[Archived] Gillingham away 17.3.18

[bluefred]

There’s still a lot of football to be played yet no need to panic,it’s they same for Shrewsbury and Wigan .

[Stuart]

Just now, Tony Diamond Inc said:

Hilarious!

 

 I take it back Tony. You and @Bigdoggsteel are both in laughing moods this evening. Glad somebody is enjoying the situation.  

[the original david brent]

One half of me is concerned. Worryingly Dack seems to have gone off the boil the last few games. Perhaps a bit harsh but coincides with him being spotted in a few night clubs with Olivia! He perhaps needs to concentrate on his football at this stage of the season. He was awful tonight. As were our entire midfield and attack in fairness (starters and substitutes)

We have been lacking energy in Midfield and Attack. As has already been said, Evans has done his usual of a couple of good games around the international period and then gone back into his shell. I think we miss Bennett’s energy further up the field, but I equally understand why TM won’t want to move him from RB. 

We also have some tricky games coming up.

The other half of me says relax! We haven’t got beat. We are 5 points clear (6 with GD) and Shrews have only 18 to play with. We currently sit on the same points total that Bolton got promoted with last season. Shrewsbury had a shocking result against Lincoln. We have to hope that Simon Grayson will fire his Bradford side up after their drubbing at Blackpool. We also looked pretty solid at the back tonight. 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Just now, DE. said:

Mowbray would have been better bringing himself on. It's like Chris Brown all over again, whenever the sub happens you know nothing good will come of it. Although at least Samuel chipped in with a few earlier in the season, I suppose. Just a shame he came back from injury like... this.

He's done nothing since he had that 3 match suspension. Maybe he went away on holiday then and sent his twin brother back to Ewood.

[Bigdoggsteel]

Just now, Stuart said:

 I take it back Tony. You and @Bigdoggsteel are both in laughing moods this evening. Glad somebody is enjoying the situation.  

Laughing at you Stuart, laughing at you. It's the south park avatar in a rovers jersey. Cracks me up 

[blueboy3333]

Just now, bluefred said:

There’s still a lot of football to be played yet no need to panic,it’s they same for Shrewsbury and Wigan .

9 goals in two games for Wigan. I'm not sure nerves are affecting them yet.

Agreed though, still lots of twists and turns to come. Tonight was just one of them. All eyes on Thursday now.

[Tony Diamond Inc]

Just to settle a few...

Last 10 games

Rovers won 8 - drawn 2

Wigan won 7 - drawn 2 - lost 1

Shrewsbury won 6 - drawn 2 - lost 2

[G Somerset Rover]

Just now, david brent said:

One half of me is concerned. Worryingly Dack seems to have gone off the boil the last few games. Perhaps a bit harsh but coincides with him being spotted in a few night clubs with Olivia! He perhaps needs to concentrate on his football at this stage of the season. He was awful tonight. As were our entire midfield and attack in fairness (starters and substitutes)

We have been lacking energy in Midfield and Attack. As has already been said, Evans has done his usual of a couple of good games around the international period and then gone back into his shell. I think we miss Bennett’s energy further up the field, but I equally understand why TM won’t want to move him from RB. 

We also have some tricky games coming up.

The other half of me says relax! We haven’t got beat. We are 5 points clear (6 with GD) and Shrews have only 18 to play with. We currently sit on the same points total that Bolton got promoted last season. Shrewsbury had a shocking result against Lincoln. We have to hope that Simon Grayson will fire his Bradford side up after their drubbing at Blackpool. We also looked pretty solid at the back tonight. 

Good balanced post DB. Dack’s lack of form and fitness does indeed seem to be coinciding with his profile in the media going through the roof. 

Time for a chat from Uncle Tony, absolutely. Needs to bin that bint until the summer at least.

[Tony Diamond Inc]

Just now, Stuart said:

 I take it back Tony. You and @Bigdoggsteel are both in laughing moods this evening. Glad somebody is enjoying the situation.  

Loving it mate.

Most enjoyable season since the heady days of Hughes.

All credit goes to Tony

[roversfan99]

2 minutes ago, Stuart said:

Travis, Tomlinson or Nuttall would be the obvious ones. Obviously you are simply baiting me on this but we didn’t even have the option to make any such changes.

It isn’t just about attackers though. There was a need to some energy, fresh legs across the park. We know Samuel and Whittingham are not up to it. They have proven it this season.

However, just our whole approach to the game was poor. It’s not just about the players but the attitude. It looked like a must-not-lose game rather than a three-points-needed one. Laboured, tired looking. Wasteful. Profligate. If Shrewsbury we’re watching that game it will have given them hope that if they can keep the pressure on then we will fold. Lots of huffing and puffing with no end product. We have absolutely no chance of catching Wigan - can we stay above Shrewsbury? For me the play-offs would be a stretch too far for our tired old guard. Where is the old cliched mix of youth and experience?

Can I ask how I am "baiting" you? Its a genuine question, youve suggested a right back/holding midfielder and another holding midfielder amidst your alternative players that we could have brought on. With Nuttall, I would agree that he should be a sub at the weekend, but he himself has looked way out of his depth every time he has been introduced in the last few months.

I dont agree with the team he picked tonight, Dack is one obvious player who seemingly shouldnt have played. I think his subs were baffling, Whittingham could have picked a lock but playing him on the right wing made no sense, surely take off Evans (or Smallwood) for him, and why take off Graham, not least for that waste of space he brought on? And the way weve seemingly barely threatened is a big disappointment.

I just feel that some of the reaction in terms of our overall season prospects based on tonight is laughable. I think all of the criticism in regards to tonight alone is perfectly justified.

[4000Holes]

Just now, Stuart said:

Just like old times. The first blow from the HC mob. Keep on clapping on.

You are the only person laughing this evening too. Well apart from Wigan and Shrewsbury fans.

It's another point.  Just keep saying to myself, calm, calm.

With regards to a laugh and we need one in my humble opinion.  Take a look at the Rochdale Herald web site and note with particular interest, "Man who can tie his own shoelaces wins Burnley has got talent", or Chinese satellite crashes on Burnley causing £12-50 worth of damage.

We need a laugh but in hindsight a point won is not a disaster.

[Gogger]

Didnt deserve anything more than a point tonight. Could have played 180 mins and not score.

Som thoughts after the game (feel free to call it complaining).

Dack didnt look like he was ready to play - didnt see him run with the ball, or into spaces. Both which he does very good. Probaly worried about the hamstring. Graham and Armstrong had nothing to work with.

Williams is good defensively, but infuriating when going forward. How many of our attacks end with him getting the ball and a) Passes it all the way back to Raya or b )makes an awfull pass forward. He never keeps the with, which gives players like Dack and Payne less space.

Our two central midfielders did nothing going forward, dont think we need two holding midfielders vs Gillingham.

We did well defensively, except half way through second half when the striker were through on goal, saved by a touch out of this world.

I have no idea why Mowbray decided to play Wittingham out wide, I just assumed it was until we made our third sub and taking off either Evans or Smallwood for Samuel or Antonsson. We have tried it earlier in the season too, didnt work then either. Wittingham also hit some really poor corners (not like we would score from them anyways). Payne did nothing, as did Samuel (except miss hitting a chance right inside the box).

Awfull game to watch, just hope we can bounce back come Saturday. 

[roversfan99]

Just now, david brent said:

One half of me is concerned. Worryingly Dack seems to have gone off the boil the last few games. Perhaps a bit harsh but coincides with him being spotted in a few night clubs with Olivia! He perhaps needs to concentrate on his football at this stage of the season. He was awful tonight. As were our entire midfield and attack in fairness (starters and substitutes)

We have been lacking energy in Midfield and Attack. As has already been said, Evans has done his usual of a couple of good games around the international period and then gone back into his shell. I think we miss Bennett’s energy further up the field, but I equally understand why TM won’t want to move him from RB. 

We also have some tricky games coming up.

The other half of me says relax! We haven’t got beat. We are 5 points clear (6 with GD) and Shrews have only 18 to play with. We currently sit on the same points total that Bolton got promoted with last season. Shrewsbury had a shocking result against Lincoln. We have to hope that Simon Grayson will fire his Bradford side up after their drubbing at Blackpool. We also looked pretty solid at the back tonight. 

 

Just now, Gavlar Somerset Rover! said:

Good balanced post DB. Dack’s lack of form and fitness does indeed seem to be coinciding with his profile in the media going through the roof. 

Time for a chat from Uncle Tony, absolutely. Needs to bin that bint until the summer at least.

Hes carrying a hamstring injury/muscle fatigue, seems like blaming his relationships/private life are adding 2 and 2 and getting 5.

If hes carrying a knock he shouldnt have been played tonight.

[RevidgeBlue]

Just now, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

It's not about the point it's about the performances, or more to the point, the lack of them. How can we look so disjointed at this stage of the season ? The contrast between this team and the young lads is mind blowing.

True.

When posters like barry say that We're winning despite rather than because of TM, then on the one hand it seems exceedingly harsh to say that with us already on 86 points but on the other hand It's hard to disagree. The nearer we get to the finishing line the more Tony seems to be retreating further and further into his shell and reverting back to tinkering about replacing a tried and trusted formula that works with one that doesn't.

Just hope Shrewsbury have completely gone and that We've got enough points in the Bank already to limp over the finishing line.

[Stuart]

Just now, Bigdoggsteel said:

Laughing at you Stuart, laughing at you. It's the south park avatar in a rovers jersey. Cracks me up 

Personally I’m in no laughing mood so lap it up, make jokes. Glad that Wigan leapfrogging us after a performance like that hasn’t affected your spirits.

The happy clappers are back - thought you’d have picked a better moment to act like a smug idiot though.

[Bigdoggsteel]

Whittingham on the wing is bizarre. I can think of no reason how it helps us offensively or definsivley. Would Antonnson with his running not have been a far better option? How did Whittingham get on out there? 

[JBiz]

Just now, Stuart said:

 

The happy clappers are back - thought you’d have picked a better moment to act like a smug idiot though.

 

[Bigdoggsteel]

Just now, Stuart said:

Personally I’m in no laughing mood so lap it up, make jokes. Glad that Wigan leapfrogging us after a performance like that hasn’t affected your spirits.

The happy clappers are back - thought you’d have picked a better moment to act like a smug idiot though.

Alright keyboard warrior. Take a few deep breaths and get back into your box. 

[Stuart]

Just now, roversfan99 said:

Can I ask how I am "baiting" you? Its a genuine question, youve suggested a right back/holding midfielder and another holding midfielder amidst your alternative players that we could have brought on. With Nuttall, I would agree that he should be a sub at the weekend, but he himself has looked way out of his depth every time he has been introduced in the last few months.

I dont agree with the team he picked tonight, Dack is one obvious player who seemingly shouldnt have played. I think his subs were baffling, Whittingham could have picked a lock but playing him on the right wing made no sense, surely take off Evans (or Smallwood) for him, and why take off Graham, not least for that waste of space he brought on? And the way weve seemingly barely threatened is a big disappointment.

I just feel that some of the reaction in terms of our overall season prospects based on tonight is laughable. I think all of the criticism in regards to tonight alone is perfectly justified.

You’ve never seen our current U23s play, have you? You have no clue about how Tomlinson or Travis or Mols or any of our youngsters play, yet you ask a ‘genuine question’ without really wanting an answer.

And you’ve done exactly what I expected in dismissing my suggestions - hence baiting.

[islander200]

Travis or at least Caddis should have been on the bench tonight giving us the option to move Bennett further forward rather than bringing Whittingham on out wide.

Promotion still very much in our hands

[DE.]

It's performances rather than results that are making most of us tetchy. If we were playing decently but had just drawn a couple of games unluckily then you'd say OK, nothing to worry about - but we really have been very, very poor over the last few games and we do not look like a team challenging for the automatic promotion places. We looked very much on Gillingham's level tonight. We scraped past Southend and the MK Dons.

Results continue to be acceptable, but I don't buy these posts that talk about Mowbray playing good football. I've seen little evidence of that this season. Some nice passages of play, yes, but we're a team that grinds out results and relies on our better players to break deadlocks as opposed to our style of play. Not even sure what our style of play is really. Doesn't matter as long as we go up, in all fairness, but it's weird to have this sense of constant frustration in a season where we've only lost five times and are in an automatic promotion place. 

[Tony Diamond Inc]

Just now, Stuart said:

Personally I’m in no laughing mood so lap it up, make jokes. Glad that Wigan leapfrogging us after a performance like that hasn’t affected your spirits.

The happy clappers are back - thought you’d have picked a better moment to act like a smug idiot though.

Just for the record, I'm having huge fun laughing at you and the rest of the tremblers who can't enjoy one of Rovers' most successful seasons.

Hilarious!

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Just now, RevidgeBlue said:

True.

When posters like barry say that We're winning despite rather than because of TM, then on the one hand it seems exceedingly harsh to say that with us already on 86 points but on the other hand It's hard to disagree. The nearer we get to the finishing line the more Tony seems to be retreating further and further into his shell and reverting back to tinkering about replacing a tried and trusted formula that works with one that doesn't.

Just hope Shrewsbury have completely gone and that We've got enough points in the Bank already to limp over the finishing line.

Like I said the other day - the older you get the more cautious you get. Both our rival teams are managed by young up and coming  managers who won't be haunted by previous failures.

[West Yorks Rover]

Just now, 4000Holes said:

It's another point.  Just keep saying to myself, calm, calm.

With regards to a laugh and we need one in my humble opinion.  Take a look at the Rochdale Herald web site and note with particular interest, "Man who can tie his own shoelaces wins Burnley has got talent", or Chinese satellite crashes on Burnley causing £12-50 worth of damage.

We need a laugh but in hindsight a point won is not a disaster.

Don't suppose those dingles were insured either, you know what they're like.

[Stuart]

Just now, Bigdoggsteel said:

Alright keyboard warrior. Take a few deep breaths and get back into your box. 

“Laughing at you Stuart, laughing at you”. Keyboard warrior indeed.  

You can always dish it out but never take it.

But you just keep on laughing.

I hope you are still laughing at the end of the season.

Smug.