[Archived] Michael Appleton - New Rovers Manager

[harwood rover]

Well! I cant get over the transformation we have witnessed since Appletons arrival. The defence is unrecognisable from the shambolic shower that had leaked goals from day one.

I didnt think such a turn-around was possible but its interesting to have a look at what Appleton has done with the resources at his disposal. How many of us would have adopted the same strategy if given the opportunity?

1 He retained Kean over Robinson. OK so that was an easy one..but how about these:

2 Givet (who den and I agreed a month ago was our best defender) hasnt had a sniff.

3 Orr against all sanity was recalled from QPR.

4 Simon, whos potential seemed immense was released.

5 Rochina, the hero of many and our main source of creativity (yes, and frustration) - gone!

6 Formica and a few Portugeezers gone.

7 Gomez and all the rest of of Shebbys foreigners sidelined and waiting for the exit sign.

8 Mainly home-grown players he knows and has worked with before brought in to replace them.

9 MGP, Dann, Hanley and others revitalised.

10 All this organised into a fighting unit that relishes clean sheets.

Its easy to agree with all the changes now but Appleton had the courage of his convictions - all of us are reaping the benefits. Lets hope he can maintain the momentum.

Can't 100% agree with that. I'm still not convinced that Pedersen will ever give enough. A couple of times yesterday, he lost his man, noteably when he was called a tw@t by Orr. I don't think we'll see much more of him. I don't dislike the guy, I just feel the end is nigh.He really does need to rejuvenate more than anyone IMO if hes going to keep his place under Appleton.

[adopted scouser]

Lovely on the tube Saturday, so many Arsenal scarves, so many long faces

Appy does look like Giggsy and Gollum got it together though

[Tom]

It still amazes me that in the first half and even at half time people on here and twitter were moaning about our approach to the game and wanted us to start playing a more open attacking game

I thought after many people (including me one or two times) looked a little sheepish at best when criticising our approach at times under Allardyce then witnessing other styles under Kean we would have learned something!

The fact that we have conceded so few recently and scored in each of the last few games shows our approach is near enough spot on

[arbitro]

It still amazes me that in the first half and even at half time people on here and twitter were moaning about our approach to the game and wanted us to start playing a more open attacking game

I thought after many people (including me one or two times) looked a little sheepish at best when criticising our approach at times under Allardyce then witnessing other styles under Kean we would have learned something!

The fact that we have conceded so few recently and scored in each of the last few games shows our approach is near enough spot on

I likened our style of play under Appleton to the way we played under Allardyce a few weeks ago and there is no doubt in my mind that this change has been largely responsible for the turn around in our results. However I have noticed recently that on opposition corners Appleton keeps two Rovers players on the half way line. This means that the oppostion have to have three men back to combat this. He also has them out wide so they can come in quickly if we are looking to break. Simple but really effective. I think sometimes that the little things and attention to detail can be the difference between winning and drawing.

[OJRovers]

I wouldn't compare Appleton's style to Allardyce, in any way other than we seem more organised and more solid. There's no evidence of the long-balls and hoofs into the box at every opportunity. The better comparison is to when Hughes took over and started to build from the back.

[Rovermatt]

I wasn't too fussed on Appleton in the beginning, or at least I was somewhat underwhelmed by his appointment (that said, there are few options available to this mad house of a club). I do recall seeing him interviewed at the beginning of the season while he was Portsmouth manager and being impressed by his honesty. Given who was ruining Rovers at the time, I thought this club was crying out for such attributes. I actually posted on here about envying Portsmouth (!!!!) their bullshit-free manager.

However I have noticed recently that on opposition corners Appleton keeps two Rovers players on the half way line. This means that the oppostion have to have three men back to combat this.

A tactic completely beyond Steve @#/?face.

[DE.]

It still amazes me that in the first half and even at half time people on here and twitter were moaning about our approach to the game and wanted us to start playing a more open attacking game

I thought after many people (including me one or two times) looked a little sheepish at best when criticising our approach at times under Allardyce then witnessing other styles under Kean we would have learned something!

The fact that we have conceded so few recently and scored in each of the last few games shows our approach is near enough spot on

Probably the same people who booed and moaned when we were 3-0 up against Wolves because we didn't try to win 10-0.

[gumboots]

I wouldn't compare Appleton's style to Allardyce, in any way other than we seem more organised and more solid. There's no evidence of the long-balls and hoofs into the box at every opportunity. The better comparison is to when Hughes took over and started to build from the back.

Agreed. i started to post this but couldn't quite explain how it feels different. I think there's less hit and hope and more hit and expect to get someone there, hence i presume why he wants pace out wide and isn't too fussed that we don't have a tall strong centre forward such as allardyce favoured in his time at Bolton and when he played Samba upfront.

[Andy]

I wouldn't compare Appleton's style to Allardyce, in any way other than we seem more organised and more solid. There's no evidence of the long-balls and hoofs into the box at every opportunity. The better comparison is to when Hughes took over and started to build from the back.

Except we didn't 'hoof long balls into the box at every opportunity' under Big Sam.

Only lazy journalists who couldn't be bothered actually watching us play thought this.

We did play direct at times, of course we did - and we did it well.

But we were far from being a long-ball team.

[gumboots]

perception perhaps. It felt like it. It may not be true but watching certainly wasn't easy even though I liked winning. When your keeper takes all the kicks in his half of the field and just puts them as far up as he can, then it's always going to feel like long ball. The ball that set up our goal on saturday travelled a fair way but wasn't aimed into the box to create mayhem, it was more directed - or am I giving Hanley too much credit?

[arbitro]

Except we didn't 'hoof long balls into the box at every opportunity' under Big Sam.

Only lazy journalists who couldn't be bothered actually watching us play thought this.

We did play direct at times, of course we did - and we did it well.

But we were far from being a long-ball team.

Absolutely correct. If we keep winning and doing well under Appleton it will only be a matter of time before we are tagged one dimensional/dirty/long ball or any other derogatory adjective the press can manufacture. I walked back to the tube station on Saturday with plenty of Arsenal fans who are fed up of their one dimensional way of playing.

[den]

Except we didn't 'hoof long balls into the box at every opportunity' under Big Sam.

Only lazy journalists who couldn't be bothered actually watching us play thought this.

We did play direct at times, of course we did - and we did it well.

But we were far from being a long-ball team.

Quite right. I think OJ has forgotten how people have very recently complained about the long balls that Rhodes was being exposed to - and how he wasn't suited to that kind of football.

[darrenrover]

Lovely on the tube Saturday, so many Arsenal scarves, so many long faces

Appy does look like Giggsy and Gollum got it together though

Ditto.

Also having seen Darren Moore at Euston also you can imagine Rovers soon doing their own version of The Hacka pre match

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Appleton has had a good start - nothing more. Each match he has had the rub of the green at key moments - Bristol City missing good chances before we scored, Ipswich missing a sitter in the 90th minute, Arsenal hitting the bar and missing a one-on-one.

Defensively we have played far better - but I have yet to see us put in a really good overall performance yet (Derby away 2nd half - possibly the nearest). When we really start to turn it on - as this squad should be doing - then I will start to get even more optimistic about the future. Hopefully the results will build confidence to play a bit more football - while keeping the organisation and work rate.

At the moment - just trying to keep everything in perspective - but enjoying the ride.

[OJRovers]

Except we didn't 'hoof long balls into the box at every opportunity' under Big Sam.

Only lazy journalists who couldn't be bothered actually watching us play thought this.

We did play direct at times, of course we did - and we did it well.

But we were far from being a long-ball team.

I guess I dreamt that every free kick from half way upwards was launched into the box towards the defenders who had gone up like it was a corner. I've not seen that once with Appleton.

Btw I was pro-Big Sam, just saying that Appleton's style is very different.

[Exiled in Toronto]

Appleton has had a good start - nothing more.

What more might you have expected of him after 8 whole games?

It's much more than a good start for me; the turnaround in players organisasation, solidity, attitude etc has been remarkable, as has his remaking of the squad

[LeChuck]

I have noticed recently that on opposition corners Appleton keeps two Rovers players on the half way line. This means that the oppostion have to have three men back to combat this.

I've always wondered why more teams don't do this. Your wide players aren't going to be much use defending anyway so might as well have them forward and force the opposition to keep a few men back.

[Exiled in Toronto]

I likened our style of play under Appleton to the way we played under Allardyce a few weeks ago and there is no doubt in my mind that this change has been largely responsible for the turn around in our results. However I have noticed recently that on opposition corners Appleton keeps two Rovers players on the half way line. This means that the oppostion have to have three men back to combat this. He also has them out wide so they can come in quickly if we are looking to break. Simple but really effective. I think sometimes that the little things and attention to detail can be the difference between winning and drawing.

Agreed, leaving two up for opposition corners away at Arsenal is something I have never seen us do before

[Plastics]

I wouldn't compare Appleton's style to Allardyce, in any way other than we seem more organised and more solid. There's no evidence of the long-balls and hoofs into the box at every opportunity. The better comparison is to when Hughes took over and started to build from the back.

Exactly my thoughts.

I guess I dreamt that every free kick from half way upwards was launched into the box towards the defenders who had gone up like it was a corner. I've not seen that once with Appleton.

Btw I was pro-Big Sam, just saying that Appleton's style is very different.

Incidentally, I'm quite the fan of that tactic. Open play is different, but set pieces can be used like that IF we have the personnel. Probably being we aren't as tall as we used to be so it's not required at the moment.

[Plastics]

Except we didn't 'hoof long balls into the box at every opportunity' under Big Sam.

Only lazy journalists who couldn't be bothered actually watching us play thought this.

We did play direct at times, of course we did - and we did it well.

But we were far from being a long-ball team.

More often than not the ball went long and aimless. I did not imagine that. Admittedly I took the time to watch for it to see if it was indeed a myth, but I observed it happening far more often than not. Towards the end it was Kalinic's neck where it found its way IF it made it to a player. Or up to Hoilett when Allardyce brought him on as a sub (nothing against Allardyce using him as a sub of course, that was right for his age at the time - how he deployed him was poor). Long balls would have been fine if they'd been directed with a little more care and if the attacker had any support. More often than not, they didn't though. This is fine against the big boys but it was used in every game and it's Allardyce's downfall.

He's a good manager but when managing a non-crisis club people get bored of that when its employed against teams who he could beat without an abundance of such tactics. Like if you look at his away record from Newcastle management onwards (I'm not familiar specifically with his away record at Bolton). He has had a dreadful away record for a long time, but he persists with the same tactics because he struggles deploy any others successfully. Given how little he gets away from home you'd imagine he could lose the hoof ball and keep the sturdy defence but with a more passing approach. It would be worth a try since it's not like he's going to be losing any more games than he already does. And he'd only need to do it against the lesser/mid table teams. But he doesn't and he never will, even though his away record is abysmal. That is because he can't.

Anybody who says he didn't play hoofball are kidding themselves.

[jim mk2]

Talking of hoofs (hooves?), Braddock, your hoofprint is all over this board. Have you nothing better to do ?

[Plastics]

Just sorted the garden out and heading out now, so I will have something better to do this evening I'm afraid.

[Amo]

Appleton showing he could be real deal for Rovers

[Tom]

Appleton has had a good start - nothing more. Each match he has had the rub of the green at key moments - Bristol City missing good chances before we scored, Ipswich missing a sitter in the 90th minute, Arsenal hitting the bar and missing a one-on-one.

Defensively we have played far better - but I have yet to see us put in a really good overall performance yet (Derby away 2nd half - possibly the nearest). When we really start to turn it on - as this squad should be doing - then I will start to get even more optimistic about the future. Hopefully the results will build confidence to play a bit more football - while keeping the organisation and work rate.

At the moment - just trying to keep everything in perspective - but enjoying the ride.

Alternatively - we haven't had the rub of the green at key moments

Charlton player scores a goal he will never repeat in his career

Brighton score a penalty way over the allotted time which was generous in itself

Rovers have a clear penalty denied against Brighton whilst they get one which is less of a penalty if anything

Two sides to every story

[rovers11]

Appleton has had a good start - nothing more. Each match he has had the rub of the green at key moments - Bristol City missing good chances before we scored, Ipswich missing a sitter in the 90th minute, Arsenal hitting the bar and missing a one-on-one.

Defensively we have played far better - but I have yet to see us put in a really good overall performance yet (Derby away 2nd half - possibly the nearest). When we really start to turn it on - as this squad should be doing - then I will start to get even more optimistic about the future. Hopefully the results will build confidence to play a bit more football - while keeping the organisation and work rate.

At the moment - just trying to keep everything in perspective - but enjoying the ride.

Rub of the green?! We've not conceded a goal from open play in 9 hours! That's no fluke.

If you expect us to beat teams 3-0 every week; pass teams off the park; and stop our opposition from ever having a shot or goal scoring opportunity then I think you're going to be disappointed.

In all seriousness, I can kind of see the point you're making. We have defended well but I would like us to be a little bit more controlled in possession at times. With Bentley and Murphy in midfield, I think we'll start to see Rovers controlling more of the possession in midfield areas. I think Appleton has admitted himself that we need to do better when in possession.