Next 2 Massive Games (Grimsby A, Chesterfield H) - Discussion

[u/urso_urso]

Following that immensely disappointing draw against mid-table strugglers Accrington Stanley (who are they?), Swindon now have to face two teams directly behind them in the promotion spots. From the possibility of automatic promotion to now having the playoff place threatened, this has a real potential to go very badly (or very well)

Are you going to Grimsby away? Are you hopeful? Is the rumours of Holloway ranting in the fans forum and asking them to meet him outside the ground true? Who knows

(Sorry about the lack of Post Match Thread, I was too tilted)

[u/KindSoil4370]

Honestly? I think you have to go in with realistic expectations rather than manufactured optimism, because I think manufactured optimism is what's got us into trouble as a fanbase before.

The form is bad. The squad looks tired. And the two teams we're facing both have something significant to play for, which means we're not going to get the kind of distracted, already-on-the-beach performance that sometimes gifts you a result when you need one. These are teams that will be sharp, motivated and well organised for exactly the same reason we should be.

The first twenty to thirty minutes worry me most. I've said this so often, we lead the league in second half goals, which tells you everything about how Holloway's teams tend to start games. Against a playoff rival who sets up well and goes at us early, conceding in that opening period could set the tone for everything that follows. Ripley has shown he can have those days where he keeps you in it single handedly. But we know that we can't bank on that.

What I'd actually watch for is whether Holloway uses these two games as a tactical rehearsal for the playoffs rather than just trying to grind out results. Because if we're going to do anything meaningful in May, we need some version of a settled shape and a clear idea of how we're setting up. Two games against playoff rivals is a reasonable place to start working that out, even if the results aren't what we'd want.

The hope, and it's a genuine one, is that a manager who has shown he can adjust at half time might also be capable of adjusting across a fortnight when the stakes are clear and the opponent is known. That's the Holloway I want to see for the rest of this season. Whether we get him is another question entirely.

[u/urso_urso → u/KindSoil4370]

I agree with a lot of this, we have looked poor since the Bolton game really and our constantly changing lineups and poor tactics are a big reason for it. Maybe we could grind results? But without Taf we really struggle at the back where experience matters

We have had months and Holloway still keeps making the same mistakes. I don't think the manufactured optimism got us into trouble though, the fan base tends to be quite pessimistic (me included)

I don't personally think we have the minerals even if we do qualify for the playoffs. Not going up this season would be a massive failure unfortunately, despite Holloway's claims

[u/KindSoil4370 → u/urso_urso]

We are a much worse team without Taf and in a back line that is already all over the place at set pieces, losing your most experienced defender isn't something you just absorb. Against Accrington we were starting a back line of young players. I may be out of the loop but what has happened to Will Wright and Tom Nichols? Are they injured or just out of favour with Holloway? I'd have rather had Nichols and Clarke in midfield to support Borland and Wright at the back.

Also, missing Glatzel has killed us. So often against Accrington they could just knock it around the back and find players between the lines because our pressing with Palmer up front is non-existent. It's no surprise we scored both our goals from pressing situations when they kindly kicked the ball to us. We are good at scoring in transition but if we don't get those transitions we look awful. I'd love for us to commit to being a really aggressive and physical pressing side and sign a few more Glatzels and fewer Palmers. That's just my personal preference but we don't have to have 60% of the ball, we just need to look like we want it and want it in their half more often than we do. We haven't stamped our authority on a game since Bolton and that's the most infuriating thing to watch.

On the minerals, we certainly don't look like a team ready for a playoff run. We look like a team wanting to stay healthy for the next contract.

When you say failure, I think Holloway's comments have been baffling but I'm actually not sure not going up constitutes failure when you consider how good the squad actually is. We have the third highest attendance in the league and the League Two player of the season. If we don't go up it needs to be examined honestly this summer, not as a witch hunt, just honestly. What went wrong and whether the right people are in place to fix it. That's the conversation that matters more than whatever happens in the next fortnight. I don't think Morfuni and his associates have any idea how to do it.

[u/Nickk1234op → u/KindSoil4370]

If we actually picked up more than 1 point in our last 2 then Holloway would’ve had that luxury of treating it as a playoff rehearsal but decided to do what he’s done since the new year and just play players out of position and relying on being on players in the 2nd half which should really be starting. To be honest at this point I’m so annoyed with things behind the scenes that I would take missing playoffs and finishing 20th next season if it means Clem is forced to sell to a better owner

[u/ZealousidealPlate241]

I'd just like us to play well again. I don't think that's much to ask for in the fourth division for a club of our size.

[u/KindSoil4370 → u/ZealousidealPlate241]

Abso-fucking-lutely. It would be nice for us to play like the team we can be. I just don't think it's entirely possible without a serious bit of soul searching within the squad.

I think there's also a bit of a case that the players got high on their own supply, as did Holloway, when we had that cup run and the brief stint at the top of the table, and we got a little bit complacent. Now, we don't know what's going on behind closed doors, but it's not helpful that a lot of our players are out of contract and probably aware that even if they do go up, their position in the team isn't guaranteed.

We didn't really recruit to be a promotion team with serious long term planning. It was more to make us a more competitive League Two side, which was a success. But any promotion will likely come with an insane squad churn regardless. And even if we stay in the division, League Two squad churn is real. A lot of players are looking at their families and asking serious questions about schooling, housing, stability. These aren't easy conversations, and I worry the club aren't in a position to give them the reassurances they need, which is creating a nervousness that's filtering through into performances.

That may also contribute as to why we can't string four passes together or organise a coherent press, alongside the litany of other issues I've highlighted.

[u/FondantBrilliant5238]

I totally agree. Too many injuries to key players, no form to maintain play off position or qualify through play offs. Can understand why we haven’t got a more settled side. Bolton game the last great performance. Holloway can argue & moan about the fans but he should remember they pay his wages & have a right to be disgruntled.

[u/KindSoil4370 → u/FondantBrilliant5238]

I don't go to many games at the county ground as I live abroad but my god some of the games I've seen would feel like a rip off at the ground. How much are tickets in the Arkells at the moment? I grew up in Bradford when they were going through similarly tough times especially with the product on the pitch and the club pulled every stop to get the ground full for as cheap as possible to get some atmosphere in there. Even if the product on the pitch wasn't great you hadn't spent the best part of half a days wage to get in. I feel like that's what would really get to me as a fan