[Archived] Rovers v Donny: 11th January 2014...if only it was 1958!

[bob fleming]

A very satisfying result in terms of picking up three valuable points. Reminded me very much of Howard Kendall's team in 1979-80, in grinding out a win by snatching a goal and then ensuring they defended it. If Cairney had taken a decent chance in the first half I suspect we might have had more and I felt we should have had a certain penalty when Williamson was brought down.

Whatever money Robbo is on matters not for a good goalkeeper is the difference winning and drawing. There is no doubt that he remains head and shoulders above Eastwood and Kean and is clearly the number one 'keeper at the club.

The first half performance was pretty decent but in the second half both Cairney and Marshall didn't get into the game in the same way that they had in the first forty-five minutes. I thought Lowe had a good game in the centre of midfield and Williamson is an old head in a young midfield and does the dirty work that rarely catches the eye but is essential in any good team.

Not a classic performance but winning when not at your best is vital if progress is to be made. The next two League games - Forest and Derby - are huge in terms of determining the outcome of the season. Hopefully, Gary will have his eye on the bigger picture and rest several players in midweek so we don't pick up injuries prior to Forest and Derby.

Nuff said.

Fair play to those going next week, if we do them then fantastic, unbelievable result. Fairy tale stuff. I'd have gone but works a bitch. Bigger game next Saturday unfortunately.

Ah, the romance of the Cup; knackered by the fantastic Premier League and the likes of talentless scumbags like Bradley Orr, Jerome Anderson, Danny murphy, Leon best, Steve Kean, Dixon Etuthu, numerous sh1t nobodies from abroad (eg Formica and Rochina*)

Sky TV and it's reliance on the usual suspects. Bland as feck. Let's get there quick (can't wait to spend 60 quid to go to arsenal to get stuffed again - what a bonus!)

* worth 5m apparently according to Jerome Anderson (yes I know you haven't forgotten) who justified the 1.4 Million we spent in Agents fees on TalkSport, despite Barca only getting an additional 400k. Only a matter of time then. 5 mill! What a bonus!

Fall in line everyone, no sniggering at the back. Next they'll be slagging us on Sky again.

[Proudtobeblue&white]

Nuff said.

Fair play to those going next week, if we do them then fantastic, unbelievable result. Fairy tale stuff. I'd have gone but works a bitch. Bigger game next Saturday unfortunately.

Ah, the romance of the Cup; knackered by the fantastic Premier League and the likes of talentless scumbags like Bradley Orr, Jerome Anderson, Danny murphy, Leon best, Steve Kean, Dixon Etuthu, numerous sh1t nobodies from abroad (eg Formica and Rochina*)

Sky TV and it's reliance on the usual suspects. Bland as feck. Let's get there quick (can't wait to spend 60 quid to go to arsenal to get stuffed again - what a bonus!)

* worth 5m apparently according to Jerome Anderson (yes I know you haven't forgotten) who justified the 1.4 Million we spent in Agents fees on TalkSport, despite Barca only getting an additional 400k. Only a matter of time then. 5 mill! What a bonus!

Fall in line everyone, no sniggering at the back. Next they'll be slagging us on Sky again.

Bob, bad day at the office? As always, very insightful - carry on!

[oldjamfan]

Just back home in Glasgow after a nightmare return journey. Excellent first 25 minutes with lots of energetic pass-and-move football. Cairney, Marshall, Spurr and Gestede being the pick of the bunch. The latter's brave header just before the break seemingly setting us up for a comfortable win. However, I don't know what Paul Dickov said to his troops at half time, because Doncaster came out and displayed similar energy levels and bossed the second half. But for a world class save by Paul Robinson in the fifth (of four!?) minutes of injury time they would have sneaked a point, and nobody could have said they wouldn't have deserved it.

All in all a very good three points, and it was good to see a dogged second half attitude that complemented the first half of slick play. Truly Arte et Labore.

[Tom]

On the tired old Rhodes debate

He set up a goal for his strike partner, both did their jobs well, credit to Gary bowyer for spotting someone who looks a perfect foil for Rhodes, credit to rhodes for a superb cross and credit to Rudy for the towering header and long may their form together continue

I've critiqued his all round game before and more than happy to have egg on my face and love it when he proves the doubters wrong, he had an off day in front of goal mistiming a couple of headed chances and not control a good through ball but wasn't anonymous, worked hard alongside Rudy and picked him out with a peach.

For me Rudy is the man to displace alongside him now, Dunn was the man but squandered it due to yet another festive injury and will have to work hard to get it back, Rochina looks like he isn't fancied and didn't do enough in his start amd Taylor seems in and out of the team and DJ seems a good option from the bench.

[LDRover]

I thought Taylor was very unlucky to find himself out of the team today after his recent form.

But as we continue to discover, the G-Bow/ J-Lo axis seems unbreakable.

[bob fleming]

Bob, bad day at the office?

Nah! A good day! We won! Yes a bit dark - but no easy games in this division - and let's get back to the top league to bloody some noses again (take the stupid amount of cash and repeat). Clean sheet. 1 -0. Great header. Next.

What about oldjamfan though? Top stuff.

[AggyBlue]

Just back home in Glasgow after a nightmare return journey. Excellent first 25 minutes with lots of energetic pass-and-move football. Cairney, Marshall, Spurr and Gestede being the pick of the bunch. The latter's brave header just before the break seemingly setting us up for a comfortable win. However, I don't know what Paul Dickov said to his troops at half time, because Doncaster came out and displayed similar energy levels and bossed the second half. But for a world class save by Paul Robinson in the fifth (of four!?) minutes of injury time they would have sneaked a point, and nobody could have said they wouldn't have deserved it.

All in all a very good three points, and it was good to see a dogged second half attitude that complemented the first half of slick play. Truly Arte et Labore.

Yep. Only Rovers can totally dominate a team in the first half and spend most of the second hanging on.

Still not consistent enough although a very welcome three points

[Leonard Venkhater]

Nuff said.

Fair play to those going next week, if we do them then fantastic, unbelievable result. Fairy tale stuff. I'd have gone but works a bitch. Bigger game next Saturday unfortunately.

Ah, the romance of the Cup; knackered by the fantastic Premier League and the likes of talentless scumbags like Bradley Orr, Jerome Anderson, Danny murphy, Leon best, Steve Kean, Dixon Etuthu, numerous sh1t nobodies from abroad (eg Formica and Rochina*)

Sky TV and it's reliance on the usual suspects. Bland as feck. Let's get there quick (can't wait to spend 60 quid to go to arsenal to get stuffed again - what a bonus!)

* worth 5m apparently according to Jerome Anderson (yes I know you haven't forgotten) who justified the 1.4 Million we spent in Agents fees on TalkSport, despite Barca only getting an additional 400k. Only a matter of time then. 5 mill! What a bonus!

Fall in line everyone, no sniggering at the back. Next they'll be slagging us on Sky again.

Haha. Now this is what a message board is for!

All I ever grieved for,longed for,dreamed about in the depths of Eastville and Selhurst Park was just a crock of corrupt s**t anyway..........but do I want it again???

"Everything they did seemed so silly because they only died in the end".

[bob fleming]

Haha. Now this is what a message board is for!

All I ever grieved for,longed for,dreamed about in the depths of Eastville and Selhurst Park was just a crock of corrupt s**t anyway..........but do I want it again???

"Everything they did seemed so silly because they only died in the end".

Yes of course we do. We all want it again, see my post after the one you quoted. Because now, right now, it feels better, it feels a lot more like our club again (who owns us again? Do they actually exist anymore?)

Ah, but Selhurst Park. Been mentioned a lot recently bizarrely. I've seen some sh1tty stuff in my time but that really was a horrible day, kin awful. dave Clark Five my arse. Set off at 6? 6.30? from the Boulevard, got there just after kick off. Then afterwards the driver goes on the wrong motorway - signs to Brighton - I do not jest. Oh and all that stuff in between wasn't much fun either.

Burnley in the play offs? Again, a lot of talk about that as well. I can't imagine a final at wembley between us and them. It would be like the time we went to Plymouth and there was a guy there who sat on the terracing and was in bits, just sat down amongst the crowd (Speedie hat trick when we reached the play offs - that game). All that way he went and couldn't bear to watch. Now that's dedication! I doubt he'd be alone if that game happened. 90k gate and 70k too nervous to watch!

Fingers crossed. I think (?!?)

[broadsword]

Blooming Ada, that Gestede has got a good leap on him.

Have only seen him on the highlights, but looks a very good signing by Gary Bowyer. Class goal.

[wolfie]

Blooming Ada, that Gestede has got a good leap on him.

Have only seen him on the highlights, but looks a very good signing by Gary Bowyer. Class goal.

The old adage is true, you don't need to be good at football. You just need to be able to leap like a salmon.*

*Disclaimer, This may not be completely accurate.

[SoldierMo]

Brilliant result today...poor poor 2nd half but we should have had the game wrapped in 1st half. Still rediculous to play two def mids in a game loke this as cairney was wasted today and the amount of possesion Donny had 2nd half the two def mids just stopd of them. Marshall was brilliant rest were decent and brilliant saves from Robbo at the end.

Ref was stupidly poor today cant belive he actually does this for a living.

One concern is does anybody else think henley has not been at his best both attackin and defensively i think i would prefer kane back, maybe the hamstring injuries are playing on his mind hence not the same attacking full back he was last year.

Overall main thing we got the 3 points bring on CITEH

[arbitro]

I thought Taylor was very unlucky to find himself out of the team today after his recent form.

But as we continue to discover, the G-Bow/ J-Lo axis seems unbreakable.

Radio Rovers reported that Taylor had picked up a slight knock in training. I don't really understand that, you are either fit or not. If one of the wide players got injured in the warm up he might have had to start. King too picked up a knock in training.

Brilliant result today...poor poor 2nd half but we should have had the game wrapped in 1st half. Still rediculous to play two def mids in a game loke this as cairney was wasted today and the amount of possesion Donny had 2nd half the two def mids just stopd of them. Marshall was brilliant rest were decent and brilliant saves from Robbo at the end.

Ref was stupidly poor today cant belive he actually does this for a living.

One concern is does anybody else think henley has not been at his best both attackin and defensively i think i would prefer kane back, maybe the hamstring injuries are playing on his mind hence not the same attacking full back he was last year.

Overall main thing we got the 3 points bring on CITEH

I think Adam Henley is doing fine defensively but he doesn't get forward enough. When he does cross the half way line invariably he checks back and plays it inside or backwards. With his pace and ability I would like to see him running at full backs.

[Tom]

I like Henley, he looks like he could do with a bit more confidence but he's fine

The ref wasn't too costly but just extremely amateur for example when Spurr and Dann both went down and got treatment and he didn't ask either to leave the pitch yet when Gestede did he was kept off for ages

[arbitro]

I like Henley, he looks like he could do with a bit more confidence but he's fine

The ref wasn't too costly but just extremely amateur for example when Spurr and Dann both went down and got treatment and he didn't ask either to leave the pitch yet when Gestede did he was kept off for ages

He was correct to allow Dann and Spurr to stay on and for Gestede to leave the field.

[Hullrover]

Gestede has now become our joint second highest goal scorer with 2 so far this season!

[Gav]

Just back home in Glasgow after a nightmare return journey. Excellent first 25 minutes with lots of energetic pass-and-move football. Cairney, Marshall, Spurr and Gestede being the pick of the bunch. The latter's brave header just before the break seemingly setting us up for a comfortable win. However, I don't know what Paul Dickov said to his troops at half time, because Doncaster came out and displayed similar energy levels and bossed the second half. But for a world class save by Paul Robinson in the fifth (of four!?) minutes of injury time they would have sneaked a point, and nobody could have said they wouldn't have deserved it.

All in all a very good three points, and it was good to see a dogged second half attitude that complemented the first half of slick play. Truly Arte et Labore.

All credit to you sir, not an easy trip in the depths of winter, glad we got the win.

[Doug]

Result was all important IMO yesterday which is good because it was poor overall. Goalie and back 4 did fine, but the shambles in front of them was awful. My guess was a 4-4-1-1 set up and it didn't work. Lot of folk claiming the Rudy is the new messiah but I need to see a lot more from him before I'd agree, he seemed lazy and had that sulky youth body language.

On that performance the pairing of Rhodes and Gestede is not the answer as yet again every time the ball went forward it hit a brick wall where our 4 midfielders were. Most blame it on Lowe and/or Williamson, but if there's nowt in front of them it's no wonder we don't get the ball forward. We are playing our game to close to our goal - where our DM's are!

I'd like to see Marshall on the right for a while during a game, his left foot is just for standing on, he has to cut inside every time.

Cairney has to play in the centre as Williamson is a squadie and far too slow. Hope Evans comes back soon.

Hanley was MOM for me, Marshall was good, feel so much better with Robbo between the sticks (great save at the end).

[Tom]

He was correct to allow Dann and Spurr to stay on and for Gestede to leave the field.

Fair enough

How about letting Doncaster take free kicks 15 yards from the offence yet telling tommy Spurr to move back 2 yards to take a throw in?

[arbitro]

Fair enough

How about letting Doncaster take free kicks 15 yards from the offence yet telling tommy Spurr to move back 2 yards to take a throw in?

Overall the referee was poor and his inconsistency on re-starts was staggeringly bad. His non award of a free-kick when Williamson was pulled back was another poor decision. His handling of the Dann and Spurr incident was, for this level unacceptable. How on earth there can be advantage in our final third when two of our defenders are prostrate only he knows. And the drop ball situation he contrived from this could have blown up as Rovers players were angry when Wellens (who is a little @#/? anyway) hammered the ball out for a goal kick.

Fortunately his ineptitude did not affect the result.

[yoda's brother]

Nah! A good day! We won! Yes a bit dark - but no easy games in this division - and let's get back to the top league to bloody some noses again (take the stupid amount of cash and repeat). Clean sheet. 1 -0. Great header. Next.

What about oldjamfan though? Top stuff.

tell sheff weds that

[oldjamfan]

All credit to you sir, not an easy trip in the depths of winter, glad we got the win.

Cheers, the trip home was not helped by hearing the three words I dread even more than "Two Defensive Midfielders" which are "Replacement, Bus and Service"......but it was definitely helped by three points in the bag.

[chaddyrovers]

very happy with the 1 nil win yesterday and the clean sheet but the second half performance was poor tbh. first half we were playing good attacking football and should have 3 or 4 nil up for sure.

Rhodes and Gestede partnership is improving game by game. good goal by Gestede to show willing to get into the box to head the ball in.

Robinson 2 saves at the end prove why we need him back in the team. he looks better than he did under Kean or Berg and maybe even under Allardyce. I know it is still early days but we defo need him if we are going to get Playoff spot.

would still like to see Cairney playing in centre mid with Lowe tho.

Thought when Dunn came on he settled the game down for us and used to experience and think that was vital for us.

Taylor didn't start the game due not being 100% fit according to Radio Rovers.

[bob fleming]

tell sheff weds that

Ha! Fair play! Maybe it should read "there are no easy games in this division (apart from dirty Leeds)"

[Clitherover]

Blooming Ada, that Gestede has got a good leap on him.

Have only seen him on the highlights, but looks a very good signing by Gary Bowyer. Class goal.

Poor man's Berbatov I'm sure I read on here.