[Archived] Pre-season Friendlies

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

It will take a time for the team to settle - but I must admit that I am worried that we don't appear to have a settled team yet

Eh?

Bad news about Roque,only a friendly but we do appear to be leaking goals a plenty.

[JAL]

Could they look lethargic because they are a week behind Wolves in their training ? Championship starts next week - they will have been in pre-season training at least a week more than Rovers.

There will also be an element of them being up for it in front of their home crowd.

I agree there will be an element of uncertainty in the squad at the moment - especially as tactics and training methods will have changed. But I think you are being more than a little over the top. The time to judge Ince will be about two months into the new season - when his tactics will be bedded in - and hopefully a few more signings as well.

I must admit the lateness of the new signings does worry me - but that isn't Ince's fault - he was thrown in at the deep end with little time to prepare - and it was always going to be learning curve as his targets changed from 1st Div and Championship players to international players.

You must be great to be around - your glass always half empty by any chance ?

At this moment in time the glass is more than half empty and every Rovers fan should recognise the fact and not bury their heads in the sand by saying we'll see in two months time.

This is it a championship team a standard below, Howler and Benni coming on ...what a pity, two yesteryear heros that dont do it for me and more importantly dont do it for Rovers.

Conceding goals to a chump chip team not good at all.

[philipl]

PANIC!!!

Just thought I'd contributea calm reasoned comment.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Only thing I am worried about after today's game is Robinson's confidence. Conceding 5 goals in 2 games doesn't help someone who has been suffering with a low confidence over the past year?

From reading the match text it looks like the goals were attributed more to the defense in front of him than his individual performance.

If I was Ince I would of made sure we had a solid defense today and against Breda, not playing the likes of Mokoena. A couple of clean sheets before the season could have given Robinson a real confidence boost.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Eh?

New right winger - yet to arrive

New right back - maybe Simpson - but yet to play

New defensive midfield player - yet to arrive

New attacking midfield player - only just signed.

We have only one more pre-season match - and I can't see a pattern yet. As I said - not necessarily Ince's fault - but none the less worrying.

[RevidgeBlue]

I don't understand the constant fascination with playing players out of position - and Hughes and Souness were just as guilty of this really.

Bert was awful on the right wing for three seasons, and a revelation when converted to RB. I don't see why we particularly need a new right back nor do I know why its being mooted he switches back to the right wing.

Reid has always looked dodgy at right back ever since he was signed by Souness. He needs to be in central midfield.

Mokoena has only ever demonstrated he can play in one position, sweeping up behind a four man midfield. No use in a four man midfield and at centre half?

Blimey.

[rover6]

Did Judge and Treacy not play in this match ?

It's good that those two are playing and they deserve their chances having done well in previous games. I hope that Ince will persevere with them in the season proper. (However, I fear he may not. Remember Andy Taylor and Neil Danns featuring in previous pre-seasons to good effect - only to be shafted once the real thing started?)

However, it does not get away from the issue that when there is a promising, if not great, young player competing for a position with an "Expe-diocre", the latter is preferred for no reason but his experience. This happens repeatedly and is a bane of football.

PANIC!!!

Just thought I'd contributea calm reasoned comment.

You know things are bad when even Philip can't find a way to spin some positivity.

[Darth Paul]

It is a good job we didn't get a positive result today because the growing number of sad little people on this board who love to find fault in all things blue and white* would be feeling unhappy and that would be such a shame! (You know who you are!)

*(Not just on this thread or even in the past few hours or days, but it seems as good a place to post this as anywhere).

The word "support" always used to be a fairly clear word for me but maybe it needs redefining, dictionary reference first, my additional suggestions are in brackets,

Support:

a. To aid the cause, policy, or interests of... (Unless it doesn't suit in which case it is acceptable to do the opposite)

b. To argue in favour of...(Or against)

c. To endure; tolerate...(Except in the event of adversity in which case it is acceptable to "throw the toys out of the pram")

In light of the current growing trend of so called "supporters" on this website who seem to be finding delight in any action or event involving the club that could be deemed as negative, possibly for future "I told you so" opportunities, or out of suffering from "glass half full" personality syndrome (GHFPS), I suggest we drop the "S" from the BRFCS title this site has for so long gone by, lest it become misrepresentative of its following...

[JAL]

That's a brave prediction - you've already been told in the Fans Forum thread a number of ST holders have yet to renew.

Of course, there's no credit crunch and attendances would obviously have soared had Hughes stayed.

Answer my first post Rev blue, even our eternally optimistic philipl cant put a positive spin on it at this moment in time.

[Darth Paul]

At this moment in time the glass is more than half empty and every Rovers fan should recognise the fact and not bury their heads in the sand by saying we'll see in two months time.

This is it a championship team a standard below, Howler and Benni coming on ...what a pity, two yesteryear heros that dont do it for me and more importantly dont do it for Rovers.

Conceding goals to a chump chip team not good at all.

Whether the glass is half empty, half full, brimming over or smashed is something that no one can say at the moment.

One thing I can say however is that you, amongst many others, don't even seem to be prepared to wait until the person filling the glass (Ince) has had time to finish in order to see which one it is...

[PAFELL]

Doesn't sound good from the commentary.

Mokoena and Reid looking at uncomfortable centre half and right back respectively.

I believe Ince is trying things out - also the transfer window is still open and Ince can sell players, such as Mokoena. He is also giving some of the reserve players a run out - seeing if they would make the grade ok. From the commentry it sounded like Judge did himself some good, as did Derbyshire. I don't think the goals conceeded can be blamed on Robinson - but Rovers had two players in defence that are NOT defenders, Mokoena and Reid (as you said)

Hopefully there will be a better display in the next game!!!!!!!!

[den]

Answer my first post Rev blue, even our eternally optimistic philipl cant put a positive spin on it at this moment in time.

To be honest, I can't think of ONE positive thing at the moment.

[RevidgeBlue]

At this moment in time the glass is more than half empty and every Rovers fan should recognise the fact and not bury their heads in the sand by saying we'll see in two months time.

I don't agree the glass is half empty at this stage, Friedel has gone and we've brought in an excellent replacement nine years younger.

Bentley has gone and Villenueva has come in. He might be a real find.

The rest of our transfer activity probably had to wait until the Bentley thing was resolved. We'll be looking at bringing in different players to those we could have done had Bentley not been sold.

Once the transfer window has shut, and if we seem to be stuggling badly once the season is well underway, I might be of a different opinion.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Something to brighten your afternoon

Only in Burnlah!

[RibbleValleyRover]

I believe Ince is trying things out - also the transfer window is still open and Ince can sell players, such as Mokoena. He is also giving some of the reserve players a run out - seeing if they would make the grade ok. From the commentry it sounded like Judge did himself some good, as did Derbyshire. I don't think the goals conceeded can be blamed on Robinson - but Rovers had two players in defence that are NOT defenders, Mokoena and Reid (as you said)

Hopefully there will be a better display in the next game!!!!!!!!

Ince made a huge mistake today playing a weakened back four. When you have a goalkeeper who has been out of form for some time due to a lack of self confidence you should be playing a solid defense in front of him to ease the pressure. Today was a great opportunity to start building his confidence back up ready for the start of the season and we blew it.

[Mattyblue]

The problem we have is that it doesnt take much in a supremely difficult Premier League for the wheels to come off.

Nearly every fan I have talked to say 'look at Bolton last season'. You have to agree, manager leaves, attendences drop, best players are unhappy etc etc. Yes they survived but if they had have dropped, who could say they would have returned?

We are in the same boat in many ways, a club like Rovers just cannot afford to get relegated in any circumstances, therefore panic is setting in.

[sanlorenzo]

How can we find out the status of Roque's injury?

[S15]

By posting the same question in as many threads as possible.

[sanlorenzo]

By posting the same question in as many threads as possible.

[/quo

Thanks.

[Darth Paul]

I don't agree the glass is half empty at this stage, Friedel has gone and we've brought in an excellent replacement nine years younger.

Bentley has gone and Villenueva has come in. He might be a real find.

The rest of our transfer activity probably had to wait until the Bentley thing was resolved. We'll be looking at bringing in different players to those we could have done had Bentley not been sold.

Once the transfer window has shut, and if we seem to be stuggling badly once the season is well underway, I might be of a different opinion.

Very sensible post, sums it all up perfectly as that is all any of us can do. I can't say that Ince will be a success, but neither can anyone else say he won't. I think he will be fine, as it happens, but either way I am going to enjoy my summer and worry about results when they happen. Being negative cannot make things better.

I could also point out that everyone on this messageboard is eventually going to die, why don't we all panic about that?

It is also worth pointing out that UEFA Qualifying Round GIANTS, Aston Villa and Manchester City have drawn against lesser opposition today, despite investing heavily in their squads in recent times. It is good to know that we will have esteemed company in our relegation dogfight, given that preseason results are clearly indicative of actual season performance.

Time to get a grip people...

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Ince made a huge mistake today playing a weakened back four. When you have a goalkeeper who has been out of form for some time due to a lack of self confidence you should be playing a solid defense in front of him to ease the pressure. Today was a great opportunity to start building his confidence back up ready for the start of the season and we blew it.

I have to agree with that comment,as stated before you would have expected to have seen a near full strength squad today with players in their normal squad positions.Problem is,for a new rookie manager to fully access his sides strength's and weaknesses a few friendly's is nowhere near enough time.

[RevidgeBlue]

We are in the same boat in many ways, a club like Rovers just cannot afford to get relegated in any circumstances, therefore panic is setting in.

But we haven't even kicked off yet!!!!

It's ironic really, that I who have in the past been dubbed "Mr. pessimist" by 1864 and Mr. " must really hate the club" by Andy C. have been constantly in the position recently of defending the club and manager.

Mainly because nothing has yet happened either way to be optimistic or negative about.

We've replaced Friedel and Bentley whose departure became sadly unavoidable and replaced them with two replacements who might not be as good. On the other hand they might just as easily be comparable and we've got another 9 or 10m in the kitty to spend.

[philipl]

Benfica was encouraging and Sporting to an extent.

At least our opening day oponents haven't covered themselves in glory- Chicago Fire 2 Everton 0.

JAL, I was writing tongue in cheek.

[Darth Paul]

Very sensible post, sums it all up perfectly as that is all any of us can do. I can't say that Ince will be a success, but neither can anyone else say he won't. I think he will be fine, as it happens, but either way I am going to enjoy my summer and worry about results when they happen. Being negative cannot make things better.

I could also point out that everyone on this messageboard is eventually going to die, why don't we all panic about that?

It is also worth pointing out that UEFA Qualifying Round GIANTS, Aston Villa and Manchester City have drawn against lesser opposition today, despite investing heavily in their squads in recent times. It is good to know that we will have esteemed company in our relegation dogfight, given that preseason results are clearly indicative of actual season performance.

Time to get a grip people...

Before I get any armed men in uniform knocking at my door, can I just point out that this is just a prediction based upon logic and not a threat!

[Majiball]

Was it as bad as it sounds??

Ah well never mind, its only pre season.

Does anyone know how we set ourselves out today was it still 442 or was a different formation used?

Did Mokoena really play CB over the monk?