Brentford FC v Swindon Town FC Official Matchday Thread

[BruceChatwin]

Good first half, catastrophic capitulation second.

90 minutes of aerial bombardment from Brentford, an approach that failed for the first 45 when we tried to attack but became very effective for the second when we sat back putting our defenders under immense pressure. Total opposite approach to old regime where we always went for the throat right to 90 minutes whatever the score, and also the same approach that cost us against Walsall when in front.

I don't know if it's due to direct tactical orders from the top or if it's just something organic emerging from a noticeable drop off in fitness towards the end of games but it needs to be urgently addressed so we can kill teams off when on top like we used to.

Wes, Thompson and Ferry, all good shouts for man of the match. Though Wes was very fortunate not to be sent off after the challenge for the penalty (one lone act of generosity from otherwise abysmal Mr. Atwell) then went on to make 2 or 3 wonder saves to stop us losing by more while the defence crumbled in front of him.

Should have been 3-1 to us first half and 3-1 to them second. By which calculation a draw would have been a fair result but then that's football.

[chalkies_shorts]

Really fucked off. Yet another game we should have killed off and didn't. We absolutely shat on them in the 1st half and the 2nd half shouldn;t have been needed. Whoever shanked the ball in front of an open goal just after we scored deserved shooting. We need a goalscorer and fast. If we had someone like McGoldrick playing for us, we'd be top 2.
Brentford got a head of steam up in the 2nd half but didn't deserve to win ..but they did.
I can't see us being top 2 unless we can put teams away and that doesn't look likely at the moment.  
I don't know what the crowd was but it didn't look that great.

[Abrahammer]

That was a bit of an odd game. Fuck knows what happened at half time because we came out and stopped doing all good things that enabled us to dominate the 1st half.  We lost the battle in the middle of the back, we lost all our creativity and resorted to hoof ball.

Stand out for us was Thompson, especially first half he didn't put a foot wrong.

Biggest plus of the night is that Wes won't be suspended. It looked like a stonewaller penalty that should have been a clear red card. Admitally it was up the other end of the pitch so seeing a replay might tell a different story.

[kerry red]

Hard to be critical really.

First half we were superb - chased and harried Brentford, passed the ball well and totally dominant.

Roberts should have put the game to bed minutes after Ferry's goal - must have been easier to score than hit the post.

Thought Brentford were shocking - one dimensional, up and at 'em approach.

Like others, thought Nathan Thompson was MOM - absolutely superb in the first half, followed closely by Ferry.

Feel sorry for KMac as he had the tactics spot on playing 4-5-1 - only to be let down by his players for a short spell in the 2nd half.

Goes to prove, once again, what a poor league it is this season.

Hopefully, any loan players coming in can freshen things up.

[flammableBen]

Did not realise we were playing tonight, would have been a good excuse to chip out the pub early.

Oh well.

[THE FLASH]

Odd game where I feel disappointed but we didn't play poorly....end of auto though I reckon.....just not enough in the tank...

[Digglie]

You have to wonder whether the owners really want us to go up. We have a half decent team but one which would struggle big time in the championship. I suspect that there is little appetite for the investment that promotion would require.

[Bukkake Regiment]

Very disappointed with that, a game we should have won, our chronic lack of pace exposed again. Were it for some better managerial decisions we would have won that, the substitutions were left too late, we should have changed it around the 60th minute but we didn't. Why bring on De Vita in the 88th minute?

The starting XI was wrong in my opinion too. Devera should have been in there for either Flint or McEveley, because A: the the other two have been shocking recently, B: we need more pace in the side. Also why is Miller starting? Put Ferry in the middle and stick Luke Rooney out wide, De Vita or Roberts on the other wing (neither deserve to play but we have no other options). Again up front we lack any options so Williams and Rooney seems the only option right now. If we don't get 3/4 loanees in sadly I don't think we'll make the playoffs.

It frustrates me that MacDonald has cut down on the training sessions because it's already showing in the performances, 2 games in a row that we've conceded late goals, what happened to our superior fitness? His management style also worries me, he doesn't do anything from the bench, he just stands there arms folded. Long way from being convinced that he's the right man but we've gotta give him a chance.

Well done to the travelling fans, fantastic again. Brentford's support is the worst home support I've seen this season by far, shocking.

[Bukkake Regiment]

Let's be honest, of our current squad how many are championship standard? In my opinion it's just Foderingham, Ward and Ferry, the rest are at their level. The difference between middle table and promotion with an average squad of players is the manager, we need 3/4 loan signings, MacDonald will struggle to get the best out of this squad like Paolo did.

[Dr Pierre Chang]

I will post more after some sleep but for the second match running a cautious, sit back when leading tactic has cost us.

There was a 15-20 minute spell in the second half where we got well and truly turned over, I haven't see that happen to us for a long time and Brentford were very good after offering little up untill then.

We were excellent 1st half but didn't have one real chance in the 2nd and if it wasn't for the crossbar, shit finishing and Wes, we could have lost 5-1.

Summed it up when they brought on Wright-Phillips and our final sub looking to salvage something was De Vita. New players needed, and fast.

[Bukkake Regiment]

It could be worse, we could be Luton. They lost 2-1 at home to Hyde, yes Hyde.

[Langers]

We controlled the game for 60 minutes. As soon as they got one, we all but gave up. We resorted to hoofball and let them just keep the ball and see it out.

Couldn't see the penalty that well, but it looked like the right call.

We just can't seem to finish games of, were lacking a cutting edge in the final third. I'm just glad KMAC had a week with the players and hopefully we will have some loan signings before Yeovil.

[dalumpimunki]

You have to wonder whether the owners really want us to go up. We have a half decent team but one which would struggle big time in the championship. I suspect that there is little appetite for the investment that promotion would require.

This is perhaps the singularly most idiotic post ever posted on this site. And that is really saying something.

[Quagmire]

We never deserved to lose that game, as has already been said we should of been out of sight at half time, but how many times have we said that now this season?
Macdonald got it spot on tactically last night, certainly not his fault we lost and I still believe we will be okay.
As for the embargo, the board aren't at fault for that, people getting on their backs too seems a bit premature, they may or may not do well at the club, at the moment though, none of the behind the scenes stuff is their fault.

One other thing, can the counting when the opposing keeper has the ball in his hands stop? It's one of the gayest things I've heard at a football match.

[magicroundabout]

It frustrates me that MacDonald has cut down on the training sessions because it's already showing in the performances, 2 games in a row that we've conceded late goals, what happened to our superior fitness? His management style also worries me, he doesn't do anything from the bench, he just stands there arms folded. Long way from being convinced that he's the right man but we've gotta give him a chance.

AF of the Manure variety doesn't move from his seat unless they score or he rants at the ref. they seem to be doing ok. Just because he's the polar opposite of PDC why should everyone be worried.

He's 3 games in, 2 weeks in the job, taking over from a team he inherited. he's still getting used to the players, their positions and installing his tactics etc.

personally i think it's a breath of fresh air not having someone wave their arms around on the touchline shouting and moaning at our players.