2022/2023 Pre Season Thread

[Upside Down]

4 hours ago, riverholmes said:

Should Vale make an impact this season, which looks a possibility but, of course, unproven as yet, it will just reinforce, to me, the likely counter-productive and irrational mismanagement by the prior regime in sending out experienced U23s hopefuls (competing in Premier League 2, against Premier League fringe reserves) into non-league. In Vale's case, he was sent to semi-pro FC Halifax on a half-season loan, last year. Dan Pike, went to AFC Fylde for two separate month-long spells, in the sixth tier. Sam Burns had a month at FC United mid-season.

The principle that most clubs operate by is to loan youngsters out to clubs at the highest level possible where they can get reasonable game time. In Rovers case, it seems to me, that that principle was abandoned and players were/are sent out without due diligence or due regard for the progress of the player. I can't prove it but I'm sure that Jack Vale, a prolific Welsh U21 forward would have had, during the transfer window periods, interest from league clubs. The season before, I believe he had an injury hampered spell at Rochdale. Last year, Sam Burns eventually got a loan spell at Scunthorpe, having come back to the club. Connor McBride had interest, it was reported, from league clubs at the start of last season, though, at the time the club blocked all loans. Even Tyler Magloire, whose form has not been great, got a league club loan, eventually.

All this will be forgotten in the case of Vale, if he makes an impact. It might be the case that the spell at FC Halifax, which, as a half-season loan, gave him more time than the bitty one-month deals, was beneficial to his game and mentality to make a breakthrough. David Raya had a season, I believe, at Southport.

Nonetheless, overall, the policy, I feel will be detrimental to the club and other players will not be so fortunate. It is/was an irrational or lazy policy, akin to lining up pre-season friendlies against non-league opposition, in preparation for a Championship campaign. Or as questionable as a Premier League club loaning out highly rated U23 players to play in non-league - or, even at the bottom of League 2.

All that said, my case is based on the presumption that these players could, with the right moves from the club, have got higher quality loans, which I am fairly sure of, in many cases, but cannot, of course, prove.

 

Nothing is ever done at this club with due diligence or regard for anything other than the easiest laziest way to tick the box and say we did xyz.

[Claytons Left Boot]

A great start by Rovers yesterday but once Celtic got over the shock of conceding early, they got into gear and were well on top in the first period. It was to be expected, though, as this was a very strong Celtic side with really only Starfelt missing at the back where he usually partners Carter-Vickers.

Dolan wasted a great opportunity to lob Joe Hart, sending his shot over the bar, but, other than the odd corner, Celtic weren’t troubled again. I thought Rovers handled Kyogo very well, limiting him to two or three half chances and keeping him off the score sheet. This lad is lightning fast and has an eye for goal, so credit to the lads at the back for that. 

Rovers came into the game more in the second half and Gallagher missed two good chances to add to his tally, testing Siegrist who had, by now, replaced Joe Hart. When Celtic took off more players to gradually morph into their second eleven, I sensed we would get back in the game and Brereton duly obliged to make it 2-2.

Rovers also made several changes in the second period and, all in all, it was a good workout for our young lads. Second best in the first half but we certainly held our own later on. It was competitive stuff and two or three yellow cards were handed out.

Special mention to the superb, sizeable, noisy Rovers support hemmed in to the corner. Never stopped singing all game. A great day out, finished off with another couple of pints in the Horseshoe Bar in the city centre. Last time in there was for the cup game in 2002.
 

 

 

[Giant]

7 hours ago, goozburger said:

But which club served the better scotch pies, @Giant?

Without doubt, Dundee.

[arbitro]

I know it's early days and we haven't played a competitive game get but watching them so far it is clear to me what system we are playing. There doesn't seem to be anything complicated about how Tomasson wants to play and we are seeing square pegs in square holes. Compare this to the over complicated nonsense we have had to put up with under Mowbray which had most of us scratching our heads.

[47er]

5 minutes ago, arbitro said:

are seeing square pegs in square holes.

are not?

[arbitro]

21 minutes ago, 47er said:

are not?

Under Tomasson we are.

[deanives]

32 minutes ago, arbitro said:

I know it's early days and we haven't played a competitive game get but watching them so far it is clear to me what system we are playing. There doesn't seem to be anything complicated about how Tomasson wants to play and we are seeing square pegs in square holes. Compare this to the over complicated nonsense we have had to put up with under Mowbray which had most of us scratching our heads.

Gallagher on the wing and Carter at right back? 

[arbitro]

22 minutes ago, deanives said:

Gallagher on the wing and Carter at right back? 

Gallagher coming inside to the middle from where he scored and missed two chances and pressing from a central position. Clearly Tomasson wants to see Carter at right back where he played a few games last season and did well. I saw more fluidity in the system yesterday the  I have seen for some time.

[47er]

40 minutes ago, arbitro said:

Under Tomasson we are.

Right---just checking! Your post reads contradictory to me. Must be me!

[tomphil]

2 hours ago, deanives said:

Gallagher on the wing and Carter at right back? 

He has to use the players we have so we are still going to see some slotted in.

There's a difference between trying to integrate players into a system and just throwing them around the side just to get them games.

Hopefully we see more of option A - because we are developing our own system not running a random tombola at times to try and fox opposition and just keep everybody happy.

Time will tell.

[chaddyrovers]

Highlights of the game for people who didn't see the game like myself. 2 good goals scored. Seems like a good performance overall. Vale and Buckley best players according to the ratings in the Lancs Live article. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=Tt96HvGu5Og&feature=emb_logo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=95&v=OZ-99JaRBrg&feature=emb_logo

 

[BankEnd Rover]

3 hours ago, deanives said:

Gallagher on the wing and Carter at right back? 

Mate come off it….

[AspRover]

Gallagher wasn't really playing on the wing though to be honest, it was a very narrow system but also almost asymmetrical - BBD spent a fair bit of time out wide and even tracking back a bit to help out the beleaguered Pickering, but Gallagher was more central for more of the game and stayed forward with Travis providing the extra cover for Carter from the midfield.

Difficult to put it on paper as a formation, but seemed tactically quite flexible. Relied on Travis covering a lot of ground though and I think he's the only player we've got who can really play that role, so that's a new concern.

[Claytons Left Boot]

It would be nice to cut Carter a bit of slack. Jota was on fire yesterday and has been a brilliant signing for Celtic, after having him on loan last season. If he continues to impress, it won’t be too long before some big clubs, and a big money transfer, come calling. Carter is a big lad and there was some decent play from him at times.

Pickering, though, had a shocker and Celtic certainly targeted our left flank with Abada giving him a torrid time in the first half. The trend continued in the second half with the overlapping full back, Ralston, adding to his woes. He won’t forget that game in a hurry and we desperately need a replacement and pdq.

Overall, though, I was pleased with a draw as I feared a heavy defeat before the game. Not only are Celtic a quality side, in the context of Scottish football, they are also well ahead of us in the fitness stakes as the new season approaches. Most of yesterdays starting eleven will form the nucleus of our side against QPR and they haven’t had too much more than sixty minutes against Accrington, whilst Celtic have played two Competitive games in Austria and one in the Czech Republic.

A good workout and an enjoyable game.

[TheRovers1994]

Very satisfied with the Celtic game, very good work out, Celtic and rangers like the other year are a very good test for any championship or PL team, they are both between competitive championship and bottom half prem level do it was good ti get such a game in. 
 

Celtic complaining about us being too physical is brilliant cause it’s means we ain’t soft touch anymore like we’ve been since big Sam left, which has always been a problem, we let other teams over the years bully us and get the rub of the green when it comes to refs especially shithouse teams like Preston and Wigan who we’ve struggled against over the years so that’s a major positive. 
 

impressed with jdt so far, refreshing to see a man on the sidelines in action and engaging how a proper manager/coach should instead of the negative loser show we e had to put up with over the last 5 years cause even coyle had more enthusiasm but Mowbray and going back further bowyer we’re just depressing. 
 

a good coach adapts his ideas to the teams strengths and that’s what we are seeing from jdt, he knows whatever his ideal system is can’t be implemented with such a young squad lacking experience and depth so he’s trying to set a system that suits us best now into we get to the point when we have the team to do as he wants with good chance of success, so again all credit to the bloke cause if we still had the last miserable old dinosaur we would have been seeing Gallagher at centre back and Buckley upfront cause we all know that bloke with his square pegs round holes mentality would still anyone anywhere to try suit his system so it’s good to see jdt getting rid of that especially with the likes of Buckley and Gallagher who have been completely mismanaged up to jdt’s appointment 

[chaddyrovers]

22 minutes ago, goozburger said:

Anyone else think the club is overdoing it with all of this travelling around in pre-season?

Can I ask why you think this please? 

[simongarnerisgod]

22 minutes ago, goozburger said:

Anyone else think the club is overdoing it with all of this travelling around in pre-season?

portugal and scotland,hardly a trek,there is an invention called the aeroplane,it makes travel quicker

[tomphil]

They were on the coach in Scotland and weren't they already up there anyway ?

I think JDTs approach to pre season is quite refreshing so far, 2nd string playing together then first team, instead of the usual mish mash of the two game in game out.  Gives it all a bit of structure so i expect similar this week.

[Exiled_Rover]

7 hours ago, deanives said:

Gallagher on the wing and Carter at right back? 

That front 4 seemed very fluid, to be honest. 

As for Carter at RB - yes, he's a CB by trade and should be the first guy off the bench at CB, but he's also got to be able to cover at RB with how small our squad is. 

[chaddyrovers]

20 minutes ago, goozburger said:

Travelling is tiring when it's an aside from the actual work you do. Just a monotonous extra that I'm not sure helps the real work they have to train for.

Did they use an aeroplane to go to Scotland? Will they do that to get down to Hartlepool? And then Lincoln? Just seems like a lot of unnecessary mileage to be doing when we won't have played once on our own turf all summer. Tomasson alluded to something similar shortly after he signed as Head Coach - that he would have done it differently and had some home games. Fully agree with that.

I'm not averse to some away friendlies, but I wouldn't underestimate the hours travelled in short spaces of time. For a pre-season, just seems a lot to me.

I think the 2 training camps away have been good for JDT and he has got to know the squad very quickly and what under 21's options there is at the club. 

Yes he a couple of home games might have been good. But When the world cup meaning a shorter summer break and winter break means less pre season time. Plus the pitch needing work doing it. 

[tomphil]

3 minutes ago, goozburger said:

They have to get there in the first place to be fair. And then travelling between Dundee and Glasgow when they're in Dunblane.

Not sure, was just taking it all into account. Seems as though we're travelling cross-country more than we'd have liked. They can stay in nice hotels/resorts, have first class travel, eat fine meals, be treated like kings and so on, but it doesn't take away from the hours and days spent travelling. Maybe it's just me. I find any sort of travelling knackering. 🤭

Other side of the coin is it's good for the bonding and the newbies in the squad getting used to.

Young squad also so they should be able to brush it off although ideally the last pre season game would be at home or closer to it.

[chaddyrovers]

8 minutes ago, goozburger said:

The foreign training camp (outside the UK, that is) is fine. I'm actually hoping they come to my locale next summer! 😃 I'm not sure he wanted the Scotland one, though, or maybe more specifically, away games at some lower league clubs half way across the country. Make the buggers come to us if they want to play the super Blackburn Rovers.

I don't buy the pitch thing. I like the club getting involved in the local community, but having mats and prams wheeling around on the pitch tells me we should be able to play a game on it, too. I think JDT would have forced the issue had it been down to him, and rightly so. Next summer should be different (if he's still here!).

True. Away from home, I suppose the only people you are around are your teammates, so maybe they become family and, as JDT has said on a few occasions, team is number one. Team spirit is going to be huge for a squad like ours this season. Just hope they aren't going to start off too jaded.

Have to say I think JDT and the players are making the most of it, and I've been impressed with how they've handled the games so far. Would like to see us dish out a couple of victories in the next two, but no biggie if it doesn't happen. After all, Sheffield United were beaten by a National League club yesterday.

I don't know what JDT would have wanted myself. We see next summer

having mats and prams on the pitch? 

[J*B]

24 minutes ago, goozburger said:

The foreign training camp (outside the UK, that is) is fine. I'm actually hoping they come to my locale next summer! 😃 I'm not sure he wanted the Scotland one, though, or maybe more specifically, away games at some lower league clubs half way across the country. Make the buggers come to us if they want to play the super Blackburn Rovers.

I don't buy the pitch thing. I like the club getting involved in the local community, but having mats and prams wheeling around on the pitch tells me we should be able to play a game on it, too. I think JDT would have forced the issue had it been down to him, and rightly so. Next summer should be different (if he's still here!).

True. Away from home, I suppose the only people you are around are your teammates, so maybe they become family and, as JDT has said on a few occasions, team is number one. Team spirit is going to be huge for a squad like ours this season. Just hope they aren't going to start off too jaded.

Have to say I think JDT and the players are making the most of it, and I've been impressed with how they've handled the games so far. Would like to see us dish out a couple of victories in the next two, but no biggie if it doesn't happen. After all, Sheffield United were beaten by a National League club yesterday.

I suspect they’re doing it to improve team spirit, which is the backbone of JDTs approach. When they’re local the first team players are together at Brockhall 10-1, when they’re away is 24 hours a day. 

[Claytons Left Boot]

Regarding Gallagher, I have been very critical of him over the last couple of seasons but there is definitely a player in there somewhere. Let’s hope JDT and Co can get it fully out in the open. He took his goal well and, in the second half, had two great chances to put the ball away again. Whilst he didn’t score, at least he was on target and made the keeper work, rather than blazing it wide. If we can KEEP him and Brereton together up front, I’ll be happy enough.

[chaddyrovers]

25 minutes ago, goozburger said:

Yes. I just thought it was a bit odd to say we need to protect the pitch and be unable to play a friendly on it (actually, don't know if that was really said anywhere), but allow pram-wheeling, mats, heels, metal chairs, kick-arounds, and so on (maybe lack of studs in the latter would be a fair point). You get the full gallery here. The below photo is from the club's official website. I just wonder if the club had other motives for us not hosting a friendly, but who knows?

that was 2 months ago wasn't it? 

the recent event which the pitch was going for was moved at the last minute