Rovers v Barnsley. Sat 28 Nov 3pm

[Exiled_Rover]

Just now, LDRover said:

Superb from Elliott and Nyambe, brilliant finish from Arma.

Better for us to go more direct as they have the legs on us.

If they keep up this level of pressing beyond 60 mins I want them all tested for EPO. 

[Sparks Rover]

Just now, BigBar said:

That's hardly the measuring stick.

It is for me.  You could have Del passing to his own team but constantly making stupid mistakes......wharton will develop if we trust him.

[Dreams of 1995]

We have been terrible but here we are 1-0 up. Great timing for the goal too. 

[DE.]

Really poor first half, but we're winning, and I'll take that over playing well and losing any day. I expect we'll improve in the second half, and hopefully add a couple more to make it a comfortable afternoon. 

[superniko]

I actually think Wharton has been solid, not seen him do too much wrong. Barnsley have looked good but they’re not carving us open, just strangling us on the ball really. 
They’re doing well stopping Holtby getting on the ball. 
I actually think Bell has been pretty solid since coming on and was our best forward threat for about 20 mins. 

Someone posted early on in the thread that they’d take a scrappy 1-0 all day and hopefully it’s that kind of day (at worst) 

[yellowsubmarine]

It was a nothing half from us before the goal. Kudos to Barnsley from figuring out how to stop us from playing.

But that last 3-4 minutes, we showed a glimpse of our attacking threat and Arma's finishing ability. We didnt deserve the lead, Barnsley certainly didnt deserve to go behind. Let's hope we dont sit back in the 2nd half.

[Hoochie Bloochie Mama]

Playing shite and winning is no bad thing. Keep playing shite though and Barnsley will score. 

[BigBar]

Just now, Sparks Rover said:

It is for me.  You could have Del passing to his own team but constantly making stupid mistakes......wharton will develop if we trust him.

Riiiiighhhhtttt. Missing my point but we move on. Happy to be in the lead either way.

[Paul Mellelieu]

Well-played Barnsley, but if you don't take your chances we haves a couple of players who will.

Hopefully we can play better next half.

 

 

[Mashed Potatoes]

We've won every time we've scored first.

[bluebruce]

Ref started with a policy of 'if someone goes to the deck and somebody has even remotely touched them in any way, it's a foul'.

Somewhere around the 30 minute mark he added an addendum - 'unless they're wearing blue and white, in which case even if they were fouled they can bugger off'.

[Joar]

IMO the only player who was decent that half was Bell. 

Putting ourselves under way to much pressure at the back with Barnsley pressing like that. Waiting too long to pass to the next man, and then making poor passes forcing the recipient to use 2-3 touches to get their bearings (in most cases it's Nyambe and Douglas/Bell being forced into trouble).

It would have been better to hammer the ball upfield a few times, give Barnsley a bit of room at the back, and then press them high. Try and turn the table.

Really lucky to be in the lead here

[Exiled in Toronto]

Poor half, excellent goal. Nyambe started it by bursting forward and pointing where he wanted it, peach of a pass from Elliott, great strength from Nyambe and a good pull back, excellent finish. Given how the half had gone, I think that’s one of the goals of the season.

[bluebruce]

Just now, Mashed Potatoes said:

We've won every time we've scored first.

Please don't say such things.

[booth]

Not great but Barnsley have been a dirty team, rubbish ref & Douglas going off injured = 1-0 up bonus.

[simongarnerisgod]

keep the ball better in the 2nd half and barnsley will be shattered after the hour

[Miker]

Barnsley have setup perfectly here to nullify us... we are struggling against the 3-4-3 as they've packed the centre of the pitch, which is stopping us from controlling the game through the centre. We look dangerous when Bell and Nyambe are brave and attack down those flanks. Both were very sloppy for most of the first half, which was hampering us considerably.

Given we're 1-0 up now, not sure if we need to change anything around. Barnsley aren't posing us any particular problems, they were just nullifying us quite well. 

[yoda's brother]

Just now, simongarnerisgod said:

and pne getting a lashing again!!!!!!!!!!!

what i nil lol

[bluebruce]

Just now, Joar said:

IMO the only player who was decent that half was Bell.

Lord knows where you got that from, he was pants except for one nice shimmy that started a move.

The only player who was decent that half was Kaminski.

[USA Rover]

Just now, simongarnerisgod said:

keep the ball better in the 2nd half and barnsley will be shattered after the hour

Don’t forget they can make 5 subs now. Changes the game.

[Mashed Potatoes]

Just now, bluebruce said:

Please don't say such things.

Oh ye of little........

[bluebruce]

Just now, Mashed Potatoes said:

Oh ye of little........

If we were playing right now, that would probably have been the moment a Barnsley shot flew in from 50 yards. Don't tempt fate, it's a bitch.

[simongarnerisgod]

Just now, USA Rover said:

Don’t forget they can make 5 subs now. Changes the game.

i forgot about that?

[Exiled_Rover]

What Barnsley have just done there reminds me of how Wigan Warriors used to play under Maguire - they used to go hell for leather for 60 minutes in the hope of blowing the opposition away and coasted the last 20 minutes.

There's simply no way Barnsley can keep that level of pressing up - their manager's head dropped for a reason when we scored. He knows that's a devastating goal to concede with these tactics. 

[darrenrover]

A good half of football that for me. Barnsley are no mugs and look a decent side.

We have to learn to be patient and soak up whatever the opposition have to offer and have a killer punch when given the opportunity. I think we did that to perfection in the first 45.

Great run and cut back from Nyambe and clinical finish fro Arma.

I'd be more than happy with a relatively boring second half which leaves the same scoreline as now at the conclusion.