Sheffield united away- League cup

[Leonard Venkhater]

Just now, DE. said:

I appreciate text is sometimes easy to misread but I'd hope I don't come across as a poster who would think something as crazy as that, so I assumed it would be understood that the tone was not serious. Obviously not, so just to make it clear - whilst the selection of Evans, Smallwood and Leutwiler checked me out of the match immediately as I knew we'd lose, I do not actually consider it a lack of integrity or ethics, although I do find it amusing and strange that Mowbray was sent off for trying to lecture a ballboy on these things. Let's end it there and resume discussion of the match

Interesting stats on this one. You'd expect a team with such domination in stats to win the game comfortably or at least draw. But when you can't keep the ball out of the net at your end and fail to take your chances at the other end this is where it leads. Hopefully this puts the Armstrong up top method to bed as he just isn't good in that role, and Gallagher scoring in the middle may give TM a bit more confidence to try playing him in the centre again rather than out on the wing. I still think a midfield spread of Downing/Dack/Rothwell with Graham or Gallagher in the centre would yield solid results. 

Not sure what this result/performance means for Nyambe. Will Tony see him as part of the reason we conceded two goals, or part of the reason we otherwise dominated a PL team? Bennett will almost certainly be back in at RB on Saturday regardless.

Nail on the head.

When stats like these don't lead to a win, it should be a one off-just one of those days etc. But with Rovers , I think it is becoming a pattern.

A pattern of shipping cheap goals and failing to score generally ends in one way!

Edited August 28, 2019 by Leonard Venkhater

[tomphil]

Last nights game was very reminiscent of last season with the set up and way they played but predictably shipped a few crap goals and didn't take their chances. 

Yes good opposition but who'd made about ten changes so essentially a bunch of strangers so we saw plenty of the ball.  Maybe reinforces the more pragmatic approach of the first team recently. 

[JacknOry]

Our possession stats have been impressive in practically all the matches we have played so far this season. In isolation, that is good to say as more often than not last season, we were usually out-possessed by most teams. We are looking to hold onto the ball and play it about (a little bit more) and this would be TM's vision that we have heard about numerous times.

That said, if you cannot turn that possession into chances and then convert those chances, there is something amiss. Compound that with us still making mistakes at the back and making it easy for teams to score against us and we have a bit of a problem.

Teething problems? Still waiting for it all to click into place? Who knows but we need to start being more clinical up front or what we saw last night could be quite the common theme this season. 

One thing I know, is that this new system is currently not getting the best out of Dack for whatever reason. 

[47er]

We have plenty of possession but we create very little with it. That's been the case since Day 1 of this season.

[Bigdoggsteel]

Just now, 47er said:

We have plenty of possession but we create very little with it. That's been the case since Day 1 of this season.

I wouldn't say that is the case. More that we have made chances, just that we didn't take them. 

[philipl]

Seen the highlights.

Horribly let down by two goal keeper foul ups and a penalty kick as bad as they come.

[Mattyblue]

Really poor keeper who it is pretty obvious was only signed to allow us to gain international breaks in League 1. Not remotely Championship quality.

Certainly wasn’t pulling up any trees for Shrewsbury...

http://blueandamber.proboards.com/thread/94541/fao-paul-hurst-drop-leutwiler?page=1

 

Edited August 28, 2019 by Mattyblue

[JacknOry]

Just now, Mattyblue said:

Really poor keeper who it is pretty obvious was only signed to allow us to gain international breaks.

Certainly wasn’t pulling up any trees for Shrewsbury...

http://blueandamber.proboards.com/thread/94541/fao-paul-hurst-drop-leutwiler?page=1

 

Forgot how 'blinding' that forum was.

[HowieFive0]

Just now, JacknOry said:

Forgot how 'blinding' that forum was.

?

[JBiz]

1 hour ago, DE. said:

 

Interesting stats on this one. You'd expect a team with such domination in stats to win the game comfortably or at least draw. But when you can't keep the ball out of the net at your end and fail to take your chances at the other end this is where it leads. Hopefully this puts the Armstrong up top method to bed as he just isn't good in that role, and Gallagher scoring in the middle may give TM a bit more confidence to try playing him in the centre again rather than out on the wing. I still think a midfield spread of Downing/Dack/Rothwell with Graham or Gallagher in the centre would yield solid results. 

Not sure what this result/performance means for Nyambe. Will Tony see him as part of the reason we conceded two goals, or part of the reason we otherwise dominated a PL team? Bennett will almost certainly be back in at RB on Saturday regardless.

Using the stats too;

1. The Axis of Smalevans won the ball a lot and recycled possession well

2. Our overall defensive play was good but for a couple of individual errors (corner given away, Nyambe just before and felt Leut should’ve done better)

3. Our finishing/shooting/link up play lead to a goal and many other chances

As for just using my eyes in terms of the performance, I’ve seen us play far worse and win games. 

In terms of Armstrong, I’m not sure anyone could suggest at 22 it’s time to either bin off or just stick out wide. I also don’t think we played a traditional 4231, at times we seemed more like a 433 with Rothwell dropping back and Dack in the middle of Buckley and AA

AA linked well with Dack and Buckley at times, Whilst obviously not his best night- the cross for the goal was a pearlier.

As for Nyambe - he showed exactly what I’ve been saying about him for the last few months. His technique at times is excruciatingly bad, and when you’re intention is to build up from the back, his one footedness and decision making is holding him, and us back.

I think his days as an out and out right back are numbered, much like Derek Williams, I think he will eventually play more inside.

 

Edited August 28, 2019 by Harry The Bass

[Mattyblue]

Thinking the same on Nyambe. His game seems to have disintegrated at right back, getting a very Adam Henley vibe with him at the moment.

[Amo]

Leutwiler is pap. Why he was kept on another year, I do not know. There would've been tons of unattached goalies we could've taken a punt on this summer.

[1864roverite]

14 hours ago, TBTF said:

Well let’s just hope Venkys are our owners for eternity and beyond then. 

We can play guess the year when our debt will cross the £trillion mark  and carry on thanking them for keeping the lights on

Its venkys debt NOT ROVERS,without them we wouldn't survive until the fans start realising the club needs their support. Time to move forward and out the past to bed, I am not saying we should forgive I am saying we should move forward and take the positives.

[DE.]

Just now, Harry The Bass said:

AA linked well with Dack and Buckley at times, Whilst obviously not his best night- the cross for the goal was a pearlier.

If his major contribution came from out wide with a cross then it surely suggests that's where he's better positioned? Granted he's only been given brief appearances up top but I don't think our style of play necessarily suits to running behind defenders, but rather getting chances from crosses and set pieces. In that case you'd want a DG or SG up there to maximise potential damage. For me he's too inconsistent with his goalscoring to play up top by himself. It might work if he was in a two but I don't see us going with a formation that has DG or SG alongside AA in attack so if Armstrong is to play I'd rather it was out wide where his pace can hurt full backs and maybe even CB's if he makes an incisive run into the centre. 

We simply have to find a way to make our chances count more frequently. Having a lot of shots is meaningless if they don't go in or are off target. With that said if we are able to solve that problem whilst keeping ourselves defensively solid then we could be in for a good season. I have my doubts at the moment though. 

[1864roverite]

Just now, Amo said:

Leutwiler is pap. Why he was kept on another year, I do not know. There would've been tons of unattached goalies we could've taken a punt on this summer.

Ive had a look at who is a freebie, there isn't really that many now apart from Vorm

[arbitro]

Just now, 1864roverite said:

Its venkys debt NOT ROVERS,without them we wouldn't survive until the fans start realising the club needs their support. Time to move forward and out the past to bed, I am not saying we should forgive I am saying we should move forward and take the positives.

And the positives are what?

[1864roverite]

The positives are the playing side, the academy, the fact that Venkys are still funding the most important part of the club, allowing transfer fees and so forth....need I say more?

[Mattyblue]

Does the club seem more stable? Yes. 

Playing side? Aren’t we exactly where we’ve always been since relegation (the whole Coyle debacle aside), a middling second division team?

[rigger]

Just now, Mattyblue said:

Does the club seem more stable? Yes. 

Playing side? Aren’t we exactly where we’ve always been since relegation (the whole Coyle debacle aside), a middling second division team?

But now with potential.

[Mattyblue]

Ah I see.

I thought the 2013-2015 era team had much more quality personally. And the problem with potential is that it is just that, said promise often doesn’t amount to much. With another round of FFP not far away I forsee us spinning our tyres for some time yet.

[JBiz]

Just now, Mattyblue said:

Does the club seem more stable? Yes. 

Playing side? Aren’t we exactly where we’ve always been since relegation (the whole Coyle debacle aside), a middling second division team?

 

Just now, rigger said:

But now with potential.

 

Thats come from keeping a grade 1 academy really. It’s the only thing the Rao’s have done we should be grateful for.

I know it’s their fault we went down, but I was convinced league 1 would see stadium sales, academy closures, brochall sold etc! 

I wonder if the best advice they’ve ever had was from the auditors?

[JBiz]

Just now, Mattyblue said:

Ah I see.

I thought the 2013-2015 era team had much more quality personally. And the problem with potential is that it is just that, said promise often doesn’t amount to much. With another round of FFP not far away I forsee us spinning our tyres for some time yet.

It probably did, but it was recruited at a cost the made us post a 50m loss in one year (including pay offs, managers et al)

I think now we are at a point where we have some scope for keeping the costs and losses below the FFP lines. With a decent squad too.

[Mattyblue]

Do we? Thought Mani’s inside scoop was that was dependent on selling Dack? Let’s hope he finds his mojo again soon if that’s the case.

[Leonard Venkhater]

1 hour ago, arbitro said:

And the positives are what?

Be reasonable, mate. I know they did drive a bulldozer through our luxury home, but, at least,  they have painted the garden shed!

[JBiz]

Just now, Mattyblue said:

Do we? Thought Mani’s inside scoop was that was dependent on selling Dack? Let’s hope he finds his mojo again soon if that’s the case.

Well I guess that’s part of any club with our turnovers plan. Buy young or cheap and try and polish up, develop and sell.

Just now, Leonard Venkhater said:

Be reasonable, mate. I know they did drive a bulldozer through our luxury home, but, at least,  they have painted the garden shed!

For me, the analogy would be they bought our dream house, let it rot from the inside, hired cowboy after cowboy to fix it, and almost 10 years they’re still throwing money in trying to save face.

I think it’s easy to see the positives when clubs less than 20 miles from us are folding because owners came, screwed it over and left.