Boycott trophy

[Peter Venkman]

Toums may just have had an off game, but if he did it was a bad off game, he won a couple of tackles and then lost the ball within seconds of winning it, his dribbing was poor and his passing terrible.

Nowhere near ready for a first team slot. He looked slow tracking back too which is one of his best qualities apparently.

Disappointing to say the least.

[Reg Smeeton]

I might be wrong, but it seems like in the last few seasons we have picked up quite a few injuries early in the season in double game weeks.  I was wondering if generally players are more susceptible to injuries earlier in the season when fitness is perhaps a bit lacking? 

It does look that way, but I think a long standing cliche of managers down the years is that they hope to get through pre/early season unscathed, as it's a time for picking up injuries.

[Peter Venkman]

The other thing is I hope we don't have to rely on Twine and Iandolo in midfield yet, both had very poor games, Twine looked better when playing as a striker late on but was lost on the left wing and Iandolo was not at the races.

Romanski looked the pick of the youngsters playing as a left back but was ran ragged later in the game by Lampety who looks a good prospect on right wing, Pryce came on, played as a right winger, made a couple of runs and crosses but got pushed off the ball a little too easy at times.

Nelson got a lot of good tackles and blocks in, and yes he does throw himself about with diving headers etc, his long distribution is poor and was at fault for the first goal at least. For me though he still looks better than Lancashire. Dunne looked ok as a fill in right back, got beat for pace but so did every other player on the pitch against a very fast Chelsea team.

McCourt was nowhere near good enough in that midfield, no creativity at all from the centre 3/4 but then it was bypassed almost entirely by our long passes out from the back, we were totally over run in midfield with an entirely new midfield who did not work together at all.

It was an interesting experiment, but sadly one that didn't work at all against a footballing side, Chelsea had 3 or 4 excellent players on show in this glorified friendly fixture.

[Flashheart]

We don't know what his (Dave's) instructions were, Brown might have been trying something out. Players are prone to looking poor or disinterested when asked to do something they're not used to.

I know Brown has publicly said he likes this competition, but he's hardly going to come out and say the opposite. He made as many changes as he could, which suggests he isn't taking it that seriously.

[Batch]

I haven't seen him, but if Diagouraga is as far off the pace as people say, have we been sold a pup? Why should he be so far out of condition? Did we sign him with an injury, or is he just going to pick up a wage while swinging the lead?

fair questions, I know medicals aren't fool proof but surely it would have picked up major injuries.

it's not great he's not fit, but thankfully it's an area of plenty cover.

adebeyo is surely more of a concern

[Peter Venkman]

We don't know what his (Dave's) instructions were, Brown might have been trying something out. Players are prone to looking poor or disinterested when asked to do something they're not used to.

I know Brown has publicly said he likes this competition, but he's hardly going to come out and say the opposite. He made as many changes as he could, which suggests he isn't taking it that seriously.

Brown definately didn't put out a team to win yesterday, the game/side was almost entirely an experiment as the way we set up and played was unlike anything PB has served upa t all, it was much more like under Flipflop.

[Reg Smeeton]

fair questions, I know medicals aren't fool proof but surely it would have picked up major injuries.

it's not great he's not fit, but thankfully it's an area of plenty cover.

adebeyo is surely more of a concern

Without EA, we've nothing resembling a target man, unless I've forgotten someone... Richards could do some sort of job, but he's still a while away apparently.

[horlock07]

I might be wrong, but it seems like in the last few seasons we have picked up quite a few injuries early in the season in double game weeks.  I was wondering if generally players are more susceptible to injuries earlier in the season when fitness is perhaps a bit lacking?  

Fitness seems to be a problem generally in English football, we as a team seem to have been unable to play two games in a week for the last 2-3 years, whilst the England team seemed to struggle to last 60+ minutes in the world cup.

[Peter Venkman]

Not sure who the co comms was yesterday along with Shaun Hodgetts, he kept calling him "Steve" but it certainly wasn't Steve Whiet but he did have a West County/Swindon accent and know a fair bit.

I did wonder if it was Steve Hale maybe? he was very very uncomplimetary about the Cowleys at Lincoln, saying he thought their actions in the technical box were very unprofessional.

[pauld]

Not sure who the co comms was yesterday along with Shaun Hodgetts, he kept calling him "Steve" but it certainly wasn't Steve Whiet but he did have a West County/Swindon accent and know a fair bit.

I did wonder if it was Steve Hale maybe? he was very very uncomplimetary about the Cowleys at Lincoln, saying he thought their actions in the technical box were very unprofessional.

Yeah it was Steve Hale

[Panda Paws]

Any updates on the injuries? Any mention in post-match?

[Peter Venkman]

Yeah it was Steve Hale

Cheers, he was very deriding of the Cowleys, both of them.

[Private Fraser]

Recently on Twitter:

Benjamin Wills

@_BenWills


Looks like Knoyle will be out for a bit with a hamstring problem.

We have needed, and still do need, a proper back-up full-back on either side, especially the right, don't want Dunne anywhere near right-back. Hopefully this forces Phil Brown's hand.

[Flashheart]

Fucking stupid competition. Bunch of cunts.

[swindonmaniac]

1,500+ seems like a good gate to me compared with last year.   Won't be long before we start being told what a success the competition is.
Still won't entice me whilst the format stays the same.  Useless,  Pointless competition.