Swindon Town’s 2-1 victory over AFC Wimbledon was made all the more memorable by a surprising tactical decision from manager Ian Holloway.
In a move that no one saw coming, Holloway chose to field Harry Smith, the club’s top scorer, as a central defender in a back three. The decision took many by surprise, but Holloway was quick to defend his unorthodox choice, explaining that it was worth it for the look on Wimbledon manager Johnnie Jackson’s face.
After the match, Holloway revealed that the thinking behind the move was to give Smith, who had been running on fumes, a rest from his usual role up front. Holloway said, “To see their manager’s face was worth the risk I took of putting Harry at centre half. They had obviously done a lot of work on how they are going to deal with him, but he couldn’t believe it.”
Smith, known for his aerial ability and goal-scoring prowess, has been a key player for Swindon this season. However, with several key players injured, including the physical presence of Ollie Clarke and Ryan Delaney, Holloway felt he needed to experiment. “My thinking was that I will still have him for set pieces; I needed to give him a rest as he was so tired and worn out,” Holloway explained. “So I asked him, ‘What about centre half?’”
“It was about them [Wimbledon]; I wanted to bamboozle what they do as they are very good at it,” Holloway said, highlighting his desire to disrupt Wimbledon’s tactical plans.
Though the decision was met with some uncertainty from the manager himself, especially after Smith’s initial struggles during training, Holloway stuck with his choice. “I nearly changed my mind today as the real boss, Mrs. H [Kim Holloway] went ‘What is happening today?’” Holloway recalled. “But I knew that if I needed him, then I could put him back up there, and this was better than giving him a rest.”
Despite the unorthodox selection, the gamble paid off, and Swindon came away with all three points. Holloway’s bold decision added an element of surprise to the match, confusing both AFC Wimbledon and the Swindon fans alike. It was a tactical move that kept both teams guessing and may have been the key to Swindon’s victory.
Writer’s View
Ian Holloway’s decision to play Harry Smith in defence was certainly a gamble, but one that paid off. His reasoning for the switch – giving Smith a rest while maintaining his physical presence in defence – was an interesting one. The move seemed to unsettle AFC Wimbledon, and it showcased Holloway’s willingness to think outside the box.
