Swindon V Wallsal Matchday Thread.

[sonic youth]

smith perhaps shouldn't have rushed out for the goal but he got back, saved the first effort and was unable to save the second. if our defence had managed to clear it - which they had ample opportunity to do - we might have got something from the game.

[DV]

yeah but everything Smith doesnt save Brezovan would have definitely saved because he was mega ace two seasons ago!

[sonic youth]

people started singing brezovan's name straight after the goal. if we bought brez in, he'd only get dropped as soon as he made a mistake because the fans would get on his back.

[ibelieveinmrreeves]

We had enough chances, and didn't take them. Dissapointing really, as someone else said Walsall seemed to be there for the taking.

In Smith's defence, someone had to go to the man who was played through. If he'd gone to ground he most likely would've fouled him, conceeded a penalty and walked for it. Thought criticism of him today was very harsh (tho he wasn't brilliant, flapping a few times at crosses).

Also, the point of Nalis? Still not sure. That was a very poor choice of sub I felt.

[dell boy]

Last season we thought we had two class keepers, it looked good business to sell Brez for decent money and Smith as an able deputy.
Brez has been nowhere near as good since his injury 18 months or so ago, Smith on the other hand is great shotstopper but that is it, the basics like catching the ball when it is hit straight at you, coming out for crosses or not coming out for crosses as the case maybe.
From reports I've read this evening, he sounds like he stood in nomans land instead of totally commiting himself to clear the ball, I wasn't there so am making my assumptions for the Walsall game from the reports.

End of the day - we need to sign a keeper pretty damn quick.

[flammableBen]

(taking mini drawing break)

I only listened to it, but a lot of the criticisms seem to be a bit hindsight based. Formation for example, the tighter set up has done us well away from home in the past, so not complete random thinking. The Nalis substitution, he came on for Timlin didn't he? I got the impression that it was because he's bigger, and it was at a time we were getting set pieces/crosses in, and to fill the midfield to keep the attack going sort of thing.

Saying that, it does seem like a game we could have won. But I'm not sure it can be completely pinned so much on tactical decisions. Not that I think Byrne should be given the job, just that with hindsight anybody could be a genius manager.

[Arriba]

the fact that our defence has been so shit has shown up the flaws with both keepers this season.i dont think we need to replace them.a left back,centre half,centre mid are needed more so

[DV]

I dunno the defence is a tough one, we have the players they just dont work as a unit.

Wingers are the problem. We only really have two and if they have an off day thats it. I mean it seems we started with Craig Easton on the left fucking wing today.

You dont need hindsight to see that wasnt going to work!

Also, no striker on the bench at all....why?

[reeves4england]

I dunno the defence is a tough one, we have the players they just dont work as a unit.

It is hard to know what should be changed in the defence, I agree, but there's no argument that something needs to happen and quick. Also, and I can't say this for sure having not seen us recently, could it be that our poor defending is down to being left in difficult situations by the midfield?

[DV]

If I had to try and put my finger on it I'd say we miss Vincents leadership skills. Then also the pace and recoverability (new word there!) of Ifil and Comminges

[flammableBen]

Wingers are the problem. We only really have two and if they have an off day thats it. I mean it seems we started with Craig Easton on the left fucking wing today.

You dont need hindsight to see that wasnt going to work!

I figured that Easton wasn't being played as an out and out winger, more in the left midfield roll that Timlin and Nalis have played away from home. Tightening things up as I said before. In which case no, it doesn't matter so much that he's right footed.

As I said before, hindsight. You fat bastard.

[dell boy]

the fact that our defence has been so shit has shown up the flaws with both keepers this season.i dont think we need to replace them.a left back,centre half,centre mid are needed more so

Both keepers Arriba, especially Smith have been very average, just cast your mind back to the calamity goals we have let in this season.
Defensively I have no confidence with our middle, Ifil should be back in the side without a doubt, he had a bad patch, now is the time to bring him back, class on his day and he has pace.
As mentioned before it does not help when we have such a woeful midfield, Pook has done well since he came back to the starting eleven and has shone out, well I suppose that says it all.
We have no flipping midfield ball winner or a midfilder who can change the game either.

Shit we are in trouble.

[Arriba]

fair points dell,but i am confident we will be nowhere near relegation.

[Samdy Gray]

If I hear one more fucking mong moaning about Phil Smith or Hasney Aljofree at a game I'm going to stab the fucking cunt.

And DV, you want to have a word with yourself mate.

[pauld]

As sonic said, don't see how you can blame Smith for the first - yes, he shouldn't have come charging out like that unless he's definitely going to get it, but that's easy said - James seems to have made a career at the top of English goalkeeping despite continually doing that. But having not claimed it, he recovered well and got back to make a good save, he's then on the floor when the second shot comes in from which they score. Now, even if he'd stayed rooted to the line, there's a good chance he's still going to be on the floor from having saved the first shot, so still unable to save the second. The fault is in that no-one picked up Ricketts, he shouldn't have been left unmarked to pick up the rebound at all.

It's hardly rocket science to point out our defence has been shaky all season and has been our undoing, specifically the centre-halfs. What we need is a leader and we don't have one - it's pretty much taken as read that Jerel needs an experienced boss figure alongside him to perform, he hasn't had that and hasn't peformed. It's all very well people saying "Bring Ifil back in" but without that leader figure to play alongside, he's a shadow of the player we know he can be. Similarly, Morrison has done fantastically well in stepping up to the plate in the way he has done but when all's said and done, he's a 17-year old kid, he needs an older more experienced head alongside. Bring in that experienced leader in the centre half position and our defence will look a hell of a lot tighter. Stop conceding the silly goals through basic defensive errors and those draws that should have been wins mean 3 points instead of 1, or 1 point instead of 0 for the losses where we should have held on.

I'd also agree we need a Kavanagh-esque centre mid, but it's not so much of a priority as that experienced centre half IMO. That's what's killing us, there's little wrong with our attacking play, we look good going forward, but we're dropping too many points through defensive errors.