New signings David Prutton and Thomas Dossevi get Swindon's season underway
There were so many cobwebs on the County Ground pitch yesterday it must have been an arachnophobe’s worst nightmare.
Despite all that’s said about pre-season games being good for building up sharpness and fitness, the opening day fixture is very often an anti-climax and I’ve found that it usually takes most players a game or two to dust themselves down and get into the swing of things.
Last year, for example, Swindon were stuffed by five goals on the opening day and still made it to the play-off final while eventual champions Norwich had seven put past them in an early fixture.
It’s far too early to make any rash judgments and there’s no need for Danny Wilson to panic just yet. As he pointed out after the game:
“It was disappointing, but I’m too long in the tooth to over-react. It’ll get better though, but there’s plenty of work to be done.”
Personally, I don’t think the Swindon fans will over-react (well apart from the usual mindless minority you find at most clubs). Wilson and his players earned themselves some time and a lot of respect after last year’s run to Wembley. Having said that, I wouldn’t be surprised if they practice passing a fair bit in the coming week. I lost count of the number of hospital balls played by Swindon yesterday afternoon. At one point I wondered whether they had all fallen out with each other at the pre-match lunch.
Several new boys were on show in red.
Thomas Dossevi partnered Charlie Austin up front and, although Austin got his customary goal in the 80th minute (see video below), Dossevi struggled and was substituted at half time. According to Wilson the Togo striker “was shell shocked” after the rough service handed to him by the Brighton boys. Wilson wasn’t whinging and pointed out that it was something the lad “would have to get used to”.
Charlie Austin opens his (and Swindon's) account for the season
David Prutton partnered Jonathan Douglas in midfield and I was surprised that Simon Ferry started on the bench given the understanding he developed with Douglas last season.
Former Forest and Leeds midfielder Prutton put in the effort, but it didn’t quite happen for him on his debut. However, he’s been around too long to let one game bother him. I’m sure that the competition for midfield places will be an interesting one this term and it’ll be fascinating to see whether – as Wilson must hope – it benefits the club.
Fellow debutant Michael Rose looked comfortable at right back and it was the former Stockport man’s free kick that led to Austin’s first of the season.
The remaining new face, David Ball who is on loan from Manchester City, seemed to grow in confidence as the game wore on. Ball reminded me of Danny Ward who played for Swindon on loan last season. Ward started off quietly, but ended up as a key member of the starting eleven at Wembley.
I was sorry to see Sean Morrison on the bench as well yesterday, but both Scott Cuthbert and Lecsinel Jean-Francois played well in the centre of defence and so like Ferry, Morrison will need to bide his time.
Brighton’s boss Gus Poyet couldn’t believe his luck after the game and admitted:
“It was a strange game. I think we played better against Swindon last year and we didn’t get anything. It was a good start though.”
Matt Sparrow scored a brace in his debut following a summer move from Scunthorpe and it was no surprise to anyone when Poyet describe him as “a very happy boy”. His first goal in particular was stunning strike that flew in off the inside of the post from 20 yards and left keeper Phil Smith with no chance.
Sparrow spent eleven years at Scunthorpe and told me that Gus Poyet was the main reason he decided to move to Brighton. Keeper Casper Ankergren also cited Poyet as the reason he turned down lucrative deals in Turkey to join the Seagulls and you have to wonder whether the Poyet factor might see them fighting at the top of the table come next May ... but like I say, it’s too early to make any judgments at this stage.
