Swindon Town v Oldham Athletic Official Matchday Thread

[wembly 69]

What is the point of Byrne?..managed to look the worst player in a really poor performance

[Benzel]

Nothing came off for him yesterday, he was at least putting the effort in. He can certainly cross a lot better than he did yesterday. In fact when we got him on loan last season he was fizzing some superb crosses into the box.

[Honkytonk]

This was Byrne yesterday.



Or this.



etc. etc.

[A Gent Orange]

Nothing came off for him yesterday, he was at least putting the effort in. He can certainly cross a lot better than he did yesterday. In fact when we got him on loan last season he was fizzing some superb crosses into the box.

Good point. Byrne never once hid, never stopped trying - even if it wasn't coming off. First half he got a lot of the ball with his back to goal by coming off the line but suffered from a lack of midfield support, but he kept going, he kept troubling their defence. He is the complete opposite of N'Guessan, he has a footballing brain but not the physique, big Dany is very much the opposite.

[chalkies_shorts]

Good point. Byrne never once hid, never stopped trying - even if it wasn't coming off. First half he got a lot of the ball with his back to goal by coming off the line but suffered from a lack of midfield support, but he kept going, he kept troubling their defence. He is the complete opposite of N'Guessan, he has a footballing brain but not the physique, big Dany is very much the opposite.
[/quote
Byrne's footballing brain still needs a hell of a lot of development. Apart from his tackling, his decision making is bollox. Yesterday, apart from  the numerous shanks masquerading as attempted crosses, there were 2 brilliant examples of his footballing brain needing development. First of all the shot into the Town End from a tight angle instead of the cross, although it could have been a cross. Then the occasion where he put his head down and crossed into the box where there were no Town players. He had time to hold the ball and wait to cross.
Yesterday and last week he was fucking shite and to be honest I've not rated him in any position he's played. Lightweight, prone to a red card, the most one footed player we've had since Gabilondo, crap defensively and not a great threat in attack unless you're in the Town End or Bank.
The fact we actually paid money for him is even worse. Saying that £400k for Luongo seems money down the pan unless he gets his arse in gear. 

[BruceChatwin]

I think a lot of our problems stem from so much chopping and changing of tactics and formations over the last couple of months which, though a necessary attempt to address our away form, has muddled the minds of the players as to what they're supposed to be doing, while not leading to any upturn in results.

Yesterday afternoon was like watching a troupe of circus misfits, with big bulldozers like Smith, Archibald-Henville and Gladwin cavorting enthusiastically around the pitch while limp-wristed ghost presences like Harley, Barker and Reckord stepped politely out the way to watch them pass by. There seemed to be no tactical attempt to join them up as a cohesive unit.

Where at the start of the season the players seemed to have an almost telepathic understanding of where their team-mates were and how to help them by moving into space they now look frozen to the spot, scouring the horizon for invisible companions, unaware or afraid of the space they were naturally drifting into before even when we play almost the same 11 that was so fluent at the beginning of the season.

What concerns me most is how we seem to have sacrificed the go-out-to-entertain-and-see-what-happens aspect of the side totally in an attempt to emphasise a grind-out-results-to-climb-the-table approach that, seeing as our transfer policy has largely been built around bringing in players that fit our early-season pass and move, total football model, is the tactical equivalent of a child trying to jam square pegs through round holes, with similarly unsuccessful and unattractive results.

I thought Ward, Branco and Henville were our best performers yesterday. When the centre of defence looks the most cohesive aspect of our team, something has gone seriously awry.

[No Longer Posh Red]

This was Byrne yesterday.



Or this.



etc. etc.

Harley was like this too, except without the actual running around bit.


As Benzel posted earlier in the thread that everything Byrne did today went wrong, and apart from one cross which ran along the six yard box in the most part it did.
But at least he was still trying to do something, unlike Harley (and Barker when he was on), who did absolutely fuck all.

When games are not going well, you find out who the real men in your team are. And they aren't the ones that hide away from the ball when it's going wrong & the crowd are on their back.

Have to say I've been a bit sceptical of TAH's commitment with some of his comments (albeit mostly on twitter), but he did look one of the few players to show some pride yesterday.

As for those that don't think Pritchard is any good, I think that yesterday showed that without him & Kasim in the team we aren't half as good a team.

For all is fucking about and losing the ball he is a bundle of energy that is always looking for the ball, and like Kasim seems to be available for a pass even with players around them.

[chalkies_shorts]

As for those that don't think Pritchard is any good, I think that yesterday showed that without him & Kasim in the team we aren't half as good a team.

For all is fucking about and losing the ball he is a bundle of energy that is always looking for the ball, and like Kasim seems to be available for a pass even with players around them.

I don't rate Pritchard very much but I do rate Kasim. I don't think Pritchard would have made much difference yesterday. He's not made much difference recently at all.

[Only Me]

It's becoming inherent.

We were woeful yesterday and it's obvious that performances need to improve. Despite our current poor form, however, we are a good team that is only 5 points adrift from the playoffs. Teams do improve/worsen as the season goes along and although some would have us think otherwise it is not beyond the realms of imagination that we can return to form. Something like Troy coming back could provide the catalyst for that. It's also possible, of course, that we could capitulate but without a crystal ball it is not yet possible to say which way it will go.

To write us off now is incredibly premature and myopic. For the sake of balance, I'd be equally critical of anybody claiming that we are certain to make the playoffs.

I agree. As long as we can ride the bad patch until the end of Feb and remain in touching distance of the play offs we will improve with the better conditions / pitches and storm up to the Championship through the play offs.

[random_five]

Power is in charge you fool, Cooper's the face. Power makes all the decisions, if they go badly Cooper gets the flak. How anyone still doesn't know this by now baffles me, why do you think Cooper got the job in the first place? How many decent managers would agree to have no freedom whatsoever.

Power's only allowed in the country 90 days a year. If he's in charge of the playing side as you suggest, how does he coach the players? Via Skype?

[chalkies_shorts]

Power's only allowed in the country 90 days a year. If he's in charge of the playing side as you suggest, how does he coach the players? Via Skype?

Given the last 2 home performances and the luck we had in the previous 3 allied to our away form recently and you could be correct

[random_five]

Given the last 2 home performances and the luck we had in the previous 3 allied to our away form recently and you could be correct

Touché

[THE FLASH]

I think a lot of our problems stem from so much chopping and changing of tactics and formations over the last couple of months which, though a necessary attempt to address our away form, has muddled the minds of the players as to what they're supposed to be doing, while not leading to any upturn in results.

Yesterday afternoon was like watching a troupe of circus misfits, with big bulldozers like Smith, Archibald-Henville and Gladwin cavorting enthusiastically around the pitch while limp-wristed ghost presences like Harley, Barker and Reckord stepped politely out the way to watch them pass by. There seemed to be no tactical attempt to join them up as a cohesive unit.

Where at the start of the season the players seemed to have an almost telepathic understanding of where their team-mates were and how to help them by moving into space they now look frozen to the spot, scouring the horizon for invisible companions, unaware or afraid of the space they were naturally drifting into before even when we play almost the same 11 that was so fluent at the beginning of the season.

What concerns me most is how we seem to have sacrificed the go-out-to-entertain-and-see-what-happens aspect of the side totally in an attempt to emphasise a grind-out-results-to-climb-the-table approach that, seeing as our transfer policy has largely been built around bringing in players that fit our early-season pass and move, total football model, is the tactical equivalent of a child trying to jam square pegs through round holes, with similarly unsuccessful and unattractive results.

I thought Ward, Branco and Henville were our best performers yesterday. When the centre of defence looks the most cohesive aspect of our team, something has gone seriously awry.

Excellent post.

In all of the last six games (that I've seen with my own boggle eyes) we need two touches before deciding were its going next....even Oldham and the Pikeys knew before the ball got to them.

It's all gone a bit shit recently.

[ronnie21]

Well, for once, we all seem to be agreed on yesterday!!  Shit performance, got what we deserved, lack of effort, no quality, players running around like headless chickens, no guile, no pace, in fact the only bright spot for me was the TAH performance, although Wes was blameless.  The players singled out for ridicule really do need to up their game - and very quickly.

[chalkies_shorts]

Whilst TAH showed how to open up Oldham by running with it he was still a bellend for getting sent off given the ref made sure it was a non contact sport. Somehow, I cant see Exeter getting an extra 20k from us.