#20 The Play-Off Final: The Fledglings Did Not Fly

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4^th May 2015 was a grey, grey day (at least from 17:30 onwards). Pragmatism and conservatism triumphed.

Before departing for Wembley I had spent the day wallowing in nostalgia, watching the 92/93 play-off final highlights and blasting out ‘Up Where We Belong’ (which strangely gets better with age)

not troubling myself with the fact that Swindon, on a financial footing, are not really up way they belong: that’s the bottom half of League One. It had also been spent engaging in superstition – more so than usual – including avoiding the number six in all forms, saluting magpies, circumventing three drains on the pavements and electing not to wear my Swindon Town ‘Imagine Cruising’ Shirt, which I like very much, because there was an outside chance that my non-supporting Swindon friends who gave me the shirt for my birthday, one of whom is a Reading fan, might have put a hex on it. 

Alighting at Wembley Park, and walking down Wembley Way, I tried to gloss over the stadium’s shortcomings – a structure of compromise rendering it akin to a giant Cineworld – and the incongruous, rather feeble, Bobby Moore statue. On entering the stadium I realised I was mistaken; it was not a cinema, but an airport terminal. Still, I suppose it’s in keeping with much of football today: hyped, vacuous and overpriced.

Three minutes into the game my stomach lurched and doom descended. Swindon’s defensive shortcomings had been exposed and Nathan Thompson, club captain, was being taken off on a stretcher. It was almost tragicomic. The tragicomedy was accentuated by a chap in the row below me, with his two embarrassed teenage daughters who were gently tugging his jacket imploring him to take his seat, pointing at a Preston fan bellowing ‘YOU’ while simultaneously clenching his fist and banging it against his head in a furious masturbatory motion. 2-0 down after 13 minutes I thought that it was probably over and so did four ‘Swindon fans’ to my right who decided that they’d seen enough and that it was time to go. Riled, I couldn’t help castigating them, uttering 'that’s pathetic'. Five minutes later they were back, which might have been because they weren’t allowed to leave; they had a change of heart; or perhaps they had simply all needed the lavatory at the same time. I didn’t enquire. Beckford’s sumptuous goal just before half-time ended the game as a contest and my half-time was spent cogitating on Swindon’s line-up for next season: Belford, Branco, N.Thompson……………… Hylton, Obika……. 

The second-half was also a fairly painful experience not helped by a group of idiotic 16-18 year olds sat behind me, of which only one was a (nominal) Swindon fan, opining that Swindon should be more direct and that Wes Foderingham was 'crap'. They also, on occasions, sarcastically applauded Swindon’s mishaps. The only pleasant aspect of the half were the cashew nuts supplied by my fiancée’s Dad, which went back and forth between him, me, my fiancée and Mike. It was undoubtedly Mike’s favourite part of the day; he ate half the bag. 

Mercifully, the full-time whistle did not result in a vast outpouring of anger, dismay or tears with most Swindon fans quietly scuttling home. Had I been on my own I might have remained in the stadium waiting for the darkness to envelop me, pondering on what might have been and that the minor miracle of Swindon’s 14/15 campaign – perhaps the most interesting, innovative and odds defying campaign of any English football club in 14/15, and worthy of at least a chapter in Soccernomics 2 – would not receive the wider acclaim it deserved. 

But then I looked at Nathan Thompson hobbling around the Swindon half of the ground on crutches, broken and defeated, applauding the Swindon fans and realised that winning, while important, particularly as it would have kept Swindon’s special group together, isn’t everything. Would I have swapped Swindon’s season for Preston’s? Nope. I wouldn’t have wanted to have missed the evolution of the first sweeper/keeper in League One; the tiki-taka passing triangles; the Iraqi Pirlo; the 1-0 victory against Bristol City that irked Steve Cotterill so; the four goals against Walsall with the snow descending; Australia’s MVP; a technical level that, at times, surpassed many Championship sides; the 5-5 draw; and witnessing the development and progression of Swindon’s apprentices, and the bond forged between them. To be trite, and (very) cheesy, I remembered the exchange in the first Mighty Ducks film – a childhood favourite – between Gordon Bombay and a chap called Hans (Gordon’s mentor, father figure – a wise, detached, Gandalf type).

Gordon: [on coach Riley – the baddy – who reminds me of Alex Ferguson] 'the guy wins'.

Hans: 'it’s not about winning, Gordon, it never was. Just show them how to play, show them how to have fun; teach them to fly!'

Over the course of the 14/15 season the Swindon fledglings flew; at times they soared.

#19 Swindon Town 5 Sheffield United 5 - Making Sense of the Madness

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t was 'a freak tie'. Possibly the best play-off game ever. As Mark Cooper aptly commented it was like watching ‘two heavyweight boxers trying to knock each other out’. Over the course of the game I felt happiness, joy, pride, ecstasy, trepidation, worry, fear, bellicosity, animosity, anger, dejection, resignation and self-pity; a year’s worth of emotion condensed into 99 minutes. During the last ten minutes of the game I reverted to my five year old self, holding the fluffy fringe of my ’92/’93 Swindon Town scarf to my face as a makeshift comfort blanket. My heart was pounding for most of the match; any underlying congenital heart defect would surely have come to light.

Much of the post-match commentary has focused on the defensive shortcomings of Swindon and Sheffield United. Sheffield United’s centre-back pairing of Alcock and McEveley – both more comfortable at full-back – were outmanoeuvred by Hylton/Obika and Smith; their midfield trio could not shackle Kasim, Luongo and Gladwin (I haven’t come across a side who can); and Harris and Done could not get to grips with Byrne, Nathan Byrne (to the tune of The Trammps' Disco Inferno).*

For much of the game Sheffield United were playing a 2-1-4-3 formation; Swindon were bamboozled. Swindon’s 3-5-2 collapsed under Sheffield United’s sustained pressure in wide areas with full-backs Freeman and Harris pushed up, pulling apart Swindon’s back three, creating multiple overloads and crossing opportunities. Swindon’s defensive shortcomings were exacerbated by failing to do something which they have done very well all season: keeping the ball. For the first time this season their opponents had more possession: 56% to 44%. This was partly due to being 3-0 up after 18 minutes and naturally retreating to preserve their advantage, but it can also be attributed, in part, to adrenaline and instinct taking over, which resulted in too much hoof ball and ceding possession. The second half was largely ‘kick and rush’. The passion of the crowd might have been a hindrance in this regard. Foderingham was more risk-averse in his distribution, generally opting for the long punt rather than a cute short pass to the back three. This was partly due to Sheffield United’s high press, but it also owed to the considerable pressure of the occasion. Quite possibly, Foderingham and the Swindon back three will adopt a similar approach at Wembley.

Whilst both teams did not defend particularly well, the attacking play should be heralded.** Sheffield United’s crossing, midfield running and overlapping full-back play were excellent, and Kasim, Smith and Byrne were outstanding for Swindon, rediscovering their early season form. Cooper should be applauded for starting Smith in both games, presumably reckoning that he would dominate McEveley aerially. He certainly did. Kasim has been a joy to watch in recent weeks. Dander up, he appears alert and sharp, dominating the central midfield area. He seems to relish the big occasion and ought to thrive on the big Wembley pitch. Wembley: here we come!

*The paucity of tailored chants for Swindon players is an irritation. This is my, perhaps pitiful, attempt at starting one.

**Not once has the miserable Nigel Clough commented on Swindon’s excellent attacking play. He seems to have a similar bent to that other miserablist, Steve Cotterill. 

#18 The Tedium is Over, Let Battle Commence

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windon supporters ought to feel confident going into the play-offs.  The players will be fresh, the squad will be injury free, bar long-term absentee Louis Thompson (admittedly a big loss), and possibly Harry Toffolo (should his dead leg not heal in time), and the only team who could claim to be technically superior to Swindon, MK Dons, will not be present.  Certainly, Swindon are capable of outplaying and beating Preston, Sheffield United or Chesterfield.  These are not sides to fear and I would be far more apprehensive as an opponent facing Byrne, Kasim, Luongo and Gladwin than Baxter and Murphy of Sheffield United; Clucas, Ryan and Roberts of Chesterfield; or even Garner, Beckford and Gallagher of Preston.

Moreover, as has been stressed in some excellent articles regarding the importance of momentum going into the play-offs (I recommend reading John Ashdown’s article - click here), Swindon’s meagre return of nine points from nine games will have no bearing on the outcome.  Cooper has done well to ignore the considerable guff from the stands, from other managers and from certain media outlets about its importance.  The priority had to be to shield Swindon’s first team players from potential injuries.  He has done that; mission accomplished.

Cooper has said that he has more or less settled on his first XI for Thursday’s first leg play-off.  Had Louis Thompson been fit his formation might have been 3-6-1, but, without him, it will probably be 3-4-1-2.  Foderingham will be in goal.  The back three, hopefully, from right to left will be: Nathan Thompson, Stephens and Turnbull.  Nathan Thompson’s extra pace will be helpful in covering the pockets of space left behind Byrne.  Playing Stephens centrally will allow him to dictate Swindon’s rhythm and tempo and impose himself on the game.

Branco and Ricketts should be on the bench.  I rate Branco highly and feel that the considerable criticism he has received in recent weeks has been excessive.  Yes, he is combustible and erratic, but his aerial ability, tackling and his passing (much improved) should be commended.  It should be noted that all of Swindon’s right-sided back three defenders have struggled at various moments this season principally because of the 3-5-2 formation* and Swindon’s Bielsaesque philosophy.  If Branco was playing in the middle of the back three or centrally in a flat back four he would seem more impressive.  Aden Flint wouldn’t be half as impressive for Bristol City if he had to play on the right hand side of their back three.

Ricketts has been a little disappointing.  I’m sure that his presence has helped Cooper in the dressing room and in training, and it was vital that Swindon recruited an additional defender for cover, but he has not improved Swindon defensively and has arguably slowed Swindon’s tempo and curtailed their attacking verve.  I suppose, given the short period of time in which he has had to adapt to Swindon’s ‘sin miedo’ passing style, this criticism is harsh, but he should not feature in Swindon’s starting back three on Thursday night, as he slows Swindon’s tempo, reduces the passing options and is no longer proficient in one-on-one defending.

The starting wing-backs should be Byrne and Toffolo.  Toffolo’s form has dipped in the last month, but in light of Swindon’s limited options, and the balance he gives the side by being left footed, he should be favoured.  Will Randall is promising, but defensively he is frail and would be exposed and targeted.    Gladwin is another option, but it would be an utter waste of his talents to shunt him out wide and saddle him with defensive duties.

The central midfield trio should be Kasim, Luongo and Gladwin, with the latter more advanced.  Cooper has seemed reluctant to play these three together, possibly concerned by their defensive frailties.  Admittedly, the midfield trio will be susceptible to the counter-attack, but not overly more than a midfield containing Jack Stephens.  Kasim and Luongo can defend.  If Swindon are to triumph they will do so through technical superiority and by dominating possession, not by setting up to stifle their opponents’ attacking threats.  Swindon simply do not have the players to play in a reactive, defensive manner.  Remember Ricketts and Stephens in central midfield against MK Dons because of Cooper’s pre-occupation with the late runs of Dele Alli?  Result: a loss of control in central midfield with MK Dons dominating and creating numerous goal scoring opportunities.  Had Kasim, Luongo and Gladwin been in central midfield Swindon, arguably, would not have lost control that day. 

Perhaps the biggest positive of the last month has been the form of Gladwin.  In an advanced central midfield role he has been formidable; cutting defensive lines with ease and possessing a considerable goal scoring threat.  His shooting is accurate and venomous.  Opposition managers will be more concerned about him than any other Swindon player.

Up front matters are not straightforward.  Until yesterday’s performance against Leyton Orient Andy Williams’s form had been dire.  His loss of form can be explained in part because of the changing set-up of opposing teams.  Williams is not a 'number nine' and thrives on space behind the opposition.  Against teams who ‘park the bus’ he struggles.  As the season has progressed, opponents have been defending deeper and deeper against Swindon which has had a particularly adverse impact on him.  Michael Smith’s loss of form seems to owe more to confidence.  Smith strikes me as a player who needs plenty of encouragement and an arm round the shoulder.  His performances have not been bad - better than Williams’s – but still some way off his early season form.  Obika is the form man and should start either alongside Michael Smith or Jermaine Hylton.  Cooper’s omission of Hylton from the match day squad against Leyton Orient suggests that he will start against Sheffield United.  Blessed with pace and the ability to weave his way through defensive lines, he has considerable promise.  Hylton’s inclusion excites, irrationally so.    

Swindon have a very good chance of triumphing in the play-offs.  As a pessimist I don’t think they will, and I’m not just saying that to steel myself for disappointment or tempting Fate to intervene.  If Louis Thompson was available and match fit I might feel differently.  Let’s hope I’m wrong, which is not an infrequent occurrence.

*This is not a criticism of Cooper adopting the 3-5-2 formation.  It is the best formation given Swindon’s personnel.

#17 Three at the Back: Bristol City and Swindon Town

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n my formative years as a football fan the 3-5-2, particularly in Europe, was the preferred formation. The German Euro ’96 winning team played it with Matthias Sammer as sweeper; the great Juventus side of mid to late 90s, and the Bayern Munich Champions League winning 2001 team, used it without a sweeper; and on a more provincial front, Martin O’Neill’s extremely direct Leicester City, marshalled by the unyielding centre back trio of Walsh, Elliott and Taggart, with Impey and Guppy galloping up and down the flanks, were exponents. The use of the formation dwindled in the noughties and is still seldom used by the elite clubs (Juventus and Liverpool aside). However, post the 2014 World Cup, the formation has made a bit of a comeback, particularly among English lower league clubs including Bristol City and Swindon Town who are thriving.

Bristol City play the 3-5-2 (more of a 3-4-1-2 in their case) in a fairly conventional manner. The back three (right to left) of Ayling, Flint and Williams is similar in style to the 2001 Bayern Munich centre back trio of Kuffour, Andersson and Linke: a slower, aerially accomplished, organiser (Flint and Andersson) flanked by two pacier, aggressive, ball winning players (Ayling and Williams, and Kuffour and Linke). For Bristol City, Aden Flint – club captain, and a colossus at 6’5” – is, arguably, Bristol City’s most important player. As you would expect, given his size, he wins everything aerially and is a considerable threat at set pieces. Ayling and Williams – very quick for centre backs – use their pace well to cover the pockets of space in the corners of the pitch: the glitch of the 3-5-2 formation. Confident in their recovery ability, Ayling and Williams press the opposition high up the pitch, dispossessing the opposition in advanced areas to start counter-attacks in their opponent’s half. Ayling and Williams could play as full-backs and, in Ayling’s case, as a box-to-box midfielder. They are both comfortable in possession and rarely resort to long punts up the pitch, unlike Flint.

Bristol City’s wing-backs, Little and Bryan, are quick and athletic. Given Bristol City’s dominance in many games, they are often high up the pitch, but do not neglect their defensive duties and expose Ayling and Williams overly to counter-attacks. Bryan is the more skilful of the duo and better in an attacking sense; he has probably been the best League One wing-back/full-back this season. 

Bristol City’s central midfield is well balanced with Pack/Elliott and Korey Smith as the double pivot, and Freeman ahead of them, operating between the lines in a ‘free role’. The midfield trio is similar in style to the 2001 Bayern Munich central midfield of Effenberg, Hargreaves and Scholl. The most eye-catching of the trio is Freeman, although Korey Smith is the most effective: comfortable in possession, an excellent passer and incredibly athletic. He is the best defensive midfielder in League One. 

Bristol City’s front two – currently Wilbraham and Agard – perform, essentially, the big man (Wilbraham), little man (Agard) act. For strikers they have a very high work rate, but are, perhaps, not good enough for the Championship in an attacking sense.

Currently, Swindon play a 3-6-1 formation rather than a 3-5-2 which they have played for the bulk of the season, although badging it a 3-5-2 is a simplification. Swindon’s 3-5-2 has actually been a 1-2-1-4-2 or 1-2-4-1-2, the latter resembling Jorge Sampaoli’s buccaneering Chileans. It is unconventional; tactically innovative; progressive some might say.

Swindon’s back three is an inversion of Bristol City’s: playing with a sweeper flanked by two orthodox central defenders. Nathan Thompson is Swindon’s sweeper, club captain and a product of the youth team. Up until the current campaign he spent most of his career as a right back/right-wing back. Technically, he is excellent: one of the most composed defenders in possession in League One. Given Swindon’s expansive style, and susceptibility to the counter-attack, he, on occasions, uses his pace to move into wide positions to cover in behind the flanking centre backs, and defend in one-on-one situations (less so as Swindon’s organisation improves). Branco and Turnbull are orthodox central defenders – good in the air (the former particularly so) – and comfortable in possession. Unlike Ayling and Williams, they are not very quick (but not slow), and would struggle to play as full-backs in a back four, making them less effective in covering the space out wide left by the three centre back formation. Although Swindon’s back three is technically superior to Bristol City’s in possession, it is a weaker defensive unit off it, not helped by the protection afforded by the wing-backs.

Swindon’s wing-backs, Byrne and Toffolo are, arguably, not really wing-backs at all. Frequently stationed well into the opposition’s half their remit (or preference) is to attack more than defend to pin back the opposition’s full backs and to be in prime position to counter-attack. This can leave Swindon exposed defensively, relying on Branco and Turnbull to defend against opposition wingers in one-on-one situations. MK Dons have been particularly good in exploiting this weakness. 

Swindon’s central midfield is the best creative unit in League One. When playing the 3-6-1 formation, typically, a diamond is used with Stephens at the base, Kasim and Luongo ahead, and Swift at the top in the ‘number 10 role’ just behind the lone striker, Smith/Williams. Generally, most opponents play a 4-5-1 formation against Swindon to swell their midfield numbers to counter Swindon’s threat, but, unless their full backs play in advanced roles – which would give them seven in midfield – they find themselves outnumbered in this area. Swindon have the highest possession per game average in League One by some margin, dominating most opponents in central midfield. Their share of the possession has not dropped below 50% in any game this season.

Up front, Michael Smith or Andy Williams play in the ‘number nine role’, the former more effective than the latter as a lone striker. 

#16 Old Man Ricketts

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windon Town desperately needed a defensive addition before the expiration of the Emergency Loan deadline. Since Louis Thompson’s injury playing Jack Stephens in central midfield has become a necessity leaving Swindon with no defensive cover for the back three of Rossi-Branco, Nathan Thompson and Turnbull. Banking on these three to play all nine games in a rather hellish April run-in would have been optimistic in the extreme. Thankfully, considerable aid has arrived in the form of Sam Ricketts on loan from Wolves until the end of the season (including the play-offs).

Sam Ricketts is a wholly untypical Lee Power/Mark Cooper signing. For a start he’s old, so very old. At 33 he is five years older than Swindon’s former oldest codger, Andy Williams, who is four years older than any other member of Swindon’s first team squad. Ricketts’s arrival raises the average age of Swindon’s first team squad from 22 to 23. He is not a ‘saleable asset’. Reportedly* on a weekly wage at Wolves in the five figure region - let’s say £10,000 - he earns approximately £8,500 more than the average weekly wage of a Swindon Town player. Given Swindon’s tight budget, and Lee Power’s penchant for haggling, I would presume that Swindon are not paying Ricketts’s wages in full; probably no more than £4,000 per week. His signing says a great deal about Lee Power’s feelings about Swindon’s chances to finish in second place and achieve automatic promotion – it’s on!

Ricketts ought to help Swindon defensively. Vastly experienced with excellent positional awareness, and good aerially, he brings qualities that are not the strongest suit of Swindon’s first team squad (of course, largely because of their inexperience). He will improve Swindon’s ‘game management’ (apologies for the inane football jargon); particularly in those periods when Swindon are not in possession and come under pressure (in Swindon’s case usually 15 minute spells). The fans of Ricketts’s previous clubs all speak very highly of him. The statements: “a true pro”; “a class act”; and “sorry to see him go” are used again and again on fan forums. He seems to be the type of person who improves the culture of the organisation in which he operates: a hard worker, disciplined and thoughtful. A giver, not a taker. Ricketts is also, clearly, a leader. He has natural authority when interviewed and even more on the pitch. Physically, he looks the part. At 6’1” with his chiselled, aquiline features, prominent cheekbones and broad shoulders, he could easily play the part of Maximus Decimus Meridius or Aragorn son of Arathorn**.

Back to the football, Ricketts will probably play instead of Rossi-Branco as Swindon’s right-sided centre back in the back three. However, in games when Rossi-Branco’s aerial presence is needed, Ricketts might have to accept a substitute berth as he won’t start ahead of the excellent Nathan Thompson and Turnbull in the back three. Equally, as his energy levels and pace are declining, he would probably not play ahead of wing-backs, Byrne and Toffolo, who are, in any case, virtually wingers. He would also not start in central midfield unless Jack Stephens was injured. 

My only slight concern about Ricketts’s signing is the short period of time in which he has had to adapt to Swindon’s unique playing style. Ricketts has always played in a back four throughout his career and largely for teams who did not play possession based football. Nota bene: he played for Swansea under Kenny Jackett, not Roberto Martinez. Although experienced and versatile, receiving the ball in tight, pressurised, dangerous areas, and being expected to opt for the short pass rather than an aimless long punt, might require a longer period of adaptation than one week!

Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of Ricketts’s signing was his principal motivation for joining. Ricketts wants to be a manager after his playing career – he is already a de facto player/coach at Wolves – and wants to immerse himself in Swindon’s culture, style and observe their training sessions. Surprised at Swindon’s technical excellence in the away fixture at Wolves last season, Ricketts wants to understand how Swindon, with their meagre resources, play with such panache. Luke Williams: your coaching sessions are going to be observed acutely. 

Not only has Swindon become a nursery for technically gifted young footballers, but it might also be becoming part of a Grand Tour for aspiring young managers. The football community is impressed.

*I do stress reportedly.

**I know that this is bordering on the homoerotic.