Thetownend.com

Never started one of these before...

There's got to be a good chance that Flint won't even make the bench with McCormack back - who'd have thought that possible after 5 games?

And where do the loanees fit in unless Kennedy is dropped?

1-1

Really? Flint/Devera at the back and McCormack/Ferry in midfield makes sense for me.

Need to get a bit of momentum going away from home, 2-0 Swindon, Caddis and Kerrouche.

Tough game going for a 1-1 with Connell getting an equalizer with 384 Town fans there.

2-1 Swindon.  With Kerrouche continuing his scoring and Magera getting his first for the club coming on as sub. COYR

2-0 Town, Connell (2).


Thats one thing I've been really impressed with over the years, is the away following we take to some places. 612 Town fans.

Forgot we were playing tonight. As it's a 'big game' and all I'll go for 3-1 win with Kerrouch and Ritchie x 2.

1-0 defeat.

5-2 with kerroche 2 magera1 ferry1 ritchy1.

Yeah but that means Comazzi gets dropped after a clean sheet. I'd definitely find space for Flint but not sure PDC would change it given he chose Comazzi over Flint last time.

3-0 town. Ritchie, kerrouche, magera.

Flint has got to play! Mccormack on the bench. Hope kennedy plays but don't think he will.

Almost as interesting will be who makes the bench.  On the Washbag blog they reckon it's going to be full of strikers again...we'll see.

Certainly, on paper, a game we should be looking to take 3 points from if we're serious about establishing ourselves at the top end of the table.  I'm already looking forward to an evening spent next to the computer with a couple of pints of Doom Bar.

As I was nearly correct last week in predicting a tanking I will state that its about time that we put a concerted away run together. As a consequence I will go with a 2-1 Win-

See where you're coming from, but I think Flint is one of the first names on the teamsheet. PdC doesn't seem to like putting players straight in after being injured so I think that's the only reason Flint didn't start against Barnet. With a 20 minute runout there and another week of training I would expect him to slot back in tonight.

However Paolo has certainly showed already that we can't be too surprised with whatever team he picks.

Also Interesting Team Selection?

Smith, Caddis, Commazi, Devera, Ridehalgh, Ritchie, Ferry, Smith, De-Vita, Magera, Kerrouche-Subs Lanzano, Mccormack, Abdullah, Jervis, Connell

Would that be a winning equaliser JJ ?

Think McCormack will start sub along with new lads, ferry and Smith in centre is working quite well. 2-1 win. Ritchie and Flint with goals.

Every goal is a winner in my book!

My bad! :D

Time to stop fucking about on the road.

Lets follow up last weeks result with one equally as good, minimum...

McCormack being able to fill in at CB means that he is useful to have on the bench.

Yet another line up - is he going to get new players in every week...about time we got a new goal keeper on loan perhaps a Swedish player, or maybe a Greek...

Hope for a win, cant see it ( but I didn`t see Crawley result ) 1-1

2-0 Swindon. These are the games we need to win. They have a good record at home but we should be too strong for them if we play like we did against Barnet. Come on Town!

Flint has to start, especially away from home when we'll be under more pressure. I guess it'll be McCormack for Smith, but that would be a little unfair on Smith who payed really well since coming back in. Got a feeling he'll drop Connell for Jervis.

As for the result, I'm still not convinced we've got the formation right away from home, so a 2-1 defeat (hopeing that this works the other way!)

No subtitute for experience. I'd go with one if each - Comazzi/McCormack and Flint/Devera

I also wouldn't change a winning team unless I had to...

...and I think Kerrouche just drove past

2-0 to Swindon with a mighty 550 town fans making the trip!

Just leaving Plymouth now gunna need quite a few  :beers: by the time I make it up to Macclesfield!

 :pint:

Right I'm just leaving to do some business in mid wales finishing just outside Shrewsbury. Would be rude to miss this as I'm more than halfway there. Won't be in civvies (jeans and town top), business suit as I said on another thread the other day, so come and say hello as I'll be on my todd.

1-3 to the town and I don't give a flying fuck who scores.

550 ish town fans me reckons.

Safe journey all of you.

Can see this being an ugly 2-2 draw

2-1 defeat.

2-0 Connell and Kerrouche

Forgot this was on tonight.

A scrappy 1-0 win to us.

As many have said, these are the games we have to be winning.

2-1 Town tonight. Mehdi and Ritchie... then too much red wine and junk food conspiring to give me a hang-over tomorrow morning.

Score draw.

first goal wins it. hopefully that will be us!

Matt Ritchie 10/1 for first scorer on Bet365.

Defo worth a nugget of anyone's money at tens.

elevens on sky bet and 4/1 to score at any time

Got to like those odds. Richie's 5 league goals in 10 make that 4/1 look massive.

 I like Friday nights....our away form needs to improve and tonight would be a good time to start. We've played 2 and won 2 under lights away this season, so who knows?  A draw would be acceptable....

Whilst it is completely irrelevant to how the season pans out it would be nice to win and occupy a playoff spot for a few hours.

2-0 Town, Ritchie, Connell

Need to start winning away from home, will be tough tonight.

2-1 defeat.

I'm in 2 minds. Their home record isn't that bad and looking at their points total they aren't actually that far off us either. Our away form is also pretty poor. That said overall we should have enough in our locker to beat them.

3-2 to the Swindon boys. Having come from a goal down on 2 occasions.

Hate predictions so will just say that I reckon Metal Guru will score

3-1 win kerrouche hat-trick

3-0 to Town

Goals from Ritchie, Connell and Jervis

Magera and McCormack in for Conell and Smith, and no Flint in squad

Sensible changes imo.

Odd about Flint, but the starting side looks decent. Let's go!

Extremely

Who is on the bench?

Bit harsh on Connell.

Very odd about Flint.

SY: Substitutes: Mattia Lanzano, Liam Ridehalgh, Jon Smith, Jake Jervis, Alan Connell.

C and P from Adver

Mattia Lanzano, Liam Ridehalgh, Jon Smith, Jake Jervis, Alan Connell.

Would've liked to see Flint in for Comazzi.

Also surprised Smith has been dropped.

Connell looked fucked on Saturday so can see why PDC would rest him.

No wide players on the bench intrigues me seeing as we have 5 strikers in the starting XI + subs!

Suppose with McCormack now being able to play at the back it allows us to have a more attacking bench.We were caught out when Caddis had to drop back in but we now know we don't have to.

Not really surprised about Connell, didn't offer much on Saturday.

Really puzzled about Flint not even making the bench he has been our best centreback by far pre-injury.  Also strange why neither Esajas or Gabrilondo make the bench either.

Ah well managers decision and we have to stick by him

That must be his thinking, but to leave our best player out is still astounding.

Gabilondo and Flint travelled with the team to Macclesfield in the 18, just didn't make the bench.

It makes sense in a way that generally you'll want to make attacking changes in a game- only time you'll really bring a CB on is in case of injury or a sending off (I know Flint came on Saturday!) and McCormack can do that job and play in midfield so offers versatility.

Playing devils advocate but am i right in saying we have kept more clean sheats without Flint than with him?

A fact, but I don't think any of the goals conceded were Flint's errors.

No need to change a defence that's kept a few clean sheets lately though.

No, Ritchie's playing - as are Ferry and Caddis

We have several good players  :)

only the one.

What a div, forgot McCormack played against Crawley et al.

Evening all.

evening from the royal sussex dialysis unit

How are the nurses?

Here we go then. YOOOOOOOOOU REDDDDDDSSSS.

COME ON SWINDON 2 NIL :beers:

Quite agree Control of Substances Hazardous to Health :pint:

I prefer HACCP.

Maccs go close from a set piece...

You've got better things to do than talk to us, back to your laptop porn with you.

De Vita off the post...

De Vita goes close from a Caddis cross, corner to Swindon.

I keep wondering this at the start of every game.  And then we keep winning them.  If we start losing lots then I'll have a big moan...but going to button it for now.

Take yo' chances Town.

Another good chance for De Vita, on top now.

De Vita mega close again...

Score one of them!

it's gonna be burton all over again

De Vita forces good save from the keeper and Mac now looking nervy! Come on Swindon

Smith nearly drops a clanger.

Hopefully not Burton all over again

Come on Town - sounds like we can play them off the park but need to take our chances.

getting very close lads... come on town!!!

Error from Smith but gets away with it.....

oooh you fucker Ritchie

We're shooting from anywhere at the moment, which is odd as their keeper's sounded fairly handy.

None of the video streams work do they?

no because it's not on TV anywhere

So I forgot this was on tonight... bloody stupid time to play football if you ask me.

3-1 Town.

Nothing unusual, good job he had nothing to do against Barnet

" Score in a minute, were gonna score in a minute,"

We sound on top at the mo, just need a goal to keep on top of the game

we sound sexy as fuck right now :)

Clashes with Strictly, I know.  I was mortified when I found that out.

Did I just hear the commentator say "spreads a succulent ball"?

Precisely! Why should I have to choose between the beautiful game and a rumba...

So why the fuck are we playing on Friday night if we're not even on the tellybox?

Same here, just turned the radio on.  2-1 Swindon.  Haven't read through thread, who's been dropped for Magera and Mcormack?

Good news really as my old CRT has gone tits up, no tele at the mo, although I could get into the sat box and watch it on the lappie should it have been on

Connell and J.Smith

SOUTHEND 1 NIL UP

it's all gone quiet - has nothing happened for last 10 mins?

They just had a good chance go wide by a foot.

This isn't going to end well is it?

COME ON TOWN!

Game has calmed down a bit and Swindon have gone a little quiet.  Would be nice to get a goal before half time.

Is Magera playing? I haven't heard his name mentioned yet  ;)

Something to relieve the boredom...a few seminal works by The Macc Lads.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxkoSbbGxB8&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePFTX1Vjiz0&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTfZCg6zj9M

Okay, he's just been fouled and given away a free kick.

4 to go until half time. Sounding disjointed.

Get Connell on to hold the ball up a bit

Hmm, feel sorry for both really.  Flint not even on bench either.  Strange after coming on Saturday.

We need to pick things up in the second half.  Starting to sound a bit disorganised.  Mcormack booked again ........

McCormack booked. Shock horror;

McCormack yellow, well on the way to his second suspension.

McCormack booked.Can't believe it

Half time.

Half time zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

0-0 half time.

Kerrouche banned for Tuesday.

he could do with a rest....

Good game to miss!

Have I missed something?!

offical twatter must be wrong, said kerrouche yellow card,

It was a yellow, but it was his fifth, hence a ban.

According to the BBC it's only McCormack who's been booked.

official twitter now corrected - McCormack booked not Kerrouche

Ahh, my mistake!

Lanzano on for Smith.

Odd. Very odd.

Smith off?????

The guy on Sky says we have 500 fans at Macc. Which is pretty good for a Friday night northern trip.

JPT rules?

Bloody ridiculous if we don't score and win the game!

what is

the fuck?

Smith has to be injured. Otherwise que?

someone explain these new JPT rules!!!

Why does the JPT have such fucking stupid rules?

The manager can pick whatever fucking team he wants, thats his job.

They are talking on the commentary that Smith might be coming off because:

a) The shoulder injury he allegedly has
b) In order to field a very different side in the JPT on Tuesday. Rules state something about 6 players who played the most mins in the previous game must start

You have to play a certain number of players that played in the previous game or something.

If that is the reason, then its a total waste of a sub, what if we get 3 injuries?

Fuck the JPT - pick the team you want and pay the fine

my colleagues theory is that he wants to fight the keeper at the final whistle but it was the wrong one on the pitch

Is there anywhere i can listen to this game? apart from stfc player.

radio wilts doesnt bloody work, it never has and i can't be arsed to set up my hifi

ummmmm........no

Just play Smith on Tuesday. Why is he risking a result tonight for the sake of the JPT.

When was the last time we had a MDT without someone asking about a link to listen to the game?

Why thanks  :)

Thus far - out of the 12 players who have played tonight, Lazano has played the least minutes - the only players who can play less minutes tonight than him are the two subs who come on?

Unless everyone who plays 90 ends up tied 1st?!

If we make all 3 subs - then thats still 8 players who would have played a full game and we'd have to pick 6 of them, right?

Jervis coming on for Kerrouche, Ritchie booked.

Two big lads up front now.

or maybe his shoulder is hurting

Southend could go top if they win tonight. I know they had a few players missing against them but I thought they were mince. How are they so high up?

Fuck

Unbelievable !

Bollocks

FUCKING HELL

Was always going to happen.

Balls.

Smith would have saved it*



*might not be true

Macclesfield 1 Paolo Di Canio 0

What a fucking strange sub. Can't quite wrap my head around the JTP link, unless its 6 from the squad that play the most minutes. So Lanzano

Oh fuck 1-0 Macclesfield.

So Lanzano would be one in that 11 starters + 3 subs.

Cuntbollocks.

still makes no sense substituting a goalkeeper like that, regardless of JPT rules

we all knew it  :(

Come on town ! It's not too late to come back

Which suggests that he was injured

Hate football.

Well, I'm not so sure.

not having a go at PDC at all... but... if your GK is not 100% fit before the game, would you risk him?

I don't recall hearing Smith taking a knock or commentators picking up on any signals Smith may have been making. If it is injury then fair enough, I suppose we'll find out at FT!

Fucking pathetic and now we're behind.  Same crappy story away from home.  If we can't pick up points on the road we're going nowhere.  Goalscorer for Macclesfield from Fleetwood ffs!

Has Magera actually done anything to warrant his start?

Would have been one hell of a knock if you had.

Sky man said Smith came off injured. Guess we'll not know after the match.

Always talking points in our matches these days! Can we not just have boring 1-0 smash and grab wins?

Looking on the positive side I'm still on for my 2-1 to Swindon prediction.  2 quick goals then its job done!

Fair point, well made...


People complain when we win 4-0... or Crispy does at least.

He's a fud.

I went for 1-0 Macclesfield.

Matt, can't you use your mobile phone to listen to match?

Lets get a corner and bring on Connell!

1 player in the box from a throw in wtf?  Get Magera off, he's clearly worn out.

Some poor decisions tactically by PDC tonight imo that are going to cost us.  Why change a team that won 4-0 with ease?

Are you at the game?

We also look/sound so flat after we concede. Our coming back to win record is shite. 3 times in the last 2 and a half years - I think

When we go behind you think thats it, it usually it...

Left back coming on? WTF?????

Loan left back coming on for Di Vita...Bloody odd substitutions tonight.

Why the fuck are we bringing on a defender for a winger?

Because our real wingers are in the foundations of a house somewhere?

No, my brother is.  Providing 5 minute updates.  Reckons we've been crap this half and totally disjointed.  We've been playing a lot of long ball as well.

a winger who is actually a striker...

....and Alan Connell left on the bench - fucking bizarre that is.

Not surprised, we have 2 big lumps up front.

was hoping for connell to come on

Was thinking positive before the game but same old, would now take a point.

You know those times tou used to have a pop at Bart for only posting when things went wrong? Yeah that is you now

If I were Connell I think I'd be thinking about January and trying to get the hell outta Dodge!

I think I'm going to bed, I'm struggling with this

Ritchie denied penalty, taken down as he rounded the keeper.

Not given.

What back to the blue-square?

Ritchie takes it round the keeper then is brought down...No penalty given

SHIT REF :badmood:

firstly, fuck off.

secondly, just so happens that most of our mid week games are shit, which co-insides with me being at home and not off playing football like I would be on a saturday.

We always get shit refs

One of them nights.  :cry:

That was the moment you know its not going to happen this evening. Ho hum.

The bloke has scored a couple for us and has looked and sounded threatening when he gets on the pitch

That's when you know it's not your night.

This wouldn't be happening if Atiku was playing.

Walk away from TEF DRS, walk away!

One of those nights... I'd turn it off and do something better but I'm stuck at work.

oh well time to watch big brother on record  :-[

I've got the washing up to look forward too. It might be the highlight of my night.

Switching off.

Crap.

FFS! 2-0

not going to be our night!!! dam as i was typing its 2 grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Away games are basically pointless.

BOLLOCKS

Fuck off football.

Having the piss taken our of me by Plymouth supporting housemate. Fucking Plymouth.

turn off your caps lock!

Sorry Paolo, you got it all wrong tonight.

Game over.  Same old story away from home.

Let the shit ripping begin from all the premier league fans come pub time this weekend. So disillusioned as to how we can be so good yet so shit.

Fucking cunting referee, why we gotta lose to a twat like Gary Simpson too

2-0 and it will be.

Sounds like a pile of wank and the odd substitutions have pissed me off (based on the radio commentary that Smith wasn't injured, and the 'usefullness' of Migera ).

we need to get a new manager in to manage away games and leave Paolo in charge for home games!!

Fuck it im turning the commentary off

im going for a shit

Sky man said it was a penalty. Keeper probably would have been sent off, and all is happy in the world.

Ridehalg (or whoever) just missed a chance

True that. But the performance doesn't sound great. Will have to see what the suckers that went say.

Like I said before the game, PDC doesn't know how to set the side up away from home. I hope he learns fast.

Fans get pissy when Kerouche goes over to easy so stay on your feet and get fuck all !

fucking hell......

Strange how we can capitalise on the possession and play at home but not away.

Can we not just skip the away games?

That's it then.  Fucked up on the road again.  Sorry, but Di Canio has to take some responsibility for losing tonight.  Even the commentators have questioned some of the team selections/subs.

If we won every home game how many points would we get?  I honestly can't see us picking up much on the road.

We'll batter Hereford next weekend.

We don't even sound that threatening on the road either (Crawley excluded).  At home we have mostly looked to have a touch of quality going forward.

I suppose most managers wonder how the hell a team can be so Jackal and Hyde.

That's guaranteed, probably 5-0. We'll then get stuffed by Accrington and Plymouth the following weeks.

Game over. 2-0. Off to do the kitchen. Wonder what Paolo will say, not that I understand him..

Sounded like an absolute pile of wank after the first half hour or so.

Southend win 3-0 and go top.

This league is terrible.

Frustrating is an understatement

Appreciate we need to sort this away form out and he needs to stop messing with the team but to suggest we are not threatening is laughable Batch. I have not looked but i am certain we have had more shots on target than the home team in nearly every game

Smith > Lanzano

The Sky man said we played some good stuff at times. We really need to start better and score when on top, its killing us at the moment away from home.

Tonight we had 8 to their 4 on target.

Exactly. I can't defend his substitutes and team selection but we need to start getting on top early and get that early goal

people say we are all or nothing, think they are spot on :badmood:

Pile of shite.  Im going to get ready for a mammoth drive from brighton to newcastle and then get up at 8am for a days work.  FML.

Highlight of my evening was Bob's Scottish banter.  Just like my in laws.

That was pretty much it though.  Will be interesting to see whether PDC attempts to justify tactics/approach to tonight's game.

We were always going to lose this game as its away to a former non league team where loads of people expect us to win. Burton, Cheltenham, Dagenham... A few seasons ago Yeovil and Barnet. Now we can add Macclesfield to the list for the 2nd time. Oh I see we have Accrington in a few weeks too.  :pint:

I know it was at home, but shouldn't you add Oxford to the list as well?

We have no spine to the team. Hence away from home, were exposed as weak. Def need an experienced gk and centre mid. The squad is far too big, but we still don't have the certain right type of
 player.

Home games don't count.  ;)

I tell you what there is some absolute gold on facebook.

Darren Galbraith End of September and we're already out of the promotion race. The season is a fucking failure already.
4 minutes ago · LikeUnlike.

not on facebook pray tell

Di Vita threatened the goal early on. Ritchie should have had a penalty. In between we didn't sound too threatening. I'm not there of course, can't say for sure.

It can't be down to bad luck we've scored 1 goal in 5 away games (and 3 in the other) can it?

It can be like that on here sometimes...

No it can't and there's clearly a problem on the road that needs sorting.  If we are realistically going to achieve automatic promotion,  we needto be drawing the majority of our away games and picking up odd wins as well.  At the moment every team is guaranteed 3 points when we visit.

Can't be bothered to listen to PDC, so could somebody who does please post the basis of what he says?

Hey ho. Off to the farm shop in the morning to get a big fuck off steak for the BBQ.

October. BBQ. October. BBQ. October. BBQ. Nope, still not making any sense.

Left 5 mins before the end. Can't believe I've done that.
Di Canio needs to get a grip. To early to bung in two new signings. Sending this from Mcdonalds and I have to go as they shut at ten. Others will post a long synopsis than me but we did not play badly and created chances.


2 3/4 hours to get home.

Apologies DRS :)

Paolo on. I think he said something like:

On Penalty
- We are not nasty (think he's saying he should have gone down). Should be a red and penalty anyway - that was the key moment.
- PDC is now telling players to dive! Even if they get booked for it :) Sounds a bit pissed off. "This is not fair...if this is the only way....".
- Agrees Ritchie was "too honest", but had lost his balance.

- PDC "this is my defeat"...3 long balls..2 goals...not acceptable.
- We are not nasty enough away from home.
- I can improve the team....
- Tell some of the players if they are a chiwawa I can make him a proud chiwawa, but not a Rotwieler.
- We are not good enough right now. If the team does not score first away from home.....
- We have to have more shots..
- We play nice football, but 2 or 3 long balls then ....
- There is a positive - the 2 loan players will improve us. We need to be patient but (left back/winger) came on and was cool, read the game but didn't know anyone. They showed desire..

- Doesn't want to look like moaning manager. But give us a good ref and we'll see.

Phil Smith:
- Injured. Groin issue. Didn't want to come off but he couldn't take back passes.

Di Canio kicking off big time on the radio, sounds close to tears and shouting "I WILL TELL MAH PLAYERSH TO DIVE"

I'm giggling, I'll be honest.

Keeganesque.

"Mah team at the moment are absolute Chihuahua"

I wish I was making this up.

We've not had a pen since Crewe have we?  :hmmm:

Definitely a referee conspiracy.

He is seriously angry!

Is he on about them being 'shy' or 'shite' chihauhau ?

Smith groin injury - Couldnt kick

Paolo on. I think he said something like:

On Penalty
- We are not nasty (think he's saying he should have gone down). Should be a red and penalty anyway - that was the key moment.
- PDC is now telling players to dive! Even if they get booked for it Smiley Sounds a bit pissed off. "This is not fair...if this is the only way....".
- Agrees Ritchie was "too honest", but had lost his balance.

- PDC "this is my defeat"...3 long balls..2 goals...not acceptable.
- We are not nasty enough away from home.
- I can improve the team....
- Tell some of the players if they are a chiwawa I can make him a proud chiwawa, but not a Rotwieler.
- We are not good enough right now. If the team does not score first away from home.....
- We have to have more shots..
- We play nice football, but 2 or 3 long balls then ....
- There is a positive - the 2 loan players will improve us. We need to be patient but (left back/winger) came on and was cool, read the game but didn't know anyone. They showed desire..

- Doesn't want to look like moaning manager. But give us a good ref and we'll see.

Phil Smith:
- Injured. Groin issue. Didn't want to come off but he couldn't take back passes.

Well it's a disaster that's all I can say, I shall be sending my season ticket back to the club first thing tomorrow. How dare we lose, don't you know who we are!!

Loved the shy Chiwawa/Rotweiler/diving bit :)

I think you're over-reacting.  ;)

I retract my comments regarding the substitution then :-[

On the TEF is that even measurable?  :D

- Instruct players to dive from now on
- Players not hungry enough
- Don't score enough goals away from home
- Flat footed defensively
- Beaten by average L2 sides due to lack of heart
- Smith groin injury

I heard it as shite shiwawa.

Racists

Its pretty low on the TEF scale. You haven't even deleted your account yet.
---------
In the grand scheme of things I know its always bad for me to post after defeat. I moan. Its my therapy.

Its compounded this year as last season I was very much give them until January/Wilson will sort it we won't get relegated ....

If Lanzano gets injured we'll be calling on Evans then to fill the void.

I do have another account in reserve though  :)

We sit 11th with 3/4 of the season left I'm ok at the moment.

If we are in touch at Christmas its good enough for me. But I'll still moan after we lose.

I could count the number of headers and second balls we won tonight on one hand. Magera, Devera and Comazzi, for their size, do not win enough. This cost us the goals tonight, although they were the other end of the ground, both seemed to stem from our inability to deal with a high ball.

I'm not convinced by the two centre halves - I've only seen 2 other games this season - but Comazzi couldn't seem to turn, whilst Devera gave their top two room to turn and play the ball far too often.

Magera for his effort failed to get the ball to stick as often as he should, whilst again he couldn't win a header. When he did he was too far from Kerrouche/Jervis for it to be worthwhile. Personally I would've liked to have seen Kerrouche play the whole game, he was more threatening than Magera. But he also headed straight at the keeper when he should've done better.

In the first half their keeper made two good saves which kept them in it - I think from De Vita - but they also went close on one occasion, again stemming from a ball into our box. Second half was really poor, they lump it forward and we look to play through Ritchie. Ferry seemed to get on the ball, alongside McCormack, who both seemed to do alright, spreading the play whenever possible. But there was little cutting edge. At times we played some good football, but not really getting anywhere, either the final ball letting us down or we tried to play the wrong ball.

Once we didn't get the penalty, you knew we weren't getting anything. Fair play to those who made the trip, but the atmosphere was shit. Overall, I thought it was average we didn't take the couple of chances we did have in the first half, whilst they managed to take the two they had in the second - although defensively they were poor goals to give away. Roll on Accrington...

I have not yet seen Commazi have a good game yet. I don't know why flint was not partnering Devera and why he was not even in the squad despite coming on last week, unless he has agrevated an injury. Both keepers aren't great but Loranzo seems to drop the ball too much. I have noticed this more during the match warms ups where as smith seems not too be as good with the ball on the ground. The only positive I can take from this is that is sounds like the new players on loan looked reasonable and the fact that the more we loose away from home then the closer we must be getting to pdc realising that he should not medal with the team as often as he is doing. Doesn't sound like Megera had a great game.

In short I have gone to almost all of the home games and listened to all of the away games on the radio. I cant believe what I hear on the radio it sounds like a different team to the one I am watching at the county ground. I hope we turn this around soon as it is becoming a significant problem. Also I am worried some of these players that we have brought in are on two year deals and we will be stuck with them longer than many of us would wish for.

Oh well looking forward to Hereford. Although I wish we had another league game away as it is about time we out this away Jinx behind us and the sooner the better!

just got back and up for work early so will keep this short...

i know this gets said all the time but that ref was truly diabolical, utter crap.  i'd say in the top three worst i've ever seen and how he and his assistant couldn't come to the conclusion that it was a pen and a sending off is so far beyond me it's untrue.

wasn't just that one either he was dog shit all game and seemed to make most of his decisions based on the macc fans' reactions

as for us, again we should have taken our chances first half and put the game beyond them.  as it was the game would have been at worst a draw or a win to us if the ref had eyes.

Just got home. Managed to get 8 pint tinnies of Stela for £10 and 60 disposable shots between 7 of us went down all right :)

Hmmmm!!  First post in a long while and I think I know why. Reading some of the comments on here during/post match I have to check that I haven't actually logged on to Thisis. How quick some people are to judge without witnessing the events first hand. Having said that, two guys stood behind me moaned incessantly throughout the game, were eventually reprimanded at the final whistle, whereby a short scuffle & fisticuffs ensued.
First half we didn't play badly and certainly shaded it. Comazzi and Magera were anonymous in a half which saw us have chances which we couldn't capitalise on. Second half, we looked a bit lost for 20 minutes then continued to press despite conceding two goals. Then the hoofball commenced. I don't know what to make of Jervis, he tried but was largely ineffective as was Magera, who, I will admit did actually head the ball a few times. As for the 2nd and 3rd substitutions I'm left wondering if we have an obligation to play Jervis and Ridehalgh. I can't see why either Kennedy or Kerrouche were taken off...they both had reasonable games. Replace Magera by all means but please give Connell a shout before he becomes disillusioned. We did generally play quite well but it was the same old story. They took their chances and scored. We didn't, had to suffer another bad ref and didn't get the rub of the green. And so on to the next game.....

 Let's face it, not really a surprise that we lost to Macc.....my hope for the season was to be competitive at home, which we are, so all good. 

well fuck me sideways.

A positive post from Reg.

Last seasons top 7 lost between 8 and 13 games all season.

We've already lost 6. Stating the fucking obvious but we need to stop these away defeats even if it means playing with shit spoiler 451 pack the middle tactics and getting a 0-0 draw.

Barring injury, why change a winning side Paolo? I'm disappointed

Kennedy was'nt subbed but Mageera certainly should of been,he was cumbersome and won very little good ball in the air that we could use.When we brought Jervis on ,it looked as though they were too similar although Jervis seems to have some pace. One long ball over the top takes out 3 defenders and then Chuckle Brothers defending for the second.

I was at the game as it's one of my forever diminishing north west fixtures.. Probably all been said but we bossed the 1st half without hammering them. Their keeper made what looked like 2 good saves up the other end and we were unfortunate not be ahead.

2nd half they just seemed to want it more, one most of the 50/50's and any they didn't the ref gave their way anyway. We were undone by 2 long balls, the 2nd coming just after the penalty incident. I found it very difficult to control my emotions at the non penalty. Keeper didn't try to take him out but he did catch him, Ritchie tries his best to stay up but by the time he's found his feet defenders are on him and it's a tame shot. The ref had a perfect view of it and bottled it, I guess because he's have had to send the keeper off. It was a shocking decision.

There does seem to be an arrogance though about the team and the fans. A kind of 'we're too good for this shite league' and both expect the goals to just come. Our away support was shite and the teams desire was shite.

We should still be there or there abouts come May but we need to get a grip

I went to the game with a Forest supporting mate and will concur with most of the previous comments.  It was Groundhog Day - Cheltenham & Burton Albion all over again. Whilst we didn't play with the fluency or interpassing that we'd showed against Burton we certainly had the better chances in the early stages & the Macclesfield keeper made a couple of game changing saves. By now, I was waiting for the breakaway goal for the home side and this duly arrived following a long ball out to their right wing in the second half.  A 35-40 yard dash & shot and we were a goal behind! We huffed & puffed but seldom looked that threatening with Ritchie being our most potent threat. The second goal had a horrible inevitability about it & although we upped our game in the final quarter, Macclesfield, just like Cheltenham & BUrton defended in depth & with conviction.  We're finding out that League Two sides, whatever their limitations going forward can protect their own goal once they're ahead, not pretty but very very effective.

Like others I was bemused by the substitution of Kerrouche.  He'd shown good mobility, a good first touch and had caused Macclesfield a few problems.  Magera, the longed for 'big man upfront' really didn't offer the aerial threat or physical presence we needed.  Even his subtle little flicks & taps were easily dealt with by the Macclesfield defence and what we really needed was a bruiser up front to give them some pressure. Jervis looked pacy, had some nice touches but didn't add much threat either.  However it must have been difficult for him & we'll see how he progresses.  Our central defence really didn't look commanding & frankly I'd prefer either Flint to be brought in or move McCormack back to compliment Devera. Kennedy & Caddid did OK & the Terrier on loan Ridalgh looked decent.

As for the referee, well what can you say?  His inspiration seemed to be the home crowd & he apportioned free kicks on the basis of the noise they made - a kind of X-Factor popularity poll meets League Two football.  The penalty that wasn't given was simply unbelievable, Ritchie having cut inside, left the left back for dead, drew the keeper & went past him & the keeper then made contact with his ankle. This was enough to prevent Ritchie being able to shoot & the ball was cleared. Next time son, go down like you've been shot.

All in all, another disappointing night away from home but hey, onwards and hopefully upwards.

Our away form is concerning. We've had the same pattern in a lot of the games where we look decent but don't take our chances and then concede and then the home side shuts up shop and sits back to invite us on to them and then hits us with the sucker punch.

It's almost as if we are not playing badly away from home to an extent but it just shows that most league 2 sides will feed off being very strong and organised at the back at home knowing they will have a handful of chances to win the game as long as they dont concede. We've had chances in the games we have lost against Cheltenham, Daggers, Burton and now last night. The biggest problem was that we didn't take them. If you take your early chances you can dictate the game and this where we have been going wrong.

The win at Crawley in some ways shows this simply because Crawley don't play in the same way as the above mentioned teams. They'll attack and leave gaps at the back for teams to exploit hence why we had better luck against them than we did against the other sides we've lost to.

What's clear is that aside from taking chances Di Canio needs to find a suitable team away from home. A solid midfield and back line which is well organised backed up by 2 potent strikers or at least 1 (I don't think we have many options here either sadly) and 2 lively wingers. We have Ritchie but PDC needs to play Esajas or Gabildondo on the other flank away from home in my opinion. It's about shoring up the backbone and leaving the goal threats in the wide areas and upfront. Chopping and changing the side all the time doesn't help that.

Summed up perfectly.  IOB to be our manager on away days?  :D

Those people criticising the substitutions should remember that the JPT has stupid selection rules, so I'm guessing Paolo had one eye on that with Kerrouche and De Vita coming off.

This may sound like an excuse but the players looked tired out there, it can't have helped with them travelling up in the afternoon. I saw the team coach on tbe m6 in brum at about 3.45 so it's along coach trip to sit through before a match ..

We shouldn't be giving a fuck about the piss poor paint pot.

3 points last night (and Saturday) would be worth more to us than the fine we'd get.

Don't have a go at me about it.  :)

It is a baffling why there are certain players that have been brought in and on their limited appearances looked handy enough at this level but are now not getting a chance I'm talking about the likes of Easijas, Cibochi & Gabilondo and it looks like Atiku has dissapeared of the face of the earth

As soon as Paolo mentioned loaning Atiku out locally it seemed his signing was a mistake.

Cibochi is more interesting as at the time he had not received international clearance PDC was moaning that he couldn't rest Kennedy.

The other two, fooked if I know!

I liked Gabilondo. Although De Vita is playing well enough.

Gabilondo was eqtually as poor against shrewsbury has he was good in other games

As I said in an earlier post, When I left early I passed the STFC coach and the driver was loading up with bottled water, so I stopped and had a few words. After bemoaning our impending defeat etc he said that PDC would blame him (the coach driver) for the loss. When I asked why he said it had taken them 4 1/2 hours due to traffic and that they had not had time to stop at a hotel for their prematch meal. PDC was moaning to him about taking another route so the driver said to me he told PDC "I'll drive, you manage!"

Shit night had by all really.


 

I hope he's looking forward to driving the Centre of Excellence bus.

Haha quality nemo

Don't get me wrong, I love PDC. But he's a bit of a cunt really, isn't he?!

Got back to Plymouth at half 4 yesterday afternoon, long trip to see another defeat  :cry:
Some cracking pubs on the way though!!!

From a Macc forum:
'Ref was prat - fussing over trivial issues, spraying yellows around and denying Swindon what looked like a stonewall penalty.'
'Result could have gone either way. Swindon were the better footballing team. '
'No doubt about it Swindon are a class act and have some fine individuals-we played better as a unit, rode the storm and finished strongly.'

Same old story away from home im afraid  :crash:

Oh and fair play to the other 531 Town fans who made the trip!
'All credit / respect must also be given to the Swindon fans (532 of them) which is a fantastic achievement on a long journey on a Friday evening .'  :clap:

trouble is he should have sprayed a few around to them in the first half but didn't even talk to them.

he really was crap

Not sure PDC should have publicly stated that our players should "be nasty and dive". In whatever manner he meant or however he said it. That should have been a behind closed doors conversation. It will be interesting to see how referees react in our future games this season.

Yeah the ref (as has been the case for quite a few games this seasons worryingly) was shit, how he didnt award a penalty to Ritchie I do not know! Cant blame the ref though for overall result, players need to toughen up away from home! 'Pretty' football obviously doesnt work in places like Macclesfield as can be seen in the results prior to it!

Roll on Exeter  :beers:

i agree, we should have taken chances before that and we shouldn't have to rely on refs doing their jobs properly but if he gives it it's a sending off and a pen, probably 1-1 and i think we'd have gone on to win so he simply has to take some blame for the overall result.

I just watched the highlights on STFCPlayer and Commazi's "clearance" that led to their second should be a major embarassment for any professional footballer, let alone a central defender. Absolutely awful!

He was at fault for both imo.

It's been the story of our season. We've only lost one game where we've scored first (And won all of them bar a draw with Morecambe, and a 2-1 defeat away at Bolton!) and we've not taken a single point when the opposition has scored first.


Funnily enough, a lot of Macc fans saw the referee as trying to protect the 'big club with big name manager'. Your No 39 was a very lucky boy to still be on the pitch after a crazy late-challenge/elbow to the neck of Ross Draper, a good five seconds after he'd played the ball. There were a couple of others at the time that I wasn't happy with.

You reminded me of Manchester United though. Wore red and surrounded the ref moaning al the time.

As for the penalty. I don't know if you've got it on the highlights, but if it's a foul by Veiga on Ritchie, then it's a foul on the lad who put the ball through on Hewitt in the first place. Ritchie looked offside from my position, too. By the absolute letter of the law, it should have been a free kick before the ball even got into the box. Perhaps the ref realised he should have given the first foul? Either way, ultimately, even if he just got it wrong both times, he eventually got it right(ish)

What a strange comment. We've not been a non League team for 15 years! Have you ever lost to Oxford, Wimbledon or Wigan? What about Tottenham?

And anyway... I know it was five years ago, but Macclesfield got added to the 'list' in 2006.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/6185683.stm

It was a good finish from the Macc lad but Comazzi really didn't look convincing when challenging for the aerial ball that led to the flick-on, that's true.


To be fair he did say it was the second time!

It was a great finish by Draper. Not his best of the season because it was in your area rather than (almost) in his own half like his first goal of the season...

I don't know why so many people were so convinced we'd be an easy side ot turn over. Your away form is as shit as ours this season and we've only lost once at home in the last nine. Even a brief look at the form book would have this as a very decent bet for a home win.

Our match report and reactions to the defeat at Macclesfield

http://thewashbag.com/2011/10/03/macclesfield-2-swindon-0-silkmen-sink-substandard-swindon/

And so it proved but at least have the decency to admit it was a penalty for christ sake man.

Only if you're happy to ignore the foul on our player in the build-up.

It should have been a free kick to us. If you'd had the pen and the red card, then I'd be just as furious that he'd ignored the trip on our player in the first place.

So yes. Our 'keeper does seem to clip the heels of your lad. But it shouldn't have got to that stage because he only had the ball becuse one of your lads took out Elliott Hewitt to get the ball in the first place.

'Lowly Macclesfield'

Yes. The entire single point you are ahead of us shows it should have been a walk in the park!

 :pint:

Are we 'thoroughly average' or 'very poor' make your mind up!

Very poor is the average in this division (ourselves included, with perhaps one or two players excepted)

Spot on mate

Fair enough, just watched it. Could give a nudge i suppose but then your boy stands on the ball making it 10 times worse. Ref was woeful all night but then if we'd have had Martin Atkinson you'd have probably ended up down to 8 by half time.

Anyway the major issue should be be. Friday night - WTF?

Friday night worked a treat for us. Better home gate than weve been getting, better atmosphere etc and you still brought a fair few.

Partly down to the weather I suppose.

We've been shunted to a Friday all over the place in the past, so thought it was worth a crack!

You were fairly lowly before you played us to be fair!

FYI I predicted a 1-0 Macc win in the predictor so not all Swindon fans think we would roll you over easily. I do think there is a (probably small) element of our support who think that we have a God given right to walk this league, however some people need to take a dose of reality and face facts that this is going to be a bloody hard league with teams scrapping for points.

I went to see Macc v Swindon a few seasons ago (we lost 1-0) and its a proper old school football ground with uncovered terracing. Bit sad to see the old disused mills on the walk to the ground but I remember the locals in the pub being very friendly.

Needless to say we were hopeless and deserved to lose. A recurring theme away from home this season.

Our away support is usually pretty decent in terms of numbers but to be honest we had a lot more than i thought we would. This still means we would probably have brought an extra 300 or so if it were on a saturday.

Friday traffic is a proper ball ache as my 4 1/2 hour journey to get there will testify (and it sounds like i was one of the lucky ones). Unless Sky want to pay the dosh clubs shouldn't be allowed to move their sat games to friday's IMO.

We've had it done to us a few times. I remember one particularly arduous trip to Southend a few years ago.

You may well have brought another 300 or so along, but hopefully we'll make more than that back with the increased home crowd and members of it who will hopefully come back next time when we play Oxford.

I'm suprised you don't agree with me if you've had to endure it too. We even had Harlepool away on a friday night a few seasons back so i suppose this friday's trip was a pretty short one. No consideration for away fans and if it really was such a resounding success i expect to see you stitch up Poxford's and every other teams fans like you did ours.

I did hit my first and only 180 in a back street boozer during the H'pool trip though so not all bad.

Wouldn't have stood on the ball if it wasn't for the foul knocking him off balance.

There's enough contact there to make him lose his balance, so it's probably a foul.

That can be said for the initial foul and the penalty. As ours was first, then all the wailing and gnashing of teeth about the clear-cut-stonewall-definate-100%-certain penalty should be tempered by the fact we should have had a free kick anyway. Which is something totally ignored by pretty much every report I've read apart from Gary simpson's post match comments.

http://www.mtfc.co.uk/page/ManagersView/0,,10393~2468970,00.html

You can only do it a handful of times in a season so you have to pick your games. It's only like a Tuesday night match anyway.

I see why it's annoying as an away fan, but I also accept that clubs are right to look after their own. No Swindon fans are going to start coming to Macc regularly. There will hopefully be a few locals who haven't been up for a while who gave it a try on Friday and will come back again. If the choice is down to 300 more Swindon fans attending one game or 100 Macc fans attending three, I'd take the second option even if it didn't make the club any more money. From our perspective, Macc fans >>>> Swindon fans.

And I'd expect your club would feel the same the other way around!

Our away day jinx is bizarre.

If this game had been at the County Ground we'd have walked away with all 3 points without a doubt.

We're the same. Won one game away all season - 4-0 at Hereford. Not even scored in the League away apart from that!

what about the challenge in the first half where your lad goes through the back of simon ferry(?) after the ball has gone and the ref doesn't even speak to him?  what about the challenge on kennedy in the first half where any other ref in the country would have booked him?  what about all the free kicks you were given just because some of your fans made some noise?

It is bizarre. I wonder what the psychology is behind it?

To the layman you could argue that home fan pressure should force the away team to come forward a bit more, leaving us with more space to play in and expose the back line. IMHO we have a player or two that should thrive on that.

But the reverse seems to be true given our one goal in 5 defeats.

Fair comment about the fans. Not sure i will ever see why 100 more home fans will turn up on a friday night compared to a sat but hey i suppose thats the "experiment". Never knew you could only move a certain number of games in a season to a friday night. What the hell is that all about? Plus if this is the case should it not be the more local games. A dozen of my mates missed at least the first 20 minutes despite spending over 4 1/2 hours in a car, that can't really be right.

If you had ever driven ooop north on a friday eveing you would know that its is nothing like a tuesday game.

Never lost a League game to Spurs....p2 w1 d1

What's Macc's record against Spurs like Sillyman?

And Napoli, Roma and Juventus?

Yeah.....and Rochdale  :)

 :D