Match day thread.......

[Dazzza]

Whalley was described as rather lazy on the wireless, jogging rather than running a lot of the time.

Jerel sounded terrible, was he really that bad?

[Barnard]

I was there...? Roberts made far too many errors.

Just got home, Roberts did make a lot of errors, but particularly in the 1st half he was about the only Swindon player that seemed to want the ball, and that really wanted to win the game. Whalley looked ok when he got into the game, but left it way too late.

Nicolau was a bright spot, when he came on Swindon really looked like they had an outlet down the left hand side, a good pass for Roberts goal, knew when to play it square to Whalley and brought Whalley into the game. He should start on Saturday.

Up front Cureton and Thorpe didn't stand a chance when the ball was being continually pumped long. Good finish by Thorpe for the goal.

At the back I have a question... Collins - Why? he was terrible, technically and positionally. At fault for the 1st goal IMHO Lapham must be better than him.

Oldham may go on to do a Luton this season but I doubt it, if the team play like they did for the first 75 mins on Saturday Forest are gonna really spank us!

[Tails]

What did you make of Smith Barnard?? I thought he worked pretty hard.

I do think we'll improve for Saturday, hopefully Nicolau starts.

[Barnard]

What did you make of Smith Barnard?? I thought he worked pretty hard.

I do think we'll improve for Saturday, hopefully Nicolau starts.

Didn't do much wrong, got around the pitch without being outstanding, I'd like to see him at right back, with Nicholas taking the left, and Nicolau playing wide left.

[Johno]

Pat Collins is terrible....what? who? why? just crap.

Roberts looked eager, stood out really, at least he tried for 90 minutes!

thorpe and cureton didn't link up at all. im thinking fallon for thorpe on saturday.

[Tails]

Thorpe really got stuck.

Why the hell was Thorpe booked btw?? What did he do?

[Barnard]

Thorpe really got stuck.

Why the hell was Thorpe booked btw?? What did he do?

Dissent I think. Not sure though. I'd go Fallon and Thorpe on Saturday.

[Piemonte]

Roberts was our best player in my opinion. At least he worked ahrd, if sometimes lacking in quality.

-Whalley just isnt fit after 45 mins pre-season
-Collins looks shite
- Ifill IS shite. I've never seen a pro with such terrible distribution and concentration
I'd be really happy if we sold him tomorrow and got someone steady and dependable  a bit like a certain northen lad playing at the back for city perhaps?
- Thorpe & cureton cant play together - both need to play alongside a targetman
- Jack Smith isnt any good on the left wing
- Nicholas has seemingly forgotten how to play football.

[Piemonte]

Thorpe really got stuck.

Why the hell was Thorpe booked btw?? What did he do?

he was booked for ironicly (sp?) applauding a decision by the ref

[BrightonRed]

My thoughts from the match in no particular order:

Rhys: Seems to have improved his kicking significantly, only hoofed it out once. Wasn't at fault for any of the goals as far as I'm concerned, maybe could have made his intended direction a little less obvious for the penalty. Didn't have a hope for the free-kick, it was just too good.

O'hanlon: Was getting some unjustified stick from people around me, won everything in the air and fot the first 30 mins looked as though he really wanted to play the ball out of defence rather than hoof it. If I was going to criticise I would say at 2-0 and 3-0 I wanted to hear him rallying the players but he remained invisible as a captain/leader.

Ifil: Hmmmm.. Lost out to Branston (I think!) in the air from the corner for the first goal. Did he commit the "foul" (those at the match will understand why foul has been place in speech marks) for the free-kick for the 2nd goal?
And made the challenge in the area for Oldham's third. Not much more needs to be said there.
Distribution was poor, especially when the pressure was on to get forward in the second half.
He is a good tackler and showed that on a number of occasions on the night, part of me says he could do a job winning the ball in midfield as long as he played it simple and left Whalley and the wingers to do the attacking. At least his lapses of concentration wouldn't leave us immediately exposed. And my god, could we do with a ball-winner in midfield.

Nicholas: Was pleased to see him start, but didn't impress me much on the night. Got muscled off the ball all too easily. Fair play to the guy though because he tried hard.

Collins: Thought he was gonna have a good game when he raped an oldham player on the nationwide touchline with a nice few touches. He tried to get forward but was left very exposed by Roberts who was non-existent in his defensive duties. Probably needs more time - he's only been with the team a week, I'd give him a chance. At fault for Oldham's first.

Whalley: Didn't live up to my expectations until the last 15 when we decided to play attack-minded, fast tempo, along the ground football. This is when we saw glimpses of his class and eye for a pass.

Pook: Can't think of much to be honest. Didn't do much wrong, clearly didn't do anything to catch my attention.

Smith: Impressed me most when playing centre mid with Whalley. Probably the hardest worker of the new signings.

Roberts: Gave the ball away embarrassingly for the Oldham second. Either he’s been given a ‘free-role’ by King or he’s taken it upon himself to play a ‘free-role’. Left us exposed too much in defence.
Took his goal very well, worked very hard and was one of only a handful of players who played with some desire. I think he showed us his laziness and brilliance in one match. Needs to be played up front or behind the front-men if he’s gonna ignore his defensive responsibilities like last night.

Cureton & Thorpe. Lumped together because there really are no distinguishing features between them. Cureton looked the livelier for a greater proportion of the game. Thorpe took his goal well. Both were getting frustrated with the endless balls lumped to them in the air (and so was I for that matter) either we play with a target man (Fallon) or we keep the ball on the f***ing ground.
I’m not gonna criticise either of them because they both tried hard and were both forced out of the game by our own style of football (until the last 15 when they showed what they can do in and around the box with the ball at their feet)

Nicolau & Shakes: Both played well and made an impact but I think we need to be careful and consider that at 3-0 down with 10 mins to go it’s hard to do much wrong as attack-minded, pacey wingers. Nicolau played a good ball to Roberts for his goal, put across some good crosses and played an excellent in-swinging corner from the Arkells side. Shakes looked fast and comfortable with the ball at his feet.

Reeves: Just did what Reeves does.


Very surprised that it was left until the very late stages of the game to introduce the substitutes although admittedly I was calling for Roberts to be replaced at half-time and he was one of the better (if not the best) performers of the second-half.

The SSP chants coming from the TownEnd were embarrassing and unnecessary.

If the person sat in seat H143 Nationwide is a member of this forum then congratulations: you’re a cock.

[Spud]

The thing with Pook was that he was continually out of position, Whalley was left to do everything in the heart of Midfield.

[Johno]

i think pook when in the centre battled well... but i saw him stray to the left on midfield abit too much...

[Spud]

i think pook when in the centre battled well... but i saw him stray to the left on midfield abit too much...

Exactly, i wouldnt play him Staurday he'll get ripped to pieces by Holt.

[Johno]

ive started a thread about the team for saturday, i think if we attack forest from the off we have a decent chance... but if the defence mess up then we will concede. when you have david johnson and scott dobie coming at you, you need o hanlon, ifil to be on form!!

[larwood]

I don't know much about it but it seemed like we were playing 3 in midfield,which meant that we could'nt get hold of the ball and pass it.Consequently leading to the defence hoofing the ball away, bypassing our midfield,and our midgets up front not able to win the ball,the ball then coming back to our defence leading to more pressure.Once we brought more midfielders on it looked better[don't think 3 at the back is good though,plus i don't read too much into scoring two goals against a team that was coasting it llike oldham were].Surely on saturday it will be a 4-4 2 formation otherwise the same thing will happen again.