Holloways comments post match
Wed Aug 13, 2025 3:59 pm
Maybe looking at the below things are not all bad?
From a Swindon newspaper:
Ian Holloway felt that it was a game of two very different halves as Swindon Town were eliminated from the Carabao Cup 2-1 against Cardiff City.
Swindon were outclassed in the first half and were punished for it when Cian Ashford turned home a rebound from a corner and then Rubin Colwill scored a peach of a free kick.
A triple change and switch of shape saw Swindon fight back after the break, with Princewill Ehibhatiomhan scoring a terrific first goal for the club, but it was not enough to stop them exiting at the first round stage again.
Holloway said he had never seen anything like what Cardiff did in the first half, but was hugely proud of the response from his players.
He said: "I was glad for the second half, really, and I'm glad we half time came when it did. I was a boxer, I don't think I've ever been to punch so many times with their shape, with their structure, and they changed it when we blocked them off.
"Massive credit to their manager and their team, to what they did and their patterns, and when we blocked theirs, they changed it. And they changed it so we couldn't live with it, with the team that I had out there.
"I had that team out there, because Billy [Bodin] needed some bits. Billy Bodin isn't a chaser and a runner when you haven't got the ball. He's a jinker and a doer when you have got the ball.
"So it wasn't really a game for him, but I needed him to have some minutes.
"So I had to change what we were trying to do and try and get a team out there that is more able to win the ball back easier than we had."
Holloway added that Cardiff were so impressive in how they tried to hurt Swindon with their shape, and he learned some lessons from it.
However, with such a strong response after making his changes, he left feeling positive about what his team did.
"I've never played against a team that does it like that. So we [the coaching staff] had to learn something as well.
"They kept their two frontmen so wide, and then they had two other front men who kept going in and out, and then they have another one.
"So they had five on you, then three on you, and then two at the back, and we couldn't really get there, but we managed to in the end.
"We more than deserve the goal. And the crowd lifted us, and we almost got back in it.
"But the truth is, at half time, if you were a gambler, you'd have probably bet on us being beat four or five, maybe even six-nil in the second half, but we won the second half one-nil, so that made us lose two, one. But I was delighted with the second half performance.
"That first half was horrible, but the second half was a lot better."
From a Swindon newspaper:
Ian Holloway felt that it was a game of two very different halves as Swindon Town were eliminated from the Carabao Cup 2-1 against Cardiff City.
Swindon were outclassed in the first half and were punished for it when Cian Ashford turned home a rebound from a corner and then Rubin Colwill scored a peach of a free kick.
A triple change and switch of shape saw Swindon fight back after the break, with Princewill Ehibhatiomhan scoring a terrific first goal for the club, but it was not enough to stop them exiting at the first round stage again.
Holloway said he had never seen anything like what Cardiff did in the first half, but was hugely proud of the response from his players.
He said: "I was glad for the second half, really, and I'm glad we half time came when it did. I was a boxer, I don't think I've ever been to punch so many times with their shape, with their structure, and they changed it when we blocked them off.
"Massive credit to their manager and their team, to what they did and their patterns, and when we blocked theirs, they changed it. And they changed it so we couldn't live with it, with the team that I had out there.
"I had that team out there, because Billy [Bodin] needed some bits. Billy Bodin isn't a chaser and a runner when you haven't got the ball. He's a jinker and a doer when you have got the ball.
"So it wasn't really a game for him, but I needed him to have some minutes.
"So I had to change what we were trying to do and try and get a team out there that is more able to win the ball back easier than we had."
Holloway added that Cardiff were so impressive in how they tried to hurt Swindon with their shape, and he learned some lessons from it.
However, with such a strong response after making his changes, he left feeling positive about what his team did.
"I've never played against a team that does it like that. So we [the coaching staff] had to learn something as well.
"They kept their two frontmen so wide, and then they had two other front men who kept going in and out, and then they have another one.
"So they had five on you, then three on you, and then two at the back, and we couldn't really get there, but we managed to in the end.
"We more than deserve the goal. And the crowd lifted us, and we almost got back in it.
"But the truth is, at half time, if you were a gambler, you'd have probably bet on us being beat four or five, maybe even six-nil in the second half, but we won the second half one-nil, so that made us lose two, one. But I was delighted with the second half performance.
"That first half was horrible, but the second half was a lot better."
Re: Holloways comments post match
Wed Aug 13, 2025 4:07 pm
Thanks for posting the text. I did notice someone posted the audio version on another thread, it's at the bottom of the below link:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/cy7y5je7yn4t
Great words from Holloway
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/cy7y5je7yn4t
Great words from Holloway
Re: Holloways comments post match
Wed Aug 13, 2025 4:37 pm
worcester_ccfc wrote:Thanks for posting the text. I did notice someone posted the audio version on another thread, it's at the bottom of the below link:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/cy7y5je7yn4t
Great words from Holloway
No problem, Ned, but you know it wont satisfy the moaners on here.
Re: Holloways comments post match
Wed Aug 13, 2025 4:43 pm
That’s high praise from a manager with his level of experience. I think it could easily have been five or six if Ashford had tucked away his chance when he hit the post.
We’re a real force going forward and a nightmare for teams to play against. If BBM can bring in the defensive reinforcements he’s after, this season could be a very enjoyable one.
We’re a real force going forward and a nightmare for teams to play against. If BBM can bring in the defensive reinforcements he’s after, this season could be a very enjoyable one.
Re: Holloways comments post match
Thu Aug 14, 2025 6:11 am
Funny what an agenda-less expert can say about us, isn't it?