After some success in their opening fixtures under Richie Wellens, Swindon Town, who won League 2 on ppg in 2019/20, have declined somewhat since he departed for Salford City.
They lost only narrowly to Fleetwood at the weekend and may not be far away from finding some form again once new manager John Sheridan, who was in charge at Wigan when we played them, has made his mark.
They have Matthieu Baudry and Tyler Smith lining up for them regularly, but their current form is not good and they have slipped into the relegation zone. When asked why he was leaving, Wellens cited the selling of players from the promotion-winning squad. It showed a lack of ambition he said, which might explain why they are not doing as well as the other 3 clubs which were promoted with them.
Will it be a smooth and flowing victory or a reversion to slugging it out against a stubborn wall of resistance, or worse still? I think Iād settle for a workmanlike win by three goals to one... Anderson must get a goal soon.
DPL v Swindon Town
posted on 15/12/20
What happened to the team that played on Saturday? Tonight it was back to the slow, boring, negative play as against Northampton plus many more bad passes and lost balls and not many real chances created.
Swindon certainly did not look like relegation candidates except for being unable to take advantage of what we gave them. The penalty certainly looked like a gift from the ref.
I'm certainly glad James was not at left back!
Even Whiteman's passing was way below his normal standard, as was most players'. Sims seemed to have lost his spark again, and if his hamstring is serious, it is probably the last we have seen of him.
I give some credit to Amos for that shot that brought out that spectacular save by their GK - I thought it was going in.
However, playing badly and winning can get you promotion!
posted on 16/12/20
The answer is we need a complete team of full backs.
posted on 16/12/20
In some ways its nice to see John Marquis near the top of the scorers table , but telling that there arent any from Rovers
posted on 16/12/20
Rovers should take an interest in Kyle Huddlin of Solihull Moors. Quite a big lad and scores goals
posted on 16/12/20
It's good to see lots of comments,
posted on 16/12/20
but I'm OK with more than one sentence at a time.
I suppose when it comes to strikers, you can mark one man out of a game, but it makes it more difficult when there are several potential scorers.
posted on 17/12/20
It would be very difficult to out jump Kyle Hudlin. He's 6' 10 ". Looks bad news re Sims. I guess he would have gone in January anyway. Which full back will fill in for him I wonder? I've Never rated Reece James that highly but he seems to be proving me wrong. Only hope Taylor stays fit and Gomes returns soon.
posted on 17/12/20
In normal jobs people do improve with experience and good training and perhaps it does not happen as much in football because the quality of the educational skill in a sporting sense is not that good. Experience has often been the main qualification of managers until relatively recently. Taking your coaching badges is a part of the process for would-be managers, but management in football is still a job where most have been good footballers and until recently some would say that you could not manage without that background.
With people like Mourinho, Wenger and in our case SOD that template is changing, but it is far from the accepted norm.
So I suppose that we are seeing in James a reflection of Moore’s ability as a coach.
I wonder how long it will be before his teaching has an effect on some of the others.
It would not be too difficult to outshine out-of-form Oke at the moment and the front man for Swindon impressed me. I have not heard of the Solihull striker, but he sounds as though he would be in demand if he can control a football and use his height. DM knows the Midlands scene, so perhaps he is ready to pounce.
posted on 17/12/20
Rovers 2 (James) : Swindon T 1
>>>>>>> Scorer > Score > Result Bonus > Total > Pts B/F > O/all
Donaldo>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>> 3 >>>>> 52 >>>>>> 55
PDXMickey> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>> 3 >>>>> 39 >>>>>> 42
BVZ>>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>> 3 >>>>> 13 >>>>>>> 16
Crazy>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 35 >>>>> 35
Mooligan>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>>> 45 >>>>>> 48
Cheltenham 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>>>> 0 >>>>>>>> 0
Nookie>>>> 4 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>>> 7 >>>>> 49 >>>>>> 56
Selby>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 19 >>>>>> 19
Lanza>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>>>> 0
>>>>>>>>>> 4 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 15 >>>> 0 >>>> 19 >>>> 252 >>>> 271
...and Nookie takes the lead.
posted on 17/12/20
Big games over the next few days in this division, Hull Pompey tomorrow at 17:30, then Peterborough Ipswich Saturday. If they draw and we win our next 2, we go top š
But its us we're talking about š¤£