Swindon Town vs Shrewsbury Town Official Matchday Thread

[sonicyouth]

He's never seemed like he wanted the job in the first place

[inept and tiresome]

I think you'll find that the best coach in the world is well aware of the fact that he's lucky to be employed in professional football and regurgitates the company line and keeps his pay check. No pride, no self esteem for Mr exciting.

[suttonred]

Two home games to start a new year and maybe it's natural to be reflective.    A walk along the Shrivvy Road, three generations of us who've known no better, who know well enough not to expect but just enough still to hope.  It occurs too that I've been coming to the County Ground, hoping, for 43 years; so young that I remember almost nothing before climbing the terrifying, rickety steps of the old stand.  So there's no place - no home or school or workplace, nowhere - that's been such a constant through my life, and meeting family for a drink beforehand reminds me of those constants and gives me something to treasure, and for a moment, I'm glad and reassured to be here.

-------------

Soon, I'm looking at that green rectangle, trying in vain to hope whilst contemplating how Rodgers and Thomas are wearing our red shirt again.  And others too of course: just how did it come to this?  On Monday, I'd raged at our first half lethargy - playing a team with a day's less rest and no particular intent - this was a scandalous approach.  True, the second half had developed into something much more purposeful with Vigs, Branco and Jones all excelling. 

Today, Shrewsbury came out with that 150mph madness, that only the truly desperate can manage - if only we run around like this maybe they won't realise how hopeless we are.  It didn't take long for the truth to out, and without being especially incisive, in the first 25 minutes we created opportunities at will.  Sorry for those judging the game as a whole, but Rodgers was often an early catalyst for getting the ball forward quickly and creatively.  Obika alone had four efforts, each of which I thought he should have done better with.  And this is my biggest concern with the Williams years, it feels as if it just doesn't matter enough.  I genuinely support our playing and developmental philosophy, but it has to be aligned with being desperate to win football matches.  So SJO has his half-arsed efforts (that's harsh, but you know what I mean, fine margins and all that), and sloppiness and poor decision making creep in all over (and never go away), and the visitors realise they've not actually been hammered yet, winning their own corners and even having a header that went somewhere towards goal.

At half time I thought the few boos were borne out of frustation - we'd created plenty and really should have been ahead.  And back crept the hope, surely we couldn't not beat these?

In a sense, I'm not bothered the game swung one way and the other based on strange officiating.  I've not seen the highlights, but the incident that led to the penalty and red card followed a strange passage of play, with Norris (less involved and effective than of late) waiting for the spinning ball to settle before he was possibly hacked down.  Their's looked a goal through 90 yards of mist and the wrong angle, whilst Hylton's was surely a penalty.  I am bothered though at our approach - we've abandoned the pure Williams high risk 'Swindon Way' and regressed to sub-Cooper pure mess.  The players - at best hugely lacking in quality and depth - look utterly bereft.  For those not there, this can not be emphasised enough, the last 20 minutes were absolutely abject.  It would feel cruel to pick on individuals, suffice to say that the collective (they are a team, after all) mentality, application, execution were soul destroying.  Thanks to those who in some shape or form have shown the guts to front up afterwards - Vigs, Goddard, Embleton, Williams, Brophy.

Times like these are tough, and I'm as guilty as plenty in sometimes feeling hopeless, in saying that these are the worst players ever.  However, in reality, most of us have seen and supported us through worse times...and things do, somehow, get better.  Problem is, this is now, and finding hope walking back down Shrivenham Road this evening feels impossible.  But give it a couple of weeks (and eight new players), it'll be back. 

Here's to the next 43 years.

Modern Shakesperian. Good post. How I feel, not like the shouty listen to me social media posters.

[johnritsons toupe]

Two home games to start a new year and maybe it's natural to be reflective.    A walk along the Shrivvy Road, three generations of us who've known no better, who know well enough not to expect but just enough still to hope.  It occurs too that I've been coming to the County Ground, hoping, for 43 years; so young that I remember almost nothing before climbing the terrifying, rickety steps of the old stand.  So there's no place - no home or school or workplace, nowhere - that's been such a constant through my life, and meeting family for a drink beforehand reminds me of those constants and gives me something to treasure, and for a moment, I'm glad and reassured to be here.

-------------

Soon, I'm looking at that green rectangle, trying in vain to hope whilst contemplating how Rodgers and Thomas are wearing our red shirt again.  And others too of course: just how did it come to this?  On Monday, I'd raged at our first half lethargy - playing a team with a day's less rest and no particular intent - this was a scandalous approach.  True, the second half had developed into something much more purposeful with Vigs, Branco and Jones all excelling.  

Today, Shrewsbury came out with that 150mph madness, that only the truly desperate can manage - if only we run around like this maybe they won't realise how hopeless we are.  It didn't take long for the truth to out, and without being especially incisive, in the first 25 minutes we created opportunities at will.  Sorry for those judging the game as a whole, but Rodgers was often an early catalyst for getting the ball forward quickly and creatively.  Obika alone had four efforts, each of which I thought he should have done better with.  And this is my biggest concern with the Williams years, it feels as if it just doesn't matter enough.  I genuinely support our playing and developmental philosophy, but it has to be aligned with being desperate to win football matches.  So SJO has his half-arsed efforts (that's harsh, but you know what I mean, fine margins and all that), and sloppiness and poor decision making creep in all over (and never go away), and the visitors realise they've not actually been hammered yet, winning their own corners and even having a header that went somewhere towards goal.

At half time I thought the few boos were borne out of frustation - we'd created plenty and really should have been ahead.  And back crept the hope, surely we couldn't not beat these?

In a sense, I'm not bothered the game swung one way and the other based on strange officiating.  I've not seen the highlights, but the incident that led to the penalty and red card followed a strange passage of play, with Norris (less involved and effective than of late) waiting for the spinning ball to settle before he was possibly hacked down.  Their's looked a goal through 90 yards of mist and the wrong angle, whilst Hylton's was surely a penalty.  I am bothered though at our approach - we've abandoned the pure Williams high risk 'Swindon Way' and regressed to sub-Cooper pure mess.  The players - at best hugely lacking in quality and depth - look utterly bereft.  For those not there, this can not be emphasised enough, the last 20 minutes were absolutely abject.  It would feel cruel to pick on individuals, suffice to say that the collective (they are a team, after all) mentality, application, execution were soul destroying.  Thanks to those who in some shape or form have shown the guts to front up afterwards - Vigs, Goddard, Embleton, Williams, Brophy.

Times like these are tough, and I'm as guilty as plenty in sometimes feeling hopeless, in saying that these are the worst players ever.  However, in reality, most of us have seen and supported us through worse times...and things do, somehow, get better.  Problem is, this is now, and finding hope walking back down Shrivenham Road this evening feels impossible.  But give it a couple of weeks (and eight new players), it'll be back.  

Here's to the next 43 years.

Loved that Christy. Great post 

The shit we're seeing in terms of a clear lack of effort and passion from most of the players is shameful.

How so-called professional sportsmen can be so unfit, let alone have such low levels of self pride to put in such awful performances week in, week out, is beyond me.

We can all accept a lack of ability at this level, but it's not going to wash if there is a lack of effort and passion to go with it, but that is unfortunately where we are with this lot.

Not having a defined manager is not helping. The fans don't know what's going on, which isn't good.

I'm sure Power and Sherwood know exactly what's going on but are just bullying Williams in the hope that he'll eventually resign after a sustained period of having to front everything up, and they will then avoid having to pay up his contract.

Meanwhile, the players don't give a fuck as they're still picking up their salaries, driving round in new cars, no matter who's in charge.

And to think that Power openly blamed out previous shittnes on Cooper, saying that Williams was really the one responsible for the beautiful way we play, and is one of the best coaches in the UK, at the same time as awarding him with a new 5 year contract.

Where is Power now that questions are being asked of him? Where is the regular Wilts Sound phone in?

Where is Sherwood ffs??

Lots of questions, very few answers.

[Benzel]

Rodgers started the game well and was and usually is the only midfielder that plays forward passes into feet and trusts his teammates to take the ball under pressure. Multiple attacks started due to this, it goes  largely unnoticed though but the first time he doesn't  dive in and leave a huge space behind him, he gets crucified... it was all downhill from there and he was doomed from the start of the 2nd half.

Sent from my SM-G930F

[Batch]

I like Christy's post, it does cover how it was on the field, but in my opinion of the field is a bit more of the problem.

I'm not going over every point. I don't trust power, but can see a sustainable model is needed.

For me it's just that in previous years of turd, you knew that if we get through this season then maybe, just maybe next year will be different.

as things stand, it feels like next year will be groundhog day. another year of flogging everything salable. another year of youngsters finding their way. another year of struggle regardless of if we go down.

add into the mix the least convincing permanent management duo since malpas, a contractless 'wtf does he do' name, a chairman who gives the impression he doesn't give a shit about fans, media and anything other than self interest (and now he's diluted with Waterford)..

add in the shite  football, take away hope and it's not surprising this is the result.

it's going to be a hell of a job for TS/LP to turn it around from here. they've left it very late in the day..... but not too late (I hope)

[STFC_Manc]

Rodgers started the game well and was and usually is the only midfielder that plays forward passes into feet and trusts his teammates to take the ball under pressure. Multiple attacks started due to this, it goes  largely unnoticed though but the first time he doesn't  dive in and leave a huge space behind him, he gets crucified... it was all downhill from there and he was doomed from the start of the 2nd half.

Sent from my SM-G930F

I'm not sure that is entirely fair, I don't think anyone started the game well.  However he just isn't up to league one standard for several reasons:

1) He fucks up a simple pass or gives the ball away too many times
2) He passes without looking and generally gives the ball away but what makes it worse is where he is on the field
3) He can not tackle or if he attempts he usually gives away a foul
4) His heading ability even when no one is around him is piss poor

Occasionally he has a game where you don't notice him but that's only because he is average but most of the time you do notice because he is crap

[ronnie21]

If only we had a radio reporter that really asked the super coach some searching questions!  Jump on the three draws equals one win and say "No, it's six points dropped!"  Ask why he said there would be new faces for the Shrewsbury game and fuck-all happened - and I don't believe for a minute the statement that Sherwood told "somebody" in the car park that five new faces would be in this coming week - that's getting back to the Danny Wilson days when somebody would come on and say their mate's father-in-law's brother's cousin's husband is a taxi driver and picked up four pissed up Town players drunk before a game . . . or words to that effect.  Just fucking get on with it, sack or down-grade Williams and get now blood in the team.

[Wobbly Bob]

We have been a bit more direct at times since TS came on board, however in terms of the playing it out from the back and the domination of possession side of the game, there are only a couple of players in the squad who are generally good at keeping things ticking over in midfield.

They are Kasim and Rodgers, neither of whom could be viewed as tenacious tacklers or true box to box midfielders.
It's up to the rest of the midfield to make up for this and make the tackles and do the running for them up to a point.
People say that Kasim isn't interested but I'd say he is not the same player without someone of the quality of say Luongo next to him to actually run at the opposition with ball at feet.

The one positive from yesterday was that we didn't lose and increased the gap to Bury and Chesterfield.
We will stay up, just, and then time for some major upgrading in the summer.
Trouble is that the budget may have to be adjusted to reflect crowds of 6,000 or less.
If Power is really in it for the long haul as he says then the time may have come to properly speculate in order to accumulate.

Good post Christy by the way.

[WEBBERhyde]

Can see why Vigs was so pissed off with the Lino, now having seen the replay on the sky sports website.

Ball bounces between the bar and the line twice each before he hooks it out with his palm immediately after its bounced up from the line. 

[Bathtime]

It`s been a while since I saw a performance like that and unless there are plans to get some new faces in we will be in a dog fight to stay up and I don`t think we would win it. Williams interviews are now starting to grate as he doesn`t appear to want to take any responsibility and talking up the draws is not what the fans want to hear - if he talks like he does in the changing room it is reflected on the pitch - gutless devoid of all skill.

I remain hopeful that new signings will appear to get us out of this shit.

[Peter Venkman]

Good post Christy.

I am entering my 42nd year of following the Town and have seen a lot worse than the current shower of shit.

I will never stop supporting Swindon, I may occassionally lose a little interest but it never really goes away it just dulls when there seems little hope of it turning around.

Every transfer window I hope that we unearth another Austin that will change our season....hope but never really expect.

With the exception of Vigs I wouldn't mind a whole new team but I know thats not possible so 3 or 4 new signings that can save our season would be good but I also know we work to a strict budget and breaking that could be dangerous for the long term financial stability of the club but short term COULD save our season.

All a lot of Town fans really want is effort, if you show willing, put in a shift and you aren't good enough then fine, but, 100% effort week in week out is that too much to ask for your (fairly large) pay packet?

Come on Sherwood, come out to the press, tell us your plans for the club, how it will be run, what sort of things you are responsible for, do you take training? provide tactics? motivate? handle contracts?

What EXACTLY do you do at the club?

Why is it so secretive?

What can we realistically expect this season and next?

Please up your communication to fans as at the end of the day the fans are the lifeblood of any club and we do not want to be mushrooms, kept in the dark and fed shit all the time.

[Posh Red]

Rodgers started the game well and was and usually is the only midfielder that plays forward passes into feet and trusts his teammates to take the ball under pressure. Multiple attacks started due to this, it goes  largely unnoticed though but the first time he doesn't  dive in and leave a huge space behind him, he gets crucified... it was all downhill from there and he was doomed from the start of the 2nd half.

Sent from my SM-G930F

I'd also disagree, you suggest he trusts his teammates to take the ball under pressure but to me I see him just getting rid of it to give someone else the problem. When he gets the ball under pressure he panics and gives it away.

At the start of the second half yesterday his first three touches all led to him giving the ball away and all came in the first minute.

Now we are a third division team, so can't expect a team full of fantastic footballers but if you are limited on the skill front then you need to at least substitute with effort. For me, despite the odd good ball Rodgers provides neither

[LucienSanchez]

I'd also disagree, you suggest he trusts his teammates to take the ball under pressure but to me I see him just getting rid of it to give someone else the problem.

That's how it looks to me... shifting responsibility

[tans]

Hes also the first to be shouting about when someone else makes a mistake