Just got back...

[kaufman]

me and a mate actually sat opposite with the palace fans today as our manager is a palace supporter, so it was amazing to see all the swindon fans.

Palace did not look that impressive but they always looked more likely to get the ball in the net although our build up play was far better than theirs.

being with the palace fans was interesting and so was watching and hearing the swindon fans.

very vocal at the start then went quiet for a while but second-half were just excellent.

I agree with what someone else said saying that they praised their players to easily and seemed happy with the way they were playing when i though they did not really impress as much considering some of the players they have in their side.

They fans were impressed with roberts and jack smith more than anyone.

I personally thought timlin ran the show for us today.

All the players did well really but we need a striker more so than ever now i think.

All the build up play was so good it just need someone making the right run to get on the end of it and i don't think peacock, roberts or lucas is gonna do it.

lets hope this rodgers signs and finishes off the final peice.

great day out

[Fred Elliot]

They fans were impressed with roberts and jack smith more than anyone.

 :shock:

The seating went virually down to pitch level so could not get any form of picture of our lot.

Did it look that good Kaufman ?

[Spud]

Every player played well today bar Roberts and Pook (2nd half), Timlin was MOTM for me,he got hold of the ball alot and looked calm simply knocking it about.

[kaufman]

They fans were impressed with roberts and jack smith more than anyone.

 :shock:

The seating went virually down to pitch level so could not get any form of picture of our lot.

Did it look that good Kaufman ?

It did look really good seeing all you lot huddled together as a mass

Yep there were impressed with roberts but took major piss out of the fact that alot of our players were wearing gloves, heard my manager calling zaboob le glove at one point and did you notice that roberts did not change his shirt at half time but he changes his gloves?

Alse notice that aaron browns kit was pure white at the end of the game, he nearly went to ground......once.

It's interesting that some of you were saying that you were singing throughout but there were long periods where you were quiet.

Was very proud watching you all go mental though  

and did anyone see zaboob in the second half do this amzing flick but then just stand there and watched the palace player walk off with the ball?

he got substituted about a minute after that.

[Fred Elliot]

How many would you estimate there were of us ?

Was saying to PaulD on the way back that it is difficult as you cannot judge the amount that got their tickets today

[larwood]

I listened on the radio so obviously we lost again i'm not going to do it again for the rest of this season,promise. Sounds like it was a good day out I haven't been to a single FA cup game this season

[kaufman]

i can't belive there was only 10238 there :shock:  we must have brought over 3000?

[glos_robin]

All in all I don't think we deserved to lose and it was quite a good match. Peacock, Vincent, Ifil, Williams and Shakes all had good games with I hate to say it but Shakes probably looking our best player.
As people on here said Pook didn't have his worst game but he has no influence on the game and his negative points far out weigh any positive points. Timlin is in the team for his ball playing, Zaaboub for his skill, why is Pook in it? He should be the box to box midfielder who breaks up attacks and starts new ones. Instead his first consideration is to either pass backwards or sideways, most good work he does is as a result of needing to make amends for an error. And he has zero positional sense and is generally just lost on the pitch.  Can't help but think the fact he is local allows him to get the benefit of the doubt in many peoples eyes.
If a player convinces me otherwise I will change my opinion but Pook isn't even good enough for the conference. Earlier in the season I said Vincent wasn't good enough but he was very good today so if a player performs I will give praise where it is due.

However after 13 games of Sturrock being in charge some things are really starting to worry me...........were 1-0 then subsequently 2-0 down in the FA cup, Palace get a corner and he brings everybody back, why? surely we should leave someone up field so we can get the ball out.
Also his tactics, why when we were 1-0 down with 20 minutes left did his double substitution involve taking off our best midfielder (Zaaboub) putting Peacock into midfield and Jukebox up front on his own. Eventually it panned out that Peacock went back up front and Jukebox went on the right by the looks of things. For 10 minutes after his substitutions we couldn't get the ball which just further made them seem weird changes, finally Pook (who as I said didn't have his worst game but was a passenge) got replaced and suddenly we started attacking again with 2 strikers up top. Is anyone else slightly confused about alot of his tactics? At times it seemed as though Sturrock was happy to settle for a defeat and sit back and accept the 1-0 scoreline.
Also Sturrock moans we can't defend corners, well why doesn't he do something about it then, he's the manager so get it sorted. Main problem in my eyes is we haven't got a midfielder that can head it. Pook, Timlin, Roberts, Shakes and Zaaboub are all weak at heading, which only leaves Ifil, Williams and Peacock capable of clearing the danger.

I have no doubt Sturrock is a good manager I'm just sitting here very perplexed about his tactics.

[Fred Elliot]

and did anyone see zaboob in the second half do this amzing flick but then just stand there and watched the palace player walk off with the ball?

he got substituted about a minute after that.

He just stood there and looked at the ball with a kind of gallic disdain

quality !

[reeves4england]

My view is this:

-We were immense both on and off the pitch
-Palace were un-immense both on and off the pitch

-We played the better football and had them pegged back for long periods, and probably should have scored more. Having said that their guy wasted the glorious opertunity for 2-0

-Nobody played badly at all, but Pook was the least good as he went missing and allowed their midfield to close in on the goal area. I wish people would get over the fact that Roberts isn't crap. Today he was always available, made runs, won the ball, held the ball up and put crosses into the box aswell as winning corners and throw ins throughout

-"You've come a long way for nothing" .... have they even heard of Hartlepool?

[Fred Elliot]

I wish people would get over the fact that Roberts isn't crap. Today he was always available, made runs, won the ball, held the ball up and put crosses into the box aswell as winning corners and throw ins throughout

quote]

Would you mind awfuly if I dissagreed with you on this one  

[OOH! SHAUN TAYLOR]

Also Sturrock moans we can't defend corners, well why doesn't he do something about it then, he's the manager so get it sorted.

My guess is that he is working on this daily in training but I suppose it doesn't just happen overnight.

I mean it won't will it? It's going to take a bit of time. Don't you reckon?

[red macca]

Also Sturrock moans we can't defend corners, well why doesn't he do something about it then, he's the manager so get it sorted.

My guess is that he is working on this daily in training but I suppose it doesn't just happen overnight.

I mean it won't will it? It's going to take a bit of time. Don't you reckon?

also what else can he do once he has told them what he wants in traing.personally i would fine every player in the box if we concede from set pieces

[OOH! SHAUN TAYLOR]

Palace get a corner and he brings everybody back, why? surely we should leave someone up field so we can get the ball out.

He actually answered that one in the fans' forum I think. He basically said he was playing percentages. He said that you could leave one player up but the chances were that he would not get the ball any way so you might as well have that player back behind the ball helping to get it away.

I can see the logic of that.

[glos_robin]

Also Sturrock moans we can't defend corners, well why doesn't he do something about it then, he's the manager so get it sorted.

My guess is that he is working on this daily in training but I suppose it doesn't just happen overnight.

I mean it won't will it? It's going to take a bit of time. Don't you reckon?

As I said further on in my post, I don't think we have the personnel suited to defend to corners. Barring Peacock, Ifil and Williams we are very weak in the heading department