Academy & U21s

[Hasta]

Half Time team talk :-

"Come on lads, it's Tottenham"

Edited April 15, 2023 by Hasta

[Sweaty Gussets]

Won 3-2

Table before todays result...so Rovers now on 26pts.

Bottom 2 go down. 

 

Edited April 15, 2023 by Sweaty Gussets

[rigger]

That could be a season saving comeback. Let's hope the first team do it an easier way.

[Sweaty Gussets]

O'Grady-Macken is talked about as another to potentially make the jump to 1st team.

Is he any good? 

[Hannoverover]

Great turnaround and win. That will surely see us stay up this season. Big boost for our academy and future player development. 

I was slightly surprised that we didn't play more fringe first team players today given how important the game was.

[Hasta]

Just now, Hannoverover said:

Great turnaround and win. That will surely see us stay up this season. Big boost for our academy and future player development. 

I was slightly surprised that we didn't play more fringe first team players today given how important the game was.

I'm guessing a few travel with the first team even if they aren't on the bench incase there's a couple of late injuries.

[Mattyblue]

Another Rovers team that don’t really bother with draws…

[ben_the_beast]

Brilliant comeback. Checked the score at half time and thought we were dead, buried and relegated. Agree with those saying survival is important for the club, especially given how reliant we are on our academy. 

[Atko's Engine]

Great result, wonderful comeback, aside from boosting our chances Spurs will feel that's a real sucker punch for them. Still not out of it but in Rovers' own hands again.

With U18s winning at Stoke too, we could make it a huge treble tonight... 🤞🤞🤞

[Mattyblue]

They had Lucas Moura playing too, a mockery they are making of the competition, I tell you, a mockery.

[bluebruce]

11 minutes ago, Hannoverover said:

Great turnaround and win. That will surely see us stay up this season. Big boost for our academy and future player development. 

I was slightly surprised that we didn't play more fringe first team players today given how important the game was.

It's big, but I wouldn't say it will surely see us stay up.

We are 5 points ahead of Tottenham, with 2 games left for us - 1st placed Man City (H) and 3rd placed Crystal Palace (A). I'm not really expecting us to get anything from those.

Spurs have 3 games left - 2nd placed Chelsea (H), 9th placed Manure (A) and 12th placed West Ham (H). They've more chance of picking up a couple of wins there than we probably do of picking up another point. A point would probably see us finish above them even if they get two wins though, as our GD is 5 better, but a defeat for us and a couple of wins for them could make the GD tight.

There are two other teams between us, Wolves (1 game in hand, 1 point behind) and West Ham (2 games in hand, 2 points behind), so we'd also be relying on them not really picking up any points. One of West Ham's remaining games is at home to rock bottom Leicester, utterly adrift with just 12 points all season, and 9 points behind the nearest team.

Hopefully today was enough, but personally I think we need one more win from two very tough fixtures to more or less guarantee safety.

[arbitro]

A great comeback from two down to win today in a really entertaining game. Losing at half time by two goals they showed great character and fighting spirit to win but the difference was Sam Burns who came on at half time. He was aggressive, prepared to run in behind and drag his marker about. Edun was excellent in midfield also as he pretty much dominated in the second half after Spurs had the upper hand in the first half.

The win gives us a real chance of staying up now.

[ben_the_beast]

I see Spurs also had a certain, Lucas Moura playing for them today. That's a bloody big name to be playing academy football! 

[chaddyrovers]

1 hour ago, simongarnerisgod said:

im`e surprised burns never got a chance with the 1st team,from the few times iv`e seen him play he was a busy,bustling type in the style of paul dickov,compared to vale and butterworth he was  better than both of them

I'm surprised he wasn't given more of a look in 12 to 18 months ago but now Vale and Leonard have got ahead of him in the order

[arbitro]

3 minutes ago, ben_the_beast said:

I see Spurs also had a certain, Lucas Moura playing for them today. That's a bloody big name to be playing academy football! 

He was sent off at Everton recently and was/is serving a three match ban. It may be one of those many anomalies that allow you to play in the under 21's if he is still suspended from first team football.

[riverholmes]

2 hours ago, Hannoverover said:

Great turnaround and win. That will surely see us stay up this season. Big boost for our academy and future player development. 

I was slightly surprised that we didn't play more fringe first team players today given how important the game was.

I think the U23s have to be expected to hold their own without over reliance on over-age players or first team fringe players.

After all, fringe players will need loan moves next season to further their development. This campaign has seen few loans for fringe players as far as I recall. Markanday went to Aberdeen and Butterworth to Port Vale. Can't think of others, except the likes of Pike and Annesley who weren't close to the first team.

It might not be possible due to financial circumstances but a loan for any of Wharton, Garrett or Phillips - not to mention Vale, would potentially aid their development next season. 

 

Edited April 15, 2023 by riverholmes

[philipl]

From reports I read, the ref bottled giving two red cards to Spurs.

Great win, still think we are more than likely to go down judging from the remaining fixtures of clubs below us but we have given ourself a chance.

Palace away on 1st May is on the same day as Luton home but City on the 23rd might give us a chance to slot 5 first team subs in as over age players... 

[rigger]

2 minutes ago, philipl said:

From reports I read, the ref bottled giving two red cards to Spurs.

Great win, still think we are more than likely to go down judging from the remaining fixtures of clubs below us but we have given ourself a chance.

Palace away on 1st May is on the same day as Luton home but City on the 23rd might give us a chance to slot 5 first team subs in as over age players... 

It is almost as if the refs have made their own rule, that reads ; If you can't give a penalty, it's a red card. If you give a penalty, it's a yellow card. 

[ben_the_beast]

1 hour ago, rigger said:

It is almost as if the refs have made their own rule, that reads ; If you can't give a penalty, it's a red card. If you give a penalty, it's a yellow card. 

This is an actual rule. If you stop a clear goal scoring opportunity when giving away a penalty, but the ref deems it was a genuine attempt to play the ball it's a yellow card. 

If its deemed as a cynical attempt to prevent a goal when giving away a pen then it's a red.

[rigger]

5 hours ago, ben_the_beast said:

This is an actual rule. If you stop a clear goal scoring opportunity when giving away a penalty, but the ref deems it was a genuine attempt to play the ball it's a yellow card. 

If its deemed as a cynical attempt to prevent a goal when giving away a pen then it's a red.

So how come in the last game for the U21's it was a foul but was not a penalty, but a red card was given. I am not saying that it was the wrong decission. Just that it is inconssitionant.  

[bluebruce]

6 hours ago, ben_the_beast said:

This is an actual rule. If you stop a clear goal scoring opportunity when giving away a penalty, but the ref deems it was a genuine attempt to play the ball it's a yellow card. 

If its deemed as a cynical attempt to prevent a goal when giving away a pen then it's a red.

I think his point was more that the same foul outside the box, they'll give a red, but put it inside the box and they'll give a penalty and a yellow. I'm sure Rigger will correct me if that's not what he was getting at.

[1874]

I'd also have to question the integrety of a league that allows Spuds and West Ham to play their last fixture after they know the result of Rovers and Wolves last games

[JamieUK]

https://www.flashscore.co.uk/standings/KxHDmZRb/xECCP5F5/#/xECCP5F5/table/overall

Spurs need to win 2 from 3 when they've only won 4 from 23 games all season. I think we'll be ok.

[bluebruce]

2 hours ago, JamieUK said:

https://www.flashscore.co.uk/standings/KxHDmZRb/xECCP5F5/#/xECCP5F5/table/overall

Spurs need to win 2 from 3 when they've only won 4 from 23 games all season. I think we'll be ok.

One of those is West Ham though, third from bottom. Also depends how many Premier League players they decide to drop down to get them over the line, like with Moura yesterday.

[rigger]

51 minutes ago, bluebruce said:

One of those is West Ham though, third from bottom. Also depends how many Premier League players they decide to drop down to get them over the line, like with Moura yesterday.

Apart from the very top and very bottom clubs, there is very little difference in the standard of the teams in this league.