[Archived] Rovers v. Charlton Athletic - Saturday 19th October - 3pm kick off.

[Rover_Shaun]

Getting beat at home is never enjoyable but sh.it happens. If your ambitions are in tune with the clubs (judged on the summers transfers) then disappointment is tempered by the club being on course to match their ambition, which is mid-table. A vast improvement on last season.

Promotion has been banded about to placate the hard of thinking

[Blue blood]

Well that was a disappointment. Very poor game from Rovers, and then got utterly soaked on the way home.

Commented that I didn't think I'd ever see a bigger shower than the Charlton game, only for the heavens to well and truly open. Drenched is an understatement.

However there's a lot more to groan about than the walk back to the car - namely a very discouraging performance.

Positives - not too many. Rhodes despite not having much (any) service still had a couple of good chances. I thought King looked lively and caused them a few problems - was rather surprised when he was taken off. Cairney hungered for the ball and wanted to get things moving. Not at his best doing it, but it's good to see a player wanting the ball and trying to use it well. Williamson looked involved and showed leadership when he came on.

Negatives - unfortunately a significant number:

Kean scares me when he comes out for crosses.

Our centre backs went to sleep to concede the softest goal I've seen in a long time. Disappointing as other than that I thought Dann did well. Problem is his mistakes lead to goals.

Kane was erratic - good going forwards but a few scary moments at the back when in possession.

Best - not worth a start imo. Didn't win many headers, hardly put himself about, and it was almost like playing with 2 Jordan Rhodes, without the finishing ability. Had a couple of great lay offs and hold up play (2 very good ones spring to mind) but the rest of the time he seemed lazy, disinterested and not that tough for a target man. Very, very frustrating.

Marshall - didn't see much of evidence of why we brought him - not very good going forwards, thought he was ok at everything but good at nothing. Certainly not a big enough threat to justify his inclusion.

To me we lost it with the formation. Lowe and Cairney do not a central midfield make, and when in a 2 man central midfield both have too many duties to perform - Lowe is called on to create, and Cairney to defend, rather than both focus on what they are best at. Equally the same could be argued for King, who probably,has less to do defensively when he is part of a 3 behind the lone front man. Unless Best is on top of his game, putting himself about and linking up play then we're basically playing with 9. With Rhodes lack of contribution that's ok as he will get and do well with the chances he creates. Best doesn't and so if he isn't creating chances or working as part of the team, then it really leaves us vulnerable. On today's showing he has the ability but not the attitude, which would steer me well away from 4-4-2. (this is meant to be him fired up...)

We also lost it with the changes - substitutions and tactics. Early/mid way through the second half we had them on the ropes, had a couple of decent chances and they looked shaky. Then we made several inexplicable changes. Firstly taking off King, one of our better performers, for Judge. Judge did nothing except drift inside lots, making us a lot narrower and congested in the middle. Secondly, we then started lumping balls forward, rather than to use the wings, our most promising source of attack. When you have Rhodes and Cairney, and then Campbell up top humping balls forward is not going to get you anywhere. It's no surprise Charlton were able to hold out. Shame, as the move to 4-5-1 with Williamson was the right one and a good call. It's a pity the calls after that weakened our chances of getting something from the game.

Another game which shows how spectacularly inconsistent we are and probably shows that we're probably too good to go down, but not good enough to go up. Most galling of all this was 3 points for the taking as Charlton looked nervy, lacked quality and didn't have many more chances than the goal we gave them. All in all 3 points for the taking so very disappointed with the way we performed and the result.

[EgyptianPete]

Getting beat at home is never enjoyable but sh.it happens. If your ambitions are in tune with the clubs (judged on the summers transfers) then disappointment is tempered by the club being on course to match their ambition, which is mid-table. A vast improvement on last season.

Promotion has been banded about to placate the hard of thinking

Well probably the worst performance this season without a doubt, certainly made me think that top six is beyond us, 1-0 down we had 80 minutes to pull this one round and had no for me fight, what's this pass around the defence crap, my opinion our players though they were better, this league has no prisoners, the sooner this is embedded into their brains the better for all concerned, and that includes the management, i feel we have lost a lot of confidence today and dare i say fans, will they ever learn.

[Proudtobeblue&white]

If we have ambition today was a must win, Dingles won away, so what, Ms D, do you think. Nowt, cos you don't care?

[T.J.Newton]

Very frustrating day, Bowyers poorest game in charge(predictable tactics and formation, poorly timed subs, just seemed all around lacksydaisy!)

most players(Apart from Marshall, something not right about that player) where trying hard but lacked a real game plan and leadership.

[JAL]

Shocker !

Jason Lowe as MOM when the team doesnt score a goal not surprising. Side ways backwards slow it doen break up possession by passing to the opposition somebody at the club needs sorting if Rovers are to achieve anything in this league.

[T.J.Newton]

Bowyer needs to shows some ruthlessness and really shake up the starting line up(we do now have options in most positions, use them!)

[onlyonejackwalker]

Shocker !

Jason Lowe as MOM when the team doesnt score a goal not surprising. Side ways backwards slow it doen break up possession by passing to the opposition somebody at the club needs sorting if Rovers are to achieve anything in this league - professional muppets !

Yeah blame the man of the match. What happened about us scoring five?

[JAL]

Yeah blame the man of the match. What happened about us scoring five?

Jason was always prohibiting Rovers scoring plenty and always will. My theory was everyone had to beat a Charlton player did that happen ?

[Waggy76]

Without Dunn and Rochina ,we are totally devoid of attacking ideas ..

I think today , most people realised we are mid table fodder ,

[Willie Eckerslike]

Biggest disappointment for me was that they scored inside the first ten minutes and we couldn't come up with a plan to counter them and become the dominant team for the reminder ( most) of the match

Well, that and getting soaked to the skin afterwards!

Went to Wigan and Was impressed by the effort that the team put in.

Today don't know what happened but hope it doesn't happen too often.

[Muddboy]

Travelled 400 miles today with a Charlton fan and, for the second year in succession, had to get back in the car after handing them three points.

And that's exactly what we did today.

Quite why we gave them so much space and respect is beyond me. Never pressed the ball once and simply made it too easy for them. They must have thought Christmas had come early.

In the Bolton game we pressed and harried from the first whistle and what was the result? A convincing victory.

My Charlton mate couldn't believe how poor we were.

The first half was turgid, but I fully expected the second 45 to be much improved. It was nothing of the sort. Not sure what Bowyer said at HT but it clearly fell on deaf ears.

My take on individual performances:

Kean – didn't have much to do but his handling on crosses was suspect on more than a few occasions. Lacking confidence.

Kane – very wobbly all afternoon. No confidence and the sooner he's pushed by the returning Henley the better.

Dann – Okay but caught out for the goal. Didn't read the ball very well.

Kilgallon – not too bad but clearly finding his feet and learning about his team-mates.

Marshall – no idea why he gets picked ahead of Chris Taylor. Offers very little and still no confidence.

Cairney – tried to create but his team-mates hardly gave him many options.

Lowe – okay and probably deserved MOM award

King – disappointing. Ran down too many blind alleys and not sure he was 100% fit.

Best – first touch was awful all afternoon and gave it away far too often.

Rhodes – Charlton did a job on him. Didn't get a sniff and looked laboured.

All in all, a @#/? afternoon. And to cap it all off, got absolutely soaked going back to the car. Thanks god.

[Josh]

Taking a striker off for a sitting midfielder was an odd decision when you're 1-0 down

[Parsonblue]

Bowyer needs to shows some ruthlessness and really shake up the starting line up(we do now have options in most positions, use them!)

We may have options in terms of numbers but not in terms of quality. Would anyone seriously consider putting Songo'o, Marrow, Morris etc. into the starting line-up? We have a squad that is good enough for mid-table at the moment and that is progress after last season. When the everyone is fit and at the top of their game we will comfortably hold our own in this Division. But as for promotion? - I think we need to accept the fact that a transfer embargo will happen in the summer and hope that some quality can be added to the squad in January.

I thought our midfield looked poor without Evans and Cairney certainly had a disappointing game by his standards. I thought he was far too deep in the first half and hence the service to Rhodes and Best was poor. At the moment young Kean is an accident waiting to happen. He seems over anxious to impose himself on crosses and comes for balls that he hasn't a hope of getting. He is young and will learn but I suspect he will cost us more points before he becomes the 'keeper he has the potential to become. A fit Paul Robinson might help if it allows Kean to take a break from the firing line. From what little I have seen of Eastwood I really can't see him pushing Kean for the 'keeper's spot at the moment.

[West Yorks Rover]

We may have options in terms of numbers but not in terms of quality. Would anyone seriously consider putting Songo'o, Marrow, Morris etc. into the starting line-up? We have a squad that is good enough for mid-table at the moment and that is progress after last season. When the everyone is fit and at the top of their game we will comfortably hold our own in this Division. But as for promotion? - I think we need to accept the fact that a transfer embargo will happen in the summer and hope that some quality can be added to the squad in January.

I thought our midfield looked poor without Evans and Cairney certainly had a disappointing game by his standards. I thought he was far too deep in the first half and hence the service to Rhodes and Best was poor. At the moment young Kean is an accident waiting to happen. He seems over anxious to impose himself on crosses and comes for balls that he hasn't a hope of getting. He is young and will learn but I suspect he will cost us more points before he becomes the 'keeper he has the potential to become. A fit Paul Robinson might help if it allows Kean to take a break from the firing line. From what little I have seen of Eastwood I really can't see him pushing Kean for the 'keeper's spot at the moment.

I did'nt get to the game but my best old mate has just given me his usual report over the phone, he said that we badly missed Evans and Hanley

today, reckons we would have been much more solid with those 2 and would probably have played with a lot more confidence and gusto,

But like you say we don't really have the strength in depth.

Look forward to your report.

[Willie Eckerslike]

Taking a striker off for a sitting midfielder was an odd decision when you're 1-0 down

My thoughts too

[G Somerset Rover]

Marshall looks like being one poor signing. He's young granted but I've seen nothing to date that shows he's got anything about him. I thought we'd signed some skillful attacker who was capable of the extraordinary? He'd look average in league one.

[Blue n White Rover]

Chaddy still thinks he's great, so we'll be fine.

[justjonny]

First game of the season for me and what a shocker. I've seen us on tv looking good so I expected against a Charlton side at home an easy 3 points. Apart from a few decent Cairney plays I was so wrong. I'm taking it as an off day as I'm not a doom monger, but Marshall is crap, why he plays (other than 2 goals from 2 corner kicks) I'll never know. But like Bower said there will be ups and downs, we enjoyed Watford, and I'm sure we will enjoy more, but today was woeful.

[Cherry Blue]

Didn't like the way Best perfrormed yesterday. Lazy. As the highest paid player he has ability but seems to demand the ball should have been played different and it not he's fault when an attack breaks down. Ok we've been unable to hold on to players and attrack/afford players (don't want to go into whose fault because we have moved on now) but we are in the long rebuild process of and playing Best with this attitude isn't going to help team spirit.

[darrenrover]

We may have options in terms of numbers but not in terms of quality. Would anyone seriously consider putting Songo'o, Marrow, Morris etc. into the starting line-up? We have a squad that is good enough for mid-table at the moment and that is progress after last season. When the everyone is fit and at the top of their game we will comfortably hold our own in this Division. But as for promotion? - I think we need to accept the fact that a transfer embargo will happen in the summer and hope that some quality can be added to the squad in January.

I thought our midfield looked poor without Evans and Cairney certainly had a disappointing game by his standards. I thought he was far too deep in the first half and hence the service to Rhodes and Best was poor. At the moment young Kean is an accident waiting to happen. He seems over anxious to impose himself on crosses and comes for balls that he hasn't a hope of getting. He is young and will learn but I suspect he will cost us more points before he becomes the 'keeper he has the potential to become. A fit Paul Robinson might help if it allows Kean to take a break from the firing line. From what little I have seen of Eastwood I really can't see him pushing Kean for the 'keeper's spot at the moment.

My first game of the season and I think that's a pretty accurate summation all round.

I was also surprised by the apparent lack of energy and enthusiasm; a quality that I thought the team has had in abundance so far this season.

The shortage of any sort of guile to unlock 2 banks of 4 was there for all to see.

[T.J.Newton]

We may have options in terms of numbers but not in terms of quality. Would anyone seriously consider putting Songo'o, Marrow, Morris etc. into the starting line-up? We have a squad that is good enough for mid-table at the moment and that is progress after last season. When the everyone is fit and at the top of their game we will comfortably hold our own in this Division. But as for promotion? - I think we need to accept the fact that a transfer embargo will happen in the summer and hope that some quality can be added to the squad in January.

I thought our midfield looked poor without Evans and Cairney certainly had a disappointing game by his standards. I thought he was far too deep in the first half and hence the service to Rhodes and Best was poor. At the moment young Kean is an accident waiting to happen. He seems over anxious to impose himself on crosses and comes for balls that he hasn't a hope of getting. He is young and will learn but I suspect he will cost us more points before he becomes the 'keeper he has the potential to become. A fit Paul Robinson might help if it allows Kean to take a break from the firing line. From what little I have seen of Eastwood I really can't see him pushing Kean for the 'keeper's spot at the moment.

I would consider giving the players you mentioned in your 1st line a go, along with others from the reserves ect.. if only to shake things up and get the whole squad on its toes. we're hardly setting the league alight with the current line up so there's little to lose, Rhodes, Cairney, Spurr, King and Dann(to an extent) deserve to keep their places.

[Stuart]

It's a good point. On the back of some good recent performances, we (apparently - I couldn't tell the difference myself - certainly not in volume) had a higher number of walk-ons returning.

Many of them might just have been put off by what they saw yesterday. Insipid.

[the original david brent]

We badly missed Corey Evans. I've heard on the grapevine that Evans is out for 3 months! Press release tomorrow. I really do hope my source has been misinformed!

[Kamy100]

I have also heard that Evans injury is worse than originally thought and that he is going to be out for minimum 2 months. Big blow, we badly missed his composure in midfield yesterday, in previous games I have felt that he has set the tempo for us.