[Archived] Lets Get Back To Basics - What Would You Like To See?

[Wild Irish Rover]

Looking through the forums recently I was struck by how much of what has been said was about matters off the pitch, rather than the real reason we follow the Rovers - the football. So, I thought it would be interesting to see exactly what YOU all think is missing from the team on the pitch at the moment, and how you would do things differently...

For me the biggest bugbear has to be the total lack of creativity in the final third of the pitch - I know we are defending like numpties at times, but attacking play does take an awful lot of pressure off defenders. Given that we lost the (now obvious) benefit of a creative player like Bentley driving us forward and creating a supply line to Roque et al, I would like to see all the stops pulled out to bring some wide play back into our tactics. If that means bringing in a proven right winger (thereby allowing Bert to drop back) and strapping booby traps to Gamst's heels that go off if he goes inside the area, then so be it. I reckon if we could get behind players and provide some real service to Santa then he would a) start scoring for fun again and be) perhaps re-state his loyalty to the club come January.

As for the other stuff, midfield and defending, well as I say, the best form of defence is attack - but unless we start to play to players' strengths (e.g. avoiding long ball hopeful punts upfield) we will never score more than our opponents, as we will continue to play matches on the back foot the whole time.

What are your thoughts? What Basics would you get the team back to?

[Guest Kamy100]

For me I would like to see Rovers going back to being organised and being hard to break down.

To many times this season teams have found it very easy to constantly open us up. I saw signs of better organisation in the first half against Liverpool, the defence and midfield were closer together and seemed to work as a unit, this made it harder for Liverpool to find gaps. I still believe that most of our problems stem from midfield so it would be good to see a settled partnership in the centre of the park. At the moment I would go with Tuguy and Vogel, if we can get Grella fit then he would replace Vogel as he has shown glimpses of being a very good player if he can stay fit.

Against Wigan we are going to have to battle, they are a very dangerous team because of the the physical threat they pose put also have some very quick and creative players (ie Valencia) so it is important that we match them.

[joey_big_nose]

In terms of workrate, shape, organisation and determination if we perfom like against Liverpool we will be fine. The main issue is creativity - we have a lot of workhorses but few outlets. Literally we have two creative players in our regular eleven - Cruz and Tugay - and one of those is tired/injured/eyeing a move and the other is 38. Pedersen showed inventiveness but I have leart that this is very flash int he pan with him.

So the issue is how do we score goals? Currently I do not have an answer. The two rays of hope are Dunn returning soon and the transfer window. We need at least one quality passing or pacy midfielder and a pacy or very effectively physical striker.

The problem is that whenever you put down a formation, no matter what configuration, on paper it is hard to see how we will hurt the opposition. Little pace, little creativity, little physical supremacy. ALso we are rubbish at set pieces.

I wonder what Steve bruce is worrying about?

.

[Mr. E]

I want fighters. Players like Todd, Dickov, Savage. Players who weren't afraid to run themselves down for the club. It was not pretty, often it was not good - but it got us points.

Sadly, we no longer have players of such mentality.

In terms of workrate, shape, organisation and determination if we perfom like against Liverpool we will be fine. The main issue is creativity - we have a lot of workhorses but few outlets. Literally we have two creative players in our regular eleven - Cruz and Tugay - and one of those is tired/injured/eyeing a move and the other is 38. Pedersen showed inventiveness but I have leart that this is very flash int he pan with him.

So the issue is how do we score goals? Currently I do not have an answer. The two rays of hope are Dunn returning soon and the transfer window. We need at least one quality passing or pacy midfielder and a pacy or very effectively physical striker.

The problem is that whenever you put down a formation, no matter what configuration, on paper it is hard to see how we will hurt the opposition. Little pace, little creativity, little physical supremacy. ALso we are rubbish at set pieces.

I wonder what Steve bruce is worrying about?

.

who exactly qualifies as a "workhorse" at our club? Roberts...and I'm struggling to name someone else. Most definitely not Nelson or Samba.

[Rovers_Dan]

agreed. bring back the bully boys and the reputation that comes with it.

were much to nice thesedays

[dingles staying down 4ever]

Against Liverpool we went back to a 4-4-2 and Rovers did look better but created little. Also when Liverpool stopped being negative and started to attack they opened Rovers up and scored three goals.

Midfield is where the majority of the problems lie. Grella fit may help and Vogel now being back in the fold will definitely help but are hardly going to supplement attack.

Ince has got to learn that the lesson dished out on Saturday that the main priority is not to concede then if possible one goal not four or five are needed.

[LeChuck]

Defend properly. It's the only way we can get out of this.

I am completely guessing here, but I'm sure Ince won't be making use of the technology that all other top managers do (Pro-Zone, DVD analysis/preperation etc.). I only say that because I fail to see how he could have come across it; he wasn't in the Premiership when it become the 'norm', he won't have encoutered it in the lower leagues and he hasn't been on any courses to learn about it that way.

I still cringe whenever I think about Mathias' "we have strong characters in the staff" comment. That's not going to get us out of trouble. It might have worked at Macclesfield, but it won't work in the Premiership.

[cruz]

Assumption and more assumptions

How does anyone know Ince doesn't use pro-zone? if today's post about a fans meeting with JW is to be believe then Ince is a big exponent of pro-zone. But then again positive information is ignored by the entrenched anti-Ince brigade.

Hughes used pro-zone but that didn't stop us not winning for 12 games this time last season

The unsubstantiated spew about Ince continues..................I like to consider the only fact that doesn't lie in my opinion that Ince isn't the right man and that's the league table.

leave the titttle tattle for the old women in the post office

[broadsword]

Stop bloody conceding so many goals.

Score more than the opposition does.

Have some sort of organisation, so that players are open for a pass, and teams do not impose themselves on us.

Stop playing players out of position.

Stop playing players because of who they are, regardless of form.

Start winning some bloody games!

[Tris]

I am completely guessing here, but I'm sure Ince won't be making use of the technology that all other top managers do (Pro-Zone, DVD analysis/preperation etc.). I only say that because I fail to see how he could have come across it; he wasn't in the Premiership when it become the 'norm', he won't have encoutered it in the lower leagues and he hasn't been on any courses to learn about it that way.

I think you've got the wrong end of what I'm saying. He told me stuff about Paul Ince none of us knew, about how much in depth research he goes, how much pro zone he uses ( much more than Hughes) about how much more knowledgeable he is from what we see on camera). The players are 100% behind him and I think we should be too. (only my personal opinion). Mr Willaims told me stuff

[LeChuck]

I hadn't read that. I admit I was wrong about that then, I did say 'I'm completely guessing' so I wasn't at all trying to peddle it as the truth.

Still, Pro-Zone is analysis, I'd love to know what kind of preperation is going in to the our matches. I still don't believe that a defence good enough for consistent top 10 finishes can turn in to the worst in the league over a summer without poor management.

[Majiball]

Curiously I'm a little lost Ince uses lots of pro-zone, I will assume for both ourselves and the opposition it would make sense. Who's doing the analysis? we haven't caused teams any trouble we just pass it round the box. Do we employ a match anaylist? Is it a student on placement? (I would not be surprised).

If we're using all this technology and showing no-improvement you have to wonder. Pro-zone is a fantastic bit of kit, but its no good if the person using it is not seriously experienced.

Sorry to rant but I've used it a lot and similiar, and seen some good progression caused by the info produced. Its good Ince has added more objectivity to his decision making process. Its just not working.

Curiously who's our sports psychologist?

[roverfanuk]

A team of our best players mixed with good new signings, as apposed to a team that isn't made up of our worst players, and reserve/acadamy players and League One players because Ince has sold off our stars, and built up a division one team to satisfy our board and it's wish for more money...

[broadsword]

A win! My kingdom for a win!

[DingleBaiter]

I would like to see some Russ Meyers 'Supervixens', Lucy Pinder, Keeley & Katie Price bouncing about on the pitch; that's about the only way we'll see bigger t*ts than the ones out there at present & be more enjoyable

Curiously I'm a little lost Ince uses lots of pro-zone, I will assume for both ourselves and the opposition it would make sense. Who's doing the analysis? we haven't caused teams any trouble we just pass it round the box. Do we employ a match anaylist? Is it a student on placement? (I would not be surprised).

Think you will find the DV operator/resident geek that used to create a lot of the PZ/DVDs/analysis was part of the Hughes exodus too.

[Exiled in Toronto]

The point of the thread was what would you like to see, and so predictably, it becomes another anti-Ince thread.

I for one would like to see Benni as the main striker; he doesn't need a gilt-edged supply line from a Bentley to score. I'd like to see a fit Dunny and Grella in the middle, two new wingers, Bert back at full back, Bunn given a go in the nets and Nelsen dropped for Zurab. then we'd stay up no problem, even with Mathias pressing the wrong buttons on Prozone

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

Do what we did in the first half against Liverpool and we will be fine. We didn't let them have the ball for long, we pressured as a unit and they never had time to pick out a pass.

Stop sitting back, it's as simple as that.

[broadsword]

Cry havoc and let loose the dogs of Milton Keynes!