Swindon v Barnet Matchday Thread

[JoeMezz]

I fear this is the dreaded second season of Holloway that all the Grimsby fans warned us about….

I can see it getting very ugly, very quickly. I don't really care what a manager says about the club / owner / fans if he is doing his job and the team are winning. As soon as the football is ugly, the results are crap - all of that doesn't wash. He's made a bit of an enemy for himself slagging off the fans a few times and it really could get ugly.

Still it is early days, a win Saturday and it could feel very different again!

[Jimmy Quinn]

I'm sorry, but you can't bemoan a lack of leaders, talkers, communicators, or whatever other words he wishes to chose and use as excuses, when he has Ryan Delaney sat at home doing nothing.

I am completely baffled by it. Ex Newport captain, and he was the one organising everybody around him during the new year up turn in form. He's a bit of a donkey, but every club at this level needs one of those who'll just head it. We don't pass the ball on the floor anyway so why on earth isn't he in the team?

I mentioned that yesterday but JJ said that he doesn’t want to play for Swindon.

[Ginginho]

I mentioned that yesterday but JJ said that he doesn’t want to play for Swindon.

To be fair, JJ isn't as spritely as he used to be but could probably still do a job at CB.

[Jimmy Quinn]

To be fair, JJ isn't as spritely as he used to be but could probably still do a job at CB.

 

[4D]

I'm still angry about last night. Did we win any loose balls? Players seemed to just stand and stare at the ball for most of the game, Barnet were terrible and couldn't believe their luck.

Do we practice corners/crosses? The amount that just drifted aimlessly over everyone and out of play was unreal. Barnet were just as bad, the only difference was when we started going down hill after the first 15 mins they grew in confidence.

[OOH! SHAUN TAYLOR]

Just baffling really. The whole evening had the feel of a pre-season friendly with the crowd pretty much chatting amongst themselves the whole game (not blaming them in any way)...we look far too light in midfield but that doesn't excuse a performance of that level of ineptitude, it was like Kennedy was back in charge *shudder*

[TheSwindonianManSTFC]

I'm still angry about last night. Did we win any loose balls? Players seemed to just stand and stare at the ball for most of the game, Barnet were terrible and couldn't believe their luck.

Do we practice corners/crosses? The amount that just drifted aimlessly over everyone and out of play was unreal. Barnet were just as bad, the only difference was when we started going down hill after the first 15 mins they grew in confidence.

We kept hitting corners to the back post, thinking Smith was still there, in a situation like that surely the players know they can’t just repeating the same set piece delivery

[Batch]

Let's calm a bit.

Everything said he merit, and there are warning signs this squad is worse then let year, but it's still pretty early in the season.

I'm not ready to write off the season, though a confirmed ACL with Smith may have me reassessing.

I guess I'm interested as to what happens Saturday now Smith is knackered and we have time to plan.
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The only thing they makes sense re: Delaney is he earns too much and we need him out, hence not risking him being injured.

I suppose something may have gone on behind the scenes but I don't think so.
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The pitch looks great and povey has done a great job but boy does the ball pick up speed on the bounce.

Not sure this helps the punt over the top

[Nemo]

Kennedy is an interesting comparison because there was so much talk of tactical patterns and deep lying sixes and maruading eights and all this and it just looked like a disorganised mess on the pitch. Similar has happened this summer, with lots of tactical chat about high presses which has so far resolved into... a mess.

Plenty of time to get it right, but it doesn't feel like we're where the sweeping tactical analysis from Sam and the like suggested we'd be yet.

Saturday feels really big now.

[Batch]

We kept hitting corners to the back post, thinking Smith was still there, in a situation like that surely the players know they can’t just repeating the same set piece delivery

Even when Smith was there they were nowhere near him

[DV]

I assume Delaney must be on a decent appearance bonus and/or a triggers a year extension after x games clause because we’re paying his basic wages regardless.

We’ll pay that regardless if he plays - so why not play him?

[Batch]

As I said (unclearly) it may be to not risk injury.

Though yes, maybe it is appearance/bonus/clause related.

Or Holloway just plain doesn't rate him I suppose. I find it odd to put kids in if we are to "get what we want"

[tans]

Last night reminded me of the Malpas era.

Shite.

[JoeMezz]

Taking Oldaker off of set pieces would be a good start

[iParadise]

Just like with Kennedy, this summer we've built a squad to play just one way. So far this season we've been way too one-dimensional. All our midfielders are the same type. Kilkenny, Clarke, Ball, Oldaker all basically do the same thing. We need creativity in there to allow us to play a different way.

Watching the game yesterday, i thought we desperately missed a player like Sobowale coming off the bench with a bit of power and pace. The crossing ability and pace of Cox would have been nice too.