Thetownend.com

McKirdy not travelling tomorrow.
Time for a double and an away win

Mansfield 1-2 Swindon att: 6,778 (437 away)

Flint sent off, yes yes yes.

Will lose this . Could be 3-0.

The most apathy so far this year?

Going tomorrow. Will meet Wobbly Bob for customary pre match anaesthetic. Looking forward to a good day out which on paper looks set to be drastically soiled be a comprehensive defeat. No expectations regarding the football but would like to have a goal to celebrate. Come on you stagnant league 2 reds!

The game has been made all ticket by Mansfield. They usually split the away end to get more home fans in but they’re, apparently, expecting a decent turnout from us! Can’t see why, but there you go.

Customary 1 up at HT, 3-1 defeat at FT.

I will be the one slumped in my seat dreaming of what good could feel like.
No enthusiasm whatsoever. Lost my love for the Club this season, even worse seeing those yellow piss stains moving forward with a 150 million new stadium whilst these wankers are pressure washing a clock.

Mansfield 3-1 Swindon

Attendance: 6,741 (428)

Mansfield 2 Swindon 1 att 7,156 (370 away)

Actually I’m going reluctantly call you out Duke, sorry.

The wankers didn’t wash the Rolex clock. They fucking free loaded on the back of a sponsor to have it done. Just saying.

Does the washing of the clock count as start of the redevlopment i wonder? Even though a fan did for a freebie.

Because they have done fuck all else.

Don't they have to start soon as a stipulation of buying the stadium?

Are Aldershot having a tattoo anytime soon?  :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

Yeah 7-4 I think

Interesting to see how the "new" substitution regime works. Hope he doesn't reduce the second half changes too drastically, multi changes are fascinating. 3-0 but hoping for better

Hour away from Mansfield, not sure why I'm going. 

I've not seen an away win since Northampton in December 2022, 12 games since without a win since. Can't see that changing today.

Pre match not much matches Mansfield in The Green Dragon.
Apparently it's still possible to get Mansfield Bitter, and that could also be the overriding local sentiment if they don't get promoted this season.

Don't begrudge them at all.
It's taken a few years of toil even with a good owner.
Wish we had one of those.

The Nigel Clough factor of only ever winning promotion with Burton could still kick in of course.
Started his management career at 32.
Wonder what the Burton fans thought at the time?
Probably encouraged given that he was a "name".
Might have felt differently had he been an unknown journeyman starting out.

Anyway, hopefully Clough might have some sage advice to pass on to Gunning.

Suspect that a home defeat for the Stags in midweek will have scuppered our chances today somewhat.

Haven't lost the love, not even close.
Still get that sense of anticipation of the finding the first pub after alighting at yet another bleak outpost.
Football becomes secondary when it's a shit season.

It's tough to sit tight & wait for the good times to roll again, but they will eventually.

Don’t go then?

Exactly why I'm here, a few decent pub options it seems.
I will moan and curse this club but will still end up travelling 5 hours to a random town to watch them.

The club is finally Breaking Duke..

Never thought I'd see the day

Pitch looks shit

About time they built the new side stand.

Looks like the Kassam  :D

Strange one

Brewitt starts.

FBT and Dokes FBs in a back 4?

looks like he's tried to go more solid with pace out wide?

edit:
could be a back 3 (see Jimmy's post after this)

3 centre halves

4-3-3?

That’s gonna be Dokes - McCarthy - Brewitt - FBT as a back 4

Not keen on having a midfield is he

Followed by a midfield 2 of Khan & Devoy and a front 4 of El Bouzedi, Austin, Drinan, Glatzel.

So, yeah I reckon 424!

Back to front football at its rawest

Surely not a front 4 ? Can't see Elboozy as a midfielder though, so surely not as a wing back in a back 5 !!

Who knows !

Problem is Mansfield score a lot of goals at home.

Looking at that pitch I can see why he doesn’t fancy the ball being in midfield much.

Fuck it, why not…
Little riding on his game for us.

Yep, pretty much. It's how he has lined up a lot recently.

Suspect it's maybe more 4231. Drinnan up top, Austin behind him, glatz left the other lad right.

Like the look of it personally

Errr um Phil "you know" Smith🤦. Sort of

Not sure with Drinan and Austin both starting.

Quite right. May as well just give it a go. Literally nothing on the game and regardless they are going to give the job to Gunning anyway.

Looks better than the County Ground !.

Lost faith with the traditional 4-1 Aud ??.

Reverse psychology

Laugh my cock off if it works.

Think you’re safe

Looks like a back 5 based on the warm-up.

UGM FBT McCarthy Brewitt Elbouzedi

JJ not doing his thang today?

He’s away

Oh dear.

fucking hell.

nice goal though. cool finish left bycroft with no chance after good buildup

Big chance for Stags. Blazed over the bar.

Crikey! This could be a cricket score if we ain’t marking!

Grabbing the ball to put it back on the halfway line, zero sign of celebration. They clearly fancy a few here

This is going to be an absolute drumming

We're so shit.

Waltzed through midfield

Also seems like Akins has a very good scoring record against us.

Wahey. Early start today!

What midfield, Gav doesn’t play one

Khan’t & Decoy I think.

Absolute dogshit so far.

Great save Bycroft

there a great save from bycroft

The amount of time that Mansfield player had to tee that shot up from outside the box was criminal

Most of this squad alongside 'mad' Gav need binning off before next season

we are so shit right now

Correct. Gunning has not a fuckin clue what he is doing. Today is not the day to judge him away at the top side, unless it becomes a real drubbing.

Don’t think many thought we would get anything from this game, but we could do without a hammering

They’ve had 5 attempts already

There are times when early subs and a reshape of the team is a necessity, methinks this is one of them.

I get dropping Kokolo to go to a physical back 4 with fbt at left back. But dropping him to play a back 5 and then have UGM at left wing back is just mental.

Settling down at last. Good run from Elboozy. Free kick in a good area. Half chance. Come on!

Watching on the Firestick, we look a complete shambles…

Hope AN Other is enjoying this  :)

It’s beyond belief. Gunning is so out of his depth

defensive shambles but somehow still in it

El Boozy looking our most likely source of getting back into this

We’re in it alright!

Imagine having all week to come up with a strategy, and the one you choose is a back 3, out of nowhere, with OGM on the left hand side.

God knows how they haven't put us out of this yet

Commentary team “Not impressed at all with Swindon at the back”.
To be fair mate, neither are we

Because they're as poor as most other teams in this league maybe?

Dread to think what that makes us

oooh new physio then

But he’s been clattered and is struggling

Different levels of shitness :D

Perhaps they asked the guy who jet washed the Stratton Bank clock for free to do the job ?

Look at their bench compared to ours by the way

🙂

Have we had a shot yet?

Gunning tries things, he's definitely not tactically inflexible. Whether or not he's tactical incompetent is another matter.

 This is all a bit rubbish

Gunning management is pure gambling. It’s like rolling a dice and hoping for an even number.
Half the time it’ll work. Half the time it won’t.

Half?

I'm not sure the odds are 50:50, but I agree with the principle.

oh Charlie. Scored a harder one last week

We’ve had a shot on target

I think half is a bit optimistic. 

Austin said that if you put it on his head he’ll score - Well, he didn’t then!

Should have hit the target at least

Should've been level there

We are an embarrasement, wtf was that throw in all about.  Brewitt has returned to his never looking like he has ever played football form..

I’m glad I don’t have to watch this shit ;D

Good yellow for McCarthy or 3 of their players would have been clean through

I genuinly think we need to clear the decks of this team and management and build a squad suited to and capable of challenging in the NL, because that is the only place we are going, we might as well start preparing now.

Sadly very true.

Think I would take Drinan off and bring on Kokolo at 1/2 time. Also potentially McEachran for Devoy

Ooh Glatz! Good effort

May have already been asked , but why no McKirdy?

About the only good thing so far is that it’s only 1-0

Well after a terrible start when we could have been at least 2 down we've got ourselves back into it to a certain extent. Think McGurk could be a decent change and maybe RHM. Not out of it by any means although it does look that if we go 2 down we could be steamrolled

Not great but it’s only 1-0 - so I guess we aren’t technically out of it.

Definitely need something more in the middle of the park but don’t even think we have the players to make an effective change there

Should be dead and buried. But we aren't.

It's not over until it's over

out through sickness

McGurk,Cain, McEachran? Khan and Devoy not on it today

Basically that first half was the collection of scenes from Hot Shots where Dead Meat nearly dies, lots of times.

Utter fucking tactical ineptness from Gunning, matched by a collection of talentless fuckers on the pitch (maybe harsh, but an alien wouldn't complain with that description based off of that showing).

What the fuck is the idea with playing three central strikers?  Even if two of them were more mobile than Nelson's Column, I don't see what benefit playing three so narrow brings, especially if the tactic is to play high balls to Flints head.

Elbouzedi is fast, and that is about it.  A right back or wing back he most certainly is not, but at least give him some help.  On the other side we have Godwin-Malife trying out for ballet.  You are a fucking defender, worry about your defensive position first, not how many spins on the ball you can do and how far from our own goal you can get as a result.

Midfield two are non-existent, please send Devoy back.  At least give our own players some minutes.

Drinan is a sack of spuds, and one of the few we signed-up, great.

Somehow though, we find ourselves in the ER and not quite dead yet.

McCarthy looks visibly fucked off that he has to play with the other ten.

The Mansfield commentators suggested chest infection, which is probably not great if recovering from heart surgery.  Who would have thought signing such a player would be so risky - has he managed enough minutes for more than one game in total yet?

He bought Clem some time while he was here. Job done

100%, if that AGM had never happened McKirdy wouldn’t be here now

Get Brewitt off for Kokolo and go back to 4 at the back. Khan very poor so replace, maybe Mc Mc Cechrean

Great chance!

1-1

FUCKIN GET INNN!!!!

get in, smash and grab is on

Glatzel!

Fuck me!

And that is us all over

Not for long!

You have to admit, that is quite funny. Incredibly annoying, but quite funny.

hahahaha

Swindon

fuck off

Bycroft should have saved that

what a save that was. could be 3

Good save then though from Akins

What a load of shit still we cant defend. ::)

Well, if ever there was 2 minutes to sum up our season it was 49-51

This Mansfield commentary team are very annoying, almost gives himself an aneurysm everytime the Stags have a shot, every challenge is a yellow card for Swindon and sees everything through yellow tinted glasses.  I will take Andrew Hawes every day of the week..

Phil Smith is equally excruciating

2-2

Go on!

Dry Nan!

get in

goooooal dry nun

NOW fucking sort it out. Get in Drinners. 9/1 to score anytime to boot!

Fucking Drinan!

That's a brilliant header. Get in

We’re a very strange team😁

I await the mansfield goal now but i hope not. :pint:

Nice header from a bag of spuds ;)

Get in you shit cunts

Turn on the away commentary and you will change your mind pretty quickly.  How difficult is it to mispronounce Drinnan

I’d like to see El Bouzedi here next season tbh

Lets hope he now turns into a world beater!

Strange or shit? Or just a normal L2 side?

Normal we aint

Really like the look of Glatzel. Definitely has something about him

We're on top here now. If that's good or bad I'm not sure

Strange😁
unusual or surprising; difficult to understand or explain.

Its an incredible thing!

Agreed, our immediate aim should be to get back to levels of being a run of the mill mediocre Lge2 team, then we can start aiming for the decent level.

Mansfield comms have made a rare good point. We have nothing to lose here. If we were in a top 7 position, I'd be thinking we should look to settle for a draw, but one point compared to zero makes no real difference to us. Would like to see us go for it.

Edit: I'd like that fucking draw now.

3-2

Sigh

everytime down our right hand side.  Sort it out!

NSR

Normal Service Resumed

FFS!

We won’t get back in it again

never wrong  :suicide:

Would help if we had a right back

Normal L2 in the sense of being equally capable of being good or bad like pretty much every other L2 team

One attacker against 4 defenders and he still gets a free header - our defence manages to hit new levels every week

Everything has been coming down their left ALL match and we've done nothing to address i. Elboozi is great getting forward but nowhere in defense and Brewitt is so slow to cover. Got to change it !

you couldn't make this shit up

Is this the longest Gav has gone without making subs?

 407 Town fans in attendance

But we aren't even Normal because more often than not this season we have been bad, even when we we have won/drawn sometimes. Like i said, our immediate aim should be to reach the levels of "Normal"

I hope it's not him making a stupid point to answer those that have been complaining about his subs previously, if it is then we are even more fucked if that is the level of pettiness that he willing to stretch to

Commendable :clap:

RHM on for Glatz - let's see if we get peak RHM or poundshop RHM

RHM... fucking hell

RHM what a fucking miss!

Great chance for RHM

There is your answer.

Pretty standard RHM effort that ffs

We should tell Elbouzedy to stay up on the halfway line based on that defending.  Poundshop RHM just showed up, should be level

To be fair that’s normal RHM, the two goal version was the anomaly

Bycroft having a good game to concede three goals.

Bycroft has made several really good stops today

Which is where he should be as he’s an out and out winger not an RR or RWB

Another fucking super save from Bycroft

Free header again from a player being marked by 2 defenders

This game could literally be any score line.
We could have it back at 3-3. We could be 5-3 down.

Fair enough. Disagree. This game for example

We could be 5-3 up 'n' all

But we should have been 5-0 down after about 15 mins!

I still think with an illusive 2020 Grant in midfield this side would be sitting just outside the play offs…

These Mansfield commentators are really, really strange.

Eight minutes!

Not arguing with that but Mansfield are like every other team,not brilliant

They certainly don’t look like a team top of the table

This league is shit and we are still 18th  :suicide:

Boozy 😩

FT

This Mansfield commentator is so so strange wow

Nigel Clough seems to be furious about winning. Strange fella.

True that but I wonder if there's ever been such a small gap points-wise between 7th and 22nd?

Hepburn had the chance.

Mansfield had more to be fair.

Mixed performance.

Imagine having to listen to that every week!

Expected a dicking before the game. Expected embarrassment after 15 mins. But in the end we should have got a point

Massive game next week

Can somebody call an ambulance for the Mansfield commentator - cardiac arrest

A real mixed bag that.

Can I be the first to say" not enough substitutions"?

Could have been 4-0 down in the opening ten minutes. Had a decent spell after our second equaliser and RHM should have buried his chance. Another pretty meh performance against a meh team who are somehow top of the league.

We at least made a game of it in the second half and didn’t get battered.
Could have nicked a point, which on the second half would have been fair, based on the first half would have been daylight robbery

Yep

Embarrassing.

I know someone who has seen the books, literally works in accounts, and our owner has no money. It's a sad state of affairs. Clem has messaged this person multiple times asking for advice.

Obviously not looking for bites, but we are in dire situation which is worse than people realise.

Poor first half. Could have been dead & buried.
Better second half. End to end. Could have gone literally anyway.

How Mansfield played during in injury time & their commentators reactions clearly shows they were holding on at the end.

Just like our whole season - some good, some bad.

Let's hope there's someone with the requisite funds who's interested then.

no it's not worse than we realise

fair result in my book.

Mansfield had so many good chances. We had a few ourselves, but far fewer

we all think he's fucked financially, and by extensions we as a club are fucked.

hope he sells up before it's too late

Clem has to go before it’s too late

If we go into admin and get a 10pt deduction we are likely down

Going nowhere under this ownership

The suggestion from those in and around the know is that the asking price is too high, not sure how that squares with Clem being flat broke. He clearly doesn't have much money, but if he had none at all you think he'd be keen to sell a loss making asset at basically any price.

I've always liked Gunning and was happy he was given a chance, and at first thought he was a breath of fresh air with his new ideas and attacking play. But his last few games show he very hit and miss, and really hasn't got a clue !

His set up today was bizzare - Elboozi as a wing back immediately rang alarm bells. He's a great attacking winger, but it was obvious our right sided defence was really going to be a problem - and how that came to pass ! All their attacking play came down that side with Elboozi either awol or ineffective in defence, and Brewitt was soo slow coming over to help. The real worrying thing is that Gunning did nothing to address it, while all the rest of us watching could see it !

Khan was utter dogshit today, how he stayed on for the whole game I'll never know. Brewitt was poor and should'e been replaced by Kokolo, reverting to a back 4.

Could have been 4 down in the first half, but going forward we looked quite threatening, and Elboozi was amazing doing what he's good at ! Nice to see Glatzel and Drinnan get their goals, should boost their confidence. Unfortunately RHM has reverted to his normal self.

An entertaining game, but haven't seen anything to feel we're building for a better future !

Gunning:
- Frustrating result, but shows that we....
- A defeat is a defeat
- When you concede 3 goals that are horror shows then its a frustrating afternoon
- We worked on getting goal side all week.
- They had 5 mins where they were a tornado. We were chasing our tail
- Swan. Middle of the goal and free header.
- Being a defender its frustrating.
- Just have to have desirte to get close. We worked on dont mark space mark people in the box ALL WEEK
- The first 5-10 mins we were all over the place
- After that quite an even game
- Frustrating
- Tough to get the words out.
- To come to one of the top teams and go toe to toe but concede horror show goals
- We switched off after the goal.
- Dont mark one of the best player in the league and he scores
- We dont mark in the box and they score again
- Realism is that both teams had chances and didnt take them
- Both teams were on the front foot and both defences were a little shaky
- They couldn't cope with UGM who kept driving forward
- Could have been 5-5
- 3 at the back was to cope with their 2 strikers who play wide
- Zak tore the left back apart. We should have played it to him more
- They have score something like 25 goals in the last 5
- You come here and its just lapses in concentration that did for us
- So frustration that it was lapses of concentration
- Drinan was clever and a threat all game. Came alive after 20 mins. A real positive his performance
- Realism is that if you go to places like Stockport (solid performance) and Mansfield (gone toe to toe) and score 2 goals away from home and get nothing
- It was a 50/50 game
- We switched off and 'it is what it is' (Took ages for his first one today - Thought he might get through the whole interview without one. But, it is what it is!)

Wasnt the figure he wanted £15m


:Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

Should't this be on another thread - certainly not match day !

Would he, should he, expect to make money on his gift of 50% of the CG?

Only in it for the ground.

But he got us the ground 🤣🤣🤣

Forgets to say that Eady money paid for it!

If he sells for what the club is worth he won’t make a penny. But surely there must be some clause over what he can and cannot do with his half of the JV.

What a Stags fan thought

‘ As predicted today was a bloody tough game, eventually won 3-2 but swindon were really decent on the break that drinan was one of the better players i’ve seen this season.

Swindon would’ve beaten most sides away today, but we were able to get over the line, to be pegged back twice and get over the line was great for our confidence after the setback of tuesday.’

Gav Gunnings decision to get rid of 6th choice Liam Kinsella is more bizarre every week. Literally starting every week in the league above and puts a bloody foot in.

Khan performance today was a disgrace. Didnt even try to tackle the bloke before he put the cross in for their third

Three better players than Kinsella in my opinion on the bench today. Baffling why Khan played the whole game

It doesn’t matter if Clem has any money as it’s not his money that bought or runs the club, or at least that’s what we are constantly being told, unless of course Standing has pulled out & it’s all down to Clem now.
If that’s the case it’s probably a good thing, right?

mcgurk isn't the same type of player but I'm baffled why he didn't come on

no idea who the other two are. Cain? Can't be McEachran or Aguiar.

The second half was at least fun to watch.  The reality is we could and should have lost that about 4-8 in the end.  Why on earth Mansfield allowed it to remain so open is beyond me, silly.  Created some very good chances but they had some nailed on ones as well, lots of them.

Overall it was tactical suicide.  Not sure what Gunning is going on about in that post match summary - 50/50!!!  What was he watching.  The second half was much more end to end, but they've managed to miss about 6 open goal style chances over the course of the game vs maybe 2 or 3 for us.

Basically sums our club up right now.  Within the context of the season, a 3-2 defeat at the league leaders with some missed chances is not bad.  The problem is there is nothing else to cling to - we should be where we are (not that we don't deserve to be, this squad, all season, has been poor).

Possession 50/50
Shots 22/20
On Target 10/8
Off Target 6/7
Passes 390/398
Clear cut chances 6/3
Corners 6/3
Offside 2/0
Blocked shots 6/5
Tackles won 10/7
Aerial duals won 26/30
Saves 6/6
Yellow card 1/1


….looks pretty even on paper

 The goals column is usually the most important stat

Khan should not be starting anymore. He’s an absolute liability in that midfield. There were times today where he genuinely looked like he’d given up and couldn’t be arsed. Plus the fact he gives the ball away more than any other player in our squad by a country mile. Should have sold him to Wrexham when we had the chance. Someone give Deadpool another bell and get him off the books in the summer.

They tore us a new one for the first 10, rest of the first half was a non-event.
2nd half was fairly equal, both teams should have scored more but there was definitely a point up for grabs for us today.

We have some decent players but there are so many glaring gaps in the squad and the dugout that we end up with the dross results we have.

Agree with all of that.

Our defending down our right hand side was clueless/non existent.  For me that disqualified El Bouzedi from consideration for MOM, notwithstanding his attacking influence.  Albeit the likes of Gunning and Brewitt probably share the greater responsibility for the right hand side defensive debacle, along with the lack of any midfield cover.  

To be fair, kudos to Mansfield whose combination of bulk and guile up front and movement from midfield, looked capable of testing better defences than our own.

 

It was not.

We had the RHM shot that really should be a goal.

They had one that was saved onto the post, one that was similar to RHM (very early in the game) and one that the bloke passed it to our defender on the line when he should have put his foot through it.  Then there were some OK chances on top of that, but for both teams.  The second half was more even in terms of scoring opportunities I felt.  The first half was a cricket score waiting to happen - it didn't, it's L2.

In fact, just take the 6-3 for clear cut chances, that's the most accurate reflection of the game.  I said 8-4 was a fair score, so 6-3 is not that far off that.

In regards to RHM I’m not suprised to see him revert back. Scores 2 goals the other week and probably looked as good as he has since he joined and is rewarded by being dropped for the next 2 games

Kinsella was the best defensive midfielder we'd had since Grant in 19/20.

Inexplicable that Flynn under-used him, opting instead for his kamikaze-ball.

Kinsella was putting together a run of form, when Clem/Kiely/Gunning decided definitively that we are not a serious football club and let him go up the divisions for free.

Absurd to suggest we have anyone better in that role still here.

Is Swindon still twinned with Disney land? How fucking apt.

We played 4 defenders, 2 midfield players & 4 attackers and tried to squeeze them into some weird formation.

The fact that we somehow still managed to make a game of it is madness (albeit largely due to fairly inept finishing by Mansfield in the first 20 mins).

I get this game was a free hit to some extent as nobody expected us to get anything from the game but it would have been good to try out some kind of style/tactics we could use in the future. I really hope we don’t use that again

With zero expectations today I was felt okay at full time. We started very poorly but grew into the game and it was great as an away fan celebrating 2 equalising goals more than I expected. We went toe to toe with them second half and were still in the game in injury time away at top of the league. Notable mentions for Bycroft (making a few key saves), Glatzel for a superb finish (that a lesser striker would have hit out of the stadium) and a decent second half performance from Drinan with a well taken goal that gives me confidence that he is more than a bargain bucket donkey.

Well yeah it’s 6-3 if you count all the clear cut chances as certain goals (what is the definition for clear cut anyway?) but you know our keeper (well in fact any keeper) is allowed to make saves….

.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5p62I8GBDE

Why big up McGurk and not play him.

Only need to concede 18 more from the last 9 games and that will be 100 goals conceded this season in all competitions. In the bottom division….

A damning indictment of where we are as a club and the state of this team and ‘management’.

Oh yeah, I remember everyone saying that when he was here. Typical reassessment of Town players once they leave.

Our formation and where players played were all wrong today, 4 players playing out of position. Godwin, Elbouzedi, Devoy and Glatzel.

He was a 5-6 out of 10, kind of guy at best.

Austin said post Harrogate that our squad is better since January - I agree. So why haven’t our results improved? My answer to that would be GG’s tactics.

Nope - the answer is because we didn’t strengthen the midfield. Back line is marginally better for having McCarthy in there and our attacking options are better.

We still have nothing in the middle.
That’s why games like yesterday become a bit basketbally - end to end. We just can’t stop teams coming at us & that’s a midfield issue.

Even if we packed the midfield with 5 - Khan, Cain, McEachran, Devoy & Aguiar that still doesn’t scream solid does it…

…and like fuck did any of you rate Kinsella when he was here. Most of you thought he was dog shit.

If that’s your point I agree the midfield is poor  - but wasn’t it GG who decided to release Kinsela because he would be behind others - Others who were on the bench yesterday. I also think GG needs to stop persevering with Kahn.

Our last good result was when Devoy and Aguiar partnered each other in midfield - Kahn was suspended.

Hate to tell you all that I work with a couple of 'Nam fans (and know a few others who I regularly chat to) and they have all been telling me what a great signing Kinsella has been. They can't believe they got him on a free and have said that more often than not he has been MotM. But, 'Nam have played him in a number of different positions. Last week, for example, he played as wing back and was apparently awesome.

Just goes to show - 'That's football!' and 'It is what it is!'

I concur with dropping Khan.
He’s just so positionally ill disciplined. He’d only work with solid DMs behind him.

Kinsella might be getting on great at Cheltenham. I thought Kinsella was decent.
I mean if he is getting rave reviews for ‘nam is just shows a lot of our fans don’t have a clue & whoever decided he was surplus to requirements was also very wrong.

His last 4/5 games for us he was solid and most agreed with that. He was and still is the best defensive midfielder we have had this season. To let him go and not strenghen is a joke

Which is what you need when the replacements are 4 out of 10

Exactly this, especially to let him leave for nothing & claim he would just be a bench warmer.
As average as he might be, he’s still better than anyone we have currently

Kinsella barely got a look in until mid November. Once he did, he played well and was our best CM until we sold him on my opinion.

The gaps in the squad are clear to see, the lack of a proper defensive midfielder (Khan is not a proper DM) being the key.

I like the look of Elbouzedi, was always causing their left back problems but he isn't a defender. You might get away with him playing wing back with UGM as the right sided centre back but Brewitt doesn't have the pace to get out and cover as we saw all game.

Gav’s selections get more bizarre game by game. God knows what he thinks he sees when picking his starting XI. Have a proper back 4 and stick with it - Kokolo, McCarthy, FBT, Dokes - simple. We have plenty of options up top so that just leaves the thorny subject of the midfield. Too many players are of a similar physical stature - Cain, McCreachan, Aguiar. Not sure Devoy is up to it. Khan blows more cold than hot these days.

When Stags go up get Boateng ffs.

He was never spectacular, but then he was never supposed to be. He was just that solid CDM type player that we needed, and still need. Selling him was a really big mistake.

We have a 2 man midfield, which is the issue, no one would be playing well in this midfield.

Almost like he draws it from a hat.
One minute too many substitutions, the next not enough.

Mansfield changed it, they won it.

We were getting torn apart down the right, midfield were exposed by the extra player.
Our midfield is not good enough, Kahn off the pace yesterday and no real game changing players to make any difference.

It’s depressing and it’s shite.

I really suggest you don’t renew your season ticket, you aren’t enjoying it so save your bloody money.

if everyone who thought it was shite doesn't reverse we'll have 1000 attendances next year.

Going to home games when it’s shite is at least a short journey (for most) but travelling 3-4 hours each way to witness something you absolutely fucking hate whilst having spend an extortionate amount of money - for me is addict behaviour.

Like are people scared if they don’t go they won’t be able to find anything else to do with their Saturdays?

Life too short. Don’t let is consume you.

Let's not forget we didn't "get rid" of Kinsella. He wanted to leave for personal reasons if I remember rightly.

But he was under contract so we were under no obligation to accommodate his wishes

Just back for an 80s 48 hour break at Sand Bay where the entertainment was superior to this game was. I hate watching games on a mobile phone when away too.

1st half I thought they were all over us for long periods but lacked overall quality to capitalise.  Defensively we were awful, absolutely horrific at times, even the normally reliable FBT and McCarthy were all over the shop. Brewitt made a couple of good blocks and a goalline clearance butI still dont think hes good enough to rely upon full time at CB.

2nd half we notched up a gear or 2 but still had gaping holes in defence but created a fair bit.

Khan was very weak and positionally all over the place in midfield, Devoy - other than 2 decent passes looked way out of his depth again.

Why not bring on McGurk? the man is a wizard on the ball and makes things happen out of nothing, I think he could have changed the game if he came on instead of RHM, but thats just my opinion.

Dokes looked decent, ran around a lot and played fairly well although not really a LWB as a defensive left sided midfielder at times and carried the ball so well. But the midfield was pretty much bypassed all game by us trying to exploit their weak fullbacks which we did at times.

Bycroft made a few brilliant saves that kept the score down and although far from faultless all game he really kept us in it.

Glatzel and Austin looked a handful all game, Charlie did miss one sitter but still nowhere near the level of RHMs incredible miss later on. Drinan (Dry Nun) again looked to be a bit of a handful too and took his goal so well, he looks a Primark version of Charlie Austin.

Yes Gunnings style is more entertaining than Flynns football but we look tactically all over the place, defensively just not with it, but we do hit on the counter and break with some pace and probably deserved a few more goals, but then it could easily have ended another 7-4.

Please do not appoint Gunning for next season.

As for Mansfield, they were not overly impressive at all for a team where they are in the table, barring the first 15 mins where they applied lot of pressure. They were weak at the back and not great up front, unfortunately they came up against a side in Swindon that is both shit at the back and not great at scoring too, I am still shocked at the low quality of the league this season with no stand out sides.

Boateng looked exactly like the type of midfielder we badly need, defended well and broke with the ball and made a few great passes, if only we could afford him. Also Akins is always a fucking handful  when we play against him, he fluffs a few chances but creates so many really good things too.

Flynn's first 9 games were more entertaining than Gunning's first 9 were!

The club consistently contradicted themselves over the reasons for him going, just like with everything. One minute it was personal reasons the next Gunning was saying it was because he wouldn’t get in the team. They are incapable of giving straight answers.

Let’s not forget though, at the fans forum Gunning said Kahn is one of the best CDM’s in the league which is obviously both a laughable statement and a massive red flag against Gunning’s judgement. He’s obviously not just saying that either, he clearly believes it as he starts Kahn whenever he is available.

Fair point on the not going if it’s not enjoyable anymore. I’ve lost care for the on pitch stuff for a long while now but still attended the home matches mainly through the social aspect of seeing friends for a few beers pre match that made it worth attending. However, Harrogate was the first match where I was sat there thinking “why am I actually here?” and if not for other plans, I’d probably have got up and left at half time.

It’s not a case of being fickle and only not enjoying it because we’re having a poor season, I’ve happily sat through some of the worst seasons in recent memory and still looked forward to the football every weekend, this is a different feeling of complete apathy due to not seeing where a change is going to come from and having no confidence in the controlling powers to get us moving in the right direction. The likelihood is until a sale, we’re stuck in purgatory, we likely appoint Gunning full time, wing a sub par summer transfer window and the downward trajectory continues.

The larger issue for the club is how many other people feel the same and that’s hard to get back. I’ll be interested to see the initial ST renewal numbers to see if that is reflected or not.

His selections are bizarre as he doesnt have a fucking clue.

Boateng starting every week for Mansfield

And to let him go for no fee just reeked of clearing the wage bill

At least get a small fee for him at least

I would even bother offering Khan a new deal, has one good game a month if that.

Agreed - it’s a shame because he was great at the start of the season.

.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQhY7O927oU

Not only that but 2 years on and I couldn’t tell you what type of midfielder he is.

He’s not a DM. Not big enough, strong enough, disciplined enough.
He’s not a passing midfielder. Doesn’t move the ball quickly enough, gets caught in possession too often. No discipline.
He’s not a creative midfielder. Doesn’t create or score goals.

Like, I expect our players to be limited but at least be limited at a certain thing.
For example Brewitt isn’t very good at a lot of things. He’s a reactive last ditch defender. Blocks and recovery challenges. That his strengths and we at least know that.

…but…Khan

I guess a better example would have been Hutton. Good crosser, naff defender but we all knew that & in theory the team set up to try & play to his strengths.

We don’t get that with Khan because I don’t know what his strengths are.

Rather than having strengths and weaknesses Khan has good days and bad. When he's on, he's every type of midfielder all at once. When he's not, he's a spare part. Almost the opposite of Kinsella who was limited but did roughly the same thing in every game.

I think Khan is your wildcard midfielder in a three.  Next to useless in a two because of the desire to be all over the pitch.  He and Devoy are sometimes on the literal opposite side of the pitch to each other.

He was an attacking player for Chesterfield I think.

The issue we have, is there isn't a single midfielder that is designed for that holding role, and cramming two in to let Khan go means having two small Whispy types.

I also agree with the point that Kinsella was not very good for us - we were abject pre January as well.  Letting him go without replacing with better was the issue.  That either reeked of budget problems or insane management.  Neither of which bodes well.

Khan should be dropped going by his body language yesterday he didnt want to be there at all.  :sherlock:

Watched the first half and then listened to the second.

A game of missed chances and although the stats looked quite even on cert chances alone the score could of been 9:4.

If we were to build a memorial to this season..it would read SEASON 23/24 'We could not defend'.

Could of been down 3 zip in ten minutes.

Keeper had a blinder for us, some really great saves.

We made a fist of it in the second i suppose but you cannot equalise and then concede from the kick off FFS.

I expected nothing but a hammering on Saturday, so i suppose we avoided that.

Team selection baffles me a bit as did certain players staying on the pitch and others not getting a look in.

Missing tomorrow night, so i hope we notch another win as we stagger towards the magic 50!

Seems to be a common theme this season

Haven't read back yet. A bit of an odd game on Saturday. First 20 minutes was not fun at all. Mansfield were all over us and really should have been out of sight as they'd already missed a sitter before going 1-0 up. We were at sixes and sevens and the 9-2 thrashing of Harrogate looked like being repeated. Thankfully we got a bit of a grip and created a fair few golden chances ourselves, Austin should really have done better from a free header. At the other end Bycroft was earning his wage with some good saves. To only go in at half time with a 1 goal deficit was a relief!

Second half was a lot of fun. Great work by the industrious Elbouzedi to win the ball back off a dawdling Mansfield defence and Glatzel gleefully thumped home. Unfortunately they went straight up the pitch and a lovely finish by the 18 goal Keillor-Dunn saw us immediately behind again. At times we were very much like Aerosmith, living on the edge, but a cracking ElBouzedi cross was bulleted home by Drinan's noggin. Sadly we couldn't hold the lead again and substitute Will Swan heading in from 3 yards. There was still time for Mansfield to hit the post and for Hepburn-Murphy to waste an absolute dolly of a chance.

The reality is, that could have been 6-3 on Saturday, or even 3-3 and whilst we went toe to toe with Mansfield, we looked second best in my eyes. Defensively a mess, a midfield hotch potch and an electric forward line. It all just feels very unbalanced. Final word for the Mansfield comms, who don't even bother to pretend to be impartial. Into the 7th minute of injury time and Will Swan attempts to dribble past Dokes, who wins the ball off of him. The main Mansfield lad chucks his toys out of the pram and screams 'WILL SWAN YOU ABSOLUTE IDIOT!!!!!' Fun and games indeed, league 2 style.

My main takeaway from the weekend and having a look at the league table (of which we're 18th) and having watched most of the games this season is that this isn't a particularly great division. Only Stockport at the CG have really impressed me. I didn't see either of the Wrexham games so can't really comment on them, but Mansfield looked decent but not amazing and as I look down the table now, from 3rd to probably 20th is really much of a muchness. Granted Barrow did a bit of a job on us at the CG, but I think that was mainly as we were so bad. I guess what I am trying to say is that as we look back on this season with hindsight it's a bit of a missed opportunity. Had we got our shit together and been even remotely competent, we could easily get into the play-offs. The actual list of teams that probably feel they have a chance of getting into the play-offs is pretty risible - Harrogate, Newport, Bradford, Crawley, Morecambe, Walsall and Wimbledon. Opportunity lost methinks.

Made no real attempt to stop that cross for the winner. Very Poor and stayed on for the 90+? Baffling!

Surprised they didn't show the RHM blast into orbit in the extended highlights.

Possibly THE miss of the season, I was cheering the goal already.

Their Boatang missed a similar one too. Must be cursed ground.

Absolutely shocking quality pitch too, made the County Ground surface look like Wembley.

Remember THAT Wembley bobble?

:D Charlie does! ok maybe Old Trafford then...

 :D