Swindon vs Crewe (1st Vs 3rd)

[Crewelad87]

This looks like game of the weekend as table toppers Swindon face high scoring promotion rivals Crewe.

This looks probably the ideal time to be playing Swindon with Doyle looking likely to be recalled coupled with a suspension and a couple of injuries.

Wiltshire isn't usually a happy hunting ground for us with a few hammerings and ridiculous come backs over recent years, but we did manage a win last season.

Swindon 2-2 Crewe (Yates, Isgrove, Anene, Powell) 8,250 (350 Crewe)

 

[les.gtfc]

The best 2 teams in the Division, going on what I have seen this season. Should be a great game and hopefully the best team on the day will win.

 

[Indian Dan]

Chalk and cheese from the last game. Some football may break out!

Need a CB to be signed before Saturday.

 

[JJ1532]

Chalk and cheese from the last game. Some football may break out!

Need a CB to be signed before Saturday.

Same.

We're threadbare at the back. Lancashire has been out since he played you guys back in October and won't play in this one, so none of that circus thankfully. Eddie Nolan is suffering from back injuries and we're just praying it'll settle down because if it doesn't, he'll need surgery. Then we have short term signing Christian Mbulu, who did ok until a stinker on Boxing Day and he hasn't played since.

That means our current CB's are 36 year old Nicky Hunt and CM Ryan Wintle. Not ideal, especially when Wintle could be on the move at any stage.

If we play Doyle less Swindon, I think we've got a chance. I still think we'll come up short, last season was the first time we won there in years and they have been excellent of late. I hope the attack can cause some damage, but I think even sans Doyle, they'll be very dangerous going forward and will want revenge for the late defeat we inflicted on them earlier in the season.

Going 3-2 Swindon.

 

[Indian Dan]

Jumpers for goalposts games. Rush goalies. Oranges at half time.

Christ knows the outcome of this one.

 

[Crewelad87]

Does sound like it's going be a game of patched up defences, barely a recognised centre half between us. Should make for an exciting game though.

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

Swear Swindon's defence was just as patched up last time we played them too!

Been Swindon 5 times with the Alex and seen us lose all 5. Missed the game last year because I was on the piss in Nottingham so seeing as I'm actually going this game, I reckon we'll lose based on that statistic.

Think we'll have a centre half in by Saturday. Definitely need Wintle in at CM for these next two games. He was my MOTM in the game against Swindon back in October and we need him in his natural position if we're going to complete the double over Swindon this season.

Think we'll lose this 2-1 but it's a free hit for me, long as we win 3 out of our next 4 in January. Really got to be clinical with our finishing on Saturday and we've got to negate their attack whoever starts be it Doyle, Yates, Anderson or any new signing.

 

[Indian Dan]

Yeah, you’re right. The same round of games we’re in now, even more injuries!

Forget Doyle, we need Grant back in midfield not as a makeshift CB.

 

[JJ1532]

Swear Swindon's defence was just as patched up last time we played them too!

Been Swindon 5 times with the Alex and seen us lose all 5. Missed the game last year because I was on the piss in Nottingham so seeing as I'm actually going this game, I reckon we'll lose based on that statistic.

Think we'll have a centre half in by Saturday. Definitely need Wintle in at CM for these next two games. He was my MOTM in the game against Swindon back in October and we need him in his natural position if we're going to complete the double over Swindon this season.

Whilst I don't disagree with moving Wintle back into midfield, which of the current trio make way? Ainley was excellent against Carlisle and finished strong against Scunny. Does he make way? Does Green, even after 2 goals in his last 2? Or Lowery, who was also good in the last 2 league games? I don't see how you can put Powell or Kirk on the bench to accomodate Ainley further forward.

Tricky decision for Artell.

 

[HutchECFC]

This will either be a boring 0-0 or a mental 5-5

A draw or narrow Crewe win would do for us.

 

[ProfessorGreen]

Draw would be nice.

 

[Agombar stool]

Looking forward to this one as I'm making the journey west. Hopefully it'll be a more enjoyable 90 than I spent at Crewe (although I enjoyed the away trip overall).

As ID has mentioned we are a bit light at the back currently and will have to reshuffle the midfield as Lydon serves a suspension. It promises to be a cracking game of football between two top sides. Still undecided as to a prediction. I'll get back to you........

 

[Chris FGR]

Chance for the rest of Swindon's players to step out of Doyle's shadow, and prove they're not a 1 man team. This result will tell us a lot.

Crewe are the best footballing side I've seen, nailed on top 3 imo.

 

[Crewelad87]

I fear a that this Doyle episode might not be that great for us. The Swindon players will surely be put to make a point that they are not just a one man team, which they obviously aren't by the way.

I just hope we manage to bring in a centre back before the game, then with Wintle back in his favourite position I will be confident of getting something.

 

[F!RTHY]

Swindon 0 - 2 Crewe

The fall begins here.

 

[Grumpy Grecian]

"The fall begins here"?
For you lot I thought it started in September 2018?

 

[dannyc5]

Whilst I don't disagree with moving Wintle back into midfield, which of the current trio make way? Ainley was excellent against Carlisle and finished strong against Scunny. Does he make way? Does Green, even after 2 goals in his last 2? Or Lowery, who was also good in the last 2 league games? I don't see how you can put Powell or Kirk on the bench to accomodate Ainley further forward.

Tricky decision for Artell.

Well obviously it won't be Lowery, so it will be one of the other two (provided we sign a CH). My guess is Ainley, but I hope it's Green.

 

[denzel ecfc]

Not sure what a good result for us would be here. It's all irrelevant unless we beat Cambridge

 

[Indian Dan]

Can’t be relying on other club’s results.

Anyway, now Doyle’s taking time out we’ll be in the relegation zone soon!

 

[Agombar stool]

Ok so given that Doyle has now been recalled and the current injury and suspension list I can't see anything other than an away win this weekend.

Doughty apparently has been ill all week and not trained and with Lydon suspended, Doughty was probably his replacement. With Grant having to play CB due to injuries our midfield looks pretty pants.

We could play Broadbent, who apparently has been decent recently after a bit of a horror show last season, and throw Curran in at CB (he has yet to play for the first team) and move Grant into midfield. Yates will replace Doyle with DJ and Woolery as the front 3.

Crewe are a side that have the potential to take the piss out of us, they have quick, competent players all over the pitch and given how impatient our fans are, this could be a long afternoon for me!

I'm not feeling too positive. 1-3 defeat. Doyle to score and Bradford to win and their fans to come crowing on this thread come 5pm on Saturday.

 

[JJ1532]

We won't have any new faces in defence, which is annoying. Artell has known since Boxing Day when he hauled Mbulu off that he didn't really fancy him and he's also know since then that Lancashire and Nolan won't be fit(not that the first is any loss). Yet in the 2 weeks since then, he hasn't managed to get a loan sorted. Means we'll once again have to put Wintle in midfield. Ok, a midfield trio of Green, Ainley and Lowery is still decent, but having Wintle in defence and having a weakened defence and midfield for a big game like this is annoying. Lucky Doyle is gone otherwise I'd really fear for us tomorrow.

I'm expecting you to adopt the same high press as the first game, which worked pretty well. It's a massive boost if Grant is in defence, gets his energy out of midfield. I'll still take a point when alls said and done. Keeps you in arms reach if the title is our goal and keeps us in the mix for the top 3 as well.

 

[Agombar stool]

Its a shame that both sides are depleted and we can't properly go toe to toe. That said, I am still expecting an entertaining side, one thing I don't expect Crewe to do is come and park the bus!

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

I dunno about any tactics suiting Swindon well in the first game. It was men against boys with only our woeful finishing preventing us from turning it into a very one sided scoreline. But I expect Swindon to be a very different proposition tomorrow at their place.

 

[Crewelad87]

Swindon sat back alot and let us dominate the ball, in not expecting the same this time, surely they are going to try press us high up the pitch, Barnsley did that very well last week. I don't think we tend to set up any different weather it's home or away. We will try dominate possession and attack with pace in wide positions.

 

[Big Bird]

Got the Bradford score right...time for Jerry Yates to move central and a bag a brace. Fancy us to pinch a 2-1 win here.

Could prove foolish depending on how we are able to line-up.

 

[Gerald Hattrick]

Got to be honest Swindon seems to be one of those places we don’t do well as a rule so expect to lose, however hopeful the lads put in a performance after how they’ve done largely so far. Would take a point now.

 

[Indian Dan]

Don’t really know what to expect.

Both teams to score seems a certainty

 

[Crewelad87]

Doesn't seem to be many Crewe fans travelling down, which is a shame for such a big game. A big portion of our away day regulars have gone Tenerife for a knees up.

 

[JJ1532]

It's a pain in the arse to get to, we usually lose there, most of our lot have been dozens of times and the pricing isn't great for the standard of facilities you get there, shoved in that corner and made to pack into 10 rows for.....reasons.

Plus, it's only a few weeks since Christmas and a lot have put a fair bit of their disposable income towards Project250.

But the brutal reality of it is, we aren't great travellers. Haven't been for most of the last 10 years. It'd be great if we could muster 500+ for this, but that's not going to happen.

 

[Big Bird]

Fucking hell our bench.