Let's talk about the Swindon Town game

[Chris Black come back]

Sam Straughan Brown the 16 year old?

[steve@dcfd]

Sorry yes Brown groin problem

[LincolnDonny]

I wish all our lads luck and hope after a decent showing last wednesday we can get back on the winning game .....

My Pammy is still not well enough to come to the game so give our lads  a cheer from both Pammy and me.

[drfcsteve]

Grant will be fitting square pegs in round holes once again, even more so come 60 minutes when no doubt he’ll need to make changes but we’ve got no one on the bench to change it. The injury situation really is holding us back now.

[drfchound]

Unbeaten in their 3 away games this season over 90 minutes - all tough fixtures. Peterborough, Forest Green and Wrexham.

In appraising Swindon’s performances there are some crumbs of comfort. The Wrexham defence only stopped 1 of Swindon’s 6 shots on target and they beat Forest Green only after Rovers had a man sent off. Crawley were thrashed, yes, but they only drew with Crewe at home.

Having said that they probably deserved to win at Peterborough considering that Peterborough only made 2 changes from the previous league game. All you might say is that they could not shoot straight on that occasion - 24 shots - 9 on target, but only 1 goal.

Whilst it would be bold to forecast a solid win, will ST be better than Everton?

It is worth mentioning that shots on target are only counted if they are saved by the keeper.
Shots that are on target but blocked by defender are not included in the count, even ones that are cleared off the line.

Is a “blocked shot” only so described if it is on target? Unless it is blocked on the goal-line it must be a difficult decision to pick the ones which are and are not. Does it have to go past the goalkeeper? If not, what constitutes a “block”?

See the reply by bst.
It really is a silly situation when a shot is cleared off the line but not counted as a shot on target.
I remember a game at the KM a few years back when Andy Butler made an incredible goal line clearance in a game that ended 0-0 but the bbc stats showed no shots on target by the opposition.

[Chris Black come back]

Why hasn't Griffith's been included? He's not injured is he so why not even a sub? I understand we don't want him but he's here and our player so use him.

We need Biggins, close, Hurst etc back quickly for sure.

McCann said the following. Read into that what you will:

"We haven’t seen Reo Griffiths for two or three weeks, he’s been really ill,” said McCann.

"We wish him well.”

[ncRover]

I think we will need to be clinical today.

Was listening to the EFL debate podcast with a Swindon fan on. Describes it as “Baz ball football”. Very open, attacking and end to end.

Let’s not forget that they sacrificed a 4-1 HT lead to draw 5-5 with Wrexham the other week.

Has Louie Marsh got a good goal scoring record at youth level? I can’t find anything.

[Silkscarf]

I think we will need to be clinical today.

Was listening to the EFL debate podcast with a Swindon fan on. Describes it as “Baz ball football”. Very open, attacking and end to end.

Let’s not forget that they sacrificed a 4-1 HT lead to draw 5-5 with Wrexham the other week.

Has Louie Marsh got a good goal scoring record at youth level? I can’t find anything.

Marsh can’t play today.

[ravenrover]

Interesting Blog from Andrew who I believe is  Rigo? on Twitter. He's been watching this lad

With electric pace, nimble technique, good footwork, some new grip socks which should make him even more lethal in the New Year (defenders beware!) and a natural ability to just glide past opponents, he’s taken to U21s football like a duck to water; scoring goals for fun to put Sheffield United top of the PDL (North) where he’s top scorer in the entire league and into double figures already.
There was the brace against Crewe in November which took him back to the top of the PDL scoring charts on the same day England toiled to a draw with the USA at the World Cup and could have done with his sparkling footwork and ruthlessness up top!

There was also a goal against Bristol City in the pouring rain in the Premier League Cup just a few days earlier when his intelligence to hold his run, and thus find space to exploit inside a crowded penalty area, stood out a mile.

And he’ll never forget the October night at Hillsborough where he tortured Sheffield Wednesday’s back three to earn the adulation of the Blades fans behind the goal,

[Alan Southstand]

Marsh not available for the Swindon game! Yes, he’s been prolific at that level and he’s started well for the u21’s so far, this season.

[selby]

  I think Wood will be back in the starting line up, and after his showing in the second half at MK Dons deserves to be really.
   If we start the same team as Wednesday then fair enough they also have earned it, but need watching for tail off of fitness as the game progresses, Faulkner as we have seen in the past can be useful at both ends of the field and would have been a plus at MK Dons in the area when we pressed with the corners in the last ten minutes.
 If all are fit it looks hard to change anyone from Wednesday, and if they perform as well would deserve to have the chance for us to at last have a settled side where others have to await their chance and play for their place and take their chance when they get it, that is the essence of a good football club, competition right through the club to get better.
  We have tests in front of us, counteracting a more spoiler physical in your face style of football the big one, we have not coped with it from the start of last season and not this season either, but I have confidence in our coaching and management team to have the ability to overcome it and improve our young team to be a good unit.
  It will be interesting to watch if we progress, I am confident we will, but we the supporters might need to be patient.
 

[drfcsteve]

I don’t understand why we’re not using Faulkner and shoehorning Bailey in to defensive positions instead of using him in the midfield, but Grant must have his reasons.

[steve@dcfd]

Bailey played right back and Centre half for Newcastle U23 before changing to DM at Gateshead so we are hardly shoehorning him into that position I would rather see him contesting in midfield but needs must until Nixon is ready.

[ncRover]

Bailey looks a very assured right back to me

[DonnyOsmond]

Good point today.

Why did the safety stewards do the unsafe thing of closing one of the exits for the South Stand, so everyone was ushered to the opposite exit which had a load of barriers blocking part of it.

I swear they try test driving closing certain areas every week.

[Chris Black come back]

Very good performance today.

Swindon league games this season and goals they scored:

2 v Crewe Alexandra
2 v Forest Green Rovers
5 v Wrexham
6 v Crawley Town
0 v Doncaster Rovers

[glosterred]

First clean sheet for the Rovers this season and first in a long while.


COYR

[ForsolongaRover]

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/12953465/doncaster-0-0-swindon-town-league-two-highlights

The reaction of the Swindon defenders to Tommy Rowe’s sending off was significant - one seemed sympathetic to the injustice.

[glosterred]

One thing about yesterdays game that I don’t think has been mentioned is the shot from one of the Swindon’s player that not only cleared the bar but also the north stand roof. I think that’s the first time I’ve seen a shot clear the stands. Plenty of defenders putting it out of the ground, but never from a shot.


COYR

[drfchound]

Yes gloster, i mentioned to my mates at the game that I couldn’t remember anyone putting a shot over the stand at the Eco.

[Colin C No.3]

I was hoping the ball went through the windscreen & ended up in the referees driving seat!

[roversdude]

Just watched Flynn’s post match interview - he gives us no credit whatsoever blames his team for decision making and not using the ball quick enough, in truth we didn’t let them play. Also says the pitch was too dry