Swindon Town v Crawley Town Official Matchday Thread

[@mwooly63]

2 shit teams playing out a meaningless game.

And once again shit officials, not often both sets of fans are singing about how shit the ref is - at the same time.

A decent team would have torn Crawley a new one, and if Crawley were decent we would have been torn one.

Am sooooo looking forward to franchise then Wolves up next at home  

[ronnie21]

First game of 2014 for me, and last of the season. I can't sit through a complete lack of movement, constant cries of 'FORWARD' when there are no obvious options, the haranguing of our young goalie for no apparent reason (including ironic cheers), a squad ill-suited to any kind of formation and apparently the rigours of professional football, strikers who never look like scoring, and a complete lack of creativity and excitement.

Fair comment.  Only about 5,500 in the ground - and it's only going to get worse!  There were eight eight season ticket holders who sit alongside us who didn't turn up tonight - felt a bit lonely and bored.  Getting on at Belford was a disgrace in my opinion.  Somebody shouted well done to a group in the DRS who were giving him some stick, saying he was only a 19 year old. He took some abuse for that!!

[Dr Pierre Chang]

A fair result, but we really have served up some tedious shite in recent weeks.

I thought Smith was out of his depth and was surprised to see him emerge for the second half. He struggled big time with his hold up play which was fucking useless. With a big lad like him upfront we need to put balls in the box from wide areas for him to attack but surely expecting a striker to do the basics is not too much to ask.

I hope Pritchard is back soon as he is by far our most creative player.

What with our away form showing no signs of improving and some decent sides still to visit us, we could be in for a nervy end to the season.

[ronnie21]

I think it would be fair to say that nobody who started the game played badly, just the tactics are all wrong.  Byrne or Louis Thompson for mom for me - but where is the drive, the leadership and the passion.  Wolves must be shaking in their boots at the thought of coming here in a fortnight!

[ronnie21]

Can someone confirm who scored our goal, I thought it was Byrne but Cooper claimed it was an own goal?

[Batch]

I thought it was an OG as well. Not 100% sure though.

[Abrahammer]

Wolves must be shaking in their boots at the thought of coming here in a fortnight!

They went to Brentford and tore them a new hole at the weekend, what they will do to us at the moment is frightening.

Tonight was just plain boring and felt like I was being put through an ordeal. Slavetraders away is only thing we have left to play for.

[Local_Dan]

I thought it was an OG as well. Not 100% sure though.

Sam Morshead said it was an OG

[JoeMezz]

Again, I come anyway thinking all our fans have no idea, either that or I have no clue at all.
Constant cries of "get it forward" when if we punt the ball, we lose possession. Booing a 19 year old goalkeeper playing his second league game who is attempting to play football, as he has done all of his life. End of the day, if we came away 1-0 people would have gone away thinking we played well, 1-1 it's a disaster and Cooper is shit... we must have the most fickle fans in the country?
As for the game, thought we were pretty dire first half - played the ball far too slow, kept it well and defended quite well.
Second half was much better, a bit more direct and I thought Nathan Byrne was outstanding; his best performance in a town shirt by far. N'Guessan simply has to score just before their equaliser 1 on 1 with the keeper (also noticed he only just got up after they had scored 20 seconds later).
Smith will run his bollocks off up top but his second touch is often a tackle. N'Guessan is hot and cold and has the concentration span of a 3 year old. Basically, we miss Ranger - someone to hold it up, uptop.
Really don't think Cooper should go, is a little concerning how we look a shadow of the side hammering Crewe 5-0 at the start of the season.
Finally, the ref was atrocious and how he hasn't sent off their player for the challenge on Thompson is an absolute farce. Gave poor decisions all round, including poor decisions for Crawley as well as Swindon.

[Local_Dan]

Considering it wasn't exactly a full strength team, i don't think Swindon played too badly. However the shocking lack of creativity is worrying. It's like an Newton's Cradle, once they get as far forwards as they can they go all the way back again. Thought Byrne has a reasonable game and deserved MOM.
M.Smith needs to be looked at. I wouldn't back him to trap a bag of cement.
Would have liked to have seen Rory Fallon.

[joteddyred]

Boring uninspiring rubbish yet again. There really is little enjoyment watching us at the moment and the crowd were showing their displeasure within 15 mins.  I reckon I must have switched off completely at times, because I didn't notice the heckling at Belford?

I appreciate we have injuries, but there's too many average players in the squad who aren't able to step up when needed.  Cooper also needs to take some responsibility instead of blaming the forwards.  Maybe playing players in their correct positions might help.  The Murphy for Smith sub was a joke.

Our season is rapidly petering out and could well be over by the end of March.  Not ideal when it ties in with the first deadline for season ticket sales.

[timmyg]

What the fuck is wrong with Belford that means that he warrants being booed by the middle of the Town End (behind the goal)? Did he do something at Orient that meant they got on him from his first kick?

He was obviously told not to just kick it out, so was constantly looking to try and find one of the shirking defender/midfielders who were all playing a game if hide and seek with him!

Byrne and N'Guessan the only players to actually show a bit of positivity and Bhrne the MOM by miles for me.

First half we were reasonably solid and the ref missed a blatant pen for them, as well as missing a load of fouls and letting their #10 stay on the pitch, but we had nothing going forward other than N'Guessan's weak poke straight at their keeper from 6 yards.

Second half was a bit better after the goal as Crawley came out a bit and allowed Byrne a bit of space in the left, but there was so little danger when we went forward that I was amazed that Cooper didn't tell one of the midfielders to get up and support the forwards a bit more.

Poor teams playing out a poor game with a poor ref in front of a poor crowd. Poor.

Poor.

[inept and tiresome]

You are retarded, better off without people like you to be honest.

Well thanks a bundle.

Tell me. were you better off with out me? (and the other stay away fans}

For the record. I never moaned at our players (except the occasional groan at another tedious sideways pass) but it sounds as if the real supporters who you have left are getting stuck into the goalie. Unbelievable.

[leftside]

First half the 3-5-2 looked totally woeful - wing-backs neither effective as wingers or full-backs, Ward looking totally isolated with Creepy strikers in acres of space either side of him. The Town End groans at the keeper were to an extent justified - he didn't learn from being indecisive with the ball, so should have played safe instead of adding extra pressure on the defence. I can't see any purpose in continuously passing the ball sideways along the defence when the opposition are sat back behind the ball, and especially when the lack of movement from midfield and forwards creates no space in which to exploit possession. One misplaced pass or lack of ball control and the three very spaced out defenders is going to lead to trouble.

Second half I was amazed we continued with the formation, but credit to the players, they seemed to improve and look more threatening. Still, I'd be happier to see 4-4-2 with overlapping full-backs (Jay and Byrne are pretty good at this). There was still too much lack of movement from players who just made a pass - they just stopped instead of getting beyond the player with the ball.

Overall, I'd say we've got a number of players who can put in a decent performance, but collectively we're no better than mid-table. This isn't a 'team' that is going to gel enough to adapt to whatever formation/s is/are decided upon and win three or four games in a row. The individuals are there, but the coherent 'team' seems miles off. Definitely no chance of the POs, but still in a much better position than I thought we would be at when the season started.

[Freddies Ferret]

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