[Archived] Rovers vs Forest Saturday 10th August 3pm Kick Off

[Mike E]

I think we need we need to take a bit of a reality check.

Our first two games were going to be tough. Very easily we could have won at Derby and got a draw again Forest.

The simple fact is the we have had you could argue our best three cm unavailable for the games.

Cairney could have made a difference to yesterdays team, although he isn't the best defensively Lowe, Judge and Taylors hard working can help make up for that.

I have no doubt that Evans would be a massive improvement on Marrow in that team yesterday, better defensively and better on the ball as well.

With Evans and Cairney our midfield would be that much stronger. Then theres Willaimson as well.

It is just typical that we lost Rochina at the same time that we didn't have the three mids available. His creativity helps compensate from the lack of creativity from Marrow and Lowe.

I cant help but think we would have got a lot more out of both of the games.

Time will tell, but its a bit early to press the panic button.

I can understand why Evans wasn't used yesterday. I would only have used him if we had suffered injuries. Taylor wasn't as good but he is in my mind much better than King and 120 mins with his work rate must have taken its toll.

Id be far more concerned of we don't look stronger with Cairney, Evans and Williamson.

WHAT WORRIES MOST IS VENKYS PANICKING

Spot on.

On the showing from both sides yesterday, if Forest are promotion faves, then it will only take a small improvement from us to challenge the top6.

[RibbleValleyRover]

The Rhodes debate has been done to death, if we were to drop him I don't see where the goals would come from? Best has never scored more than 10 in a season and none of our midfielders are free scoring. We would have to completely rebuild the team and I don't think we have the finances to do so.

On Kean, he looked promising when he came in but his performances did falter towards the end of the season and so far this season he doesn't look solid. I don't think there is much difference between him and Robbo to be honest, both decent shot stoppers but positionally have problems. It would depend how Robbo has recovered from his back operation and his blood clot, but if he's fit we should look at him.

[SoldierMo]

I honestly cannot believe Rhodes is getting criticism, hes still tryng needs a goal to get him kikstarted...seems the fans just want to criticise anything to everyone,he had quiet patch under appleton then went on another goalscoring spree when he scored his goal

[den]

Nonsense. If it wasn't for his 'deficiencies' last year we'd be in League 1 now. What is deficient is the scandalously one dimensional midfield which is incapable of supplying him with anything but dregs to feed off. Perhaps when we have a fully fit squad this might change for the better but until then Messi would look ordinary given the lack of creativity in our midfield, especially in the centre.

You want him to score even more than he does now - how unrealistic is that?

[den]

The Rhodes debate has been done to death, if we were to drop him I don't see where the goals would come from? Best has never scored more than 10 in a season and none of our midfielders are free scoring. We would have to completely rebuild the team and I don't think we have the finances to do so.

The cash would come from his sale wouldn't it? No-one's suggesting we give him away. If we don't get a decent offer, we wouldn't be selling anyway. I don't particularly (I)want(/I) to sell Rhodes, but I don't see how we can progress otherwise.

[RibbleValleyRover]

The cash would come from his sale wouldn't it? No-one's suggesting we give him away. If we don't get a decent offer, we wouldn't be selling anyway. I don't particularly (I)want(/I) to sell Rhodes, but I don't see how we can progress otherwise.

I can't see us getting more than £10m for Rhodes and would that be enough to replace Rhodes and bring in a few goal scoring midfielders? I have my doubts. I also think we don't have the personnel structure at the club to pull it off right now. There is no MD or Chairman, scouting department looks suspect considering the players we have brought in so far, I don't think the manager has the transfer pull compared to other managers (especially trying to bring in foreign players) and the club is still a laughing stock. We would also have to do something with the wage budget which is tight even if Rhodes was sold.

Looks like a no win situation to me thanks to nearly 3 years of complete incompetence and bad decision making.

[EWOODACE1]

Yesterday we hardly saw Rhodes. When we are in games like that he needs to try and get involved. Dann and Hanley needed him and best to become an option so many times yesterday and they didnt. They then pumped it forward and forests defence coped easily. Rhodes is lethal in front of goal but he IMO has to sometimes do more for the team.

[Doug]

Right Back is also a position we need to sort out. I would give Lowe or Henley a chance to make it their own, or seek a new one before the window shuts. Kane looked very weak and nervous yesterday, and had a couple of 'moments' against Derby.

[Stuart]

Yesterday we hardly saw Rhodes. When we are in games like that he needs to try and get involved. Dann and Hanley needed him and best to become an option so many times yesterday and they didnt. They then pumped it forward and forests defence coped easily. Rhodes is lethal in front of goal but he IMO has to sometimes do more for the team.

I think you've spotted the flaw in your own argument. If we want to play route-one-target-man then Rhodes isn't the man we need, Big Sam is.

However, I don't recall too much 'pumping forward' yesterday. The problem, from my seat, was the massive gap between our midfield and forwards.

[EWOODACE1]

I think you've spotted the flaw in your own argument. If we want to play route-one-target-man then Rhodes isn't the man we need, Big Sam is.

However, I don't recall too much 'pumping forward' yesterday. The problem, from my seat, was the massive gap between our midfield and forwards.

Like I said you read what you want to read. I said because they didnt show for the ball we resorted to that.

Have you ever read posts properly before you comment

[Stuart]

Like I said you read what you want to read. I said because they didnt show for the ball we resorted to that.

Have you ever read posts properly before you comment

Oranges.

[John]

I accept we are not the club of a couple of years ago etc, however it's sad when the manager is positively talking about 'matching' Forest as if we are a team in a different, lower division to them.

Some fans need to realise that our players don't need passing practice (as has been suggested) as technically some of them will always be average.

On Bowyer - hope he learns quickly, different ball game from being a coach - he will make a lot of mistakes, just hope we can pick up a result soon and get on a good run.

[West Yorks Rover]

Rhodes may not be blessed with great pace or power, but I think we will all agree that he is a very fine finisher.

Many on here will remember Alan (sniffer) Clarke who played in the great Leeds team of the late 60s and early 70s.

Clarke's partner up front was a big old fashioned centre forward called Mick Jones, who was certainly not one of the

greats, but he was perfect foil for Clarke's brilliant finishing talent. He was strong, good in the air, held the ball up well

and was always a willing runner. Leon Best is not this man, neither is DJ Campbell.

If we want to get the best out of Rhodes, GB needs to look for a Mick Jones, probably available for less than 1m

or even on a free somewhere.

BTW Jordan is well built compared to the Sniffer in his hay day(positively skinny)

Just my thoughts on the Rhodes dilemma.

[Lytham]

When Campbell is back fit then we'll have two of the best finishers outside the Premier League. Looking forward to it.

[Stuart]

Any idea who the next big Mick might be?

Who is out there now, in our price range who could do that job. Because if Best can't do it, I'm not sure who.

[Mercer]

Any idea who the next big Mick might be?

Who is out there now, in our price range who could do that job. Because if Best can't do it, I'm not sure who.

Tale a punt on Beck at Carlisle.

A bit raw but an awesome presence with no small amount of skill - think he was a real handful for Rovers on Wednesday night.

[Lytham]

We had 28 goals out of Rhodes last season without a big lump alongside him. Same again would do nicely.

[Cherry Blue]

I think you've spotted the flaw in your own argument. If we want to play route-one-target-man then Rhodes isn't the man we need, Big Sam is.

However, I don't recall too much 'pumping forward' yesterday. The problem, from my seat, was the massive gap between our midfield and forwards.

Correct. No quality there which means Rhodes comes out of position leaving us short up front.

[West Yorks Rover]

Any idea who the next big Mick might be?

Who is out there now, in our price range who could do that job. Because if Best can't do it, I'm not sure who.

Now that's where the scouts come in, but there must be one out there.

Someone willing, able, not greedy and not lazy - not much to ask is it ? for 10k a week.

How good/ mobile is the lad Beck from Carlisle ?

Can't believe someone was typing Beck at the same time.

[Stuart]

We had 28 goals out of Rhodes last season without a big lump alongside him. Same again would do nicely.

We had Kazim-Richards holding the ball up for him.

[Lytham]

I don't remember him doing that very often at all. It was usually 451 with Richards on the wing if anywhere.

[davulsukur]

As we saw against Derby in the first half, we will get more out of Rhodes by playing Rochina (or similar) in behind him. Rochina is then the one dropping deep collecting the ball.

Rhodes is then free to work the back line and make the runs in behind.

[Majiball]

As we saw against Derby in the first half, we will get more out of Rhodes by playing Rochina (or similar) in behind him. Rochina is then the one dropping deep collecting the ball.

Rhodes is then free to work the back line and make the runs in behind.

Formica, please.

[GanG2245]

so we need to sign sombody similar to rochina then...

[West Yorks Rover]

We had 28 goals out of Rhodes last season without a big lump alongside him. Same again would do nicely.

We finished 17th though.

Now if he'd scored 38 who knows ?