Thetownend.com

I honestly think we'll lose this game. Dale's last home game saw them beat Stevenage 2-0. Stevenage had 28 shots ???

Rochdale 1-0 Swindon att: 2,512 (435 away)

Shit division, shit expectations now.

They've lost 23 games out of 36 and only scored 29 goals and surprisingly only Gillingham have scored less who've been on a decent run since January.

If we can't beat this shower of shit we really are shite!

Rochdale 1 Swindon 1 Att: 2,560 (470 Town)

meh. I've written the season off. will probably watch .

1-1

Rochdale are dire, really bad, worse than Harrogate who we dealt with easily enough.  If it was home a 3-0 repeat would be expected, we should still win this one even though it is away.

Don't forget we lost 2-0 at Crawley  :doh:

Piece of piss, 1-4 to town.   :D

My first (& probably last) visit to Spotland.

Its got to be a win, we have double the points they have.  :nod:

And 3-0 to Harrogate

I'm heading up for this, chippy across the road is always welcome after the drive!

We should be winning this, no excuses not too.

0-3 please.

I shall be watching this high profile match.

On holiday for Stockport and Hartlepool.

The start of a false dawn with a thumping win!

I am actually going to the Stockport match so will miss you there in the TE!

Typical!! Enjoy it!

Unlikely mate!

Typical of Flash to miss his round  ::)

 :dog: :dog:
 :dog: :dog:

Driving up for this one.

Many laughable memories of going up to Rochdale from getting bitten by a dog, to my Mate driving down a cobbled street chased by the locals.
The best of all the car blowing up off North Stafford as Glasgow Red didn’t think that the warning light meant the engine required oil.
Still hear the bang and see the smoke 😂
Blagged the train journey from Stafford to Didcot.

Just the memories of following the lads all over.

.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cS6UDtFsvnA

No new injuries, now there's a novelty.

391 away fans heading up according to the STFC twitter account.

Ouch!

“We have had plenty of opportunities to turn defence into attack pretty quickly and it was the quality that has let us down." - Jody Morris #stfc

Welcome to league 2 you're not at Cobham now working with elite academy players!

Morning Red Men. What are we thinking? A degree of 'all out attack' please!

                                                        Brynn

Hutton                      Brewitt                                    Clayton               Lavinier


                                McEachran                             Cain



                  RHM                              Williams                         Wakeling

                             
                                                        Austin

Pretty much what I would go with, although Darcy for Wakelin, who looked very jaded on Tuesday, with 2 up top and Williams in the number 10 role just behind. So a 4312 formation. 3-0 to Town,with RHM and an Austin brace and feint play-off hopes rekindled.

I think we have too many good individual players not to make the playoffs. Such a shame we wasted half a season with Lyndsey.
Start a run of consecutive wins today to push us into the mix
4-1 and safe travels to those going in this weather.
Edit saw the strip announcement
🟢⚪🟢⚪

Sitting this one out.
Stomach bug this week so there's been enough shit to deal with without another 90mins of it.

Actually that's unfair, the forces of darkness are striking again & need to catch up with work in order to put beer on the table.

Rochdale is a good away day.
It's a pity that the next visit might not be for some time.

Straightforward win on paper, except that we don't do on paper or winnable.....

Need to get Austin involved in the opposition box today.
Was thinking, somewhat out of the box, that Tomi might be a better option as first change ahead of Jephcott.
Morris has nothing to lose by trying something different.

Exactly the side I would pick too, we weren't attacking enough on Tuesday, Darcy looks a better sub than starter as does Shade and even though Wakeling didn't have a good game he is not a left midfielder or LWB and is totally wasted in that position, hopefully Tomlinson is fit again.

Tomlinson still out?

No idea mate I havent heard any mention of him, I hope hes back though.

Got a feeling we will see an Austin brace or hat trick today. Have absolutely zero justification for it but he’s got to have his day eventually… right?

Mentioned in Morris press conference that he is out.

Morris confirmed in the presser that Tomlinson was still out.

https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport/23391021.swindon-town-pre-rochdale-press-conference-happened/

Major question mark for me on if we sign him for next year. Lovely guy and a cracking player but simply can't be carrying sicknotes anymore.

One observation is the sheer number of late goals we concede. Northampton (H&A), Salford (A), Stockport (A), Crawley (A), Carlisle (H), Walsall (H), Sutton (A). Bad luck? Fitness/concentration issues? Or just part and parcel of a young, inexperienced squad? Either way, doesn’t bode well.

All the above TBH.

We often concede very poor late goals from set peices too, unmarked headers etc. could be from late substitutions disrupting the defensive unit too.

Its a bad habit tho and something we need to stop, I never feel confident going into the last 5/10 mins of games with only a single goal lead, ever.

I do think Morris has alluded to fitness not being great when he arrived without going the full Joey Barton on his predecessor.

Looking forward to seeing some non-fatigued pre season games next year!

Rochdale fans on their forum very confident they can beat us, well it is only Swindon, yet in their last 16 games they have suffered 10 defeats and only 2 wins, one win being last week vs Stevenage at home.

We only have 6 wins in our last 20 games, so I can see why they’d be confident in fairness.

Admittedly we haven't won there either in the last 5 visits with 3 defeats and 2 draws.

We have only 4 wins ever in the 14 games played there.

But, we have only lost there 3 times, all of those in the last 5 games.

I've been to Rochdale three times. Guess which three.

I am also here today. You've been warned.

Ouch.

3-1 4-0 and 2-0 I think.

Very excited to be here again.

I went once back in 1986, we won 2-1 and I still didnt enjoy the experience so never went back, I feel your pain!

Despite the results, I always enjoy a trip to Rochdale. Very friendly fans, proper club. Hope they stay up.

They are proper fans who have suffered a lot, I didnt like the ground much but it has changed a lot in the last 38 years or so.

This is how I remember it!

(https://images.fineartamerica.com/images/artworkimages/mediumlarge/1/rochdale-spotland-stadium-east-terrace-3-1970s-legendary-football-grounds.jpg)

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Frgb_EqWAAQ0Bn8?format=jpg&name=4096x4096)

Good side that

Can’t say I’m surprised that Shade and Jephcott have been dropped. Both were extremely poor at Walsall. In saying that, unsure if we created one chance for Jephcott

Certainly good enough to win today

Best team we could put out. Win today and we'll see where we are.

Best team on current form.

0-2 Austin brace

Didn't realise how much of a danger a Rochdale were in danger of exiting "the Rochdale division"*.

(*RIP Reg)

Sat in Glos hospital with my Dad. Not sure whether to try to watch or not!

Sorry to hear that mate, look after your dad hes more important than a meaningless end of season fixture.

Right Swindon. Win and no injuries. Thanks in advance

Although Swindon may at times have anaesthetic qualities.

Get well soon NMH Sr.

My thoughts are with you both football isn't important in these situations.

Why are we in green?

Not a great FK from McEachran there to Brewitt.

Paddys day yesterday. ;)

Have that!

Rochdale look fucking bobbins. How do you leave Charlie fucking Austin unmarked?

1-0 Austin,

Isnt it good to play Austin as an actual striker.

Wow that was quick :pint:

Hutton cross?

Cross from Hutton after a good long Darcy pass Austin on the penalty spot takes 1 touch and rifles it in the middle of the goal .

Yep, really good ball to Austin with RHM providing the dummy run distracting the defence.

Is that Jonathan Douglas on comms?

Jonathan Smith. PDC era rather than couple of season's back version.

Lots of balls being given away in the middle of the pitch by both sides.

Charlie Charlie Austin!

Ah, ok.
Seems to have a clue, which is good.

Yep,decent

Our midfield looks pretty poor so far. Decent on the ball but poor of it.

Strange start. 1-0 up and we look dangerous when going forward but so shaky in midfield

Agreed.

They're pushing up very high in the press, which is why we both look rushed in defence/midfield and like we have a lot of space attacking if we break the press.

0-2

2-0 Austin!

Get in there!

Magnificent ball from Williams, great cross from RHM - not 100% sure he meant it and a poacher's finish from Austin.

They are playing right into our hands tactically, fair play to them for giving it a go but this is the kind of space we need and they're giving it to us every time.

So glad we ditched the wing backs.

Brilliantly worked. Thought Austin would grab a couple today. Rochdale are absolutely shocking at the back

Good ball from Williams to RHMwhos cross shot finds Austin who belts it into the net.

Unsurprisingly the Rochdale comms watch their games through very dark blue tinted glasses..  What a name Tony Malarkey is..  we should sign him just for that.

Indeed.

This feels like a cricket score is coming. Tactically they're just playing as we would like them to.

Charlie Charlie Austin!

Lovely bit of play from Williams and RHM there.

Feel bad for Rochdale tbh. Clearly trying to play the ‘right’ way, just a real lack of quality. At the back they’re hopeless, RHM and Austin should grab a few more

Yeah, it's a case study in why bad teams tend to play anti-football. They're trying, they're just not as good as the teams they're against and in a fair fight that's going to show.

That looked like a yellow challenge on Williams to me.

Play acting according to Roch Comms, wasn't even a foul :D

Yet Clayton should have got a yellow for pulling down their striker earlier in the game..

1-2

1-2

Well that was a comedy of errors.

Oh ffs

That's my prediction league forecast🤣

Well for all the pity we’ve given them, they’re back in it ffs.

If only Darcy had passed to Austin rather than trying to beat his man and lost the ball on the edge of their box.

Williams very odd missed tackle in midfield, ball over the top, Hutton playing the man onside on the far side as Clayton steps up to catch him offside.

Circus

That should have been Charlie's hat-trick.

This game is so open it's ridiculous.

Darcy decent ball to Austin in the 6 yards box but he hits it wide.

2-2 ffs

Jesus. poor even if it looked offside.

good finish

Fucking Nora

2-2

Fucking hell😡
They're the second lowest scorers in the league and they get 2 against us in 25 mins

What a goal that was

This is so Swindon

This could be 10-10.

Jesus wept, how have we let them back into this game!

The contrast with the Walsall game is... stark.

Thought the exact same.

fucking hell

I’d hoped it might be 1-0!

Saw the first goal. Poor reception at the hospital.

Thanks for kind words. Today was just tests and ultrasound.

We'll lose this. We aren't very good.

If we lose this we should be the team getting relegated

Same old Swindon

I think we will win but by the skin of our teeth, defensively poor and weak in midfield. But every time we get the ball we look like we could score, but, so do they.

Cracking finish to be fair.

He will never score one like that again in his career.

Fucking bold thing to say with 60 minutes left that :D

McEachran down without challenge.

True.

There are not many clubs who would take a quick 2-0 lead against bottom of the league, and allow a side as dire as them to come back into it within 10 minutes despite how toxic the ground was at 2-0. Convinced it’s been a Swindon thing since 1879

Important question, is Jim Bentley the hardest manager in L2? He looks like he's been in a few scraps.

We are so shit, I really don’t rate many of our players.

Cain on for McEachran.

Oh fucking hell George McEachran injured.

Dino Maamria, although unsure if he’s managing atm

Another example of Lavinier proving he can't kick with his left foot...

He’s at Burton.

Lavinier is no defender. Clayton has been very rattled today too

Jeeeeeesh

Got away with that.

Any side with an ounce of sense would realise that Rochdale are shocking and there’s no need to panic, as chances will come to go back ahead. Instead, we look very rattled

Agreed.

every time Oudo is mentioned, Prodigy's Voodoo People goes through my head.

it's keeping me sane

Austin header straight at the keeper.

Great ball from Hutton again

Odoh? All I hear is Scooby Doo!

He's much more of a Scrappy Doo.

just saw the offside goal.

we can't defend set pieces for shit

Perhaps generously, but I think we let the man go there as it was far too early a run.

[quote="Peter Venkman]Odoh? All I hear is Scooby Doo![/quote]

him too :)

you should get a Odoh tattoo

So frustrating that we play Wakeling out on the left. Such a waste for a player of his talent

maybe. we struggled against one earlier too though

We are going to need to Kevin Keegan this. Attack!

Happy with just Scooby and Shaggy thanks :D

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/f3/Flag_of_Russia.svg/180px-Flag_of_Russia.svg.png)
(https://popularheight.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Audrey-Hepburn.jpg)
(http://img04.imgsinemalar.com/images/sanatci/Eddie-Murphy.jpg)

Should have done better with the cross.

Huge chance. RHM has to do better, never looks convincing in the final third

HT 2-2

That was fucking infuriating.

We look like scoring everytime we go forward. Should have scored more.

Since we went 2-0 up, defensively we have been a fucking shambles. Only Swindon would go 2-0 up away at bottom of the league and manage to go in 2-2 at HT.

Well, that was... quite a half. Frantic, chaotic, open, could legitimately be 4-4.

Early on, they were wide open to the counter and we opened them up twice. The crowd turned, it could easily have got really, really nasty for Rochdale.

Then we concede one out of nowhere and another to an absolute worldie. Plenty to look at in our defence for both, but neither were exactly high xG chances.

Since then, both sides could have scored more. Hutton has the absolute run of the place down our right, RHM scares the crap out of them. They look much stronger down our left.

McEachran's injury is a real shame.

We're not looking like a side that's going to mount a playoff challenge, but if the season is going to peter out, it may as well be like this than rather than like Walsall.

Can't believe we have yet another crock. Something seriously wrong with our lack of physicality

This game is a sum up of our season. Squandered.

Don’t think this is anywhere near the worst Town side I’ve seen but they could easily finish in the worst position we’ve been in since ‘84.

Is it?

I've been supporting Town since 1973 and can't remember injuries like this during that time even when we played on muddy pitches and when players were allowed to tackle.

Darcy has played well but I really think we needed Cain in there for the control, so someone else should have dropped out. Darcy, Williams, McEachran is a midfield that anyone can bully and they did.

Our complete lack of a defensive midfield boss exposed. Again!

Whilst I think a lot of our struggles this season have been self-inflicted, the injuries are really, really unfortunate. We surely have one of the worst injury records in the FL this year

Thought it was gonna be a cricket score at the start, what the fuck has happened since I don’t know. Midfield getting dicked. No control. Don’t care if seasons done you cannot lose to dross like this

I hope Morris gave them the bollocking they deserved.

Our midfield is just too lightweight.

Well, that was a comically obvious dive from the Rochdale 10.

Looking like Lavinier has gone into midfield and Wakeling gone to LB.

Darcy shot from 20 yards well wide.

3-5-2 I think?

It looks like Lavinier is playing a roaming sweeper role in the 3 at the back.

Too many of our players just dangle feet in on challenges rather than fully committing, that’s a recipe for injuries and a lot of been incurred that way. Again it’s related to the type of player we have signed, there is no real physicality in academy football, we’re too lightweight for a league 2 team.

Hutton fucks up at the back and we get away with it.

Followed by Cain fucking up at the back and us getting away with it. Living dangerously.

Could so easily go either way still.

They need to win with creepy winning at wombles.

Not many options off the bench to change this other than maybe Shade on for Wakeling at LWB.

If Town isolate Brierley then Rochdale shouldn't score any more. Key player for them in this match. Chances will come probably for both sides. This is where experienced/calm head will prosper.

Corner Town 56'

Great chance for Town ends with a shot by Lavinier but its way wide.

Has Clayton played left back before as Minturn could go centre half.

But that's not usually the case with McEachran to be fair

Town beginning to get a grip on the game now.

Williams starting to be much more involved here which is a good sign. Feel like he's a bit of a bellwether for this team, when he's good, so are we. When we're bad, you'd forget he was playing.

He has but that wont change the style of play for me, the only creative player who could come on is Shade.

Cheers JJ

Well I learnt a new word today!

Same here!

noun
noun: bellwether; plural noun: bellwethers
the leading sheep of a flock, with a bell on its neck.

Cain did really well winning that ball and making the pass at the same time.

Wakeling having a bit of a stinker today sadly

He did on Tuesday too, hes not a LWB.

Hutton's best game in a while

Cain gave the ball away very cheaply there, but we got away with it.

It is right up till his final cross in the box.

Jephcott coming on for Lavinier.
Shade on for RHM.
Minturn on for Williams.

I'm astonished that this starting XI have been incapable of beating the side that is bottom of the EFL!

Morris does love a triple change. Shade, Jephcott, Minturn for Lavinier, RHM, Williams. I think.

I would have taken Wakeling off TBH.

How is Wakeling still on FFS?

I’m not, we aren’t very good.

All of our players with the exception of maybe Brynn and FBT have had more bad games than good this season.

Come on Jephcott show us what you have got, please.

Fuck me 3-2

3-2 unbelievable

2-3

Pretty simple answer, we want Shade to play further forward and nobody else could play LB

He's not playing well, but he's a striker playing left back. What do we expect?

Fucking terrible pass from the poor Darcy cost us a goal.

Laughable my word.

Pathetic. Absolutely pathetic.

Jesus H. Christ.

Rodney their goalscorer went off injured.

Town make triple change at same time....

Now losing. Morris must be tearing what's left of his hair. Could only ever be fucking Swindon

 :crash: :crash: :crash:

FFS

Fuck football. Fuck Swindon. Roll on August.

Clayton has played LB and been half decent there.

Useless all round.
Predicted in post 1 though.
Season tickets should fly now  ::)

Barely any of this lot are good enough for next season. Fuck you Sandro.

This unfortunately didn't age well. Bloody hell

I actually still held up some hope before this game, but this is utterly pathetic. Big clear out needed!

3-3 Austin Hattrick

3-3

HAT TRICK!

Austin Hattrick.

All I can say is thank God for Charlie Austin

oh fuck off you fucking fucks. what the fuck are you fucking doing Clayton.

fuck

This is a silly, silly game, but my god is it 10x more watchable than Tuesday. It's a bit Gunning-esque, to be honest.

Could only ever be Swindon. Now level. Tactical genii

Hold onto your hats, this last fifteen mins will probably be some rollercoaster  :cry:

 :pint: :pint: :pint:

Great cross from Hutton into an entirely empty box.

Indeed.

Yeeees! Charlie Charlie Austin

Quite apart from the goals, Austin has shown that he's just a class above today.

Shade's decision making is extraordinarily poor at times

As is his final ball even when he chooses correctly.

4-3 Austin again

4-3 Austin

Have that you cunts!!!

Think MoM could be fairly uncompetitive.

What. A. Finish!

Shade created that btw.

What a fucking man. Thank fuck for that

And last week he was shit..

I think we both made that happen!  ;D

Thank god for Austin. Surprise surprise, not a Sandro signing.

https://www.whoscored.com/Matches/1649368/Live/England-League-Two-2022-2023-Rochdale-Swindon

Austin currently on a perfect 10 on WhoScored live ratings, never seen that before!

Shared!

Gotta love football. For a neutral this is a jizzfest but I expect more goals...from both sides.

Ten mins plus is a long time when you're an STFC fan. Austin will wonder if he will ever score four goals in a game again and potentially come out on the losing side.

I think Town could do with two more and I might be able to breathe sufficiently ok.

yeeeeeees.

feed the Chaz and he will score

Helluva finish.

Hes pretty good when played as a striker isnt he? ;)

I think Jephcott has gone to the deck every time hes got near the ball!

One of the most blatant fouls I've ever seen (on Wakeling) ignored there, all adds to the comedy.

Dale have a chance but head it wide.

Otherwise the ref has done quite well.

Baffling how we go from the Walsall game to something like this

If Town aren't going to score any more then it's time to think about game management and force a couple or three corners in their favour. Slow the erraticness down and compose/dictate the final 5+ mins.

Still a lot to happen if that doesn't happen. One more and final sub to make I think too.

Edit: And with that they make a sub and force a corner  :toocool:

Kadji coming on for Wakeling.

Kadji mmmm

Ooooh,Darcy

Darcy shot pushed over the bar on the counter.

C'mon let's settle it

Dont sit back, keep on pressing them on the break.

How can Kadji be 6 foot 2 or 3 and not win a header!

Darcy's best game?

Darcy chooses poorly for the shot there.

Hes done ok other than badly giving the ball away for the 3rd goal.

Non footballer on the evidence so far

Seven minutes, fourth official clearly enjoying this nonsense.

7 mins added!

Is Khan back next week?

Jonny Smith "Darcy's had a good game"

You just know Town will have all this possession and not get anything. Rochdale will probably get a corner in 9O+6 and well...I just hope I'm gloriously wrong.

But Town have forced two corners now so keep them in their effing half. We need this more than them. Rochdale are dead and buried imo and there is simply no excuse for letting them score four^ goals against us.

Seven mins added. Two played. Fuck-ing-hell...

^Edit: Changed from three to four goals...I may be back to change it to 5

Att: 2,611 (away not given)

Yep.

4-4

Minturn gets away with a terrible mistake on the touchline. Cleared for a corner.

4-4

soapy tit wank.

Who saw that coming?

Useless bastards

You just have to laugh really.

Minturns error cost us that.

Bamboo!

So so shit.

This lot are fucking shit arent they.

All of us?

I think there's still a pretty good chance one side wins this.

Corner to Town.

Shade shot just over the bar.

Could have bet your house on that, what must Charlie be thinking?  :suicide:

And another one to add to the list ☹️

We sure like to concede in injury time  :suicide:

Incapable of any kind of game management just like last weekend, exactly what happens when you sign a bunch of kids and inexperience. Just reaffirms my position that if Sandro is still here next season and it’s the same approach I won’t bother. Utterly predictable and completely avoidable.

Utterly chaotic.

This whole game has the vibe of a last day of the season game where nobody really gives a shit about the result and are just having a bit of fun and trying to entertain a little. Except it's mid-March.

Brynn saved at the near post.

Sandro goes or a few thousand fans won’t bother next season. Can’t go on like this.

Can we offload Sandra? I'll bin next season if he's still here.

Phenomenal save.

Dale miss a sitter unmarked over the bar and stand.

FT 4-4

Are you not entertained?

stupid cunts.

That's all I have to say about that

Sandro is mostly responsible for putting this massively imbalanced squad together so the blame lies with him. So many players just not up to it. He really does need to go I'm afraid. Pathetic draw against an awful team.

Mistakes at the back cost us yet again, we cant defend for shit.

Out of all this, the main concern is we’ve conceded 4 goals to bottom of the league. That is seriously abysmal. If it wasn’t for Austin we’d have actually comfortably lost that game

There are very few of these players who I would keep for next season.

Rochdale 4 - 4 Charlie Austin

I get the frustration, and we showed today (as we have all season) that we are not a serious football team.

But, football is entertainment and that was entertaining as hell. I know DV will be along shortly to tell us he'd rather we won 1-0 with one shot on target every week, but he's wrong. That was great. Stupid, incredibly flawed but fuck me it was fun.

I genuinely still held out hope before kick off, for a playoff spot. We’ve got a big rebuild in the summer, some absolute dog shit recruitment!

Crawley won  :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

Think it depends person to person. Wouldn’t say someone wanting a 1-0 win is wrong as such. Above everything, I’m a Swindon Town fan who wants to see my club win, no matter how shit, boring, lucky it comes. Sure, today was entertaining, but I’d prefer a scrappy 1-0 Swindon win any day. Suppose it just depends on what you’re after.

Nothing entertaining about conceding four against the basement side.

Playoffs gone now. Can we get rid of Sandro now due to not meeting performance targets pls

I'd like to see us move away from the youth goalkeeper model next season. Is Brynn a good shot stopper? Yes. I'm not convinced he's much else. Very rarely comes for corners and does zero marshalling of the defense. I think he's a big factor in these late late horror shows.

Clayton had an absolute stinker from minute 1 today.

Not mathematically they aren't ;)

And no we wont make the play offs!

I'm firmly in the scrappy 1-0 win camp. That's all the entertainment I need...

We're bang average not good but not bad🤣

Score four away yet lucky to hang on for a draw against the team bottom of the league.

Season can’t end soon enough

I truly do believe Clem & co. were after promotion this season and not content with just consolidating for a few years, but they’ve got it horribly wrong. Recruitment has not been fit for a promotion side. What team in recent years have been promoted with such little experience? Maybe Crewe in 19/20, but who knows if they would’ve gone up if the season was able to finish. Not after a team of 35 year olds, but fuck me, when we concede the same goals week in week out, it isn’t hard to see how much we’re missing some experience

Our players really aren’t very good, anyone who still thinks otherwise is wrong.

Experience isn’t the issue here, quality is.
We don’t have any.

I do agree, but there has to be some experience in there. The squad is understandably so naive due to their age and lack of experience. But yes, quality severely lacking too

Yeah I get that. Obviously if we could just choose to win, we'd all do that. But the season is going nowhere and this was a billion times better than Walsall on Tuesday. Might as well have a bit of fun for the rest of the season, who gives a shit if we're 9th or 14th.

The 'model' wheels have come off.

Charlie Austin is here, and he showed plenty today!

Yep, serious work to be done in the summer to avoid a relegation dog fight next season...

Another issue is the amount of two year deals we’ve handed out. Great on paper if the recruitment is spot on, but sadly we’re going to find it difficult to shift a lot of the shite in the summer

Have to agree. Sacking Sandro will be the most positive thing the board can do this season.

I think I’m a bit worried that we look worse under Morris than under Gunning and under Lyndsey. Is that solely because of injuries and suspensions?

Got to worry about next season, if Austin and Williams go, which if they had any sense, they would, then some serious work is going to need to be done.

agreed. But I'm not sure it's a fair comparison because of what you say.

he also had MacDonald, Reed and Gladwin around the place and khan not permasuspended.

That said, was expecting a bit more under Morris. But we'll see what next season brings on that.

gunning only had 2 games, that tells us nowt

we had started to splutter under Lindsey too.

I think we have to accept this season has been a clusterfuck and hope to god Clem has the resources and minerals to do what's needed to change it

Let's hope Morris gives Clem a list of players that he wants rather than Sandro choosing them.

I disagree, Gunning had a free hit so the players were always going to respond to him, he just said go out and play how you want, it worked but it would have stopped soon after with the injuries, suspensions and player sales.

As for better under Lindsey? I think you have forgotten how utterly woeful we were under Lindsey at times, Crawley away, Harrogate away, Northampton home, Stevenage away, Walsall away, Walsall home and Stockport away as well as losing all 3 Pizza cup games without a fight. Even some of the games we drew and won were were truly awful and incredibly dull in.

No part of me felt we were headed for promotion under Lindsey, regardless of our league position when he left. And then January happened. It has been a free hit for Morris for me and I've seen enough to know he'll do well given time. The squad is a joke and the injuries and suspensions have been unprecedented. He has regularly changed games with subs, and did again today.

I want SDM gone and a statement saying "we are sorry, we f***ed up and we are putting Morris in full control", even if it just helps to sell some season tickets. Selling literally ALL the experience in January and not replacing it was suicidal.

Sandro has to go. Simple as. We cannot have him running recruitment any longer.

11th in division 4 just isn’t good enough for this club. Would be our second worst league finish on record if it pans out.

Clem must know that our level of support cannot be sustained much longer watching the absolute dig shite at this level

3 hour drive home again seriously pissed off.
Clem a blind beggar can see the problem is recruitment and the non football man you chose to fuck up our team to the detriment of the fans including the ridiculous appointment of a head coach with minimal experience in the summer.
Jody Morris - I appreciate the majority are not his players but every game you are interviewed and refer to the problems and errors and yet nothing happens in your training or tactics to change it….. Brynn kicking is crap full stop but the defence continue to pass back to him to balls up another clearance.
Defence - what defence…. How many goals have we and continue to concede from corners late on with free headers. Clayton today spent 90 minutes back pedalling ….
Another player decent but lightweight picks up an injury… Never mind Khan is back next week at least until his latest brain fade and another red card.
I can see numbers not only dropping but plummeting for next season unless Sandro goes and recruitment is right.
Still doesn’t stop the club bombarding us with emails and messages to renew now !!!!
Not a chance after 40+ seasons unless things dramatically change. £400.00 to be generally bored most weeks (today was okay for a neutral).

I think Morris will be given time but will he want it!

Spot on :clap:

If you bet £10 on Swindon to get into the play offs today, then you will lose £10. :)

When I got in the car we were 2-0 up.
4-4 against the bottom team.
Shambles.

Time for change.

What about our manager?

Jury’s still out for me.. can’t say I’m overly convinced.

Fair.

People seem to intent on throwing the criticism at Sandro and in some cases the players I think Morris is getting a free ride a here & a lot of fans are happy to absolve him from any blame because it just means they can make more negative comments about Sandro

I would have gone for Artell

I didn’t fancy Artell & between the two I probably would have taken the punt on Morris.

Either way - I’d have expected to have see an improvement over Lindsey no matter who we appointed.

If Morris had us in the position Lindsey did, I don’t think he would have had fans screaming for him to be sacked.
Same way I think if Lindsey had been in charge during the Morris run, people would have been slating him.

You were banging on constantly about Duncan Ferguson, which seems to have gone a little quiet recently ;)

For me, I’m going to judge Morris after a summer of his own recruitment, a fresh start with his own squad.

I only went for Artell because he had experience managing in league 2 rather than coaching academy players at a big club.
Morris is no mug but he needs to choose the players that's he wants for next season.

Absolutely agree 100%,  couldn’t believe how hostile the Dale fans were when 2-0 down, had we scored another at that time they’d have torn the place down.

What score did you predict? I was hoping to make ground on you😀

I thought he might be a decent manager. Seems he isn’t…but…it’s someone else’s team so we can’t really blame him one single but can we?

What about him ??  Saved us from sure relegation had Lindsey stayed. Give him time mate,  think you’ll change your tune.

Another threat next season in league 2 along with Wrexham and the usual suspects from this season.

Hmmm, not many people commenting post game about how enjoyable the game was is there?

you and everyone else probably did - 2-0 win!!. 

I went for a 2-1 win

I don’t think you can blame everything on Sandro. Historically Swindon (like many other teams in our division) have utilised the loan market and half of the team was built on loan players. It was great under Wellens but shit hit the fan when we got promoted as most of the loan players went onto bigger and better things.

Whenever we get next promoted, I just hope 90% of the team remains (and don’t leave because they are on loan) and maybe two or three new players are signed to strengthen in areas which need strengthening.

It might take a few years to get right but then promotion from league 1 would then be more feasible.

Well done Bobs Orange must have had inside information, probably the only one who had it down for a draw, think that puts him top.

No problem with loan players just need the right ones to get us out of league 2

Yep fair play to Bob

No, fair to say I'm in a minority. Possibly of one. I think it's just that I've given up on going up so don't really care about where we finish in midtable. If it was a month or two back I'm sure I'd be spitting feathers with the rest.

From what was said on the radio it was an excellent entertaining game - for the neutral. 

Yes mate. Those 2 wins in 9 games have guaranteed our survival.

Anybody hear Morris's post match interview🤔

Would have been 0 wins in 9 games with Lindsey,  sorry mate, he was shite.

How many extra points do we get for that?

That wasn’t the point, you asked about how entertaining the game was.

…right, he wasn’t great but our result haven’t really got any better post Lindsey have they?

That’s always the point.
Being entertaining is worth fuck all if you don’t win where as a win is always worth 3 points even if it’s boring.

Who’d have traded that 4-4 for a 1-0 win?

Same update at full time as I I put at half time.
We looked good going forward helped by their defence being shit.

However, we were fucking abysmal defensively. Non-existant midfield and just shoddy defending throughout. Proper schoolboy stuff. The last goal was because Minturn wouldn't smash the ball into the stands, they then get a corner and the inevitable equaliser.

That was not particularly entertaining, it was two shit teams who could not defend.

Our prize is another season in League 2

Feeling a bit dejected RE STFC. All momentum and feel good from last season gone and a team/squad that doesn’t look any different from a squad Power would have put together. Fed up of us being a club who just wants to develop kids.

Same as Joe.

thirded

Nor has our squad and player availability, it's much worse

did anyone listen to Morris post match? I assume he was proper pissed off.

Said he was absolutely delighted that it was an entertaining game, as football is about entertainment.

FWIW, In Lyndsey’s last nine games we won 3 & collected 11 points.

Don’t think we are much different results wise, but the question is whether you feel there’s more likelihood of results improving.

As an example Wellens first 9 games yielded 3 wins & 12 points so again quite similar

It's not good enough to concede four vs the bottom side. Was going to review the last 1O games via the ppg run but Town simply are not good enough, they should be but I kind understand Morris opinion that they are lacking in quality.

Austin is Austin and as many have stated, play him as a striker/poacher, whip the ball into him and he will score.

That's where Hutton comes into things, if he didn't spend most of the season spitting his dummy out, we may have seen more Austin/Hutton - Goal/Assist combos. Yes the stats will say they are both doing ok and Austin can't really be to blame but they can and should be much better for both. Austin due to lack of service, Hutton due to not playing to his potential regularly outside of a transfer window.

There's a good mid-table L2 side at Town but I don't think any of us or Morris want Town to be a good mid-table side, because ultimately that just isn't good enough because overall the side is also just not good enough.

I suspect Artell suffered from not having a thick London accent. Face it, it’s Zav Austin, the Hart bloke and Sandro choosing the manager isn’t it?

Quite the opposite I believe, Clem overruled Sandro to appoint him.
Maybe Morris can put on a good Aussie accent;)

There you go!

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

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sOV8u2lu8gg

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/12837426/rochdale-4-4-swindon-town-league-two-highlights

Pretty robust stuff from Morris. Glad I wasn't the only one who thought we looked dreadful at 2-0 up!

He's definitely pissed off!

pissed off but nothing he can do this season.

if he doesn't get backed in the summer with whatever he was sold, that's when the problems will come.

but that's a problem that doesn't yet exist

There is something he could do.

Work on defending corners. Fuck me, we can put as much blame on Sandro as we want but how hard is it to get a set of professional players to defend fucking corners.

We have a goalkeeper who doesn't come for corners, and Clayton's confidence looks shot to pieces. Austin won more defensive headers than most today!

Zonal marking from corners etc I've never a big fan

Fair enough. For what it’s worth, I think a summer with Morris and Brand and a coherent transfer strategy will see us turn into a coherent team… this season has been shambolic, lurching from makeshift team to makeshift team. Injuries and suspensions haven’t helped, but a new DOF with a proper football background does seem desirable.

It’s hard to believe we have a player who scored four today and it’s not the main talking point. I’ve seen James Collins do it v Pompey, and remember Shearer doing it v Plymouth, but there can’t be many more in the past 39 years.

What happens when you have a team with a blend of inexperience and lack physicality.
Angry after throwing away another 3 points against a shit side that go long.

Shambles.
Every corner, every free kick we looked vulnerable.
Time to think long and hard about a u turn in recruitment next season because this is not fit for function or purpose at this level.

Another long trip and disappointed.
Nearly lost it as well.

Not equipped to do so.
Equally watching the likes of Darcy and Wakeling getting tamely knocked off the ball exposes it further.
We lack physicality.

You must be getting pissed off moaning about the performances on your journeys home Duke!

As someone once said, a “zone” never scored a goal

Bloody frustrating 🔥

It might work for the top teams in Europe but not league2. Im old school pick up anyone who isn't marked!

Hats off to you all who travel everywhere.

I didn’t watch today - not being IT literate enough to get I follow in UK on a Saturday - however I think some of the criticism of Morris is unfair.
He inherited an unbalanced squad - lacking in central defence, defensive midfield and a centre forward in the Simpson/Davison style to support Austin, plus very little experience. This has been made worse by a dreadful run of injuries, and poor discipline on the field leading to red cards / suspensions for Khan and RHM - all meaning that we can never play the same team in consecutive games, and have had a makeshift defence in most if not all of his games.
Despite that, if we look closely we can see a style of play developing, and he does make substitutions which change the game for the better (we have seen on several occasions).
I agree totally that recruitment needs to be better (I guess affordability may be a problem) - January in particular was shocking - although even before the window in my view the squad was poor.
However the search for a scapegoat is unhelpful - it was Lindsey before Christmas (some were saying this squad should be challenging for automatic promotion) now it’s Sandro.  It’s more complicated than that. I don’t particularly have an answer - but sacking Sandro will do nothing beyond satisfying those who are calling for him to go.
But do any of us really know who makes the decisions and has the final say?

I'm not going to judge Morris based on this season however I've just heard his post match interview. Fills me with some optimism as at least he's seen the game the same way we have. Whether he can do anything about it with the tools we have is another matter entirely.

Quite frankly I’d expect professionals to be able to mark a man and go with him if he runs and challenge the header

397 I believe

From the Rochdale scoreboard.  :headhurts:

fair. 3 In a row now. plus they had oneb header disallowed and one that went wide from a good position.

They probably have been but maybe it's not sinking in!

agree with the substitutions.

I'm still struggling with the style. But others have said the same as you so I must be missing it.

I'm not being anti Morris, I'm just struggling with what we are trying to do. Maybe it'll be more obvious with his players

Not that long ago we won away at Northampton and defended superbly against a barrage of corners.
We had a League Two experienced defender that is no longer at the club and a defender almost out for the season that can header the ball.

It’s frustrating but can only hope we learn from this.

Often question the sanity.
It’s an expensive hobby. It’s not just the 90 minutes mind, if it was I would have given up a long time ago. You meet some cracking people on the travels and lads that you have got to know over years of supporting Swindon.

Wrexham next season not sure if you've been to the Racecourse ground before (Arena Stadium)

McKirdy last season v Northampton.
Seems a long time ago now.

Spot on. Until the powers that be at the club recognise this we aren’t going up next season either, or the season after

You don’t get out of this shithole of a division with zero physicality or height in the side

Mention the weasel & spineless mentality we seem to have this season alot. It persists. Bottom of the table dross, bottom of the fucking 92 and we’re going 4 4. They deserved it. Thought defence was really poor today (incredible analysis given we conceded 4). Huttons 100% a goner. 8 assists for the season which is unreal but get the feeling he’s checked out. Thought Darcy started really well and finished ok (ideally scores one of the chances) but was nowhere for their second goal (yes it was a rocket) and a rancid pass to assist them for the 3rd. Midfield been lacking bite all season - still does. RHM started well, shoudla buried that chance end of first half. Austin’s 4th some goal. Get ball in box- Austin scores- imagine the shock. Good on him. 4 is top tier.

Fair play to the 400 odd that travelled, last season @ Dale was horrendous and had no appetite for it this season, this club really doesn’t deserve the support it’s had away from home this season. Half of the squad dross. I know it upsets a few when sweet Prince sandro is mentioned, but this all comes back to the model and recruitment. Best players we have aren’t from the “model”.  Also time for Morris to start taking some blame, shouldn’t be shipping 4 at Rochdale. I fully believe he’s the right man, providing he’s backed. Season over. Go again in August. It’s the hope that kills you.

Spot on, just like the team Wellens assembled in 2019/20

At least 5 times.
They will be the favourites. Mind you I tipped Stockport this season thus what do I know.

The voice of reason.

Austin moves up to joint 35th on the all time list.
Five more goals to break into the top 30 & go level with Peter Eastoe on 50.

Come on Charlie you can do it.

More telling (certainly about Lindsey’s tenure here) is that he must be this season top goal scorer now?

Equal with Williams, about a third of the minutes played

Top scorer is still Wakeling

https://youtu.be/JWJabudmgwY

“Midfield nowhere to be seen as to wanting to get on the ball” . “Losing 5-4 wouldn’t of been the worst thing for them to take”
“Poor, Feels like a loss”. “Don’t care about the point, care about the amount of rubbish we had to watch”.

Thts not strictly true mate, you don't question your sanity, you will go even if we are in the Conference South after double relegations, many fans will as well, its what fans do for their team.

Crude maths and guesswork I know but hear me out: I don't think it is inconceivable that we lose approx 1,000 season ticket holders from last season assuming we finish in mid-table. They won't all be full price tickets, but let's average that out at maybe £300,000 in lost income.

At absolute best we might have made £150,000 on Reed and Gladwin (Crawley may have spent silly money), but probably closer to £100,000.

I know they both blew hot and cold but that seems an insane, short-sighted gamble to have made. I think with those two in the squad we'd be in better shape, and still in the playoff mix.

January 2023 will go down as an all-time Swindon omnishambles.

Another point that needs reviewing is our success, or lack thereof, in the loan market this year. It was clear to anyone with a brain that SDM, Lindsey and Day was a combination woefully lacking in top-level football contacts and I think that has really shown. At least one loan star has been a feature of every good Swindon side in recent years. Compare and contrast this season's clown show with Garner/Chorley. I think Brynn can be judged as a success on balance but I actually think he's been a huge factor in our recent downturn. Zero command of the box and no confidence coming for a ball. That goal at Sutton where he wanted a foul was embarrassing from a GK perspective. But he's the best of the bunch but he's no Benda/Wes. We won't have this issue with Morris going forward, I'm certain.

All of the above is on SDM. His performance has been farcical, and that is before you get onto his famous interview. He isn't even good at PR, which is the only thing he has a background in. The whole thing is baffling and if Clem has anything about him he will end this experiment the second the playoffs are mathematically impossible. I want to see a picture of a corner flag on social media and a statement saying he's gone and Morris/Brand have full control.

I agree. Good post

All of the above is on SDM. His performance has been farcical, and that is before you get onto his famous interview. He isn't even good at PR, which is the only thing he has a background in. The whole thing is baffling and if Clem has anything about him he will end this experiment the second the playoffs are mathematically impossible. I want to see a picture of a corner flag on social media and a statement saying he's gone and Morris/Brand have full control.


Absolutely this. The recruitment has been farcically bad- surely any businessman must see things have to change in this area




[/quote]

Brilliant post. Completely agree.

haha. No inside information mate, just had an inkling with Rochdale fighting to stay in the division and us not being particularly good that we would 'sneak' a draw. I didn't anticipate it quite being the exciting rollercoaster that it was! :)

I had loads of messages on my phone Saturday night.

'Wow Flash, that must of been some game!?'

It wasnt, it was shit...

2 zip up before we even got going and i was scratching my head but happy enough to take it.

It was a tough watch after that.

I thought Dales first was offside but it had been coming!

The second was a worldy strike cannot argue with goals like that.

The third...sheesh that was fucking awful, he kept coming, we kept backing off and then he took a pot shot...goal...FFS!

Then we suddenly appeared to be 4:3 up.

Big credit to Austin.

Then we implode again. Conceded from a corner AGAIN.

They hit the post but i thought Brynn had it covered but we really should of lost it with that last kick that was skyed over...got away with that.

The team from back to front was poor, defence non existant, poor midfield and only Charlie able to control a ball up front. Hepburn Murphy looked like he was doing the Can Can everytime the ball got close to him.


Hutton suddenly cant cross properly.

Lord it was awful.

The play offs went a few games back but the last two results were proper nails in the coffin.


I hope Morris is the man but i am not convinced that you will promotion in L2 playing total football.

I am away now on hols, next game Mansfield.  I suspect Stockport will put us out of our misery!

Completely agree. Especially about Brynn. How many of these corners have we conceded are within 6 yard area? Command the box and get out and punch/claim it

frustrating

Earlier in the season he was crossing a lot, but rarely to anyone. Was that because we had no movement in the box people legitimately asked.

Now we have someone who comes alive in the box the crosses have slowed in numbers and are largely  poor.

Can recommend the post match Loathed Strangers pod if you are a glutton for punishment. Neatly sums up my feelings of where we are at as a club.

His confidence seems to have gone and again coincides with us losing the experience of MacDonald and FBT in defence. The young promising keeper approach only works if you have experience in defence to help guide them. With Benda we had Baudry, Hunt and Grant constantly talking to him, when Foderingham first came we had McCormack and Caddis. It made a massive difference.

You either need experience in defence to guide a young keeper or an experienced and vocal keeper to guide the inexperienced defence. We have neither now and it really shows.

I think its more that he can't run in two directions in a game.

At the beginning of the season he was spraying crosses everywhere. His defending was also atrocious.

Then he started taking on defenders and crossing with more consistency. That enabled him to pin back opposition when they had the ball as they didn't want to overcommit too much. He was still caught out in defensive duties, but not as much.

Then we had the transfer window and he seem to decide he wouldn't take full backs on. He'd cut inside and pass square or cross from really deep, which was mostly batted away by CBs.

At the weekend, he seemed to take people on again, but often didn't track back. The midfield didn't do much to try to get the ball back, which left the others at the back exposed. Hence conceding 4 goals.

I hope someone in L1 wants to offer us some money for him. Cash in and move on please.