Let's talk about the Swindon Town game

[ncRover]

I’m hurting today. I think we have continuously proven that we are playoff fodder. We bottle it when it matters the most and moving into the last 10 games I just can’t imagine us beating Walsall, Wimbledon, Bradford and Notts. I’m seeing a club giving everything they have to get out of this league and for me I’ve an awful feeling we are going to fall short.

We’ll win the next 2. Then it’s a very tough run.

Colchester at home being overlooked as a very difficult game. They are hard to break down.

Could do with the Notts game being sooner, they are awful atm.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

I doubt very much the way things are going, other teams being immune from nerves and having costly shaky moments. There was alot to like yesterday as it's only those silly 10 mins, that tainted an otherwise strong performance, worthy of 3 points overall.

Every game from now on is equally difficult and it's very much on the day who'll come out winners.

[ForsolongaRover]

As I read the League 2 stats, we followed what has become an an undesirable pattern today. We lost yet another game in which we were ahead at half time. Of the leading clubs we seem to be the worst at this  and it reflects badly on our ability to play under pressure.

On Tuesday it was pressure to break down a defence which we had the skill to penetrate yet lacked the ability to shoot straight. And today was just the same. We scored 2 goals when  there was no pressure and then succumbed to classic opening pressure from a side whose manager obviously inspired a great fight-back. As we strived to get back in front the pressure to break the deadlock was too much and we failed yet again.

This is not an encouraging trait and you might wonder whether a team with a record such as ours gets the best advice at half time, since we routinely do worse in the second half.

This is just all pure made up madness.
How are we the worst at losing games when we’re ahead at half time?
It’s happened once in 36 games.
Absolute made up nonsense

Having gone to the actual results I apologise for my total misinterpretation of the Footystats data, so not exactly "made-up", but definitely wrong. Sorry, but of course I remain disappointed by the capitulation which I see was described as "atrocious" by McCann. 

[Pancho Regan]

We still threw 2 points away. Midfield was very ordinary today but Gibson/Sbarra were fighting it out for worst player on the pitch. Obviously S’barra scored, so Gibson just gets it. Don’t want to see that combination again, Grant!

What's the alternative? Clifton and Ennis? No thanks

The disappointment for me were the fullbacks. I'd always considered we had good cover in those positions but when called upon yesterday thought both were poor. Maybe lack of game time is a factor?

It’s amazing how we all see different things in the same match, but that’s the beauty of football fans’ opinions.
I thought the full backs did really well yesterday.

[Peebles Rover]

I was gutted at full time because we thoroughly deserved to win that game.
A 2-hour drive home and a steak and chips dinner gives me time to reflect.

We played really well today. I might be frustrated by the result but I am not in the least disappointed by the performance.
The first half was a very dominant display, continuing from the last home performance against Newport and the total domination of the game at Bromley.
I honestly thought we would push on in the second half and win by 3 or 4 goals.

But they took their two chances well and we just couldn’t get the winner.
We were forced to field an entirely new back four and I thought they played really well. Jack Senior in particular was excellent and was MOTM for me. I was gutted for him that his slip in the 2nd half proved costly but he can still be proud of his performance, especially in the first half.

So I’m still very positive and I’m heartened by our three performances this week. We deserved 9 points from those 3 games but that’s football.

I have faith and belief that this squad will get us promoted.

It's only the second game I've been able to get to live this season. I left a little disappointed tbh. I didn't think we thoroughly deserved to win. I think we had a couple of late chances to sneak a win but on the whole thought Swindon kept possession and controlled the play better than us. I thought we just didn't have the quality, especially in midfield. We never looked comfortable with the ball and never really controlled the game. It always comes wide down our right and we play in tight little corners. Play is slow and predictable, set pieces poor - throw ins and corners. I really hope we go on to clinch promotion but I think it will be close. Can't see us doing the run we did last year. Overall it feels like we have a lot of average players who don't dominate proceedings.

[Alan Southstand]

Peebles, I’ve been critical of the midfield for some time and yesterday was no exception. We missed Bailey’s involvement in there, for sure, as Broadbent and Crew perhaps did their best but fell well short of expectation. Then we took Clifton out and put S’Barra in there and for large parts of the game, he was anonymous. Certainly, when GM finally brought him on, he helped shore up the middle.

It certainly baffles me how Grant, a decent midfielder in his day, doesn’t seem to be able to find the quality we’re obviously crying out for in the middle of the park. Getting in 18/19 year old lads in hasn’t worked at all this season (yet).

I think we’ve got a struggle on our hands to hang onto 3rd place. Other sides have got much more momentum than us!

[Cramby10]

Peebles, I’ve been critical of the midfield for some time and yesterday was no exception. We missed Bailey’s involvement in there, for sure, as Broadbent and Crew perhaps did their best but fell well short of expectation. Then we took Clifton out and put S’Barra in there and for large parts of the game, he was anonymous. Certainly, when GM finally brought him on, he helped shore up the middle.

It certainly baffles me how Grant, a decent midfielder in his day, doesn’t seem to be able to find the quality we’re obviously crying out for in the middle of the park. Getting in 18/19 year old lads in hasn’t worked at all this season (yet).

I think we’ve got a struggle on our hands to hang onto 3rd place. Other sides have got much more momentum than us!

the point about midfield is a definitely a concern. Especially regarding Clifton and Sbarra. I’ve a bee in my bonnet about these two. They’re so so poor. Both playing above their level.
We’re effectively playing with 10 men most matches. And as someone said recently, you’re only as good as your worst players. So when it comes to a straight choice between these two for a starting spot it really shows that we’re lacking quality.
What’s happened to Kelly by the way?

[pib]

Kelly was still suspended.

Sbarra can drift out of games and be a bit anonymous at times, but he’s got far more quality and intelligence on the ball than Clifton. We probably need better than both in there though, in reality.

[Cramby10]

Kelly was still suspended.

Sbarra can drift out of games and be a bit anonymous at times, but he’s got far more quality and intelligence on the ball than Clifton. We probably need better than both in there though, in reality.

ah yes. I forgot about his sending off. Ta.

[Colemans Left Hook]

This league is there to be won. The top of the league are stuttering a bit, Bradford in my opinion are not a special side, up to now neither are we. We need a level of consistency put together.

George Byas start for unbeaten this year PV (looked injured on Tuesday) but the Bradford pair Star Man  Sarcevic & Patterson are out they signed Lapsie from Gillingham in January and he made his debut midweek -somehow scored 2 goals against "no mugs" Cheltenham

if we can win today AND  GILLINGHAM GET A RESULT   then we will be about 4/1 for the title and heavy favourites for top 3   that word "lf" again

but a lot of "if's" have happened recently

After Bradford lost yesterday I checked to see if   Sarcevic (far too good for this division) & Patterson played and they didn't

Actually i was wrong about "the somehow "  beating Cheltenham it was a very unlikely 3-0 and i treated that result with suspicion as i expected a draw with those 2 out.

perhaps Idler can stop living up to his name  & go up river and give us an update on the injured pair -

[idler]

Pattison is training again now after an appendix operation.

[Colemans Left Hook]

thanks Idler (you know I was only joking) I have said earlier this season that I want you to win the P & O

[idler]

I only want to win if all of my win predictions come true CLH.
Fingers crossed for the next few games.