[Archived] Rovers V Them From Yorksheer When Police Say It All Kicks Off At 12.30!

[Stuart]

Personally I thought Dirty Leeds got very lucky today.

They caught Rovers on a day when they looked like strangers for two-thirds of the game.

This was not a game for Gomez.

[Dean]

Typical Rovers. On the verge of something decent and then revert to type. Should bring a few of the more giddy ones on here back down to Earth, anyway.

What's the point of that post? Almost like you are enjoying it.

Before today, 'typical Rovers' was a team that won. Four in a row at home before today remember? People are allowed to be optimistic off the back of that.

[tomphil]

any trouble anywhere? I saw 20-30 Leeds yoofs being escorted down by as many police - they all looked about 14! Then saw someone get carted out of the jack walker by the police, heard there were police rushing to Bolton road after the game so wondered if it had kicked off a bit

That was quite pathetic to see it really was and where the hell they were escorting them from and why is bizarre. Saw something similar v Bolton a few years back. Is this how the fuzz now try and justify their overkill or are these what passes off as Yoof mobs these days ?

Back in the day the original youth mobs seemed to be 18 to 25 yrd olds and containing some nutters. These lot today surrounded by police and several vans escorting them up the road were all under 16 apart from maybe 5 or 6. Leeds ain't what they used to be but what a said state of affairs it really is, let the little barestewards walk to the ground on their own and if they get a slap they deserve it and maybe they'll learn. Are we really moving kick offs just for this ?

[Mike E]

As Stuart says, Leeds caught us on an off-day. If we get 2 pts out of the two games before the break, I'll be satisfied enough as I've seen enough to keep me positive for next season.

[adsfortheblues]

You're ignoring the point too I'm afraid Stuart.

I don't think he is. Andy Murray played 3 times 3/4 hour matches in the space of a week at Wimbledon. Performing to an extremely high level an tennis is a lot, lot more intense than football. The tired excuse is just that, an excuse, for a @#/? performance. Although the today I don't think we were as bad as some are making out.

[tomphil]

Personally I thought Dirty Leeds got very lucky today.

They caught Rovers on a day when they looked like strangers for two-thirds of the game.

This was not a game for Gomez.

Agreed. We were knackered second half and far far too much reliance on belting the balls down the middle or channels. We controlled the first half despite not really clicking and they absolutely stole that first goal, albeit from crap defending. Their second was classic counter attack stuff and a brilliant finish.

Was a bit daft keep trying that type of approach when the team is busted and you have players like Gomez & Watt who need it on the deck. They need to start playing a bit smarter at times but I suppose it's difficult when 2 nil down. Bad day at the office against a physical team who's hands we played into. I just don't get the hysteria of some on the ground and on here, you'd think we'd jjuust been relegated.

And that referee, just what the feck was he all about. Sunday league man ( or a Leeds fan )

[LDRover]

Good play until the last third but , as was at Burnley, the final ball was very poor.

Poor marking for the first goal but am I alone in thinking Steele should have come for it? Second goal comes from our free kick at the by-line so God knows how we concede from there? Far too naive.

A good old grandstand finish but all huff and puff with no real method about it. A shame really because I feel if we'd scored early when we were on top we'd have won comfortably.

[arbitro]

This game highlighted the need to be at it all the time in the Championship. We simply couldn't afford five or six players not really doing what has stood us in good stead i.e. high tempo and work rate, pressing and closing down. In a similar way to the Burnley game the final ball was poor and quite often over hit. Hopefully Lambert will make a few changes for Tuesday as several players look out on their feet and were a yard off the pace.

[LDRover]

My main problem with the current assortment of loanees, short term signings and deadbeats currently sporting the blue and white halves is that I assume very few of them if any will be here next season so from that point of view the remainder of the season is fairly pointless.

I fail to see where the continuity and long term planning is which will enable us to hit the ground running next season. We'll probably be starting more or less from scratch again and it may take time to gel. That process should be well underway this season with tweaking rather than wholesale change necessary in summer.

I believe that Graham and Watt will be retained (finances from Venky's permitting) so that leaves Gomez and Grimes on loan and probably Spurr and maybe Steele who will be replaced. 4 players, I'd say that's normal summer business for most clubs.

[Give 'Em the Axe]

Granted I didn't see the game today, but Gomez has been very lightweight recently. I really hope he comes good again because on his day he's classy. I reckon Lambert will need to take a good, hard look at him before the next three games as we can't afford any passengers.

Sounded like individual errors from Duffy and Steele. Shame.

It's not much,but I'm happy that Jackson got off the mark. He's always a handful coming off the bench and I wouldn't be sorry if he signed on for another year or two.

[Darwen Rover 007]

We were outfought today...

Gomez was awful today. Mat grimes was decent when he came on..

Things just didn't click today they were more up for it than us...

The summer will be very interesting

[Give 'Em the Axe]

I don't think he is. Andy Murray played 3 times 3/4 hour matches in the space of a week at Wimbledon. Performing to an extremely high level an tennis is a lot, lot more intense than football. The tired excuse is just that, an excuse, for a @#/? performance. Although the today I don't think we were as bad as some are making out.

I don't know. And wouldn't claim any level of expertise in that regard, but it is something that people involved in the game at every level, from players, to managers,to analysts do highlight occasionally. Are they all blowing smoke up our backsides? Seems odd if that's the case.

[Neal]

I admire your enthusiasm, you sound like me 15yrs ago.

These things go in cycles, we had a drummer and fans jumping around and the fanbase hated it, embarrassing was the cry, not by me a hasten to add as at least the drummer was trying to generate atmosphere.

Anyway don't let me put you off, you crack on, hope it works.

I sat (stood) with the fans in the Blackburn End today, Lambert turned to the fans to make some noise and the supporters responded a little but could have been much better. It would have been great if all those fans that stand and sing were located behind the goal.

[DE.]

What's the point of that post? Almost like you are enjoying it.

Before today, 'typical Rovers' was a team that won. Four in a row at home before today remember? People are allowed to be optimistic off the back of that.

We've been here before pal. I've seen Lambert already being hailed as victorious and people already talking about playoffs/promotion like it's a done deal for next season. Still a long way to go before we get there, which today proved. Hopefully this will reign expectations in, as the last thing we need is people going apoplectic next season if we aren't challenging for automatic by Christmas.

I'm a big supporter of Lambert but if history has taught us anything over Venky's tenure, it's that expectations should be measured realistically. The last few home games have been great, but they should only be viewed in the context of avoiding relegation this season.

[Mike E]

I'll be betting £20 on us going up next season. Not because I believe we will, but I've seen enough (without good funds and a full pre-season) to suggest Lambert will have us in and around the play-off places.

[Neal]

I'd have to disagree. Bennet was shocking today. Between him and Marshall every cross hit the defender next to them. 90% of his corners couldn't beat the first man.

Think thats a bit harsh fella, put in some good corners today, a couple of disappointing ones in the 2nd half but I though he covered quite a lot of ground and got involved much more than Gomez and Lennihan... Everyone see's a different game through different eyes though I suppose but in my opinion i though he was one of the better performers today.

[Stuart]

Bennett was everywhere today. It was his closing down in his own box that resulted in the corner for their goal.

Very much an asset for me.

[LewisF]

We just make leeds look like barca. Next season can't come soon enough.

[Mike E]

I thought Bennett played well, but the insistence on sticking with out swinging corners annoyed me.

Imo, a corner should always be inswinging, as it's far more frightening for defenders to deal with.

[Riverside67]

Shame after Birmingham but have to say Leeds wanted that more today.

The intensity and pace was not there.

Watt and Gomez not in it.

Lenihan and Akpan simply out footballed in midfield.

[Dean]

I don't think he is. Andy Murray played 3 times 3/4 hour matches in the space of a week at Wimbledon. Performing to an extremely high level an tennis is a lot, lot more intense than football. The tired excuse is just that, an excuse, for a @#/? performance. Although the today I don't think we were as bad as some are making out.

Tired isn't an excuse, it's scientific fact. It doesn't mean they can't play, they could play every day if you asked them to, just means that they aren't 100%.

Think how much difference a drop of a few percent makes in Formula 1 or athletics, the margins between victory and defeat are tiny. All top level sport is the same, football is no different. If we have a team operating at 95% and the other at 100%, chances are we'll lose.

On the tennis thing btw...footballers cover over twice as much ground in a match than tennis players do. Most will run half a marathon in 90 minutes, quite a lot of it sprinting as well! I play and can easily do a few hours tennis and feel fine the next day. If I do even an hour of football I feel it for days!

[DaveyB]

Been said already, but far too many players off the pace today. Gomez was poor again today, after playing well in midweek, and Lenihan had a shocker. Lambert has to take some blame here as the lad should probably have been replaced at halftime.

I still struggle to see exactly what Bennett brings to the team, other than running around a lot. He doesn't ever go past a man, his passing is generally poor and he doesn't get a foot in or disrupt play often enough (As Stuart said it was his tackle that gave away the corner for the first goal, but that was only because he was running back to make amends for not getting a foot in a few seconds before, instead standing and watching as their players played around him)

In contrast I thought Grimes was very good when he came on, always wanting the ball and looking to find a man with his passing (unlike the rest of them). In fact I would have given him the MoM - even though he only played 25mins.

Overall we just didn't seem to want it enough. We were too slow getting either forward or back, and I'm struggling to remember even one time when one of our players put in a crunching tackle or won a 50/50.

All that said though, we still created enough chances in the first 20mins to have won the game fairly comfortably and an out and out goalscorer needs to be high up on our shopping list in the summer.

[aletheia]

Dean

…they could play every day if you asked them to, just means that they aren't 100%.

Spot on. It gets really annoying to hear on radio phone-ins, messagboards etc the constant cliché –“well they get paid a fortune so they should easily be able to play 3 times a week.” Of course they could but as you say, the standard would inevitably drop. And then there’s the other one from fans and old pros –“well in our day, we always played at least 2 games a week, no problem and on heavy pitches.” Yes they did but let’s not kid ourselves, nowhere near the same intensity, pace or fitness levels of present day. Fag at half time anyone? :-)

On the game. Back to earth after an excellent run which has given fans some hope that we are at least playing with some sensible shape, personnel and plan. We looked a little jaded against a tidy, sharp Leeds who played some good stuff on a difficult pitch. Marshall in particular was unhappy in the 1^st half with a bobble for a cross and was not fully at it. Pity though we gave them 2 soft goals really and then failed to score when we were hot for a 20 min spell in the 1^st half. Once they went in front we struggled to match them and the diamond can become a lightweight liability. Just on the goals – should Steele have come for the first? And the second –why did we have no cover for the break away from our corner and then Steele was far too slow to react when the Leeds striker obviously pushed it too far in front of him before he scored. Neat finish though. Anyway, we huffed and puffed late on but all a little late. I think Lambert could utilise subs more readily, not least to just put on fresh legs. Conway seems underused to me –certainly could be effective in last half hour. Grimes was given time and sprayed a few around nicely –remains to be seen how he goes on in the thick of it when things are tight. He obviously has a good soccer brain and first touch.

As we all know, summer is the key.

[chaddyrovers]

Rovers players gave plenty of effort but I feel that the number of games we had in the last month or so has catch up with us.

I was very disappointed with Gomez and Akpan today.

Our crossing and final passes were poor and not good enough.

Thought Jackson had an impact and took his goal well.

not impressed by Leeds time wasting tactics and their keeper went down 3 times injured in the second half.

Also not a fan of Steve Evans or his number 2 Paul Raynor.

[tomphil]

Bennett should be kept away from the corners from now on. Crossing is his achiles heel as is anything requiring a touch of skill. He has strengths though, mainly limited grafting and put a shift in again today.

Akpan had a poor one again but he needs to be the central man putting his foot in and doing what he's good at but he was too much stood about right of centre.

All them couldn't cross for toffee today especially Marshall who looked fckd after 10 mins. Every cross over hit and every corner under hit. One of those days but we still did enough to at least draw.