15th December Match Thread

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

I love how every year the standard of the league is poorer than the last, by now pub teams should be beating all our sides.
Here’s an alternative view, there are no standout sides, most squads are of an equal standard that are capable of beating one another on any given day.

This. If anything, having runaway leaders in a league makes the standard of the league bad. I remember in 14-15 there were 5 sides that practically beat everyone and the rest were miles behind. Makes for a shit league.

Wide open leagues are far more entertaining. The standard of the league being "bad" is a lame excuse used by fans of bigger clubs who see themselves above the level they're at on merit

 

[TractorBoys]

Not a single side in 24 being able to string together a run of 5 wins suggests otherwise.

I imagine in reality it's a little from column A and a little from column B!

 

[Luke Imp]

And yes it was one of those frustrating games!

Had virtually all of the play but even if we had another 90 mins I don't think we would have scored!

Great back to back wins for the Shrews and a bit different to last Tues.

Despite the two defeats, it's still been a decent run of results. Last two opponents have probably had a new manager bounce but to get to two weeks from the transfer window where we are is decent going.

I hope people's thoughts aren't clouded by the last two results. Last night was just one of those games where we've been punished for a mistake at the back.

Sunderland had a positive Covid test on Sunday by the sounds of it so we'll no doubt have to be tested off the back of that having played them the day before.

 

[Luke Imp]

Not a single side in 24 being able to string together a run of 5 wins suggests otherwise.

I imagine in reality it's a little from column A and a little from column B!

Might be down to the schedule and the regular chopping and changing of sides for most teams. I'm guessing nearly all sides haven't been able to put what they'd consider their strongest XI out for 5 in a row.

That said, I think we'll see a levelling off of the league over the next two or three seasons due to the salary cap anyway. Ipswich, Portsmouth, Sunderland etc who already had decent squads didn't add too many players this summer that I can recall whereas ordinarily they might have gone out and signed two or three further players to improve them.

 

[TractorBoys]

We haven't been able to play our strongest side for a single game this season, we have 11 out of which 7 or 8 would probably be considered starters.

That being said, our problems run deeper than the injury table so I'm not expecting significant improvements in the New Year.

 

[TimeyWimey]

Excellent performance from us tonight but we really need to improve our finishing. It's the difference between a surprise playoff push and breaking into the top half for us. Defensively fantastic once again but need to kill poor sides off. And Plymouth were exceedingly poor. Watts and Wootton were a pair of donkeys at the back for them tonight and their whole side just seemed to stand off us when we attacked. It was defensive suicide which should've been punished to a greater extent.

I always said Northampton were effectively lottery winners and miles off the pace of the top sides last season so I expected them to struggle, and I said Swindon were heavily reliant on loanees last year which would come to bite them in the arse should they not sign them permanently the following year. But Plymouth have genuinely surprised me. I thought they'd be the best equipped team for League One this year out of the four promoted sides. But that defence is utterly rancid at this level. Unsurprisingly to most Crewe fans, Cooper and Moore also look ineffective at this level (maybe Cooper needs to play in a more advanced position than wing back because he does have the talent but not necessarily the application to succeed at this level but I've always said Byron is League Two standard) and the midfield for Argyle tonight were totally non-existent. Some good players up top but how can they perform if you're feeding off scraps and constantly losing games?

Very glad to get one over Ryan Lowe. His conduct when Artell got the job after sacking Davis was utterly deplorable and I'm relieved we picked the right man for us. Plymouth obviously is a good fit for Lowe. He's been backed handsomely since last year and delivered so far. First sticky patch of his Plymouth career (bar that loss to Exeter last year) form wise. Whilst he got a Bury side who weren't being paid their ridiculous wages to promotion, can he turn the ship around in a league where he's effectively got a mix of L1/L2 players in a highly competitive League One?

If we had a goal scoring striker (or just a goal scorer in general!) there'd be absolutely no surprise about a play-off push. It is our biggest and possibly only issue stopping us. There is absolutely no arguing our team is up there otherwise. It is the first time I can remember as a fan that teams are, week in week out, setting up to stop us rather than us setting up to stop them. As it is, with us unlikely to have any chance of finding someone who will put away the chances we make with consistency, we're probably consigned to mid-table.

 

[DearneValleyRover]

Not a single side in 24 being able to string together a run of 5 wins suggests otherwise.

I imagine in reality it's a little from column A and a little from column B!

You can also add in the number of games played in a short period of time, small pre season which has led to an enormous amount of muscle strain injuries, we’ve had 8 so far, smaller squad sizes with more young players with less experience being used.

 

[codaplenty]

Well earned point at Pompey last night, we never really looked like losing the game and defensive wise it was an excellent performance. Fractious first half with 7 yellows, suspect both managers had a few words at half time and the second was much 'calmer' 2 successive away games in 4 days, both long trips, no training in between, we are going in the right direction

 

[GEORGE]

Well, when you’ve got a manager giving his post match comments such as ‘we’ve lost 2-0 again’ and ‘we don’t look like scoring’ when the result was 2-1 you’ve got to wonder if he actually gives an actual fuck.

Earlier in the week he was on about playing Donohue - who has actually left the club. I honestly don’t think he really knows the players’ names let alone any meaningful tactics. Sheridan was/is a cheap, jobs for the boys, appointment while Power tries to sort out his exit strategy.

Absolutely nailed on for one of the relegation spots.

Is this a completely different team from last season ? Is it the fact you lost your manager or top goalscorer ? Or is the gulf between the divisions that different ? Or is it an effect of all these possibilities together ?

 

[Indian Dan]

We’ve never upgraded from last season. We’ve got too many L2 standard players. Power is selling up and obviously didn’t fancy spending on the squad. Wellens could see where we are heading and, understandably, jumped ship.

Sheridan doesn’t give a toss. He’s only here cos he’s mates with Jewell, doesn’t cost much and knows when the club is sold he’ll be out on his arse. He’s not even pretending to care. Maybe Covid has been a big part, but that has applied to all clubs.

 

[Crewelad87]

I always thought at league 2 level if you take Doyle and Yates out of Swindon they would be pretty mediocre. So losing them and then going up a level was always going to be a struggle. Same with Northampton. Losing there centre halves plus Morton and they are very ordinary even for league 2 never mind League 1.

 

[GeneralLee]

Northampton were woeful last night. We aren't very good ourselves, however I think at this stage we are probably one of the best of the worst (if that makes sense).

Northampton capitulated from the first minute of the second half with the score at 0-0. The weird press whereby they sort of just put the breaks on at the half way line was a bizarre tactic. Considering we are pretty shocking offensively (well, defensively too actually), we looked like the side which annihilated sides last season... Granted, we looked good second half, however I think Northampton contributed to that performance more than anything.

The effort Northampton showed at times was dreadful - Some of those players genuinely looked like they couldn't give a f***, even at 2-0. Ricky Holmes has still got it, however he looked knackered after 15 minutes! When everything goes through him and he's knackered... It's not clever.

They have a big window in store, much like ourselves. I anticipate a mini mid-season clear out at OUFC if any team will take 'em!

In summary a great win for us. Just a shame we no longer have a fixture this weekend due to the BR postponement.

 

[Luke Imp]

Likewise Tranmere last season with Norwood albeit that picked up some results in the New Year.

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

I always thought at league 2 level if you take Doyle and Yates out of Swindon they would be pretty mediocre. So losing them and then going up a level was always going to be a struggle. Same with Northampton. Losing there centre halves plus Morton and they are very ordinary even for league 2 never mind League 1.

Still maintain Benda was their best player last season. His performance at Gresty Road was simply outstanding and their keeping troubles have come from a failure to replace him. Obviously the goalscorers are missed too but Swindon weren't letting many in compared to this season...

 

[Crewelad87]

Still maintain Benda was their best player last season. His performance at Gresty Road was simply outstanding and their keeping troubles have come from a failure to replace him. Obviously the goalscorers are missed too but Swindon weren't letting many in compared to this season...

He was very good last season along with Palmer the Plymouth keeper who they’ve lost since last season aswell.

All of these are many reasons why I was shocked many picked Swindon and Plymouth to finish above us this year despite them having far weaker squads then they had the year before.

 

[Indian Dan]

I always thought at league 2 level if you take Doyle and Yates out of Swindon they would be pretty mediocre. So losing them and then going up a level was always going to be a struggle. Same with Northampton. Losing there centre halves plus Morton and they are very ordinary even for league 2 never mind League 1.

Tbh, losing Yates and Doyle has very little to do with it. Yates is doing little with Blackpool and Doyle not much at Bolton. IF we were serious about L1 they both needed replacing anyway. Players we relied on last season were too good for L2 but had historical injury problems so it was a punt which paid off. This season they’ve been injured all season - Lyden, Fryers. Grant bossed and bullied L2 midfielders last season - again, now playing with an injury and the legs are going. The keeper situation has been a huge problem - and still is. Most of the others are not up to standard so it’s no huge surprise

All boils down to a complete lack of investment with a club sale in the pipeline. Chuck in Covid and it’s a perfect storm.

 

[DearneValleyRover]

He was very good last season along with Palmer the Plymouth keeper who they’ve lost since last season aswell.

All of these are many reasons why I was shocked many picked Swindon and Plymouth to finish above us this year despite them having far weaker squads then they had the year before.

To be fair their keeper kept them in it last night

 

[AusGill]

Not a single side in 24 being able to string together a run of 5 wins suggests otherwise.

I imagine in reality it's a little from column A and a little from column B!

We Gills had a run of 4 wins and a draw in 5.

Yay! Must mean we are one of the best teams in the Div. Lost every game since tho

 

[Gassy]

Clean sheet and avoided defeat to Charlton away.

I'll take that. Tisdale working his magic

 

[Indian Dan]

The standard of the league this time around is comically bad.

Ironically, it's probably going to make for an exciting run in...

After watching Hull v Pompey, I’ve got to agree. Really dire stuff. 2 ‘top’teams, 2 OGs and not a shot on target all game. Anyone who thinks getting promoted this season puts their club on the path to a better footballing future needs to give their head a good shake.

Be like 3 Wycombes next season!