Swindon v Barnet Matchday Thread

[4D]

Holloway got us playing well for the second half of last season. We look set up completely different, and worse.

[Matchworn Shirts]

The recruitment has been poor thus far this season, by that I don't necessarily mean the quality of the players acquired, more that the team is lopsided.

[Bob's Orange]

I was planning to go to the STFC Derby on Saturday, but after watching that absolute dross last night I'm having serious thoughts to find something else to do. You know when one of those teams rocks up to the CG and you think, 'i wouldn't like to watch them every week?' That's this current Swindon side. What happened to the fun Swindon of last season? At times in the first 10 minutes or so, we showed some quite neat football, but the rest of the game? Such a stone aged way of playing, back to Ripley, bomb to Smith, lose the ball. Barnet weren't a huge amount better than us but it was hardly a surprise that they won the game late thanks to a Will Wright flick on. Is conceding from a throw in another defensive set piece goal conceded?

Everything about last night was bad, Smith fucking his ACL the icing on a very bad cake. Did I dream it or is Nichols now some weird DM? Is Billy Bodin a ghost? Holloway has some serious work to do, he may need to write page 2 of his tactical masterpiece now our big lad up front is injured. I almost forgot about the 5 minute workshop our coaching staff had arranged to bring on the replacement for Smith. Too many cocks spoil the replacement opportunity.

Ameen sold this week possibly more shit icing to come. Now to read back on this thread, love some early morning train therapy me!

[Bob's Orange]

Why bother to spend so much money on the fucking pitch if we are going to bypass it?

[Benzel]

Why bother to spend so much money on the fucking pitch if we are going to bypass it?

Imagine how much longer it'll last.

[DV]

I have no issues with us utilising Smith by going to direct. It isn’t pretty but if it’s effective - I’m all for it.

However, when that doesn’t work or teams have telegraphed it we need a decent plan B - which is the problem here. When plan A doesn’t work we try plan A again but with different players around Smith.

I really liked Billy Bodin when he broke through all those years ago. I used to watched him a fair bit for the youths too even further back in the day. His subsequent career has shown me nothing to suggest he’s going to be an effective player for us. Early days & he’s not fit yet but at no point would I have said he’s a player who we needed or is even good enough. Harsh maybe, it’s early days so I’d be more than glad to have my opinion changed.

If Smith is out long term (which based on reaction alone suggests he will be) then we need a plan B & C pretty sharpish.

Also not a fan of the 343 with wing backs. Doesnt give us nearly enough steel in midfield. If you’re going 3 CBs & wing backs it needs to be a middle 3 & 2 upfront - not the other way round.

[Audrey]

How can a squad of players ‘not train properly’ after playing Saturday and preparing for Tuesday?

He talks absolute bollocks and I honestly don’t think he hasn’t a clue. Even if we’d won yesterday this isn’t what I want to watch. It’s a dreadful spectacle.

[Pericardinho]

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?

[Bob's Orange]

Imagine how much longer it'll last.

Clever, very clever!

[Bob's Orange]

How can a squad of players ‘not train properly’ after playing Saturday and preparing for Tuesday?

He talks absolute bollocks and I honestly don’t think he hasn’t a clue. Even if we’d won yesterday this isn’t what I want to watch. It’s a dreadful spectacle.

Interesting sentence.

[Bob's Orange]

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 heard he turned up to training one day in an orange hat and onesie and has been ostracised since. All joking aside, I do agree with you. Quite why he's not been utilised more is very strange.

[DV]

January - April Delaney was arguably our best defender last season.
Certainly from a defensive point of view.

[Matchworn Shirts]

He talks absolute bollocks and I honestly don’t think he hasn’t a clue. Even if we’d won yesterday this isn’t what I want to watch. It’s a dreadful spectacle.

It is the bad comedy act stuff that he comes out with regularly that is cringeworthy. It amazes me that so many people actually love that sort of dross

[Riddick]

A interesting period ahead until the transfer window closes.

Holloway seems wedded to this horrific long ball football and last night you could see how much better Barnet's striker was at beating our defence in the air, than Smith was at beating theirs. Smith himself i have problems with, needlessly booked in the first half, and injured himself in the second half. He was pulled back in the build up and should have had a free kick, but he challenged the keeper late afterwards and came out of it worse off.

We have no alternative striker to hit with a long ball outside Smith, despite him stacking and racking forwards. I get the point that if Smith plays then a similar player will sit on the bench, but if you are carrying 8 forwards surely you can have a second that works as Smith does.

No Ameen or Tabor last night was quite sobering, as it mean Butterworth, previously likely to be able to leave, was now back front of the queue. I see the rumours on here and a loan for Tabor has some merit. If they can get good money for Ameen to improve the squad then great.

Delaney situation amuses me. He seems to be exactly what Holloway says he's trying to recruit. So what's happened here? Is he on too much money? Last night was crying out for him ahead of the other three to handle the large Barent forward. I don't see that a fit Ball or Clarke would have helped in that regard. What skills does he lack that Holloway want? Its certainly not technical ability, because every ball from the back i to hoof it anyway.

Two poor league performances and two average ones that we have just come out on the positive side of. Its all a bit of a worry honestly.

[MarkyTee]

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