STFC vs. Cheltenham Pre-match, match day and post-match recriminations

[Waffle]

I agree totally that it's frustrating that we're not higher up the table. However our record of W2 D2 L1 F8 A6 Pts8 , is considerably better than at the same stage of the Di Canio season when it was W1 D0 L4 F5 A8 Pts3.

That season didn't turn out too badly 

Basing it on 8 points per 5 games, hopefully we are better then that, but we should be looking at Playoffs easy.

[Pax Romana]

bit further north than that.

saw the Blue Jays play. They lost 7-0. I'll add that to my list of crap sports teams I follow!

Stick with them.  They're rebuilding.  By 2021 they'll be walking the AL East.

[Pax Romana]

Good point.

It's remarkable how many games that are 2-2 at half-time finish up that way.  Both teams spend half-time focussing totally on tightening up the defence and are surprised to discover that the other team has done the same.

[Matchworn Shirts]

Makes you wonder how teams survive on such appalling attendances

[Peter Venkman]

If thats comfortably the best 'Numb have played this season then they are relegation fodder IMO.

They were slow and poor all over the team apart from Reg Varney and Hussey, all their good play came through Hussey who mullered Reid all game.

Now get Isgrove fit so he can run more than 15 yard bursts as he did yesterday. Even 70% fit he ran rings around them, creating so much but he just looked a bit off the normal pace for him, hes a great signing.

The signs are good, we at times play some amazing football not just for this league but any league, we pass and run and create chances, now we have a real striker up top in Doyle who can convert some of those, something we have missed since Ajose.

I enjoyed the game and even though they scored almost everyt ime they got a decent cross in I don't think we ever looked like losing.

I like Aud and PP have no idea how the ball got from being a free kick at one end to almost conceding when the last thing we saw was Baudry score then they showed LMc scrambling the ball away seconds later!

Baudry and Conroy need to tighten up at the back, thats easily the worst they have played as a pairing, we lloked far better when Iandolo came on at LB and swapped the excellent Hunt to RB.

Lyden/Doughty/Anderson were brilliant in midfield for 75% of the game until the last 20 mins when Lyden lost concentraiting, Doughty lost his head and Anderson lost his fitness.

My MoM was Doyle who did not stop running and deserved more than 2 goals (and should have got 4) he has really made a difference to our forward line.

Woolery on the other hand I though had his poorest game so far this season, not entirely his fault though as he was not given the best passes that he thrives on until later in the game.

As I said before a special mention must go to Hunt who I thought was excellent at FB and a massive step up from the fullbacks for the last 3 years or so, so versatile and hardly ever gives the ball away.

LMc also did pretty much everything well too, made a few good solid saves when he was exposed and his kicking has improved, could do little with both goals TBH.

[Peter Venkman]

Makes you wonder how teams survive on such appalling attendances

Under 3,000 home fans for a team that have started well in a local derby against another top 7 team is rubbish.

[Oldwembley69]

Think it's concerning that we still conceded sloppy goals. Yes we need Doyle et al to keep scoring but in truth if we are serious about promotion matches like yesterday should be easy wins. We conceeded too many goals last season and it seems we are still in the same mode.

[Peter Venkman]

I have been impressed with both Baudry and Conroy so far this season, they both look like they have settled in well together...until yesterday when they were all over the place.

Conroy has improved his distribution and heading but his tackling and reading of the game has not been that great, Baudry has a good old head on his shoulders and reads the game well and can tackle and head but he looks liable to make a few mistakes every game.

Neither are stoppers, they are both ball playing defenders, sometimes we just need someone to flatten the striker like Cheltenham did, but they had 2/3 massive slow inept lumps of defenders who couldn't pass a ball if their life depended on it. All they wanted to do with stop our attack in the quickest way possible.

I hope Bradbent comes back to the level he started at with us as hes a decent passer but he is more of a stopper and could compliment either at the back when playing well.

[kirky69]

If thats comfortably the best 'Numb have played this season then they are relegation fodder IMO.

They were slow and poor all over the team apart from Reg Varney and Hussey, all their good play came through Hussey who mullered Reid all game.

Now get Isgrove fit so he can run more than 15 yard bursts as he did yesterday. Even 70% fit he ran rings around them, creating so much but he just looked a bit off the normal pace for him, hes a great signing.

The signs are good, we at times play some amazing football not just for this league but any league, we pass and run and create chances, now we have a real striker up top in Doyle who can convert some of those, something we have missed since Ajose.

I enjoyed the game and even though they scored almost everyt ime they got a decent cross in I don't think we ever looked like losing.

I like Aud and PP have no idea how the ball got from being a free kick at one end to almost conceding when the last thing we saw was Baudry score then they showed LMc scrambling the ball away seconds later!

Baudry and Conroy need to tighten up at the back, thats easily the worst they have played as a pairing, we lloked far better when Iandolo came on at LB and swapped the excellent Hunt to RB.

Lyden/Doughty/Anderson were brilliant in midfield for 75% of the game until the last 20 mins when Lyden lost concentraiting, Doughty lost his head and Anderson lost his fitness.

My MoM was Doyle who did not stop running and deserved more than 2 goals (and should have got 4) he has really made a difference to our forward line.

Woolery on the other hand I though had his poorest game so far this season, not entirely his fault though as he was not given the best passes that he thrives on until later in the game.

As I said before a special mention must go to Hunt who I thought was excellent at FB and a massive step up from the fullbacks for the last 3 years or so, so versatile and hardly ever gives the ball away.

LMc also did pretty much everything well too, made a few good solid saves when he was exposed and his kicking has improved, could do little with both goals TBH.

An excellent summary PV. We have a very exciting and dynamic team plus with Yates and Rose returning we have good options, even with Doughty out now for a few games. Rose and Lyden will be the holding 2 next week, with 4 out of 5 vying for the attacking positions. I suspect Woolery will miss out, which will mean Anderson and Isgrove supporting Yates and Doyle up top. Would stick with Reid at RB and Hunt at LB, because although Reid was exposed defensively yesterday, he wont have the same attack minded wide player up against him from Macclesfield and he does offer an attacking threat with his pace and power. As long as we add to the squad with a couple more signings to cover injuries/suspensions, we will be top 7 minimum. Avoid long term injuries to our key players: Conroy, Lyden, Doughty, Isgrove, Yates and Doyle and we will be top 3.

[Wobbly Bob]

Don't know why the goal was disallowed.
Not offside and wasn't it direct from a corner?
Maybe a foul on the defender?

https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport/17859612.selection-photographer-dave-evans-39-pictures-swindon-town-39-s-2-2-draw-cheltenham-town-saturday-august-24-2019/#gallery27

Also wondered at the time if LMC could have claimed the initial cross before their first goal.

Happy to take the point and move on.

Another coin lobbed on to the pitch.
The L2 officials end of season trip will be upgraded from Margate to Magaluf if it carries on.

[Reg Smeeton]

Basing it on 8 points per 5 games, hopefully we are better then that, but we should be looking at Playoffs easy.

When the fixtures came out, I said the first 5 games looked tough on the basis of Scunny being a recent graveyard, and not managing to beat any of the other 4 last season. BO predicted 8 points and I concurred that would be a decent return.  You want to be avoiding a winless start

Happily we managed a couple of wins, even if still not managing to beat 3 of them. 

Div 4 looks to be the usual pretty even league this year, the auto slots probably taken by sides best able to deal with attrition.

You can't really target PO's it has to be auto, with PO's being a second chance, and very much a lottery.

[Peter Venkman]

You want to be avoiding a winless start

PdC didn't do too badly after 1 win and 4 defeats in his first 5 games (2 wins and 5 defeats in first 7 inc LC games) during August

[OOH! SHAUN TAYLOR]

Can't wait to see how we look with Yates up front along side Doyle which I assume is what RW will go with v Eric next week.

[JoeMezz]

Can't wait to see how we look with Yates up front along side Doyle which I assume is what RW will go with v Eric next week.

Could be looking at resting Isgrove next week, who didn't look at 100% yesterday (despite 2 assists). Would rather he was fit for majority of the season, especially when we have a full quota of attacking players back.

[Reg Smeeton]

PdC didn't do too badly after 1 win and 4 defeats in his first 5 games (2 wins and 5 defeats in first 7 inc LC games) during August

But he did get 1 win, and at home which most people see.  The comeback win v Roverum, at the CG got PdC out of jail, that could have easily been his last game, with comedy players like Lanzano and Comazzi, looking like something was very wrong.