go and we got done twice at the death.

Horrible journey back to Lime Street afterwards, too.

reverting to your milk delivery days  ??.

and Alex Revel.

Big match tomorrow. 4 out of the top 6 playing each other, Crewe with a derby v Vale.

A win for Vale and 2 draws and we’re top of the league with a win!

I think the Dog Tosser could be out on his arse come Monday.

First game for me for a while tomorrow. Feel it'll be a frustration one a bit like Stevenage but will take a 2-0 win!

Could be one of those games where an early goal will finish them off given their current form.

But, given our home form over the last few years it's telling that nobody has offered up some hat eating or cocks a kippering if Adebayo scores for them.

If Town haven't won by 4.50pm on 2nd November there will be riots on the streets of Swindon. People will be dying in ditches all over the outskirts of the town!

I’ll blow a goat if Adebayo scores!

I thought you would have learned not to make these type of comments by now!

I’ve got plenty to choose from over here - there’s bound to be a pretty one!

That's Feta

Who are you kidding?

I'm officially attending. We had better win, I've upgraded to 1pt out of 12 this season and seen 1 goal.

If you blow your nanny is that classed as incest?  :hmmm:

And before anyone says, of course I know a nanny goat is female :D

Win. 2-0

I foresee an away win

Put a whole 5 pounds sterling on the town to win 3-1
Wont happen . . . will it ?

Yep. It's in the bag, Mother Brown.

Praise dee lord

3-0 win, feel good about today! Pitch gonna be fine? Had a lot of rain

Not if it keeps raining like this!

Sent from my CLT-L09

5-2 town Yates hatrick today.

Weather 1-0 football

the rain is easing up, you aint getting out of it that easy :)

I hope England's first ten minutes in the rugby aren't an indication of how my day's going to pan out  :(
I've left the room already  :)

Too often have we looked like putting something together with a couple of good results only to come undone at home. I would take a Stevenage type 1-0 right now...

I think most of us would take a scrappy 1-0 today, I would just prefer if we did that it wasn't a 90th minute goal again!

With the wind building up a scrappy win will do just fine

You can't beat a last minute winner, venks. No time for the oppo to get back in! Tho having said that I feel our games always go on till about 5pm, always the last result through especially if we're 1 goal up..

Oh that is true but my dodgy old ticker can't take many of them :D

Well, the days started off shit.

Totally outplayed..

never got going did they

Never in it....😵

When you make that many unforced errors, you're never going to win.

England were very poor and completely outplayed.

I still can’t get into rugby to be honest, and everyone bangs on about how football can learn from their referees but not for ner it’s very different. Maybe football can learn in terms of communication but in rugby the referee effectively runs the game and depending on the official it can massively influence how the game goes.

Anyway, back to the match this afternoon.

3-1 Doyle, Yates & a.n.other in front of 6,855 with 274 from those who can't afford to live in Brum.

I think that England were made to look poor.  Really impressive SA display.  Much like the NZ semi in reverse.  One team threw down the challenge, the other one couldn't pick it up.

The pub I was in was about 50% SA.  Some blokes, some families.  Really passionate but very pleasant.  Gave me a bit of hope for that country.

Very positive about a town win.  Much as I was for the rugby until it started....

3-1 Town.

I'm on my way  :suicide:

Anderson and DJ start. Lyden on bench.

What's the story with Danny Rose? I'm surprised that he's not even getting on the bench at the moment. Unless he's injured and I missed it?

yeah, rose is an odd one

ditto is Zakuani injured or suspended

Rose is injured, Wellens confirmed last week.

Oh right, cheers JJ. Yeah, Zakuani is a strange one as well. He's gone from being in the team at Bradford where I believe he did ok, to being on the bench last week and he's not even on the bench this week.

The County Ground is wetter than an otter's pocket this afternoon.

Back in the Town End like the old days. COME ON!

How about a Mermaid's Purse?  :soapy tit wank:

first attack and the ginger Pele sidefoots home 1-0

I love him.

But of course.  :pint:

It's that man again...straight after a Walsall corner, TGP scores his 14th?

It's wet, very wet. Mildly moist even...so in true "Ladies Night" style, will the floodgates open?

Jaiyesimi well off the pace so far.

Just got in, looks like I missed a goal, how are we playing?

Anderson gone (muscle pull)

They have just hit the bar although offside.  We have been the better team but some nervy moments.

Andersons hamstring has gone ping...

Anderson’s pulled up with his hamstring again.

in all honesty it's been quite even. adebeyo just hit one straight at benda

Anderson down injured, thats not good.

Just watched the goal replay, nice move and Doyle in the right place right time.

Bit nervy actually. Only been in their box once. They’ve had three shots at us. We’re playing too aerial for the conditions, giving away possession too easily so far.

DJ does well, loads of hard work then gives the ball away too easy on the edge of the box.

We seem a bit under the cosh from what I have seen so far.

Yates 20 yard shot scruffed straight at the keeper.

Hunt gives away a foul just outside our box.

Looks like the weather is playing a big part today, very wet and quite windy.

After their goodness last week, both fbs looking a little dodgy today so far

Great through pass from Lyden to Hunt but his cross cant beat the first man and Town win a corner.

Hunt should have played it in first time.

Corner to the near post flicked on by Baudry and its cleared from a yard off the line.

Brilliant ball from Lyden to him though.

Yep. Trademark Lyden.

Bayo is just as shit as he was for us so far.

our right side is very exposed.

their #20 (or was it 3)has got past hunt on a fair few occasions .

Our long passing in the air so far has been very poor.

Pring, he looks a handful.

Baudry brings it forward and loses the ball cheaply in their half and tthen fouls the player he lost it to.

Apart from scoring it has looked pretty even.  Need to step it up.
Get another will make  a difference.

Nice pass down the line to Lyden but his cross hits the firstman again, nice move.

Bayo is next to useless.

Nice move by Town, the ball switches sides to Doughty and his early cross is inches above Doyles head 6 yards out.

HT 1-0 solid if unspectular, Town edged it, Walsall look lacking ideas and effort.

Need to improve in the 2nd half.

Here's some half-time ska.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtESlTKBa4s

I reckon we’ve been second best for most of that half. It’s looking a typical, mundane home performance so far.

not a classic.  conditions were always going to be tricky. I think Walsall are a bit unlucky to be behind. but I don't care

I agree with Nick Batch.

Walsall may well come away from this wondering how they haven't got anything from the game. Although I still say it's a good sign if you can pick up 3pts when playing a bit crap.

HT: Mermaid's Purse 1 - 0 Ariel's Feet

I missed the first 15 mins but I thought we have looked far more likely to score than Walsall, Bayo and Gaffney look lost up front for them, I would only have the left back whi has beaten Hunt several times so far and the tiny midfielder Bates who looks lively and eager, the rest look really poor.

The weather has ruined a lot of the quality, almost all long passes from both teams being wayward.

Fairly even Walsall are easy to get down the side as well. Time bomb has gone off with Anderson as looked like he tore his hamstring this time, was only a matter of time.

Effort Really?. This game is a mirror image of Plymouth in terms of play except Walsall aren't as threatening.

Lets hope second half doesn't go the same way, we need to start quick and play with the ball higher up the pitch more often.

I've just gutsed a bacon cheeseburger and I'm fucking soaked. Come on town, first win in 8 years please.

Plymouth have far more quality in their team though.

2-0. think the defender got a nick on that one :)

2-0 DJ

Easy from DJ who cuts inside his marker and his soft shot is defelcted in the corner from 10 yards.

DJ got very lucky with that one.

Og surely? Who cares tho?

Definately but I hope its given to DJ, weather getting far worse too.

Deep cross from Yates but DJ knocks it away from goal in the box.

Fryers cant keep in Benda pass.

It's DJ Simi 2-0

Hit 'em early then relax. Nice tactic. Back up to 3rd as it stands. Grappling with Bradford for position like a Greco wrestler. Talking of Grecian's, Exeter seem poor at the moment.

DJ and Doyle link up well, DJ goes inside and outside then fluffs the shot softly.

2-1.

Benda in no man's land on free kick

2-1 bad miss by Benda.

Walsall drag one back through Dean Gafney. Where's Wellard?

Benda badly miss judged that cross and was nowhere near it.

You can’t blame Benda for that. The defence was flat-footed and he had to come too far.

Att: 7,014 with 361 Saddlers there.

Creeping back up.

Trivia question.  How many Scottish sides have a bigger average attendance than STFC, and name them?  No looking up.

Woolery on for DJ.

Not many! Celtic, Rangers and Hearts?

I’d say five: Celtic Rangers Hearts Hibs and Aberdeen.

Answer at FT.

I don't quite know how we are still winning this

Queen of the south?

Motherwell have got a good following. They have to have a higher average att. too?

Celtic, Rangers, Hearts, Hibs & Aberdeen

Poor free kick from Doughty.

It's looking as slender as they come

Woolery wins a corner for Town.

Crewe now losing so by default ourselves and Bradford go 2nd & 3rd. We score or Bradford concede and we pop into 2nd place.

Actually, I think you have to give it to Red Frog.  The answer I had in my head was 6 - Celtic, Rangers, Hibs, Hearts, Aberdeen & Kilmarnock.  With the 5 RF mentioned, they all get at least double what we do.  But with Kilmarnock, it's really close and sometimes we're higher than they are depending on which figures you use.  So call that a draw.

Dundee, Dundee Utd, St Mirren, Motherwell & Dunfermline all attract fewer fans than we do, but get within 20% of our average gate.

Good corner to the near post, Fryers heads it but its deflected wide for another corner.

We never score from corners

Proper pissing it down now.

Fryers distribution today has been awful.

Bayo goes off. Audrey is safe from blowing a goat!

Fryers has scored from a corner this year.

It is good for the flowers.

Ref not giving Town many of the 50% calls.

I'm sure he could still do so if he so wishes.

The goats of Kefalonia are safe!

I shall rephrase that, Audrey no longer has to be FORCED to blow a goat!

Poor deep free kick from Doughty again.

Ok, we rarely score from corners.

Hunt 25 yard shot straight at the keeper after a nice move down the left by Yates.

Acceptable :)

Looks a tad wet there.

Great move by Town, Yates to Doyle and his cross was lovely for Lyden but his volley is wayward just inside the box.

If that went in it would've been spectacular.

Would have been one of the goals of the season.

Some interesting tackles flying in from both sides now.

The game has livened up in the last 10 minutes.

 Doughty’s passing today is abominable.

Doughty and Fryers, both really poor passing today.

Andy Williams scores for Northampton.
Sam Smith scores for Cambridge Utd.

Is it too good to be true or will Cobblers fans be singing won't you stay with me?

Exeter have had two sent off.

Grant deservedly MoM today, closely followed by Lyden and Doyle for me.

Woolery's looked very lively since coming on.

Woolery wins Town another corner.

There's going to be a late goal. Isn't there?

Just realised Walsall have a player called Sadler. Are there any other examples like that?

Some unusual decisions by the ref today.

Doughty gives a foul away by being fouled.

4 mins added.

Yep. When Kuntz signs for Oxford

Decent effort by Gaffney for them from all of 55 yards but Benda scrambles back and catches the long shot.

We made a loan offer for Mark Robbins when he was at Man Utd.

Wow how the fuck did he miss that from 10 yards!

He played for Bristol City

Shit, first win for me in about 7 years  :)

Full time?

FT 2-1 big win under difficult circumstances.

Very happy with that even if we werent at our best.

That is a massive win. This team does have character to hold out for a victory and these are the kind of wins we'll look at come seasons end when we have earned promotion.

Thank fuck there was no late drama, it looked a bit squeaky bum time then!

I'd written today off after the rugby this morning.  Great news.  You need these messy wins to keep the challenge going.  Well done, Town.

Not a great performance. A bit harsh on Walsall, but I'll take it.

We'd have caved in under the pressure in recent previous seasons. Sometimes you've just gotta hold on.

phew.

shit conditions. Walsall probably had a case for a point

frankly, who cares

There have been some pretty nasty conditions this year, glad I'm over here!

You take any sort of win today, it just got messier and messier as you had the combination of the wind, the ball slipping on as well as holding up.  Good effort from the team, bar the kitchen sink being thrown at us in the final two minutes we really didn't have to worry.  Grant is a superb signing, need to find a way of extending his loan or seeing if they'll let him go.

When you have someone in the form of Doyle, you stand a chance of winning.

Good stuff, someone can turn the sprinklers off now.

One point off top. How the fuck did that happen?

   :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

Great win today,boys!

Back in the CG hotel 4 one more. Few sappy brummies having a pop  :D

Three wins on the bounce is how it happened.  Don't need to be Real Madrid to win this league.  Just vaguely competent at football.

Nice to be 3rd but it remains the case that the highest placed team we’ve beaten is Cambridge.....who lie 12th.

yeah we saw them, they looked quite brave standing behind ob

It's OK, it's not like under 7's 5 a side where corners are taken into account.  It doesn't matter who we beat, so long as we have enough points.  The flip side of course is we've pretty much beaten everyone we have played below 9th.

Doesn’t matter if you get no wins from them, win twice against the other 12 teams plus a few draws and you’d be in the play offs. We are where we are on merit!

Joe IRONside scored against Scunthorpe at the start of the season.
PEN COBango plays for SWANsea  (It's Ben)

More seriously, Arsene Wenger was Arsenal winger Manager
Matt Derbyshire incidentally played for Nottingham Forest as did goalkeeper Chris Woods. Leigh Wood is a Nottinghamshire boxer.

Clutching at straws...Andrew Johnson played for Birmingham :pint:

The irony here being...the higher you climb the table...the more teams you play are actually below you  ::)

Looks like we also only have one of the top teams between now and 4th January.  So hopefully we keep that form going as we'd be sitting pretty for the New Year if we did.

As brave as plymuff the other week

 Always nice to win ugly...

That's a pretty important factor through the festive period. Long way to go but I think we have enough to continue challenging for auto and the top spot.

Indeed. These are the types of games we'll look back at and say was pivotal in achieving promotion. Much like the Lincoln match that we didn't win previously, being such a poignant loss of points.  :pint:

Heading home on the bus, the weather is shite but it's takeaway and tinnies on the way back.   :pint:

Anyone heard Wellens comments on BBC Wilts?

Fillet steak, all the trimmings, red wine and tinnies. What a Shute day to play football in. However, both teams are a credit to the league with today’s performance. Walsall on another day playing another team would have gotten a result on that performance. Whilst the ref is getting plaudits on the radio I thought he gave them to much slack and blew up for trivial challenges and didn’t reciprocate. Still a win is a win and no yellow cards. Hopefully Keshi is not out for to long. Didn’t think we’d get out of the cricket ground tonight but we did. Onwards to next Saturday and the start of a glorious cup run 😁

No Stef Troll again?  :no: :hmmm:

Big win that. Would have drawn those kind of games last year.  Quality was poor from both sides but I think the weather had a part to play with that. I thought the ref had a good game, allowed the game to flow even in poor conditions.

Just got back from the game. Take it from your various comments that you didnt go to the game ?

we won, and 4D was there. blimey

Now I'm slightly pissed in a supermarket.  What could go wrong?  :)

Lidl pidled?

Overall it’s been a great day. England getting pasted in the rugby and Swindon winning. Double paid just shy of 4-1. Wish every week was like this.

Time to lose the winnings at the casino.💳💴🤩

4D = Aldiholic

It's amazing people still haven't fathomed that in the "digital age" you can use a smartphone pretty much anywhere...amazing tech  :soapy tit wank: I know you're a Neanderthal of sorts (well a troll) but even knuckle draggers have access to smartphones  ;)

Yep, main thing of note was him saying he has had a “couple of yes’ and a couple of no’s’ when asking whether parent clubs are happy for their loanees to feature at Whaddon Road.

My money would be on neither Doyle or Yates featuring - I would be utterly staggered if the former is not recalled in January.

The playing surface was motm.

A bit sloppy in the first half.
Doughty's radar was out in the second.

Don't they have wind & rain in Germany?

A very good win. Had a bit of luck for a change, but isn't that what successful teams are supposed to have.

It's vodka time!

From my vantage at the CG they did appear to be getting rather wound up by a few kids at the top of the Arkells  :D

4sda?

To be fair when I watch a game live, the last thing I think of doing is posting opinions on a football forum.  Maybe post at half time but not during the game. I like to watch the whole game and not miss any action by typing a message on a forum. That’s probably why we have vastly different opinions on most of the games we witness.

Also the mobile signal at the County Ground isn’t the greatest.

Successful teams find a way when not playing great, so we got a scrappy goal from an unlikely source, DJ.... it was mentioned in the midweek debate that sort of fizzled out that, that in previous successfullish seasons of having 2 goalscorers, then te rest have chippd in a similar number by season's end.... so we'll need more goals from a variety of sources, especially if Yates and Doyle aren't around come Jan.

Just coz polskA are shite at rugby and football, there's no position to poke fun. It's like me moving to Poland and laughing whenever they lose a  match. Bit like the rain being wet  :)

[/b]

Many of us would think that is the case but I don't think Bradford can afford to, without shuffling a few players around. Is it really worth them unsettling their squad, to bring back a player who doesn't fit their way of playing and/or to sit on the bench? Apparently we are paying nearly all his wages.

If Bradford were say 8th, I could see a more drastic reason to recall him (as they'd be looking to obtain a playoff spot) but currently both teams are matched. Indicating the strike force they have are doing pretty well. Now if another key injury happens before Jan then of course we may see it.

You’re assuming he can actually be recalled... no one knows both clubs refuse to say.

Lee Power confirmed in an interview pre match that there is a review which will take place in January and it is in Bradford’s hands.

Each to their own but people are capable of doing more than one thing at once "look ma no hands!" It takes seconds to type a message on a phone.

I will piss myself if you tell me you work in comms.

Even if Bradford didn’t want Doyle back I’m sure they would call him back with a view to selling him on. I’m sure a few teams in league 1 would have a punt on Doyle. It’s a win win for Bradford as they get Doyle off the wage bill and weaken a promotion rival.

The only way Doyle won’t leave is if he desperately wants to stay at Swindon. This is feasible as he is in good form but ultimately money talks and the lure of a better pay packet elsewhere maybe too tempting.

Keyword being "review". A review is not a recall. Doris.

Hence me using the word review and not recall...I know you are a tad simple but it isn’t rocket science.

Awaits being told I have been ‘whooshed’

of course that's what it means

He can't play for anybody else than Bradford this season... 2 clubs max.

He cannot play for any more teams this season.

Doesn’t mean a recall can be agreed without both clubs agreeing, could be an option to buy, financial penalties if it’s terminated. No one knows.

Ultimately I doubt you were at the game as reading some of your past posts you were talking about ex Swindon players who scored goals and Exeter players being sent off. Either you were at the game but glued to your mobile being more interested in other games rather then watching and supporting Swindon. The other is that you didn’t attend the game and most likely listened to the game on the radio.

Is this just English leagues (ie if a Scottish team went after him could he play for them ie an Aberdeen).

The fact he can’t play for other English teams is good news though for sure. 

Bradford would also have to release some of their signings to bring Doyle back as they spent his wages and would exceed the wage limit if he returned.  Everything is in favour of him staying for now.

Tbf, I think we're all thinking about this way more than we should. I'm sure both teams have various contingencies. Of other strikers around, Wes Thomas is banging them in for Notts County, there are strikers we could poach from within L2 as well. I just don't see Bradford unsettling their own side (as the table stands).

If Doyle loves it as much as he does here and Bradford make him available for sale, I'm sure we would put in an offer for him. Doyle thinking "likely to get promoted with Swindon, I'm happy and settled here, there's a good chance I'll be playing L1 in a few months in a team on the up". He seems to love it here and that's seemingly a huge factor for him right now.

You've been whooshed.

 Let's face it, as pointed out in the summer, relying on loans is not the best method of getting auto, there is always the  possibility of recalls etc.  We just don't know what will happen.

This is exactly the point I was making. They'd have to move possibly three players just to accommodate Doyle. They may strengthen in the striking area but will be weak elsewhere. Likely they'll end up with some players like BO-O, Luke Moore and Agombar to plug the gaps.

Is it time to get rid of Keshi Anderson ?
Seems like another Nathan Thompson  in the making. Tin hat on, worn at a jaunty angle.

If it really was, then Rob T made it much better.

You mean the player that set up our first goal and played well all season. He has a hamstring injury hardly his fault, more our fault for playing him with an injury.

Aldi addled?

I agree with all that except that I thought the quality was good from both sides, despite the poor weather conditions. Both teams passed it around well and made it a quite enjoyable game to watch.

I think Walsall are much better than their league position and current form suggests. I was impressed by them.....especially Pring on the left who was the best player on the pitch for me. Even Adebayo looked quite dangerous, 1st half at least, but faded in the 2nd. I think I recall he even won a header......

Highlights now on sky for those who didn’t go to the game ...

https://www.skysports.com/football/swindon-vs-walsall/report/410655

😂 Really need a like button

True Reg but pretty much every team in L2 and much of L1 rely on loans so it's a fairly pointless statement.

In the Championship, last season Derby "relied" on the services of loanees, Mount and Wilson. They could've been recalled but they weren't. Wilson scored 15 as Derby made the PO Final only falling to Aston Villa...who had eight loanees over the course of the season. They included the likes of Moriera, El Ghazi (now perm), Yannick Bolassie, Tammy Abraham and Tyrone Mings (now perm and no not his hair). Norwich City's Championship winning squad had eight free transfers including a certain Pukki and two loans in Passleck from Dortmund and Rhodes from Sheff Wed. The relying on loans argument is a non starter.

I'm sure you will also find a way to twist this into something like "I didn't state POs", which is why I included Norwich too. Have a spiffing evening  :soapy tit wank:

Correct

January can fuck off, it's November right now and we're a point off top so I'm enjoying that. Was a good win today, not a brilliant game but enjoyable to watch, and the kind of game we'd have lost late on last season. Happy with that.

Oh and I like Benda, he looks like a proper mad German keeper! I'm sure I'll come to rue that at some point between now and the end of the season, but he's great fun to watch

Like Jens Lehman but without curly hair :)

or declare yourself fit to play, when you are not.

In my first sentence. Is that not clear enough? I can write it in french if it is easier?  ;)

Thank you. What a gent :thumb:

Wes Thomas is dire. I know its only hypothetical anyway

Yep because we have Doyle.

That’s on our medical staff not him, if anything we should be thankful he is so keen to play. To be honest there stretch he made today to cause it would have put any hamstring at risk.

Your welcome

What did Power say in his interview today?

Got to say, getting 7000+ in that weather was a fantastic turnout.

See Chang's post (it's a trusted opinion).

Tans (or whoever else wants to listen).. about halfway in you can hear Lee Power talking to BBC Wilts;

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07rs99k

Fair comment, well put.
Dodgy hamstrings are the sign of  an unfit player . . . are they not ?
(cant spell aren't)

Not really some are just naturally tight. Ryan Giggs had dodgy hamstrings and he played forever. Just think the conditions and the stretch was always going to be risky.

As he clearly had problems at Bradford, Style of play, Manager issues, who knows. He may want to stay and make it awkward for Bradford.

He’s already said he wants to stay. It’s not his decision to make, though.

I don't know. But either way, Doyle would have to agree to the move.

Tesco tipsy?

Waitrose Woozy?

Sainsburys squiffy

Co-op cunted

Lidl legless

Gateway Gazeeboed!

Morrisons monged

Surely just ‘Trollied’ would do...

We have a winner.

I wonder if some Americans use the term 'carted'; Oh dude, I was so carted when I day drank last week!

I think deep down, 'wankered' always wins.

Great result, good crowd, ok performance, shit weather seems to be the consensus.

I'll take that. 

More nervous about Jan Doyle recall than most people seem to be.  Take point about Bradford wage bill and being 2nd not 8th but the latter can easily change in this yo-yo division.  Has a bit of a Duncan Shearer feel to me.

I didn't realise he can't go to a third club in one season even if they are selling him.  I thought that rule was just for loans.  That certainly helps.

No Anderson or Isgrove for the foreseeable future begs the question where the creativity is going to come from.

I’m unconvinced by DJ so far - albeit he hasn’t played much. Woolery is Woolery. Doughty seems to be a bit off the pace.

Be interesting which of our loanees plays and who doesn’t in our defeat at Cheltenham next Saturday

Apart from his woeful set pieces I thought Doughty played well yesterday

I'm donning my tin hat. Anderson is twice the footballer Nathan Thompson is/was

Can’t see Diagouraga getting a club in January and McGlashan only makes the bench for Chesterfield these days, so the budget probably isn’t there for any perm deals for Doyle, Yates or Grant.

Lose a couple of them in Jan and we’re up shit creek.

I concur.

No doubt - However, unlike previous owners Power is a football man and will know this as well as anyone. I'm quite sure he will therefore do all he possibly can to keep all three...

Have there been any recent cases of loan players not being allowed to play in the FA cup and then not being recalled in January?

I remember Doughty & Furlong played in the cup and were then recalled.

Probably no direct correlation as it's couple of months between 1st round and January and the situation at the parent club can change in that time. So best not to read too much into who does and doesn't play on Saturday?

But there’s a big difference between Power wanting to keep them and him being allowed to.

I suppose Doyle is the biggest hurdle with Bradford loaning him to a promotion rival. Lots of talk about him returning would push them over the wage cap. I still can’t understand why neither club will state categorically if they have a recall option or not.

Of course there is - the fact that he wants to make it happen though (well it's not a FACT as such but I'm sure he does) is cause for hope. Previous owners wouldn't have gone out and got Doyle in the first place.

Keshi, was cup tied and stayed, but we may have signed him, rather than carrying on loan.

I'd imagine some gaffers will just cup tie becasue they can.... Bradford may well do so.

Or they could allow him to play to increase our chances of a cup run distracting us from our league campaign.

Of the two said to be allowed to feature Benda is surely one, I expect Yates to play too, Rotherham don't have a problem with scoring goals and he's probably not done enough for another club to pay a fee for him at this stage.  Grant is a very saleable asset for the other STFC so may be made unavailable.

Whether Doyle is available or not there will be way too much read into it either way.

When Bradford got to the LC final in 13, their league form had been poor post Christamas.... it was the boost of reaching the final as a Div 4 side, even though they got stuffed that saw them get into the PO's and then use the Wembley experience to stuff Cobblers.

I reckon if we could have a little cup run we'd also get a lift..... bit like when PdC's Div 4 side saw off the Prem, Wigan.

And can only increase our chances of keeping Doyle et al  :nod:

Although it pains me to say it, I reckon given the wing and prayer nature of our squad with loans injuries etc and it's Numb at Whaddon, Wellens might be justified in writing Saturday off. The best outcome no more injuries or suspensions.

Just browsed the Walsall forum and there was mention of a lad lying face down, paramedics in attendance etc. What was that all about? Hopefully not thugs in action  :(

I think that was in the away end. Noticed stewards and medics in amongst their crowd in the first half and looked like somebody being carried out.

https://twitter.com/vitalwalsall/status/1190657000700555266?s=21

https://twitter.com/vitalwalsall/status/1190798082054770689?s=21

Hope the lad is alright.

On Doily, consider that he is the only first team player out on loan. The other three are youngsters I believe. Also Doyle was considered a fringe player and surplus to requirement. I do think with the current situation he'll be here. I haven't spoken to his Dad yet though.

Another pov, might be a somewhat reflective one...some might look at our squad and say "Why aren't players like Diagarouga, Rose and McCormick not starting for them - madness." So it is all rather relative, just in Doyle's case he happens to be the top goalscorer...in Europe.

Has there ever been mention of a buy option in Doyle's loan contract? We'd be stupid not to take it if there is one.

I saw a rumour on twitter the other day from a Bradford fan that a deal is already agreed. Probably bollocks mind

I thought that Wellens or Power hinted that it is all in hand

The issue over a perm deal is he is contracted to Bradford until end of the season, he is on a big wage and if he signs perm at stfc he would have to take a pay cut, my money would be on him being here until the end of the season, although the striker dept needs to be addressed in Jan, if Doyle gets injured or for e.g. we get a PO spot and face Bradford we have not real replacement or backup option, or even competition.

I'd like a deal agreed with shrewsbury though, Grant is a class player at this level and I suspect L1 and I think can be crucial to our push for the top, hopefully we can shift a couple of players that will free up some wages.

Got a feeling that Power would have some kind of plan,  has been pretty shrewd on some of his signings this season.  Think this season he has made a much stronger financial commitment and can't see him just sitting back and letting it all slip away in January.   We are probably In the best position we've been in since he took control, far too shrewd a business man to let this opportunity pass him by,  .......  surely ???.

That's pretty much my feeling about it as well...

That would make him an average player in my opinion.

Anyway, controversial opinion maybe but i would prioritise keeping Grant ahead of anybody. He’s the midfielder that we’ve lacked for years.

Doyle then Grant closely behind in my book.

Well think about his current position. Has an ongoing business proposition in Highworth. Has an ongoing business proposition in Swindon. Each require £’s and lots if them. Languishing in league 2 or on the way up in league 1? As an entrepreneur you’ll look to maximise each investment. Join them together and bazinga. Lest we forget that he has had a speculative carrot dangled in his frace from uncle Sam. Who else has their sights in SN1? He does have an exit plan, which he alluded to recently on BBC radio Swindon. If he is here in three years i’ll be really surprised. He does not have the cash to oversee the potential on Highworth, SN1 and the STFC team. The championship is the end game, which takes money. Hown much do the Trust and power have to achieve that?

SN 1  is a postcode area.... Swindon town centre south of the railway line, Old Town, southwest suburbs. It's quite a large area.  I know the Adver hacks keep using it, but that just shows how poor they are as it's meaningless as a descriptor for the CG.

A bit late (sorry) but my thoughts on yesterday’s game.
The game was dominated by the conditions, and we did well to grind out three points - as some others have said, recent years’ Swindon teams would have drawn or lost that game.
One thing we noticed was that fairly early in the second half, Baudry and Fryers stopped going back to receive goal kicks, with Benda going long instead - we assumed the message had gone from the bench not to risk the short passes with the danger of the ball stopping in a puddle.
Benda’s last minute stop was superb - redeemed his rash charge from the line and getting nowhere near the cross for their goal. Baudry and Fryers had good games at the back. Their main threat first half was down their left, where they gave Hunt a difficult time. Second half that was less in evidence. Grant was immense again in midfield, Doughty supported well although his set piece delivery was poor. Donohue again solid at left back. Lyden strengthened midfield when he came on, Anderson was ke6 in the first goal, DJ had a mixed game but his movement and turn before shooting for the second goal was good. Doyl3 and Yates excellent again up front. I thought Woolery also put in a good shift when he came on, including some important challenges.
A word on the referee - I thought his performance was mixed. The good was he tried to let the game flow, played advantage where possible, and allowed for the conditions too (if he hadn’t, Grant would certainly have got a yellow card). The bad was he was inconsistent in his decisions, gave some soft free kicks, and how the linesman and fourth official missed the assault on Doyle near our dugout shortly before half time I have no idea. They were a combined distance of less than 10 yards away.

At the end of the season this will be one of those results we look back on as vital in terms of league position - getting points in difficult conditions which mitigate against good football is vital.

Anyone notice that Doughty looked like Jerry Garcia

I heard from someone who works at the club that says a deal is in place to buy the rest of Doyles contract for around £50k as he is out of contract in June and Bradford want him off the wage bill and sell him while they can still get a modest fee for him.

Could be bollocks but the chap has been right several times before this season.

This for me too, very close call but both are needed for a promotion push. Grant is the best defensive midfielder for many years and he is not wanted by Shrewsbury who would take a small fee at most to sign him, but that depends on if a team from a higher league come in for him or not.

Apparently he loves it at Swindon and wants to come but Shrews are paying a fair proportion of his wages as Bradford are with Doyle so again wages could be the defining issue here.

😊Grateful for that observation

I thought he looks more like Hagrid.

Want to hear from the Ginger Pele's "biological son"?

He's on this:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07sts7s

Not sure why you've put that in quotes, are you trying to start a rumour? ;)

Heard that at half time on Saturday, they also said that Saturday was the first time in his career that Doyle had scored in 5 consecutive matches, 7 goals in 5 matches is pretty damn good.

14 goals in 14 matches for Swindon, when Doyle has scored we have won 5 games, drawn 2 and only lost once when he has been on the scoresheet.

He has scored 2 more goals than anyone else in the top 4 divisions of English football and double the next highest L2 top scorer (Yates, Lubala and Rose).

He has scored 2 more goals on his own than Stevenage and Walsall have managed as a whole team!

Doyle is ALREADY after just 17 matches our highest scorer in 4 seasons since Nicky Ajose 2015-16 season.

Whoa..

Impressive and a sad reflection on the decline at the same time.

Yep in almost equal measure.