Thetownend.com

Big game.
Need to bounce back from the dreadful performance on Saturday.

Swindon 0-2 Tranmere att: 8,621 (632 away)

I really wouldn't look too much into the cup performance.

Plymouth lost 5-1 at Grimsby, Northampton lost too. I expect those two to bounce back next week.

You're keen it's only Monday😀

Got tickets for this earlier. Moved further down the DRS nearer the Town End this time.

Tranmere are a very solid unit who will likely be setup to frustrate us. I can see it being low scoring and possibly a 1-0 win, not sure which way.

Swindon 2 Tranmere 1 Att: 8,870 (650 wannabe scoucers)

 It will be a hard fought game.  Probably a 2-2 draw.

I seem to remember when we played Manchester City in the 90's when they were shite, the p.a. played wall to wall Oasis. Can we expect that, for the visit of Tranmere, Half Man Half Biscuit wil be the order of the day?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqpJ6XYykHE

2-1 Town and back to winning ways. 8,345 (572 Tranmere)

I think we will see a step change in the return of a few regulars, namely FBT and BG. The only reservation I have is the unknown quantity of the shit show / world beaters that start at CB

Can only hope

There were a few games played last night. (the games in hand that were called off after the Queen died)

Wimbledon shocked Wellens' league leaders Orient 2-0, 7th place Carlisle drew 3-3 at Harrogate, Salford and Mansfield who started the night in 8th and 9th remain in those positions after both sides lost. The latter getting beat 2-1 at home to Bradford who leapfrog us into 5th on goal difference. It's pretty tight so a good November and Christmas period should hopefully see us somewhere in or around the automatic places.

Saturday's opponents Tranmere are 5 points behind us in 10th.

1-0 (Adeloye)

With the improved squad depth we have this season, I reckon we'll do better than last season

With a good run of results I do also think we could easily get into the autos, the standard of the league this season for me is weaker than last season.

We just need consistancy.

Agreed.

I call it end of November and i havent been wrong yet...without predicting the exact position. I said we would just miss out last November...Hate myself for being right!

Auto promotion is there for the taking for sure.

you were 3 penalty misses away from being wrong. its got to be there this time and i would think the board would want to strengthen in january this time to ensure it does happen

If you give benefit of the doubt of dropping out the cups - at least we can concentrate on the league - tolerence for inconsistency starts to drop, epecially in this xmas run up.

Stregthening in january is easier to call for if it's a no brainer to strengthen auto claim, rather than investing for a risky playoff chance.

no need to take the piss 😁

And some new blood in January. With the Twine, McKirdy and Williams windfalls they can’t say we don’t have the funds.

I’d imagine the Twine/McKirdy money has already been allocated/spent. That lump of debt reduction probably.

Clear the debts is number 1 priority after selling a player.

I would prefer to have a club rather than a star player.

Possibly, however, until that money is in the bank you’d be foolhardy to count it into a budget.

Whilst I agree that clearing the debts (especially given the increasing interest rates) is absolutely the number 1 priority there definitely needs to be some element of investing for the future and building on the good crowds we've been enjoying recently. Given the debt trajectory seen in the Advisory Board minutes, we are on track to get debt free by the end of this season, especially with the Williams/Jojo windfall that I assume were not budgeted for.

It will be interesting to see how our recruitment goes in January, we already have a decent looking squad, some of it depends on any loan recalls but we are in a fairly good place and adding a couple might be all we need to push on towards promotion. Perhaps the club also might want to look towards tying players like Clayton etc onto longer term deals.

And offload some ‘dead wood’. Players who since arriving have not shown what the ‘moneyball’ system suggested were a good punt.

If we are losing, can we switch the floodlights off again?

surely the McKirdy cash will be used to fund jephcott should we activate the purchase clause .

Twine money will have gone part on playing budget, part on debt.

I'm sure we will if we can. Who will buy them though

Only debt that has an element of interest attached or impedes the club would, should and has been paid. The rest in due course under a managed payment plan. Leaving as much liquid money as possible. Getting out of this league has to be and mo doubt is a priority. The only way that happens is with better players, which is where every spare penny should be spent. Money like success attracts money and success. Only paying what you need to when you need this the key to fiscal prudence.

Who are we talking here? Harries and Adeloye I presume?

Harries is only on a year deal so potentially we could mutually agree to terminate his contract so he can get a national side, or we could loan him to a national side with them picking up a % of his wages, so they get a 6 month 'trial' as he's almost certainly not going to get a contract extension in July. Tomi is on a 2 year deal and I still think he hasn't really been given enough of a crack of the whip to tell whether he is a total cart-horse or not. Again, perhaps a loan to a National league side for 6 months could work for him?

Am I forgetting anyone (i'm sure I almost certainly am!)

Agree.

I keep saying Harries is the worst of the new batch of signings but I honestly forgot Adeloye existed. Different positions but equally baffling.

I wasn't really thinking in specific players, more just a general point that if there is 'dead wood' to be got rid of them there won't be a big queue.

Feel bad for Harries but he looked nowhere near. I don't get a warm feeling for Adeloye, but he's not had much game time either

Harries was allegedly a Garner signing which makes sense as his only attribute appears to be his passing. (which hasn't been that good either)


I'm not sure there is a huge pile of dead wood about, unfortunately the longer the season goes poor Frenchie is looking like he might be 'boie mort' if he continues to put in merde performances.

Half the debt is interest free - loans from the EFL (three years to pay it back, so it will be around for a while yet).  While the majority of the rest is contract disputes, which you would hope we won't need to pay all of it back, otherwise, why is it in dispute?

Conner Brann dislocated his knee at Stockport.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0c5GPL3E-e0

With all due respect, we all ought to know the EFL and hardship loans were interest free, so those were the ones I referred to as keeping them on the books with a payment plan. The other debts which attract interest and impede our credit rating are the ones to pay down ASAP. Which it would appear we have and then as you alluded to the ones where we are fighting back via the legal process to defend, which IIRC the club have said there is monies put aside to pay if we have to. All in all all good in da hood. Innit?

When we talk about our curren financial situation it is no longer with wide eyed panic or a sense of fuck me here we go again. Take out the Citeh ‘windfall’ and you have a semi ordinary season (play offs and associated income from slightly higher gate receipts towards the back end of the season), then when you factor in the debts that have been paid off and operating costs kind of putting aside out diggers initial cash injection to get us out the shyte and keep the ball rolling, you then get to see how much Pee Lower was taking from the club, every fucking year.

With all due respect? what are you on about, I can not see a point in your ramblings

You’re in good company. They’re also special.

Should Jonny Williams play tomorrow?
There must be a temptation by the club to protect the money so to speak.

If he does play, then there'll be a collective wince every time he gets clipped.

Lindsey didn’t sound certain, either. Also hinted FBT could play CB - probably in place of Baudry.

Angus and Clayton progressing ahead of schedule. Looking for a freebie keeper.

Tough game tomorrow. I’ll forego my usual piece of piss 4-1 for a more prosaic 3-1.

Probably spend most of his time on the deck looking for fouls.

:D

I didn't realise that they had signed Jordan Turnbull in the Summer.

Thier results this season have been...(most recent at the top)

L Carlisle      2-1 Tranmere *FA
D Tranmere  0-0 Stockport
L Tranmere   0-2 Carlisle
D Tranmere  1-1 Rochdale
D Harrogate 1-1 Tranmere
W Crewe      0-1 Tranmere *PJT
W Tranmere 3-0 Crewe
W Sutton     0-2 Tranmere
L Tranmere  3-5 Leeds *PJT
W Tranmere 1-0 Barrow
W Walsall     0-1 Tranmere
W Salford    0-1 Tranmere
L Tranmere  1-2 Bradford
L Orient       2-0 Tranmere
W Tranmere  2-0 Colchester
L Tranmere   1-2 Newcastle *LC
L Newport     2-1 Tranmere
D Hartlepool 0-0 Tranmere
W Tranmere  3-0 Gillingham
D Accrington 2-2 *LC
L Mansfield   1-0 Tranmere
L Tranmere   1-2 Stevenage

Their leading scorers are Elliott Nevitt on 5, Kane Hemmings and Josh Hawkes on 4 with 7 players on a single goal. Nevitt won POTY last season in his first season as a league player aged 25, he also won goal on the month for January. Nevitt had a great rise from playing just a year and a half ago in the Northern Premier League Division One West for Warrington Rylands and has scored 14 goals in 67 appearances since then.

In the league they currently sit in 10th place, 4 places lower than Swindon with 7 wins, 4 draws and 6 defeats, scoring 18 and conceding 13 goals.

They havent won in the league in the last 4 games drawing 3 of those. Tranmere have kept 9 clean sheets so far this season and are very hard to break down having conceded only 13 times in the league, which is the 2nd lowest total in L2 only behind Orient on 11.

The Hibs money for Harry is being paid in instalments. If he is having as bad a time up there as the press suggests and either he walks or is pushed before the instalments are paid. Where does that leave us? Can Hi s refuse to stump up the rest as they didn’t get what they thought they were buying.

Absolutely not. You don't sign a player and if he's shit pay less?*

*Unless it was heavily built in with appearance fees, goals and position. Which I don't think for the amount we would have done as more clubs were interested

Some clubs still pay transfer instalments for players even though they have signed for another 2/3 clubs since the original transfer

Spot on. If Hibs were to sell him for less it's their loss.

Already missing London and no surprises.

I’m honestly struggling to understand why he even considered going there.

Scores goals for Hibs and uses them as a stepping stone to Rangers or Celtic and then onto the Prem. A boy can dream.

He reminds me of a young Charlie Nicholas😀

I can think of 8 thousand reasons a week.

Will we have a keeper on the bench today?

Youth team goalkeeper on the bench

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FhXk2WPXEAA2ePG?format=jpg&name=4096x4096)

Yikes! Harries starts. No Williams

Probably got a slight niggle😀

Didn’t realise Williams would be gone for today’s game.
6/1 to score anytime doesn’t look great odds now.

Disappointing not to start with Williams but understandable, Harries, hmmmm not so sure on that one, hes not impressed me yet.

If that is to save Williams for Wales,I can understand not wanting to miss out on the compensation but still fucking annoying if that's the case

Is it not refunded if he doesn't play?

Winced at Harries starting. Hope he proves me wrong.

Williams was available but just not picked, understandably.

I wonder if Harries is going to sit at the defensive point in the diamond with FBT CB and Iandolo left back.

…or wether Harries goes in at CB FBT LB and Iandolo into midfield
…or whether FBT goes in at CB and Harries LB

Is Harries playing as a defender or some kind of midfielder?

People said the same about Brennan 3/4 games ago

Presume now,thinking about it, Iandolo replaces Williams and Harries replaces him at left back.

God help us!

Fair but would there have been any harm sticking on the bench and then having the option to chuck him on for the last 10 if we are chasing the game

There are many options, I hope FBT plays at LB though as Iandolo is not a fullback, would rather Iandolo sat in front of FBT on the wing with Khan in the "guard dog" position in front of the defence.

                  Brynn
Hutton  Brennan   Harries  FBT
                    Khan
Darcy         Gladwin      Iandolo
       Wakeling    Jephcott

or play Ian Dolo sat back a bit too in front of the defence

                  Brynn
Hutton  Brennan   Harries  FBT
            Khan        Iandolo
Darcy                           Gladwin    
       Wakeling    Jephcott

Harries at LB I reckon

Personally I hope we dont play with the 3 CB's whichever way we line up.

Warming up as a 4.
FBT at LB, Harries next to Brennan.

Edit: Now it's Ellis, FBT, Harries & Brennan!

FWIW that would be my selection choice as I stated previously, 3 at the back just doesnt work with this squad.

iFollow has the line up as a 433 with Iandolo wide left and Wakeling wide right.

How does Reed not get in this XI?

Because Khan plays his position better. based on reeds form so far this season anyway.

why move a bunch of pieces around when you can just keep something that's working the same?

Got a bad feeling about this one.

Not sure about Rockin' Robin's poppy cape.

Ditto.

The team lacks a shape when Williams is not playing and defensively I think we could struggle too at CB.

Isn't the whole point that a lone bugler plays the last post?

Here we go. Gonna be an interesting game.

Just noticed Shade isn't on the bench. That's going to make the 70th minute substitute more interesting!

Arkells look busy.

Hawes suggests it will be 352. Hmmm.

I just mentioned the same to Batch, hes a good option off the bench normally.

Looking like 3 at the back so far. But is is pretty flexible.

Politely, you'd have to say the early stages have lacked quality.

Iandolo wins a Williamsesque soft free kick there!

Full of energy but not much quality for sure.

Bollocks to quality today. Just get 3 points.

0-1

Been coming, Tranny have started much better than we have.

Well, that goal was pretty much a defensive shape error. Harries well ahead of Brennan.

Harries and Brennan both stood looking at each other and at Brynn without trying to get to the ball.

Harries is fucking shite. We've got no chance.

We are all over the place, can barely string 3 passes together.

I think we're trying to play 4 at the back in possession, 5 out of it. It's not quite working at the moment but I think that's the plan.

Yes it does look that way with FBT drifting wider when we have the ball and pulling in tighter when we dont have it, we are just all over the place possionionally doing that and its not working.

Phil Smith on commentary is so incredibly painful to listen to

Not as painful as watching this shite

It’s close…

We are still suffering the post Mansfield hangover, we look a totally different side to that game.

Excellent tackle by Harries there to save us.

Tranny are ripping holes in our defence with quick passing, Khan and Gladwin both getting caught in position so far and Tranny are playing much better on the ball than us.

Seeing the difficulty the three defenders are having finding a pass to anyone who isn't one of themselves shows where we miss an in form Reed, he comes and collects those balls and starts us moving forward. On paper central midfield is our strongest position but those guys have barely had a touch so far, it's all passes between the back three and then a long ball forward to Hutton/nobody depending on how charitable you feel.

Hutton backheel to Darcy in the box who shoots from an angle but its pushed away by the keeper, 1st shot of the day for us.

1-1 Wakeling, great cross from Hutton Wakeling scores from 3 yards.

Lovely! Hutton has been our main (only) threat and that is great. Probably not deserved but who gives a fuck.

There we go. Bit of pressure on them, using the threat of Hutton… goal. Much, much better

Jay Way!!!!

Hutton is our best attacking option so far definately.

Well, hit my momma with a shit house door!

Jephcott is finally showing that he can lead the line and bring others into the game, some of the lay offs to Darcy, Wakeling and Hutton have been very good.

And with that Jepcott gives them the ball when he should have done much better! :D

This Wakeling lad is rather good

Good delivery from Gladwin into the box but FBT cant quite get to it at the far post.

And still don't rate him. Playing shite today.

(https://cdn.olioex.com/uploads/photo/file/jOf4wFJS8r1VWqtAx56wGA/image.jpg)

He is our reduced price little gem.

Micky Mellon seems very angry about a game with basically no edge to it.

Thats because he Cantaloupe with the ref :)

Very good ball into the box from Jephcott but we just cant get to the cross.

2 added mins.

Solid punch by Brynn.

HT 1-1

grew into the game after a very slow start.

Just a case of if our Goalkeeper and attack can make up for are even more handicapped than usual defense really. I think we've got more goals in us. Unfortunately the prospect of conceding more is probably even stronger.

indistinctly average

First half an hour (till about a minute before we scored) it was a case of Tranmere playing football to win the game and us playing football to look good.

So many passes between Brennan, Harries and FBT. So pointless.

We started playing a bit quicker and actually going forward and we scored and had a few chances.
Everything is coming through Hutton though, he’s doing well but we need another outlet.

Iandolo has offered absolutely nothing left hand side. Only a matter of time before Tranmere double up on Hutton and just leave our left hand side.

Mixed half. We're probably lucky to be level, but also feel like the more likely side to go on to win this game, oddly. Of our team, I'm not sure anyone other than Hutton and the forwards had a good half exactly, but we've grown into the game a bit after the first 20 minutes which was the same abject performance as last week.

I'm not sure the formation is working. The defensive shape was all wrong for the first goal, and it's not helping our attacking play either - essentially every time we get the ball, there are five or six passes between the centre backs and then a long ball forward in the hope of Hutton doing something magic - which, on a couple of occasions, he has. I do think Reed would be helpful here, he's very good at picking up possession from the defence.

Because most of our attacking play is going down the right, Iandolo has been anonymous and the three central midfielders haven't seen much of the ball either, which is a shame as on paper that's where our quality is.

I'd like to see Reed on for Iandolo to sit in front of the defence with FBT to an orthodox LB. Or even Iandolo just moving there, he's perfectly capable. Linking up our midfield with the other two parts of our game is the key thing for me.

Tranmere look okay, but realistically this should be a winnable game but we need to raise the level of our play.

Absolutely, Iandolo may as well not be on the pitch at the moment, hopefully he will improve 2nd half, Hutton easily our best player so far.

Agree with all of that except I truly dont think Iandolo is a capable LB, if hes playing I would rather he focussed on the attacking side, which today has been woefully lacking.

Hutton a great long ball to Gladwin but he just misscontrols it just outside the box, nice pass.

Hutton and then Iandolo both putting good crosses into the box.

Tranny have a shot from wide and its way over the bar.

Oh yeah that wasn't clear, I meant Iandolo moving to the DM role in a 4-1-3-2 or something like it. Not LB.

Darcy with a shot from 20 yards thats blocked, good chance for Town.

Ah then I fully agree :)

Mansfield game seems a lifetime away

Att: 9,425 (317 Trannies).

It does, on the 1st half performance anyway, been better this half so far.

FBT does great to win the ball in defence and then proceeds to give the ball straight back to them and puts us under pressure.

Wakeling being held back by the big black CB there, the ref should have called that one in our favour, he was all over Wakeling.

You have to say that's impressive considering how few Tranny brought.

Really just almost walked through us then.

TBF I think if he was on the bench this is the sort of game that Shade would have made a difference in with the injection of pace up front and a bit of trickery.

Khan shots just wide from distance.

Can never be too disappointed by over 9k home fans.

Doing a lot more good work down the left in this half so far.

What is wrong with Shades...?

Yellow for the Tranny midfielder for a poor foul on Khan.

It's a great effort and sure to beat Gas & Pox attendance.

No idea if hes dropped or injured, I would guess injured as hes been part of every squad so far this season.

Nice tackle by Huttons on the edge of the box.

Excellent tackle by Dolo on the half way line, looked like a foul on him just outside the box though but the ref didnt agree.

This game could easily go either way still.

Both Brennan and Harries have grown into the game since the early fuck up.

That is a foul ref if you'd mind waking up please.

Simeu is a good stopper but a poor footballer by the look of it.

Jephcott with a long raking pass to Wakeling in the box whos shot is blocked, town win a corner.

Brennan with a good interception from a cross there.

Big last 20 this. Could still go either way and a win would totally help.

The game is there to be won but yes it could easily go either way still.

Harries to score the winner!

Lavinier on for Iandolo.

Lavinier goes straight to left back by the look of it.

Hutton offside from a Tranmere tackle is an odd decision.

Oddly we have gone very long ball, which is not our strength at all

Harries picks out Hutton with a long 40 yard pass, nice.

That shot went over a second goal.

Wow big let off. Khan has been good today, but has lost the ball a couple of times in really dangerous areas

Bit of the energy gone out of the game. Feels like it'll end 1-1 unles someone makes a mistake now.

Bollocks

Wakeling scores but is just offside.

Can't tell if that was the right decision or not, Wakeling is out of shot when the ball is played.

Now subbed

Looked well onside to me, which probably means he’s miles off

Khan off for Roberts, Wakeling off for Reed.

The replay didnt look like offside to me either.

Darcy felled on the edge of the box.

Couldn't see when the ball was played on ifollow. He looked about 4 yards on from what you could see though.

Tranny time wasting already.

Good free kick by Reed well saved in the top corner.

Great save Tranmere keeper

Jephcott has a shot from 20 yards, well over the bar.

What on earth is our commentary blabbering about Duran Duran ffs.

About time Simeu was booked, dirty fucker.

Only Andrew Hawes knows what all that was about.

Tranny miss an absolute sitter, easy save for Brynn.

Hemmings a mile offside there but not sure that was being given. Lucky.

4 mins added time.

Darcy and Gladwin are primary defenders there for some reason.

Corner to Town last minute.

FBT heads it and the keeper just fumble saves it. Another corner.

Ifollow wrongly saying 3.

FBT fouled outside the box and theres a red for Trannys ex Town Turnbull.

Tranny red

And we are now in the 5th minute!

Keeper saves Gladwins FK.

Nother corner

FT 1-1

2 points dropped IMO.

Took his fucking head off
Proper flying clothesline

Well, after our best and worst performances of the season in the last two we were probably due a middling one. Grew into the game after a shocker of a start, but we're a much more workmanlike attacking side without Williams in the eleven. Going to need to find new ways of threatening without him, we offered very little through the middle today - Hutton was a good outlet, and to be fair Iandolo was much better in the second half, but nothing much in the middle of the park. Surprisingly threatening from set pieces in the last 10 minutes.

Fair play for Harries and Brennan who grew into the game after the early fuck up and looked fairly solid 2nd half.

Hutton MotM and Wakeling not far behind, Darcy improved 2nd half and Jephcott lead the line well.

Just feeling for all the passing football we never get the ball down and run at players.

Iandolo got forward and the ball more the start of the second half but gets in the final third and just stops or goes inside. No harm in trying to take the full back on, what’s the worst that could happen?

Today felt like a game someone like McKirdy would have won for us because he’d put his head down and run at defenders.

I’m all for passing football but sometimes it lacks purpose. No harm in trying something different.

Hutton does. We don't really do it through the middle though for sure.

He does in part. Obviously I’m not suggesting we never run at players but Hutton tends to jink and drop the shoulder to get half a yard to cross it than get completely past the full back.

Thought that Harries & Brennan did ok.

That last free kick we had wide left that Gladwin took - I’d have let Harries whip that in.

Assuming Franchise v Derby attendance is bigger than ours we had the third biggest crowd in leagues 1 & 2

https://www.espn.co.uk/football/fixtures/_/date/2021001112

it was ok.

we improved, put in lots of crosses, but didn't really create much clear cut.

jephcott was quiet.

once Harries and Brennan worked things out they were ok. Poor first 20.

We need to keep pace with the top 3 as Orient & Stevenage are starting to pull away then it's a scramble for the third spot.

Haven’t read back, but -

* Harries better second than first. Seems to be a player than will amble through a game. Gets sucked to the ball a lot, and that caught us out I think for their goal, and on other occasions. But more assured as the game went on. Credit to him for that.

* Tranmere did really well to change at half time to nullify Hutton. I think all they did was shift a midfielder slightly to their left/our right, so the pass wasn’t on.

* I miss us playing quick football in tight spaces. It gets the crowd up. We either play into space, or the easy pass, or the one over the top.

* loved the last 5, and a concerted period of pressure. They went close with Hemmings, and should have scored. On another day, we do as well.

* lt sounds as though Williams’ absence was behind the 3 at the back. I’m not a massive fan. I don’t think it adds to Hutton, and we lose a man in midfield.

* Get that World Cup money, and invest in January. I’d send Brennan back, and get a stronger loanee in (Brandon Cooper quality), another striker because we’re in trouble if one of Jephcott or Wakeling get injured, and we need some more creativity.

* Lavinier looked sparky. How can we squeeze him in as well as Hutton?

* interesting take on the minute’s silence in the DRS, with someone’s phone blaring music throughout.

Missed today's game. Disappointed with a draw. From your reports it sounds like we didnt create much.

Get the feeling that the shift to 352 was down to last week's result and trying to set us up to be harder to break against, though the Tranmere goal made a mockery of that.

My worry with 352 is we end up with the centre halves and holding midfield player behind the ball and if they aren't able to run with the ball through the lines we become very static. It also means Hutton's starting position is even higher and limits the space for him. SL has to try and square the circle of a back 4 and a front 2 without us being too wide open when we lose possession. I think having all of FBT, Clayton and MacDonald available may help this, but means there will be some muddling through till then.

I wonder if Williams would have played if we weren't getting paid for his absence🤔

Fair comments from Mellon

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HtZu3fOfk70

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KT0YLKUMJnY

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AiPR7x1THKM

I watched the game and it never felt like a 352 at all.

It was more like a lopsided 442


Hutton      Brennan      Harries    FBT
(big space) Gladwin Khan Darcy Iandolo
                 Jephcott  Wakeling

Expected a draw .  Unseasonably sunny afternoon.  Good crowd and lots for the attendance watchers to get their jollies over.

Agreed I was struggling to figure it out, i think it was 5 3 2 fot the last 20 minutes

1st half it was definately 352/532 when we defended, FBT came and sat closer to Harries and Iandolo came back to fill in as wingback/fullback.

But when we were attacking FBT naturally it seemed floated out wide to be a normal fullback and Iandolo pushed further forwards to become a left wing rather than a left wingback and we turned into a 442.

It looked fairly confusing as it left some holes in defence, as happened with the goal, Harries and Brennan left looking for each other while FBT was out nearer fullback rather than staying tight as a middle 3 CB's partly caused by Iandolo not coming back as the left back pulling FBT out wider than he should be.

As an experiment I felt it didnt work well enough, there was often large gaps between Harries/FBT/Iandolo and also between Hutton and Darcy on the right, 2nd half we pulled it in far more 442 with FBT more of a fullback after Lindsey noticed at HT it wasnt working, fair play to him for changing it as 2nd half we looked way better and probably just deserved the win.

If only we’d played the whole game as we did the last ten minutes it may well have been a better result.

If my Auntie had balls she’d be my uncle. But I get what you mean. Look at it like this. If we get promoted either directly or via the PO that one point my be the one we point out as being critical in achieving such glory.

It's fruitless to speculate about counterfactual situations.😀

Get what you mean, but on the other hand, if we’re two points short at the end of the season……….

We will look back at throwing away 2 pts at Stockport against 10 men?

Or depriving Bradford of two points with a last minute penalty!

…or if we’d taken a bit of gamble and had Williams on the bench.
Even putting him on when Reed came on (82) could have possible been enough.

Horlock will blame the Daily Mail. 😁

Not read back - 15 pages seems low however.

After the first 20 minutes or so I quite enjoyed the game on Saturday. Enjoyed an excellent pint of stout in the glue pot and after again experiencing issues getting into the ground (I'll put more on a different thread about this) settled into an impeccably observed minutes silence.

First 20-25 minutes we were a mess. I guess with the new defensive pairing of Harries and Brennan getting to know each other and the energy of Williams missing Tranmere started the game better and scored a good goal. I was very concerned as looking at how they setup the middle of the pitch looked packed and I wondered how we would get our midfield into the game. The answer was that we didn't really need to, the out ball was Hutton every time and just when the natives were starting to turn restless, he whipped in a great delivery for the alert Wakeling to finish. Second half I felt we dominated the play, Tranmere looked relatively dangerous on the break but we were the better side and as usual 'dominated' without really creating too much clear cut. Wakeling had a brilliant second disallowed for a marginal offside call and Reed forced a good save from their keeper but apart from a flurry of corners and the Turnbull red card did we actually do enough for the 3 points? Maybe just. In the end we were fortunate to get the 1 as Tranmere should really have scored from that breakaway near the end.

I know Harries gets a hard time but after a shaky start thought he played quite well. For me was the better of the 2 centre halves. Hutton continues to impress down the right and Wakeling I thought was bright, energetic and caused Tranmere problems. Unfortunately, Jeff Cott I thought was poor, heavy touches at times and didn't seem to get into the game. Khan and Darcy kept us ticking along but Khan's positional sense and ball retention at times can be poor and puts us in trouble. I guess with Reed you don't get that so much but Khan's ability with the ball is better.

Overall I guess a handy point, a little disappointed not to take all 3 given the second half performance, but Tranmere are no mugs. Crewe at home next really should be 3.

We were in the Glue Pot Bobster  :hmmm:

I thought it smelled of stale fart!! :)

There were a fair amount of Tranmere fans in there, were you guys standing/sitting right at the bar?

To the right of the bar at a table, about 6 of us. The farts would be Flash.
Were you in there with your old man?

Was thinking about this at the game.

I was crying out for 2 up top, but now we've switched I can see wakeling looked far better but not yet seen the uplift in jephcott.

Is there something we aren't doing to unleash his potential? Is it simply not yet clicking with Rome not built in a day? Is it I'm missing the things that he does that enables wakeling? is his goals return just fine anyway.

I've no idea.

Feel like I have to put this these days: I'm not having a go at jephcott. I'm just slightly disappointed in his goal threat, rightly or wrongly

A bit like Davison?

2 up top for jephcott should work but still not in the way we play. no play goes through him, he's not missing chances for example. between him and wakeling if you want someone on a one on one its jephcott all day.

Its the same every week and when we score from it its brilliant but when we struggle its awful. We only seem to play wide and over the top. Our midfield has zero control on any match.

If you freeze frame in any attacking play we have:
-darcy and khan wanting to receive the ball from the centre backs.
-our full backs on the touchline.
- gladwin (no idea why) wakeling and jeffcott all pushed up to the maximum sitting on the defenders.

our game plan is simple. width and if no wide option go over the top.

jeffcotts only route to goal through this is via a cross and he's being starved by and large.

if one of khan or darcy gets the ball then the other is against 2/3 centre mids from the opposition. play starts again and they go wide.

The strange thing is that on paper, our central midfield looks like the strongest part of our squad. But we just don't want to play through it at all at the moment - earlier in the season Gladwin was running games, but he and Darcy barely seem to touch the ball any more. The wide plan seems to have come from Hutton looking threatening, but we do seem to have put all the eggs in that basket now.

@singingiiiffy Certainly a fair point that Jephcott isn't missing stacks of chances

@nemo Gladders and khan certainly looked less effective, as you ( and Bob said earlier) we do look like getting out side is the plan

maybe that'll work, in the long run. Not convinced by what do I know

If that's the plan we needed to get iandolo in on the action Saturday. I'm not sure if he was just off the pace or if the team didn't really give him the crossing opportunities in the same way Hutton got them.

also thought 'urgency' wasn't sure there Saturday. A bit like early in the season. That's the way games go someone I suppose, you get a bit nullified.

Anyway, tomorrow's another day. Bring on Crewe (ok Saturday)

Think we need to move the ball quicker or with less passes.

There was one moment in the game Darcy had the ball on the left. He’d come inside onto his right foot. Hutton had half the pitch to himself. The switch was on.

Sure there’s a chance Darcy doesn’t get the pass right but also a chance he does.

Instead he went to Harries who went to Brennan who went to Hutton and by that time Tranmere had shifted across.

Yes a long cross field pass from one side to the other is a gamble and difficult to hit 100% accurately but worth the gamble at times.

It's also a thing that Reed does quite a lot - I know he gets shit for short passes to pad his accuracy rates, but he also pings the most ambitious crossfield balls of anyone in our side. He just doesn't really have a mid range forward pass in his locker.

Passing stats (accurate passes)....

Swindon - 432 (own half 293) 68% (oppo half 139) 32%
Tranmere - 239 (own half 89) 37% (oppo half 150) 63%

Sitting back a bit?  :sherlock:

The 3-1-6 formation we saw for the a large chunk of the second half was baffling.   We are at our best when the ball is moved quickly creating space for a spare man to run into - usually Hutton.    We played into their hands by putting 6 in a line and launching it as they were far better than us at winning the second ball.   

We didn't really create anything outside of a couple of set pieces second half.  First half we played best when gladwin dropped deeper.

3 at the back doesn't work unless one of the 3 can push forward into midfield when you have the ball.

Which is what Frenchie can do but with the occasional blooper that goes with that.

I think the loss of Macdonald and Clayton is the reason for a more prosaic approach atm.

3 points v Crewe at the weekend plus Saturday’s 1 v Tranmere will still see us sitting pretty. Then a week off and the possibility of getting those 2 defenders back.

Interesting to have the possession stats broken down - even if we all have a feel for that breakdown.

Is there a regular source to link with those stats?

Other stats from BBC (us v them)

Possession 62 v 38
Shots 9 v 8
on target 3  v 3
Corners 4 v 0

Which is exactly how I remember it. Lots of the ball, didn't make enough of it. The own half/oppo half stats may explain it.

Sure was.

Were you sat in the top right corner booth? If that's you and your old man I've seen you in there before  :)
Does your dad have a passing resemblance to Des Lynam?

I'm not sure we struggle with crossfield balls. Seems like one of the most popular we do. As I said the full backs are always on the touchline (mainly Hutton) teams seem quite happy to let them happen and pack the middle out giving no obvious option for the next ball.

Back to what batch and 4d said about jephcott/Davison. They were playing in completely different teams but I would say Davison suits this season and jephcott last! Davison took a goal every 1 in 4/5 big chances. Jephcott is a natural goalscorer. Starved of chances though

Given how many crosses Hutton puts in, (apart from the goal against Hartlepool) I can't really think of many opportunities Jeff Cott has been presented with in the box, where reports are he does his best work. I think we are probably still working on how best to utilise him. If we can get him to be as good as Wakeling and Hutton have been this season, he'll be a real asset!

Yes, we were there :) I've not been in the Glue Pot loads of times, probably about 6-10 times. We used to go in the Grove and have food pre-match but this season we've sent the wives to the outlet village, and they've dropped us off near the GP so it's become our pre-game 'haunt'. As I get older the more I appreciate the beer.

Des Lynam!! haha. Yeah, I guess there is with the grey hair and the tache. Oddly I have never thought of that resemblance, but I think you are the second person that has mentioned it now. :)

Ah, I can put a face to another TEFer now.  :D
We were in the booth next to you (the loud ones  :-[ )

Somebody else you wont buy a drink for!

Did you get a round on Saturday?  :hmmm:
Or was that before I got there?  :)

Most amusing bit of the game was vaguely hearing some socialist class warfare eco twat calling the ref a Tory bastard, may have been wanker. Which one of you knobs was it?

Dukey sits in the DRS but he's too nice a chap for it to be him😀

Reflecting on the game largely agree with the posts BO is on the money, just enough to consider we ‘deserved’ to win but not enough to. I go back to my comments that I’m sure we’ll get the cheque book out in January. To fall short like last season when we have more resources this one will not sit well with the masses. Clearly we won’t bankrupt the club in doing so but, we do need to show the casual town fans we are serious. Those of us who a regular/ST attendees know there is but when someone turns up for important EOS games and glamour cup games (ok not many recently) they need something to bring them more often.

Failure to go up will bring out the ‘same old Swindon’ with the casual supporters. I got fed up defending the club ages ago against those who purport to go but don’t, those who don’t go but know everything about the club and those who wouldn’t go if we were in the PL.

I know where he sits and it wasn’t that far away from me.

Not get all "FORRRRWAAAAARD!!" but Jephcott is far too good a finisher and our defense is far too shakey for us to piss about with it at the back as much as we do.

The thing about keeping the ball and playing it out from the back is that it can work if you move the ball quickly as it creates gaps that allow you to play through, our issue is that it tends to be too slow & deliberate which means the opposition can just drift across the pitch to cover.

It was noticeable early in the game that it took three or four passes to get the ball to Hutton, the goal came when Gladwin got the ball to him quickly

Its where the playing out from the back approach tends to fall down at this level. Defenders who are comfortable at playing out are as rare as rocking horse shit at this level and those who can do it quickly are not at this level as they get picked off by clubs higher up the pyramid.

The slow speed also allows teams to press us much harder without needing the speeds and fitness that teams playing a press at the higher level require. Whilst I would not like to encourage the 'get it forward' brigade, its something that's worth having in the pocket at an option at this level as it will keep the other side thinking and on their toes, its why Luke Williams's Town especially was so easy to nullify as teams knew we had one plan and nothing in the way of mixing it up, first for a while SL does seem to be able to think on the hoof. 

Classic over coaching at this level.

Piss all over Stevenage on their own dung heap with 70% play and lose 2 zip.

we certainly didn't piss all over Stevenage. We could have played all day with the ball and not scored