Thetownend.com

Bring on the Wombles.

We will win.

There will be many goals.

 :pint:

Don’t think they are the relegation fodder of last season. Still expect us to win - narrowly.

Hopefully not another powder puff second half this time. Tyler Smith has to start.

If I were Tyler Smith, I think I'd be a tad miffed if I wasn't starting.

I still have fond memories of plough lane in 1979 during the great league cup run. I expect them to be well drilled and a hard nut to crack with a narrow home victory

Anyone else at the FA Cup game at Plough Lane when the wall collapsed behind the goal.
No TV coverage as Jimmy Allan helped me out of the goal net :)

And does Matty Palmer come in from the cold?

Swindon have only beaten this lot once in the last 10 meetings since our previous 4-1 win in 1981, that was a 2-0 home win with Connell and Caddis scoring in 2012, 6 have been draws and Dons winning 3 of them.

So far this season the Dons 1 win 2 draws and 1 defeat in their 4 league matches, scoring 8 and conceding 8, a run of DDWL. Swindon have won 2 drawn 0 and lost 2 scoring 8 and conceding 8 so far by comparison in the league.

They have beaten Fleetwood, drawn with Northampton and Plymouth and lost to Accrington so far.

AFCW currently have no players or staff with any Swindon FC connection and visa versa except out cheif scout Ben Chorley who used to play for them in pre MKD guise.

They are quite a big strong side and mix it up a bit between long ball and passing, in their last 4 games they have looked quite susceptible to crosses going into the box early, they play a style very much like Burton.

Their manager Glyn Hodges with a small peice about the game.

https://www.afcwimbledon.co.uk/news/2020/october/dons-in-good-shape-for-swindon-with-jaakko-part-of-squad/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7GONnbHKXs&feature=emb_logo


2-1 defeat with Pitman scoring.

Remember getting off the coach and all my secreted cans fell onto the pavement right at the feet of Plod.

A defence made up of TEF ex chain smokers would have performed better on Tuesday night.
Hopefully some work has been done in training this week.

A win would be the most the important thing with a clean sheet as a bonus.
Would take the 3 points and save the clean sheet for 24th Oct.  :)

This looks like an away win

FOOTBALL : Lengthening injury list for @Official_STFC manager Richie Wellens “Caddis hamstring 2/3wks, Conroy achilles op today, Fryers, Hunt potential back stress fracture,  Iandolo knee, Lyden pulled calf 2/3wks, Stevens stomach bug” #stfc

Fucking hell!

From BBC Wilts - Lengthening injury list for @Official_STFC manager Richie Wellens “Caddis hamstring 2/3wks, Conroy achilles op today, Fryers, Hunt potential back stress fracture,  Iandolo knee, Lyden pulled calf 2/3wks, Stevens stomach bug” #stfc

Do we train on tarmac?

or buy bulsawood players

Bare bones defence for tomorrow then, Odimayo isn't fully fit yet too.

I was thinking more barefoot on gravel

Crikey.

Conroy isn’t going to play much this season, is he?

Will he ever play again, I have my doubts now. Even if the op is a tidy up that’ll be 6/8 weeks before he can even start to train.

Grounds and Baudry/Fryers CB. Donoghue RB and Iandolo LB (or Vice Versa)?

Injured

Yeah sadly I think DC might have to be calling it a day on the footall front unfortunately. A bad knee injury on BOTH legs and now an achilles problem. Sounds like he's just going to be highly unfortunate and his legs aren't going to play ball. Sad as he was a talented player.

Clearly I hope he proves me wrong, it must be devestating for him.

Isn't Iandolo a non starter with his knee problem

I couldn't think of anyone else! In that case, how about this.....

Grounds I think can play LB so could be Fryers/Baudry at CB, Grounds LB and Donohue RB. Anthony Grant at CB if the worst comes to the worst.

If Fryers is out, then Grounds will fit in alongside Baudry.  Donohue at left back, then you only have one position with a player being out of position at Right Back.  If Stevens can play, he could fill that role - he has played further back as a youngster I think.

In front of that lot, it still looks pretty good going forward - Smith, Grant, Smith, Payne, DJ, Pitman/Smith.

You are much better than me at this!! :)

Unless Wellens is telling porkies again! I think right back is the main problem and have no idea on what's happening with Broadbent or his fitness

Stevens has a stomach bug.

If Grounds can play centre back and LB he’s likely to be more comfortable at RB than Donohue if we do have to go down that route. We’ll probably get to 2pm and find one of Caddis or Hunt playing and it won’t be an issue.

Tbh if we are short at the back I wouldn’t be surprised if at some point we revert to a back 3 this season with very attacking wing backs similar to the Crewe game last season.

It’s fine, Curran is fit.

I would rather Adi Viveash made a comeback :-[

Palmer has played right back early in his career at Burton, might be an option if we really are bare bones at the back.

Then again is Wellens being totally truthful with fitness levels? we shall see tomorrow.

I was thinking that he would be back shortly but now have to say that unfortunately the chances of us seeing him play for us again is looking even more remote if at all. Great shame as he looked a good player in the making in the early days.

There’s greater likelihood of witnessing a clean sheet in a Kyrenia knocking shop than at the County Ground nowadays.

Robins 3 - 4 Wombles

Conroy says minor op. Out for 4 weeks

Donohue RB
Baudry CB
Grant CB
Grounds LB

?

Leave Donahue left back and maybe put Baudry at right back

Or play Grant as a sweeper between Baudry and Grounds in a back 3, not that Wellens likes a back 3 but needs must.

That's a good shout with Grant and although Wellens dosen't like 3 at the back sometimes you have to adapt

He will be back playing.
Only a minor setback.

Louis Thompson spent 2 years out. There is hope for Conroy. 3 could be an option tomorrow, with a Grant as part of a 3. He’s not been as influential this year, so a 3 of Grant, Baudry, Grounds might be as slow as an Andy King combo of Matty Heywood/Reeves/ Viveash, but may be all we can do.

Fully expect a first choice back four and a laughing Wellens though as we keep a clean sheet.

We could do with a young Matty Heywood now just for his heading ability alone🤓

With the amount of defenders out he's gonna have to so Grant can play CB.

Sent from my CLT-L09

Much experience with Kyrenia knocking shops have we?

My old man served there (not a euphemism) back in his Wiltshire Regiment days, pre-marriage.

 :pint:Ah. Up the, dusty, road (also not a euphemism) from Nicosia...

so he passed this valuable nugget (tapping his nose) onto his son and heir eh? I get, you never know when these little nuggets will come in handy.

Do we not have any reserves or youth teamers that can fill the gaps?

We took a nostalgic trip there (Cyprus) a few years ago. The first thing he said after we’d parked our beat-up hire car in a dodgy clearance site car park, and pointing to a nearby building, was: “Look, there’s the old brothel we used to go to!” At least it acted as a point of reference for getting back to the car after a visit to the castle. He later told me that my mum knew all about his army escapades, meaning that there was no need for me to mention the incident when we got home.

Everything about his team selections over a few years now suggests Wellens will pick someone out of position before putting in a youth team player he doesn't think is good enough.

What happened to Joe Romanski who was on loan at Melksham last season is he still there

Plays in Poland now after being released at the end of last season

Cheers I must have missed that news tan the time of release. Looking at Curran he would have been a better option for back up

Following his release at the end of the 2019–20 season, Romanski joined Polish side Zagłębie Lubin initially linking up with their B team in the fourth-tier.

Cheers Bob

TC masterclass today. MOM performance, can feel it in my bones

Line up prediction (4-2-3-1):

Kovar; Stevens, Baudry, Grounds, Donahue; A.Grant, M.Smith; J.Smith, Payne, DJ; Pitman.

Hunch that Stevens will get over his stomach bug. We shall see.

:Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

I think you are right, I know Palmer has played right back for Burton and Stevens has played right wingback for Leeds U23s previously.

It will be interesting pick for Wellens, bare bones to say the least.

You still get the feeling that Wellens will magically get one of the injured players fit for today!

I get that feeling every time I hear Wellens say "(insert name here) is injured and won't be available". :D

This or Palmer at RB with DJ dropping to the bench.

I think that you've got it spot on but I reckon that Palmer will start right back with Stevens on the bench as I didn't train yesterday 

I think it depends on whether Wellens thinks Plamer will play a part later in the season as if he is given a league squad number then his wage has to be counted towards the budget. He has only played in the Piss Pot Trophy so far this season.

If he is loaned out to Wigan or whoever and he hasn't been given a league number then his wage does not come out of the budget, important if Wigan are only paying a percentage of his wage.

Its a slightly complex quirk of the salary cap, suggested by Wellens a few weeks back in a radio interview.

I forget about the squad number scenario Pete so then that changes things so would imagine that Stevens would play there if he's recovered from sickness. Am I right in thinking all deals need to be concluded by next Friday the 16th of Oct

6music just played Mess Around. It's going to be a good day.

2-1 Town.

I am pretty sure all players have to be registered by 16th October for teams outside of the Perm including any loan deals, yes.

Trying to find out if unnattached players can still be signed after that date as it used to be but the EFL/FA seem to have been busy changing the rules this season.

Great memories of Mark O'Donnell there.

Palmer already has a squad number so that shouldn’t make any difference for today. He was on the bench v Blackpool.

Ah that passed me by!

He could have played himself into a starting spot on Tuesday, our best player by some margin for me.

Stains 2-0 at the Pikeys at HT

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ej9wZdrXgAAsKUr?format=jpg&name=4096x4096)

3 at the back?

I would think we will like up as ....

             Kovar
Stevens Grounds Baudry Donohue
      Grant   M Smith
DJ         Payne       J Smith
          Pitman

Still think Smith T should be starting

I watched extended highlights of Dons first 7 games and they look really susceptible to balls played in quickly to a big stiker, I would say that 80% of the goals they have let in so far were from early crosses, I think that could well be our plan today, something "in theory" Pitman should relish.

Strange that Hunt is fit enough for the bench but not to start. I reckon we are 3 at the back.

Did I hear Wellens on the radio say Hunt had a cob on because he was picked for the Exeter game in midweek

I see we have 7 on the bench today but can’t see any are Club Developed Players. I’m assuming it was that rule that led us to having Curran in the squad in recent weeks. Not sure how we’ve got around that today.

Hawes is stating Stevens will be playing right back.

They were explaining on the radio about half an hour ago that they believe we have special dispensation again like we had last season because we have sold so many young players to top division acadamies.

iFollow prompted question, has anyone actually ever had a Carabao?

3 at the back would have 3 out of position, our regular system only needs one out of position, pretty sure we'll be sticking to the normal set up.

But he’s guessing as well...

Can anyone post a link to iFollow, I get so far and am not being asked for my passcode.  Would appreciate any help

I agree, Donohue/Grant are not natural CB's. It will be Stevens at RB and Donohue at LB I am sure looking at that side.

https://www.swindontownfc.co.uk/matches/fixtures/first-team/202021/october/swindon-town-vs-afc-wimbledon-on-10-oct-20//

In the pre match interview with Wellens he stated he tried Stevens at right back for the last 10 mins of the game on Tuesday, so its quite an educated guess really.

 hi folks

thanks for the link

paid my money but am not seeing anything come up onscreen...just the page with the different pricing offers on it. if i click on the video one it just says 'youve already paid for this match'   ??!!  can u help ?
Thanks

If you go to the Match Centre, then you can hit Watch Live and should get the video, same link: https://www.swindontownfc.co.uk/matches/fixtures/first-team/202021/october/swindon-town-vs-afc-wimbledon-on-10-oct-20//

Cheers matey

Argh! IFollow not letting me watch the game

Town attacking the Town end 1st half.

I'm in. They kindly took all the live links away.

Nice quick start by Town, couple of decent balls into the box.

Payne great pass to DJ who turns inside and has a shot but its too soft and an easy save.

Stevens starting at RB as expected.

Stevens appears so quick when running with the ball.

Stevens robbed on the half way line, a bit slack.

DJ cross to Pitman deflected over from 4 yards, great move and effort by Town.

Town totally waste the resulting corner.

Great pass to DJ on left. Cross to front post where defender cleared over crossbar befor Pitman could slide the ball in the net. Corner after wasted.

Game has started at a flat out pace by both sides again.

Pitman felled 30 yards out. Free kick to Town.

FK from Pitman straight at the keeper.

thanks !

Never going to score from there!

DJ enjoying the huge amounts of space he has down the left so far.

He has scored quite a few for Pompey from FK's in similar positions, but not today!

We've started quickly, but this looks fairly even. Let's hope we don't give something away with a mistake!

Pitman to Smith and Town win a corner.

Its panning out very similar to Burton, Dons play a very similar style too.

Pitman on the volley from 20 yards, poor connection though.

Pitman saw keeper off his line but shanked it.

Great interception by Grounds in the 6 yard box.

Wow! Stamp from Grant, but not seen by ref.

Grounds fucks up in the middle while bringing the ball forwards, but M Smith saves him.

Grounds tried to take on 3 and nearly cost us.

Foul on Payne 45 yards out central.

Grant is really stamping his authority on the pitch. Uber aggressive today.

Stevens caught out while attacking but Grounds saves him this time.

Stevens booked.

Whenever Seddon is mentioned I keep thinking of Sefton the horse! (Maybe before many of your times)

Stevens yellow

Offisde but a good save by Kovar with his feet from point blank.

Great save Kovar, was offside but heart in mouth moment

Smith takes on his man and wins another corner.

Good save from Kovar from offside forward (from free kick)

J Smith run down right wins corner

Stevens need to calm down a little needs to pick and choose his moments to bomb forward.

Needless yellow card.

Another scary moment from a free kick, good save by keeper

I can't beat PV! Still, you can see we are consisten!

You can easily see that RB is not Stevens natural position, hes been caught out a few times so far.

Good block by Grounds, gives away a corner.

there was a big gap there, had he chested it down

Donahue looks very shaky and one footed on the ball

He just cleared a corner though!

65-35 possession to us. But ever since that stat came up 5 mins ago, it has been all them.

0-1

fucks sake

Static back line

Unmarked at the far post from a deep cross.

Nice goal

Hmm. Good move from Wimbledon but bit of a horror show from the CBs

it's a just a hoof into the box

Saw the replay. He wasn’t offside.

Stevens probably should have been closer to the scorer but Baudry not near him.

RT wing cross from mid way across both centre back to Piggot who calmly put it past Kovar.

0-1

Baudry’s man wasn’t it?

Terrible between the CBs.

Definately onside.

Is anyone not watching?

Lovely flick on from Pitman to DJ but his return pass is behind Pitman.

Utter crap so far this half

Payne falls in the box under no challenge,

Bit of joy coming down the right flank with Smith and Stevens as you might expect, think that's our best chance of getting at  Wimbledon

yeah their left back isn't the quickest

2 corners in a row from Town.

They have a really sluggish defence all over.

Piggot looks a handful up front.

We aren't playing our normal game very well so far, our passing seems a bit off the pace, Dons are pushing us hard every time we get the ball.

We need to exploit the gaps at fullback they have as they play with 3 at the back and no recognised fullbacks.

Wellens picked him out pre game as one of the best target men in the league.

Grant looking off the pace so far, making far more mistakes than normal for him.

Grant is struggling to get a foot hold in this game, he is being caught in possesion again..  He really does need to start bossing that DMF position

Their long early clerances are catching us out a bit too easily.

Bit too fancy in midfield from us, short pases not getting through their compact midfield getting closed down quickly.

Pitman not holding anything up at all so we can't work it forward.

I'm hoping that having started slowly for the first time this season we're saving it for the second half...

Baudry is having an awful game too.

Maybe he's not able to this season.

Scapegoat alert.

Grow up.

So every time I criticise I am scapegoating...OK then.

He’s been poor all season so far.

HT 0-1

Not a great half.

Hmm, not a great half but can see us turning this round, Wimbledon look competent but some clear weaknesses especially against pace down the flanks. We really should be able to take advantage of that.

We are rushing our final ball, not being careful enough with cut backs and crosses not missing first man

Much improvement needed all round

Not good.

Some half time ska will make everything better.

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

I just don't think he still looks up to speed yet, he is fit enough to get around the pitch, that is obvious, but he doesn't seem as agressive as usual and his decision making and awareness of what is around him doesn't seem to be there.

For sure he is not getting as much time on the ball as last season, that is obvious, but his awareness of what is around him doesn't seem to have kicked in yet this season - I think the lack of fans has an impact on that as well, so hopefully he will get his head back on things as time goes on.  I hope sooner rather than later.

We've been poor but not seen anything offensively from the Dons to deserve a lead, other than that they've been a tad more compact.

I could say the same about your forum awareness - take a look at the Player Sponsorship thread at some point :D ;)

Pitman off - Smith T on

DJ - off Hope on

Pitman has been next to useless

DJ looks half arsed about everything

Grounds has done well enough. Everyone else fucking meh.

Disappointing half. Think Wimbledon have the measure of us and have been able to stifle any creativity.

Payne and J Smith have not been able to get in the game in any meaningful way. Pitman hasnt been anywhere near the ball all game I don't think. DJ has had lots of touches, but doesn't seem to have been able to create anything.

Scapegoat alert
Scapegoat alert

Couldn't Wimbledon have played in their home kit instead of that horrible yellow colour.  :headhurts:

Expect to see an improvement in the final third this half.

Shit - sorry mate!! Will do that now.

We usually have a good spell in a game, hopefully we have one today and make it count.

No worries, we have collected our target, but you were close to be taken off of the list.

Glad to see J Smith switched back to right wing...

Bring on the wind tunnel.

Hes far better as an inverted winger coming inside on his stronger left foot.

Corner to Town.

DJ fouled near the touchline 30 yards out.

Baudry fouls the striker 25 yards out.

His dad was saying smith prefers playing on the left wing which is surprising as he's much more effective on the right side

Awful free kick well over the bar luckily.

Quite like the pink keeper kit, is that a rogue opinion?

Stevens not having a great game either.

If Odimayo is fit I wouldn't mind seeing him come on for the obviously struggling Stevens, Mayo played right back for Derry and Reading U23s but only if hes fit enough.

Not sure if anyone is at the moment.

Good bit of strength from DJ and a bright moment for us

Yes there aren't many good performers today for us.

Miscommunication between Grant and Kovar we're lucky to get away with

Great turn and twist from DJ but his shot from 20 yards is not far wide.

Someone has switched DJ on, he's been very bright for the last five minutes. We need him to keep that up.

Definately our best player this last 15 mins.

I'm not sure what change I'd make, but I'd try and get Tyler Smith up front with Pittman.

Nice move by DJ but his cross is blocked after he beat his man.

Yep and I would get Palmer on for M Smith who has quite poor this half, Palmer has a point to prove.

J Smith shoots from 25 yards too close to the keeper.

Fucking Ifollow not showing the action, fuck the replays.

Cant  watch any more of this shit.

Good work but better cross needed

Good claim by Kovar.

Very good by Kovar coming out for that.

Too ambitious really, Dons coping easily with anything we have to offer. Dj or nothing at the mo.

Subs needed

Odimayo and Tyler coming on for Pitman and Payne.

Stevens going to play further forward here you'd think

what's the reluctance with Pitman and Smith up front?

Twine scores a blinder

Nice skills by DJ to J Smith and his cross is too deep.

What are you watching?

I would have prefered to see Tyler alongside Pitman when Payne went off.

Sounds decent.

Sky

Who's house is on fire?

Stevens shot from 20 yards at the keeper.

Cambridge ;)

This would be a tough loss to take. Peterborough had some real quality, Wimbledon are well organised but no better than league two teams we'd put away easily last year.

You're supposed to be too busy to notice Pete ::)

Good block by Baudry.

Its called multitasking ;)

I thought it was only women who could do that :nod:

Odimayo cross to DJ and his shot is well saved from 18 yards.

That is actually a myth...not a miss ;)

Joel Grant on for Stevens.

Ipswich now 4-1 up at Blackpool and Peterborough 2-0 up at Northampton

I miss last season's team. Doyle and Yates up front, Doughty in midfield, BFG in goal. Isgrove (early season form) out wide...😕

Ultimately we been in lots of good positions and been wasteful whereas they’ve had one clear chance and finished it. I’m sure if we lose there will be a bit of a meltdown but it’s not like we shouldn’t have got something from the game.

I think we could play all weekend and wouldn't score. Think we have only made 2-3 half chances all game.

The meltdown will probably happen on the Adver forum that's for sure

Our crossing has been very poor today.

Really? Can’t remember being in any position that looked threatening. Powder puff, fanny football.

I thought our passing and movement was outstanding in some of the earlier games. For the last couple of games it has been missing.

Well same applies to them then, not like we’ve not been in the game or dominated by them. We’ve just been poor in the final third.

And the first 2 thirds as well

Odimayo has looked handy since he came on.

FT 0-1

Not many positives. Kovar looked better, Grounds looked good for most of the game, DJ was probably the best player for us and Odimayo looked eager when he came on. Baudry awful 1st half but better 2nd half.

Well, this. That wasn't very good.

So we go into our busiest period looking jaded and with an injury list the length of your arm. Ho hum.

That was absolutely woeful from start to finish.
Should have shown the shed fire at least something to be excited about.

Just not god enough.

Kovar didn't look so nervous today, so that's something.

That was God awful. No positives for me. We’re so easy to play against by not very good sides.

In for a struggle.

Only saw the second half but that was fairly grim. Wimbledon’s time wasting and our sloppy passing made it a hard watch. Matt Smith did his best but that was it

Well that was piss poor. Looked completely toothless up front. Pitman looks like he can't be arsed. Final ball lacking all day.

Only one who came out of it with any credit was Grounds.

Fair play to the Dons, kept us at bay very easily. We haven't got anyone to unlock solid Div 1 defenses at the moment, didn't really use Pitman at all and we only created 3 half chances.

Not at the races today. More lessons for the young loanees to learn.

Sunderland next. Ho hum

Well, that was shit.

Could be right there Audrey. On a different note, football without fans is ripping my heart out...

bit worrying that, a patched up side admittedly. thing is, will they ever be fit!

oddly we were ok defensively one moment aside, but useless going forwards imo

Work to do then.

Saturday/Tuesday for the next 8 games. Need to find a way quickly.

Sunderland (H) Northampton (A) Scum (A). Wellens has a week to get us ready for tough 7 days.

I don’t think we are shit, just an average side at the moment.
We are going to be in for a very frustrating and inconstant season as things stand.

Just realised that's 2 wins and 6 defeats from 8 competitive games this season so far. Not a great start, even allowing for injuries etc.  
Didnt understand the lack of a change in formation at half time, given that we clearly weren't threatening very much in the 1st half.

Kovar - Nothing to do. Claimed one. Saved 2 off-side shots
Stevens - Burst forward in the first minute. Surprised them with his pace, but they learned from that. He offered little going forward after than and looked shaky defending.
Donahue - Not the same player defending or going forward as last year.
Grounds - Steady
Baudry - Tries to be too clever at times. Not sure whether it was him, Grounds or both at fault for the goal
Odimayo - Played well when he came on
Grant - Tried putting his foot in. Game passed him by.
M Smith - Tried hard but noone to properly link with
Pitman - Anonymous
DJ - Had our only proper shot. Flattered to deceive. Ran down blind alleys
J Smith - Poor. Just ran into trouble.
T Smith - Didn't get into the game
J Grant - Offered a little off the bench, caused a bit of trouble for them, but not much
Payne - Didn't get in the game. Corner delivery inconsistent

I thought that was a very comfortable win for Wimbledon. The early exchanges were fairly even, but they seemed to get the measure of us quickly. After scoring they sat back and looked solid. In the second have they remained tight and only defended deep for the last 10-15 mins. They looked comfortable in doing so. They only gave us one clear cut chance, which the keeper saved. We could have played for the rest of the weekend and still not scored.

I think this shows we are going to be nearer the bottom than the top. We are going to need to offer more threat up front and defend better as a unit to have any success. No comedy errors at the back, but they didn't try to score a second.

This.

Does anyone think that we are missing Doughty, just think that when we need that crucial ball to unlock defences it was the sort of thing that he excelled at

Well that's a shit start of the season from me  ::)

Yes. If available I might have been tempted to bring him on for Smith or Grant at one point.

This season was never going to be a carbon copy of the last campaign.  Defeats will be a fairly regular occurrence and STFC will often be the inferior side.  

Definitely.

Yep. We've had some fantastic players and very good squads in this league that haven't got us promoted since I've been going around 2003.

Back down to earth time for some of our fans. It's a tough league to be in especially when you've just come into it.

We’ve basically got the same defence as last season and they never looked particularly rock solid then. The threat w3 had up front kept most teams from having much of a go. Balls into space behind our defenders shows us up just as it did at times last season.

We aren’t good enough to play out from the keeper in L1. We can’t play the long ball as Pitman has his feet nailed to the pitch.

We look a mish mash at the moment and hopefully there are 4 worse sides than us.

Wellens thinks we played well..ok then

What did he have to say ?

‘I think we played well’

For the first 15 minutes

God, we miss Doughty.

We haven't controlled the midfield in any game - even the ones we won were end-to-end games.

Doughty could control the tempo of the game so players could overload in certain areas and also thread through balls for fun. We are crying out for both.

Wellens:
- Played well in first 15 mins
- After that passing was a bit off
- They only had 1 chance
- Need to create more
- After 15 mins we came away from what we worked on this week
- Final pass and shot not good
- Pitman not great today. CF didnt participate in the game
- Young lad at RB played there for the first time. Did well to begin with but then made mistakes
- Not dynamic enough and didnt challenge or test the GK with any shots
- Confidence when falling behind? Didnt shirk responsibility. Confidence wasnt missing
- Wellens saw a team that started well, but dropped off for 10 mins and thats when we lost it
- They tried to stop us from playing. But we stopped ourselves
- DJ running to the wrong areas especially
- We are going to have days like this
- Signs are there that we are a good team
- Hunt will have a scan on Thursday
- Conroy operation last week
- Lyden wont be ready for a bit
- Need to lick wounds and train properly
- Players have never had this amount of rest and time off then lots of games. So dont know how they will react
- Teams successful in this league will be able to dig in
- Transfers: What he hopes for and gets will be different things
- He wants 2 in, but the market isnt moving and he has to shift players first (from context)
- Team needs a bit of help.
- They are an experienced outfit and we just look a little flimsy.
- We need another midfielder
- Clouds your thinking when you dont have players available
- There is no more money. We need to get players out
- Have to work with what we have. Thats just the way it is.
- The teams with biggst squads will do well
- We are not in a bad place
- Oxford in the playoffs last year and are struggling with no fans
- Lack of fans does have an effect. Last year we used the fans to energise us.
- If we perform like that every week and just add a bit up front then we will do well
- Not thinking about where we will finish
- Our budget is lower than most in the league. Even Rovers and Oxford have bigger budget than us. Then there are big clubs with big budgets.

Well that was crap.  Run out of ideas early on, looking very disjointed.  I truly hope we will get better quickly or else it is going to be a long hard season.

On a positive note, this may have been our best defensive performance.  Certainly since 'dale.

In terms of creativity, we are missing Doughty but Smith is very similar (a better disrupter but lacking in experience and without the same eye for a goal).  How about we may be missing Anderson too?  He really didn't finish but he could spark the sudden kind of pass or interplay that could undo a well organised side like AFC.

For me, Doyle is the big miss.

Doyle himself, us and many others besides all said he'd not have scored without our midfield and wing backs.  However, once they understood Doyle's movement and runs, never mind what he could do, he certainly helped make his teammates look like creative geniuses.

Academic I know.

I used to enjoy midweek iplayer matches as I rarely attended but this Saturday business with no crowds, sat at home with no ability to try and lift the side is a bit shit.  Certainly when we lose a dull game like today.

Frustrating game to watch !! Nothing clicked, passing was awful,  defensive changes obviously affected balance and we played into Wimbledons strengths constantly booting it up the pitch. Strangely we had most of the possession and I agree with Wellens that the game plan was working in the first half until we switched wingers and then the whole game plan fell apart other than possession statistics.

It might have been a poor game and to be honest playing against 532 looking for the odd chance paid off for Wimbledon who really didn't impress me either, and 2nd half Swindon just dominated as they sat back. A couple of very unlucky interceptions on a few passes that nearly reached targets and runs into space by a few players not being picked up, or , there was a resistance to give the pass a go because of the insecurity behind.

I don't agree with some of the other posters doom and gloom , the team has just been promoted has sufferred many changes due to injuries and a load of new players who don't know each others strengths yet, but in previous games have showed possible capabilities of a great team. I would not say any player was poor today, other than it just did not work out, and passing was off the mark. Too many individuals who did not play as a team and a risk adversity to a chancy pass .... just my view, but I sense it will click shortly with a little bit more luck over injuries or niggles.

Time wasting was constant in the 2nd half which was my only complaint on the referee who I thought had a pretty good game.

Good honest post as always and it proves that there's some experienced teams in league one who know how to nullify teams even if it isn't pretty to watch.   

Possibly but not proof and Wimbledon wouldn't be one of them... having a kid on debut, 2 playing their 3rd and 4th game, a keeper with < 20 appearances and 3 what you might call lower league journeymen with 150+ games.

What you get in most of both Div 3 and 4 is teams bunged together composed of kids and a few journeymen, who have to hit it off or not pronto.. not much room for development.

Have to give Wimbledon credit though as like you have pointed out they are just a team of kids (released from London clubs) the odd loanee and journeyman who have risen from the dead and know how to fight for each other to stay in league one. Not attractive to watch but effective and at long last alot to look forward to with the new stadium hidden away surrounded by their wealthy Premiership neighbours

The pandemic probably put paid to a case of every effort being made to keep that squad together, warts and all.
Think that they would have done ok this season, which is not to say that the class of 20-21 won't make a good go of it.

Yep. It's not the same.

Well put.

It will hit home next Saturday when there would have been well over 10k at the CG.
Won't be the same for the players either but hopefully they can find that extra bit of motivation for the so called big games this season.

We look very disjointed.
No real legs in the central midfield but that may also be down to protecting a fragile defence.
We didn’t press Wimbledon, no real periods were we were dominant and they were happy for us to go left to right and back again in and around the halfway line. That led to frustration.
I know we like to play to a style but we didn’t mix it up enough and as the game past us by Wimbledon simply managed it out.
Not throwing him under the bus but Pitman is not delivering. Now that is likely to be a combination of a few factors, however I was surprised by his signing as I never thought of him as the player that suited our style.
We are very much work in progress and the constant rebuilds are always a challenge, however we simply don’t have the money and thus are propped up by maximising the loan market. Just hope Wellens sticks it out and we can get to become an established League One side this season.
Not all gloom and doom but it is watching it from home. Yesterday the first real time that I didn’t enjoy it from a TV screen.

Pittman is a strange one as I thought with our attack he would bag lots of goals with crosses coming in from all angles. Maybe at 31 he's not got the enthusiasm anymore to push himself which makes him look lazy which is what some Pompey fans were saying about him. My other worry up front is that's Hope and Grant aren't good enough so that only leaves us with Tyler Smith as a natural goalscorer which won't be enough.
Hopefully the defence will sort itself out over the next few weeks and Wellens will get somebody in to help out the central midfield as Grant isn't controlling the games like last season but it doubts be because Doughty isn't there or that the quality of opposition is much better

Grant not ‘good enough’ already? Has he even started a match in the league yet!?

 ::)

Can only go on what we've seen so far, his career to date and what Wellens is seeing on the training pitch not to give him more game time

A poor performance yesterday - not enough energy or movement when we were in possession, and no real goal threat.
On reflection I understand what RW was getting at in his post match interview - we limited AFC to one shot on target (excluding the 2 which were ruled offside), dominated possession but were poor in the final third.
The problem of course is that the single chance again led to us conceding (this time Kovar was blameless - poor covering by the two centre backs) although I thought at the time the Piggott may have mis hit the shot which fortuitously for him meant it went just inside the to corner.
Not living locally, I don’t know how windy it was (there was a reference in commentary to it, and certainly AFC keeper was reaching our box with his kicks first half, whereas in the second he didn’t manage that.
I worry that Pitman isn’t mobile enough to be the front of the press - whereas last year Doyle  and Yates were very much te first line of the press when the opposition keeper / defence had the ball. DJ was our biggest attacking threat , but his delivery was poor at times.
We really need some respite from the injuries, but the 2 games a week schedule will mean some variable results, and some players playing when they need a rest - I think there are 18 games in the 11.5 weeks between now and the end of December  (19 if we break the recent trend and win in the FACup 1st round). Don’t underestimate the impact of a shorter preseason too.
Other teams will have similar issues, but it’s going to be a strange and challenging season.

Wellens did say before signing Pitman that he hopes he hasn’t made a mistake with a signing.

I presume he meant him.

I also believe some posters are missing the point that some of the players have only had 3 weeks preseason and did not play at match pace for 4-5 months prior to the resumption of football  or the completion  of L1. Any player coming up from L2 or lower have missed a minimum of 4-5 months match game time !!  Hence why a few are running at 60-70% but getting quicker by the week.

I don't believe you will see the real potential until 3/4 weeks time when combined with players coming back from Injury plus the ability to pick from a full squad and hopefully some sort of resumption of fans attending in the near future, it will be a completely different perspective & landscape.

I read the Advertisers player scores and obviously the guy does not have a clue about football, as whilst it was a poor game Wimbledon got the goal and then stuck 10 players in their own half with only 1 shot on our goal in the entire 2nd half. Its not about just when you have the ball at your feet ?? Many times in the match players made runs into space and the pass was not made, however just one of those converting changes the whole result and opinion.

Let's see in a few weeks time...

Hard to point the finger at Pitman when the midfield 5 couldn’t string together any decent passages of play

Makes you wonder whether we’d be better off with Palmer (although never seen him play) than Payne at the minute to try and get some dominance in the midfield. Or have Payne cutting in from the left?

Maybe having Johnny Smith and Stevens in the midfield is too inexperienced and lightweight against better opposition. Listening to Wellens talking about Palmers attitude in training over recent months is probably why he won't give him a chance

I didn’t watch the game and only heard snippets from the radio commentary.

The BBC stats (I know, I know) suggest the wrong team won. And for a patched-up defence conceding only one shot on target would normally have given us a very good chance of winning, based on previous home performances. We’ve obviously got the players to create chances and score goals in this division but for whatever reason, most likely Wimbledon’s competence, it didn’t happen yesterday.

I’m not yet convinced it will happen but I’m looking forward to seeing/hearing what our potential could be if we could put in a 70-80 min decent performance.

in all honesty leftside it was a bit of a nothing game from both teams

And we had games like that last season.

While there is clearly an issue with the defence that needs to be fixed, I think yesterday was the first time we were poor in attack. It happens sometimes, maybe we just have to give the opposition some credit for cancelling us out?

TBH that was the bit that worried me most. Hopefully a one-off, or occasional dip, as you say. Not too worried yet, we've a lot of new players who need a bit of time to gel and a lot of instability caused by injuries etc. Once it settles down, we'll have a better idea where we are.

As with all of the games so far this season we started the game well, but weren't really able to pepper the Wimbledon keeper with shots (he had a quiet game yet his handling in the second half was perfect unfortunately). They had done their homework and punted and crossed the ball between our centre backs who looked shaky with the presence of Piggott up front, and of course they scored that way.

Second half we had a lot of the ball, but apart from a couple of shots straight at the keeper we didn't really do enough to warrant a point, let alone 3.

The thing I found interesting was how that performance might have been affected by having a crowd. We never really seemed to pick up the pace, nobody took the game by the scruff of the neck etc even though we had quite a few corners. Would the crowd getting behind/on the backs of the players spurred on a bit of fight and passion and extra desire? Wimbledon were allowed to take ages to take their goal kicks without the ref doing anything, with the crowd shouting at the keeper wasting time, surely the ref would have taken action and the game would have become quicker and we might have had that extra bit of energy to take something from the game?

Its all Captain Hindsight/obvious of course but with a crowd I think we would have been better and shown more urgency second half on Saturday.

Horrible game to watch, both sides were pretty low in terms of quality.

Piggott is everything Pitman isn't. Mobile, big, good in the air and took his one chance well. Pitman was dreadful.

Really struggling to enjoy football right now, across all levels. The quality is so low, players are fucked, and they're just glorified friendlies.

If come next summer we're in L1 and we're solvent, that'll do for me.

I think that's a good target to set expectations to tbh. avoid relegation and bankruptcy.
---
The squad is going to be stretched when Tuesday games kick in a week tomorrow

Exactly this

Plus battering Oxford

I've got a bad feeling about this...

They are really struggling this season as well so that only means one thing..................

Agree, though it's just such a "What If" comparison to if we had kept last year's team together and added a proper League One defender and a decent backup/alternative to Lyden/Doughty (which is Matt Smith if we hadn't lost Doughty!)

This

Agree that Piggott looked good.

And, fuck me, he can’t half ride a horse!

Proper leaders performance too. More goal contributions this season than anyone else in the league. Don't often see him linked with a move but if you were a big club at this level, wafting 500k in that direction would be a smart move.

You do talk some shit sometimes. There has been just 5 matches played. Wimbledon have won as many as Town in that very short time. Bet no other cunt dares say you're talking shit though.  He played well/looked good but there was hardly anyone to fucking pick in a very drab affair.

No doubt you'll get all nancy pants and ignore me or something. You don't like it when someone bites back haha.

I'm trying to figure out what a comment about Joe Pigott's individual form has to do with Wimbledon's overall performance in the division?

I'm not aware of your previous with PP but seems like you're bored and want a reaction?

 :bandwagon:

That escalated quickly

What a dull game that was - I've given up all hope of enjoying any sport after this past week, it's all a sham (and I don't blame the players - this season is a year long pre-season, hopefully for League 1 in 2021/22).  I don't think Pigott is worth 500k in this market, but he was a better version of Pitman and that was the difference.

Here come the fucking white knights. Typical. Can guarantee it. Every damn time  :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

Not really, it's just a bit of pot/kettle scenario and saying it how it is but some here like to dish it out but can't handle when someone calls them out. I'm far from bored fella. No one ever will call out bullshit on some of the more regular posters; some seem to get away with posting shit as some form of weird veil of thin respect. Confirmation bias I think it's called.

Well Piggott does play for AFCW so it's likely his performances will have an impact in their results from time to time. Not difficult to work out is it. I was just pointing out after 5 games, regardless of the team playing for Piggott suddenly isn't worth £500k. That's where the "you do talk some shit sometimes" bit comes in.

I thought you was more intelligent and educated than that Costanza?! :hmm: Anyway, hope Mrs C is doing well, as I believe she is about to give birth anytime soon?

Steaming in with confrontational dig based on a non-remarkable football opinion was odd on face value but, clearly, you have previous and I do not want that heat.

I don't think Piggott is worth £500,000 but in terms of 'the market', it's the wild west. Insanely over-inflated EFL transfer fees have been around since, well, forever.

This is why everything in undisclosed.

This place gets more and more Facebook group every day...

I will just point to the the tag line at the bottom of my post and leave this there - Opinions people... like Arseholes..

Piggott's worth a few million. Easy

Now this is someone who is bored, baiting the essay master.

Guilty as charged, your honour.

Speaking of which I’ve enjoyed reading tonight some simpleton wanting Wellens gone because he hasn’t moved down to Swindon on a permanent basis 

I have never lived in Swindon and I am afraid to say that I wouldn't fancy it either.

That was weird. Not sure why I trigger you so much.


Nor am I.

For what it's worth, he was linked with Reading and Swansea a couple of weeks back. One in three striker in his 100 games for AFCW. I like him. Apologies in advance if that very mundane opinion about a footballer causes anyone else to have a meltdown.

Let's hope Power dosen't pi*s off Wellens this week as there's a job right on his door step with Salford sacking their manager today

Great place to live, plenty of eateries, bars, cinemas, bowling, parks, cycle path network is great, and all on the doorstep of the Cotswolds.

That's exactly how I would describe it as I'm born and bred here!

Definitely. Linked with Leicester, apparently.

Sometimes

(one for the James fans, which I think may be limited to 1)

Sit down!

man, you have no idea the account of shit they get online when they don't play that at a gig!

anyway, full title "Sometimes (Lester Piggott)"

The notion of transfer fees remain the one thing in football that blows my mind pretty much every time. Regardless of the sum.

I want to see the return of £15,000 plus tracksuits/bibs/lightbulbs.

I wonder if people used to argue over that.

"You do talk a lot of shit sometimes. 10 bibs? He's worth no more than 6."

I keep thinking I should post more actively on this forum rather than just trawling through everyone else's work. And then I read stuff like this and it reminds me why I can't be arsed. Let's not turn this forum into Facebook or Twitter please

It's easy enough to ignore, you see the posters name and skip it. Works for me  :)

Edit. You are reading this aren't you tj?  ;D

It’s the snidy fuckers that piss me off. Never contribute to a discussion beyond some sniffy one line comment criticising someone else. I’m convinced they aren’t actually fans of STFC at all.

I’d happily kick them in the hole.

Good post :clap:

Any chance we can stick to talking about the game here? There is a perfectly good thread for you to post your moans Aud. ;)

Nah it doesn't Berni, it's a long way to go yet ;)

The point in case wasn't a "meltdown" which seems an easy one for people to go for (again confirmation bias), it was to highlight exactly what happens here on a regular occasion. Certain posters write pretty much whatever they like (good content or not) someone disagrees and regardless, they have people jump straight out to bloody back them. Someone else does exactly the same kind of post and they're giving them shit. That was my point. It's a form of double standards (or even is it) :)


That was far too obvious a try. You'll have to be more subtle (if you're arsed)  :pint:


Probably because you're a sanctimonious smug cunt (this is me being sarcastic, it pains me to have to explain this in case people take it the wrong way). No it's simply because you're a Panda. I am Bamboo. The pain you have caused to murdering many generations of my genus of grass is just too much to take. So I will forever not see reason. Bamboo has way more useful uses than to be eaten by a lazy fucking bear  :D


+1


*scoff scoff scoff* Good one RW-D. He's worth 1.5 bibs and a cone.


Nahh, you definitely should post more often. You'll soon see who the "faves" are (and yes, now I'm minorly trolling).


To be fair BO, the game was that shite it was no wonder it was going to get derailed :) Anyway, I still think relative to his age and experience that Matt Smith continue to play pretty well each game. His development here is coming on greatly, and more so than expected. He'll have less impactful games but he certainly is some player at 19 (think that's his age).

There is a certain logic to Bamboo getting fed up with Panda I guess.
Feel free to cut him down to size. He'll soon grow back up again.
It's all in the rhizomes.

Edit: Beaten to it by Bamboo.

Finally, someone who gets it  ;)

Although the game was drab to watch, there were some plus points, and when some injuries heal, fitness increases, and a settled best formation emerges, things will improve greatly.

It's far too early to be pessimistic.

But then if you did post more, you'd improve the ratio of the kind of posts you want to see vs the kind that make you feel like you can't be arsed. You might even encourage all of us to raise our game!

Does that include Pitman?

I'll give you lazy, but pandas aren't bears.  Know you're enemy, Bamboo. :-)

Wiki disagrees with you.... (I have no bear in this fight! :D ;))

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_panda#Classification

Akshuallly, that's a bit of a contentious issue and a matter of taxonomy.

Pandas branched off the same family tree as bears a long time ago and since evolved characteristics that led to people thinking they were not real bears. Since, however, genetic research has suggested that they are bears after all.

Although not Red Pandas, apparently.