Cant believe I'm starting the thread at 7pm back in the Pilgrim. Suspect mr holloway will be extremely frustrated.threw it away in 10 calamitous  minutes after half time. Comedy gold goals as well. Wind spoilt it really but wed done well first half.fair enough they hit the bar n post but their keeper pulled off a great save, we had a chance go narrowly wide and a vernam cross was whiskers away from being turned in. Think it's fair to say that apart from those 10 minute s we at best matched them and at worst gave them a game.
They'd obviously been given a rollicking at half time coz they really got stuck into us 2nd half and showed why they are top.
They're a good side grant n doughy in midfield especially.good forward line, solid keeper and thought the black centre half n the left back were good as well.
Despite all this we are hugely improved, thought it was great we decided to go to to toe with them. Clarke vernam benson and hanson impressed.
Suspect we will see a quick ball playing centre half coming in, and I wouldn't be surprised to see a keeper coming in  even if it's just to really push James.get a funny feeling holloway wants more/something else from his keeper

Quoted from forza ivano

Cant believe I'm starting the thread at 7pm back in the Pilgrim. Suspect mr holloway will be extremely frustrated.threw it away in 10 calamitous  minutes after half time. Comedy gold goals as well. Wind spoilt it really but wed done well first half.fair enough they hit the bar n post but their keeper pulled off a great save, we had a chance go narrowly wide and a vernam cross was whiskers away from being turned in. Think it's fair to say that apart from those 10 minute s we at best matched them and at worst gave them a game.
They'd obviously been given a rollicking at half time coz they really got stuck into us 2nd half and showed why they are top.
They're a good side grant n doughy in midfield especially.good forward line, solid keeper and thought the black centre half n the left back were good as well.
Despite all this we are hugely improved, thought it was great we decided to go to to toe with them. Clarke vernam benson and hanson impressed.
Suspect we will see a quick ball playing centre half coming in, and I wouldn't be surprised to see a keeper coming in  even if it's just to really push James.get a funny feeling holloway wants more/something else from his keeper

Just said exactly the same about Macca, Russell is a coach not a challenge, there’s been a few too many ricks this season and he’s very weak on crosses

Been back a good while but there isn’t much to say. We were beaten by a much better team and it serves as a evidence of where we need to get to if we want to go up next season. They wouldn’t have swapped one of our eleven for one of theirs today and that’s the harsh reality.

Don’t get me wrong here, we are without doubt heading in the right direction and I enjoyed watching us trying to do the ‘right’ things and play football in a way that entertains as well as gets results but they were a cut above, and something we have to aspire to if we want to win this league next year.

Today isn’t about criticising individuals or pulling apart tactics, it’s about being realistic about where we currently are.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

Just said exactly the same about Macca, Russell is a coach not a challenge, there’s been a few too many ricks this season and he’s very weak on crosses

Fully agree.
When Henderson was present it provided some serious competition.
  

Quoted from cardiffmariner

Been back a good while but there isn’t much to say. We were beaten by a much better team and it serves as a evidence of where we need to get to if we want to go up next season. They wouldn’t have swapped one of our eleven for one of theirs today and that’s the harsh reality.

Don’t get me wrong here, we are without doubt heading in the right direction and I enjoyed watching us trying to do the ‘right’ things and play football in a way that entertains as well as gets results but they were a cut above, and something we have to aspire to if we want to win this league next year.

Today isn’t about criticising individuals or pulling apart tactics, it’s about being realistic about our where we currently are.

Said something similar to a mate, if IH and the club are looking to make a serious effort to get in the playoffs next season there are a few of our players that are not really good enough.

Quoted from arryarryarry

Said something similar to a mate, if IH and the club are looking to make a serious effort to get in the playoffs next season there are a few of our players that are not really good enough.

Start the change at the back....

We saw the weaknesses rather than the strengths of many players today. Poor touch,  hesitant decision making, not looking after the ball and failure to communicate resulting in some real schoolboy moments. For flair players like Vernam to prosper, we have to earn the right to play (cliche but true). We thought we were getting there with good pressing, patient possession and more fluid movement. Today was a regression.
Basics like getting too tight, being turned and giving soft free kicks, collecting yellows, not retaining possession from throws, spreads like a rash and has a cumulative effect. This is where having a skipper up the park may help? Lots of small margins added up to a gulf in the second half.

First half I thought we more than held our own, second half did the players hear the whistle for the second half.

I think we were the architects of our own downfall today, gifting the opposition cost us today and as others have mentioned if the club and Ollie are serious about challenging at the top end they'll need to take note of who ran the midfield today for Swindon. Green simply isn't the answer to any question and Whitehouse seems to lose possession too easily.

Macca was at Fault for at least the goal that came of the post and he flapped in, he should have done better. Swindon are top because they clearly have better players and a couple bits of luck we gifted them.

Not overly impressed with the ref who seemed to let one of their midfielders foul without blowing and the slightest touch on one of their players and names go in the book.

Quoted from Stadium

Fully agree.
When Henderson was present it provided some serious competition.
  

Not sure Macca responds too well to strong competition if you are citing the Henderson example.

Quoted from smokey111

Not sure Macca responds too well to strong competition if you are citing the Henderson example.

A valid point but then maybe worth looking at who that was under.  One of Holloway's key attributes is his man-management skills, something I suspect Bignot was lacking in.  If McKeown, or any other player, can't respond in the right way to a challenge then they're no use to a club with forward ambitions.  That's the harsh reality.  

Quoted from smokey111

Not sure Macca responds too well to strong competition if you are citing the Henderson example.

For several years, Macca has been in the top one, two or three performers in our team. This season, I would say he isn't. Yes, he's a decent League Two keeper but most good League Two sides have at least decent keepers as back up - we haven't. That's not a criticism of Sam Russell - but watch most teams in warm-ups and there are two keepers and a keeper coach.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

For several years, Macca has been in the top one, two or three performers in our team. This season, I would say he isn't. Yes, he's a decent League Two keeper but most good League Two sides have at least decent keepers as back up - we haven't. That's not a criticism of Sam Russell - but watch most teams in warm-ups and there are two keepers and a keeper coach.

Do not attend the Crap Cup games but in the few league appearances Russell has made I don’t recall him making any unusual or alarming errors, has he? Appreciate his age will be catching up with him but Batterssby is supposedly a great prospect and shame his loan period was terminated due to injury as he needs first team experience.

A high quality keeper is worth their weight in gold and not saying we cannot improve on Macca but may need to be another Henderson type loan.

Quoted from Lincoln Mariner 56

Do not attend the Crap Cup games but in the few league appearances Russell has made I don’t recall him making any unusual or alarming errors, has he? Appreciate his age will be catching up with him but Batterssby is supposedly a great prospect and shame his loan period was terminated due to injury as he needs first team experience.

A high quality keeper is worth their weight in gold and not saying we cannot improve on Macca but may need to be another Henderson type loan.

Loaning a keeper is only realistic if he is going to play. Why would a club send out a young keeper to warm the bench?

Macca is the top earner, so it would be a massive call to drop him. Personally, wouldn't even considerate it. Although  I have previously questioned his poor response when Henderson came in he is one of the best 2/3 keepers I have seen in the division and our most consistent performer for the last 7/8 years.

The reality is, he is with us because his kicking can be erratic and he isn't the most dominant on crosses. That said he is one of the best shot stoppers I have seen at Town in the 35 years I have been watching them.

As I have posted many times, for our league Macca is more than adequate but when we get promoted we will need a better keeper.

As I have posted many times, for our league Macca is more than adequate but when we get promoted we will need a better keeper.

Quoted from rancido

As I have posted many times, for our league Macca is more than adequate but when we get promoted we will need a better keeper.

We won’t get promoted out of this league with McKeown in goal. Him chucking one in every few matches wasn’t too bad in the conference as you could probably rely on us to go and score 2 relatively easily. Not so much in L2.

Quoted from ska face

We won’t get promoted out of this league with McKeown in goal. Him chucking one in every few matches wasn’t too bad in the conference as you could probably rely on us to go and score 2 relatively easily. Not so much in L2.

Saved more than he's chucked in, amazing how great saves are forgotten, and mistakes are easily remembered

Not sure about your cognitive function but I’m capable of remember both good saves and regular clangers, so  you can put your burning pitchfork down.

Macca is better and worse than other Div 2 keepers for key individual qualities.  Unfortunately, in my opinion there has been no improvement over the years in his “ areas needed for improvement”.

As a minor example, Macca kicks the ball into touch in nearly every game.  This has not improved over the years.  

Ah so Macca is now the boo boy. Keepers make mistakes. Macca is as good as any keeper in this league. I very much look forward to seeing him lift the League Two trophy next season seeing as we are going up as flipping champions.

Absolutely, Macca Is still excellent at this level.

Quoted from Theimperialcoroner

Ah so Macca is now the boo boy. Keepers make mistakes. Macca is as good as any keeper in this league. I very much look forward to seeing him lift the League Two trophy next season seeing as we are going up as flipping champions.

I think it has generally been a balanced discussion about his strengths and weaknesses.

Quoted from Theimperialcoroner

Ah so Macca is now the boo boy. Keepers make mistakes. Macca is as good as any keeper in this league. I very much look forward to seeing him lift the League Two trophy next season seeing as we are going up as flipping champions.

Don't think he's a "boo boy" at all. Just some people discussing/debating his form/ability that's all. Same as any other player in other positions.

Climb in the barrel Macca, your turn

Quoted from Garth

Climb in the barrel Macca, your turn

My God, you've just given me flashbacks (sailor)