Swindon V Pikeys Official Matchday Thread!

[Fred Elliot]

or Dave saying

"never mind Fred, it's only a game !"

[BANGKOK RED]

or Dave saying

"never mind Fred, it's only a game !"

He calls you Fred outside the TEF then?

[Bogus Dave]

Haha

[Crozzer]

If you are going to play the royal crap game of the season, the first game of the season away from home is the best time to do it.  You should have learned a lot about your team, and have time to put things right.  I don't understand the team selection or then the substitutions, which is very easy to say with 20/20 hindsight.  It is almost as if Wilson wanted to look at his new signings first and foremost, and with the attacking options limited right from the start, there was no way back with two goals down, so let's take a look at Macklin and Marshall.  Thee were better choices on the bench in terms of steadying the game and nicking something from a couple of set-pieces.      

Stating the bleeding obvious, if you are short of strikers, a flat four midfield was probably the way to go, as the ball is going to be right back at you, you can't expect 50% of the possession with no one to hold it up.  So you are going to be under pressure for much of the match.  So 4.4.1.1 was probably the best option, especially as Macca has the had the free role under different managers, because he can't defend.  

What are the choices for the next game (injuries?).  

Kennedy in for Lescinel?
Ifil in for Morrison?
Amankwaah in for Cuthbert?
McGovern in for O'Brien (injured?)?

Looks like rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic.  We are not going to win any games without another striker.  If wingbacks were used, that might mean less hoofball to Macca and Paynter.  

[BANGKOK RED]

I'm with you crozzer. I'm wondering if he is still looking at what his players can do before we get a finalised squad, although of course I doubt that he expected it to fail quite so dramatically.

Sure this should have been settled by now but the crux of it is that it just isn't.

[michael]

Is Alan O'Brien injured already?

[Crozzer]

On checking, his substitution by Marshall was tactical so he shouldn't be injured, read a report somewhere where it said that O'Brien had to come off.  I am not sure what is tactical in swapping a winger for a winger.

[JPC82]

O'Brien was injured

[Kinky Tom]

Where to start eh? 

Tactics were all wrong and the application of said tactics was catastophic, only Macca, Paynter and Amankwaah came out of the game with any of my respect, perhaps I'm being unfair on Lucas, he had no chance with that shambles in front of him.

I've no idea what Cuthbert was up to, his distribution was some of the worst I've ever seen, but then the rest of the back four were embarrasing in that respect too, don't suppose it helped them that Timlin was completely annonymous and offered no easy ball to them at all.  What did they think would happen if they kept just getting their head down and aimlessly hitting the ball as far as they could?

It's definately clear to me that we desperately need another cm to partner JD, Easton and Timlin are so one dimensional and as such it's just too easy for the opposition to completely take them out of the game.

Macklin should have started, Macca in that position was a recepie for disaster, especially given that the defence were having their own private 'who can kick it furthest' competition.

I could go on and on, as i'm sure we all could but I'll end by just saying that I felt completely let down yesterday, that performance was a complete insult to all of us who had been looking forward to the new season.

I'm not after my money back but that was a couple of hours of my life that I'l never get back, the squad have got some serious making up to do for that.

p.s. Also what a great advert to those players we're trying to bring in...

[Rich Pullen]

I must say looking at the goals Lucas didn't look to blame for any of them. Watch was his general performance like?

[jonny72]

Makes me laugh, everyone going on about how bad the performance was. They make it sound like it was totally unexpected and totally out of character. Didn't any of you watch them play at all last season?

[Rich Pullen]

Not Lucas, Cuthbert, Douglas or O'brien no.

[Panda Paws]

I must say looking at the goals Lucas didn't look to blame for any of them. Watch was his general performance like?

Really? I've just watched the goals on the iplayer and think that although he couldnt have done a great deal in stopping them, his positioning looks suspect on the first three, and on the opener is just bizarre. It seems Mr Lucas is a big fan of No Mans Land

[The Professor]

I think that it's widely acknowledged that the team selection was bizarre.  Cuthbert being in defence when he'd not played more than 45 minutes or so pre-season, McNamee being asked to play just behind Paynter where JPM or Macklin had used in most pre-season games. That said, there were also some serious underperformances by some of the people in the red shirts.

What came through too from Fred's & others post (& in some ways it is the most annoying feature of all) was the lack of passion, fight or commitment. I think we can forgive a defeat but a lack of desire - never.

However, yesterday was the first game of the season & whilst it was a huge & massive disappointment the team do really owe the fans big committed performances over the rest of the month. If Wilson can communicate that to the players & they respond appropriately, then maybe yesterday will a valuable lesson for them.

[Posh Red]

Passion can only get you so far... It's unfair to suggest Wilson hasn't got the passion because he's not as noisey as Ian Holloway.

What Fred mentioned would frustrate all of us but Wilson had just been through a decent pre-season and seen his team destroyed on day 1... I think I'd be speechless too but I'd also try to make sure it wouldn't happen again.

If Wilson reacted it could have got nasty and we don't need that.

This month is relatively crucial... But positive results against Franchise and it'll almost be water under the bridge. Almost.

Exactly, he could have done an Andy King & called us all wankers. 
And although that day at Barnsley wasn't 5-0, it was just as gutless a performance on Day 1 of the season.  And come to think of it just as fucking hot!