John Buckley

[47er]

Sad to see Buckley struggling. I imagined he would be a mainstay of our midfield this season and we'd be fighting Premier League clubs to retain him.

Can't take anything for granted in football Bucko, time to take stock.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

6 hours ago, riverholmes said:

Buckley not involved again today. Unless he’s injured or it is part of some plan to revive his career, this strikes me as scapegoating of the player. He absolutely deserved to be considered for being dropped and by no means is entitled to games but he is one of our most naturally gifted players and by no means the only one who has been poor at times this season.

Moreover, he strikes me as a confidence player and, without knowing what is going on behind closed doors, I see this treatment as potentially blocking his return to form.

If he’s injured, then, fair enough. But I don’t think this club can afford to not support someone with the potential of Buckley. He needs minutes to re-find his form and grow as a player.

Dack could argue the same - as could Markanday, Edun etc. The shirt is earned on merit, playing for the team and the approach JDT wants to see.

[riverholmes]

Some very fair points regarding the Buckley 5 year contract, the form of other midfielders, the fact we don't know what his personal situation is and the likelihood that he will get further chances before to long.

For me, there are worrying signs that Tomasson has dropped him right down the pecking order, like Edun. Whilst the latter has rarely performed to the level required, Buckley has been one of our star performers at times, over his career, and, at the end of last season, was showing signs of adding long-range goals to his game. Certainly, he has not been consistent and this season poor and has deficiencies which, as a guess, might be partly related to mentality and confidence, though, I say this without any sort of certainty, but I feel there's no doubting his natural ability.

My concern would be that a prolonged exclusion and lack of support from the management, might send his career in the wrong direction. Let's face it, there's a high possibility that Morton will go back to Liverpool come the end of the season (if not before) and if A. Wharton keeps his form, I feel there's a high likelihood that without promotion, he will be bought. We need to do everything possible to get Buckley back on form and, if it fails, at least we tried.

However, I agree we have to wait and see how Tomasson treats him. If I was the manager, assuming Buckley's health etc. were all good, I would have him on the bench as much as possible and be seeking to give him minutes to recover confidence and form. With the form of others, it is tricky to fit him in, I admit.

Edited October 30, 2022 by riverholmes

[roversfan99]

I think that the main issue has been the assumption that moving him from attacking midfield to a more holding role would be a seamless transition. It's a totally different position and he really seemed to struggle to assert his authority on the ball, plus his ability to win the ball back high up the pitch is not utilised.

I also wonder what his attitude is like, with Dack it was just assumed that he spit his dummy out, Buckley did go down the tunnel last Saturday I think (may have been temporarily) as soon as we brought on our last subs, maybe he has not taken being dropped well.

[rigger]

19 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

I think that the main issue has been the assumption that moving him from attacking midfield to a more holding role would be a seamless transition. It's a totally different position and he really seemed to struggle to assert his authority on the ball, plus his ability to win the ball back high up the pitch is not utilised.

I also wonder what his attitude is like, with Dack it was just assumed that he spit his dummy out, Buckley did go down the tunnel last Saturday I think (may have been temporarily) as soon as we brought on our last subs, maybe he has not taken being dropped well.

Nobody takes being dropped, well. It's how you react to being dropped, that matters.

[neophox]

Buckley has not performed this season.... he's been with the squad for some seasons and should react instead of sulk......

[neophox]

Tomasson has given Dack, Buckley, Edun and Hirst chances but they havent performed and now they are all with the reserves.... Markanday hasn't showed he is top half quality for this league yet but they are all capable players and I think they all need games so we have some rest capability to use.

[rigger]

1 hour ago, neophox said:

Tomasson has given Dack, Buckley, Edun and Hirst chances but they havent performed and now they are all with the reserves.... Markanday hasn't showed he is top half quality for this league yet but they are all capable players and I think they all need games so we have some rest capability to use.

For me, the player you mentioned have shown what they are. Squad players at the most (Hirst hasn't even shown that, to be honest).  

[joey_big_nose]

13 minutes ago, rigger said:

For me, the player you mentioned have shown what they are. Squad players at the most (Hirst hasn't even shown that, to be honest).  

I'd say to some extent they have been victims of us not finding the right system when they were playing. I'd like them all to get a go now we have settled down and found our rhythm to see whether they can slot in well. 

Hirst should get a shot up front as frankly once either Gallagher or Brereton are unavailable he is the only direct replacement. Edun, Dack and Buckley have a bigger issue in that even with the three we are playing in the middle we have five players ahead of them (Morton, Travis, Adam Wharton, Szmodics, Garrett) so chances are going to be very few and far between.  Edun is at the back of that queue so I am sure he is starting to wonder if he needs to move on to get games. Even if he fancied a crack at left wing back JDT has shown he is happy to play Brittain and Mola in there if Pickering is out.

[smiller14]

Buckley was a bit unlucky playing in CM when we only had 2 in there and were often getting overrun. That being said, he didn't do enough (QPR aside). I'm confident he will get his chance again and hope he takes it, but at the moment he can't grumble as we're winning games. He just needs to knuckle down. 

[rigger]

13 minutes ago, smiller14 said:

Buckley was a bit unlucky playing in CM when we only had 2 in there and were often getting overrun. That being said, he didn't do enough (QPR aside). I'm confident he will get his chance again and hope he takes it, but at the moment he can't grumble as we're winning games. He just needs to knuckle down. 

What they all need to be doing, is standing out when they play for the U21s, as Adam Wharton did. At the moment none of them are doing that. 

[Mike E]

1 hour ago, joey_big_nose said:

I'd say to some extent they have been victims of us not finding the right system when they were playing. I'd like them all to get a go now we have settled down and found our rhythm to see whether they can slot in well. 

Hirst should get a shot up front as frankly once either Gallagher or Brereton are unavailable he is the only direct replacement. Edun, Dack and Buckley have a bigger issue in that even with the three we are playing in the middle we have five players ahead of them (Morton, Travis, Adam Wharton, Szmodics, Garrett) so chances are going to be very few and far between.  Edun is at the back of that queue so I am sure he is starting to wonder if he needs to move on to get games. Even if he fancied a crack at left wing back JDT has shown he is happy to play Brittain and Mola in there if Pickering is out.

AND we know JDT rates Batty for the position in future.

[Exiled in Toronto]

I wonder if JDT has a problem with Bucko’s playing style and he’s having to learn a new way of playing. Last season, the three things he did well were winning the ball high up the pitch, running past players with the ball (gliding more than running) and ambitious long passes. I don’t think JDT is a fan of either of the last two, especially as JB had a tendency to give away possession doing both of them.

[roversfan99]

I wonder if he will ever successfully transition into a sitting midfielder, was never totally convinced that he would go back as smoothly as people expect. You look at Wharton who always takes the ball deep, well balanced and doesn't dally, Buckley maybe doesn't see things as quickly. 

[oldjamfan1]

5 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

I wonder if he will ever successfully transition into a sitting midfielder, was never totally convinced that he would go back as smoothly as people expect. You look at Wharton who always takes the ball deep, well balanced and doesn't dally, Buckley maybe doesn't see things as quickly. 

He definitely doesn't, but in fairness there aren't many that do (or even can do)

[Sparks Rover]

1 hour ago, roversfan99 said:

I wonder if he will ever successfully transition into a sitting midfielder, was never totally convinced that he would go back as smoothly as people expect. You look at Wharton who always takes the ball deep, well balanced and doesn't dally, Buckley maybe doesn't see things as quickly. 

For me, if you're going to be a sitting/holding midfielder, you need to be the "enforcer" in the side.  Bucko just doesn't have that in his game, weak on the ball and limited physically.

[riverholmes]

10 hours ago, Exiled in Toronto said:

I wonder if JDT has a problem with Bucko’s playing style and he’s having to learn a new way of playing. Last season, the three things he did well were winning the ball high up the pitch, running past players with the ball (gliding more than running) and ambitious long passes. I don’t think JDT is a fan of either of the last two, especially as JB had a tendency to give away possession doing both of them.

I think you might be right. I recall that at the end of last season, Buckley was impressing in the AM role, including scoring a couple of belters. He also was Rovers Young Player of the Year.

However, I do wonder whether JDT's playing style, which we are told is a quick, short-passing, two touch possession game is something Buckley has found hard to adapt to. He does tend to hold possession and play longer passes. Not on the same level, of course. but I would say his game is akin to that of Harvey Elliot in style, who got a lot of assists with raking passes for Armstrong.

 

 

[RV Blue]

It’s time to bring Buckley back. There’s no way he shouldn’t at least be on the bench in this side. 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

10 minutes ago, RV Blue said:

It’s time to bring Buckley back. There’s no way he shouldn’t at least be on the bench in this side. 

Could he have done any worse than Travis at right back last night ?

[bazza]

JDT picked a silly set up by having Travis and Brittain as square pegs. Brittain and Pickering it should have been.

Why should a manager decide that all players play his way? The best managers are those who recognise the strengths and weaknesses of his players and picks a team accordingly allowing the players to express themselves.

[bluebruce]

On 03/11/2022 at 20:23, bazza said:

JDT picked a silly set up by having Travis and Brittain as square pegs. Brittain and Pickering it should have been.

Why should a manager decide that all players play his way? The best managers are those who recognise the strengths and weaknesses of his players and picks a team accordingly allowing the players to express themselves.

I can only think that Pickering wasn't deemed fully fit to last 60-90 minutes? Surely it has to be that, I don't think even Mowbray would have done it the way it was done otherwise.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

8 hours ago, bluebruce said:

I can only think that Pickering wasn't deemed fully fit to last 60-90 minutes? Surely it has to be that, I don't think even Mowbray would have done it the way it was done otherwise.

We seem to be having more than our usual amount of injuries this season.

[chaddyrovers]

 

 

[Sparks Rover]

31 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

 

 

It's no coincidence we are 2nd and well clear of 6th....just sayin😌

Edited November 9, 2022 by Sparks Rover

[Guest]

49 minutes ago, Sparks Rover said:

It's no coincidence we are 2nd and well clear of 6th....just sayin😌

Please don't insinuate that we're 2nd purely because John Buckley isn't playing..