Bristol Rovers v Swindon Town Official Matchday Thread (12:30 KO)

[Costanza]

As much as it pains me their recruitment is miles better than ours. As well as that example they spent money on Kane Hemmings who has double figures for goals and we bought bloody Norris.

It was abundantly clear in pre-season that they were building a better squad.

[Costanza]

I agree, it seems like he is being deliberately kept in the dark or hes a liar.

Some of me thinks that Williams knows full well he shouldn't be in the job and would be mad to resign and waive the compensation of 4 years.

[tans]

It was abundantly clear in pre-season that they were building a better squad.

Yep, we should have gone in for Curtis Nelson, would have been the type of centre back we need.

Really looking forwatd to next weekend. Not.

[Peter Venkman]

Some of me thinks that Williams knows full well he shouldn't be in the job and would be mad to resign and waive the compensation of 4 years.

I don't think there is any way he will resign, and he would be a fool to do so and lose 4 years salary, he will have to be pushed.

[The Artist Formerly Known as Audrey]

As much as it pains me their recruitment is miles better than ours. As well as that example they spent money on Kane Hemmings who has double figures for goals and we bought bloody Norris.

Virtually every one of our signings is a punt of some sort - rejected youngsters, those who have shown promise but not kicked on and the usual maximum number of youth loanees.

I just cannot believe this present squad cost a top half budget. If it did it shows huge incompetence in recruitment and if the budget is, in fact, substantially lower than stated, well, we know what that means.

I think we have been hoodwinked along the way.

[sonicyouth]

Every signing is a punt so not sure that's a fair criticism. We've also done fairly well picking up rejected youngsters in the past as have many other clubs.

I imagine a large chunk of our budget is taken up by players like Vigs, Obika, Kasim, Thompson etc which is why we end up signing cheaper players to fill out the squad. The unfortunate part of this is that they aforementioned players have been unavailable or ineffectual for large parts of the season and we are thus reliant on the squad players.

The major criticism I would have is that it was fucking stupid to rely on those players given their records lately.

[The Artist Formerly Known as Audrey]

I really meant a punt as being the same sort of player - physically small, technically decent, always young.

If us dunderheads on here can see exactly what's needed, it makes you wonder why Power et al refuses to stray from the failing path.

[ronnie21]

I really meant a punt as being the same sort of player - physically small, technically decent, always young.

If us dunderheads on here can see exactly what's needed, it makes you wonder why Power et al refuses to stray from the failing path.

Because somebody, somewhere, keeps telling them how good they are - so they can get easy points off of us.  No physicality was being talked about on the radio this morning, it's been like that all season!!  When Tom Smith played in midfield against Rochdale he added much needed bite and energy in there and we probably had our best result of the season!  Doesn't take a genius to work out what is wrong!!

[Batch]

Fair comment SY. I think there are degrees of risk, and that someone with a bit of experience is less risk than someone who hasn't played league football before.

Murray shows experience doesn't mean brilliance, just to prove your point. I'm not using Delfounso as an example, god knows why they signed him as a forward given his scoring record. Desperation I guess.

But right now we don't have time to wait for youngsters to find their league feet. Being brilliant in two or three months will be too late.

I'm staggered we were recently  linked to the non-scoring striker and yet another right back. They obviously know we need a physical presence in midfield, hence gambling by playing NT out of position yesterday. Surely to god they don't see this as a permanent solution (and hence need anther RB to backfill).

I'm still expecting us to have a couple more signings by Wednesday, surely.

[Peter Venkman]

I think we will get at most 2 more signings by Wednesday but I am fairly certain they won't be the experience most fans crave.

As SY says every signing is a punt, look at Peach, Whalley, Cureton and Thorpe, they had the experience we need but had no stomach for a fight, we need battlers who want to play for us and not purely look at Swindon as a way of "quickly" forwarding their career.

I have no problem with players using us as a stepping stone to play at a higher level but please for fucks sake give us 100% effort while you are with us, not too much to ask is it?

[Bob's Orange]

It was abundantly clear in pre-season that they were building a better squad.

Just read they are bringing in 2 more attacking players next week. One permanently for a fee and one on loan. Transfer news here is deadly quiet, praying for more attacking recruits and a couple of experienced no nonsense players.

[chalkies_shorts]

Thompson was rubbish yesterday. Looked like he'd never played that position before which funnilly enough he hadn't. Because of the total lack of movement / giving a fuck we're back to passing it around at the back which they were on to it quickly with their pressing. Billy goat gruff didn't stop harrying our back line. They had done their homework. The only width we had for the first 70 was up front where feruz and Norris ran the channels leaving us with fuck all nobody in the box if we actually could get a cross in. We got a bit of width late on with brophy but again the movement around him and in front of him we're non existent. The 2 shots we had on target were easy for the keeper. Rovers fans were pissing themselves at our pissing around at the back and how easy it was to get the ball, at it out wide and ping it to the far post. We got away very lightly yesterday.

[Batch]

Aha - can't remember where it was asked, but this season's LW/TS stats:

(from Andrew Hawes ‏@talkinghawes 11h11 hours ago)
#STFC Stats:
Williams 16pts in 16 games
Sherwood 13pts in 13 games

Goals per game:
LW 0.85
TS 1.00

Conceded per game:
LW 1.46
TS 1.44

[RedRag]

Oh and to the people that keep chanting for di Canio - PLEASE have a word with yourselves!!!

PDC would undoubtedly be better than any of our so called strikers.  Sign him up!

[THE FLASH]

Virtually every one of our signings is a punt of some sort - rejected youngsters, those who have shown promise but not kicked on and the usual maximum number of youth loanees.

I just cannot believe this present squad cost a top half budget. If it did it shows huge incompetence in recruitment and if the budget is, in fact, substantially lower than stated, well, we know what that means.

I think we have been hoodwinked along the way.

This for me...

Money, fees, budget etc etc is all 'implied'....we don't actually know anything for sure...

I feel we have been mugged off since Preston at Wembley....

'Just tell me what they need to hear!'....