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Five Things We Learned: Swindon 3-0 Charlton
After Swindon Town managed to get back to winning ways with an impressive 3-0 home win over Charlton, Total Sport’s Ryan Walker gives his analysis on five things we learned from the victory.
1) The Tim Sherwood effect
Just days after former Spurs manager, Tim Sherwood, was appointed Town’s new director of football, Swindon managed to put in one of their best displays of the season at the County Ground in their 3-0 win over Charlton.
Was it a coincidence? No. Instead this was seen as an opportunity by both the players and Luke Williams to impress Sherwood, and they certainly did not disappoint.
Don’t be fooled, it will take time for Sherwood to implement his tactics and experience into this youthful Swindon side, but this could just be the start of a beautiful footballing relationship.
2) Town were willing to take shots
One main criticism over the course of this season and Williams’ regime has been that Swindon play possession-based football for the sake of it and do not take enough shots.
However, it is fair to say that in front of the Sky Sports cameras on Saturday afternoon this was not the case, with Swindon having 18 shots in total and three goals being scored.
The midfield attacked well and Luke Norris dropped deep at times to create space in behind the defenders which worked extremely well, although a first league goal still eludes him. More of the same and Swindon will soon start to climb the table.
3) Doughty and Goddard the perfect balance?
After signing from non-league Woking on a permanent basis at the start of the season, many fans and pundits alike were hesitant as what to expect from the 23-year-old but as we approach the halfway stage of the season, John Goddard has been one of the bright sparks for the Wiltshire club in an otherwise underwhelming season.
Saturday was easily Town’s best attacking performance at the County Ground this season, and that was mainly down to the effectiveness of Goddard and Doughty in midfield. Both have flair, are creative, and have goals in their locker, but the way in which both players understand each other is what makes them such a dangerous partnership.
4) Nicky Ajose who?
Scoring 24 league goals in Swindon colours last season, Nicky Ajose was one of the most prolific centre forwards in the league.
Ajose has lost his goal-scoring touch a bit since his summer move to Charlton with just three league goals to his name this season.
Coming back to SN1 gave Ajose the chance to re-create the clinical finishing that endeared him to Town fans previously; however he was invisible for most of the match, something that was reflected in the 3-0 scoreline.
A tough day at the office indeed and one that I am sure leads Ajose to wonder why on earth he left Swindon in the first place.
5) Better off without Nathan Thompson?
Normally when your captain is missing from your side you are expected to be worse off, but as Swindon Town earned a crucial three points that lifted them out of League One’s relegation zone, it looked as if Town were perhaps better off without skipper Nathan Thompson.
While he is a good player, it is no secret that Swindon fans do not believe Thompson has the leadership skills to be a captain on the pitch and after performing solidly in defence it would be hard to argue that Thompson should be reinstated into the side in place of either Raphael Rossi-Branco or Lloyd Jones.
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