Swindon Town (A) - FA Cup 2nd Round

[Wanderlust]

It’s been ten months since IE left the club and yet Schumacher is still compared with him - despite a considerable turnover in playing staff.

Why? 

[desperado]

2 minutes ago, Wanderlust said:

It’s been ten months since IE left the club and yet Schumacher is still compared with him - despite a considerable turnover in playing staff.

Why? 

Because some folk like to adopt lazy, uninformed opinions. 

[Cheese]

3 minutes ago, Wanderlust said:

It’s been ten months since IE left the club and yet Schumacher is still compared with him - despite a considerable turnover in playing staff.

Why? 

Because most people are a bit thick.

[Johnnyrotten]

2 minutes ago, Wanderlust said:

It’s been ten months since IE left the club and yet Schumacher is still compared with him - despite a considerable turnover in playing staff.

Why? 

Why not?  IE was sacked to be replaced by a "better" manager, so its natural that when we have great days (Wigan) or great runs (unbeaten at home) we compare with what went before. 

And if things have deteriorated (away form, striking options) its normal to question it based on what went before, are we better than last season (etc)?  We were having those discussions a year ago too, its just that we were comparing the 2025 Evatt with the pre-Oxford one.

And its just chat on a wet boring December Sunday.

[Mannyroader]

Reiss Greenidge on telly playing for Slough Town in the FA Cup. 

Wasn't he our long-throw expert? We should have kept him, he'd create loads of goals now.

[desperado]

7 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

Why not?  IE was sacked to be replaced by a "better" manager, so its natural that when we have great days (Wigan) or great runs (unbeaten at home) we compare with what went before. 

And if things have deteriorated (away form, striking options) its normal to question it based on what went before, are we better than last season (etc)?  We were having those discussions a year ago too, its just that we were comparing the 2025 Evatt with the pre-Oxford one.

And it’s just chat on a wet boring December Sunday.

Think we need to differentiate between judging SS against his predecessor - fine

And saying SS is just doing what Evatt did and it’s no different - nonsense (and I think is the comparison most of us are being critical of) 

[Alf Hartigan]

4 minutes ago, desperado said:

Think we need to differentiate between judging SS against his predecessor - fine

And saying SS is just doing what Evatt did and it’s no different - nonsense (and I think is the comparison most of us are being critical of) 

I agree with most things you say, however you’re beginning to sound like the manager’s bum chum. I really hope I’m wrong but he seems to be getting a lot of things wrong and not learning from it. That certainly does remind me of his predecessor. 
 

 

[Mounts Kipper]

My view is Schumacher  knows his best 11 however because it’s a long season is rotating the squad to keep the core 11 fresh for Christmas run of games and come the business end of the season we’re not running on empty.  Well that’s my positive spin on where we’re at. 

[desperado]

18 hours ago, desperado said:

Theyve certainly benefited from side-stepping that shit today! 

I was questioning earlier this week whether Tuesday might be too soon for Erhahon to start a league away game, now I’m not so sure!

The one thing I will say after seeing the game live today, for me, it was more the combinations that stood out as being poor.

- Toal as LCB, next to Forino 

- That Midfield trio

- Taylor behind Gale

- Randall behind Dalby

Some of those individuals with different players around them/next to them will go on to have good games for us this season.

Schumacher needs to make sure we don’t see some of those combinations again this season! 

 

7 hours ago, desperado said:

 

@bolton va va  gives a good first hand view. I don’t disagree with anything he says above.

I’ll add to it.

It’s a hard one to quantify and explain, but the issue for me was more a collective one than individual one - so SS has to take a large proportion of the blame today.

But that said I don’t blame him making rotations and bringing in periphery players - I repeat it was the combinations and the collective output  that was the issue today.

I disagree with the easy individual criticisms - Randall (who had a decent first half) Cogley (who had the most ineffective ACD in front of him he’s had all season) and even Sheehan and Morley never stopped trying (I didn’t see anybody display a shocking attitude out there) they were just poor together and Sheehan often got caught in possession which hindered us. 

Again as Va va says, I agree, we always need at least one of Simons, Erhahon or Dempsey (probably two!)

That left side of defence was awful Toal and Taylor with a lightweight Gale in front should (I’ll vent my inner @masi 51 here) NEVER be seen again 😂

So while it went wrong on many levels yesterday if we learn from it and these mistakes aren’t repeated then I’ll be glad it was today that a 4/0 defeat happened and not a league game. 

 

5 minutes ago, Alf Hartigan said:

I agree with most things you say, however you’re beginning to sound like the manager’s bum chum. I really hope I’m wrong but he seems to be getting a lot of things wrong and not learning from it. That certainly does remind me of his predecessor. 
 

 

You must have missed my posts where I have been critical of SS and  the team he picked.

I’m just being balanced and correcting some claims from folk who didn’t watch the game. 

[desperado]

7 minutes ago, Mounts Kipper said:

My view is Schumacher  knows his best 11 however because it’s a long season is rotating the squad to keep the core 11 fresh for Christmas run of games and come the business end of the season we’re not running on empty.  Well that’s my positive spin on where we’re at. 

I agree. I think that’s exactly what he’s doing.

[Marc505]

37 minutes ago, desperado said:

Because some folk like to adopt lazy, uninformed opinions. 

Bit of sideways and backwards everywhere we go being sung yesterday.

Some people just love the misery.

[Alf Hartigan]

5 minutes ago, desperado said:

 

 

You must have missed my posts where I have been critical of SS and  the team he picked.

I’m just being balanced and correcting some claims from folk who didn’t watch the game. 

I know you’re trying to balance opinions but you seem to try and balance everyone/everytime. They’re not always wrong.

[Marc505]

55 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

Only 10?  11th and 12th games are at home, we aren't losing them.

Does this include pizza cup QF and SF?

[desperado]

1 minute ago, Marc505 said:

Bit of sideways and backwards everywhere we go being sung yesterday.

Some people just love the misery.

God I know! 😂

I’m not sure what Morley was meant to  do when the 4 in front of him weren’t giving any options! 

For some now, every time a sideways or backwards pass (even the sensible ones) are made you hear the Evatt comparisons - bonkers 

[desperado]

11 minutes ago, Alf Hartigan said:

I know you’re trying to balance opinions but you seem to try and balance everyone/everytime. They’re not always wrong.

I’m not correcting everyone! 😂

I’ve quoted, agreed and liked loads of posts these last 24 hours - some critical of SS and the team and some rational & balanced.

I think I’ve only questioned Sincey, Rizlar and Zog, all IMO for very good reason. 

And I’m happy to keep debating with you if you think I’m try to correct everyone - I’m not! 

Edited December 7, 2025 by desperado

[Alf Hartigan]

Just now, desperado said:

I’m not correcting everyone! 😂

I’ve quoted, agreed and liked loads of posts these last 24 hours - some critical of SS and the team and some rationale & balanced.

I think I’ve only questioned Sincey, Rizlar and Zog, all IMO for very good reason. 

And I’m happy to keep debating with you if you think I’m try to correct everyone - I’m not! 

Just how it seems to come across. You pointed out that ACD swapped wings yesterday. He should be doing this all the time from what I can see.

[desperado]

Just now, Alf Hartigan said:

Just how it seems to come across. You pointed out that ACD swapped wings yesterday. He should be doing this all the time from what I can see.

You think he should be doing this every time?

Ok that’s your opinion - I disagree with it.

And not just because it didn’t work yesterday, more to do with the success he’s had on the right this season. 

I’m not sure why I can’t disagree with you (or anyone) and it be interpreted as I’m trying to call everybody out!

We’re here to debate differences of opinion.

I don’t get personal with it. I’ve not insulted anyone who has a different opinion to mine. Ive simply corrected folk on a few facts having seen the game live yesterday 👍

[Cheese]

6 minutes ago, Alf Hartigan said:

Just how it seems to come across. You pointed out that ACD swapped wings yesterday. He should be doing this all the time from what I can see.

So you'd rather he was running back and forth across the pitch all game rather than finding any kind of rhythm on one wing?

[Alf Hartigan]

Just now, desperado said:

You think he should be doing this every time?

Ok that’s your opinion - I disagree with it.

And not just because it didn’t work yesterday, more to do with the success he’s had on the right this season. 

I’m not sure why I can’t disagree with you (or anyone) and it be interpreted as I’m trying to call everybody out!

We’re here to debate differences of opinion.

I don’t get personal with it. I’ve not insulted anyone who has a different opinion to mine. Ive simply corrected folk on a few facts having seen the game live yesterday 👍

No worries, like I said, agree with nearly everything you say. Sorry for saying you sound like gaffer's bum chum 🫢

[desperado]

1 minute ago, Alf Hartigan said:

No worries, like I said, agree with nearly everything you say. Sorry for saying you sound like gaffer's bum chum 🫢

I’d love to be that close to the action 😂👍

[Alf Hartigan]

1 minute ago, Cheese said:

So you'd rather he was running back and forth across the pitch all game rather than finding any kind of rhythm on one wing?

Not all the time but they need to mix it up more.

[masi 51]

Just now, Cheese said:

So you'd rather he was running back and forth across the pitch all game rather than finding any kind of rhythm on one wing?

All good wingers have done it for years.....He is being targeted by opposition managers

Just play a right back against him

Not sure you understand football

[Cheese]

2 minutes ago, masi 51 said:

All good wingers have done it for years.....He is being targeted by opposition managers

Just play a right back against him

Not sure you understand football

Clearly. You've got it all sussed out though. What club are you managing at the moment?

[bolton va va]

Having slept on it, a few random thoughts.......no problem with the SS interview, any pops at the players should be done behind closed doors, but I do think he underestimated Swindon ( who were bang up for it ) with his team selection & his substitutions didn't help. Not his finest hour but not bedsheet time either !!

Toal has been great at right centre half but struggled again on the left. An unnecessary change especially with us having a left sided centre half playing ( badly) at left back & Taylor did look like a centre half playing at full back.

It's already been said by nearly everyone that it was obvious that we had a lack of physicality in midfield.

We're probably becoming over dependent on our wingers & if you stop them (& ACD met his match with their 33 yesterday ) we can look toothless. Every cunt will soon work this out so we need some other attacking threats & could do with getting more out of Forss who is clearly a good player.

Some sympathy for Dalby'who is a forward who thrives on crosses but is getting nothing to attack so it must be worth swapping the wingers over more often so instead of cutting inside every attack, they could put  some crosses in from wide with their stronger feet.

Apart from that, I'm very happy ( & it's all Evatt's fault anyway ) 🙂 

[desperado]

1 minute ago, bolton va va said:

Having slept on it, a few random thoughts.......no problem with the SS interview, any pops at the players should be done behind closed doors, but I do think he underestimated Swindon ( who were bang up for it ) with his team selection & his substitutions didn't help. Not his finest hour but not bedsheet time either !!

Toal has been great at right centre half but struggled again on the left. An unnecessary change especially with us having a left sided centre half playing ( badly) at left back & Taylor did look like a centre half playing at full back.

It's already been said by nearly everyone that it was obvious that we had a lack of physicality in midfield.

We're probably becoming over dependent on our wingers & if you stop them (& ACD met his match with their 33 yesterday ) we can look toothless. Every cunt will soon work this out so we need some other attacking threats & could do with getting more out of Forss who is clearly a good player.

Some sympathy for Dalby'who is a forward who thrives on crosses but is getting nothing to attack so it must be worth swapping the wingers over more often so instead of cutting inside every attack, they could put  some crosses in from wide with their stronger feet.

Apart from that, I'm very happy ( & it's all Evatt's fault anyway ) 🙂 

Great balanced post again 👏

That 33 was very good. Nobody has handled ACD better this year and he was good coming forward too.

I think in the long term games like that are good for ACD (and others) because he’s tested and will have to go away, reflect and come back better - and I think he’s the type of player who will.