Swindon Town v FGR pre match chat and matchday thread

[DiV]

Actually I'm not sure that's true in the area. I remember thinking the same when Jerel Ifil was penalised for a high foot (no contact) with a penalty. Looked it up after and the ref was right after all.

in any case it looks to me like young has tried to knee it away and the FGR player has tried a diving header at his knee! Never a penalty but thankfully justice was served.

Ward had given Flynn a headache now.

No contact should be an indirect free kick as far as I’m aware….

[Mooneyraker]

Just watched the high(!)lights.

They start with Shade shooting straight at the keeper - so assumed the camera man didn’t set up on time and missed the first 14 seconds.

I think it was Nemo who touched upon where people were when we conceded. In particular Brewitt and Minturn not being in the middle - whilst that observation is not wrong - in their defence (although Nemo wasn’t having a dig) they have both stayed with their men who have both peeled out wide right (for them, left for us) Shade the LWB is absolutely no where to be seen. If he is back there (and I can’t remember what came before their goal so it’s conceivable Shade had attacked and they pumped it long and in that case it’s reasonable he wasn’t back in position) then both Minturn & Brewitt don’t need to go out that way.

This comes back to having two ‘better attacking than defending’ wing backs (Shades attacking player has been good the last few games) but also not having a midfielder who will automatically drop back in to the back line when the three CBs get stretched.

Again it’s a bit square pegs round holes if we ever get to a point where everyone is fit then I’d definitely try putting Brewitt/Clayton/FBT in as a holding midfielder to basically just sit infront of the back 3 and drop in when the opposition come forward. Or if both our wings backs go then can drop to make it a flat back 4.

….which evidently is nothing new is it?


Also, I reckon that might just be the worst penalty decision I’ve ever seen. As far as I can tell Young has kicked the ball maybe a foot off the floor and their player is on his knees - so because of that Young’s foot is close to his head!

I know there weren’t huge numbers but there is literally no appeal from the away fans. The FGR players don’t even appeal - they just play on and shoot well over / wide. Utterly bizarre - imagine if they’d scored and that was Young’s last contribution for Town!

Agree 100% with that analysis of the defence.

The back three get pulled apart as they have to drift wide to cover Hutton/This week's LWB and yet no one from midfield drops in to help. VVD would look like a mug in this team.

I'm trying to think what our most solid possible defence would be....

Maybe switch to a 4-3-3. Something like:


                                                Ward


     Dokes                   Brewitt                Clayton                FBT

             
                                             Kinsella


                               Khan                          Kemp


             Hutton                                                          Shade     

                                             Young         

[The Artist Formerly Known as Audrey]

But if the benefits of having 2 attacking wingbacks are being denied by having a porous defence what’s the point - especially if that more attacking option isn’t leading to scoring goals any more.

Start with getting the defence tight and go from there. I don’t remember his Newport side shipping goals for fun.

[DiV]

Agree 100% with that analysis of the defence.

The back three get pulled apart as they have to drift wide to cover Hutton/This week's LWB and yet no one from midfield drops in to help. VVD would look like a mug in this team.

I'm trying to think what our most solid possible defence would be....

Maybe switch to a 4-3-3. Something like:


                                                Ward


     Dokes                   Brewitt                Clayton                FBT

             
                                             Kinsella


                               Khan                          Kemp


             Hutton                                                          Shade     

                                             Young         

Like the look of that - but it’s having everyone fit (obviously) I think from that XI I’d rather is be a bit more 4231 with Khan & Kinsella as the two & Kemp in the middle of the 3 (Hutton, Kemp, Shade) behind Young.


Could also move FBT inside and use Kokolo, Devine or Uwakwe at LB.

Of course take out the injured players and take out the loan players that are going and you’re pretty much back to square one anyway…

[Jimmy HaveHave]

The problem is Flynn doesn’t seem to want to change so we are stuck with 3 at the back.

[The Artist Formerly Known as Audrey]

According to the Bradford forum Monday’s game v Crawley is Young’s last amid interest from 2 Championship clubs.

[TailBetweenLegs]

I always hate saying things like this as it comes across as sour grapes but in no way at all will he be a Championship standard player. I really like him but can't see him being anything more than league one

[Ides of March]

I always hate saying things like this as it comes across as sour grapes but in no way at all will he be a Championship standard player. I really like him but can't see him being anything more than league one

Agreed, but could see a Championship club taking a punt and maybe loaning him out to League One for the rest of the season? He hasn’t played for Bradford (yet) this season, so can still play for another club. Could be worthwhile for a championship club but yeah, I agree, is not yet championship quality

[The Artist Formerly Known as Audrey]

We’re going to need 2 new strikers as Austin is shot.

[DiV]

I always hate saying things like this as it comes across as sour grapes but in no way at all will he be a Championship standard player. I really like him but can't see him being anything more than league one

At his best he probably could do a job in the Championship but even here in L2 - he’s been streaky. He seems to either be scoring for fun or not scoring.

Whether that consistency would come in a better team or whether that inconsistency is just down to his ability - will ultimately dictate where his level is imo.

[Bob's Orange]

I think Championship clubs can potentially afford to take punts on young players that are scoring for fun in the bottom league. 500k (for example) isn't a huge outlay. He then gets better coaching and training facilities and within a couple of years you've potentially got a 10 million plus player on your hands. (Ivan Toney and Olly Watkins spring to mind as lower league success stories)

Clearly its not an exact science but I could see why Championship clubs would be interested.

[Wobbly Bob]

Good to finish the year with a win.
A fun second half.
Played some decent stuff after going ahead then they took control for a while.

Austin stayed further up the pitch which was encouraging.
Wouldn't write him off just yet.
It's either not falling for him, final balls to him have been poor or have ended up on a less able head or foot.
He'll have an important part to play with Young departing.

Possibly Shade's best game for the club, certainly in an attacking sense.
Could he be worth a go in a Kemp type role?

Credit to Ward for waiting and not diving out of the way as a lot of other keepers might have done with the pen.

Poor from the ref throughout & the assistant on the Arkell's side in particular.

[STFC_Manc]

We’re going to need 2 new strikers as Austin is shot.

It's sad but he isn't the finisher he once was.

[The Artist Formerly Known as Audrey]

Thought the attendance was fantastic, certainly way more than I was expecting.

Even when the game is poor there’s something uplifting when your team wins. Whether it’s being part of a collective. That roar when Ward saved the pen. Priceless!

[Frigby Daser]

Agree. Better atmosphere (relatively) to Wrexham too.