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Author Topic: Stevenage Borough vs Swindon Town Official Match Day Thread  (Read 29506 times)
johnritsons toupe

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« Reply #120 on: Monday, December 4, 2017, 23:47:33 »

For us to be effective at the type of football Flitcroft wants, then a Smith type player is the way to go.  Norris is not good enough for that - he works hard, but he doesn't win enough in the air or create the opportunity for knock downs/on's.  Unfortunately, Smith isn't that good.  Norris is useful at penalties I suppose, but a leader of the line in a pump it long team he isn't.  I am not sure he is a good player either to be honest.  It is an area I think we could do with improving in January, Woollery/Anderson need a foil to make them at all effective.

This game is subjective as we all know, but I'm mystified sometimes at the distance between some opinions. RobertT, you make some insightful comments but I have to take issue with you over Smith and Norris.

As mentioned, neither of them are anything to write home about, but for the following reasons I'd say Norris is the better and more effective of the two;

If there is a good player hiding within the mighty frame of Harry, I'd like to see it. Granted he's shown flashes of good technique at times and is inexperienced, but for a big lad he doesn't put himself about anywhere near as much as he should, he can't play with his back to goal and rarely gambles on making runs to get on the end of what are usually quality deliveries from Taylor.

Norris isn't that much better, but he does look more threatening, can play with his back to goal and brings others into the game. His strike rate is pretty good this season and I think he'd be doing better without the niggling injuries.

Woolery and Anderson may be a better option, but I'm a bit old school in that I like to see a front pairing working together in a 4-4-2 and while we insist on playing the front 2 apart or with only 1 up there, especially with a lack of effective attacking midfielders available at the moment, our strikers are sadly set to fail on a regular basis - which is Flitcrofts responsibility.

The little and large style partnerships at all levels rely upon one player complimenting the other (knock downs, pulling defenders away to create space, one-twos etc) and if they're literally poles apart on the pitch, that isn't going to happen very often.

I accept that we're in league 2 and budgets are tight, but when you look back and think about the quality strike partnerships we've had here over the years, it does make the old blood boil a bit trying to see the good in the type of players that would have struggled to get in an STFC stiffs team in the last couple of decades.
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RobertT

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« Reply #121 on: Tuesday, December 5, 2017, 02:09:55 »

I wasn't saying Smith was any good, I was saying you need a good version of him not a good version of Norris if we play the way we do.  Norris is the better player, but not a good player.
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REDBUCK

« Reply #122 on: Tuesday, December 5, 2017, 08:20:00 »

I must be watching a different player because I haven't seen Norris offer any of these things on a regular basis.


"Norris isn't that much better, but he does look more threatening, can play with his back to goal and brings others into the game. His strike rate is pretty good this season and I think he'd be doing better without the niggling injuries"

It's because neither of our strikers can do this to any great degree that our long balls forward appear aimless. Even the Newport strikers did it better.
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Peter Venkman
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« Reply #123 on: Tuesday, December 5, 2017, 08:42:27 »

I have seen Smith play 5 times and for me he is no better than his namesake Michael Smith, neither of whom I think will make league standard profesional footballers.

Smith has poor control, can't jump, can't head but occassionally gets a good shot but thats not enough to play centre forward in Div 4.

Norris is a better player than Smith but is still not good enough to lead the line for us and will never in a million years be a target man.

I have been saying for months that we need a proper target man if we are going to play that way....which Flitcroft seems to prefer...and we also need a creative midfielder, who could be Elsnik if he wasn't out for 10 weeks as Goddard is not that.

We also need a good defensive midfielder as Dunne for me is also nowhere near league standard, Linganzi is a better option but he still messes things up more often than he does good things.

As for the defence, I can't help thinking that they have been ok until 2 weeks ago and they need protection from midfield, which they are not getting at the moment, and we seem to be worse when Dunne and Linganzi play together.

For me Tom Smith has to be worth giving a go in that position, hes played there convincingly at a higher level, and although he may not be the long term answer he should at least be given a chance now starting tonight vs FGR.

Purkiss has impressed me up to now, he gets forward and tracks back ok for a man of his age but I think he might be a better option at CB as he can read the game well.

I haven't seen Knoyle yet so have no idea if he is a better option than Purkiss but whats to lose in giving him game time, again starting tonight.

To summarize, Saturday was a massive blip but at least it was in the cup not league, we missed Andersons creativity in midfield but we need 1 target man and 2 midfielders in January...1 who can run with the ball and one who can defend.

« Last Edit: Tuesday, December 5, 2017, 08:44:35 by Peter Venkman » Logged

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« Reply #124 on: Tuesday, December 5, 2017, 09:31:55 »

I think we can all agree we should be shopping for a new striker in January!
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ferret

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« Reply #125 on: Tuesday, December 5, 2017, 10:55:43 »

I know penalties count, and I know we have missed our share over the years, but it would be daft to overlook the fact that most of the Norris goals this season have been penalties. We’d be deceiving ourselves otherwise.

Exclude them and he’s got no goals since 26 September, and 3 in his last 14 starts. His record last season was pretty similar. And, when we consider the widely acknowledged fact that he’s not a target man either, it’s really not good enough.
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Batch
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« Reply #126 on: Tuesday, December 5, 2017, 11:19:24 »

I think we are really debating which is the least shit here, not a good sign. I can absolutely see the point

Norris isn't a target man, and is a bit shit. But works hard.
Whereas Smith is a target man, just a bit shit at it.  And ambles too much.
Woolery has been limited in chances, played out of position a lot, but has been a massive disappointment.
Anderson looks the pick of the bunch, but can be a total passenger at times, and good at others.

Not writing anyone off, just how its been so far..
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Reg Smeeton
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« Reply #127 on: Tuesday, December 5, 2017, 11:43:09 »

I think we are really debating which is the least shit here, not a good sign. I can absolutely see the point

Norris isn't a target man, and is a bit shit. But works hard.
Whereas Smith is a target man, just a bit shit at it.  And ambles too much.
Woolery has been limited in chances, played out of position a lot, but has been a massive disappointment.
Anderson looks the pick of the bunch, but can be a total passenger at times, and good at others.

Not writing anyone off, just how its been so far..

We are atm a middling Div 4 side. We know Luke isn't all that, but he does try, I also like how he's played through the pain barrier. 

Harry isn't our player, he's come from non league to Wall, and looks to have some issues. He could improve... or not. I suspect he'll go back in Jan.
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Paolo69

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« Reply #128 on: Tuesday, December 5, 2017, 13:22:49 »

Alternatively, we're 3 points off 5th place and only 4 teams in the league have scored more than us.
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ferret

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« Reply #129 on: Tuesday, December 5, 2017, 18:07:36 »

Alternatively, we're 3 points off 5th place and only 4 teams in the league have scored more than us.

Absolutely right, and I think most rational people would agree that we have the basis of a pretty good team for this level.

The goals have been extremely widely spread (I think Mullin is the top scorer from open play). This is a good thing to a point, but I think we’ll struggle for a genuine automatic promotion push without an improvement up front - because it means we squander too many easy home games. Definitely the number 1 priority for January in my eyes.
« Last Edit: Tuesday, December 5, 2017, 18:16:40 by ferret » Logged
Reg Smeeton
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« Reply #130 on: Tuesday, December 5, 2017, 18:36:19 »

 One thing is for sure, although tonight is little more than a glorified reserve game, it does provide Flitters with an opportunity to get the wheels back on.

 A King style job like this one should suffice....

 http://www.swindon-town-fc.co.uk/MatchCentre.asp?MatchID=20031201

 It appears that Flitters is going for a 3 at the back shape... fair enough to try something out, but I'm not sure we have the personnel. Let's see

OK... think we can bin 3 at the back now.
« Last Edit: Tuesday, December 5, 2017, 21:51:22 by Reg Smeeton » Logged
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« Reply #131 on: Tuesday, December 5, 2017, 23:44:17 »

One of many incidents on Saturday which made me cringe at our support. Seems to just be loads of kids more interested in hurling abuse at anyone and everyone than getting behind the team or anything else. The old boys who had a pop at them went about it the wrong way, but entirely see where they're coming from.

What happened then ?
I left at 5-2 down for an earlier train. Loyal
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Not that Nice If I'm Honest

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« Reply #132 on: Tuesday, December 5, 2017, 23:46:01 »

Agree with most of what Bob says, although you did well if you saw Harry Smith win headers (plural), cause I can only remember one Smiley. I’ve never known a bloke who is so tall to be so woeful in the air.

And as for the chanting by the yoof, I have to say the “shit Chris Kamara” chant did make me smile, the rest not so much so

I thought it was "Fit Chris Kamara" ?
Don't know if that is better or worse from a PC POV, but more witty I think
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Not that Nice If I'm Honest

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« Reply #133 on: Tuesday, December 5, 2017, 23:51:04 »

I have seen Smith play 5 times and for me he is no better than his namesake Michael Smith, neither of whom I think will make league standard profesional footballers.

Smith has poor control, can't jump, can't head but occassionally gets a good shot but thats not enough to play centre forward in Div 4.

Norris is a better player than Smith but is still not good enough to lead the line for us and will never in a million years be a target man.

I have been saying for months that we need a proper target man if we are going to play that way....which Flitcroft seems to prefer...and we also need a creative midfielder, who could be Elsnik if he wasn't out for 10 weeks as Goddard is not that.

We also need a good defensive midfielder as Dunne for me is also nowhere near league standard, Linganzi is a better option but he still messes things up more often than he does good things.

As for the defence, I can't help thinking that they have been ok until 2 weeks ago and they need protection from midfield, which they are not getting at the moment, and we seem to be worse when Dunne and Linganzi play together.

For me Tom Smith has to be worth giving a go in that position, hes played there convincingly at a higher level, and although he may not be the long term answer he should at least be given a chance now starting tonight vs FGR.

Purkiss has impressed me up to now, he gets forward and tracks back ok for a man of his age but I think he might be a better option at CB as he can read the game well.

I haven't seen Knoyle yet so have no idea if he is a better option than Purkiss but whats to lose in giving him game time, again starting tonight.

To summarize, Saturday was a massive blip but at least it was in the cup not league, we missed Andersons creativity in midfield but we need 1 target man and 2 midfielders in January...1 who can run with the ball and one who can defend.



And yet if you look at the Wantage league in the 80's and the North Home Counties (Luton) League in the 90's, you would see that having a Smith in the team was a recipe for League and cup success
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DiV
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« Reply #134 on: Wednesday, December 6, 2017, 08:52:29 »

One thing is for sure, although tonight is little more than a glorified reserve game, it does provide Flitters with an opportunity to get the wheels back on.

 A King style job like this one should suffice....

 http://www.swindon-town-fc.co.uk/MatchCentre.asp?MatchID=20031201

 It appears that Flitters is going for a 3 at the back shape... fair enough to try something out, but I'm not sure we have the personnel. Let's see

OK... think we can bin 3 at the back now.

Oh to have a Miglioranzi and a Parkin in the team.
Those were the days!
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