Oldham Athletic v Swindon Town Official Matchday Thread

[pauld]

Surprised to see a couple of people on Twitter complaining that Kasim isn't good enough. That's a pretty quick turnaround.

Probably not, they've most likely been idiots for some years now

[cib]

First half was a bit of a non-event. They've had one good chance from a cross where a header 6 yards out should've been converted (similar in circumstance and build up the their eventual winner). Our formation allows the opposition to get down the sides and put crosses in but we didn't deal with them too well today. Their opener seemed harmless but dipped late and goes in off the bar but despite not playing well - no shot on or off target - I was confident we'd step our game up and could still gain a point if not 3.

We started playing in the second half, Mason/Pritchard/Ranger seeing more of the ball and looking dangerous when we got into good areas. Yes our goal was fortuitous however Oldham hadn't really threatened enough to warrant a lead. From here I thought we'd go on to win. Luongo and Kasim started to win the battle in the Midfield which freed up Mason and Pritchard who then had a drive or two blocked/cut off by steady defending. Yet a very good cross from a pretty awful left back got headed home well at the back stick and we're left chasing the game. Fairly standard defending in all honesty and we'd then have at least a point which I'm sure we'd take given our away results this season.

N'Guessan had a late chance cleared off the line but to be honest Oldham should've put themselves out of sight with a good number of chances that missed the target. These came from the game being stretched as Luongo started to venture further forward, leaving Kasim to try and pick up the pieces defensively.

I couldn't name an individual today who stood out - from either side - but I don't think anyone had a particularly poor game necessarily. We all know the strengths and weaknesses of the formation so it's understandable that people fleeted in and out of the game. Thompson did ok at CB, Byrne was better than Bartham as a wing/full back (defensively and offensively - the game bypassed Bartham I thought). Ranger/Pritchard/Mason tried to get things going but were stifled or starved of possession. I can't be bothered with the rest - they were ok, no worse than the opposition but I know they should be beating them one-on-one.

We need to learn how to start picking up the odd draw away from home, in games similar to today. If we don't we'll be mid-table comfortably which at the start of the season I would've taken. However knowing how well we can play, we should be aiming a little higher. That's not meant as a criticism, more an acknowledgement of the fact we need to stay behind the players/MC when we're not playing well.

[ronnie21]

Surprised to see a couple of people on Twitter complaining that Kasim isn't good enough. That's a pretty quick turnaround.

Well they won't have to watch him next week as his yellow gives him a suspension.  A chance for Thompson the younger?

[@mwooly63]

I blame the coach.


We've been shit since we got it. I don't care if it's got a treatment table and sky sports. Coach out.

We had that coach at rovrum
Albeit without any markings on

[joteddyred]

I blame the coach.


We've been shit since we got it. I don't care if it's got a treatment table and sky sports. Coach out.

Blimin posh coach it is though.  We went and had a nose round it prior to the Walsall game.

[Kinky Tom]

missed the first 25 minutes - many thanks M6!

i'm going to have to offer some criticism today, not usually my bag but there are some things i think need to be said.

given that jmac was unavailable today i was expecting to see us go 4-2-3-1 again, having seen that i think that's what we should have gone with, my main area of concern being that we had no width to speak of out there today, at least not meaningful width.

we had 4 center midfielders on today, ok pritchard was maybe supposed to be a second striker, and often looked like we were lacking options.  if we'd have gone 4 at the back at half time and taken barthram (looked out of his depth today unfortunately, good off the ball but did nothing with it) off we could have brought n'guessan on and had both him and pritchard on the wings and actually had a couple of out balls.

bit of a shitty day really what with the m6 being basically at a stand still for about 50 miles and the football not really up to it, booked a day off work for that too which makes it even less worth while.

oh well, it'll happen i guess, you have to be take the last couple of performances/results to be able to really enjoy the previous couple.

going to remain positive and look forward to port vale, only 2 league games left for me now this season, france is beckoning and i'll be gone after colchester, so hoping for another couple of scintillating performances to send me off.  seeing a couple of fringe players against wycombe and a decent FA cup draw would make me happy too.

[inept and tiresome]

First shot on target, five past four.
Sums up the game for me.
No complaints if we lost that 4 - 1
Awful spectacle if you we're a Town fan.

[Reg Smeeton]

The only real surprise today was that Adam Rooney didn't score....we're at a bit of a crunch time now with the clocks about to go back and weather conditions changing, because our side isn't built for the hard attrition of Div 3....we badly need to make sure we pick a couple of wins in the next 6 or so games.

This situation is similar to 81/82 where another young side with an inexperienced boss, started off looking highly promising, collected 21 points after 14 games, but struggled through the winter and got relegated.

[nochee]

missed the first 25 minutes - many thanks M6!

i'm going to have to offer some criticism today, not usually my bag but there are some things i think need to be said.

given that jmac was unavailable today i was expecting to see us go 4-2-3-1 again, having seen that i think that's what we should have gone with, my main area of concern being that we had no width to speak of out there today, at least not meaningful width.

we had 4 center midfielders on today, ok pritchard was maybe supposed to be a second striker, and often looked like we were lacking options.  if we'd have gone 4 at the back at half time and taken barthram (looked out of his depth today unfortunately, good off the ball but did nothing with it) off we could have brought n'guessan on and had both him and pritchard on the wings and actually had a couple of out balls.

bit of a shitty day really what with the m6 being basically at a stand still for about 50 miles and the football not really up to it, booked a day off work for that too which makes it even less worth while.

oh well, it'll happen i guess, you have to be take the last couple of performances/results to be able to really enjoy the previous couple.

going to remain positive and look forward to port vale, only 2 league games left for me now this season, france is beckoning and i'll be gone after colchester, so hoping for another couple of scintillating performances to send me off.  seeing a couple of fringe players against wycombe and a decent FA cup draw would make me happy too.

My god I feel sorry for you. You drove all that way, missed half the game, we lost miserably and all you have to look forward to is moving to France!  Nobody should have to endure that much misery.

We should organise a whip round

[Kinky Tom]

My god I feel sorry for you. You drove all that way, missed half the game, we lost miserably and all you have to look forward to is moving to France!  Nobody should have to endure that much misery.

We should organise a whip round

it's ok, i live in a ski resort surrounded by 18-21 year old english, danish, dutch and swedish girls.  winter is good

cannot put a price on how much i miss going to football though when i'm out there

[4D]

KT 1-0 nochee

[Kinky Tom]

i take his point though, i don't really consider the resort to be france if i'm honest.  i have actively had this argument with french people who believe they should be served first simply because they're french.  they get asked to leave

[4D]

2-0 

[joteddyred]

The only real surprise today was that Adam Rooney didn't score....we're at a bit of a crunch time now with the clocks about to go back and weather conditions changing, because our side isn't built for the hard attrition of Div 3....we badly need to make sure we pick a couple of wins in the next 6 or so games.

This situation is similar to 81/82 where another young side with an inexperienced boss, started off looking highly promising, collected 21 points after 14 games, but struggled through the winter and got relegated.

Something to look forward to then Reg  

I get your point though, which loosely ties in with my earlier one that I think we'll struggle to pick up points against the higher placed opposition.

[Kinky Tom]

i don't think will have anything to do with league placings to be honest.  sometimes we'll be unplayable, sometimes we won't, for me this season is as simple as that. 

if we're as good as we can be then we can beat anyone, if not then we can lose to anyone.