[Archived] Rovers away day on the South coast - Brighton, Sat 9th November

[thenodrog]

Sounds like our three biggest liabilities all chipped in today to help the opposition win.

Kane- drop him, put Henley in for god sake.

Kean- god knows...we don't have adequate replacements. A position that needs seriously assessing in January.

Etuhu- Nowhere near the team until he is ACTUALLY match fit please. And even then maybe not.

Rem Chelsea sent him here to help his development by getting some 1st team football so whether written or unwritten I'm pretty sure that automatic selection would be a condition of his loan

[thenodrog]

I was hugely disappointed with today's performance. We might have enjoyed plenty of possession but never looked like doing anything with it. We are a million miles away from a promotion outfit. We have issues in all departments. The goalkeeping position is now a major problem and surely the time has come to give Henley a run at right-back. The midfield was poor. Williamson injured again, Lowe back to his normal passing backwards and sideways - anyway but forwards. Etuhu improved in the second half but didn't look match fit. Judge tries hard but makes little impact. Cairney wandered inside too much which gave us no outlet on the right. I'm not sure why we didn't replace Williamson with Taylor and allow Cairney to moved into the centre. Once again, another away match found Rhodes a virtual spectator who contributed nothing and looked totally disinterested. No wonder Strachan won't have him in the Scottish team.

We are conceding far too many soft goals whilst our attack looks toothless. Hardly the characteristics of a promotion winning outfit. With a debt of £54 million there is no chance of putting this right and getting in the sort of quality which we desperately need.

Kean's on a steady decline in confidence and needs a spell out of the spotlight.

We don't appear to have a captain or player capable of driving his teammates on.

The plenty of possession but no end product is squarely on the shoulders of our two sick notes. When fit both are capable of turning possession into advantage.

finally

Massive assumption on my part so allow me some latitude but I feel that Bowyer may be too much of a nice guy and overly 'pally' with the players and has not distanced himself to 'them and me' status as Mark Hughes managed to do when he stepped up to the plate.

[tomphil]

To the players he seems to be refered to as Gaz not boss or gaffer. Not always a good sign although i don't know what Best might call him.

[thenodrog]

He (Rhodes)| had no service bar the one header. That's why he was a spectator and he isn't a big strong striker, which is why he needs someone like Best up with him, the only away game where we played two up for the majority of the match was Bournemouth which is our only away win in that game Rhodes scored two one of which was assisted by Best who scored the other goal. We need two up front apart from Bolton at home I haven't seen anything to convince me that this 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-1-1 whatever you want to call it is a formation that works for us.

No doubt I'll be seen as the antichrist by some but imo Rhodes is a one trick pony ....... and he hasn't even managed that trick for some time. Don't ever think that someone who is not pulling his weight does not impact on the rest of the team cos it does and it quickly breeds dissatisfaction and resentment.

Look for another example at Fulham. One of the best strikers in the business in Berbatov but they are languishing at the foot of the Prem. Sometimes tart liners are too expensive a luxury when the rest of the team is struggling to supply them with chances on a plate. Players like Rhodes and Berbatov can be the icing on the good cake ..... just so long as you have a good cake.

[thenodrog]

When you step back and look at the teams, do the likes of.Brighton, Blackpool, Charlton have better players than us? No.

On paper or in the true context? Reputations mean nowt, 'You are only as good as your last game' is a truism in football

[Leonard Venkhater]

No doubt I'll be seen as the antichrist by some but imo Rhodes is a one trick pony ....... and he hasn't even managed that trick for some time. Don't ever think that someone who is not pulling his weight does not impact on the rest of the team cos it does and it quickly breeds dissatisfaction and resentment.

Look for another example at Fulham. One of the best strikers in the business in Berbatov but they are languishing at the foot of the Prem. Sometimes tart liners are too expensive a luxury when the rest of the team is struggling to supply them with chances on a plate. Players like Rhodes and Berbatov can be the icing on the good cake ..... just so long as you have a good cake.

I can't argue with any of that, although Rhodes does seem to work a lot harder than Berbatov. So...perhaps, we'd prefer someone who scores less goals, but contributes more to general play and therefore other players have more scoring opportunities? Burn the heretic!!!

[thenodrog]

I can't argue with any of that, although Rhodes does seem to work a lot harder than Berbatov. So...perhaps, we'd prefer someone who scores less goals, but contributes more to general play and therefore other players have more scoring opportunities? Burn the heretic!!!

Correct. Roy of the Rovers was a comic book hero. Today there are 12 teams above us who don't have the talents of Jordan Rhodes.

[Stuart]

There are 12 teams above us because we are @#/? at defending.

If Rhodes "contributes more" whatever the @#/? that really means and the team scores less then what good is that?

We have on position boxed off - goalscorer. We need to work on the defensive and central midfield issues now. If Rhodes gets injured THEN we need to do something different. Until then if it ain't broke don't try to fix it - as you like to say, Gordon.

[Amo]

People turned their noses up at the idea of Aaron Wilbraham but he's exactly the kind of striker Rovers need away from home. The very antithesis of Rhodes, he can't score for toffee but his hold-up play is excellent and he brings others into play. No disrespect to Rhodes, there's no better poacher in the division, but without someone decent playing off him, he's a luxury in the modern game. Remember that when we famously beat Utd 4-3, we had one Shefki Kuqi up front that night.

[Leonard Venkhater]

There are 12 teams above us because we are kean at defending.

If Rhodes "contributes more" whatever the Kean that really means and the team scores less then what good is that?

We have on position boxed off - goalscorer. We need to work on the defensive and central midfield issues now. If Rhodes gets injured THEN we need to do something different. Until then if it ain't broke don't try to fix it - as you like to say, Gordon.

May sound ironic but contributing more apart from goals means-off the top of my head- closing down defenders, tackling back, winning the ball in the air, holding the ball up so it "sticks", bringing others into play, running the channels...that'll do for now....Some direct consequences of this ...so the argument goes.... less pressure on the defence and more scoring opportunities for other players....

[thenodrog]

There are 12 teams above us because we are kean at defending.

If Rhodes "contributes more" whatever the Kean that really means and the team scores less then what good is that?

We have on position boxed off - goalscorer. We need to work on the defensive and central midfield issues now. If Rhodes gets injured THEN we need to do something different. Until then if it ain't broke don't try to fix it - as you like to say, Gordon.

5 goals for in the last 6 games! Defendings prob poor but do you consider that a good attacking stat?

May sound ironic but contributing more apart from goals means-off the top of my head- closing down defenders, tackling back, winning the ball in the air, holding the ball up so it "sticks", bringing others into play, running the channels...

Quicker and easier to refer to them as 'the easy bits' of centre forward play Leonhard..... at least for strikers with plenty of heart, enthusiasm and desire.

[AHoyle90]

Always had that worry about Bowyer, can he tell the players as it is and kick them up the backside when they need it? Not sure...

[PAFELL]

There are 12 teams above us because we are kean at defending.

If Rhodes "contributes more" whatever the Kean that really means and the team scores less then what good is that?

We have on position boxed off - goalscorer. We need to work on the defensive and central midfield issues now. If Rhodes gets injured THEN we need to do something different. Until then if it ain't broke don't try to fix it - as you like to say, Gordon.

See both sides to the discussion. Rhodes isn't scoring, isn't getting the service - so something is broke. He had one chance yesterday and missed it.

Keeper, needs to be dropped.

[den]

May sound ironic but contributing more apart from goals means-off the top of my head- closing down defenders, tackling back, winning the ball in the air, holding the ball up so it "sticks", bringing others into play, running the channels...that'll do for now....Some direct consequences of this ...so the argument goes.... less pressure on the defence and more scoring opportunities for other players....

Yep dead right. Any manager worth his salt knows that.

[LDRover]

It's not only that for me with Rhodes, the lack of effort, both to work during games and on his game, coupled with his poor body language, suggests a certain arrogance...and not good arrogance.

As for the rest of the team and formation, keeper has to be dropped, Henley in for Kane and change from 2 defensive midfielders if we're to play 4-4-2. We also desperately need Dunn or Rochina back.

[DE.]

Here we go again. We lose and it's all Rhodes' fault.

[donnermeat]

It's not only that for me with Rhodes, the lack of effort, both to work during games and on his game, coupled with his poor body language, suggests a certain arrogance...and not good arrogance.

As for the rest of the team and formation, keeper has to be dropped, Henley in for Kane and change from 2 defensive midfielders if we're to play 4-4-2. We also desperately need Dunn or Rochina back.

To suggest Rhodes shows a lack of effort during games isn't true from what I've seen. He frequently runs his socks off, always chasing the goalkeeper down etc.

There's plenty Jordan can improve and that has been well documented on here, I just wouldn't put work rate on that list.

[chaddyrovers]

we lost yesterday and now its Rhodes fault. FFS.

think its time that fans stop going on Rhodes weaknesses. its get boring and repetitive now.

we had enough chances/shots yesterday but Brighton made some good saves and our Keeper didn't.

Bowyer made some mistakes tho with bring on Etuhu on for Williamson when Dunn or Taylor or Marshall should have come on IMO.

thought he was too slow in bring Dunn on.

I expect Bowyer to make a few changes in the next game with Hanley, Dunn and Taylor or Marshall coming in for Kilgallon, Williamson, Judge dropping out of starting eleven. and hopefully Robinson in for Kean if Robinson is fit which I don't think he will be sadly

[roversfan99]

Chaddy no one said it is all Rhodes fault.

We are on a messageboard and people will point out when a player makes mistakes (Kean, Etuhu) or can do more, ie Rhodes.

I definitely think he should put himself about more.

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

'All Rhodes's fault'...

Urgh.

He was poor yesterday. If he doesn't score he needs to do more to contribute. Yesterday we needed more than simply a finisher. Of course he wasn't the reason for why we lost. No one is saying that. It was just a game that illustrated his weaknesses.

[roversfan99]

Would agree with that.

[JAL]

we lost yesterday and now its Rhodes fault. FFS.

think its time that fans stop going on Rhodes weaknesses. its get boring and repetitive now.

we had enough chances/shots yesterday but Brighton made some good saves and our Keeper didn't.

Bowyer made some mistakes tho with bring on Etuhu on for Williamson when Dunn or Taylor or Marshall should have come on IMO.

thought he was too slow in bring Dunn on.

I expect Bowyer to make a few changes in the next game with Hanley, Dunn and Taylor or Marshall coming in for Kilgallon, Williamson, Judge dropping out of starting eleven. and hopefully Robinson in for Kean if Robinson is fit which I don't think he will be sadly

Its not been good enough Chaddy !

Theres been some excellent points made regarding quite a number of players, from the keeper onto the young loanee right back through to the midfielders and last but not least onto Jordan Rhodes.

Have to ask why on earth was Bowyer trialing some young lad rejected by Crewe when we can see that the lad from Everton hasnt been upto much kop.

[tonygreenbank]

Its not been good enough Chaddy !

Theres been some excellent points made regarding quite a number of players, from the keeper onto the young loanee right back through to the midfielders and last but not least onto Jordan Rhodes.

Have to ask why on earth was Bowyer trialing some young lad rejected by Crewe when we can see that the lad from Everton hasnt been upto much kop.

perhaps it might be pertinent to check out my good friend m1st`s last posting on the middlesborough thread. It was an email to him from a boro fan yesterday suggesting that rovers might be in the running for a new striker!

[Stuart]

5 goals for in the last 6 games! Defendings prob poor but do you consider that a good attacking stat?

Stone me. Please don't tell me that lack of a goalscorer is our problem now? Yet our only natural goalscorer is being asked to do less goalscoring and more work off that ball, hold the ball up for others, yada yada. Now that he obliges and score less, that's a problem? Grief.

Shut the back door and those 5 goals become so much more use to us. Just ask Mourinho what he thinks of 5 goals in 6 games. He is probably salivating at the prospect of 16 more points on the board!

[chaddyrovers]

'All Rhodes's fault'...

Urgh.

He was poor yesterday. If he doesn't score he needs to do more to contribute. Yesterday we needed more than simply a finisher. Of course he wasn't the reason for why we lost. No one is saying that. It was just a game that illustrated his weaknesses.

that's is Why Bowyer is after Lucas Jutkiewitz to give him another type of striker and different option to Rhodes.