The season ahead

[Bob's Orange]

Season kicks off on Saturday and we still have no manager and probably not a settled first XI either.

Harley signing provides a little bit of experience but the squad is very young and inexperienced. Looking at the fixtures this month, apart from possibly the hardest opening fixture we could have been given, the rest of the games on paper look 'easier'.

Torquay at home in the League cup, then Stevenage at home, Shrewsbury away, Gills at home and Crewe at home. This time last year you would be looking at 10 points from those matches, who knows what we'll pick up this season, a shame things are so disorganised currently.

[leefer]

The start under Di Canio was poor,the new manager need at least ten matches so we can judge then...a good start will help everyone's cause but i have watched enough football over the years to know that the first few matches do not really give us a true picture.

Anyone slagging the new manager after a few matches need look at themselfs,course a performance can be slated and ideas thrown about but i for one will be giving the new manager whoever it is time.
The matches on paper look relatively easy...the last six or seven last season did to.
History has shown us Town fans that the easy matches seem the hardest

[Bob's Orange]

September is a nightmare on paper!

[leefer]

September is a nightmare on paper!

We will win every match in September then.

[Reg Smeeton]

Season kicks off on Saturday and we still have no manager and probably not a settled first XI either.

The job seems to be Cooper's to throw away...if he can get 3 or 4 respectable performances and a even a win or 2, then he'll get it.  Should we have a Bob Smith 1980 type start, then even McCrory might not be able to spin it.

What might a team look like......Foderingham: Thompson, Hall, Ward, Byrne:  Pritchard, Luongo, Harley, Mason, Tijane: Williams

Strikes me as too lightweight and inexperienced, but they're kids, mighty play with enthusiasm, so deserve to be given a chance, before the people get on their backs.

[leefer]

Bang on Reg....remember Bert's Babes,no one gave them a chance

[Notts red]

Had a feeling for a while now That Jed won't be around for any longer than he has to and the least he has to financialy find the better. That's not to say I think he is stripping the club just that he took on more than he bargained for. I'm grateful to anyone who are trying to do the best for STFC but think Jed is struggling with running a professional club the size of Swindon.
After the turmoil of what's happened at the club mid table would IMO be an achievement, it's just that we don't often do mid table finishes!

[Peter Venkman]

Looking at that team I think we need one more experienced centre back and a good solid target man up front who can hold the ball up and get on the end of the crosses that Tijane/Pritchard are hoping to get in, otherwise it doesn't look too bad a side just a bit inexperienced, but I would rather have an eager Luongo/Pritchard/Tijane/Mason etc than a has been journeyman type player looking for an easy ride and a large pay packet like Thorpe/Cureton/Whalley/Nalis.

[Reg Smeeton]

Looking at that team I think we need one more experienced centre back and a good solid target man up front who can hold the ball up and get on the end of the crosses that Tijane/Pritchard are hoping to get in, otherwise it doesn't look too bad a side just a bit inexperienced, but I would rather have an eager Luongo/Pritchard/Tijane/Mason etc than a has been journeyman type player looking for an easy ride and a large pay packet.

In the midfield ideally you want a bit of both...when we got 09/10 Jonny Douglas, I think most right minded fans were highly delighted, saying he was the sort of thing we'd needed for a while...but by 10/11 it turned to shit, so who knows. I did like the look of Luongo, last season, hopefully he'll develop further.

[london_red]

Agreed re: Luongo. One of the concerns with young Prem players is how they'll adapt to the physicality of lower league football. Luongo for one certainly seemed happy getting stuck in and showed strength on the ball in his few appearances towards the end of the season.

Certainly important to have experience alongside the youth, but if they can get the balance right it could work out alright.

Guys like Caddis came in as youngsters from a higher level but quickly took on responsibility to become senior members of the team, all depends on the individual I guess.

[DiV]

Our squad is extremely light and I think we still need a centre back, left back (Byrne is not a left back) winger, central midfielder and two strikers*

I can't see us looking particularly solid and I really struggle to see where our goals are going to from? Williams is really our only senior striker*


*unless as they as still here the likes of LRooney, Cox, Caddis and Benson get included.

[Arriba]

My view remains the same. Fancy us for relegation. Can only hope there are some awful sides in the division this year. Looks stronger to me though

[Nomoreheroes]

My view remains the same. Fancy us for relegation. Can only hope there are some awful sides in the division this year. Looks stronger to me though

Would be happy with lower mid table. Can't at the moment see who is going to score goals. Think that was our issue some of the time last year. We seemed to huff and puff lots but, for me, it was always a blessed relief rather than an expectation when we scored.

[horlock07]

I'm reasonably confident that we will do OK for the simple fact that whenever we think we are great pre-season we tend to do rubbish and vice versa.

[sonicyouth]

I think Luongo will be an excellent acquisition for us but we will be let down elsewhere on the pitch