Home vs Mansfield Sun Dec 29th

Lee power is a stubborn git and would go elsewhere if Doyle returned to us he wouldn't wait until 31/1 to see if they could get him back and certainly not paying full wages as well.

 

Nothing lucky about this win or our position in the table at all. We create more decent chances than any other side in the division and are tight enough at the back to justify our current league position.

(See bottom graph for Expected goals.... further you are to the right the better the chances you create. Closer to the bottom line the tighter your defence is......title contenders can thus be found in the bottom right corner...... https://experimental361.com/2019/12/27/scatter-graphics-league-2-27-dec-2019/)

 

We have to do something in Jan about Doyle. Lee Power might be stubborn, but Swindon cannot afford to not retain Doyle. He is the difference between them possibly winning the league and finishing midtable. We should recall him and I would expect them to make a cash offer that we should consider.

I've only been able to make it to a few games this season, but I can't quite understand the negativity from today. We weren't great, neither were they. Very few chances, Connollybwas the difference today. We played better against Salford but didn't win, we can't always have it both ways.
I think fans need some perspective on what we've achieved. We are very difficult to beat. We are doing better than all the other teams relegated from lg1 last season. We have a much worse budget than some fans believe (eg. Mansfields is bigger than ours) and bowyer has in 1 window managed to build a competitive squad despite money being tied up in existing contracts (Akpan, Riley etc).
The league is wide open, a good January and players returning from injury/illness and we are in a very good position going into the second half

 

Predictive text should read latest

 

I thought we were awful today. I’m taking friends to the next two away games and I am making my apologies about are style of play in preparation. Collectively we are so much better than the way we are set up and performing. Not everyone believes it’s only about 3 points.

 

Tell that to the people who we’re on here when we played Salford of the park the other week and didn’t win

 

Haiku's on Bantamtalk... I've seen it all now...

 

There was a few.

 

Salford were the better side second half. Stats don't prove everything as some would have you believe. First half we were good albeit against a side showing us far too much respect. Alexander said he told them to stop being overawed by us and the big stadium, they came out with a different mindset.

 

I must be greedy! I want us to win the league and play decent football.. That-was the kind of match I expect at the end of season when you need the points, ie just win. I know we have had more than our fair share of injuries and sickness, but it doesn’t explain why we can’t play a more attacking football. I honestly don’t think it is the players, they gave it their best. I don’t think our two full backs came into our half the whole of the second half. Without that push from them we were narrow and it left the midfield weak, hence all the long ball crap. I am pleased we won and it was 4 points in two games with unenterprising football, but it is so awful to watch, and it wouldn’t take much of an excuse for me not to turn up!!

 

I agree with almost all of that, but I would like to point out that our midfielders were giving the ball away left, right and centre today, which made the more direct football all the more intolerable.

I literally lost count of the awful passes from our midfield trio that went straight to the opposition - if they're going to perform that badly, I almost understand why we ended up frantically hoofing the ball up front.

Vaughan, for me, was MOTM, but the embarrassing thing for Mansfield is all Connolly had to do was run fast and they capitulated, deservedly giving away two penalties.

I don't believe there was the slightest element of luck today - I just think we saw a truly abysmal defence incapable of dealing with a player who runs in behind them (despite the fact he very rarely produces genuine quality on the ball).

Today, we beat a bad defence.

 

The second half was more even I grant you but probably because we had three or players who hadn’t trained due to injury. The difference between that match and today’s Salford got it down and tried to play football whilst Mansfield in typical league two style tried to steam roll us physically tactics which over the years which have beaten us time after time. We did very well to keep their forwards out today

 

I didn't feel they were overly physical, but they are an ex-Evans side.

 

bantamtalk poets
in the dim shadows we lurk
you've seen nothing yet

RCB

 

https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/18127475.mansfield-town-fan-suffers-heart-attack-bradford-city-game/

Doubt it was our exciting free flowing football that caused it but hope they recover

 

I've read somewhere they unfortunately passed away. Terrible news if true.

 

Still got some Xmas booze left over then?
Hope you’ve had a good one! Cheers.

 

I too thought the midfield three were poor today, even reeves who some people think has turned into iniesta since his injury, constantly gave the ball away and committed needless fouls. Im sorry aswell, as no one will convince me palmer and taylor are any better than akpan, devine or anderson. Neither player has done anything of note and if funds are needed to free up cap space or to recruit elsewhere then both their deals can be ended for me.

Another player who seems to have been stunted by the formation change is connor wood, theroetically you'd have thought he would have had more freedom in the wingback role however im sure its no coincidence his worst run of performances have been whilst playing there.

Thought the front two impressed today against an albeit limited defence. Simple old fashioned tactic of getting in behind terrified mansfield. Im not a fan of connolly upfront but today it worked.

Overall its three points, its an hard watch but if it gets us up then i suppose we will be happy. Obvious statement but we need to start winning away at some point to give us a boost in the points tally. Its alright setting up for draws etc and Bowyer might press on about unbeaten runs and clean sheets etc but over each two games a win and a loss is better than two draws pointswise so lets have a go.