Thetownend.com

Wes lucky to stay on pitch - KMac
           
           


  KEVIN MacDonald felt Wes Foderingham was fortunate not to be sent off after conceding a late penalty in Swindon Town’s 3-1 defeat at Scunthorpe on Saturday.

           

http://www.thisisswindontownfc.co.uk/news/headlines/10385317.Wes_lucky_to_stay_on_pitch___KMac/?ref=rss
           
           
           

Wes conceding 3 penalties in his last 10 matches (and escaping being reasonably sent off 4 times in the same period) should surely tell Kmac something's gone seriously wrong with the system he's trying to implement?

Wes has gone from looking the most error free and all round reliable GK we've had in the last twenty years to Frank Talia MK II: gambling on dribbling the ball around the attacker instead of just hoofing it up the pitch, totally misjudging when to come out off his goal line and picking up more cards than our outfield players.

Ward equally has gone from looking a superb reader of the game and probably the most positionally solid CB at Swindon for a decade to a liability lost as to where he's supposed to be on the pitch and perpetually scrambling back to catch up with the game.

The problem, as people have correctly pointed out on the advertsier :eek: seems to be the switch to a much higher defensive line without the consistent pressing play or quick defenders to make it work.

We had just about the strongest defence in the division under Di Canio, positioned at just the right distance between midfield and the GK to ensure any balls played over the top either landed on our Cb's head and were cleared away or bounced comfortably through to Wes. Now many of these balls over the top seem to be landing over the Cb's heads and Wes has been regularly in a position where he's felt the need to rush out of his goal to meet the attacker head on.

As with the 4-5-1, it's too much change too soon, forcing players into roles they aren't comfortable with in positions that don't play to their strengths.

We can moan about our lack of goals and good strikers but I think the defensive frailty is the much bigger reason for the general sense of pessimism going into the playoffs. I have a feeling a high defensive line against Brentford, with Donaldson and Wright-Phillips running in behind, could be a disaster.

Difficult to disagree with much of this. I'm not sure it's a question of too much change too soon though. I'm not sure that with the defensive players we have in the squad at the moment (certainly the ones we have fit), it's ever going to be a style of play we can pull off successfully. I just don't think there's enough pace in the backline.

Dare i say it but it has also coincided somewhat with Sir Digby coaching him

Digby's coaching him to tear out of goal and leave himself totally exposed one on one with the attacker?

I think this could be true. If Ward/Flint get turned with quick players in behind it causes all sorts of panic. Unfortunately I think with these 2 at CB, we can't play with a high line, which ultimately has an impact further up the pitch. Luckily Stevenage were so bad that it didn't hurt us in that game, although they did get in behind once, but Flinty tracked back brilliantly to make a saving tackle.

Well no. Maybe the italian coach fella (i forget his name) previously drilled into him to be a little more risk averse, a bit more disciplined in the areas that Bruce correctly pointed out.

Equally it could be coincidence and have nothing to do with the change of GK coach  

or maybe it's Jed who is telling him to do it so it undermines our promotion chances? Or have we moved on from that theory?

Good point.  Decreases his value a little so maked him easier to flog in the summer, saves some wages.  Then again less transfer value means less for Jed & his cronies to line their own pockets with.

Whatever the reason, players are springing offside traps or beating our defence to long balls, leaving Wes to deal with a one-on-one threat... I don't hold him responsible at all, it's all down to how our defence is performing (down to form, tactics, or just bad luck)

The defence being sluggish and turned is not making him take out the attackers and give penalties away though is it, equally its not making him handle outside the area and twat around with clearances.

I really rate Wes and think he is the best keeper we have had for a long time, but he can be a little hot headed and petulant at times which perhaps PdC was better at controlling than most.

I don't recall him being stranded one on one against fast moving strikers as often as in recent games, so it is potentially a flaw that has always been there, that is only recently being exposed.

We need to go back to a Devera Ward partnership at the back.

I think it was mentioned in the thread, but I would have chucked Bedwell in on Saturday.  He needs to be able to cope in big games if Wes does have a "moment".

I'd play Devera and Ward together, unfortunately injuries don't help us with that at the moment.

Don't agree with KMac though, we had 3 defenders covering so it wasnt a red card. Worrying Fodderingham has made a few of these bad decisions recently, Digby related as well as being less defensively solid as a team.

I can't understand why he didn't start, along with all our youth pros who don't really get games. It's not as if losing 12-0 would really have a made a difference to either side, and what with Scunny's team not being the best in the world, it might even have been an interesting contest.

Why knacker our first team when they've got a run of games with a severely short rest period between? I struggle to see the sense in Kmac's team selection for Saturday.

He would have got fined if he would have fielded too many youngsters and said it wasn't fair on Col U.

Eh? Is this a rule? You're not allowed to field a team of young pros? Am I being whooshed?

And fuck Col U. It's not like the Scunts winning against our first team made a difference anyway is it? At this stage in the season it's every club for themselves.

http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport/swindontown/news/10381244.KMac_in_no_position_to_rest_players/

Nope you're not being wooshed. Granted we could have got away with a couple but i doubt we could have got away with most of the bench (who are youth teamers and not pro's incidentally - Bedwell excepted i think).

Oh, my bad, missed that. Cheers Paolo69, now I look like a cunt.

It happens to the best of us mate.

As mentioned, the whole defence has looked shaky and I would throw Devera in for Bryne against Brentford - he looks a liability.

I think we would miss his attacking threat going forward, I would like to see Devera in for Flint though.

We would but I would sacrifice that for a more solid option, especially for the away leg if we are taking a lead to them.

I agree that if we have a lead then it is probably a good idea, as long as we don't stick Macca at left back  :)

Wouldn't mind seeing Bryne on the wing if we take a lead into the second leg.

Byrne has all the attributes to play out wide. Just too lightweight for a League 1 full back.

Anyone but McCormack as you say.