[Archived] Rotherham

[DE.]

Spurs away or Rotherham at home. A slight difference.

It was the most abysmal performance I've ever seen from a rovers team. We could have played Accrington and lost that day.

[chaddyrovers]

I'd say the first 11 may need 3 or 4 additions not just the squad.

Yes I'd take it without any hint of doubt.

Not for me. We have a good 1st 11 and 4 or 5 good back up players. But we are lacking pace wide, target man type, and a right back plus sign Lawrence up

[Baz]

Not for me. We have a good 1st 11 and 4 or 5 good back up players. But we are lacking pace wide, target man type, and a right back plus sign Lawrence up

Thats 4?

[Brown-E]

Not for me. We have a good 1st 11 and 4 or 5 good back up players. But we are lacking pace wide, target man type, and a right back plus sign Lawrence up

Fair enough, I disagree. Lawrence ain't good enough for 1.

[Tallrover]

It was the most abysmal performance I've ever seen from a rovers team. We could have played Accrington and lost that day.

A matter of opinion. Unfortunately my last two games have been Bolton and Rotherham at home. Both borefests...

The main difference is we are winning and I have genuine optimism for the future.

[West Yorks Rover]

For me it's all about points on the board until PL can strengthen in January, he'll have a good idea by then what is required, having had a good look

at his squad.

All good atm as far as I'm concerned.

Possibly the worst performance I can remember was a 5-0 loss to Sheffield Utd at the old Bramall Lane cricket ground in the 70's we were totally

useless that day, 10-0 wouldn't have flattered Sheffield.

As for the Spurs game, still convinced there was some dodgy betting going on there.

[Husky]

When all is said and done it's fair to say we've been playing almost as bad as Man Utd.

[Tom]

I don't know if Brown is just extra nervous at Ewood but whilst effective at being physical he just doesn't look like a football player; he was so awkward and uncoordinated.

Clearly he is ahead of Koita for now so hopefully he will come good, he got up well a few times but to bizarre outcomes like leaping for a header in the corner to knock it down and keep it in play for them.

[Baz]

Injury time, ball bouncing down the wing, about to go out of play for a throw in around the edge of their area, Brown jumps and nods it back into their centre half to punt upfield, taking himself and our midfield out of the game.

Baffling even now.

[Husky]

As for the Spurs game, still convinced there was some dodgy betting going on there.

Surely a large amount of players would need to have been involved in that.

[Baz]

Surely a large amount of players would need to have been involved in that.

Watch the replay of the game in full. You could quite easily convince yourself that its a possibility, despite how bad we where as a team at that point.

[USABlue]

Hmm, although the conditions aren't 'nice', it is better to be running up and down (and getting paid handsomely for it) than to be immobile and anxious on the periphery. I'm not expecting Rotherham to dazzle us with scintellating skills or flashy footwork, and neither am I expecting them to clog us off the park. What I am expecting is that Mr Lambert will have sufficient connection with his players by now to be able to exhort a little bit extra quality out of them, and that in the final analysis will be what is the difference between the teams on the night.

1-0 or 2-1 to Rovers, but wouldn't be surprised to see us go behind early and have to go balls out and gung ho for an equaliser. On a night like tonight that might actually make for a better spectacle than anything else.

COYB

1-0 huh, living up to your handle.

[USABlue]

Bowyer had almost 3 seasons to formulate a style and pattern of play. IMV, the majority of the football was dire and we weren't successful and never, apart from one occasion I recall, threatened the top 6.

Lambert has inherited Bowyer's players and is trying to get them to play in a different fashion. In terms of results. he's doing superbly. At least we seem to be heading in the right direction with a purpose. He has been here just 4 weeks. Any criticism about the football is a tad harsh at this stage.

Listening to Alan Irvine's 2 part interview on Rovers Player puts the.reality of the situation in perspective. i don't believe we will see much pretty football till next season. As AI states, games and results are too important to be experimenting and trying things at this stage.

Interesting what reaction would bowyer get if he made the sub's Lambert has? Again not being critical, just putting it out there.

I would hazard a guess it might depend on what the result was. Would Bowyer have even made the subs.

That would've been a draw and a 'right good go' under Gaz

If we were lucky.

[deryck guyler's spoon]

There has been some unfair, revisionist, ungrateful, unpleasant, personal and just plain incorrect guff written on here about Bowyer in my opinion but I do believe that he could not get this team to win ugly, whereas Lambert demonstrably can.

[USABlue]

From memory he went 8-9 (or thereabouts) the season before last before scoring against Burnley.

Pleased with the win but I bet PL must be desperate for the January window to open. We're so bereft of quality. He also needs to work out what to do with Rhodes. We'll not be able to go on like this with him.

But as I say, that aside it is another win, onwards and upwards.

If I understood correctly PL talked of playing to JR's strengths when he first walked in. Not so sure that has been the case, if not the opposite. Are we dumbing down his contribution so as to lessen the emotional impact as the new boss flogs him to create the funds for his dream team? Pure devils advocate on my part but what would we think. Could Lambert get this team promoted with a 10 Million warchest and no Rhodes.

That'll do.

In gardening you first have put your back into it, do some digging and spread some horse sh!t around before you can get the flowers to grow.

Nicely put, and you still need some luck with the weather.

Not at the game but on subs,

Lawrence - saving him for Monday, remember he's been injured this week - Said he'd be giving Brown a chance.

Marshall injured,- Taylor been playing quite well.

Rhodes 88 mins, waste time, break up the play. - Guthrie hold what we have.

Not much wrong really.

PL's Blue and White army, on the march !!!

Personally I thought the subs were spot on to allow us to close out the game. There seemed to be an immediate increase in pressure by us when tubby Brown came on.

[USABlue]

You know what that means

No, what?

[USABlue]

Anybody outstanding tonight ? Any plus points to take away apart from the 3 pts ?

What else is there? Clean sheet? 3 points nuff said for the time being.

[USABlue]

Whats the best for Rhodes? We had a big guy in Gestede but he seemed to take away the space for Rhodes on occasion. Brown is a lump but Rhodes doesn't seem to have the explosive pace to make the most of the knock-ons. I makes me wonder whether a pace merchant might be the option. someone to pull the opposition out of shape. Its a tough call. But i don't think its wise to fritter away a talent like Rhodes. Especially in this division.

When Jordan was scoring earlier who was he playing with? Since he left so did Rhodes' name on the score sheet. Yes, Foita.

[Steve Moss]

Two points off the play-offs, fourteen points off first.

Paul Lambert has done an outstanding job. With twenty-six games until the end of the season we're not even half way. If he can get some transfer funds, we'll be serious contenders.

Four games to go until the end of the month and the opening of the transfer window. My fingers are crossed.

[philipl]

My read on everything I have read about the game:

We seem at last to be able to make our luck, ride our luck and get away with it (and three points).

Games like this one are invaluable for managers to see clearly exactly what sort of transfer target would make a critical difference. We need to keep lucky for four more games.

And sorry Chaddy we played the team which will be relegated at the end of the season and really struggled. The current squad is nowhere near good enough to get into promotion contention and sustain the push, even with PL as boss.

[Brown-E]

Seems to have passed by without mention, but yet another goal created by a dangerous Conway centre.

[1864roverite]

From my seat the issue was pretty simple.

Rotherham simply closed Rovers down in the middle and isolated Rhodes up front. That is what caused the lack of a performance last night as Rovers had to fight to get out of their own half.

We saw some shoddy defending coming back last night and we were very lucky not to concede another stupid silly goal.

At the end of the day, we won ugly. Something that we have ever done nor would ever have done under the previous manager. In fact, we would have lost the game by a mile.

Plus points - another 3 points. Team is galvanised throughout. The sight of PL issuing bollockings from the pitch and barking out orders is refreshing (GB take note for future employment). Clean sheet. Akpan goes from strength to strength.

Negatives - Henley causes mayhem and whilst he isn't the finished article his mistakes are easily highlighted. Teams target his lack of height. Tom Lawrence seems to be a problem. For someone with so much talent he rarely showed it last night (as well as Bristol a). I don't think it helps by just playing him behind JR as he offers not a jot of support and cannot win a header against big lumpers of centre halves. Some of the crossing was very poor and very rarely beat the first defender.

Rhodes needs some support and big time. He needs chances and a supply line.

What Brown was thinking of (as Baz pointed out) when he headed the ball back to the defender just shows what a calamity he is ! Get Fode back in at least he can run, head and shoot (might not be on target but he can!).

I think on Monday I would like to see Guthrie alongside Akpan and give the central berth a shake up and a rest. If Henry is fit then I would stick him at right back cause Forest are gonna target this area.

[sany]

3 wins in 16 under Bowyer

3 wins in 4 under Lambert

That's the difference between the coach and a manager. We would walked through this league last season if we had PL as manager and add King, Cairney and Rudy to that.

[Blue blood]

Good review 1864, very helpful.

On Rhodes I do feel we don't give him enough support. Yes he's a luxury but a very potent one. As 1964 says a creative player more involved in the game would be much more effective behind Rhodes linking up play, or as others have said someone with pace. Whilst King's leaving was inevitable the losses of Judge and Rochina make me wonder what if.

Heck even a Geatede type player would be more effective as even though the link up was absymal it did take some attention and pressure off Rhodes. And here's the rub - PL has none of those options to try. An inconsistent Lawrence is all he has. He doesn't even have pace in midfield to make space for Rhodes and not 1 other striker would pass the mediocre mark.

I'm sure Lambert is aware of the problems and I'm just as sure he knows currently he has no real solutions within the squad. January will therefore be massive for solving this.

One last thing - it's not pretty but it's working. Long term it's not viable having the current squad depth and options but if like Hughes PL can keep it grinding out points till we're in a position where we can change things there can be no cause for complaint.

[Brown-E]

Think Lambert could go with a 5 man midfield against forest to counter their superior players, like Lansbury, in there.