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Why has Amankwaah's form dipped so much this season? He seems to have lost all confidence in himself and gives away possession 4 or 5 times a match nowadays. There were rumours that he was carrying an injury, but surely if the injury was that bad that it affected his game, he wouldn't be playing. Strange.

Paul Caddis is sneaking laxatives into his half time Orange.

its because we've broken up the Amankwaah/JPM partnership. Both have suffered. Greer isnt there to organize the defence and the crowd have been getting on his back and he's this years scapegoat.

I'm not sure if Caddis is the answer at right back - looked out of his depth in that position earlier in the season and isn't helped by his size. Looked decent in midfield.

I'd like to see 4-4-2 with McGovern back in front of him, they linked up brilliantly last season.

Poor ol' Kev. Throughout his career he's always blown hot and cold.

The cynic in me points to the fact that he signed a new deal and has under-performed since!

That's so true, overheard several idiots slagging him off on the way out, totally ignoring the fact that is was someone else that had time to clear the ball & fucked up. But as you say it's easier to pin it on this years scapegoat.

Amankwha has been poor the last two games I've seen him. He got better in the Rovers game though.

A friend of a player said he got told he was struggling injury wise. But if it was that bad/true we'd  surely have got a loan in.

I think Dave isn't too far wide of the mark regarding the system/JPM. Lets be honest he's never set the world on fire defensively, merely OK. But he adds to our attack a lot (even if he can't cross!).

I've said every week that JPM and Manks need to be back together. They were so potent last season. Manks gets a certain distance up the pitch and then looks lost as he no longer has a RM to overlap.
Got an assist today and sounded heavily involved for the rest of the first half whilst we were on the front foot.

I do despair at the stupidity of our support at times.

To say he is the scape goat is wrong, anyone that hasn't noticed that Kev has gone from being one of the best right backs in the division to being terrible is lying.  Something is noticably wrong, if he is injured get it sorted and give him a rest.  His partnership with McGovern had nothing to do with his defensive side and he is experienced enough to not need Greer talking him through a game.  Now Cadis is back I would bring him back in the side and give Kev a rest, maybe it will either kick Kev up the arse to play better or it will give him time to get over any injuries.  He is looking the weak link at the moment IMO.

Caddis was every bit as poor at right back as Kev has been this season.

His form has dipped but I wouldnt use the term terrible. He's been no worse than anyone else. The best right back performance this season has been from Nathan Thompson.

Fully agree.

It seems a bit unfair to be pinpointing Amankwahh as the weak link, I don't believe he's cost us as many goals as other players in the team.  It's already been stated that had Morrison dealt with the ball as a centre back should in the last few seconds ie hit it into Row Z, the ball would have been nowhere near Kev.

Agree that he's been nowhere near the player he was last season, but he's certainly not alone there and if there is an injury get it sorted asap.

Nathan Thompson's turn. Also drop Mcgovern for Caddis/Prutton

didn't he play well today apart from the og?
i thought he had efforts saved superbly.

Both Amankwaah and McGovern have been poor.

Amankwaah had a purple patch last season but he's been a weak link ever since he regained his place at the end of last season. McGovern has gone back to the same one we saw 2 years ago. Time for a change methinks.

Got an assist and sounded like a thorn in their side. Gets stitched up for the oggy and that's all people seem to be looking at. His form has been patchy this season, no doubt about it. But he can't be left to take the blame for today.

He's our team in a nutshell - good going forward, making mistakes defensively. And suffering a dip in form from the standard set last season, so far

A purple patch that lasted all season? In both cases?

Exactly, that's not a patch. Purple season?

Basically all our players are shit. When they play well its a purple patch, a fluke, a one off. When they have a bad run of form its the norm and they were always that rubbish. I think

Amankwaah was shite the year we signed him, as was McGovern the season before last. For a good amount last season I thought Amankwaah played very well and McGovern looked a different player. KA wasn't great all last season, when he came back from injury he looked a bit out of sorts, that form has continued this year.

Agree that Amankwaah tailed off towards the back end of last season, hence Wilson bringing in and playing Darby. He's far from our main problem though, he's the kind of player who seems to perform well when the rest of the team do, not the kind who can drag a shit performance up to a higher level.

Everyone was shite under Malpas, the common factor being Malpas.

Amankwaah wasnt shite the year we signed him, he played well under Wilson from January onwards - just like, well just like everyone else.

Did I mention the fact it had something to do with Malpas?

Both Amankwaah and JPM have produced more good than bad for us, but in typical ignorant pessimistic Swindon Town fashion we remember the bad stuff and over look the good stuff all the time.

How long have you had a limerick in your sig Dave?

Football would never move on if you only remembered the good times. I think it's time for both to be dropped and others given a chance.

Since Ben wrote it. I think I was moaning about McNamee being shite at the time, so about a year or something.

....and I never said just remember the good times - but dont write a player off 10 games into a season after having a fantastic season the year before and dont try and write off a whole season as a patch!

I haven't written him, or McGovern off. I just believe things have got a bit stale and there are others who now need to prove why they are here. If Amankwaah and JPM coming storming back into form, then great.

Amankwaah is an average L1 RB, and has proven himself to be just that this season. McGovern is still on his summer holidays, and I'd wouldn't play either of them in my first choice 11 at the moment.

I'm with Dave and B3nny on this one. I don't think Mank's has been at his best but at times you can tell he misses that link up with JP. Sounds like he had a decent game today but because it was him that scored the OG it's all his fault and he's shite. I really do think he's the scapegoat this season especially more so that Rose and Prutton seem to be playing better of late. So who do they blame? Yes that's right Pericard and Manks. Bores the shit our of me to be honest. Give them both a break.

Can you be my scapegoat rich?

Its all your fault ;)

Thanks Tans......you cunt  :D  ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aluIF8fzmE0

If me thinking he is not as good this season as he was last season is making him a scapegoat then what a load of bollocks. Whether it's his fault is a total diffefrent story.

I don't get this whole scapegoat thing either? He's had a poor start to the season, for one reason or another, and should be under pressure for his spot? I'm not sure how people can disagree with that.

Its down to neil harris and those millwall bumpkins

It's not so much that....for me he seems to get the blame every time we don't win. I'll admit he's not been as good but it's hardly his fault alone we're not winning it's the whole teams fault. It's just an easy target for the mongs. That's why it annoys me.

There seems to be more mongs blaming Pericard for our woes at the moment....

Amankwah hasn't been as good this season as he was last season. That's not making him a scapegoat, that's an observation based on how he's played.

I can't think of one player who is playing as well as last season. A lot are playing much like they finished last season. Manky is only one example of players carrying on where they left off towards the end of last season - ie well below the standards they had set for most of last season.
I think you could put forward an argument for dropping a lot of other players as easily as you can for droppong Manky. Theres' no doubt his double act last season with JPM was class. Both players are struggling equally this season.
I'm still keeping the faith. We're a million miles from the Malpas days. Yes, its disappointing so far this season but we're nowhere near relegation fodder and the league is still open.

When you play the system DW does your defenders will look terrible at times...........making lung bursting runs forward late into the second half dosnt make for your defenders to defend when they are back tracking..............if you play to a system where your defenders are supporting the strikers while your static midfield just sits deep you will ship goals.....Amankwah isn't a great defender and Wilson knows that...but he gives you options going forward,if Wilson wanted a good solid Right or left back Amankwah wouldn't be in the team...he wants a player who can get forward and fast.

can't argue with that leefer. but he's been shit this season

What a poorly timed thread. Kevin Amankwaah was excellent all game yesterday, pivotal to many of our attacks and solid at the back.

He has looked off colour this season but let's give some praise where it's due, he was very good yesterday. The own goal was unfortunate for Manks, he had to do something because Mackail-Smith was waiting at the back post to knock it in. Sean Morrison has to shoulder the blame for the 5th goal because he overplayed on his weaker side (his left) when he should have stuck it anywhere, in the stands, out the stadium, etc!

Would you stop comparing the players to last season.

Thanks.

Haaaaaaaa, I see what you did there

Was going to post pretty much exactly the same thing having seen the goals. Poor Manks.

Kevin as defender, not - as an attacking full back brilliant.