Swindon Town v Peterborough United Official Matchday Thead

[Oaksey Moonraker]

What is it with Williams? Why would a 20 goal striker be low on confidence?' I don't get it.

We had all three strikers firing in November to end of January but they have all gone off the boil.

Can't help thinking playing 1 up front hasn't helped any of them. 3 strikers fighting for one place when previously we were able to rotate the 2 into 3 places puts all of them under pressure and, chances they were burying, they started snatching at and you can see the confidence draining as we went on our first bad run.

We need to get them firing again as they were key to our best form when we blasted teams away by rushing into 3 goal leads that killed teams off before our defensive frailties were exposed.

 Look at how Preston pushed on by bringing in Johnson, Beckford and getting    Garner fit again. But that's the difference in budget they have.

[ronnie21]

He's never clapped the fans. Suppose people will only start noticing it when looking to see if he cares.

There were a few who went straight to the tunnel, only four walked around!!  If they don't give a fuck how hard must it be for us - the fans who pay their wages - to give a fuck!!  Poor atmosphere, sadly outsung by 285 Posh fans and a fucking drum!!  I thought that the ground rules stated that musical instruments were not allowed - fucking well sort it!!

[herthab]

There's almost a part of me that wonders whether we would have been better off realising the ££ for Mass and Yaser in January, and pushing on from there with replacements.  It was a brave decision to hold on by Power, and he would have been flamed by many for selling at that point.  But Yaser, in particular, has not been the same player since the Asian Cup.  It's very frustrating.  The Youth Strategy worked wonders for 30 games; but sustaining it over 46 was maybe a little too much to ask.

That said, a good win today.  A few more of those during the next few weeks and we'll be teed up nicely for the Play Offs.

That's not correct. Kasim always seems to struggle when he first comes backs from international duty but anyone who saw Tuesday night's game surely can't suggest that he's lost interest, or didn't perform. He's now got a bit of a rest, due to the suspension and I'd wager he'll be back to his imperious best against Yeovil.

[Benzel]

He's never clapped the fans. Suppose people will only start noticing it when looking to see if he cares.

Maybe I'm being harsh, you're probably right.

[OOH! SHAUN TAYLOR]

Gladwin was decent and shit today. He is going to be a very good player next season and will earn us a decent fee. Gladwin is different. He looks unfit with no pace but he has no problem beating players. I'm a big fan but before he becomes the finished article he will frustrate the fuck out of a lot of people.

I did think watching the City game that Gladwin will be our next big money sale after Luongo (and maybe Kasim), possibly at the end of next season. I made the comment then that he reminded me of Chris Waddle and some of the comments made about him today back that up as they are the same comments that would have been made about Waddle 25 years ago such as He looks unfit with no pace but he has no problem beating players. Or, if you want to make a Swindon related comparison, Dave Bamber, as Nice Bloke said. To be compared to either player is by no means a bad thing.

[inept and tiresome]

His last good game was Bradford at home some time ago. I get the impression he can't wait to move on in May/June.

I was ripped another arsehole in the ground for saying this. I'm so pleased to know that there's another misinformed person out their.
Awful game throughout. Maybe there's something in, you don't win things with kids.
Just a thought.

[JayBox325]

On the subject of Luongo, he had a great game defensively but when it came to attacking it seemed like he'd rather take a risky pass or try to skin people every time than complete a pass that could lead to a goal. It felt a bit like if he didn't get an assist he wouldn't be happy.

It was nice to meet Tails from here today. Moved from Arkell's for the TE today. Made a nice change.

[Oaksey Moonraker]

His last good game was Bradford at home some time ago. I get the impression he can't wait to move on in May/June.

Luongo has been through a lot in the last 12 months. He went to a World Cup with training camps to get players ready after a long English season. Then he has come straight back into a pre season here, played in pretty much every game or been away with Australia. Then gone to the Asia Cup playing every game, come out of it as player of the tournament.

Since coming back to Swindon he was straight into a run of Saturday Tuesday games as we have struggled for form. He has had to deal with media attention on his future and now we are at the sharp end of the season with Saturday Tuesday games.

All of that would be enough to test experienced International players let alone a young player on a rapid trajectory. Look how many top Premier League players have had poor seasons after the World Cup.

Luongo probably needs a break physically and mentally after the last 12 months. He played great against City and today I felt his problem today was his passing radar was off rather than a lack of effort. Ideally if auto promotion goes, we should rest him up and get fresh for the play offs

[donkey]

Y CV

Today was all about 3 points and not the performance so on that front it is job done. however my view of the game:

Very poor from both sides, even poorer from the referee

Ricketts and Obika did well
Rodgers looked very good first half, linked up play well, but when he came out 2nd half looked like he had forgotten how to play football, rightly subbed shortly after.
Gladwin looked our most dangerous player going forward, and most likely to score, but his general play on the ball and facing his own goal wasn't the best.  If he can get his all round game sorted he will be a big player for us next season, could possible step into Mass's boots.
Turnbull was ok, but the undeserved booking seemed to affect him and he didn't seem as composed after that point.  Toffolo much the same.
Nathan Byrne did not impact the game at all and Luongo looks disinterested, moments of brilliance but not enough to influence the game.
Andy Williams confidence is shot, he is back to the player that he was before his injury, needs a spell on the bench and give him a chance to be the impact player as he was successfully at the start of the season.  Could see he was going to miss the penalty the moment he picked the ball up.

The referee was so frustrating today, picking us up on everything and letting Posh get away with everything.  Didn't seem to want to book their lot but happy to throw the yellows at us, only deserved yellow today was Toffolo.

To add to this, that fucking drum, and the "posh go marching in" song which went on for most of the first half. 

Agree with every word of that. Obika man of the match for me, running and closing down from the first to last, and set up the goal, too. First time I've seen Ricketts, and he impressed me as well.

[suttonred]

Luongo has been through a lot in the last 12 months. He went to a World Cup with training camps to get players ready after a long English season. Then he has come straight back into a pre season here, played in pretty much every game or been away with Australia. Then gone to the Asia Cup playing every game, come out of it as player of the tournament.

Since coming back to Swindon he was straight into a run of Saturday Tuesday games as we have struggled for form. He has had to deal with media attention on his future and now we are at the sharp end of the season with Saturday Tuesday games.

All of that would be enough to test experienced International players let alone a young player on a rapid trajectory. Look how many top Premier League players have had poor seasons after the World Cup.

Luongo probably needs a break physically and mentally after the last 12 months. He played great against City and today I felt his problem today was his passing radar was off rather than a lack of effort. Ideally if auto promotion goes, we should rest him up and get fresh for the play offs

Good post.

[chalkies_shorts]

Add to that the issue of are we playing 5 or 6 in midfield - how many holding midfielders, trying to accommodate Swift in a team that doesn't seem able to and an ever changing cast behind him, around him and in front of him and I can see why we're not getting the best out of him.
The loss of form for Town I believe is partly attributable to bringing Swift in and then trying to play him in a normal midfield role, then in the hole. To accommodate this, we have changed our shape and personnel too much. Then we have our shit discipline yet again. Then we have Byrne's form this year where he offers fuck all defensively and exposes us down our right and his decreasing returns going forward.
We also have others teams tactically out foxing us, Rochdale, Franchise. Pikeys for example.  

[herthab]

And yet we are 4th and if we finish the season 4th it'll be our best placed season in 15 years.

[bigbobjoylove]

We really miss Louis Thompson. With him in the team he always helped out the defence by tracking back. The others are less inclined to do that.

[TheDukeOfBanbury]

Am I the only one that thinks Gladwin was decent again today? The way he ghosts pasts players could be so good in the playoffs. Ricketts MOTM for me.

Agree with both points you made.
Just needed the ugly win today after the last two results and we got it.

[WEBBERhyde]

I didn't think there was too much lack of effort from Luongo today. Saw him making a fair few last ditch challenges and interceptions that could have quite easily led to a chance for 'boro. Like a lot of our team though this afternoon, couldn't get the weight of his passes right at all.

Ricketts was very solid at the back, good game for him. Obika good too, lovely move to set up Hylton. I'd start with those two against Rochdale personally. Christ knows how Willo fluffed his chance at the back post, very low on confidence at the moment, certainly no lack of effort though.

Rodgers whilst looking good somehow managed to give the ball away far too often, something the whole team was guilty of (ricketts and beaker excepted maybe). Certainly we couldn't get our foot on the ball and control the game after we scored which was quite concerning. Frustrating thing is, from what I can see, is that so much of the pressure that we end up putting on ourselves comes from trying to be too clever. A couple of times I saw us delay a simple pass which the receiver was ready to receive if it was played early, only for the pass to be delayed, I'm assuming to draw an opposing player in, but the receiver has by then had to check their run or is on their heels as the ball comes to them, and suddenly they're swamped by opposition players who nick it off them.

Still, a useful 3 points to build on.