Thetownend.com

Looks like no one seems interested in this one.
Going to be a low gate.   We’ve spoken about six pointers before but THIS is the perverbial six pointer.  A must win game
Hope that Hollowhead and the team an actually understand this.  Almost last chance saloon.  Fed up with predicting scores, just know we’ve GOT TO WIN.

Looking like another wet & wild one tomorrow.
Fleetwood to go 2 up before we claw it back to 2-2 and then succumb after losing all momentum.
The lesson to be learnt is that lessons aren't being learned.

I've accepted that we're one of the 2 worst, if not the worst team in the football league. We're going down.

The press conference was interesting. I'm wondering if Smith is going to be the fall guy given Botan is in the squad (and he was hooked at half time Tuesday).

We need to do something different, not sure kids are the answer. Not before trying 4 at the back and playing a holding midfielder anyway.



That's why we'll win, to give you faint hope before football kicks you in the balls again. Actually I think you are right.

We’re going to lose, don’t know how but we will almost certainly find a way to lose.

Based on nothing more than him being taken off at half time I reckon Smith had a tantrum at half time. His constant arm throwing and pushing other players when the chips are down is not what's needed. He's equally limited but I'd probably rather Drinan leading the line. At least he'll look like he's giving a shit and not moaning like a bitch all the time.

But he does score goals. Drinan doesn't.

Just hope if he’s going to throw Jaxon Brown in the deep end then it’s not at RB in our biggest game of the season so far, because that was horrific player management.

I don't think taking out the only striker who can score goals for us is a particularly good idea. Especially when your replacement is somebody who before Morecambe hadn't scored a league goal for us in around 6 months.

Why can't this football club just do the basics correctly?

Our best strikers are Glatzel and Smith. Play them up front together. If it takes 5 games to gel so what? just get your best players in the team.

Change the goalkeeper. Please.

If Smith has an attitude problem he's got to go imo. No player is bigger than the team

Never felt so disconnected from the club, I will watch it online but won't be bothering to post anything, fucked off with the lot of them.

He absolutely does


And that's why I could never be a football manager because if I had a petulant arsehole who has a record of relegation the previous season, I'd get rid. Can't ignore his goalscoring rate, which is good bearing in mind we are as creative as the Tottenham Hotspur badge regrading team.

I agree about the goalkeeper though, Bycroft looks like a confidence mess.

If his attitude is that Holloway/Bignot/Gunning are fucking clueless, he's probably got the same attitude as most of us.

Third worst looks like a pipe dream right now.

I honestly think that the only way we finish in front of anyone this season is if a team has a massive points deduction.

See usually I’d agree but I sympathise with Smith a lot this season (bar the barrow red).

If we were going steady or not a complete shambles and he’s moaning and being a bad egg then I’m with you, but where we are right now, I tend to agree more often than not with the moments he gets frustrated and it seems more a frustration we can’t do things to basic standards than anything else.

I’m not saying he’s the messiah, but we’ve got a tall striker up front and we’re struggling to put goal kicks accurately up enough for him to challenge, and the ones he does win never have anyone around him gambling to pick up the flick on. We fail to get proper crosses into him regularly and he’s watching us ship weak goals down the other end. I’m not saying it’s right but I get his frustrations.

In the past we’ve suffered from players being quiet and going into their shell when it gets rough, I don’t mind seeing a player visibly frustrated when their team mates can’t keep up basic standards and we’re floating downwards but I do agree there’s a certain line where it becomes damaging rather than productive.

But either way, I’d take him up front over Drinan 99% of the time, Drinans a good worker but not enough imo.

*caveat all of this with the fact that if you went through my posts this season you’d probably see this type of message more than once so maybe I’m just a H.Smith fan

Meh, the result doesn’t matter.

The previous three(league) games was where it needed to be turned around.

Too late now. I predict a shit formation, a Hall & Delaney disaster-class, bizarre subs that make no sense & second half chasing the game of us all going ‘who is playing where?’

After how poor our previous managerial appointments have been I was actually pleasantly surprised by the appointment of Holloway purely on a ‘he’s got enough experience to know what’s what’ but he’s had his time to work out his best team / formation & quite frankly he hasn’t. If he hasn’t seen it yet - then he won’t see it period.

I’m now (already) at the point where I hope to god he’s just in this to get to 1000 games as a manager & fuck straight off as quickly as he can…

Please, please don't play three out and out strikers. It just leaves us so short everywhere else.

I pretty much agree UTR.

Smith is a good target man when played right, yes he has an attitude thats obvious but unless its affecting the rest of the team I would play Smith every game. He just needs service which he isnt getting, he will score 15 to 20 a season every season.

Drinan runs around a lot and chases things buts hes a different level below Smith.

Maybe Smith needs anger management and counselling? he certainly has issues but he is an asset.

Also this, 2 strikers and put Ofoborh in the DMC position.

There is absolutely no reason why you couldn’t play 442 with Smith & Drinan up front.

Target man & aerial threat with a workhorse along side him.

Hell, what’s the worst that could happen?

Where do i start with this? :D

Yeah, I agree with this. Its hard to know exactly what has happened behind the scenes but if this is it then he's all of us.

It's nowhere near being too late.

It's nowhere near looking in any way likely.

I know it couldn't happen, let alone would ever happen but I'd drop every single one of the useless cunts that started on Tuesday.

Which is a fantastic evidence that I'd be fucking useless as a football manager.
Although unlike Holloway I wouldn't have been the prick that started a team that had almost all played 120 minutes 3 days earlier.


As for tomorrow, I really don't care anymore. The manager, coaches & players aren't good enough. Being forced to play 3 at the back makes us predictable. The lack of any pace or creativity makes us easy to defend against & even easier to attack if you have even one fast runner in your squad.
The complete lack of self belief is evident and there isn't a single leader in the entire squad who can pull them together.

I don't even know what sort of form Fleetwood are in but them scoring a minimum of 2 is a given.

……………..……Barden
Sobwale…Wright…Minturn…Longelo
………….…………Ofoborh
McGregor……..Kilkenny……Cox
………………Smith…Glatzel

I’d like to see something like this, probably not many would agree but feels like it would be a bit more solid to me.

I would agree totally, the only one I am not sure about is Minturn, but give it a go, the rest I would totally agree with.

Wouldn’t be against it.
Although would probably go Cox at LB & McGurk wide left.
Not sure I’d pick Glatzel over Drinan but I’d definitely fuck Hall & Delaney off…

I'm going for


                    Barden
 
McGregor Sobowale Delaney Cox

                  Kilkenny
        
       Brown Clarke Cotterill

             Drinan Ameen


        

The attitude of the fan base during games is very poor at the moment.

This is very understandable because we are the shittest of the shit currently.

I wonder however, if this impacts on the team (it probably does because they are human after all and react to criticism) in a negative way.

Perhaps it is time for us to play our part during the game and, even if things aren't going well and we are playing like 10th tier reserve team wasters, we get behind them and encourage them to keep going and trying. It might even prove to be offputting to the opposition?

Yes, I know, I'm a cunt but we have to try everything now don't we....

I was quite pleased when we appointed Holloway, I knew he was odd but now I'm suspecting he's mad ! A definition of madness is that you keep doing the same things but expect to get different results !! He HAS to change things NOW, before it's too late !

I understand we have to play wingbacks as that's all we recruited, but why oh why have such a weak midfield with only two players in there being constantly out numbered. And why three strikers, when we're not supplying them with the ammunition ! I'm being kind classing Tshimanga as a striker, coz he's doing f*ck all apart from falling over ! Glatzel is a far better option but is suffering poor form, but how much of that is down to getting hardly any playing time ?

It's obvious to everyone on the terraces we should be playing Ofboroh as a defensive midfielder, which would stiffen up the midfield but would also allow the wingbacks and creative midfielders to get forward more.

On the evidence of recent games we simply MUST NOT play the old guard of central defenders, Delaney and Hall look past it (or remarkably unfit/rusty). Sobowale and Minturn would add some pace and aggression to central defence alongside the experience of Wright. This would also allow us to play Mc Gregor who I can't believe has been left out, as he's probably our best player !

And the keeper ! Why does he persevere with Bycroft who looks like a frightened rabbit and has no commanding presence in the box. Yes he's a great shot stopper but he gives no confidence to those around him and must contribute to the shakiness of the defence. Must admit I'm not convinced about Barden but give him a go and see what he's like, otherwise we have to go hunting  for a keeper in January.

My favoured line-up would look something like

Barden

Sobowale
Wright
Minturn

McGregor
Ofoboroh
Kilkenny
Clarke
Cox

Smith
Glatzel

And that would leave us with a pretty strong bench with several players capable of changing things up a bit if required

Bycroft, Longelo, Freckleton, Cotterill, Butterworth, McGurk, Drinnan


The problem is, we all suspect that for Saturday it's gonna be that Holloways goes with that 'mad' selection of 'as you were' !!   :suicide:

Literally any formation that starts with a four would be an improvement.

I would try to start 4-2-3-1 and then go 4-4-2 later in the game if behind.

Its basic stuff. No idea why we seem to be forced to go with three at the back.

Well yeah, I think so.  I don't want this all thrown back in the faces of unsupportive fans.

Its difficult though, the life has been sucked out the fan base. People are angry. Its going to be really difficult.

Yes I agree - to be honest not sure if I want to go tomorrow if it's going to be a gloom fest - it's a two way process the fans need to give the team a lift and the team need to give the fans a lift. We don't want to go down irrespective of anything else - anyone who says we do is mad.

Just play 4-4-2 and try to still be in the game at HT please.

Just play more than two midfielder please. The best teams at this level keep it simple. Some variation of 442 to stop our midfield getting over run.

Fan in "wanting to cheer on his team" shocker😃

 :D

Listening to Holloway's interview not sure we will need a midfield on Sat - sounds like he wants to start playing very direct and forget trying to play football, I suspect he will be going for players that can run

Interesting how he talks about getting agents and contacts looking for type of player he wants - you wonder if his idea of using Jackson & Ameen is with a view to January and putting them in the shop window

I think you are right. In the pre match interview he alludes to there being negative elements in the squad. I assumed that referred to Smith too.

He also talked about:
- People who couldn't run - Hall? Longelo?
- Taking people out who needed a break - Delaney?
- Turning to youth - Minturn to start? Ameen and Gladzel up top? McGurk and/or Cain to play? Jaxxon Brown in goal?

I wondered whether Ofoborh fits into the not running or negative influence category or both? There must be something wrong there as both Kennedy and Holloway seem to overlook him, yet, when he gets on the pitch, he seems to do better than whoever he replaces in my eyes.

Do you think our persistence with 3 centre backs and 2 wing backs comes from further up the food chain? As mentioned by someone else earlier in the thread the definition of stupidity is continuing the same course of action but expecting different results. Holloway isn't stupid, you don't get to almost 1000 games in management without having some sort of nouse about you. I think it all stems from the board room still and with less stringent rules in the NL  is relegation a plan to wash some dirty money at the laundromat that is the County Ground.

Its not a bad thing to have people who can run. Think of the way that Payne and McKirdy did that for us.

As for the shop window, I fear that is exactly what will happen. But if so, I'd like to have Cain, McGurk and Glatzel on the pitch at the same time with Ofoborh/Clarke protecting then and adding some bite.

Shop window purely so they get some much needed money in and as Holloway alluded to, he wants to start playing kids. Is that another boardroom decision and he accepts as he wants his 1000 games. He can walk away saying budget restraints broken promises etc.  We're in a pressure cooker and I don't think it's time to blood a team full of kids to try and avoid the drop

I've had that thought from quite some time. Especially as each manager seems to come out with their own "DNA" quote.

But I argue against myself that no manager worth their salt would stick it. I don't think Ollie would be different.

I didn't like his initial interview, something like,
"I'm almost at 1000 games and that's a milestone."
He doesn't give a fuck about us, he wants some easy money and the 1000 games, there will be no blame on him because he couldn't work under the restrictions in place

"swords". That's the answer

Game will be off I reckon. 60mph winds all day.

Wasn't 2 weeks ago.

Doesn't look much different

If it is I hope they make an early decision, will be well pissed off if I travel down to find it’s off when we arrive 😢

just wind and rain, happens all the time

the fans had to bully garner into dropping 3-5-2. You can look at that 2 ways- the switch from 3-5-2 saved our season and got us into the playoffs or the flip of that, having it implemented for so long stopped us from getting automatic.

it very very rarely works at our level and it does my head in more when managers persist with things that don't work.  

Except that only Grimsby from the Top 7 actually play with a back four, the rest have some version of 3 CB’s.

It’s just that we don’t do it very well

I'm not sure we have every done 3 at the back very well under any manager

Sounds as though there will be plenty of changes in the team tomorrow. My guess is that Hall,  Kilkenny and Tshimanga will start on the bench with Delaney and Cox left out of the squad as all have played a large part of the last 2 games.

Think he will go with the following starting line up

                          Bycroft
Soborwale Minturn Wright Longelo
                 Clarke     Ofoborh
          Drinan   Glatzel   Ameen
                         Smith

Subs Barden Mcgregor Hall Kilkenny Brown Cotterill Tshimanga

Chance Deadwood v Fleetwood will be off tomorrow with Storm Darragh?

I am relatively new to Supporting Swindon, but am starting to loose hair and have an awful twitch going on, so wondering if this is par for the course? Am assuming some veterans on here will know the answers!!

On another note and back to the thread, I am baffled as to why Ollie is refusing to play certain players (Ofoborgh and Glatzel being the main ones). He talks about trying to win the ball back and in my view they are the ones who would be best at it as they get about a bit.

I don’t have much hope for tomorrow if I am honest. If the wind is up our go to ‘lump it up to Smith’ won’t work and we are just not over good playing out from the back so go knows how we are going to get near their box. Maybe if the wind is super strong their keeper might hoof one and the wind blow it back into his goal.

He also said he didn’t want to finish his career with what happened at Grimsby so he really does care. Whether that will translate into wins who knows.

Goal kicks are going to be absolutely incredible

Stevenage FA Cup game bad I reckon

It was approaching that v Morecambe!

It's forecast to be rubbish, but we are out of the worst of it. They never get the forecast wrong!

Does he or does he just want his 1000 game CV.

Had the Government warning on the phone here and have been helping neighbours safety-up their gardens. Suspect I won't be travelling to Swindon tomorrow. The six I was travelling with have thrown in the towel too. Stay safe all.

If you are getting phone warnings it's just not worth it

McGurk must've taken a dump every day in Holloway's graaaaveyaarrrd to not even be in contention. Unused sub now for a while even when he makes then matchday squad. Clearly doesn't come top in Hollowhead's fated shuttle run {that feels a bit PE Teacher/Former Drill Sergeant style to me, which is outdated as fuck. Fine have a shuttle run/bleep test/cooper twelve min run etc but don't let it be your fucking defining parameter for selection}.

My ideal Starting XI to go with and be settled on {meaning I would run with it for ten matches, bar injuries and suspensions and see how it looked}, would be something like this:


Sub: Bycroft, Delaney, New Utility FB/CB, Cox/Kilkenny, McGurk/Clarke, Butterworth, Ameen

The thinking behind this is both Sobo and Longelo can overlap with their respective McGregor and Cox/Kilkenny. Not too happy having Minturn in full time, but that would mean Delaney/Hall starts but they are either one of injured/crap. Minturn would be given the chance though to build a partnership with Wright. In a similar way that Scott Cuthbert became a better defender alongside Greer {I admit, this is somewhat the ''Wish or Temu'' version of that}. Delanely can at least come on and do 30mins on occasion and if not then it means Clarke or Ofoborh would have to fill in, which isn't ideal. A new CB is needed. Send back/sack off Freckleton and Hall.

Ofoborh in CDM should be the most organic position on the field, if he can't manage 90mins, then if Clarke starts in the No.10/free role, you drop him into CDM, to replace Nnamdi and McGurk comes on in the No.10/free role. There's some rotation that could be done here.

McGregor and Cox/Kilkenny should be comfortable. I'd favour Cox over Kilkenny purely from a defensive POV, when say Longelo overlaps. But again, it gives an element of rotation/cover in those positions.

McGurk/Clarke in No.10/free role. I favour McGurk but purely because I'd want to give him an actual run of games and see if he evolves there/makes it his own. Clarke could rotate in/out with either Ofoborh and McGurk as mentioned.

Glatzel and Smith just seems obvious really. If Smith is being a dick you give him some cool down time and whack Butterworth in. Ameen, should be to bring on when a game is comfortable/low risk. Rotate him with Glatzel occasionally to give him more first team mins. Likewise, Drinan can be on rotation with Butterworth and Smith.

This isn't necessarily the squad for tomorrow, but I'm saying with what is on the books, this is the First XI and Subs that I would like to see somewhat. Oh and a fucking manager that knows how to both utilise them and when to bring them in/out without quoting some absolute supernatural bollocks or saying they started a player because someone said he looked decent. I would say, if that somewhat normal cocktail existed at STFC, then it could mean a probable finish somewhere in mid table; I won't hold my breath.

Formation reads as:
4-1-2-1-2 or a 4-4-2 {Wide Pressing Diamond}. It has scope to easily adapt into a 4-1-3-2 or a 4-3-1-2 {taking off Ofoborh and playing both Clarke and McGurk} during a match.

McGurk hasn't been picked by several managers now.

The must be a reason

Same with Ofoborh really. They don't seem to impress in training for whatever reason. Unlike Tshimanga who must be the second coming of Pele in training...

But managers can then can swayed by whether a player is a pain to deal with in the week. We just see the player. We’re desperate for a spark, and he’s one of very few players in this squad that has a spark on occasion. I’ll take that over someone who says please and thank you to Holloway in the week and does well in his bleep test

I can never make my mind up with McGurk if he will make it or not. He has something about him but also doesn’t seem to have the physical attributes.

If he was a loan player, I don’t think I would be too bothered about him staying longer than his loan period.

McGurk isn’t suited to a struggling team at the bottom of the EFL.

Looks like the gate will be lower than expected, most trains into Swindon being slowly cancelled.

 McGurk might be a useful player when we're in the National League. In fact maybe we should look to bring Aguiar back, he's doing well at York  :clap:

Fair.

Like @trashbat I've not made my mind up either.

After being fairly confident it would be in today, I'm not so sure. But it's getting a bit late for the Fleetwood fans, and it is due to be better later

Holloway was singing McGurk's praises shortly after he arrived but we've barely seen him since when i thought we'd be seeing him starting most games. You also have to wonder why Leeds released him when their fans also seemed to think pretty highly of him as well...something seems to be not quite right...

He started him at Accrington away in the league and he conceded a needless free kick which Accrington scored second goal from, got out muscled and was ultimately subbed at half time.  Came on as sub against morcambe played a terrible pass that was cut out two kicks later and morcambe scored the winner.  McGurk needs to eliminate these brain fart moments else he should be nowhere near the football pitch as we cannot afford those mistakes.

Not the only player making them obviously but if he wants to get picked then that is basics.

This could also be the description of Butterworth, the odd magical moment with a lot of not very good sprinkled in between.

A team can have one of these players, without Butterworth in the team it makes sense to play McGurk instead.
However sense & logic don't seem to apply at STFC

Have a friend from Devizes who has decided not to travel, so don't think we will be heading down from Peterborough.

Shame the Orange hat won't get a run out before the 21st

All trains from west wilts (in any direction) are cancelled, so that'll be a few off the attendance

"This afternoon's attendance 6,805"  :D

Think it's been obvious for a while that club count tickets sold rather than numbers through the gates, imagine there will be quite a few empty seats that are otherwise sold

As highlighted before a number of these tickets may be purchased in cash from questionable (dirty) sources, and then paid out in admin fees (now clean & legal), Allegedly ;) .

Good job we don't have anyone with a history of money laundering hanging around the club, otherwise people's suspicions might be running wild  :clap:

Seriously if the authorities aren't taking a long hard look at us then wtf are they doing?

Wind tunnel in full operation

https://x.com/mrchrishull/status/1865362654207885400?t=Y7crSRRXfVEvfkxVaukvDw&s=19

shoot towards stratton bank first half and we MIGHT still be in the game at half time

Decided to attend, got my hat

Holloway becoming more like Sheridan every week!

https://x.com/ftfcknappers/status/1865376046033289281?s=46&t=zTEFtfTXjK-SAydvgY6uiw

Its getting toxic.

https://x.com/jkanalysis7/status/1865375843603665129?s=46&t=Ncud5JXhRsVcP2hgk7r_IQ

Well he does have a point,we need to get behind the team and they’re not helping. Leave the analysis to after the match.

 Well, I'm all ready to go  :hmmm:

Think I'll wait until I see the teamsheet........if he picks that familiar mad 'same again' team of 3 forwards including Tshimanga, 2 man 'get overun' midfield and a bunch of so slow old farts in the back line.......think I'll give it a miss !!  :zzz:

Are we now not permitted to criticise a team bottom of the entire football league ?

also not allowed to point out a formation that clearly isn't working should be changed, because he's managed (almost) a thousand games.

Note he’s not playing a three today - as I said, leave the analysis to after the game!

unless Clarke is in at CB 🤣

Awful weather where the match is going to a battle of attrition and he throws Brown in after throwing him under the bus in his last match. At this point Holloway clearly doesn’t have a clue.

Yeah but if you are slagging him off for playing a a 3 at the back prior to the game and he isn’t then that probably is a waste of energy.

Few changes, 3 academy lads starting in the league for I assume the first time in a while!

The 3 at the back argument hasn't spurned overnight. Its a point of contention for weeks.

Barden isn't great but fuck me he is better than Bycroft, so that is another positive.

I wouldn't bet against that.

He was playing there before he got injured wasn’t he?

But I wasn't

How the fuck Sobowale and Ofoborh can’t get in our present shit show I really don’t know.

Relegation by design.

Is he going 4 at the back with McGregor, a winger who was converted to wingback but certainly isn't a fullback? Is he sticking Brown there again because Brown does good shuttle runs? Is Clarke part of a 3?

Well I've seen the teamsheet and I'm relieved to see changes so the optimist in me is looking forward to seeing a different Swindon today !
Only thing is, I haven't got an orange hat yet !  :(

In the worst team performance in more than a decade on Tuesday Sobowale was the worst player on the pitch. He absolutely needed dropping today. Ofoborh I don't know what he's done wrong.

No McGurk again

yeah really worrying that as one of our better players capable of doing something.

But he's not done it.

Ok he hasn't played much, but he's not contributed to this season in a good or bad way

The list of players who've contributed positively isn't long!

Clarke is playing at the back by the looks of it.

It's a bold move cotton.

No Hall or Delaney is a good start

Wow our "Rodri" is playing CH

Fucking Clarke at RCB. Just when I felt a tad optimistic he was willing to change things.

GET T F IN!!!!!

1-0

‘A truly ugly goal from Harry Smith’

Happy days. Our formation seems to have confused them into conceding.

Bit of a gift defensively there from Fleetwood. Take it all day.

Need to be a couple up at half time and hope the wind abates

I’ll take that over Hall or Delaney every day of the week…

We're an absolute bomb scare at the back even facing gale force winds going in the opposite direction. Any chance of another gift Fleetwood? 

Going to need a couple of goals this half

Twice Smith has headed to one of our players from a long ball. Possibly the two times he’s done it this whole season.

Only game we’ve had players around him probably helps…

Grimsby one up at Morecambe, what could go wrong.

2-0 FFS,   We’ll get nose bleed !!.

2-0

2-0 Smith

Happy days. It's not going to be a highlights game this but god we need the win!

Need to press home the advantage. Still like 1 or 2 more by half time

Cracking play from Minturn to get on the end of that corner & head it back across…

Smith on for a hat trick with only 30 minutes gone.

I hold my hands up, I was completely wrong about Harry Smith.

Anyones thoughts on if it was over? kind of hard to see but thought it was more likely the ball had gone out already than it wasn't over the line with the way the wind is.

Either way will take it.

Expecting them to score 3 or 4 ??  🤭🤭🤭

Fleetwood look absolutely in bits. Need to finish them off now.

I didn't think it was, but i will absolutely take it..

Cox should have scored from that free kick. If it had been on target it would have been in. Goalie didn’t look great

I think we need another before half time. Barden is shitting himself every time the ball gets near him even with the wind in his favour.

We need a new keeper desperately.

I thought it was out when Minturn headed it back and then not over the goal line.

The only thoughts that count are those of the referee

and the lino who called it, obviously.

Well, I thought it was in…

I don’t care,  it counts !!.

Stone wall pen given as outside the box......not sure it was.

Sounds like things are going our way today for a change.

Charlie Adam booked presumably for expecting a pen and the freekick goes at the wall.

Going to be like the Alamo in the second half. Really need a third.

Agree.

Morecambe 2-0 down at Crewe, maybe it is our day.   

Asst. ref.'s job is to be looking down the goal line to discern whether it had crossed the line.  The ref. had a view not along the goal line, and has to go with his assistant.

Glad he did!

Can't say I'm looking forward to the second half here but a two goal lead is a cushion of sorts. Better.

Batch called it :D

I hold my hands up re. Smith. He's getting goals and no shortage of team spirit in the celebrations.

I mean - we did what we needed to do when we needed to do it.
Which is an improvement on recent weeks.
Hopefully we can continue this way in the second half rather than sitting back & inviting Fleetwood on

Good half

Clarke is a real talker/organiser at the back.

It looks very tricky indeed defending the bank. Going to need to dig in big time imo

What’s the betting Hollowhead makes a raft of changes, we go to pieces and get beat?

You do almost need to play entirely different tactics playing in each direction here to be fair.

Don't joke. Oh, you weren't joking!

A second half as good as the first and you have to say that is a Holloway masterclass. Exactly what we needed. Fleetwood look absolutely terrible.

Sophisticated kick and rush for the next 45 or so should suffice.

You mean business as normal?.

3-0 Smith hat trick.

3-0 Smith

Gosh that's a nerve settler

What a hit that is

If we can get score another 3 I think we might see this out…

Well I never!!!! GET UP!

Penalty to the Town.

Penalty now (Smith to miss it?)

Glatzel up

Glatzel, hit the woodwork. 

Missed

Why are we so shit at penalties? :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

Obligatory Cotterill appearance

Browns played well imo

Don’t understand why no action against the keeper!

Thats Glatzel’s season in a nutshell!

We're good at em ain't we?

Could you see my orange hat behind the goal?  :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

Glad the fans were wrong and the manager was right today .

Steady on.

There is still half an hour left to play…

3-1.

Here comes the collapse…

3-1

Oh dear! Here we go!

I have a bad feeling now

You know what's going to happen...

Same old story, miss a penalty and pile the pressure on ourselves.

It's going to be fine  :toocool:

Please don’t bring Rylan on! 😢

Give it a rest. We've not even won yet and we still look wafer thin at the back.

Ifollow showing us a close up of Charlie Adam while it sounds like we're almost conceding.

Fuck sake.
Why are we bringing Hall on

To make a game of it?

The first mistake was bringing Cotterill on rather than Ofoborh

I would have brought Sobowale on for Glatzel

Big save by Barden!

A lot of the changes today show that the fans were right, the only thing that is different is 3 at the back, but the personel changes are still what the fans were asking for - and let's face it, it's not a conventional 3 at the back

Good save from Barden. Striker should have been given offside

They completely fell asleep there. Good save from Barden who hasn't inspired confidence at other points today

Fuck sake Barden!

Leaves it, hits post and rolls along goal line

Here’s the Alamo!

BARDEN WHAT THE FUCK ARE DOING THERE!?

Fu ck me sideways, Barden!

What was Hall doing for that corner?

Why are we crossing corners to the box?

Shithouse it in the corner!!

Minturn is panicking! 3 mistakes in last 5 mins!

Can ifollow stop with the random super close ups in the middle of key action for fuck sake?

Sobowale and Ofoborh coming on soon

That's coz Hall's come on!

Clarke and Cox off

I know how he feels!

We were in total control until the subs were doing our best to throw it away
If we don’t win this Holloway needs to shoulder the blame with his subs

Drinan and McGregor look spent

Oh and Smith will gone in January

😂

Possibly mcgregor too. Keeping either will be huge.

A week ago, no one would look twice at our players🙂

Some great tackles today, another from mcgregor there.

Yeah they’ll be used as collateral to fund Holloways transfer window

They should have scored then!

How has he not scored there?

With the unique conditions, I think it's hard to say that this is a corner turning performance or a tactical breakthrough, but hopefully at least a bit of confidence back and three points are absolutely welcome.

FT 3-1.

Fuck me, we won

We’ve gone to shit now and are like rabbits in headlights.
Only poor finishing in the last 10ish minutes have kept us in it

3-1 FT

stewards enquiry. 

It felt a lot more workman like than some of the previous games.
Today we actually looked a bit more like a team fighting for our lives.

We were well in control of the game before the subs.  Baffling choices by Holloway again

A huge win with everyone around us losing! Thank God!

Cotterill has to be contractual right?

Workman like victory definitely sums it up but we made it hard for ourselves in the 10ish mins

Massive three points. Carlisle have a game in hand now so bot properly out of the bottom two but every win is going to be massive now.

We won and Morecambe, Tranmere, Harrogate and Accrington all lost.

About as good as today could have gone. Out of the bottom two (for now).

For me Hall is the weak link.  Not a fan of Cotterill would have preferred Ofborh over him

Massive 3 points and most crucially above the dotted line for now

Different conditions, the odd break against us or smarter oppo and we would have lost that from 3-0 + pen.

Three points is all that matters.  Some good showings but not consistently throughout the game.  Drinan was a workhorse and Clarke a captain today.  And then 'Arry.  A beast and a c**t.  Works in L2 in these conditions   :pint:

We did a win! Delighted with that.

Very happy to have 3 slices of humble pie over Harry Smith. He scores goals and is going to be vital for us. Have we now settled on Smith, Drinan and Glatzel as our best front 3?

I can only go by the usual clips on Twitter but it seemed McGregor was heavily involved in everything good. Barden looks shaky as fuck as well, thankfully not as bad as Fleetwood's who gifted us the first and the penalty.

In a funny way, going out of the FA Cup could be a blessing in disguise whilst it's a (obviously money spinning) distraction for Accrington and Morecambe. Tranmere appear to be really struggling and we've reeled them in today.

Christmas is a busy period and having McGregor, Minturn and Brown now as integral parts of the first team squad as well as Clarke back from injury, things are looking, well I wouldn't say better, but less bleak.

Let's enjoy it today, well in.

We all complained about Cotterill coming on, but, actually, he didn't do too bad.

Barden is as bad as Bycroft. Need another goalie
Cox wasn't that good for me today.
Wright had 2 good freekicks that he should  have scored from. Was good with Minturn and Clarke
Minturn was very good in the first half and first part of the second half. The mistakes started to come in just before Hall came on.
Clarke is not a CB but he helped organise the backline. If only we still had Harley Hunt then we could sack off Hall and Delaney
Brown did OK on debut. Nice and tiday
Kilkenny was is normal self
McGregor had another 'solid' game
Glatzel had another poor game. Couldn't control the ball
Drinan ran his socks off and was good out of possession
Smith had a strikers game. Excellent finish for the 3rd. Used his size for the 2nd and poached the first.
Hall made us look weaker
Sobowale added energy, pace and poor decisionmaking with passing
Cotterill did nothing for 10 mins and then was very good at running out with the ball and wasting time
Ofoborh didn't do much himself, but helped Cotterill play
 

Same. Never been so happy to be proven so very wrong.

(If they are the ones I saw from the clips) that's a bit harsh, they were both 30 yards+!!

I think you’re seriously over estimating professional footballers as a whole if your classing those Wright free kicks as ‘should have scored’

How many players regular score 25 yarder free kicks?

Odd to say somebody should have scored from a free kick imo… they’re never easy

I assume you mean 'test the keeper' maybe?

I meant 'get them on target and would have scored as their keeper was rubbish and was nowhere near them'.

Holloway:
- Simplified things: Glad we did it with the weather for today
- We were so predictable, so made it a lot harder to make a mistake, and play in their half a bit more than we have been doing.
- It was a shock to Charlie Adam. He expected us to pass it around the back
- We had runners in the team that made a big difference and was a shock to Fleetwood
- The ones who came in had a fresher mindset than those they replaced
- We showed our horrible side again when they scored
- We shouldn't feel that nervous again
- A vital step for us to see that, when we do this, we totally deserve it
- Clarke is a brilliant player. He sets the tone on how to tackle someone.
- He's an energiser, which was why he played in the backline, who were struggling
- Holloway was going to drop Wright as Holloway thought he was carrying something
- Delaney looked tired
- Minturn did well and showed his pace
- We looked better when Hall came on. (Huh ??!!??!!?)
- A great step forward for the team
- Almost damaged ourselves by missing a penalty and giving Fleetwood some hope and confidence
- Have to 'make it' happen rather than 'let it' happen. That's the difference
- Barden came in to mentally freshen it up. Bycroft didn't agree but took it well
- You can feel sorry for yourself very easily. Holloway isn't having that#
- Definition of madness (blah, blah). Same people with fresher mindset
- We shot and hit the bar. But we should have put it in areas where we could have done something. Adam wont be happy as we won most things in the air
- That's the benchmark for Holloway. That was a team that he would be happy to put his name on
- Holloway is not carrying baggage, but the club is carrying lots of baggage (ie Performances on the pitch worstening)
- McGregor was wonderful, wonderful, wonderful
- Him and Brown's souls were out there. The freshness and fearlessness. Big gamble for Holloway, and wouldnt have done it without Clarke out there
- Only need another 16 of those and Holloway will be happy
- Pressurise the other team rather than pressurise themselves
- Praised Glatzel for his effort and looking like scoring
- Smith: He had the horror of relegation with Sutton in his veins from last year. He didn't realise he was being negative. Told him to be more positive for the team. Now, there's a real CF performance! He's a modest lad and would probably praise his team mates for putting him through
- Smith wanted Glatzel to take the penalty and get a goal.
- Holloway missed the penalty as went for a pee. Heard the groans from the crowd
- More than happy seeing his team fight and play that way
- His wife will enjoy the weekend more than she has the last couple when we have lost

 great to get some points . perhaps the storm will mean that the tide starts to rise a bit .

Couple of things worry me about that interview. First he says he was really happy to get Hall on and says Delaney wasn't "dropped" just rested, indicating that they are both still first choice.
Still 3 points is brilliant, shame it's taken him half a dozen games to leave Tshimanga off the pitch

- Smith: He had the horror of relegation with Sutton in his veins from last year. He didn't realise he was being negative. Told him to be more positive for the team. Now, there's a real CF performance! He's a modest lad and would probably praise his team mates for putting him through

That's a telling quote, hopefully we see less of the attitude and more goals

Since the 4th league game of the season Harry Smith has at least had a Red card, Goal, Assist or Own goal in every game (last 11 games). Let’s just say he’s very busy.

Very not only did he score the goals he was getting back to defend. I know some fans knock but he’s always supported the team from front to back

.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9c9cj238dI

Only saw from afar but if this was the same Guy giving abuse to Holloway and a some of players going into the ground then he needs to stop being a snowflake.  If you’re gonna abuse someone don’t expect people to tolerate it

Probably best player on the pitch outside of the hatrick.

Many games Smith has been our best defender.
Could probably extent his career a few years by dropping back to CB when he hits his mid 30s

Yep.  The last player to do that, that I can remember was Kolo Toure

Kolo Toure was always a defender wasn't he?

Dion Dublin and Gary Doherty were two that switched between CF and CB. Tommy Mooney too weirdly had a spell at CB before moving back up front.

Early career he started out as a winger / striker but made his career as a defender at Arsenal

https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/first-team/134954-10-facts-about-kolo-toure


5. Having played as a winger or a striker in the very early stages of his career, Toure reverted to a defensive midfield role before eventually being deployed as a defender.  After initially being a utility player for Arsenal, the 32-year-old consolidated his position at the heart of their defence and has remained a centre-back ever since.

Plenty of orange today.

Got the signing going and a few joining in.

“We are Olly’s red and White army - we want Clem out.”
Got quite loud at one point.

Good battling performance 🙌🙌

Never knew that and I was really in to my football around this time. Didn't really know much of him before Arsenal though tbf.

Love it.

What stand was this?

Chris Sutton dropped back into midfield towards the end of his career. Not sure he ever got as far as centre back.

There are probably more in the lower leagues but probably not well known enough to come up in conversation

I remember when we signed Mooney and playing FIFA and he was on there as a CB for Birmingham and wondering what the hell we were doing.

The DR towards the TE.

Chris Sutton started his playing career at Norwich as a centre half before being converted to a centre forward.

Good interview. Honest and open, no quirkiness or ghost talk... more of the same please Ollie...

Spot on, honest and keeps his explanations simple.

Really pleased with the effort today. Everyone trying to win the ball back and press. Lots of players starting to gas towards the end and you could tell as fleetwood had more of the ball. Front 3 worked their socks off.

Yeah I’m pretty sure I’m not too far in front of you, saw some of you singing with your orange hats, well done for getting something going 👍

Amazed at the amount of people around me asking why I and so many around us were wearing orange hats, just goes to show not everyone uses social media.

Really, really good today, given the conditions. It’s such a cliche, but we wanted it more than them. It’s usually the other way around. Cox’s interception in the build up to the 3rd summed it up. And well played Harry Smith. 3 goals, and some great hold up play, helped by having Glatzel nearby, who was also very good. Onwards.

And good to see the number of orange hats on show.

Perfect hat trick wasn't it?
Right foot, header, left foot.

Extended Highlights

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

yep :nod:

Somehow, since Tuesday, they’ve all been injected with some desire. And it’s good to see. I feel some actual hope.

Different players helped

I thought Glatz looked a shadow of the player I think he can be.

But still miles better then Tishmanga

Effort and desire brings a win. Who would've known. Best I've seen them this season.

That was such a needed win. Lots more fight and winning the second ball(especially first half). Also nice to see Glatzel sporting his ‘Clem out’ orange boots 👍

Fuck me! Football CAN be enjoyable :pint:

But you’ve only seen them twice this season. 😂😂😂
Now you know what quality football you’ve been missing.

3 times now  ;)

It's sad to watch. He doesn't look anything like the player we saw last season. Glatz and Smith sounds like it should be a decent partnership but he looks painful average at this level. Maybe it's because he hasn't really had a run of games and we dont have any pacey players around him, but even so, i expect better from him when he's on the ball.

Agreed, it’s pretty close but i’d argue this years squad is better than our one from Jan-May so i’m surprised he’s declined as much as he has.

don't like the shade of the orange hats - they look rather dull

Mine is luminous

It's only ones people have bought themselves so far isn't it? Doubt anyone has even received the 'official' variant.

My unofficial has arrived and is very bright.

Believe 500 free ones were handed out yesterday.

ah, mine is original and very bright (and free), so go bright my friends

Was good to see several orange hats. Good to get a win.

Clarke is probably integral to Town staying up.

Glatzel has mostly played his best/partnered well when both he and McGurk have been on the pitch at the same time. It just hasn't happened much. I honestly believe that if you give a run of games to a trio of Glatzel, Smith and McGurk, it will yield consistent fruits.

People can of course say ''three managers haven't rated McGurk'' or similar but I don't believe he's been given enough of a run. Effectively wasting the development of a potential good talent and more importantly to the likes of this board...a significantly saleable asset. IF he was at somewhere like Peterborough, they'd likely have blood him correctly, got him plenty of game time in the right comps, as well as league mins and he'd probably be worth about 5mil {I'm ready for the pelters but Posh have a habit of selling assets at higher cost than most would initially think but their reputation for development adds more dollar}

Anyway, decent win. No supernatural post-match stuff from the haunted one. Still not keen on him personally. Going to be a very interesting January.

Merry Christmas, ya basterds.

Just remembered Freckleton existed, not been in any the last 7 squads (not complaining). Defo goes back in Jan…

He apparently got injured in the behind closed doors friendly v Rovers weeks ago.

So we'll see if that's an excuse.

Hopefully he isn't another one Holloway seems to think is brilliant and only misses out through other means.

I heard at about 1pm that Clarke was playing CB and that filled me with dread, turns out I was wrong.

For all the shit aimed at Holloway in the last week or 2 he came up trumps on Saturday with a winning formula which he can take credit for.

Fleetwood looked shellshocked from the off and we were absolutely full of running and totally in control all game, the last 10 mins were a bit shaky after he made a few wrong subs (IMO). If Glatz hadnt slipped on the penalty then the win would have been bigger.

Barden was rarely in trouble other than 1 error early on and he could do little about that finish that beat him, mad a good save late on too and his kicking was pretty good considering the wind. He did make a howler though with the shot that hit the post but got away with it.

Minturn had a near faultless 1st half but made a few bad mistakes in the 2nd, probably his best game for the club anyway.

Clark seemed to play in a Beckenbaur style position, sat in or just a little in front of the 2 CB's winning balls and starting moves, he looked very comfortable there and was close to being MotM on his return from injury.

Wright some of his passing was wayward which is understandable in the conditions and he had a couple of free kicks that were very close, had a decent game overall though.

McGregor looks lost in his last couple of games but was back to his best, made some great runs and looked dangerous down the right all game, a very solid performance

Cox managed to beat his man a couple of times and got some good crosses in for a change, for me he looked decent too.

Kilkenny was close to being my MotM he didn't stop running and passing all game, exactly what he should be doing at this level, hes a quality player but hasn't been near the level we know he can be, probably his best game for us on Saturday IMO.

Brown dipped in and out of the play, didn't look out of place at all and looked twice the player King was when he was here.

Glatzel ran around a lot and tried to fill the hole between midfield and attack, looked off the pace a bit for periods but still made a few good plays, one setting up a FK just outside the box, his penalty looked good but he lost his footings as he struck it or that would have been 4-0, he is looking low on confidence though.

Drinan ran around a lot and put a couple of good crosses in, he may not be the most skilful player but he puts in a shift he just lacks final ball quality.

Smith was obviously MotM, he look all 3 goals well, the tackle on the keeper for the first scared the keeper as he thought he had won it, the 2nd he was in the right place to knock it in with his head, the 3rd was a great pull back and finish worthy of any league, and then he won the penalty, a really good performance by him.

Cotterill looked better when he came on that he has done in most games he has played, he created a few things and had some shots.

Ofoborh came on and did a fair bit of running and pressing.

The other subs didn't contribute much.

A really good workman like performance all round and we looked eager to win after Tuesdays shite.

It does show we have it in us if we get the ball forwards with speed.

Well done for coping way better with the awful conditions.

I think, for me - that was the first game where we played like a team actually fighting for our lives. Rather than a team that didn’t seem remotely bothered about anything…

Agree on this, we actually looked like we wanted to get out of this situation for the first time.

I am not sure it had actually sank in with the players until this week that there is no lower that they can get in the league and it took that eye opener to make them realise that maybe they had to make an effort.

^ what DV said

I hope we see that in every game now.

I'm cautiously optimistic we've got fight in us.

Cautious because I believe the Fleetwood defensive line was a second string. A bit like Newport.

But we thoroughly deserved the win. Not trying to take anything away.

Same here. The conditions also give it another reason it could be more of a one off win. But like DV said the main positive to take seemed to be the change in attitude. If we don't fix that then we've got no chance.

I was certain we were down after Colchester.

But if Fleetwood were that bad and sitting 15th, then perhaps we do have a shot.

It took him too long to realise Minturn and McGregor should be playing and Tshimanga shouldn't but if that side is the one to take us forward,fair enough. Like others cautiously optimistic but worried that this erratic manager can't wait to get Hall and Delaney back in the starting eleven

Asides Doncaster/Walsall i’ve not seen any sides come to the CG and think they was great. Such a shit league again…

I haven't seen a single game this season where I didn't think "we could beat this team if we weren't so shit".

This.

Surely that’s the very essence of actually being shit.

Yeah but he said 'so shit' like if we were a bit less shit we'd do ok.

I understand where he's coming from. The whole league is pretty shit.