Pages: 1 ... 17 18 19 [20] 21 22 23 24   Go Down
Print
Author Topic: Swindon Town v Crewe Alexandra pre match chat and matchday thread  (Read 26328 times)
Batch
Not a Batch

Offline Offline

Posts: 55163





Ignore
« Reply #285 on: Sunday, November 20, 2022, 15:13:59 »

Quote from: Posh Red
I don’t ever recall McKirdy throwing himself to the ground and then lying there kicking his legs like a toddler having a tantrum.

agreed

like I said early, they crossed the line from 'game management' to blatant cheating.
Logged
Jimmy HaveHave

Offline Offline

Posts: 15075





Ignore
« Reply #286 on: Sunday, November 20, 2022, 15:15:37 »

Do you think that was the managers tactics and the players were just going with his instructions as Crewe have never been that sort of team all the times I've seen them.
Logged

So, give no fucks
Batch
Not a Batch

Offline Offline

Posts: 55163





Ignore
« Reply #287 on: Sunday, November 20, 2022, 15:20:57 »

No idea. The way the keeper took his time from minute 1 I suspect the game plan was 'keep it slow at the start, get them frustrated'.

when the tit #11 "aaaaagh"'d and rolled 4 times  without really being touched, and our player got booked, it gave them a free pass to take it to the extreme.

That's my take.
Logged
Posh Red
Posh by name, Posh by nature

Offline Offline

Posts: 7211





Ignore
« Reply #288 on: Sunday, November 20, 2022, 16:28:56 »

The fact that the referee warned them on 18 mins about time wasting yet didn’t book a single player for it despite them doing it all game speaks volumes for how weak he was
Logged
ChalkyWhiteIsGod
TOLD YOU SO

Offline Offline

Posts: 6243





Ignore
« Reply #289 on: Sunday, November 20, 2022, 17:44:47 »

The last time I saw a ref that clueless to 'game management' that was very much more on the side of blatant cheating was Port Vale at home last year when about four or five of their players undid their laces and did them up again.
Logged
molepar

Offline Offline

Posts: 1005





Ignore
« Reply #290 on: Sunday, November 20, 2022, 17:46:38 »

Doesn’t sound like a vintage performance from us and sounds like an Oscar winning performance from the 2nd best football/railway town in the country. I think we are really missing Clayton. Although a lot of people were kicking off that we lost to Crewe, I did read that is their 3rd 1-0 in a row, probably not by accident. I wonder how long we will give SL and what the board’s realistic hopes and aims for the season are.
Logged
Bob's Orange
Has brain escape barriers

Online Online

Posts: 28443





Ignore
« Reply #291 on: Monday, November 21, 2022, 08:28:29 »

Not read back yet so apologies if repeating the same stuff.

I had technical issues on Saturday so missed the second half of the first half (that statement sounds confusing, apologies!!) but we started ok and it seemed like we were in total control without actually threatening their keeper. Their goal shows how quickly momentum can swing in football. It was obvious from minute one that Crewe were going to take ages over everything and disrupt any flow. And so after allowing us pretty much all of the ball for the first 20 minutes, they end up in our half and earn a corner and after pissing about with not putting the ball on the quadrant, earn a penalty from a nonsensical piece of play from Darcy. Too fancy by half and then a ridiculous rash tackle in the box. Of course it was ex-Oxford player Agyei who took great delight in his celebration, which looked a little silly as the only person it seemed to rile up was an 8 year old making wanker signs at him.

Second half I managed to see all of and sad to say it's just a pattern of how the season has gone so far, especially at home. (thankful now we have played Hartlepool and Colchester at the CG or things may be even worse) The football we play seems to be more hopeful and predictable than I would like and our plan A is to try and get the ball to Hutton, who more often than not puts in a wicked delivery that nobody gets on the end of. Opponents have worked this out and double up on Hutton leaving us to have to play down the left, which never seems to go anywhere. That said, we did have a trio of outstanding 'chances'. The header of the bar from Jeff Cott, the slash over the bar from Ellis with the goal gaping and the scramble when their keeper dropped/fumbled a cross. We huffed and puffed but Crewe saw the game out with some frankly hilarious gamesmanship.

Can't help but feel this is an opportunity for 3 easy points gone. Crewe were not up to much at all and  as someone on our Watsapp group said on Saturday, why do we have so many defenders on the pitch at home? Why have we abandoned the diamond that worked so well at Mansfield? I think we miss the spark that Jonny Williams offers. Without him it's very slow and ponderous. Ellis was very poor on Saturday, obviously that is magnified by 2 sloppy bits of play, the dolly of a chance he whacked over the bar and the piece of play where he lifted the ball over the defenders head only to run the ball out of play. Gladwin and Hutton were decent down the right but apart from that, it's all very meh. Darcy runs about a lot but doesn't appear to have too much end product, he's very much a poor man's Jack Payne. I don't think Jeff Cott really adds a lot to the side, very unlucky with the header and neat and tidy but he's not exactly showing the goal machine vibes he showed when Plymouth got promoted.

It would also be nice for the Louis Reed situation to be clarified. Obviously the club can't say if he has a move arranged or whatever but I suspect, reading between the lines, we've offered him a contract and he's stated he's decided to leave when the contract comes to an end and SL is trying to work out the best way of playing without him. I really do think he should be in the side, much more often than he is. 2 weeks break now for SL and I think he needs to go back to the drawing board. Since Mansfield we've been pretty poor and I think he should really needs to take the shackles off this team, especially at home where it's been well below par. I think he has the tools in the squad to do something, but at the moment it's still not quite there.
Logged

we've been to Aberdeen, we hate the Hibs, they make us spew up, so make some noise,
the gorgie boys, for Hearts in Europe.
Bob's Orange
Has brain escape barriers

Online Online

Posts: 28443





Ignore
« Reply #292 on: Monday, November 21, 2022, 08:53:51 »

Oh and I completely overlooked the best part of Saturday - Anthony Grant's commentary!

I did smile when he was asked where Ellis' best position was and Grant replied 'on the bench'. He did explain he was kidding. He was getting more and more frustrated as the game went on. 'Jesus Christ' he stated as a stray pass went out for a throw in. I really enjoyed him as a summariser, he was interesting, amusing and involved.
Logged

we've been to Aberdeen, we hate the Hibs, they make us spew up, so make some noise,
the gorgie boys, for Hearts in Europe.
horlock07

Offline Offline

Posts: 18726


Lives in Northern Bastard Outpost




Ignore
« Reply #293 on: Monday, November 21, 2022, 08:56:02 »

It would also be nice for the Louis Reed situation to be clarified. Obviously the club can't say if he has a move arranged or whatever but I suspect, reading between the lines, we've offered him a contract and he's stated he's decided to leave when the contract comes to an end and SL is trying to work out the best way of playing without him. I really do think he should be in the side, much more often than he is. 2 weeks break now for SL and I think he needs to go back to the drawing board. Since Mansfield we've been pretty poor and I think he should really needs to take the shackles off this team, especially at home where it's been well below par. I think he has the tools in the squad to do something, but at the moment it's still not quite there.

Not aimed at you specifically, but reading this reminded me of a thought I had when following the game via Twitter on Saturday afternoon, everyone was saying that Reed should come on as if he would be some kind of saviour, but hasn't he actually been pretty shite on the few occasions he has played this season, seems to have become that player we have every season who gets better and better in the fanbases eyes mainly by not playing, see also Grant the other year and Twine for many years.
Logged
DiV
Has also heard this

Offline Offline

Posts: 32123


Joseph McLaughlin




Ignore
« Reply #294 on: Monday, November 21, 2022, 09:22:50 »

Not aimed at you specifically, but reading this reminded me of a thought I had when following the game via Twitter on Saturday afternoon, everyone was saying that Reed should come on as if he would be some kind of saviour, but hasn't he actually been pretty shite on the few occasions he has played this season, seems to have become that player we have every season who gets better and better in the fanbases eyes mainly by not playing, see also Grant the other year and Twine for many years.

Not seen enough of Reed this season to suggest he’s been shite, plus always difficult to make an impact with 5-10 minutes here and there.

What I will say though - is our passing and ball retention in midfield isn’t an issue. Khan, Gladwin & Darcy can do that. It’s the final third we are lacking, it’s the killer pass, the gliding run past a few players, the defence splitting pass.

Personally don’t think any of the above is something Reed excels at / can do better than the others playing.

Again, just my opinion but we could have bought Reed on at half time and I don’t think it would have made any difference to the game. It would have just been more of the same.

Now for arguments sake - say it was Jack Payne sitting on our bench not playing; I’d be screaming for his inclusion because he’d offer exactly what we are lacking.

I’ve said it plenty in this thread but the changes that needed to be made Saturday just weren’t there. We needed more in the final third / out wide.

I could understand the clamour for Reed if we were struggling to keep the ball or our short passes were awful or there was no link up between defence & midfield but that’s fine
Logged
DiV
Has also heard this

Offline Offline

Posts: 32123


Joseph McLaughlin




Ignore
« Reply #295 on: Monday, November 21, 2022, 09:25:58 »

For example last season - we were getting bullied in games and our ability to shut up shop and see games out was terrible, therefore perfectly logical to call for Grant to feature because he can do those things…
Logged
Batch
Not a Batch

Offline Offline

Posts: 55163





Ignore
« Reply #296 on: Monday, November 21, 2022, 10:16:23 »

Personally don’t think any of the above is something Reed excels at / can do better than the others playing.

My view was by pushing in an extra midfielder we didn't have much to lose. Get Gladders more consistently forward, he's the killer pass man, get Reed deep to try and protect the back 4 and spray the ball, then you have Darcy and Khan to do the running. Or push Iandolo in and sacrifice one of them (though Ellis was having a stinker).

Sacrifice width, admittedly. Maybe vulnerable down the wings.  But it wasn't working anyway.
« Last Edit: Monday, November 21, 2022, 10:19:29 by Batch » Logged
Bob's Orange
Has brain escape barriers

Online Online

Posts: 28443





Ignore
« Reply #297 on: Monday, November 21, 2022, 10:17:31 »

Not aimed at you specifically, but reading this reminded me of a thought I had when following the game via Twitter on Saturday afternoon, everyone was saying that Reed should come on as if he would be some kind of saviour, but hasn't he actually been pretty shite on the few occasions he has played this season, seems to have become that player we have every season who gets better and better in the fanbases eyes mainly by not playing, see also Grant the other year and Twine for many years.

Yeah it's probably completely knee-jerk to be fair and you are right, Reed wasn't particularly good towards the start of last season, but I just think from what we saw last season where he was consistently good that surely to goodness he is a player that if used correctly can be an important cog in the side. For all the positives that Khan has brought to the team, he is a bit of a one-trick pony where he can use his spin to get away from opponents, but whilst his ability with the ball at his feet is better than Reed, I don't think he has the same awareness or ability to spread the ball as well as Reed can. Thinking about it now, Darcy and Khan are quite similar, they are good at dribbling the ball from one side of the pitch to another, but that's about all we are getting from them. Gladwin seems to be the only player that has the passing vision and ability to use the ball in a way that stretches teams. In the second half Baudry and FBT were able to bring the ball up to the halfway line and beyond but (maybe due to a lack of movement) then were a bit like rabbits in the headlights and the ball didn't make it's way much further up the pitch than they brought it. Perhaps Reed wouldn't change that but surely having a midfielder try and dictate the play in those positions would reap more benefits?

Div has made some good points that perhaps Reed wouldn't have changed much on Saturday but the dribbling play of Khan and Darcy shuffling left to right just didn't seem beneficial and so a change of direction might have worked. Get Reed to ping balls for Wakeling to chase down the left for instance.
Logged

we've been to Aberdeen, we hate the Hibs, they make us spew up, so make some noise,
the gorgie boys, for Hearts in Europe.
The Artist Formerly Known as Audrey

Offline Offline

Posts: 19290


?Absolute Calamity!?




Ignore
« Reply #298 on: Monday, November 21, 2022, 10:30:44 »

I think it’s telling, and baffling, why we always take a short corner yet seem willing to hoist in crosses from out wide in open play. Just like last season the number of headed goals from crosses is negligible. If we see Hutton as the main provider with his delivery we need a certain sort of striker to be in the box. For all their attributes neither Wakeling or Jephcott is that kind of player.

I wondered before the season started if promotion was our main objective or whether it was showcasing the young talent we recruited for future sales. Obviously the latter should help the former but at the moment the set up and style looks like achieving neither.
Logged
Bob's Orange
Has brain escape barriers

Online Online

Posts: 28443





Ignore
« Reply #299 on: Monday, November 21, 2022, 10:38:22 »

I think it’s telling, and baffling, why we always take a short corner yet seem willing to hoist in crosses from out wide in open play. Just like last season the number of headed goals from crosses is negligible. If we see Hutton as the main provider with his delivery we need a certain sort of striker to be in the box. For all their attributes neither Wakeling or Jephcott is that kind of player.

I wondered before the season started if promotion was our main objective or whether it was showcasing the young talent we recruited for future sales. Obviously the latter should help the former but at the moment the set up and style looks like achieving neither.

To be fair we don't always take short corners. We've now got Gladwin or Darcy putting in floaters towards FBT. It's all fairly predictable though and achieves exactly the same result!!
Logged

we've been to Aberdeen, we hate the Hibs, they make us spew up, so make some noise,
the gorgie boys, for Hearts in Europe.
Pages: 1 ... 17 18 19 [20] 21 22 23 24   Go Up
Print
Jump to: