Swindon v Doncaster pre match chat and matchday thread

[pauld]

A good example is Ipswich. 2nd in Home form, 16th for away form.

Whereas Lincoln are top in Away form, 6th in Home form. Proves nowt. Probably more relevant is that Donny look to be decent at home (3rd), average away (10th), whereas we are better at home (17th) than away (23rd).

[4D]

It does. It proves Ipswich are better at home than away, even without crowds.

[pauld]

It does. It proves Ipswich are better at home than away, even without crowds.

Erm, great. Didn't help them much on Saturday

[4D]

Familiarity with the way a pitch plays has to add some benefit, even if it is only minor. Look at Plymouth too, solid at home, not so solid away.

[Panda Paws]

Home advantage is an interesting one - there have been studies to suggest it's more to do with the subconscious and peripheral visual reference points the players have when they play somewhere they're familiar with.

Donny - I said at the start of the month I'd be targetting this game, and our new and improved squad have a real opportunity to lay down a marker with b2b wins ahead of some more challenging away days.

I'd like to see us change it up on the right hand side. I think we all know Caddis isn't first (or second, or third?) choice RB right now and we should be looking for a more offensive threat at RW too, perhaps if J Smith is approaching full fitness.

Heart says another win. Head says take a score draw.

[pauld]

Familiarity with the way a pitch plays has to add some benefit, even if it is only minor. Look at Plymouth too, solid at home, not so solid away.

Whereas Hull are good away, mediocre at home. There's plenty of teams that are better away than at home and vice versa. There will, of course, be a whole load of other factors in play here such as relative strength of opposition  they have played, availability of key players etc. Home/Away is just too simplistic.

[Peter Venkman]

From a Donny fan.

   It will be great to be back in League1 action if the game goes ahead, and waiting for us will be our old friend John Sheridan the manager fresh from a great away win at Ipswich Town, an indication of him starting to bring things together down in Swindon, and how dangerous and unpredictable this division can be.
  Two goals from former Norwich winger Diallang Jaiyesimi and one from Scott Twine bringing home the points for them and moved them a point outside the relegation places after their promotion last season.
  I am always wary of any team that Sheridan heads, if given time he moulds them into decent sides that are always very competitive and hard to beat and have given us some hard games in the past.

[McGurk's Missus]

I'll go 1-1 again (which is what I expected from v AFC Field Ploughers) but Town could sneak a scratchy, disgusting, ugly 1-0. I would take that all week but a point will be good.

A loss would be a typical "it's the hope that gets you" moment, regardless of how it may come about. Town need to grab at least a point just to convince us Ipswich wasn't just a false dawn.

[horlock07]

Is it going to be a good or bad thing that we don't have a mid week game this week, would it have helped us if we could have maintained momentum with a midweeker?

[Legends-Lounge]

Is it going to be a good or bad thing that we don't have a mid week game this week, would it have helped us if we could have maintained momentum with a midweeker?

Helps get the wounded back for the weekend if there are any. It also, in this case of having fresh faces in should give the management time to blend in the new boys. Not so sure having no midweek will dampen the momentum, if anything it should make the feckers more buoyed for the Saturday game.

[dphunt88]

Is it going to be a good or bad thing that we don't have a mid week game this week, would it have helped us if we could have maintained momentum with a midweeker?

Evidence from this season suggests that it's probably for the best that we wait until Saturday for our next game... here's the stats, which I shared on twitter earlier:


"Did you know? #STFC need to play every League game on Saturday afternoons... here's our last 8 League Saturday afternoon results:

W D W W L L D W
(P 8, W 4, D 2, L 2, Pts 14)

Includes wins against Hull, Ipswich, Oxford and Bristol Rovers, plus a decent draw against Charlton."


"You've guessed it, on flip side, #STFC are absolutely atrocious on League Tuesdays this season!

L L L L L L L
(P 7, W 0, D 0, L 7, F 7, A 18, Pts 0)

There are 7 games in February, 3 of them are Tuesdays (vs Wigan, Pompey & Lincoln). Have to turn this around - new faces help?"

[McGurk's Missus]

Being rather a pedant but we beat Ipswich on Saturday evening not afternoon

[REDBUCK]

The Donny fan needs to look at the table again, it might ease his worries.

[Peter Venkman]

Looks like Doncaster will be without star midfielder Ben Whiteman for Saturdays game (if it goes ahead) after having a bid from Preston accepted for him of around £1.5m.

[pauld]

Evidence from this season suggests that it's probably for the best that we wait until Saturday for our next game... here's the stats, which I shared on twitter earlier:


"Did you know? #STFC need to play every League game on Saturday afternoons... here's our last 8 League Saturday afternoon results:

W D W W L L D W
(P 8, W 4, D 2, L 2, Pts 14)

Includes wins against Hull, Ipswich, Oxford and Bristol Rovers, plus a decent draw against Charlton."


"You've guessed it, on flip side, #STFC are absolutely atrocious on League Tuesdays this season!

L L L L L L L
(P 7, W 0, D 0, L 7, F 7, A 18, Pts 0)

There are 7 games in February, 3 of them are Tuesdays (vs Wigan, Pompey & Lincoln). Have to turn this around - new faces help?"

Ah yes but now it would be a Twine Tuesday. That will make all the difference, just ask Rich P.