Swindon Town vs Crewe Alexandra prematch and match day thread.

[Mooneyraker]

Iandolo would have been vastly better than both Ward and Uwakwe. Finally playing a proper 352 and we've binned a good LWB... To be clear I don't want him in any other position, ever. But LWB he was good.

[Mooneyraker]

I thought he got caught out of position a couple of times. He got skinned for his yellow and I thought (but need to watch it again) that he could have done better for at least one of the goals.

Funny, I felt he did a good job for his yellow as FBT and Uwakwe were nowhere to be seen. The foul was way out on that left hand side. Took one for the team in my eyes, but the beauty of football is we can both see it differently!

[RobertT]

Players like Brewitt always look OK, sort of.  Nothing spectacular.  Today, you may be forgiven in thinking each individual defender had a good game - the problem here is we gave up 16 shots and 2 goals on < 40% possession for the opposition.  Those numbers do not tell a tale of a well drilled defensive machine with all the part purring in unison.  I think Hutton is the only one to have a proper individual fuck-up, but even then he could have been beaten if he was marking the player still.  We were letting way too many balls into the box and they were not working that hard for the chances they did create.  Something is still not right - personally, for me it's a problem through the spine still.  Nothing in front of the back four tearing the place up and nobody in the back five in charge.

[welshred]

Someone like Tomlinson would have made a massive difference today.

[Mooneyraker]

Players like Brewitt always look OK, sort of.  Nothing spectacular.  Today, you may be forgiven in thinking each individual defender had a good game - the problem here is we gave up 16 shots and 2 goals on < 40% possession for the opposition.  Those numbers do not tell a tale of a well drilled defensive machine with all the part purring in unison.  I think Hutton is the only one to have a proper individual fuck-up, but even then he could have been beaten if he was marking the player still.  We were letting way too many balls into the box and they were not working that hard for the chances they did create.  Something is still not right - personally, for me it's a problem through the spine still.  Nothing in front of the back four tearing the place up and nobody in the back five in charge.

I think we still need that midfield destroyer, and I'm not sure Kinsella is that guy. We need 2019/20 Anthony Grant.
Don't disagree that we looked disjointed but I guess I was prepared to put that down to it being an all new defensive unit/GK which will take time to gel.

Hard to see where Cain gets a game this season if someone like vintage Grant does come in.

[Outletred]

Quite how no one at the club can see you need physicality and height to get out of this division is beyond me.

Until we get these attributes we are remaining in league 2 sadly

[DiV]

I feel like once Crewe starting getting the ball wider our wingbacks offered nothing defensively. Particularly second half.

[Nemo]

I agree but not really sure the expectation is for them to offer much defensively with the way we set up. The defensive unit looks like it's built around the three central defenders and two deeper lying mids.

[DiV]

Then that kinda eliminates the point of them being wing backs.
The whole point of the formation is it’s 352 when attacking and 532 when defending.

It’s L2 so we aren’t going to have WBs that are excellent at both and if we want them to be our main attacking threat then they won’t be great defenders but they still need to offer us something there. Even if it’s just to stand a man up and close the space

[MangoRed]

First half was really good. Was refreshing to see us be so aggressive in everything we was doing. Whether that be brewitt putting everything into tackles or charging out to poke ball away, mceachran in the middle was lively also. Godwin Malife MOM by a mile for me, talented player, has it all, will no doubt get dispossessed a few times this season bringing it out but I like how fearlessly he does it. Ward and Wakeling way off the pace, Wakeling looked like a player who’s had no preseason and Ward looked out of position.

Second half however was so so bad. Players looked fucked. Reverted back to last seasons type- weak and weasel like who just fold when the opposition stick it on them. Was annoying to see if I’m honest after how positive the first half was. Hutton poor, Khan was poor second half, Uwakwe absolutely dross when he came on. God forbid if it was Hepburn Murphy or Wakeling who missed that Austin sitter, game changer- literally, that goes in it’s done and dusted. Austin was so bad. Misplaced passes the entire game and was misplacing passes vs Posh on Tuesday also. We all know what he can do and if he’s on it he’s gonna score a load of goals, just hope he scores soon and goes a run.

A physical presence in midfield today and we see the game out, crying out for the “Anthony Grant” style player. Another defender needed also. Not ideal dropping 2 points at home to lesser opposition like Crewe but waaaaay too early to be saying we are mid table fodder how some have. 10-15 games in and we will see where we are.

[adje]

An improvement on last season's result

[Mooneyraker]

Just seen the highlights. Poor from Kemp for the first, totally failing to close the strike down on the edge of the box. Brewitt might have got a block on it too. Hutton's man loses him so easily for the second. Rinse and repeat from last season. And how Austin misses that header...wow. Frustrating!

[dogs]

Don't think we're that far off and there will definitely be more to come from this team.

Brewitt ideally would be backup to UGM, FBT and another experienced CB. He's capable at this level but don't think he possesses enough quality to start every week. If we can get in that elusive experienced beastly CB, along with another experienced DM we'll really look solid.

Do need another number 9 for sure, and whilst Austin fluffed his chance today, I don't think he really had anything else presented to him, so I wouldn't write him off getting at least 15 in the league this season.

[Nomoreheroes]

Highlights:


Young:

[Pericardinho]

I text my mate at half time. Whilst encouraged, I was already concerned about what was going to happen if Crewe figured out a way to beat our press, or if we had a physical drop off. Which we did.

Against better sides I fear we could ship quite a few goals on transition. Luckily though I think Crewe are actually a bit under rated and that we'll play worse sides. We *should* also get fitter. And still have more players (i hope!) to bring in.