Just back. By a mile, the worst game and performance of the season that I've seen. Wind made conditions terribly difficult for both teams, especially into the wind. Gape, giving his best out of position at RB, had a bit of a 'mare. Midfield just didn't function as it has been - no cohesion and, thus, very little play built through the middle. It was old-style hoofball and it never worked. Not an unfair result, since Swindon managed about four shots on target, Browny making some good saves. But both sides ought, imho, to be disappointed with their inability to adapt to the conditions and come up with something rather more cohesive than they did.
On a side note, not being allowed out for a breather off the terrace at half-time made the experience an oppressive and uncivilised one. The mezzanine below the stand was heaving with people who had nowhere to go, the queue for food was enormous (though I was not part of it) and the toilets likewise. Spoke with a couple of stewards, who were very pleasant, but won't be rushing back there.
On a side, side note: what the blue blazes is going on with all these injuries? Does anyone here know what has happened to Stewart and Sido?
In difficult conditions it came down to who took there chance, when it came. Sadly it was Swindon on the day. But for Brown it could gave been a more flattering scoreline too.
I'm struggling to be overly disappointed though as it's not like we were totally outplayed - although conditions had a large hand in that. More frustrated as its another game we could gave won but haven't due to IMHO no plan B.
Surely today was a day to try and get the ball on the deck rather than up in the air. Even second half with the wind we didn't look threatening when we lumped it up. That said, Eze only showed glimpses of what we know he is capable when he did come on. And Saunders is also not at his best just now either and having to play Gape at right back didn't help. Maybe GA did have the right tactics after all with the players he had available!
Sometimes when you leave the ground having been beaten you can acknowledge the better team won. Today I didn't feel that. Swindon were very ordinary but we weren't any better and probably didn't deserve anything.
It was dire today. Conditions were not nice for watching, neither did they help the standard of play. The concourse was far too small and everyone was packed in like sardines, so I didn't even attempt to get food.
No one played especially well, Brown MOTM for me. Our tactics of hit and hope were never going to work, but we persisted for some reason.
I wasn’t there but as soon as the line up was announced I thought it was likely that we’d struggle to gel. It would be interesting to know when it was apparent that we’d be down to 16 fit players. If it was last minute it’s bound to be destabilising. Factor in windy conditions and file under ‘forget and move on’.
Does look like our squad depth is going to become a major factor
Quite, @bookertease . Just a few weeks ago, it looked like we had a lovely abundance of options. Suddenly we are down to the bare bones - no-one has mentioned Umerah being absent again....
Due to my work commitments overseas I only manage to get to a couple of games a season nowdays . So therefore I do not have the same insight as pretty much all of you .
I live down near the south coast and travelled up the m23 with much anticipation . The m25 started to suck the enjoyment out of the day . The game then finished off what the m25 had tried to do .
It seemed a good turn out - maybe about 800 .
Obviously weather conditions were very poor .
The 1 question I'm unable to answer though - is why when in the warm up we spend so much time tip tapping the football around - lots of 1 touch give and go - The ball never rose above the grass in the warm up - filling me with anticipation - do we then go and play pretty much nothing on the ground all game . It was hoofed up in the air from minute 1 to minute 95 . In those conditions aerial football was a lottery - the ball would not keep it's expected trajectory therefore any long balls were therefore rendered meaningless .
That warm up seemed about as pointless as learning Italian for a French exam !
I just don't get it .
Swindon seemed to cope just marginally better with the conditions than we did .
We did have a sniff of a chance when 1 of our chaps ( Sorry not sure who ) was clean through but then wrongfully ruled offside .
Both sides time wasting was pretty embarrassing .
Brown made some good quality saves .
Defensively we looked ok -on another day their goal that went in off the post , rebounds back into play .. we nick 1 at the other end and we are then talking about a truly gritty 1-0 win in dreadful conditions . So it could have easily been a different result .
Jacobson was definitely fouled for our goal however he should have been stronger.
I've tried to look for positives in our performance however even with a strong magnifying glass I've struggled.
I do hope this was just a temporary blip as to be honest it was dire .
Thank you gasroom for allowing me the platform to air my view - I always enjoy reading your views and am glad to be able to contribute.
@Frenchfry said:
Both sides time wasting was pretty embarrassing .
I noticed the same with us as we got towards half time. My assumption was that we were happy to ensure we were only 1-0 down going into the second half with the wind behind us. It wasn't the most positive approach, as well as showing exactly how ineffective we were adjusting to the conditions first half.
A number of our players looked tired today, Akinfenwa particularly. I expect the midweek trip to Carlisle took more out of the squad than people realise. This probably explains the starting line up.
I think people on here are looking through blue tinted glasses when saying that Swindon were equally terrible, or only marginally adapted to the conditions better than we did.
Although they hardly outplayed us they worked Brown far more successfully than we did their keeper; if not for him we could have gone in at the break at least 3-0 down. Additionally their midfield complete outfought ours and dominated physically.
We created two chances of note all game - Eze's strike and Akinfenwa's fairly tame shot after some good ball control.
Whilst on the subject of Brown, some idiot nearby me was yelling "You're shit, Brown!" simply because he didn't hold a free header (from six yards) at the first attempt. This minutes after a full-stretch save to deny another free header. Everyone has a right to an opinion but to be so far off the mark, yet so vocal, was remarkable. Even this guy's mates seemed embarrassed by him.
Every team has its share of unintelligent, uninhibited supporters. We have some, Swindon had some. It was my misfortune to be positioned between both groups yesterday as they occasionally traded insults at each other rather than enjoying the game and supporting their team. Swindon's morons were all about 13 years old - I didn't hear them shout in support of their own team until second half injury time.
Very poor game yesterday but so many morons in our support. The constant shouts of "hurry up" and "sort it out" in the first half when we were clearly trying to just get to half time.
At the end of the game someone asked "why are you clapping those players off?" Ridiculous!
We are still top 7, we have plenty of players to come back from injury and have a real chance to kick on now.
I can't recall the last time I saw time wasting from players not even on the pitch!
At least 2 or 3 times Swindon subs warming up would give the ball a little kick away, or chuck it into the stand to waste time. Ridiculous.
I seem to have the unfortunate luck recently in my away games of picking a row that seems a good view but not in "moron army" range, yet by kick off some of the usual suspects have waddled in stanching of booze full of the kind of moronic comments @fromtheside mentions.
One bad performance and you've got people booing and shouting abuse at the manager & players. Clearly the majority of these super fans have not played the game themselves @Malone
One old guy was foolishly taking on a few morons, which was a thankless task
"they're professional footballers, can't deal with a bit of wind". (removed about 20 effs, )
Ignoring the dreadful game, that suggested it was tough for both teams...
I don't go to as many away games now due to the anti social behaviour of a small but very obvious element of our support base. I do occasionally go with the home supporters as it is less hassle. The Swindon home support isn't one to join though.
Those fans pay the player's wages, didn't you know? I cannot work out what they hope for though...are they expecting a player to up his game as a result of being insulted by his own fans during a game?
The degree of critical "support" is being overstated here. There was a measure of grumbling, yes, and the feeling at the end of the game was generally negative. That can be forgiven, I think, given the appalling fare that had been served up. The people there had taken the time and trouble to come and support - undoubtedly, they are fans or they would not have been there. I myself, the truest and most loyal of fans as you will understand, was frustrated by the lack of innovation or adaptability on show in the difficult conditions. Perhaps timewasting is the best tactical option when playing into the wind, but let's not pretend it's a remotely commendable one.
It really was an appalling game, wasn't it! Allow a little venting of steam from time to time.
I'm not condoning the bad behaviour sometimes seen at games, but I do feel it's being exaggerated.
Is it so bad and widespread you can't usually find a spot anywhere on the away seating/terrace to avoid people you find objectionable? The group are not more than 10-20 people strong.
Is it really considerably worse than its ever been? I've gone to the odd away games for a number of seasons now and it doesn't seem much more rowdy. What about in the 70s, 80s or 90s? Was it so idyllic, peaceful and polite then?
I've just spent some time in another place, explaining to a non football fan that the behaviour she experienced on a crowded train yesterday is no longer typical of football fans, and that many people are embarrassed by it. I don't think we have all become over sensitive, but the truth is that not only has the expectations of how one behaves at the match and travelling to and from changed, but more people find the new way of dong things infinitely preferably and don't wish to see a return to old standards.
@OxfordBlue I think that's the point...some of the attitudes that seem to be raising their ugly heads again resemble the 70s,80s and 90s! I don't think anyone is suggesting we are back in dart-throwing, inter-city crew card, Green Streetageddon yet...just that some people find the behaviour, intolerant language and attitudes of some of the true fans towards players and management unnecessarily unpleasant. For example do you think people should shout Brown is s*** after one fumble or that Gareth is a ****ing Gypsy c***?
@OxfordBlue There's a group of (mainly) youngish males, who've grown in number somewhat over the last couple of years to around 20 or 30 regulars. They're usually boisterous and create a good atmosphere, but occasionally some of them will cross the line and act in a genuinely unpleasant and unacceptable manner, such as at Port Vale earlier this season. I think the previous bunch of atmosphere-makers at away games were a bit younger, and because of their age, weren't loaded with booze, so we didn't get the occasional unpleasant episodes that we do now. At most games, the current lot can be easily avoided by not sitting or standing near the back - it's just occasionally when they turn up at 2.55, make their way to the back, find no space, go back down the front, and stand up, blocking the view of others, that there gets to be a potential problem.
@Right_in_the_Middle said:
I don't go to as many away games now due to the anti social behaviour of a small but very obvious element of our support base. I do occasionally go with the home supporters as it is less hassle. The Swindon home support isn't one to join though.
Sorry RITM, you're saying this group of fans stop you doing something you want to do?
Anyone who expected a good game of football at Swindon on Saturday was living in cuckoo land. One look at the weather forecast should have told you what to expect. Its one of the reasons I didn't travel the 300 mile round trip to one of the nearer games for me.
The other frankly is that football is essentially tribal and I do feel less part of the tribe now than before. Stupid songs, witless abuse - I don't want to be part of that so incentive for me to go to away games is waning a bit.
I do wonder if the harshness of social media contributes to these attitudes (people interact on social media in ways they never would face to face) and to the anger that seems to infect society and politics these days. Perhaps a conversation for another type of forum though.
Seems a reasonable enough topic for conversation, @DevC. For my part, I see most of the problem being with segregation. Had the fans not been divided thus on Saturday, not in a million years would the young Swindon fans seated a few rows away but separated by some netting, a barrier and some stewards have spoken in the way they did. Nor, I fancy, would Wycombe fans have thought to sing so rudely about Swindon.
A starting point idea for discussion: allow a couple of areas in the ground for those that wish to congregate together for singing purposes and let the remainder sit where they wish, a la normal life. For sure, there will still be thoughtless unkindnesses uttered from the "singing" at least initially. But I reckon there would likely be less of it. And there would be the upside that, at away games, one did not feel like some kind of untrustworthy subhuman as one entered the ground.
Comments
Why do people boo, horrible conditions not up to their best today they didn't deserve that .
The drone army are gonna boo. It's what they do.
Just back. By a mile, the worst game and performance of the season that I've seen. Wind made conditions terribly difficult for both teams, especially into the wind. Gape, giving his best out of position at RB, had a bit of a 'mare. Midfield just didn't function as it has been - no cohesion and, thus, very little play built through the middle. It was old-style hoofball and it never worked. Not an unfair result, since Swindon managed about four shots on target, Browny making some good saves. But both sides ought, imho, to be disappointed with their inability to adapt to the conditions and come up with something rather more cohesive than they did.
On a side note, not being allowed out for a breather off the terrace at half-time made the experience an oppressive and uncivilised one. The mezzanine below the stand was heaving with people who had nowhere to go, the queue for food was enormous (though I was not part of it) and the toilets likewise. Spoke with a couple of stewards, who were very pleasant, but won't be rushing back there.
On a side, side note: what the blue blazes is going on with all these injuries? Does anyone here know what has happened to Stewart and Sido?
In difficult conditions it came down to who took there chance, when it came. Sadly it was Swindon on the day. But for Brown it could gave been a more flattering scoreline too.
I'm struggling to be overly disappointed though as it's not like we were totally outplayed - although conditions had a large hand in that. More frustrated as its another game we could gave won but haven't due to IMHO no plan B.
Surely today was a day to try and get the ball on the deck rather than up in the air. Even second half with the wind we didn't look threatening when we lumped it up. That said, Eze only showed glimpses of what we know he is capable when he did come on. And Saunders is also not at his best just now either and having to play Gape at right back didn't help. Maybe GA did have the right tactics after all with the players he had available!
Sometimes when you leave the ground having been beaten you can acknowledge the better team won. Today I didn't feel that. Swindon were very ordinary but we weren't any better and probably didn't deserve anything.
It was dire today. Conditions were not nice for watching, neither did they help the standard of play. The concourse was far too small and everyone was packed in like sardines, so I didn't even attempt to get food.
No one played especially well, Brown MOTM for me. Our tactics of hit and hope were never going to work, but we persisted for some reason.
Lets hope for better next week
I wasn’t there but as soon as the line up was announced I thought it was likely that we’d struggle to gel. It would be interesting to know when it was apparent that we’d be down to 16 fit players. If it was last minute it’s bound to be destabilising. Factor in windy conditions and file under ‘forget and move on’.
Does look like our squad depth is going to become a major factor
Unlucky Wycombe!
If you want a recap of the game, or if you didn't make it, check out my video:
Tell me your thoughts!
Quite, @bookertease . Just a few weeks ago, it looked like we had a lovely abundance of options. Suddenly we are down to the bare bones - no-one has mentioned Umerah being absent again....
Due to my work commitments overseas I only manage to get to a couple of games a season nowdays . So therefore I do not have the same insight as pretty much all of you .
I live down near the south coast and travelled up the m23 with much anticipation . The m25 started to suck the enjoyment out of the day . The game then finished off what the m25 had tried to do .
It seemed a good turn out - maybe about 800 .
Obviously weather conditions were very poor .
The 1 question I'm unable to answer though - is why when in the warm up we spend so much time tip tapping the football around - lots of 1 touch give and go - The ball never rose above the grass in the warm up - filling me with anticipation - do we then go and play pretty much nothing on the ground all game . It was hoofed up in the air from minute 1 to minute 95 . In those conditions aerial football was a lottery - the ball would not keep it's expected trajectory therefore any long balls were therefore rendered meaningless .
That warm up seemed about as pointless as learning Italian for a French exam !
I just don't get it .
Swindon seemed to cope just marginally better with the conditions than we did .
We did have a sniff of a chance when 1 of our chaps ( Sorry not sure who ) was clean through but then wrongfully ruled offside .
Both sides time wasting was pretty embarrassing .
Brown made some good quality saves .
Defensively we looked ok -on another day their goal that went in off the post , rebounds back into play .. we nick 1 at the other end and we are then talking about a truly gritty 1-0 win in dreadful conditions . So it could have easily been a different result .
Jacobson was definitely fouled for our goal however he should have been stronger.
I've tried to look for positives in our performance however even with a strong magnifying glass I've struggled.
I do hope this was just a temporary blip as to be honest it was dire .
Thank you gasroom for allowing me the platform to air my view - I always enjoy reading your views and am glad to be able to contribute.
I noticed the same with us as we got towards half time. My assumption was that we were happy to ensure we were only 1-0 down going into the second half with the wind behind us. It wasn't the most positive approach, as well as showing exactly how ineffective we were adjusting to the conditions first half.
A number of our players looked tired today, Akinfenwa particularly. I expect the midweek trip to Carlisle took more out of the squad than people realise. This probably explains the starting line up.
I think people on here are looking through blue tinted glasses when saying that Swindon were equally terrible, or only marginally adapted to the conditions better than we did.
Although they hardly outplayed us they worked Brown far more successfully than we did their keeper; if not for him we could have gone in at the break at least 3-0 down. Additionally their midfield complete outfought ours and dominated physically.
We created two chances of note all game - Eze's strike and Akinfenwa's fairly tame shot after some good ball control.
Whilst on the subject of Brown, some idiot nearby me was yelling "You're shit, Brown!" simply because he didn't hold a free header (from six yards) at the first attempt. This minutes after a full-stretch save to deny another free header. Everyone has a right to an opinion but to be so far off the mark, yet so vocal, was remarkable. Even this guy's mates seemed embarrassed by him.
Ludicrous that anyone could slate Brown, aside from one awful game against Notts County, he has been good. Clear MOTM yesterday
Every team has its share of unintelligent, uninhibited supporters. We have some, Swindon had some. It was my misfortune to be positioned between both groups yesterday as they occasionally traded insults at each other rather than enjoying the game and supporting their team. Swindon's morons were all about 13 years old - I didn't hear them shout in support of their own team until second half injury time.
Very poor game yesterday but so many morons in our support. The constant shouts of "hurry up" and "sort it out" in the first half when we were clearly trying to just get to half time.
At the end of the game someone asked "why are you clapping those players off?" Ridiculous!
We are still top 7, we have plenty of players to come back from injury and have a real chance to kick on now.
I can't recall the last time I saw time wasting from players not even on the pitch!
At least 2 or 3 times Swindon subs warming up would give the ball a little kick away, or chuck it into the stand to waste time. Ridiculous.
I seem to have the unfortunate luck recently in my away games of picking a row that seems a good view but not in "moron army" range, yet by kick off some of the usual suspects have waddled in stanching of booze full of the kind of moronic comments @fromtheside mentions.
One bad performance and you've got people booing and shouting abuse at the manager & players. Clearly the majority of these super fans have not played the game themselves @Malone
One old guy was foolishly taking on a few morons, which was a thankless task
"they're professional footballers, can't deal with a bit of wind". (removed about 20 effs, )
Ignoring the dreadful game, that suggested it was tough for both teams...
Don’t forget, the players allegedly love these supporters as they make noise.
I don't go to as many away games now due to the anti social behaviour of a small but very obvious element of our support base. I do occasionally go with the home supporters as it is less hassle. The Swindon home support isn't one to join though.
Those fans pay the player's wages, didn't you know? I cannot work out what they hope for though...are they expecting a player to up his game as a result of being insulted by his own fans during a game?
The degree of critical "support" is being overstated here. There was a measure of grumbling, yes, and the feeling at the end of the game was generally negative. That can be forgiven, I think, given the appalling fare that had been served up. The people there had taken the time and trouble to come and support - undoubtedly, they are fans or they would not have been there. I myself, the truest and most loyal of fans as you will understand, was frustrated by the lack of innovation or adaptability on show in the difficult conditions. Perhaps timewasting is the best tactical option when playing into the wind, but let's not pretend it's a remotely commendable one.
It really was an appalling game, wasn't it! Allow a little venting of steam from time to time.
I'm not condoning the bad behaviour sometimes seen at games, but I do feel it's being exaggerated.
Is it so bad and widespread you can't usually find a spot anywhere on the away seating/terrace to avoid people you find objectionable? The group are not more than 10-20 people strong.
Is it really considerably worse than its ever been? I've gone to the odd away games for a number of seasons now and it doesn't seem much more rowdy. What about in the 70s, 80s or 90s? Was it so idyllic, peaceful and polite then?
I've just spent some time in another place, explaining to a non football fan that the behaviour she experienced on a crowded train yesterday is no longer typical of football fans, and that many people are embarrassed by it. I don't think we have all become over sensitive, but the truth is that not only has the expectations of how one behaves at the match and travelling to and from changed, but more people find the new way of dong things infinitely preferably and don't wish to see a return to old standards.
@OxfordBlue I think that's the point...some of the attitudes that seem to be raising their ugly heads again resemble the 70s,80s and 90s! I don't think anyone is suggesting we are back in dart-throwing, inter-city crew card, Green Streetageddon yet...just that some people find the behaviour, intolerant language and attitudes of some of the true fans towards players and management unnecessarily unpleasant. For example do you think people should shout Brown is s*** after one fumble or that Gareth is a ****ing Gypsy c***?
@OxfordBlue There's a group of (mainly) youngish males, who've grown in number somewhat over the last couple of years to around 20 or 30 regulars. They're usually boisterous and create a good atmosphere, but occasionally some of them will cross the line and act in a genuinely unpleasant and unacceptable manner, such as at Port Vale earlier this season. I think the previous bunch of atmosphere-makers at away games were a bit younger, and because of their age, weren't loaded with booze, so we didn't get the occasional unpleasant episodes that we do now. At most games, the current lot can be easily avoided by not sitting or standing near the back - it's just occasionally when they turn up at 2.55, make their way to the back, find no space, go back down the front, and stand up, blocking the view of others, that there gets to be a potential problem.
Sorry RITM, you're saying this group of fans stop you doing something you want to do?
What's wrong with Swindon's home support?
Anyone who expected a good game of football at Swindon on Saturday was living in cuckoo land. One look at the weather forecast should have told you what to expect. Its one of the reasons I didn't travel the 300 mile round trip to one of the nearer games for me.
The other frankly is that football is essentially tribal and I do feel less part of the tribe now than before. Stupid songs, witless abuse - I don't want to be part of that so incentive for me to go to away games is waning a bit.
I do wonder if the harshness of social media contributes to these attitudes (people interact on social media in ways they never would face to face) and to the anger that seems to infect society and politics these days. Perhaps a conversation for another type of forum though.
Do you post on other forums Dev?
Seems a reasonable enough topic for conversation, @DevC. For my part, I see most of the problem being with segregation. Had the fans not been divided thus on Saturday, not in a million years would the young Swindon fans seated a few rows away but separated by some netting, a barrier and some stewards have spoken in the way they did. Nor, I fancy, would Wycombe fans have thought to sing so rudely about Swindon.
A starting point idea for discussion: allow a couple of areas in the ground for those that wish to congregate together for singing purposes and let the remainder sit where they wish, a la normal life. For sure, there will still be thoughtless unkindnesses uttered from the "singing" at least initially. But I reckon there would likely be less of it. And there would be the upside that, at away games, one did not feel like some kind of untrustworthy subhuman as one entered the ground.