Swindon

[gazan]

So, top of the table clash. One we don't really want to lose as that would leave us 9 points behind, even tho' we'd still have 2 games in hand. We cannot rely on those two games as Exeter is one of them and we have a relatively poor record against Macclesfield.
Not sure which Crewe will turn up. The home game was pretty comfortable for the Alex. We also don't know what's happening re: Doyle. Without him they'd have to rely on the division's 2nd leading scorer 😱.
Anyway, having got my prediction on the Barnsley game bang on😉, I still feel a bit pessimistic and think our annual slump is going to occur a little later in the season this year. 0-2🙁

[jamesdad]

Swindon will have possibly two players missing for this game ,Jordan Lyden given a straight red card in his last game against Bradford and Owen Doyle to be recalled by his parent Club, Bradfrod. So on paper this should be an even game but with a lot of games over the festive period a few players will be tired on each side and expect the result to be a score draw.2-2

[AstonAlex]

I’m hoping that Swindon and Bradford work something out next week so we don’t face Doyle at Valley Parade either!

Will be my first away match for several years (excluding Wembley) so I’m hoping for as good a match as the first one this season, with the same result... but I’ll settle for 1-1.

[lukcour]

First of all I feel it is essential that our team avoids the Magic Roundabout.

For me our priority should be to move Wintle back into his midfield position. As shown in the Cup game Ainley and Lowery are far too weak. They just do not do defending, end of story.

Presuming that no other CB`s are available then the position should go to Sass-Davis. Think a lot of supporters will be surprised how good he is.

[jamesdad]

Agree ,Wintle is needed back in his best position but who plays at centre half. Sass- Davies has been on the bench a number of times and the fans were calling for him to come on before half time at the game with Salford City on Boxing day. For some reason the manager decided against this and this to me says he is not ready for Div 2 football. If pushed in when not ready he could upset the balance of the team and cost us points or possibly push him backwards in his development.

[AstonAlex]

Quick to blame Ainley and Lowery, again. Green was just as culpable against Barnsley and we might have been better off playing Jonah in the holding role. Fact is we lose more with Wintle as a CB than we gain. The best understudy for either CB or holding midfielder is Perry, but the manager won’t move him from RB, rightly so when we have no experienced CBs to cover. It’s a problem, for sure, exacerbated by Mbulu not being good enough.

I’d like to see Sass-Davies given another chance but I’m not sure that away at the League leaders with their potent attack (even without Doyle) is the place to start. Looks like damage limitation tomorrow.... so a draw would be a good result, as it always will be when playing away at a top side.

[lukcour]

Yes Green was not brilliant but at least he tried and worked his socks off. Much more than you can say for the other two. For me the whole point of a midfield is for them to close down and compete in the centre of the pitch. You are not going to get that with Ainley or Lowery. This is not a matter of quick to blame them again. It is my belief that they are not physically capable of competing in League2 and that they should not at this moment be in our team.

It may be a risk putting Sass-Davies in against the league leaders but moving Wintle into our dreadfully weak midfield seems to me the best option. I also predict that Sass-Davies will be a lot better than a lot of people think. He is physically capable and a very skilfull player.

[AstonAlex]

I’d agree that Ainley doesn’t really compete, but strongly disagree regarding Lowery; his frame militates against a strong physical presence but his commitment is similar to Green’s. Whilst we’re on that subject it would help if Charlie and Owen were stronger in the challenge at times, not a criticism I’d level at Powell.

The bottom line is we miss Wintle. To say that the whole point of a midfield is to close down and compete is rather naive, in my opinion. Surely we need a balance of players that can run the show, create chances and score. Wintle can do most of these, Green maybe the first two and Lowery the latter two. We have a few other players that can step up in the latter two areas but not so much the former, hence we need a CB to release Wintle to his rightful position.

[jamesdad]

Lukcour- what games have you been watching this season. Lowery has been playing very well with only a couple of below performances. He covers every blade of grass and is constantly harassing the opposition if they have the ball. If Charlie could make solid challenges rather than making a token effort he would better a better player and give the full back some better cover I will give Ainley the rest of the season to develop but I feel strong tackling will never be part of his game. I have only seen Sass Davies play once and he did not look that comfortable at CH so if the club feel he is good enough then slowly slowly with him and pick the right games to play him.

[jimmyboldon]

JD...agree. Lukcour/Roukul watches a totally different game.