[Archived] Bolton V Rovers - 28/12/15

[garnersfags]

So are we saying it is somehow understandable or acceptable that our performance levels have dropped in the last 7 games?

Have we forgotten the good performances at Fulham & QPR? How we stuffed Charlton and Ipswich at home(and played well in the process, at least against Ipswich), how we tore Leeds apart and played ok against a decent Derby side? And of course, our generally positive performance against Burnley.

We havent performed creatively or tactically since and arguably our best player in that run, Lawrence, is seen as a sub at best.

I can't accept that we have had to perform so abjectly in terms of ball retention and chance creation whilst the new manager has a look at the relative merits of the existing squad.

The players are not adapting to whatever system they are being asked to play, and they are not playing with any confidence or freedom.

We were crying out for a manager who would build on what GB had created and turn good performances into wins. We now have bad performances and draws or defeats.

The players are not buying into the Lambert way yet. We are going steadily backwards and so desperately need one or two quality performances to ignite our season.

We don't look like scoring and have turned a decent goalscorer into a redundant struggler.

You can see PL tearing his hair out as his hard to beat, solid charges have become impotent in more or less every position.

Under GB we always knew a good performance was round the corner but I don't feel that anymore (I repeat, I wasn't a GB fan).

I'm happy to keep the faith but it's bloody hard work....

[RevidgeBlue]

Imo the players performed absolutely disgracefully last season apart from Rhodes and Gestede and to me they have now reverted fully to type after an all too brief brief honeymoon period under the new manager.

I always thought a decent manager would be able to eke another 20% out of this feckless bunch and maintain it but its looking like I might have been wrong.

Very big job for Lambert ahead. First and foremost we need players who really want it. It beggars belief Bolton looked fitter and sharper than us today after they played 2 days ago and our game was called off.

Still think you could sell or release anyone in the squad apart from Rhodes and not notice the slightest difference.

[Speedie Dived]

If we went up we would be slaughtered every game.

We don't have to worry about that.

[Mr. E]

Seriously, while it really is the majority of the squad that needs replacing, there are a few that stand out in particular that should never, ever, wear a Rovers shirt again: Duffy, Guthrie, Akpan. Ship them out, freeze them out, play the under 19s, do whatever you need to do, just never let them play for this club again.

[Dan]

Fans on here including yourself insisted we had a decent squad that should be in the top 6 but were being held back by a poor manager. So what has changed ?

Completely off topic, but good to have you back Jim.

Way too much long ball today. I'm not completely against playing it long, but we haven't the players to use it.

Tom Lawrence did more in his time on the pitch today than Koita had done recently. When he went off, it had to be Lawrence replacing him. But I'll cut PL some slack for now.

[bluefred]

Fans on here including yourself insisted we had a decent squad that should be in the top 6 but were being held back by a poor manager. So what has changed ?

From what was shown today by rovers, we are going to need about eight fresh players this window , they were clueless in the final third.

If anyone's willing to buy Rhodes I'd snap there hand off , we can't afford passengers get shut and bring in two proper strikers.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Interesting views of a number of people. Personally felt we deserved a draw as a minimum - whether that is good enough against the bottom team is debateable.

For some reason Bolton have a hold over us at their place - we should have had a penalty to make it 1-0 - which would have made all the difference.

IMO Guthrie isn't good enough and we missed Evans today. Rhodes - well after today's substition you have to wonder whether he is one decent bid away from leaving - though I have some sympathy for him as our tactics played straight into Bolton's (Wheaters) hands.

[Mercer]

People harping on about THAT Burnley performance. You are aware that we still lost that game, right?

I remember Jerome Anderson on Sky talking about THAT tackle Myles made in training !

[DE.]

Seriously, while it really is the majority of the squad that needs replacing, there are a few that stand out in particular that should never, ever, wear a Rovers shirt again: Duffy, Guthrie, Akpan. Ship them out, freeze them out, play the under 19s, do whatever you need to do, just never let them play for this club again.

Duffy is okay defensively, but should be ordered to stay well away from the opponent's box. He wastes every chance he gets, his attacking headers are consistently useless and usually off target.

Akpan would be fine if he had better players around him. Unfortunately he has Guthrie, Marshall and Koita. Akpan is poor technically but can do a harrying job, releasing the ball to players with better ability. He's being asked to do too much right now and looks poor as a result. Ideally we'd have better than him in the middle, but think we have bigger problems that need to be sorted first.

Guthrie is just rubbish. Not hard to see why he was available on a free. Injury prone and a shadow of the player he once was. Not sure who we'd offload him to, but we need better than him in the middle for sure.

[RevidgeBlue]

Seriously, while it really is the majority of the squad that needs replacing, there are a few that stand out in particular that should never, ever, wear a Rovers shirt again: Duffy, Guthrie, Akpan. Ship them out, freeze them out, play the under 19s, do whatever you need to do, just never let them play for this club again.

To be fair Akpan was very poor today but I've been reasonably impressed with him at times this season. Guthrie is definitely a player i'd be looking to shift out, swinging the lead for me with his performances.

Duffy I can take or leave but his efforts in the opposition's penalty box are getting beyond a joke, it's almost like he's missing deliberately when he gets his head to something.

[Speedie Dived]

I think Lambert has to take some blame for his recent comments about Marshall needing to score more goals. He does, but Marshall has taken that as shoot on sight, therefore reducing supply line to Rhodes.

[T J Hooker]

A Rovers defeat a few months ago was the fault of the manager - so why is it not the manager's fault today ?

because I like, respect and trust Lambert.

[G Somerset Rover]

That lot thrashing Bristol City 4-0 now. This day cannot get any worse. 4 goals? I've forgotten what scoring 1 feels like.

[adsfortheblues]

I think Lambert has to take some blame for his recent comments about Marshall needing to score more goals. He does, but Marshall has taken that as shoot on sight, therefore reducing supply line to Rhodes.

He's just a greedy git and far too inconsistent, sell him. Conway is the only consistent player and one who can hold his head up high in that team.

Akpan and Guthrie play like school boys, pathetic, how are they footballers?

I knew Lambert would bring Lawrence on for Rhodes, pathetic decision. Just because he brought donkey Delf on doesn't mean he can't take him off, we were left with donkey Delf, worst striker in the league and Lawrence, who's finishing is abysmal up front.

[RevidgeBlue]

I think Lambert has to take some blame for his recent comments about Marshall needing to score more goals. He does, but Marshall has taken that as shoot on sight, therefore reducing supply line to Rhodes.

Marshall is a complete and utter waste of space who has been desperately poor for the vast majority of his time here.. Wish people would stop making excuses for him.

[T J Hooker]

we have no creativity in the centre of the pitch at all, marshall is just a shadow of himself(and a sulky get) Rhodes can only score when the entire team is built around him(which isnt an healthy way to run a club) and we have no other forwards that can score

[Speedie Dived]

Marshall is a complete and utter waste of space who has been desperately poor for the vast majority of his time here.. Wish people would stop making excuses for him.

I am not making excuses for him. Saying he is having a direct impact on Rhodes lack of goals.

[G Somerset Rover]

Marshall is a complete and utter waste of space who has been desperately poor for the vast majority of his time here.. Wish people would stop making excuses for him.

Agreed. You can see that he's a player who thinks he's the dogs rollocks when he's actually a flash in the pan, championship plodder. Conway's the only one out of that midfield that I'd try keeping hold of.

[mustard]

Don't get me wrong, today was absolutely pants. But those talking about Bowyer as if he'd be doing any better are either delusional or just plain thick.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Don't get me wrong, today was absolutely pants. But those talking about Bowyer as if he'd be doing any better are either delusional or just plain thick.

Not saying he would have done better - but the latter performances under Bowyer were better than they have been under PL so far.

[bluefred]

This is now crystal clear that for us to be Evan thinking of a playoff push,

A near total rebuild is crucial, we have nothing to work with.were is the fight- were is the pride- were is the guile, today

Was a total lack respect for the club the players should be ashamed of the lack of performance against the divisions

whipping boys.

[Riverside67]

Correct me if I am wrong but we are just past the Venky's fifth anniversary as owners.

Well it has taken us a good while to get there but that was as abject a display as I can remember in that time frame except for Bolton at home under Kean maybe. Why do we always fail to turn up against these guys.

The culmination of decline was all there to see live on Sky as usual.

Made the Bolton boys look like heroes.

Shame on everyone involved with that today.

Plain Unacceptable.

[DE.]

Not saying he would have done better - but the latter performances under Bowyer were better than they have been under PL so far.

We've seen two sides of the coin under these managers imo. Bowyer tried to play a more expansive game with players that weren't capable, resulting in performances that were a little better on the eye but usually ended in defeats or draws. Lambert is playing a much more conservative, defensive game, which had an initial impact but we're now back to defeats and draws.

The only constant is the team, who clearly aren't good enough. That said, I have more faith in Lambert improving our fortunes than GB. That's the only positive I can find at the moment.

[joey_big_nose]

Early days for PL, but the truth is for all his faults Bowyer had us playing better stuff than this. Truly dire today.

My main question is why arent we pressing high up the pitch? We have played our best footie when chasing and harrying and getting our midfield on the ball in the oppos half. None of that today or since PL arrived. Just a lot of long balls. We have really really struggled.

Lets see what PL does in Jan. Early signs are these players are not going to give PL what he wants (which seems to be a much more direct style of play) however will Venkys give him the money for a wholesale turnover of the squad? If not PL needs to have a long think about how he is going to get this team to be effective.

[RevidgeBlue]

Not saying he would have done better - but the latter performances under Bowyer were better than they have been under PL so far.

I think that's a valid observation but imo you have to lay the majority of the blame for that at the feet of the players. Looks like they're not prepared to really put it in for anyone.