Swindon Town v Tranmere Rovers pre match chat and matchday thread

[4D]

A bit like Davison?

[singingiiiffy]

Was thinking about this at the game.

I was crying out for 2 up top, but now we've switched I can see wakeling looked far better but not yet seen the uplift in jephcott.

Is there something we aren't doing to unleash his potential? Is it simply not yet clicking with Rome not built in a day? Is it I'm missing the things that he does that enables wakeling? is his goals return just fine anyway.

I've no idea.

Feel like I have to put this these days: I'm not having a go at jephcott. I'm just slightly disappointed in his goal threat, rightly or wrongly

2 up top for jephcott should work but still not in the way we play. no play goes through him, he's not missing chances for example. between him and wakeling if you want someone on a one on one its jephcott all day.

Its the same every week and when we score from it its brilliant but when we struggle its awful. We only seem to play wide and over the top. Our midfield has zero control on any match.

If you freeze frame in any attacking play we have:
-darcy and khan wanting to receive the ball from the centre backs.
-our full backs on the touchline.
- gladwin (no idea why) wakeling and jeffcott all pushed up to the maximum sitting on the defenders.

our game plan is simple. width and if no wide option go over the top.

jeffcotts only route to goal through this is via a cross and he's being starved by and large.

if one of khan or darcy gets the ball then the other is against 2/3 centre mids from the opposition. play starts again and they go wide.

[Nemo]

The strange thing is that on paper, our central midfield looks like the strongest part of our squad. But we just don't want to play through it at all at the moment - earlier in the season Gladwin was running games, but he and Darcy barely seem to touch the ball any more. The wide plan seems to have come from Hutton looking threatening, but we do seem to have put all the eggs in that basket now.

[Batch]

@singingiiiffy Certainly a fair point that Jephcott isn't missing stacks of chances

@nemo Gladders and khan certainly looked less effective, as you ( and Bob said earlier) we do look like getting out side is the plan

maybe that'll work, in the long run. Not convinced by what do I know

If that's the plan we needed to get iandolo in on the action Saturday. I'm not sure if he was just off the pace or if the team didn't really give him the crossing opportunities in the same way Hutton got them.

also thought 'urgency' wasn't sure there Saturday. A bit like early in the season. That's the way games go someone I suppose, you get a bit nullified.

Anyway, tomorrow's another day. Bring on Crewe (ok Saturday)

[DV]

Think we need to move the ball quicker or with less passes.

There was one moment in the game Darcy had the ball on the left. He’d come inside onto his right foot. Hutton had half the pitch to himself. The switch was on.

Sure there’s a chance Darcy doesn’t get the pass right but also a chance he does.

Instead he went to Harries who went to Brennan who went to Hutton and by that time Tranmere had shifted across.

Yes a long cross field pass from one side to the other is a gamble and difficult to hit 100% accurately but worth the gamble at times.

[Nemo]

Yes a long cross field pass from one side to the other is a gamble and difficult to hit 100% accurately but worth the gamble at times.

It's also a thing that Reed does quite a lot - I know he gets shit for short passes to pad his accuracy rates, but he also pings the most ambitious crossfield balls of anyone in our side. He just doesn't really have a mid range forward pass in his locker.

[4D]

Passing stats (accurate passes)....

Swindon - 432 (own half 293) 68% (oppo half 139) 32%
Tranmere - 239 (own half 89) 37% (oppo half 150) 63%

Sitting back a bit? 

[Pookemon]

The 3-1-6 formation we saw for the a large chunk of the second half was baffling.   We are at our best when the ball is moved quickly creating space for a spare man to run into - usually Hutton.    We played into their hands by putting 6 in a line and launching it as they were far better than us at winning the second ball.   

We didn't really create anything outside of a couple of set pieces second half.  First half we played best when gladwin dropped deeper.

3 at the back doesn't work unless one of the 3 can push forward into midfield when you have the ball.

[Audrey]

Which is what Frenchie can do but with the occasional blooper that goes with that.

I think the loss of Macdonald and Clayton is the reason for a more prosaic approach atm.

3 points v Crewe at the weekend plus Saturday’s 1 v Tranmere will still see us sitting pretty. Then a week off and the possibility of getting those 2 defenders back.

[RedRag]

Passing stats (accurate passes)....

Swindon - 432 (own half 293) 68% (oppo half 139) 32%
Tranmere - 239 (own half 89) 37% (oppo half 150) 63%

Sitting back a bit? 

Interesting to have the possession stats broken down - even if we all have a feel for that breakdown.

Is there a regular source to link with those stats?

[Batch]

Other stats from BBC (us v them)

Possession 62 v 38
Shots 9 v 8
on target 3  v 3
Corners 4 v 0

Which is exactly how I remember it. Lots of the ball, didn't make enough of it. The own half/oppo half stats may explain it.

[Bob's Orange]

To the right of the bar at a table, about 6 of us. The farts would be Flash.
Were you in there with your old man?

Sure was.

[4D]

Sure was.

Were you sat in the top right corner booth? If that's you and your old man I've seen you in there before 
Does your dad have a passing resemblance to Des Lynam?

[singingiiiffy]

Think we need to move the ball quicker or with less passes.

There was one moment in the game Darcy had the ball on the left. He’d come inside onto his right foot. Hutton had half the pitch to himself. The switch was on.

Sure there’s a chance Darcy doesn’t get the pass right but also a chance he does.

Instead he went to Harries who went to Brennan who went to Hutton and by that time Tranmere had shifted across.

Yes a long cross field pass from one side to the other is a gamble and difficult to hit 100% accurately but worth the gamble at times.

I'm not sure we struggle with crossfield balls. Seems like one of the most popular we do. As I said the full backs are always on the touchline (mainly Hutton) teams seem quite happy to let them happen and pack the middle out giving no obvious option for the next ball.

Back to what batch and 4d said about jephcott/Davison. They were playing in completely different teams but I would say Davison suits this season and jephcott last! Davison took a goal every 1 in 4/5 big chances. Jephcott is a natural goalscorer. Starved of chances though

[Bob's Orange]

I'm not sure we struggle with crossfield balls. Seems like one of the most popular we do. As I said the full backs are always on the touchline (mainly Hutton) teams seem quite happy to let them happen and pack the middle out giving no obvious option for the next ball.

Back to what batch and 4d said about jephcott/Davison. They were playing in completely different teams but I would say Davison suits this season and jephcott last! Davison took a goal every 1 in 4/5 big chances. Jephcott is a natural goalscorer. Starved of chances though

Given how many crosses Hutton puts in, (apart from the goal against Hartlepool) I can't really think of many opportunities Jeff Cott has been presented with in the box, where reports are he does his best work. I think we are probably still working on how best to utilise him. If we can get him to be as good as Wakeling and Hutton have been this season, he'll be a real asset!