2022/2023 Pre Season Thread

[nbdrovers]

couple of celtic questions.. do you just get the seat the rovers ticketing system auto-assigns you or am i just completely missing the option to choose your own? does anyone have a clue as to where we'll be sitting? can't find anything for the seat # and row it's spitting out at me. the only info it gives is the option saying "restricted view" up front.

[Ossydave]

5 hours ago, tomphil said:

I do worry a bit that what JDT sees as a high pressing high intensity game coming from the relatively laid back Swedish leagues and what we see as the same in the aggressive EPL are two different things.

The Allsvenskan is anything but laid back from what I've seen. High intensity and aggression is rife! Some of the challenges I see flying in and slightly more lenient refs make it a good watch. 

[lraC]

7 hours ago, Norn Iron Rover said:

Managed to watch this (without sound) on 'Dee TV' and thought it was a useful run out for what was, admittedly, a very young reserve team. Just a couple of observations though...

1. Adam Wharton looks a class act and still only 18. 

2. Dundee has an unusually high seagull population!

A few have been saying Adam Wharton will be a good player. At 18 if he is already showing signs then it’s an exciting time for him and the fans. Two brothers who are local lads in the side, would be wonderful. 

[Ossydave]

“You need to have volume, have intensity, and we’re training extremely hard, which is something new for a few of the boys with regards to intensity and they need to work.”

 

Interesting comment from JDT and adds weight to the viewpoint that it was a bit of a holiday camp for some under Mowbray 

[Herbie6590]

I know it’s a while till the deadline but no players in a fortnight before the 1st game suggests the opening half dozen games could be a tad hairy. I hope the fans don’t get on the backs of young lads - some of the comments on here worry me. They’ll need all the support we can give them.

 

[Mattyblue]

Thought you’d be the last person extrapolating brfcs to the actual fanbase!

Of course the vast, vast majority of fans will get behind them (a tiny minority will boo and jeer, they always do). There was hardly even a murmur of dissent as we threw away a once in a decade opportunity last season, so without doubt a team of young lads will get full backing.

Edited July 14, 2022 by Mattyblue

[Claytons Left Boot]

4 hours ago, nbdelboy said:

couple of celtic questions.. do you just get the seat the rovers ticketing system auto-assigns you or am i just completely missing the option to choose your own? does anyone have a clue as to where we'll be sitting? can't find anything for the seat # and row it's spitting out at me. the only info it gives is the option saying "restricted view" up front.

We have blocks 119 and 120, bottom right hand corner on attached stadium plan. Some of the seats in 120 are restricted view because of a couple of supports on the adjacent main stand to the left. Celtic season ticket holders are virtually everywhere else and the game is included in their 22-23 season ticket, so hopefully it will be a good turn out.

When I tried to buy online, it was only letting me buy one ticket and only giving me the option of restricted view. I rang the ticket office and bought over the phone. Got two tickets in the unrestricted view section.

Edited July 14, 2022 by Claytons Left Boot

[Claytons Left Boot]

If you walk to the right (east) of the ground on the above plan, go three hundred yards down London Road to the junction with Springfield Road and there are a couple of boozers there. Turn left and walk (north) down Springfield Road, another is on the right after two or three minutes. Carry on down Springfield Road to the end, only a few minutes walk, and you come to the Gallowgate. To the left of the junction is the Fiveways Inn which is ok. A bit more to the left, down Gallowgate, is the Forge Shopping Centre where there is ample parking and the outside parking areas are free, or at least the bit I used was when I was there in April.

[Mercer]

6 hours ago, damo100 said:

Harsh, did your friend know we played with predominantly u18/23's?

As a season ticket holder and often user of Rovers' corporate facilities he's more than aware of who is who!  Furthermore he's an ex pro who played at a good level until a knee injury did for him (no reconstructive stuff back then) so he knows the game!

Only reason he went last night was because he was not far away from the game being already up there for The Open and he was intrigued by our new manager and his professed style of play.  Like me and others, he thinks we have some very poor footballers in our squad with the likes of Pears, Rankin-Costello, Magloire, Edun, Hedges and Butterworth; think the youngest one of those six is Butterworth at 22 who turns 23 this year so let's not kid ourselves last night's team was "predominantly u18/23's".  IMO, these are players who will never be a good enough for Championship football, in fact I'd go further and suggest some would be found wanting in Division 2.

As I've said before, I think our squad is threadbare and it's frightening.  Reading between the lines, I think JDT knows this too.  Big question, has GB the wherewithal or financial backing to address it!?    

Edited July 14, 2022 by Mercer

[Wheelton Blue]

Spot on @Mercer. Those players you listed simply aren't good enough, but it's not beyond the realms of possibility that we'll be relying on some of them to start games. That would equal a relegation battle IMO.

[Guest]

Thought Hedges was good last night 🤷‍♂️

[Mercer]

2 minutes ago, JoeH said:

Thought Hedges was good last night 🤷‍♂️

  Consider the standard of opposition! 

From what I've seen of Hedges in a Rovers' shirt in the Championship, he looks to me like a fish out of water.  God help us if he's seen as a 'mainstay' this coming season.    

[Guest]

Just now, Mercer said:

  Consider the standard of opposition! 

From what I've seen of Hedges in a Rovers' shirt in the Championship, he looks to me like a fish out of water.  God help us if he's seen as a 'mainstay' this coming season.    

I'm not disregarding the standard of opposition, but it's just not true that Hedges was poor.

[Mercer]

1 minute ago, JoeH said:

I'm not disregarding the standard of opposition, but it's just not true that Hedges was poor.

I did not say Hedges was poor last night!  I just think he is a poor footballer!

Think even Pears kept a clean sheet last season - that doesn't disguise the fact he's a poor footballer!

[neophox]

2 hours ago, lraC said:

A few have been saying Adam Wharton will be a good player. At 18 if he is already showing signs then it’s an exciting time for him and the fans. Two brothers who are local lads in the side, would be wonderful. 

A bit like Neville brothers and Evans brothers...

[neophox]

Its says Ash Phillips put Rovers ahead. First goal for him.

https://dundeefc.co.uk/news/even-contest-in-final-pre-season-match/

 

[oldjamfan1]

10 hours ago, RV Blue said:

Did Dundee have a full strength side out? Fact that they had 3 trialists starting would suggest not. I think preseason games should always be taken with a massive pinch of salt.

They weren't at full strength by any means but they did have more experienced players on the park than us, by and large. 

[neophox]

For those wondered if Sam Burns went to Scotland, yes he did. Came on at 76 mins in the game.

Seems Vale, Carter and Dolan will play a part on saturday.

[neophox]

Kaminski

Carter, Ayala, Wharton

Hedges, Travis, Buckley, Pickering

Dolan, Gallagher, Brereton

Surely this starting lineup for Celtic game...

[OsloRover]

19 minutes ago, neophox said:

Kaminski

Carter, Ayala, Wharton

Hedges, Travis, Buckley, Pickering

Dolan, Gallagher, Brereton

Surely this starting lineup for Celtic game...

Hedges again? At wing-back? Looks wrong to me, maybe Brown will play RWB.

Vale on the bench then probably but I expect him to get minutes.

Edited July 14, 2022 by OsloRover
more text

[RoversClitheroe]

4 minutes ago, OsloRover said:

Hedges again? At wing-back? Looks wrong to me, maybe Brown will play RWB.

Vale on the bench then probably but I expect him to get minutes.

Hedges on the bench, with Vale starting ahead of Sam Gallagher hopefully.

Brown at RWB

[damo100]

3 hours ago, Mercer said:

As a season ticket holder and often user of Rovers' corporate facilities he's more than aware of who is who!  Furthermore he's an ex pro who played at a good level until a knee injury did for him (no reconstructive stuff back then) so he knows the game!

Only reason he went last night was because he was not far away from the game being already up there for The Open and he was intrigued by our new manager and his professed style of play.  Like me and others, he thinks we have some very poor footballers in our squad with the likes of Pears, Rankin-Costello, Magloire, Edun, Hedges and Butterworth; think the youngest one of those six is Butterworth at 22 who turns 23 this year so let's not kid ourselves last night's team was "predominantly u18/23's".  IMO, these are players who will never be a good enough for Championship football, in fact I'd go further and suggest some would be found wanting in Division 2.

As I've said before, I think our squad is threadbare and it's frightening.  Reading between the lines, I think JDT knows this too.  Big question, has GB the wherewithal or financial backing to address it!?    

Don't really care if your friend was an ex player who played at 'a good level' I stand by my post stating he/you are being harsh on the lads who played last night.

Sort of negativity we really don't need right now.

[neophox]

Oh sorry...forgot about Brown...is he up for it?

 

[Polky]

I’m surprised Ethan Walker didn’t get any minutes last night…is he injured?

[roversfan99]

https://www.lancs.live/sport/football/football-news/bradley-dack-injury-blackburn-rovers-24483990

I find these quotes really worrying about Dack and the potential for continuing injury and fitness issues.

13 hours ago, JoeH said:

The U23's with a few U18's have just gotten a draw away at a side who beat Hibs, Hearts, Aberdeen & Motherwell last season. I'd say it's a really promising run out. Obviously the Pears goalkeeping was worrying, but that's nothing new, was the same at DW a few months back. 

Sam Barnes operating at LCB fantastic this evening, my MOTM.

The problem with the "U23's with a few U18's" tag is that in the absence of recruits which may or may not arrive before the season, it was also a display featuring our second choice players who could be needed at the start of the season if we get any knocks. It perhaps suggests that these players are not ready to be squad players if the attitude around them is one of very low expectations due to their age,

Not factoring in that it was seemingly a second string Dundee side with a few trialists.

57 minutes ago, damo100 said:

Don't really care if your friend was an ex player who played at 'a good level' I stand by my post stating he/you are being harsh on the lads who played last night.

Sort of negativity we really don't need right now.

What is this recent "negativity shaming about?"

A poster admittedly with a track record of hyperbolic nonsense shared a phone call he had with a Rovers fan on an internet messageboard. What does "we really don't need right now" even mean.

4 hours ago, Mattyblue said:

Thought you’d be the last person extrapolating brfcs to the actual fanbase!

Of course the vast, vast majority of fans will get behind them (a tiny minority will boo and jeer, they always do). There was hardly even a murmur of dissent as we threw away a once in a decade opportunity last season, so without doubt a team of young lads will get full backing.

It's so frustrating and it is becoming more and more common sadly.