Crawley Town FC v Swindon Town FC Official Matchday Thread

[walrus]

Ditto what people have put on here.  We look toothless up front but the pitch was not condusive to passing football, so our strikers saw very little of the ball.  Rooney looked a threat - good move by Paolo bringing him on as prior to his introduction strikers were not getting on the end of crosses.

Class moment in the first half as de Vita surged onto the ball, and someone shouted "Go on Ritchie!.... Oh."

De Vita is a different player.  Confident, tricky, quick.  Another one who started off dodgy but has gone on to prove he is extremely valuable first teamer.

[thepeoplesgame]

Ditto what people have put on here.  We look toothless up front but the pitch was not condusive to passing football, so our strikers saw very little of the ball.  Rooney looked a threat - good move by Paolo bringing him on as prior to his introduction strikers were not getting on the end of crosses.

Class moment in the first half as de Vita surged onto the ball, and someone shouted "Go on Ritchie!.... Oh."

De Vita is a different player.  Confident, tricky, quick.  Another one who started off dodgy but has gone on to prove he is extremely valuable first teamer.

De Vita has been class from the off, but then I'm a sucker for a first touch. That said, he is even better now, and also more effective.

[Posh Red]

I think it's hard to be critical of anyone of the players based on that performance.

Not because they were not poor (as some of them obviously were), but virus aside the pitch was fucking awful.   It was obvious from early on that the players (from both teams) were struggling to stop quickly & turn.

[Abrahammer]

The person that disappointed me most against Crewe was Williams. Thought he offered nothing. All I remember was a weak header to the goalkeeper and snatching at a header and putting it miles wide.

He must have been one of the one with a virus cos as he seemed to completey lose his pace and extreme high workrate.

[Red Frog]

De Vita has been class from the off, but then I'm a sucker for a first touch. That said, he is even better now, and also more effective.

Danny was MotM for me.

[Nomoreheroes]

De Vita has been class from the off, but then I'm a sucker for a first touch. That said, he is even better now, and also more effective.

He was one of the few who seemed to be able to control the ball (in awful conditions). Thought he got knocked off the ball too easily though at times - I might be being hyper critical. I was really looking forward to seeing the game as I don't get the opportunity to go to matches anymore (for a variety of reasons) so was disappointed that the performance (and the pitch) didn't match my enthusiasm for the game.

[BruceChatwin]

The player i'd like to pick out for special mention is Ferry. Of all the players, he looked like the one fighting hardest for the cause. He remains the beating heart and soul of the club on the pitch for me. Reminds me a bit of Leon Brittan in terms of size, style, commitment and generally being underrated outside the club. Would love to do a Swansea and take him with us from the 4th division to the Prem!

Foderingham or De Vita were probably MOTM in terms of actual footballing performance. De Vita's balance in all conditions is incredible (at Bournemouth it looked like he was playing on a different pitch to everyone else), and Foderingham was a cool head who pulled out his obligatory excellent save (though it looked easier on the replays than in real life).

Thompson and Rooney obviously changed the game second half. People probably think i'm getting carried away, but I think of all our current squad Thompson is the one i'd predict to be a regular starter in a Premiership team one day. It sounds ridiculous, because he's come from a position of such obscurity in our youth team/ reserves, but i honestly think as a RB he's got the sort of game that can be taken further up than someone like Caddis, and is probably (along with Fodders, particularly because both have youth on their side) our most saleable future asset (just a shame it's in a not very lucrative position!)

As for everyone else, Miller laboured in the conditions, Roberts worked hard but still has issues with his decision making when in good positions, Ward remained resolute in the face of trying to organise a first half defensive shambles from the players around him, Flint improved from a nervous start, Williams must have been one of the ill players because their RB was catching him up on open ground when normally he'd have coasted past them and Collins struggled as a lone striker essentially in his absence.

Mcormack, who's had a torrid time defensively this season, should never play RB again, and Mceverly just looked like he didn't give a shit. He's always looked like a mercenary to me. We have a bit of a history of them at LB with Rose and Sheehan preceding him. I know some on here rate him, but defensively he hardly ever puts in a tackle. He just stands up to the winger and lets them put in a cross. He's the polar opposite of Thompson who actively seeks to win the ball.

All in all, we've still got the basis of an excellent team, and if we get in the 3 we were linked with in the emergency loan window, we're back to being the second strongest squad in the division IMO and on course for playoffs/ maybe more, assuming Di Canio is still here (if we get those 3 in I take that as a given).

[reeves4england]

General criticism of McEveley is fair enough, but giving him stick for a performance when unfit and playing in terrible conditions is a bit harsh.

[Honkytonk]

General criticism of McEveley is fair enough, but giving him stick for a performance when unfit and playing in terrible conditions is a bit harsh.

Agree. Still don't think I've ever seen him put in a performance as good as Thompson, McCormack, or even Kennedy from last season. Never really impressed me has Jay Mac.

[axs]

Class moment in the first half as de Vita surged onto the ball, and someone shouted "Go on Ritchie!.... Oh."

Haha, that was me.

[adje]

Just heard that McCormack won the sky MOTM!Deary me

[walrus]

Haha, that was me.

Genuine or taking the piss?

From the disappointed noise afterward, it sounded a genuine mistake....

[leefer]

Just heard that McCormack won the sky MOTM!Deary me

Strange...the Adver gave him 7...and Flint 5....are they on drugs or do i need to start taking them.

[Dr Pierre Chang]

Strange...the Adver gave him 7...and Flint 5....are they on drugs or do i need to start taking them.

A fair rating for Flint who looks like a real bomb scare of a centre half at times and McCormack is and always has been an average League 1 player. I the like the bloke but he is fairly limited at this level and always prone to silly challenges - isn't that 2 penalties he has given away in 3 matches?

Thompson has surprised me but offers very little going forward.

[Paolo69]

A fair rating for Flint who looks like a real bomb scare of a centre half at times and McCormack is and always has been an average League 1 player. I the like the bloke but he is fairly limited at this level and always prone to silly challenges - isn't that 2 penalties he has given away in 3 matches?

Thompson has surprised me but offers very little going forward.

Blimey. So that's three of our back four who aren't much good then. If only we had a better defensive record. Oh!