Swindon v Harrogate pre match chat and matchday thread

[RobertT]

I said this the other week that in essence FBT was MacDonalds replacement and Tomlinson was FBTs replacement but was told that I was categorically wrong and that wasn’t the clubs plan at all & obviously Sandro messed up somewhere by not signing an experienced CB replacement for MacDonald because his spreadsheet doesn’t do experience or something & that FBT couldn’t be anyone’s replacement because he was already here despite the fact since the window he’s been playing in MacDonalds position.

Either approach was folly - letting AM go on the proviso we thought a left sided, relatively inexperienced (football league level) left back was a good replacement for an experienced right sided centre back would be bad recruitment policy.  Letting AM go, thinking you would replace him, and then not managing to do so would be bad recruitment policy.

MacDonald wasn't even that great a player, but he was at least semi competent and had games under his bel to call upon when placed in tricky situations.

Tomlinson was injured - signing him as an immediate replacement is clearly stupid.  edit: not saying signing him at all was stupid, he's someone I like the look of.  Just not someone we should have been counting for the here and now.

Regardless of the intent vs what happened, none of it is good business.

Austin was the only bit of immediate impact good business we did and it seems likely that was because Clem met him in Aus.

[RobertT]

Isn't Harries due back in March or has he had a setback🤔

Behave.  Minturn would be a better option I think, at least we would get to see if he can cut the mustard for the longer term.

Brennan and Clayton will be the outcome, but's riddled with inexperienced risk.  Hopefully they rise through adversity and all of this can be chucked in the rubbish bin of fans ridiculous rantings.

[Jimmy QuitMoaning]

Behave.  Minturn would be a better option I think, at least we would get to see if he can cut the mustard for the longer term.

Brennan and Clayton will be the outcome, but's riddled with inexperienced risk.  Hopefully they rise through adversity and all of this can be chucked in the rubbish bin of fans ridiculous rantings.

I know that but it's how Sandro see's things that matters🤣

[DiV]

Either approach was folly - letting AM go on the proviso we thought a left sided, relatively inexperienced (football league level) left back was a good replacement for an experienced right sided centre back would be bad recruitment policy.  Letting AM go, thinking you would replace him, and then not managing to do so would be bad recruitment policy.

MacDonald wasn't even that great a player, but he was at least semi competent and had games under his bel to call upon when placed in tricky situations.

Tomlinson was injured - signing him as an immediate replacement is clearly stupid.  edit: not saying signing him at all was stupid, he's someone I like the look of.  Just not someone we should have been counting for the here and now.

Regardless of the intent vs what happened, none of it is good business.

Austin was the only bit of immediate impact good business we did and it seems likely that was because Clem met him in Aus.

In agreement it was bad business, not disputing that.
Just think the outcome was exactly what the club planned to do.
MacDonald out - FBT in as replacement CB - Tomlinson in as replacement LB.

[Pookemon]

In agreement it was bad business, not disputing that.
Just think the outcome was exactly what the club planned to do.
MacDonald out - FBT in as replacement CB - Tomlinson in as replacement LB.

If so it's even more clueless than anyone gave them credit for.   

TBH Stinks to me of a panic fire sale, all big earners off the books, (Williams was being pimped about too), and fuck promotion in the arse.   Which also makes absolutely no sense given impact on player values and season ticket sales and gate receipts of a 15th place finish in league 2 and finishing the season with a whimper, (probably). 

[molepar]

If so it's even more clueless than anyone gave them credit for.  

TBH Stinks to me of a panic fire sale, all big earners off the books, (Williams was being pimped about too), and fuck promotion in the arse.   Which also makes absolutely no sense given impact on player values and season ticket sales and gate receipts.

I don’t think Williams was being pimped out? We turned down offers…

[DiV]

If so it's even more clueless than anyone gave them credit for.   

TBH Stinks to me of a panic fire sale, all big earners off the books, (Williams was being pimped about too), and fuck promotion in the arse.   Which also makes absolutely no sense given impact on player values and season ticket sales and gate receipts of a 15th place finish in league 2 and finishing the season with a whimper, (probably). 

Perhaps but let’s not forget 95% of our fanbase didn’t rate MacDonald till this month & were happy to see him go.

[RobertT]

Perhaps but let’s not forget 95% of our fanbase didn’t rate MacDonald till this month & were happy to see him go.

I still don't :rate" him.  He is a L2 competent defender with experience.  I though a club like ours should aim for better.  I still also think that letting him go was nuts, because he is still the best we had.  Same for Gladwin and Reed - they may not be world beaters, they may have been in periods of dodgy form, but they are better than what we have to fill their boots - for NOW.

[ibelieveinmrreeves]

(Williams was being pimped about too)

Evidence for this assertion?

[DMC]

Worth noting that both Reed and Gladwin are currently injured.

[BambooToTheFuture]

Was there any update on RH-M? Thought he was getting close again now. Possible bench on saturday? 

[RedRag]

Great players though both Gladwin and Reed have been at times, I was happy enough to see them moved on.  I was enjoying the increased pace of our build ups under Gav.

Neither would have been much use as central defenders for sure.  Selling MacDonald without a strong replacement was suicidal.

Take one look at L2 and you need to be able to be authoritative in the sometimes grubby basics of defending.  And especially if you have relatively inexperienced central defenders as partners. 

MacDonald's lack of elegance or comfort on the ball was slightly disappointing for one who had played at a higher level - and worth a forum quibble.  But he remains an almost season defining loss so far as the run in is concerned.

[Pookemon]

Evidence for this assertion?

Sandro himself yelled it as he emptied his bollock over my arse

[horlock07]

Selling MacDonald without a strong replacement was suicidal.

Take one look at L2 and you need to be able to be authoritative in the sometimes grubby basics of defending.  And especially if you have relatively inexperienced central defenders as partners. 

MacDonald's lack of elegance or comfort on the ball was slightly disappointing for one who had played at a higher level - and worth a forum quibble.  But he remains an almost season defining loss so far as the run in is concerned.

Did I imagine it, or did someone say that he really didn't want to be here  and was making it very obvious he wanted out to the extent of not acting particularly professionally?

[Bob's Orange]

Was there any update on RH-M? Thought he was getting close again now. Possible bench on saturday? 

He was suspended, he's now not suspended so should be back in the squad I would have thought.