Nudgers Notes.............Swindon

A brief summary of my observations during the Swindon match

Catering is much much better than last season.

Crowd very quiet throughout the match except for the last 15 minutes - but it has to be expected when the team is nervous and the fans are nervous.

Very shaky start by Barnsley - and although the final result was 4-1 in the end, if Swindon had scored with some of the chances they had then it could have been a totally different game.

Swindon score after a mix up between Barnsleys defence and goal keeper.........straight away, from the West Stand, there was a barrage of abuse hurled at Lee Johnson............this is serious, because if it continues then confidence within the squad will be totally undermined - IT NEEDS TO STOP

As the game moved on, as each goal was scored by Barnsley, you could see confidence in the Barnsley players growing by the minute.
For fans to be shouting abuse at the players or the manager at this early part of the season, when these players are just getting to bond together, is just totally counter-productive.
My advice would be - if you cant shout anything positive at this sensitive time of team building then don't say anything at all.

As for the players - we have some really good players at the club - Mawson and Scowen definitely caught the eye. But the most impressive player on the field was Watkins - WE HAVE A PLAYER HERE.
Watkins - the most hard working nastiest foooking lovely person of a player on the field.........an absolute nightmare for defenders to mark..........he was brilliant !!!
He was pushing and shoving and wrestling with the Swindon defenders all afternoon - and was instrumental in winning the free kick that led to Barnsleys third goal.
If we are playing one player up front on his own........then its got to be Watkins.
He is much more of an handful than Winnall. And Watkins is able to hold the ball up better and bring other players in to play.
Winnall is a goalscorer and needs other players, such as a big centre forward, around him to create chances.


Last but not least.........it was great in TARN before and after the match

 

I've not heard any abuse towards player.

The manager? I'm sorry but people have every right to criticise him. He's wasted a couple of home games by playing players out of position, he did the same yesterday but thankfully Williams form / injury forced him into a change.

 

^^this^^

 

People need to have more patience I still don't think he knows some players best positions especially Watkins been playing wide but with a finish like yesterday could be comptition for winnall n Smith. Heard png yesterday and some reds fan critisising a 4-1 win was embarrassing I was cringing listening to it.

 

Certainly not Townsend in goal!He was Dire!

 

I thought he did OK to say it was his first game..........obviously he needs to strike up a better understanding with the defence.
LJ was talking about communication last week...........clearly this message didn't get through to the goal keeper and defence

There were periods in the game when Townsend was playing more centre midfield than in the nets !!!