MATCHWATCH : Swindon Town (a)

[Hound]

This isn't a promotion season is it?
So we should be making an effort in the cup competitions and our newer players need to be playing games.
As for last night we might have won but we didn't and whatever team we put out we still don't make enough chances.

On the point about not risking better players getting injured I will repeat what I have posted on a number of occasions that players want to play and more injuries occur in training than in matches.

In theory this period should be about sorting issues out in training but we all know that our record after previous such breaks has been abysmal and so often prompted the question from fans of "What the fcuk do they do in training?"
Let's hope for better this time.

Yeah agree on the training/game thing. And not like it’s a long journey either, would have been back home by 11pm latest

I’d have prob rested Wing. Everyone else could have at least been on the bench/done 60 mins starting

We’ve got a big squad with depth now that can cover should the worst happen anyway. Recent years that’s not been the case

[Delboy]

Thought we deserved a draw, Hunt mistake not having an experienced bench . We have a good squad but Hunt needs to deliver results

[Snowflake Royal]

Admittedly I am not a regular at games these days but I watch what I can. Genuinely surprised to hear that the away end were booing and singing what they were singing.

- After the relative unity during the end of the Dai era, how have things become so toxic so quickly?
- Since when did these matches ever matter?
- Why are we so irate at financial conservatism and spending controls after nearly losing the club?

Reading weren't even that bad, probably a little unlucky not to get a draw on the balance of play.

Whether or not Noel Hunt is the man to carry us to long term glory I don't know, but it's so incredibly early in the season to be demanding the axe.

I think we've gone through so much toxicity during the Dai era, that it's just always there bubbling under.

The end of Dai has brought back some people with expectations that we shoud walk the league, the sort who never gave Madjeski credit before we won the league.

I think you only have to look at HNA as a microcosm, and probably a less toxic one than say twitter or facebook, to see the second we lost a couple of games there was a Hunt out thread, all the new signings rumours were met with 'rather have x' - it starts out half in jest, but it just feeds negativity and toxicity, and emboldens those with the most toxically negative attitudes that their views are widely held and reasonable.

Until people have forgotten its supposed to be a joke and it just endlessly reinforces negativity.

Try to say a result wasn't that bad, or was unlucky, or that you can see progress and you just get shouted down and attacked.

[Whore Jackie]

Anyone who went to the game thinking Hunt was going to go strong, really hasn't paid much attention to how he approaches cup games. Personally I enjoy seeing the Academy boys and new recruits play. Positives for me were Marriott and Ritchie. And shout out to Reece Evans, who looked a real handful. Looks a much better prospect than Okine-Peters, wouldn't be surprised if he challenges O'Mahoney for that alternate striker spot.

After the first two games this season thought Stickland was looking the most likeliest candidate to partner Paudie. But since that performance against Bolton, he's properly dropped off. Real shame, but he now looks like 5th choice. Hope Abrefa can find that early-season spark too, Ahmed looking more and more the first XI right-back.

Haven't been to Swindon for probably 25 years. The Old Town is nice, really decent bars and pubs, well worth the walk up the hill. But blimey the rest is a proper dump.

[Snowflake Royal]

Admittedly I am not a regular at games these days but I watch what I can. Genuinely surprised to hear that the away end were booing and singing what they were singing.

- After the relative unity during the end of the Dai era, how have things become so toxic so quickly?
- Since when did these matches ever matter?
- Why are we so irate at financial conservatism and spending controls after nearly losing the club?

Reading weren't even that bad, probably a little unlucky not to get a draw on the balance of play.

Whether or not Noel Hunt is the man to carry us to long term glory I don't know, but it's so incredibly early in the season to be demanding the axe.

Hi Mags

Was at the game and was astonished at the reaction of Reading fans both during and, particularly, after the game. Firstly, it's the mickiest of mickey mouse tournaments, secondly, we fielded a young and inexperienced team and thirdly, we didn't play that bad.

I felt so sorry for the youngsters making their debut that they will probably remember it most for being told they are not fit to wear the shirts. Absolute shame on anyone singing that, I really hope it doesn't destroy their confidence or love of the club. There is an argument that Hunt should have played a stronger side as it was Swindon and the fans wanted to win, but that's not the fault of the players he picked and seeing them taking abuse was horrible to watch.

I know you can't constantly harp back to where we were a year ago but I'm willing to bet a lot of these clowns were expressing their love of the club back then and saying how they just want a club to support. Well that wasn't support and the club would be better off without them travelling. The club has been heading full steam in the wrong direction for years, it is going to take more than a few months to turn that around and the owners, manager and players should be given some latitude and patience.

Welcome back Schards, well said.

[Snowflake Royal]

Where do these super entitled people get their sense of entitlement from? We're not exactly historically successful. Were they all born after 2005 and think we deserve to be in the PL or something?

Perhaps royal_jimmy can explain this one to us

[RG30]

Feels like a lot of the fanbase are suffering with PTSD post Dai Yongge and everything that the last few years has brought about.

I had a ticket for last night but couldn’t be arsed going so gave it away. The chants were very OTT but like others have said, Hunt should have at the very least had more experience on the bench. He should have also read the room a bit. This was a sold out away end for a first competitive visit to the County Ground since 2002. For a large proportion of that away end, they will have never seen us play at Swindon so of course it was bigger than your usual cup game.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

Feels like a lot of the fanbase are suffering with PTSD post Dai Yongge and everything that the last few years has brought about.

I had a ticket for last night but couldn’t be arsed going so gave it away. The chants were very OTT but like others have said, Hunt should have at the very least had more experience on the bench. He should have also read the room a bit. This was a sold out away end for a first competitive visit to the County Ground since 2002. For a large proportion of that away end, they will have never seen us play at Swindon so of course it was bigger than your usual cup game.

Agree - Hunt didn't read the room....this game was sold out in hours and we would have taken double if able to.

As others have also said we have no game for 2 weeks and putting a few more seniors out there would have done no harm instead of selections that aren't anywhere near the first team.

[Lower West]

Swindon were 92nd at one point in the football league last season. The transformation underway with Holloway is what all football fans dream of. Worth noting that Swindon also finished the game without a centre half/centre back. Three fullbacks aged 19, 20 and 21. Not just big chequebooks that matter.

[stealthpapes]

I know you can't constantly harp back to where we were a year ago but I'm willing to bet a lot of these clowns were expressing their love of the club back then and saying how they just want a club to support. Well that wasn't support and the club would be better off without them travelling. The club has been heading full steam in the wrong direction for years, it is going to take more than a few months to turn that around and the owners, manager and players should be given some latitude and patience.

Didn't go to too many games last season but the season before - there was always a sizeable minority that would give the side pelters after a defeat. It was especially pointed at the start as Selles was insisting the players go to the fans at the end and, as we all know, we lost a whole chunk of away games in a row.

But you can see it on here.
I'm genuinely amazed the new owners are getting the criticism they are, it's been barely a third of a year and we've had to play catch-up.
I'm less amazed that Hunt is getting some stick, that's maybe to be expected, but the level is surprising and the sense it could turn vicious is definitely there.

[South Coast Royal]

I know you can't constantly harp back to where we were a year ago but I'm willing to bet a lot of these clowns were expressing their love of the club back then and saying how they just want a club to support. Well that wasn't support and the club would be better off without them travelling. The club has been heading full steam in the wrong direction for years, it is going to take more than a few months to turn that around and the owners, manager and players should be given some latitude and patience.

Didn't go to too many games last season but the season before - there was always a sizeable minority that would give the side pelters after a defeat. It was especially pointed at the start as Selles was insisting the players go to the fans at the end and, as we all know, we lost a whole chunk of away games in a row.

But you can see it on here.
I'm genuinely amazed the new owners are getting the criticism they are, it's been barely a third of a year and we've had to play catch-up.
I'm less amazed that Hunt is getting some stick, that's maybe to be expected, but the level is surprising and the sense it could turn vicious is definitely there.

The only stick that I see the owners getting is over the hype saying what kind of transfer window we can expect.
If they had just said that the club is aiming for stability this season on and off the pitch I don't think there would have been much made of the transfers in or indeed any criticism.

As it is they have to go all Yankee on us and treat us as kids needing everything to be overhyped when it was completely unnecessary , just like the fire and smoke last Saturday.

[Hound]

There’s a world of difference between calmly criticising Hunt’s decision making and the behaviour of that bunch of clowns who seem to turn up at away games and their behaviour

I don’t think there is much inflammatory in that Hunt out thread tbh - more speculation on what time he’ll get and what he can do to turn things round. We all know the business - you can win the league one season then lose 5 in a row next and you are out on your backside. That’s the modern game rightly or wrongly and Hunt probably isn’t that far away from being called into the office for a stern chat. I mean we’ve not been good this season by any measure really

[MartinRdg]

Where do these super entitled people get their sense of entitlement from? We're not exactly historically successful. Were they all born after 2005 and think we deserve to be in the PL or something?

I suspect a lot of them were born after 2005......

[Sutekh]

There’s a world of difference between calmly criticising Hunt’s decision making and the behaviour of that bunch of clowns who seem to turn up at away games and their behaviour

I don’t think there is much inflammatory in that Hunt out thread tbh - more speculation on what time he’ll get and what he can do to turn things round. We all know the business - you can win the league one season then lose 5 in a row next and you are out on your backside. That’s the modern game rightly or wrongly and Hunt probably isn’t that far away from being called into the office for a stern chat. I mean we’ve not been good this season by any measure really

He’s having to build a new side from largely a load of inexperienced youngsters and older new faces, not an easy thing to do for even the most experienced manager let alone someone new to it all. Anyone demanding his head after a handful of games therefore isn’t in possession of a fully pronged fork.

As long as improvement is generally seen from game to game, or month to month, then that should be fine.

[Hound]

There’s a world of difference between calmly criticising Hunt’s decision making and the behaviour of that bunch of clowns who seem to turn up at away games and their behaviour

I don’t think there is much inflammatory in that Hunt out thread tbh - more speculation on what time he’ll get and what he can do to turn things round. We all know the business - you can win the league one season then lose 5 in a row next and you are out on your backside. That’s the modern game rightly or wrongly and Hunt probably isn’t that far away from being called into the office for a stern chat. I mean we’ve not been good this season by any measure really

He’s having to build a new side from largely a load of inexperienced youngsters and older new faces, not an easy thing to do for even the most experienced manager let alone someone new to it all. Anyone demanding his head after a handful of games therefore isn’t in possession of a fully pronged fork.

As long as improvement is generally seen from game to game, or month to month, then that should be fine.

Well that’s him and everyone else in the league

But I’m sure JJ and Couhig will take it all into account. Personally I’d love to see him do well but I’ve been pretty disappointed so far tbh. Just the basic set up and lack of chance creation really. Games have been pretty dull as well largely because of that

There’s glimmers there but I wouldn’t say we’ve improved too much from game to game either

[Snowflake Royal]

Feels like a lot of the fanbase are suffering with PTSD post Dai Yongge and everything that the last few years has brought about.

I had a ticket for last night but couldn’t be arsed going so gave it away. The chants were very OTT but like others have said, Hunt should have at the very least had more experience on the bench. He should have also read the room a bit. This was a sold out away end for a first competitive visit to the County Ground since 2002. For a large proportion of that away end, they will have never seen us play at Swindon so of course it was bigger than your usual cup game.

Agree - Hunt didn't read the room....this game was sold out in hours and we would have taken double if able to.

As others have also said we have no game for 2 weeks and putting a few more seniors out there would have done no harm instead of selections that aren't anywhere near the first team.

I don’t really see what we gain other than maybe a better chance of beating Swindon... it's not exactly a useful tool for improving L1 performance and results.

Would I have liked a stronger bench or a more senior winger... yeah sure. Would it have affected the result... maybe. Does it help our league form... not at all

[Tinpot Royal]

Where do these super entitled people get their sense of entitlement from? We're not exactly historically successful. Were they all born after 2005 and think we deserve to be in the PL or something?

I suspect a lot of them were born after 2005......

The bulk of them that I've seen at away games were born closer to 2010, small boys thinking they are men after a couple of shandy's!