SWINDON POST-MATCH REACTION

Put it here.......

Well turned out a good day in the end. A good win against our bogey team, that said for a large part of the game we were not convincing and at times we seemed to want to over complicate issues all very well passing all the time but on a number of occasions we ended up where we started with the ball back with kelvin!

Saints started brightly and could have gone ahead early on when their goalie fumbled a cross but neither Lambert or Fonte could steer the ball home. Chamberlain then went on a run at goal cut inside and out giving himself shot on goal and agonisingly hit the post and came back out, behind the goal at Northam end and thought it was going in. Saints took the lead with a good goal with Guly playing a good part playing a one two with Lallana who controlled the ball well in a tight space and fired in, goalie half saved and ball looped up and thought it might go wide again but went into left hand side of goal. Lead was well deserved for an entertaining start from saints. Guly then had a chance to make it 2 nil but his hook shot from a Lambert header again hit the woodwork, same flipping post!

Rest of half though was fairly boring. Lambert was playing out wide with Guly in the middle but often meant we had no one in the box. On one occasion attacking down the left towards the Northam we had 5 players together but no point in crossing as we had no one in the box. Guly was doing plenty of running back if he lost the ball but meant again we lost shape with no one in the centre of the park. Clearly a tactic Adkins is using with Lambert playing out wide but for me think we are trying to be to clever, this is Div 1 get the ball in the box and with the players we have we will score goals.

Second half and we were not at the races at the start. Jaidi made a great last minute tackle to prevent a chance for swindon then a long throw was flicked on at near post and drifted wide of the far post with no one there to tap in. No passion in the side and we were placing passes astray. No great surprise when Swindon scored as break out on right side, Harding failed to tackle allowing Ritchie, had to be the skate, cut in from left and shoot past Davies from outside box. Think Davies was expecting shot to go across him as arguably should have made a better attempt but was off balance. Adkins then brought on Scheiderlin for Chaplow who didn't have a great game, then at last Barnard came on for Guly. Have to say think Barnard gets a raw deal from Adkins and just don't think Guly and Lambert partnership works, Guly is not a striker having played all his career as a midfield player and think he strays to much and with Lambert out wide we lack a genuine threat.

The subs sparked saints and regained the lead and scored two goals in the space of 5 mins which despite all our passing came from two set pieces. Firstly after Barnard won a free kick, Harding took on the right with his left foot, goalie came for cross but beaten to ball by Lambert who headed in. Good centre forward goal and why I would prefer Lambert spent more time in the box then out wide. Third goal came from a corner taken short to Chamberlain he turned and beat his player crossing to the far post where Jaidi rose above everyone to head back across goal. Fonte had a great chance with another header but headed wide when should have done better. The two goals knocked the fight out of Swindon though saints eased of the pace allowing them more possession without any real threat.

Schneiderlin then had a break and should have shot but eventually played in Chamberlain who scored but ruled off side. Lambert had a pop from 25 yards which swerved and goalie just about knocked away, then Lambert had a good shot from a free kick from around 25 yards which brought a good save being tipped over and Gobern had a shot well saved as saints got some opportunities late on to add to the score. In extra time finally got the fourth, Lallana slipped the ball through for Barnard who took the ball wide of the goalie to the right hand side facing Chapel end and from a really acute level fired into far side of goal. Well deserved goal for Barnard who had been a pain for Swindon since he came on, won free kicks and meant we went to a proper 4 4 2 formation.

Will be close for rest of season and thought Daggers might have got a point of Bournemouth but Huddersfield drawing at home and Brighton losing good news. Just think at times Adkins tries to complicate things. Get Lambert playing as a centre forward with Barnard alongside him and with Lallana and Chamberlain on wings we will score goals.

Davis 7 handling was good and would be picky to criticise him for the goal
Butterfield 6 Think Richardson is better RB, his distribution was poor, often just hoofing
Jaidi 8 thought he had a good game, good goal and looked more assured on the ground than Fonte!
Fonte 6 not his best game and seemed a bit slow on a couple of occasions.
Harding 6 at fault for Swindon goal and not his best game
Chaplow 6 bit subdued but think Guly got in his way by dropping to deep.
Hammond 7 better second half
Lallana 8 still not 100% but was behind everything good about saints today (Said in interview after game target 16/17 goals but fans said 20!)
Chamberlain 7 hit and miss game, great run in 1st half and shot, some good crosses in second half but work rate needs to improve
Guly 6 Can't fault his effort when he loses the ball but just dont think he can play the centre forward role which Adkins had him do today
Lambert 7 Good centre forward goal, controlled the ball well when out wide just would like him more central.

Subs

Schneiderlin 7 made an impact and brought some cohesion to midfield
Barnard 7 Good goal and for me just gives us the right balance when he plays.

Thanks again Matty. For me on the other side of the world, your reports are great, especially the detailed insights.

Thanks again Matty, I wish Adkins would read your advice!!

Happy to give the feedback from games as I worked in Scotland for 5 years and America for 4 years so know what's its like when you live away from Hampshire in getting any reports on the game!

I know a 4 - 1 home win sounds great and for patches of the game we played well but so frustrating with the individual players we have that we are not steamrollering the opposition, individually we have the better players but still seem to lack a team spirit to get in their faces and show the same level of desire to win games.

Still if you win when not playing well then they says the sign of a good side but the worry is some of these performances will cost us games. For me Richardson is a better full back and Barnard works better with Lambert than Guly.

For me one of the worrying thoughts is that Richardson must be geting frustrated he cant get a regular place, might he be wanting away in the summer??

Bob's your Uncle wrote:For me one of the worrying thoughts is that Richardson must be geting frustrated he cant get a regular place, might he be wanting away in the summer??

That would be a worry as he is the best right back we have had for some time. He is better in the air than Butterfield, makes positive runs from deep overlapping Chamberlain and for me he makes more tackles. After over coming his pre season injury had worked his way into the side and could understand him if he looked elsewhere, first choice at Leeds and Charlton. now being kept out by Butterfield.