Away Match Day Thread 09/03/2021 L1 Swindon Town v OUFC

[SteMerritt]

 

[bazzer9461]

While I have no time for the scum or their affairs. Taking off both centre backs at the same time like that is a managerial no-no that very often ends in losing the dressing room... let’s hope that it is the case here.

Didn’t Sheridan replace the centre half’s with attacking players?

 

[horseman]

While I have no time for the scum or their affairs. Taking off both centre backs at the same time like that is a managerial no-no that very often ends in losing the dressing room... let’s hope that it is the case he

Didn’t Sheridan replace the centre half’s with attacking players?

no Baz like for like and the assistant said it was due To Taylor getting in behind them but he wasn't on the pitch when they got taken off

 

[Marked Ox]

While I have no time for the scum or their affairs. Taking off both centre backs at the same time like that is a managerial no-no that very often ends in losing the dressing room... let’s hope that it is the case here.

I don't think he has the dressing room anyway. The original January loan keeper from Bournemouth (I think) got out early in February after the Pompey game*. They are now reliant on clubs' willing to do emergency loans or they have to use a 1st year pro/youth keeper.

Rumours Dominic Thompson wanted out but Brentford wouldn't recall him. Players have been frozen out by Sheridan etc and a couple of players had a fight (or handbags anyway) last Saturday apparently. It is going swimmingly.

*If you can find them (I think they are linked on here on another thread) then the clips of Pompey match with Sheridan gobbing off is just fantastic. The "Brett, Brett, Brett, Brett, Brett, Brett Pitman" one where BP just ignores him is brilliant.

 

[Marked Ox]

Didn’t Sheridan replace the centre half’s with attacking players?

No both defenders.

 

[Junior_1]

I think Barker is getting a raw deal on here - perhaps because he seemed so promising when he first joined and then his performances dropped off for a few games? But, for me, if last night’s performance had come just after signing we’d all be buzzing about it. He constantly got the ball, drove at the fullback, fizzed balls in as well as hung up a few good crosses and won a couple of corners. On the Swindon forum there are a few comments about how their right back was absolutely roasted all game and they can’t believe he didn’t come off.

Barker was one of our best players on the night for me.

Very noticeable also that his off the ball work has improved a lot since his first few games. His tracking back last night was first class on helping out the full backs.

 

[Sheik djibouti]

Barker has all the attributes to be a top class player, if he works a bit on his decision making in the final third...he really makes things happen when he gets it right, but also will run down blind alleys - I guess this is just what you get with wingers much of the time!

As Junior says, I think he has markedly improved at sticking to the job he's given (which for a wide man in our formation should always include tracking back to help out the full backs in defence) and it is no coincidence that our form...or lack of goals conceeded at least, is improving too.

Couple that with creating more chances and making the right decisions in the final third and we are really on to something!

Changing tack It was mentioned last night and earlier up this thread too, but we should not underestimate the importance of the triumvirate of Stevens, Atkinson and Moore, not only to how we defend, but also to how we set up to start attacks. We need them fit and in form for every game between now and the end of the season.

 

[Didcotox]

Is it just me, or does someone drop the c bomb at the end of this video?

 

[West Oxon U’s]

Jack Stevens keeps out Brett Pitman’s second half spot-kick.

 

[DevilsAvocado]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1369558649513869312

Poor from kit crimes, them having the sprinklers on only in our half when the 2 teams were warming up
and the insistence that their keeper wore yellow forcing us to wear white was a blatant attempt at mind
games from Sheridan and co.

Next time we have them at home we should consider a couple of these...


At very least we need one of these, and no i dont mean Buffon as he
will probably be over 50 the next time we play them

 

[ttg17]

Worth Shodipo getting some credit for his part in the Agyei goal I think. Don't normally associate him with being good in the air but he did well there.

 

[West Oxon U’s]

This popped up on Twitter. Swindon fans on the County Ground pitch attacking the referee on this day in 1987 :

https://twitter.com/x/status/1369604305465053186

 

[Sheik djibouti]

Couple of other things occur to me about the Swindon team from watching the extended highlights (over and over).

Firstly, they look very unfit. They've got a lot of Tubby Tuckers in their team when you compare them to the athletic builds of every single one of our players. We look fit as butchers dogs so hats off to our S&C team for that - they on the other (six fingered) hand look like they're fit for Sunday morning park kickabout after a skinful the night before.

Secondly - they look like a very unhappy camp. Lots of moaning, frustration, negative body language...and absolutely no positive impact on the outcome of the game or his players performance whatsover from Sheridan.

They look completely out of their depth and they will be in L2 next season unless they get a massive stroke of luck. And if they carry on with the current set up (which is more than likely while the Power case hangs over them like a bad smell), then they will be paralysed for much of next season too...which could well mean Non-League beckons fro them in the not too distant future

Oh dear, how sad, never mind

 

[RgYellows]

Is it just me, or does someone drop the c bomb at the end of this video?

I also hear a "f*ck sake" when the penalty is saved. You love to see it.

A few random thoughts I had:

Moore is turning into an absolute baller. Showing a lot more aggression and willingness to use his physicality. Thinking of the goal against Wigan but also how he was one of the first into the fray every time play was broken up last night, without ever being a risk to lose his cool. Must be really imposing to play against. Someone else mentioned his long range passes, and I couldn't agree more - a really nice complement to Atkinson carrying the ball forwards and our best outlet as the game went on.

In the first quarter of the game, Brannagan played a lot further forwards. You can see it on the highlights, how he was playing just off Taylor. Huge fan of this and thought it resulted in us running the early exchanges.

Barker demonstrated a lot of good things, particularly in seeing that the main threat was their right winger against Ruffels. His pace gives him such an advantage tracking back, and he put a real shift in.

When Brannagan dropped deeper and Barker had to track back more, I did find Taylor getting a bit more isolated as the game went on. The complete refresh of the front three solved this after a while, but it's that sort of thing that means Taylor has to play on the counter attack and/or beat three men himself to get a shot away.

 

[Marked Ox]

Maybe it's the times we're in but i for one don't want to see them drop through the Leagues or go bust, no fans of any club deserves that and let's be frank both sets of fans would miss the "Derby".

I hope they fall through to the Conference and have at least 5 seasons enjoying it.

 

[BigCrompy]

Is it just me, or does someone drop the c bomb at the end of this video?

Presumably “Conference”...?

 

[werthersoriginal]

Couple of other things occur to me about the Swindon team from watching the extended highlights (over and over).

Firstly, they look very unfit. They've got a lot of Tubby Tuckers in their team when you compare them to the athletic builds of every single one of our players. We look fit as butchers dogs so hats off to our S&C team for that - they look like they're fit for Sunday morning park kickabout after a skinful the night before.

Secondly - they look like a very unhappy camp. Lots of moaning, frustration, negative body language...and absolutely no positive impact on the outcome of the game or his players performance whatsover from Sheridan.

They look completely out of their depth and they will be in L2 next season unless they get a massive stroke of luck. And if they carry on with the current set up (which is more than likely while the Power case hangs over them like a bad smell), then they will be paralysed for much of next season too...which could well mean Non-League beckons fro them in the not too distant future

Oh dear, how sad, never mind

Yes agree, they looked like a ragged bunch in a decrepit setting. Which makes it worrying that we almost didn’t beat them. Taylor could easily have got two, which would have made the score more realistic. We really need him back on form soon.

 

[RgYellows]

Swindon won the game on XG according to the fans’ Podcast ( group therapy session ).

https://twitter.com/x/status/1369438766939709441

Experimental 361 had both sides even at 1.6 (and the graph shows us ever so slightly ahead), because of how xG works. They had a penalty (a shot where you have a very high chance of scoring) and a goal scored from about a yard out because of a goalkeeper error.

If you ignore absolutely everything about the game, then they had the two best chances to score a goal from a shot that was actually taken.

They also had absolutely nothing else. You'd have to have no eyes to think they were anything other than second best. Which is why they lost, despite two huge slices of good fortune, and why xG isn't the equation that will solve football.

 

[IsleofWightYellow]

We had more possession, more shots, more shots on target, more corners. Sometimes you don’t need fancy new stats to show who dominated the game.

 

[Marked Ox]

This popped up on Twitter. Swindon fans on the County Ground pitch attacking the referee on this day in 1987 :

https://twitter.com/x/status/1369604305465053186

Even for then that was a sending off as it was definitely serious foul play.