Swindon Town vs Charlton Athletic - A Matchday Thread

[Batch]

So do SOME STFC SUPPORTERS only SUPPORT when the team is winning?

Fans question a team when it isn't performing. Players question their fellow players and manager when its not happening for them.

C'est la vie.

[jonny72]

Performances on the pitch don't have much effect on my level of support.

I think I get some kind of perverse pleasure from watching them playing shit, it gives me something to moan about, then I can shake my head in disbelief before finally showing off my comprehensive football knowledge by explaining in detail how I'd do things differently and better than Wilson.

[Highland Robin]

It is really hard to know what has gone wrong (especially from this distance), apart from the obvious - injuries, suspensions, international call-ups which have disrupted the team, and not allowed it to settle into any obvious pattern.  My view at the beginning of the season was that the squad was stronger overall than those we ended last season with, but we had not replaced the individual flair of Danny Ward, who was crucial.  But it seems as though the kety really is the loss of Greer, not so much for his defensive role - which was good but erratic at times - but for his inspirational captaincy.  That is what seems to be missing, and, great player as he is, Douglas does not seem to have had the same inspirational effect.  Ritchie seems to be providing some of the Ward magic.  Could Frampton provide the 'stage direction'?  Let's hope so, if he is not badly injured.

[Sippo]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/9157053.stm

Nathan Thompson really shouldn't have dived in, but that is down to inexperience for the first goal. He will get better I'm sure.

[stfctownenda]

The main issue is that we have lost the spine of the team(except Douglas) ala Paynter, Greer and Ward and not brought in adequate replacements. Lets look at who was brought in during the summer:

Rose- cannot defend to save his life- main strength is set pieces and free kicks
Dossevi- Cannot see him scoring 15-20 goals- hope i am wrong
Prutton- not sure what he brings to the table- signed just on reputation
Ball- Young and still learning
Ritchie- as above

Add to that players being played out of position- for example McGovern. Why move him from the right when he had the most assists in leaguie one last year. Pericard- total waste of a wage in my opinion. And what is it with Wilson signing midgits- against the towering defenders in this league just doesnt work.

Charlton also lost the spine of their team in the summer but have brought in like for like replacements- unlike ourselves and the difference was there for all to see last night.

In short- we need to find some players to fill the void left during the summer- as well as shipping a number out who simply are not good enough for a promotion push.

Wilson needs to turn this around and damn quick-still think he needs more time but the board i am sure will act should we still find ourselves in this position(or worse) at christmas.


 

Since when has a left winger been part of the spine of a team?

[pauld]

I agree completly......my gripe is that even a third of that money spent on new talent would help in a promotion bid......the club have pulled in nearly three million on player sales in the last two years....and spent maybe £250,000 tops.

You're assuming of course that the wage bill has remained static. Investment in the team isn't always in the form of fees paid, I'd guess we've invested considerably in increasing the wage budget this season to enable more quality to be brought in. Whether that money has been spent wisely and resulted in more quality is, of course, another matter, but I don't think it's true to say the investment's not been there, even if it hasn't been in headline-grabbing transfer fees.

[Arriba]

Since when has a left winger been part of the spine of a team?

i mentioned a few weeksa ago about the spine being a problem.
last season we had.
lucas
greer
douglas
paynter..... as the spine through the middle.all had a great season


compare that to this season and you see where the problem lies.
lucas(poor form)
morrison(too big an ask to dominate in there)
douglas(steady enough, but as good as last season?)
pericard-austin(pericard well meh,and charlie is better as the second striker)

[stfctownenda]

i mentioned a few weeksa ago about the spine being a problem.
last season we had.
lucas
greer
douglas
paynter..... as the spine through the middle.all had a great season


compare that to this season and you see where the problem lies.
lucas(poor form)
morrison(too big an ask to dominate in there)
douglas(steady enough, but as good as last season?)
pericard-austin(pericard well meh,and charlie is better as the second striker)

Note to Bart what arriba has detailed is the spine of the team as it involves a keeper, centre half, centre mid and centre forward.  A left winger is never involved in the spine.  Agree with alot of what you have said arriba but I think this season even more so than last season Douglas is key to our team, before he was injured he was returning to last seasons form and the team was improving with him, since he has been out we have nose dived performance wise and position wise within the league.

[glos_robin]

So do SOME STFC SUPPORTERS only SUPPORT when the team is winning?

Oh seriously just go do one will you. If things aren't going well we're bound to be unhappy and ask questions, you can't just sit there and go 'jolly good show chaps' when the team blatantly aren't putting in 100% and playing like a bunch of Camels........... well appartently you can.

[Berniman]

First time I have touched this thread since Tuesday.  Arriba has got it pretty much spot on IMO!

[jonny72]

Nathan Thompson really shouldn't have dived in, but that is down to inexperience for the first goal. He will get better I'm sure.

You can't put any blame on him for the first goal. A Charlton player was lining up to shoot and he was within blocking distance so he went to block it, just unfortunate the ball deflected to their open player. He was also the first player to get behind Smith to cover the line and almost got back in time.

Not sure about the third goal as they missed it. But the defending on the second was shocking with Rose left to mark two Charlton players. The midfield should have been dropping back to help out but were nowhere to be seen as usual.

[DiV]

You can't put any blame on him for the first goal. A Charlton player was lining up to shoot and he was within blocking distance so he went to block it, just unfortunate the ball deflected to their open player. He was also the first player to get behind Smith to cover the line and almost got back in time.

I'd agree with this. Infact I think it Thompson who made the block that stopped their guy scoring from the first shot, as you said - luck of the bounce as it went to their unmarked player.

[Sippo]

Well Thompson shouldn't even need to block it in the centre of the pitch, it should've been the CB's jobs! Shocking!!

[DiV]

Well, exactly! which isnt Thompsons fault!

[glos_robin]

Thompson wasn't really to blame to for any of the goals but in terms of all round game he's no where near ready for 1st team football and it's a sad state of affairs that we need to play players like him, much like having to use Billy Bodin in the Dagenham game who is also a million miles away from being ready.