The fact that his army could not defend the fortified Chippenham, even in "an age... as yet untrained in siege warfare" casts great doubt on its ability to defeat the Danes in an open field, unaided by fortifications.
O feito de que o seu exército non puidese defender a fortificada Chippenham, mesmo “nunha época… en que a técnica de asedio aínda non estaba moi desenvolvida”, demostra que existen grandes dúbidas de que puidese facer fronte aos daneses en campo aberto, sen axuda de fortificacións.