Really, really disappointed...

[juddie]

Losing to Histon was disappointing, but I wasn't surprised. My reaction was one of, 'well, it happens, just a shame it was us', which I guess is an indictment of how I feel about the attitude of our players at the moment. Honestly, I was more excited by the prospect of last night's game, a game – and a tournament – I felt we could have at the very least, created a bit of excitement by edging towards the area final and Wembley. Some say the JPT is mickey mouse, not me. Having got this far we realistically could have got to the southern final - and imagine the lift we would all have had if we had that to look forward to...

The result last night was rubbish, but it is the post-match interview that really depresses me this morning. Different game, same excuses, it's wearing thin, and I'm not even a member of the Malpas out brigade.

I've neither been pro or against Malpas in the past, my general feeling towards the guy has been 'meh' - he has never excited me – but I felt he should be given time to try and amend where we've been going wrong. I was concerned by our league form but saw enough in the last three games to think we'd be ok. Yet one guy on the adver forum has made some pertinent points I agree with:

1. Brez and Smith, both played well last season, are making mistakes week after week. Why?
2. Ifil is not even making the bench and is out of form, why?
3. Mo Mo described Peacock as a striker and Pook as as being redundant, they now form our central midfield pairing. Was this an oversight? Luck?
4. Why our none of our new signings playing? If they're better than what we've got, which is what we were told when we unveiled our transfer policy, then why aren't they playing? And can you honestly tell me Kanyuka is better than Ifil/Aljofree or Morrison?

I can accept mistakes, but not making the same ones week after week. We need to be learning from these experiences, not repeating them.

It's mid-November and I honestly feel the season is over, and I can assure you I am not a pessimistic kind of fan. Can anyone, honestly – hand on heart – tell me they hope to make the play-offs this year? It'll be win two, lose two, win a couple, lose a couple. I need more hope than that... Or am I over-reacting?

[Mexicano Rojo]

Juddie They are my sentiments entirely, after witnessing yet another surrender to a brighton team last night I feel very disillusioned.

I know we are only swindon and yes I have been going for 30 years and I know the majority of those years we are shit BUT

even in the years we have gone down I felt like we were trying, we were just rubbish, the main reason Im feeling disillusioned is the knowledge that this team can be really fucking good, we've seen it. However well below performances get trot out week on week and I really cant be arsed anymore. Im coming up to Leicester because I have already bought my train ticket but I dont think you will see me at the county ground again before xmas.

[tans]

top post juddster

[pauld]

Great post. That should be your 442 blog written for next week then.

[tans]

nah needs to add a bit about the advertiser picture cards and forum members mums.

that should do it

[DV]

Point 1 - Brez and Smith (touch wood) have stopped the mistakes recently. Unless they made some clangers in the last two games

Point 2 - Is more than fair enough

Point 3 - Managers are allowed to change their mind. Perhaps the two players in question got their heads down and worked hard. Perhaps he saw something in training

Point 4 - Harshish. We wanted better players than we already had, doesnt mean thats what we will actually get. Although I must confess all his signings appear to be piss poor. Casal, Nalis, Amankwaah and Kanyuka for the most part have all been poor at best. I think Kanyuka is the worst of the central defenders.

[juddie]

don't worry Paul, it is!

I don't like being a doommonger but honestly...

I'm used to us being consistently inconsistent, but even under King I used to turn up on a Saturday and think 'we can win and win well today'. Being a Town fan I go in hope more than expectancy, but this week I've lost a little of the hope that's een me ride out bad times before.

I just don't feel that it at the moment, and I'm not sure if it's because I'm disillusioned with the manager or fed up with a team who don't share my passion for the shirt. This may be harsh given we've won two and drawn the other of our last theree games, but for me the season ended by going out of the two cups. I honestly feel we could have won the JPT and even though we'd never win the FA Cup, a full house for Leeds in round two would have done the financial coffers the world of good. It's all about momentum and having won two and drawn one, if ever there was a chance to build and move on, this week was it.

I believe in this team but we're allowing excellent, money-spinning and exciting opportunities to slip us by.

[wokinghamred]

Good post, Juddie.

Another point about Malpas that I was thinking about last night is that, unlike other managers, no-one seems to want to play for him.

That may be unfair because there was precious little transfer activity in the summer, but with Sturrock & Wise, and with other managers like Harry Redknapp, there are always a bunch of players that you know want to play for them and that will move with them. With Sturrock, there was a complete back room staff as well, ready to move and follow Sturrock. Before you say it, I know that they left their 'previous employer' at the same time as Sturrock, but you just get a sense of excitement around the likes of Sturrock that people want to be part of what he is up to.

With Malpas, not even the guys who had played for him at U21 level wanted to come and play. I know you will argue that was because we are only lowly D1 Swindon, nowhere near jockland, but there just is no sense of excitement or anticipation around Malpas that people want to be a part of what he is up to. And I think that is reflected in the players that we managed to attract.

Its not just us supporters, it seems to be the players as well.

[juddie]

I was really impressed with the week we beat Northampton/Oldham and drew with Scunny, I thought fair play Malpas, you've turned it around. Some say we were lucky in those games. Maybe, but to get seven points from nine when there was such a negative feeling around took guts and balls, and Malpas made big decisions in order to get us there.

So how have we managed to digress again so badly?

I just don't get it, I really don't. In the space of two weeks we've gone back to the 'same sh*t different day' that preceded those league wins.

[Colin Todd]

DV Re: Point 3.

Its not that changing his mind is the problem, its the seemingly random way that he hit upon a combination that seemed to work.  We'd had various cominations of Nallis, Easton, Timlin, McGovern & Peacock (did i miss anyone?) changing on an almost weekly basis before he stumbled upon Peacock and Pook as a partnership.

It dosnt really give me any confidence that he knows what he is doing, its more like he was in the process of trying every possible combination and hoping one worked eventually.

[DV]

DV Re: Point 3.

Its not that changing his mind is the problem, its the seemingly random way that he hit upon a combination that seemed to work.  We'd had various cominations of Nallis, Easton, Timlin, McGovern & Peacock changing on an almost weekly basis before he stumbled upon Peacock and Pook as a partnership.

It dosnt really give me any confidence that he knows what he is doing, its more like he was in the process of trying every possible combination and hoping one worked eventually.

I can see your points and you could be right but on the flip side Malpas could have been at training and seen something that convinced him Lee Peacock could do a job same with Pook.

I dont suppose any of us knows what Malpas thinks. Im trying not to defend him (i know it seems lik it) but there are potentially different versions of the same story.

He could have lucked onto it or he could have tried it in training.

Same with Timlin at left back - fuck knows how that came about. That shocked just about everyone but its worked. Luck or Malpas?! anyone know

[JPC82]

timlin has played left back before, its not as if malpas noticed he had the attributesto play there

[Colin Todd]

I can see your points and you could be right but on the flip side Malpas could have been at training and seen something that convinced him Lee Peacock could do a job same with Pook.

I dont suppose any of us knows what Malpas thinks. Im trying not to defend him (i know it seems lik it) but there are potentially different versions of the same story.

He could have lucked onto it or he could have tried it in training.

Same with Timlin at left back - fuck knows how that came about. That shocked just about everyone but its worked. Luck or Malpas?! anyone know

he probably did, but the question is why did it take 2 months of shit form for him to see it and change it?

Timlin at left back was a bit more obvious I suppose, Ie vincent injured, casal is shit, Timlin is left footed and is reasonable in the tackle

I'm trying hard not to be anti malpas, but I'm struggling more and more. Our form has perked up a few times under him, but it always seems to quickly settle back down to utter shite.  I appreciate every team (even good ones) will have their ups and downs over the course of a long season but the problem is our shite periods last a lot longer than the decent ones.

[Fred Elliot]

Sorry but even as a season ticket holder, this Saturday ................

Working > Swindon v Leicester

I think that sums up my thoughts at the moment

[flammableBen]

I've got similar sentiments fred. Only 2 letters different.