Thetownend.com

The green kit is getting an airing.

Swindon 0-1 Walsall
Att: 9,076 (301 away)

Wearing anything other than red at the county ground is completely unacceptable, but especially if they're wearing red.

We let Franchise wear red against us at home once.

Was the anniversary of the league cup so we wore a white kit at home, but it forced MK to change to their away kit which was all red.

It didn’t seem right, was as bad as the time we gave the Town End to away fans

That’s not how I remember it.

Didn’t we want to wear white (because that’s what we wore in the LC final) and Franchise (who play in white) refused to wear their away strip so we ended up making a black third strip which whilst a very nice shirt had absolutely no links to the League Cup win

Just looked it up. We were indeed in Black but MK were in Red.

So something was lost in translation between the two teams. We could have worn a white kit.

Swindon 2 Wallsall 0 Att: 9,560 (350 away)

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

just to point out that the switch to green is a charity initiative

I knew we wanted to wear white, didn’t remember the Franchise wankers saying no, just another reason to despise them then

You've got no window for foreign brides open?  ;)

That’s how I remembered it.
We asked for special dispensation to wear white for the anniversary but MK refused because their kit was white…

…the fact they turned up in red, kind of lessens the believability of the first part…

Ultimate trolling if it’s all true.

From that 'Every 90 minutes, 25 households are made homeless.' is fucking horrendous in what is a wealthy country!  

oops. changed

:yay:

That seemed so ridiculous I had to check it. But it’s straight from Shelter, so, yeah, how horrible. One to remember when you next here a front bencher pretending things are going/have gone well.

The no home kit thing throughout the leagues is actually a good idea. Realising what its for, i'll retract that statement. Hopefully it means Walsall will be wearing white then.

All part of the master plan, people with no address can’t vote ;)

Swindon 0-0 Walsall Khan MotM (att: 9,745 with 490 Yams)

illness in camp but Ben Gladwin and Saidou Khan are both back in full training

2:13pm
ON AUSTIN

I don't think it would be right for me to comment on one player. Is he a player we'd like to sign? Of course. But a lot of things have to happen for it to happen.

ON JEPHCOTT

Talks are still ongoing. We'd be keen to do it, but again a lot of things have to happen. He's a player we'd be keen to try and keep.

the jephcott one is odd. I assume it's talks on players terms

3.0 win to Town, Williams x 2 and MacDonald.

L’homme Presse to piss up in the King George at Kempton to get the afternoon off to a good start.

Lindsey looking relaxed.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=78b1NnIeCkY

I am fully confident that we are going to win the next fixture.

I am fully confident that I am going to miss the next fixture. I’ll be at my brothers getting pissed. My DNA & friend will be in attendance.

We will win, handsomely.

True to your name then!

I'm genuinely excited by the prospect of getting to see consecutive games.  It's been years since we managed this.  If Reed picks up where he left off on Sat at Barrow, we'll be OK.  He glued things together nicely and allowed others to press.

Should be Xmas eve and not Boxing Day! :-(

it's so different an experience when you only get to go to few games. Far more forgiving, or maybe more objective.

Those of us that used to play on a Saturday surely remember, before the end of playing and a season ticket. A season ticket that is a blessing and a curse!

Just realised this game isn't today. Well done me.

Piece of piss. 4-1

We have good home form.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cNVVBPS2EHY

oooh, olive tree gyros van in the CG car park for the rest of the season ... nice

Looking forward to tomorrow, have a feeling there will be a real buzz around the place.

interesting, I'm taking that and the other thread as a hiny..

hinty hinty hintin

Ha just being  positive mate.

boooo.. I thought, oh never mind.

it's Christmas, everyone will be in a good mood

He knows what he’s doing  :D…and you thought correctly.

Ha sorry Batch yeah I reckon we will likely hear some good news in the next 48 hours

:)

it's STFC. I'll be happy for a bit of a performance tomorrow

Let’s hope there is no Christmas hangover. I look forward to our Warsaw mates Vlog later on tonight or tomorrow from today’s game especially if we smash them out of the park, ok, I’ll settle for a 1-0 OG TBF.

No doubt his granddad will stick with his usual optimistic win for the Saddlers.

However I’m going with a 3-1 home win.
9974 (475 away fans)

2-1 home win.

Austin and Austin Jr in the crowd today by the looks

https://twitter.com/BiancaAustin90/status/1607324711976943616?t=ttlIYrZU9sKy4GLjKSQK6g&s=19 (https://twitter.com/BiancaAustin90/status/1607324711976943616?t=ttlIYrZU9sKy4GLjKSQK6g&s=19)

https://twitter.com/BiancaAustin90/status/1607329535380316161?t=nUt0XEgbSHP0b5oS9NHi_g&s=19 (https://twitter.com/BiancaAustin90/status/1607329535380316161?t=nUt0XEgbSHP0b5oS9NHi_g&s=19)

Looking like the Yammies have sold around 500 for this so could be close to a 10k attendance.

Plus it’s POTD for them, too.

Is Clem back?

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fk6JaB3XgAEebtj?format=jpg&name=4096x4096)

Unchanged from last week.

Wonder if we'll see Jephcott again?

I hope we sign him, there is definately a player in there when played in the correct role, his injury seems much worse than it seemed at the time though.

  can't wait to get going

Hopefully it won't end up 0-0

2-1 town win

Right, come on Town. Stronger bench today, let's hope we send the fans home happy (specifically ours, please).


Radio just mentioned that he was, flew in this morning. Missing the Boxing Day Test.

Walsall 8 games since their last loss. Going to be tough today.

Hopefully Shade will have a point to prove against his old loan employers.

Early corner for Town.

Couple of good chances for Town but its hit straight at the keeper and an easy save.

Darcy so close with a thro ball to Shade in the box, nice play.

Bright start this.

Passing it around nicely so far, Walsall seem a little sloppy at the back so far.

That was never a foul by MacDonald there.

Nice tackle by Lavinier there in the corner.

Swindon...pass..pass...pass...pass...lose the ball and they pass to the keeper and hoooooof. Typical Flynn team.

That was fortunate

Wakeling did well to win the ball there from a long clearance, passes to Shade who loses it on the edge of the box..

Wakeling causing Daniels a lot of problems despite being very overmatched physically.

Brilliant interception by FBT on that attack and finds Brynn with a backpass, very calm by FBT.

Wakeling did the same at Barrow last week, outjumped the big CB all the time.

1st corner to them.

Never knew they were such hoofers

Michael Flynn isn’t it, does he know any other way?

Sympathetic to anyone at Newport really, you couldn't play total football on that pitch. But certainly seems to be following the same pattern at Walsall.

At the moment I'd maybe say they're a bit more intricate in our half - the defence and keeper are pretty old school but they have a bit more than just crosses in attack.

Better cross by Iandolo inches off Wakelings head in the 6 yard box.

Town got away with that after some awful play by Walsall.

Hutton has been extremely quiet so far, usually one of our best outlets.

Lavinier been a little clumsy defending a few times now, think he's struggling a little bit against their winger. More of the play on that side of the pitch so far.

As I write that, Steve Hale says he's been good, so game of opinions!

Must admit I thought Lavinier is our best player so far! along with FBT.

Shooting is very overrated

1-0

1-0 Iandolo!

Great finish by Dolo!

YES ELLIS!

Great vision from Williams, great run Darcy, Iandolo's first effort genuinely really good but saved and the follow up was a bit messy but on target.

Nice one

A actual goal, in open play! Merry Christmas...

Well fuck me sideways.

Williams long pass to Darcy down the right and his cross to Iandolo hit it at the keeper who pushed it out to Iandolo who acrobatically volleys it in the net from 15 yards.

If I was Michael Flynn, I think I might raise an eyebrow at one of my centre backs trying to play one-twos on the edge of the Swindon box and then being caught about 80m out of position on the counter...

Their keeper looks a little suspect at times, came out to the half way line to clear that break.

Great vision by their keeper there.

Att:9,775 (465 Yams)

My closest guess so far :)

Except not as Hawes gave it wrong - 9775 home fans plus the 465 Walsall, it's over 10k. Unless the correction was wrong!

Oh did he? :D maybe not then!

Great chance for Walsall but their shot hits Laviner and drifts well wide.

1-1

Would have to say it doesn't look all that full, although obviously we can't see the DRS. Lots of space in the TEF and Arkells.

OG

Oh ffs.

Noooo

Its been coming since the goal.

Shitty timing that. Come on Town

Another fantastically shit replay from iFollow there.

FBT lovely header well saved from the corner.

HT 1-1

Need to take darcy off at half-time

soft as fuck equaliser

Really good save from FBT.

Quiet game until we scored, Walsall played a lot better afterwards but their goal was one of those unfortunate ones that just happen sometimes and aren't really anyone's fault obviously. Our goal was a moment of quality, but hugely helped by the Walsall #6 being comically out of position up front.

Anyone's game this, a fair few decent performers so far, but the bulk of the play happening down our left/Walsall's right, Hutton and Shade haven't seen much of it at all while Lavinier/Williams/Iandolo have been busy.


Interesting, I thought he'd been okay. Clearly drifting out of position as basically none of the play has been down our right (apart from our goal, ironically) and had a dodgy minute where he made a couple of mistakes, but I wouldn't say he was playing particularly poorly.

Walsall look shite for 45/40 mins of that, we definately controlled 90% of that half but not creating enough good chances, FBT had a couple of good attacking headers but Hutton is very quiet so far.

I think a heat map of that half would basically be all in front of the Arkells apart from our goal.

Indeed, almost everything down the left side for us, yet Darcy, Shade and Hutton are in acres of space on the right when they are passed to.

Don't think it's been mentioned, but Austin is sat besides Clem in the exec area.

It’s pretty much the same as every game this season isn’t it? Boring, lots of possession but not much actually happening with it.

We've had less than half the possession on the official stats! 

Can't really argue with that.

I would say that 40% of the Walsall possession can be officially given as "in the air"!

Yet 10,000 turn up.

Madness!

They do deserve better TBH.

RHM for a late winner?

That through ball from FBT was a beaut.

It was, found Dolo perfectly.

That surprises me.
Doing fuck all with less than half the possession has the same outcome as fuck all with most of the possession anyway.  :D

Lavinier plays a 1 2 with Williams but his shot is blocked on the edge of the box, nice move.

MacDonald yellow card.

Austin’s assessment of the first half was incredibly kind. He must have signed already!

:Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

RHM coming on.

Iandolo lucky to get away without a yellow for that challenge.

Physio makes the sub sign while treating Iandolo. Injured himself in a tackle.

I hope he scores now, but Wakeling has been pretty anonymous since he signed his new contract hasn’t he?

RHM on for Wakeling.

Gladwin on for Iandolo.

He wont score now!

I thought he had a really bright first 30 minutes or so today giving Daniels real trouble, but he's certain faded. I don't think he's had a good game alongside Jephcott, seems to play better on his own at the moment.

 :D

Shades first touch is poor.

Would like to see him alongside Austin, Austin is very good at holding the ball up.

He's almost the inverse of Williams, all the physical gifts but just doesn't read the game very well at all.

RHM has a shot thats blocked.

Absolutely.

RHM lovely touch to Darcy but he loses it in the box.

Hutton loses it and then gives away a free kick, not Huttons best game today.

I would agree with Hawes, FBT the MotM for me so far.

Lavinier got very angry after he lost the ball on the edge of the box, not sure if it was at himself or a team mate.

Very short ball to Brynn from FBT but Brynn gets to it first.

This is poor

Momentum very much with Walsall at the moment.

At the ref blocking his run off.

Walsall having the better of the match in the last 15 mins or so.

Nice take by Brynn from that cross.

Gladwin so close to a thro ball to RHM, just too heavy.

Darcy shot from 20 yards blocked by Walsall.

Darcy goes for a penalty in the box, ref was never gonna give it.

FBT has a bit of the Nathan Thompson's about him with his ability to draw the foul when he's under pressure.

Jesus Christ, these fucking replays.

Shade with a chance in the box but scuffs it high.

Yes missed a corner for Town there totally.

A new one for the "it was so wide it went out for a throw-in" canon - it was so mishit it didn't actually go out of play in any direction.

I'd take 1-1 at this point, but a promotion side finds a way to win.

RHM looking lively since hes come on.

Away team manager being braver than the home team manager with the subs..

RHM was so combative there.

Lavinier seems to have been pushed into a midfield position now.

Brynn saves us again, striker clean thro.

Lucky escape

This game has got very stretched very quickly. Shape breaking down completely on both sides.

Should have kept Wakeling on with RHM and taken Darcy off, an attacking change not like for liek.

Most 2nd halves this season the game gets very stretched at about 70 mins and any side can effectively win it.

Lindsey is a wuss

Roberts on for the poor Shade.

Roberts for Shade. Like for like in the impact they make on most games...

yep

Give adeloye a few minutes

Says his agent 😉

Austin is closer to the ball today than Adeloye has been in most of his game time so far.

Walsall player should have been booked for that dive in our box, wanker.

I think Reed has had a decent game today again.

He's built up the understanding with FBT that he used to have with Conroy where he drops in if the defender runs forward.

At the moment two sides who are more scared of losing than they are excited about winning.

So nearly a great long pass from Gladwin to Williams, just cut out.

Williams touch has been unusually poor today, close but no cigar.

Good effort by Walsall just wide from distance.

Walsall players go to ground very very easily, typical Flynn side.

Corner to them.

Jesus Christ iFollow.

iFollow doing great today and not showing the game.

Jesus have they got a YTS on iFollow today?  :crash:

Reed is playing more like a sweeper in front of the defence today again ala Hoddle. Which seems to be his best position.

Looking bad for FBT at the moment, down holding his face.

Looks like a broken nose for FBT.

Certainly took a whack in it, coming back on with a tampax up each nostril.

1-2

Surely that's offside? Was it our touch?

football can fuck off

That's shit

Lindsey has GOT to go. This just ain’t acceptable

Completely clueless yet again

must have been ours

I'm done this season, fuck em.

Yeah, our clearance bounced back off our own player.

Losing faith totally in Lindseys ability to do the job.

Lindsey out.

Yeah, looks like it on replay. Today we've conceded to an unlucky deflection and then assisted their winner with a ballsed up clearance. We're finding ways to concede but they're not really structural, tactical issues any more. Not sure I'd blame Lindsey for us conceding two today, although probably more culpable for us continuing to have very little attacking threat.

Utter garbage once again.  Clueless

Taxi for Lindsey.

Just not good enough - nowhere near. Never has been.

10,000 deserve much more than this drivel.

Left 20mins into second half, not freezing my nuts off to watch that crap!

Something needs to change fast!

Lindsey and Sandro out.

Fuck off.

He’s not up to it, it’s as simple as that.

They're playing with our emotions🤣

Lindsey  out  :pint: :suicide:

Not good enough.

Looks like I made the right move by spending more time with my extended family drinking, eating and generally not giving two fucks about football in the cold. I’ll be back, just not yet.

Not getting another penny out of me. We've got fuck all up front and it showed today, again. Taking the fucking piss now. Losing to a piss pot club like Walsall, who we have dicked the last few seasons. Fuck it, I'm done.

Just bullied by a more robust side

FT 1-2

Not good enough at all.

another wank performance at home. utter shit

What’s the point of signing Austin if Lindsey has got his head up his arse?

It’s exactly what we all thought when he was appointed.

Gut punch that. Walsall a good side, we'll lose to worse this season, but that's two brutal sucker punches in injury time of each half, neither really structural issues, just things that happen sometimes happening at the worst possible time. Not blaming Lindsey for those, but the ongoing lack of structured attacking play is something he's much more culpable for.

Kudos to the 10,000. Roll on January, we're not badly placed, and there's a huge amount that can improve about our team.

I think the main one is how unexciting we are attacking wise. If we were great entertainment value, but a concede a lot as well I think I would feel more patient. However, given the timing is it worth it? What would another manager with our squad do hugely differently? I think he is here for the season.

I fully agree the manager has to go.  His entire philosophy seems to be not to lose instead of trying to win.  It was apparent in this match when town is dominating and you don’t shift your formation to get more attack to get the winning goal.  1 player on the top is not enough to score obviously so adding another was needed but there is risk in that he is not willing to do.  He cares more about trying to not lose his job and his tactics are going to do that for him anyway.  

They don't deserve the numbers that turn up each home game. We look shite.

Looks like it’s all going to depend on January’s business now. Like Steak Supper said, our flicky-tricky lightweights just get bullied too often by harder sides.

I’m hoping, if the rumours that Clem has over ruled SL and SDM to sign Austin are true, that it may be the beginning of the end.

I think another manager could use this personal to have a more creative and attacking philosophy.   At a minimum have an offensive plan.  They seem clueless every match once they get to offensive 1/3. Just don’t seem to know what to do

Exactly half way done for the season, 23 games in. We're fifth, although three points ahead of 10th and every team below us has a game in hand, and 8 points off third. It's not disastrous, but we're going to need a good January to catch up with Northampton and Stevenage.

We are playing for the play offs. We are still in the mix - but not sure for now long

I am inclined to agree with that.

How were we after 23 games last season?

Get that useless cunt Lindsay out of the club.

Sandro was on the radio pre game and said he would welcome Austin if the wages and deal was right.

Would I have confidence in winning the playoffs with lindsey? No

Time to go now

A decent manager would get a better tune out of this squad than Limp Lindsey can.

It’s done.

Fourth, two points better off but with the team in third (Northampton again) a lot closer.

http://swindon-town-fc.co.uk/LeagueTable.asp?Date=2022-1-11&Season=2021-2022&Tier=4&TableType=standard

We'd scored ten goals more, and conceded six more.

Not the Christmas present I expected.

Would love to sign their CBs.

Never looked liked scoring. Something has to change as that was fucking shite.

Sent from my XQ-AD51

Move Lindsay back to coaching role and make Austin player manager.  With an option at end of season in case it doesn’t work out.  Simples

The fact we are fifth in this league shows how shit it must be.

Simples?

That sounds fucking horrendous.
…Austin would be on the pitch, so the people leading the team from the sidelines would be the same people we have now?

I’ve tried to be patient with Lindsey but just feel like he’s not going to get us to challenge this season. A lot of people talk about the recruitment being bad but I think it’s been ok apart from up front. Sure, compared to last year we have players who are younger and less experienced but I feel this team would be a better team next year with a season under their belts. Where as last seasons team very much felt like a peak/last hurrah for a lot of players. Is there a single player from last years team who is doing better this season? Payne? McKirdy? Barry? Davison? Simpson? Reed? Conroy? Egbo? Hunt? JoJo? Conroy? Baudry? maybe Williams & Gladwin (who are both still here)

Anyway I digress. Think this team is capable of more and feel it’s the management holding the team back rather than the other way round. End of the year and the January window coming up we need seriously think about whether we change it now.

Anything past January and I think we end up sticking with Lindsey. It’s either change or now or don’t change it all season.

…and just for a bit of context - we were having this same discussion about Ben Garner last season and we stuck with him and the season went ok for what it was worth…

3 goals in 7 games, one of which was a pen.

We must face facts

Under Lindsay we are not good enough for promotion or League 1

Shocker from McDonald for their second.

Yes, it’s the same argument. I was all for ditching Garner and I feel the same about Lindsey.

Even if we had won today - and maybe a couple of other games that we lost - I still don’t want to watch it. It’s a dreadful spectacle irrespective of the result. It’s just the different end of the hoofing shitty stick.

I’m unsure how people think this team can do better than they currently are. Think they’re playing close to their full potential which is worrying. We have a defence that is culpable to a fuck up, but is seemingly okay. We have a pretty ponderous midfield that does not look to want to take a risk, and we have a toothless attack which when on the rare occasion they get service, they make a cock up of it. Lindsey is definitely not the man to get us promoted, and he should go, but can’t see many others getting a tune out of this shite either. Suppose it can’t be any more boring/frustrating to watch though

But why don’t the midfield take a risk? Because of Lindsey’s mantra of pass, pass, pass. Better to go backwards, recycle and start the whole boring process again. Just what’s the point. It’s obviously not working at all as far as entertaining the fans is concerned.

Is this really what Clem wants? It sure ain’t what I want.

No team in the lower leagues would sack a manager whilst the team is 5th. He isnt going anywhere

Yeah, true. Just really can’t see anyone else getting this team promoted. Suppose with some additions in January, who knows? Austin coming in with the lack of service though is not the answer, will just be frustrating watching a goalscorer of his talent getting fuck all to work with

Not usually one to comment, win or lose, but that result has annoyed me greatly.

It's the manner of it more than anything else. Aside from a few reasonable spells, and generally holding on to the ball more than Walsall, I cannot honestly say we deserved to win it. However, we got a goal and from there I can see no excuses that we did not go on to win the game. Walsall offered nothing - a side defending and performing with guts and heart would have seen that out - instead we are looking back on a defeat that I feel we've just handed them on a plate.

Gutless is a word I would used to describe today's showing. It was joyless too.

I watched the Barrow match on iFollow and thought we were superb for large swathes of the game; I was really encouraged. Today I watched from amongst the faithful in the stands & left feeling angry. There are no excuses for losing that game. Walsall were not deserving of a victory, did not play good football, never looked like scoring based on their own endeavours and yet they walked away from the County Ground with a win. How in God's name have Walsall won that?

But then ... what did we really offer down the other end ... very little indeed.

Ah, I'm just gutted and spouting off ... but this league really is shite ... & I can't believe we can't put a side like Walsall to the sword.

Onto the next one ... COYR

You’re right, however it’s such a false position. Very easy to say “if x wins their game in hand” etc, but it isn’t just one side with a game in hand. Everyone below us has at least one and they’re bound to win some. Realistically we’ll probably be around 8-10th once they’re all played, which isn’t horrific, but certainly is not where we should be at the half way point.

This (based on what I saw today) is my concern re Charlie also ...

TBH I think most of us have had the exact same thought when it was announced that we were in for Charlie, no balls into the box then no goals even if you play Haaland he wouldnt score many in this team.

as they said on BBC, half way through, 35 points.

70 is no guarantee of playoffs

organised but a bit long ball.. I'd put them in the 'ok' category.

they do however have all 3 points, and that is so that matters

An unlucky own goal and a defensive lapse (undoubtedly not helped by FBT being off the pitch) and hey ho a home defeat.

Have to say the very obvious factor of a lower league manager in Flynn having far more tactical nous in his team set up to negate our toothless strike force than Lindsey can set up to win against sides like Walsall now points to the many of this forum questioning his managerial abilities.

Without a doubt our injuries have not helped, and the January window must be used judiciously or it is more huff and puff and in all probability Divvy 2 again next season.

ha, seem to be totally replying to Nemo posts today. he must have made the best posts...

we aren't much worse off than last season. A lot better off than rivers Rovers were I'd guess.

the season is far from dead.

but we had to win 5 from 6 to scrape the playoffs. god knows what rovers did!

can't see us doing that again. but until January is done who knows

Absolute dog shit. Sort midfield out, sort left back out, and get some strikers in.

That defence is under constant threat, not due to being poor but because our midfield offers nothing at all. The irony of Darcy setting up Ellis for a goal because they were defensively out of position in the first place should not be missed.  Don't get me started on the subs, i can't accept one up front and like for like subs when we are chasing a win at home it's not good enough 

I was just going to write about one up front. Wakeling can't do it.

I can see RHM may not be fit enough to start. You can obviously push a shade or whoever up but I can see why you may not.

I don't get the sub either. Shade or Darcy could have been subbed and gone to 2 up top. We'd watched 60 minutes of Walsall center backs defending high balls and with strength. 

They looked vulnerable to pace, but we couldn't exploit it because they had numerical advantage to cover.

grrr

No good berating Walsall’s hoofing. We’re no better how we play. As I said earlier, it’s just a different end of the same shitty stick. In all honesty, I’d prefer hoofing to the stuff Lindsey has us attempting.

75 is sometimes tight

The season is far from dead. Which is the positive aspect to changing things up.

One win in the last 7. The fact we are close to the top 3/playoffs isn't a testament to how good we are, it's a testament to how shit this league is.

As I have always said for every league 2 campaign its promotion or failure

There's too many inconsistent teams in league 2 with similar quality hence why the play off positions go to the last game of the season.

I’ve avoided anything Swindon on social media for the last 3 months as it I’ve had better things to do and would have just been 3 months of saying the same thing.

Lindsey wouldn’t be a first team coach at any other league club yet alone manager. Him and the whole coaching team are so sub standard it’s actually a but embarrassing. Lindsey just constantly hides behind pointless stats and is completely unable to positively influence matches during the 90 minutes. We’re awful to watch and it’s just getting worse by the week. If Clem has anything about him he’d admit the whole Sandro and Lindsey thing is incompatible with league 2 football and make a change to give the whole of January to new people to turn things around.

Squads playing about par to it’s level (which, once the games in hand shake down will be about mid table). Lindsey could/should do better too, but we don’t have good enough players in midfield or up top. I’m not sure Charlie austin solves the problem either

I just don't think Lindsey has the nous or motivational skills to take us forward.

 in fairness to you jimmi jimmi you have posted this many times and many ways

Letting the players have yesterday off must be a first too, can’t say I’ve heard of that before the day before a game.

I read on the Walsall forum that Flynn did exactly the same to their players.

Pearson done it at shitheads

Really? First time I’ve ever heard that before.

https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/walsall-fc/2022/12/26/walslall-will-be-in-good-shape/

Not sure Flynn is manager at Walslall though :D

Just my opinion of course which won't change.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AQA5kY5fXDY



Not my words STFC supporters Facebook group.

Yet another game where if we were half fit, had some desire and a manager with any clue we would have won that game. Why on why is it we do just about ok first half and second half was a complete disgrace. Lindsay is boring 10000 fans to death. LINDSAY OUT! How Lindsay can leave Shade on for Wakeling I have no idea.

He’s allowed to, this is a forum.

If people seriously think that Charlie Austin will make a difference to our side, they are seriously deluded. We do not get enough balls in the box and the wide men always cut in. Not sure what the answer is, but if we do sign him then tactics will need to change. Will Lindsay do that?!

Thought we didn't take enough shots today. Williams the most guilty.

Thought we did ok in the first half, second half was just pants.

I guess the fact we were against the wind in the second half and that Walsall pressed us meant that playing it short caused us issues but hoofing it long was probably worse as we pretty much lost the header & couldn’t pick up the second ball. Was crying out for a big centre forward to cause their defence some issues.

Charlie Austin would improve us it's not just about goals. Players like Williams will thrive off him. In no way a pop at Wakeling but he just isn't the right kind of striker to bring others in to play. We get it into him he can't hold it up and the lads who are trying to link up are fucked. We need better up front and behind them

Watched about 10 mins of the first half and 5 mins of the second.

Glad I didn't bother with the rest.

You didn’t miss much at all. Feels like a few steps backwards after the decent performance at Barrow. Very much lacking anything of note in the final 3rd today.

2 things i noticed today:

1) do we ever get better after taking Wakeling off?

2) the players we sub on/off are like for like every time, never any change in tactic really, just slightly worse players coming on for their replacements

I read but haven't posted in ages on here. Apologies for the rant. I haven't read back and probably won't bother tonight.

Today was dire. Start to finish.

Non-existent atmosphere, 10200odd and it was genuinely silent. There is absolutely nothing to get excited at in the way we play at home. Last season and this season it is just so dull to watch regardless of the result. I turned up today knowing it would be dull. 3 shots on target and I think the goal was 2 of those.
Even when we scored, there was no real excitement. No buzz from the fans. 40% win record at home over two seasons is pretty shit for a team around the play offs and I'll be amazed if attendances stay as they are.

Everything we do is so slow, there is no tempo and no drive. We piss around the back with the ball between Reed and the two CB. To be fair to them, the amount of times they look up and see no movement is painful. FBT was clearly getting annoyed in the 2nd half, all our players static.
On the rare occasion we do drive forward, the final ball was shit or we just ran into a Walsall defender who easily defended it.

Trying to play how we did last season with players that in my opinion are worse was never going to go great. I can't think of any position we have strengthened. Bar the GK who is solid I think we are worse in every area and there is zero strength on the bench!

I can't see how Austin would improve this side. What chance would he have put away today?
We seem scared to cross it half the time and just fanny around with it. An Austin/Wakeling front two would interest me but I can't see it happening. Where was plan B today? Why not change the formation that was clearly not working, stick two up front and give it a go.

The only players today I thought did ok were FBT (my MoM for us), Reed and Iandolo. Other than that, Meh.

The fact we are 5th just highlights how shit this division is apart from a few teams who are pulling away. I'll still be at Northampton but the thought of driving up for the home game against Grimsby for what is likely to be another shit home performance doesn't interest me. 9 goals scored in our last 8 home games. I can't think of the last home game I walked away from thinking "wow, I enjoyed that. Definitely worth it".

It's boring as fuck - no doubt about that.   Even when we play teams that are at the bottom and getting stuffed every week, we scrape a 1 goal win at best.   Yes we beat a shockingly piss poor Rochdale 3-0 but that was with mckirdy.

Last week we pressed high up the pitch and won the game because of it.  This week the complete opposite and back to how we have been for months.

The squad is light but there's no way SL is maximising what we have.   Walsall are shit but play for set pieces and are fucking good at them.   We just don't seem to have a plan and are toothless as a result.

At the start of the season we looked like a lower mid table team, then had some decent results, but I think these flattered us and we really are just making up the numbers, which isn't good enough in div 4.

Agree. We’ve seen really poor Swindon sides before, but few this boring. A manager’s job is to make the team better than the sum of its parts. To make these players look better than they otherwise would be. I’m almost certain that this management team has the opposite effect. The whole is weaker than the potential of the individuals on the pitch. And that’s why a change is needed.

And as an aside, it also bugs me and that Lindsey comes on the pitch and takes plaudits following a win, but if we lose, the players do a lap whilst he hides away.

It’s almost getting to Paul Hart’s “we aren’t playing one up front” levels of mediocrity & dullness

Harsh....but.....fair.

interesting comment.

in some games you'd say that was very harsh.

but after the last 6 I think it's fair enough. First half at Barrow was very good and yet we only scored 1, a penalty.

McKirdy is joint 4th highest scorer ffs!

J.Williams 6
L.Jephcott 5
J.Wakeling 5
H.McKirdy 2
T.Shade 2
R.Darcy 2
F.Blake-Tracy 1
R.Hepburn-Murphy 1
B.Gladwin 1
L.Reed 1
E.Iandolo 1

We played similar away at Barrow recently😀

already promoted in my head

Quick edit! I was wondering if you were thinking of next season 😀

I was thinking of Blake Tracey and his probable return to Burton

Multi tasking😀

Yesterday's lowlights

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2PpMmDL4KVg

That five goal at Mansfield does feel like a massive outlier now. Games we've scored more than once this season:

Rochdale H 3-0
Sutton H 3-2
Grimsby A 2-1
Hartlepool H 2-1
Mansfield A 5-2

23 other games with one goal or none - 12 one goal, 11 none. That's including all three cups* for 28 games.

Back of an envelope maths says we score 1.5 goals or more (in the bookies terms) in about 18% of our games.

I'm not much of a football tactics bod, but I think you'd have to say that is fucking dreadful.


* Maybe best not to include the cups, as we played 5 games which we lost on aggregate 1-14.

I can see Lindsey being given until the transfer window closes as it would mess up Sandro's recruitment if there was no head coach.

I'm no fan on Lindsey, but equally I'm not in the sack him now camp, we do seem to be a few players light, certainly a striker (maybe Austin ?) and we can hopefully switch to a 4312, switch Williams to play through the middle in a free role in front of midfield, and partner Jephcott & Austin and we may become more creative, if deep into the transfer window or when it closes we have really dropped in the table with barely any points, then and only then can I see Sandro & Clem reacting.

The other concern I have is can we rely on Sandro to make the right appointment, in the summer there seemed to be a few candidates floating around and he ended up going with Lindsey who seemed set to go to Charlton if compo could be agreed, but instead was given the head coach role as players liked him.
I think it would be time to look for someone who wont be taking their first head coach role, and therein also lies a problem - it is only a head coach role - not a manager role, I understand we want some continuity with recruitment if the head coach leaves but surely there is room for compromise.

On the subject of stats I found these quite interesting (if you are into stats as I obviously am :) )

I know its stats, stats and more stats...but

We are 1st/24 with the highest number of shots in L2 on 312 with Stevenage 2nd/24 with 279.

We have only 33.3% of our shots on target in L2 13th/24, Grimsby and Tranmere are top with 37.4%.

When it comes to goals per shot its only 0.08 leaving us 19th/24.

Goals per shot on target is 0.23% leaving us 22nd/24 with only Sutton and Gills worse than us.

We are bang in the middle of players used in L2 having used 24 players with Stevenage only using 20 players so far but Crawley using a huge 30 players.

We have the 3rd lowest average age of players used on 25.3 with Crewe the youngest on 24.8 and Mansfield the oldest playing squad at 28.9.

We are 21st/24 on fouls committed on 217 fouls, Donny are lowest on 189 but AFC Wimbledon have committed 309 fouls.

Yet we are 2nd/24 for yellow cards with 47 with Wimbledon top with 53 yellows. Also only Stockport (5) and Bradford(3) and Crawley(3) have had more reds than us with 2.

We are 3rd/24 for the number of crosses with 429, Mansfield(1) have 486 and Stockport(2) 442.

so we are fashioning shit quality shooting positions. IMO

other than the very odd scramble I struggle to remember many 'he should have buried that/worked the keeper' chances

Genuinely amazed we are top of having shots.

Yes it truly surprised me, but shot conversion....welll thats no shock.

Or just lashing shots willy nilly.

No we have probably had less than 5 of that type of shot, Jephcott and Wakeling are guilty...oh and Adelyoe last week are 3 that come to mind.

This. So painfully out of his depth its embarrassing.

Lindsey is probably great to have around as a coach in the background but not as a manager.

What’s the point of retaining Lindsey as a coach? It’s his coaching that’s got us in this mess.

It would also mean any new man would have to be of a similar footballing philosophy.

No thanks

I can't help but like the guy. I wish he was more like Sheridan.

I hope when this is over, wherever that is, he gets a good coaching job somewhere.

it won't be here.

Funny isn’t it, because I can’t take to him at all.

I didn't specifically mean at Swindon just saying he's more suitable as part of a coaching set up rather than bein a front man as I don't recall anyone complaining when he was in the background under Garner.

…because he might actually be a good coach?
I’d argue it’s not his coaching that’s letting us down but the tactics that he’s choosing to coach.
If someone else was making the decision on what to coach he might still be a good coach at coaching those instructions.

I dunno because I’ve never seen him coach

Bad manager doesn’t automatically equal bad coach.
Good coach doesn’t automatically equal good manager.

John Gorman, decent coach, nice guy and a people person who behind the scenes gelled things together but didn't make a very good manager.

Don't think Adoloye's even counts a shot!

It is strange that we've had very few one on ones all season with such decent passers in the team.   We have no pace of course but you'd have thought playing as a striker with Gladwin, Williams and Reed behind you all you would have to do is make some runs and they will find you.

To miss those options out and focus on crosses from the right to nobody just seems wrong.   Perhaps the strikers really are just shit but I'm not sure they are and Jephcott's record at Plymouth is half decent..

We essentially have a very shite version of Luke Williams.

Luke Williams has Notts County top btw with a whopping 63 goals scored in 24 games.

I'll get hammered for this but I'd actually take him back. If Clem and Sandro are adamant that this is the style we are going to play, may as well get somebody in who knows how to coach it.

The thing is, we can't just completely abandon our philosophy because we don't have the personnel to do so. We don't have an enforcer, a target man. Natural wingers. We just need to do the same thing but better. And faster. With a tad more tactical nous.

Where does all this Lindsey is a good coach stuff actually come from?

He's in his his 50's and has only been a first team coach at 3 league clubs:

At Lincoln he was a first team coach during their relegation from the football league.
At Forest Green he got the job because of Cooper.
As for his return to STFC I'd be interested to know who chose to bring him back. Was it Garner or someone like Angus?

Based on his career there's no evidence he's rated outside of STFC and dare I say people at the club may be a bit bias and have an inflated view of him?

I'm genuinely not sure what redeeming features he has? We kept getting the 'plays the game the right way' line trotted out when he was appointed. That phrase is one of my pet hates as what does it even mean? The 'right way' is a way of playing that is successful surely, this total football endless passing stuff isn't the 'right way' if it doesn't get results is it?!

Lindsey may be an above average youth coach but there is absolutely no evidence of him being capable at this level and the same can be said for his entire coaching team based on the evidence available.

The Lindsey is a good coach talk comes from exactly the same place as the Lindsey is bad coach talk comes from.

Uninformed opinions based on speculation.

Hardly speculation. It’s there for all to see clearly.

What is?
His coaching credentials aren’t are they?
His management, his tactical nous, his decision making - yes.

Being manager and being a coach aren’t the same thing. Even with the recent name change of manager to head coach. Still not the same thing.

But we don’t have a manager as such. We have Lindsey as head coach. Presume his coaching and tactics are combined to present us fans with the tremendous spectacle we see on match days.

He’s the Manager, he picks the team, formation and tactics. Don’t give a fuck what title we give him. He’s the manager - so he is the one making the decision as to what he / his team coach. In that regards he’s not going a good job. We all know that, that part is very obvious for all to see…

However, what I’m saying is as devils advocate is that - if he wasn’t the one making the decisions he might be a very capable coach at coaching other peoples ideas / tactics / style of play / whatever you want to call it.

That’s the point I’m trying to get across.

He could very well be a capable coach - when being giving specific instructions as to what to coach…

Fair points you make.

Hence the 80% bollocks

I feel the same.

I guess you could extract the obvious management things and still find some evidence on coaching.  Do the players look to be improving at doing the same things they have been asked to do all season?  I'd argue there is zero evidence of that, we look much like we did at the start of the season quality wise.  I do not see something we have worked on for months looking any much better than it did back then.  Are our corner routines getting better?  Does someone like Shade look to be making better decisions? making more runs in the right locations? and so on.

I know some will argue that we are a bit better, but I only remember one game all season where we looked good, against Mansfield.  Everything else has been within the margins of each performance.  A couple of teams have looked much better than us, or more competent, many have looked the same as us (even if with different styles) and a couple were rank poor.  No win has been a gallup and no loss has been without moments of possibility on our side in those majority games.

Might be a bit controversial but Alex Ferguson wasn’t the best coach, what he did was employ great coaches to work with/under him.

He was however probably the best man manager

That is absolutely true. Sir Alex wasn't taking training, he employed top coaches to do that for him.

Long shot but my son lost his hat and Santa beard in DRS - don’t suppose anyone picked it up did they?!