FGR v Swindon

[Indian Dan]

Might as well have a separate thread for this one.

A nice local game where there’s a chance of there being more away fans in attendance than home fans! Glad we’re away - so much better.

Must have a great chance of 8-in-a-row wins here and Doyle 10-in-a-row goals. Don’t think we’ve been beaten by FGR in a league match and being at almost full strength withAnderson and Isgrove fighting fit we’ll have a strong bench, too.

Hate this ‘settle for a point’ nonsense - let’s really make Chuckles’ Xmas with a right rogering!

Any problems possible re the pitch?

 

[dolph]

The pitch will be fine, we can`t have Coopers little soldiers actually injuring themselves for real by rolling around on a substandard surface.
Perhaps Vince ought to look into having an underlay fitted (eco friendly of course) to help protect his little flowers from the harsh properties of a normal nasty and dangerous football pitch

 

[Luke Imp]

FGR dropping a bit? Has Cooper started his November/December pissing about chopping and changing?

Swindon seem to have had an easier run of fixtures the last couple of months.

 

[Agombar stool]

FGR seem to have hit a bit of a poor run of form so hopefully we can take advantange

That said it will be a tough match and I reckon a draw.

 

[Chris FGR]

We've been struggling to score recently, performances haven't actually been that bad. Cooper has changed the team/tactics around a fair bit of late, even in goal we've used 3 different keepers in our last 4 games, and has hinted at making a few changes in January so expect some movement in and out especially in attacking areas.

Would take a point.

 

[Indian Dan]

Tinpot fuckers’ pitch will probably get the game called off.

 

[Chris FGR]

Hopefully. That way we can play you once Bradford have terminated Doyle's loan and sold him to us, which I've heard is pretty much a done deal.

'Doyle hattrick sinks Swindon' has a good ring to it.

Seriously though reckon it should ok. Forecast not that bad.

 

[Indian Dan]

That sounds feasible. Doyle has always stated his desire to play for a miserable Cnut like Cooper.

 

[The Jovial Forester]

Easy home win this, send the kids out and give the stars a rest for the busy Christmas New Year schedule. Shame the only stars we have are the blanks on the back of the shirt.
More seriously, we've not been too poor in the bad run, every chance of getting something though defeat more likely.

 

[The Jovial Forester]

Oops. Can't argue with the score as it stands, Swindon much crisper and more purposeful, we break down three passes into any move.

 

[Chris FGR]

GET THE FUCK IN.

 

[Indian Dan]

How the hell we didn’t win that by a country mile I’ll never know. FGR were the worst side I’ve seen in the first half. Improved 2nd half but still, we should have had that wrapped up.

Only ourselves to blame.

 

[The Jovial Forester]

Got you really rattled around when our first goal went in, half time tinkering seemed to be working; thought you settled again after that and was expecting us to fizzle out. Past midnight here and was watching stuttering stream over shoulder of poorly kid, just came back on long enough to see equaliser go in.
Far too much pointless play and unforced errors from us again first half.

 

[Stripes]

If Swindon had gone in 3 nil up at half time, which they so nearly did, it would have been game over. But despite being completely out played during the whole of the first half, and things looking very bleak, (and fair play to Swindon) you always have a chance when Joe Mills is on the pitch. He didn't have a good game otherwise, but boy is he made of the right stuff. A draw definitely feels like a win tonigh.

Hard to see Swindon not going up, I guess that depends a lot on keeping Doyle.

 

[Chris FGR]

Swindon won't definitely go up based on that. They only looked good until we decided to start playing, and looked all over the place once we put them under pressure after our first.

If we had someone like Doyle up front we'd be title contenders.

 

[Conker]

Why is nobody good this year? It’s a bit weird.

 

[Greenacres]

If Swindon had gone in 3 nil up at half time, which they so nearly did, it would have been game over.

Hard to see Swindon not going up, I guess that depends a lot on keeping Doyle.

That was the view in the car on the way home, all of us thought Rovers were lucky to have Swindon still in sight at the end of the first half...they were really good, but we weren't at the races.

I might be wrong, but isn't Doyle on a year long loan...I guess Swindon must be really hoping that there aren't any get out clauses in the contract to recall him if Bradford receive an offer for his services in January, which has to be a distinct possibility given his current run of form.

 

[Indian Dan]

Swindon won't definitely go up based on that. They only looked good until we decided to start playing, and looked all over the place once we put them under pressure after our first.

If we had someone like Doyle up front we'd be title contenders.

You had a good 15 minute spell after half time. Other than that we pissed all over you. Based on the majority of that game you’ve got no chance of the play offs. You got caught in possession often, made mistakes by our pressing and the defending was poor. You couldn’t complain if we’d won that 4 or 5-1

 

[The Jovial Forester]

You had a good 15 minute spell after half time. Other than that we pissed all over you. Based on the majority of that game you’ve got no chance of the play offs. You got caught in possession often, made mistakes by our pressing and the defending was poor. You couldn’t complain if we’d won that 4 or 5-1

You shat it based on a fifteen minute spell by the opposition by that token. Wouldn't buy the ribbons just yet.
Overall thought Swindon were set up well and mostly trying to do good things, being our level quality was lacking often but if you keep knocking and you have Doyle you'll be all right. But then you did wobble hard based on only a bit of improvement from us, so you'll need to work on that to stay out front with others improving behind you.

 

[Di Phelpsio]

Swindon won't definitely go up based on that. They only looked good until we decided to start playing, and looked all over the place once we put them under pressure after our first.

If we had someone like Doyle up front we'd be title contenders.

Wow! No wonder people have associated your fan base as being a deluded bunch ....

Teams are top for a reason. While I and a lot of Swindon fans will agree that the second half was quite the contrast to the first, that first half display will be as good as a performance you'll see from any side this year. We'll learn a lot from that second half today, disheartened to say the least, but it's not the end of the world. To completely conclude that a team with 22 points from 24 won't go up because they ended their 7 match winning streak with a draw against a team in the top 7, based on one half of a poor performance, well that's a little bit silly right?

And on Doyle, if you paid any attention to data and the chances you create, there's no way he would make you title contenders. You don't create enough chances on a plate for him to make an impact for this Cooper side.

How many games is it without a win now for you guys?....

 

[Indian Dan]

You shat it based on a fifteen minute spell by the opposition by that token. Wouldn't buy the ribbons just yet.
Overall thought Swindon were set up well and mostly trying to do good things, being our level quality was lacking often but if you keep knocking and you have Doyle you'll be all right. But then you did wobble hard based on only a bit of improvement from us, so you'll need to work on that to stay out front with others improving behind you.

You got lucky with a 94th minute corner. Shit happens.

We scored 2, missed sitters either side of half time, Doyle has one off the line and your keeper makes 3 very good saves. On that basis, how did we ‘shat it’?

 

[The Jovial Forester]

You got lucky with a 94th minute corner. Shit happens.

We scored 2, missed sitters either side of half time, Doyle has one off the line and your keeper makes 3 very good saves. On that basis, how did we ‘shat it’?

It's there in the scoreline. Of course, we had other chances too, Doyle might have been called offside for his second etc etc, upshot was a dominant first half filed out to a draw.

 

[Agombar stool]

In a strange way a 94th minute equaliser away at a play-off chasing side could be a kick up the arse we need. We were 30 seconds away from 8 wins on the bounce, these are times when over confidence and complacency can step in. Especially as we have some good sides to play in the next month or so.

Not going to grumble with a point at FGR. We should have been out of sight by half time seemingly but goals change games and we nearly held out for the win.

Happy to be top at Christmas, the job is half done, now for the hard part!!

 

[Indian Dan]

You do realise you didn’t actually win? We aren’t going to be that unlucky every game - as our previous 7 wins on the spin proves.

 

[Greenacres]

When we had a succession of corners near the end of the game there wasn't one Swindon player further forward than the edge of their box, not one, which allowed us to get all of our defenders up...even the keeper at the end. Clearly I am absolutely elated that we managed to earn a point from a game when even the most optimistic of us were predicting a margin of defeat before kick-off, but if Swindon conduct a post mortem into two points conceded at the death then that tactic should be the prime culprit.

 

[Vanni]

FWIW, Swindon 'only' beat us 1-0 but so far they are the side that has impressed me the most. Having said that (while acknowledging the fact that it's far from ideal to rate or slate any side after just one game*) I don't think they are as strong as some other promotion/title winning sides I've watched over the previous five seasons.

*Though in a few days time that will be two games as I'll be watching them beat us again on Boxing Day.

 

[Vanni]

A reliable source tells me Doyle's off to Rovers in January.

And apparently, another player heading to TNL is Danny Mayor, the best L2 player bar none.

 

[redjed]

A reliable source tells me Doyle's off to Rovers in January.


Doyle cannot play for another team in EFL this season, so your reliable source is telling you porkies, if Bradford were to sell him he can go to a Scottish team or abroad, also he could be sold to another english club, but would not be able to play him, so he would either be loaned back to Bradford or us to keep him fit!