Championship - 22-23

[roverandout]

Ryan Giles having another great season.  Mowbray wasted him on loan last season 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

35 minutes ago, roverandout said:

Ryan Giles having another great season.  Mowbray wasted him on loan last season 

Imagine playing him on the right wing - clueless.

[Cherry Blue]

27 points to play for in 9 massive Championship games. If same team-mind turns up as was today at SUFC we will reach play-off.

[wilsdenrover]

3 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Imagine playing him on the right wing - clueless.

Unfortunately we don’t have to imagine it

[Exiled_Rover]

3 hours ago, Cherry Blue said:

27 points to play for in 9 massive Championship games. If same team-mind turns up as was today at SUFC we will reach play-off.

We can't play at that intensity twice a week - April is where our lack of squad depth is going to kill us I'm afraid. 

[Sweaty Gussets]

3 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

We can't play at that intensity twice a week - April is where our lack of squad depth is going to kill us I'm afraid. 

we probably only need 4 wins. 

[rigger]

5 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

We can't play at that intensity twice a week - April is where our lack of squad depth is going to kill us I'm afraid. 

Why ? If your team is winning games, it will be no problem.

[arbitro]

9 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

We can't play at that intensity twice a week - April is where our lack of squad depth is going to kill us I'm afraid. 

I agree. Our poor January transfer window could well come have to bite us.

[wilsdenrover]

12 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

We can't play at that intensity twice a week - April is where our lack of squad depth is going to kill us I'm afraid. 

Which of the ‘chasing pack’ do you think will benefit from a strong squad depth in this busy period?

[chaddyrovers]

10 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

We can't play at that intensity twice a week - April is where our lack of squad depth is going to kill us I'm afraid. 

Of course we can. We have plenty of depth for me. Don't get the negative attitude to it

[Exiled_Rover]

5 minutes ago, wilsdenrover said:

Which of the ‘chasing pack’ do you think will benefit from a strong squad depth in this busy period?

You'd say anyone down to 12th is still in with a shot of the Playoffs if they hit a run of form.

Norwich, West Brom and Watford have all obviously got stronger squads than us.

I'll feel much more confident if we beat Birmingham the first game back - that gives us a 7 point gap to 7th and some much needed breathing room, but it won't take much to see us stumble, especially with the teams we have to play in the run-in. 

[wilsdenrover]

7 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

You'd say anyone down to 12th is still in with a shot of the Playoffs if they hit a run of form.

Norwich, West Brom and Watford have all obviously got stronger squads than us.

I'll feel much more confident if we beat Birmingham the first game back - that gives us a 7 point gap to 7th and some much needed breathing room, but it won't take much to see us stumble, especially with the teams we have to play in the run-in. 

Winning the first game ‘back’ will also help the players get over today’s disappointment.

I know what you’re saying about the teams we have to play but I’d rather we have the chance to beat them ourselves than having to rely on others to do it for us.

Of course it would help if Luton and Millwall could implode - they must have squads that are no stronger than ours.

Edited March 19, 2023 by wilsdenrover

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

We’ve just got Kaminski back plus the two Whartons. Dack, Ayala to come back ant some point also. We might get lucky with Buckley before the end of the season. Thomas will be available again now.

[Cherry Blue]

47 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

We can't play at that intensity twice a week - April is where our lack of squad depth is going to kill us I'm afraid. 

 

33 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Of course we can. We have plenty of depth for me. Don't get the negative attitude to it

Game & player management essential as is support from terraces at each game.

[wilsdenrover]

6 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

We’ve just got Kaminski back plus the two Whartons. Dack, Ayala to come back ant some point also. We might get lucky with Buckley before the end of the season. Thomas will be available again now.

I guess the crucial thing will be what their match fitness is like. 

[chaddyrovers]

36 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

Norwich, West Brom and Watford have all obviously got stronger squads than us.

based on current form and results clearly not

[chaddyrovers]

2 minutes ago, wilsdenrover said:

I guess the crucial thing will be what their match fitness is like. 

i'm sure Rovers will have a couple of friendlies over the next 2 weeks

[rigger]

13 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

i'm sure Rovers will have a couple of friendlies over the next 2 weeks

U21s have two games, if players need match fitness, use as many as possible.

[roverandout]

1 hour ago, chaddyrovers said:

based on current form and results clearly not

What??

[philipl]

Apart from Boro, I don't go along with this "others have greater strength in depth" than us argument.  

Unless posters are referring to the mighty squads of Coventry, Luton and Millwall.

Watford have amazing forwards but are a shambles for the most part elsewhere. Baggies on paper scare the living daylights but on the pitch are very lacklustre. And as for Norwich- here's to a Rovers treble over them.

We are getting to the point of the season when making up a deficit of 4 points or more across an ever decreasing number of games is becoming a bigger ask.

Today's disappointment is tempered by Sheffield United having to face Haaland without their City loanees and now needing to play 9 games in 28 days at the season end.

Our squad isn't that miniscule. Assuming no training ground or international injuries, JDT will have Pears, Kaminski, JRC, Brittain, Ayala, S Wharton, Hyam, Carter, Pickering, Morton, Travis, Thomas, Dack, Szmodics, Brereton, Gallagher (16) to select from as players with a lot of minutes plus Edun, Garrett, A Wharton, Phillips and Vale (5 more) whom we know can do thorough reliable jobs before needing to select from Mola, Leonard and the kids.

Accepting Buckley is out for the duration, that is not overwhelming riches but far from a bad situation to be in going into 9 league games and 3 play-off fixtures spread over 2 months.

 

[Exiled_Rover]

10 hours ago, roverandout said:

Ryan Giles having another great season.  Mowbray wasted him on loan last season 

You mean Ryan Mahrez, right?

[Exiled_Rover]

2 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

We’ve just got Kaminski back plus the two Whartons. Dack, Ayala to come back ant some point also. We might get lucky with Buckley before the end of the season. Thomas will be available again now.

I'm more worried about our attacking options, or lack thereof, than Phillips having to get a game or two (he should have got more time on the pitch this season anyway). 

 

[roverandout]

8 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

You mean Ryan Mahrez, right?

That's him 

[Paul Mani]

With so few games left, I think having a smaller squad could be a blessing. It’s all about fighting together and gaining momentum now. Create a seige mentality and roll your best XI out every game, managing energy levels as you do…Adrenalin will drive the players and they don’t want change anyway.

We have good cover everywhere other than with Travis and Gally when you’re looking like bringing in Garret, A Wharton and Leonard. In that scenario, the clubs future could lie between a Roy of the Rovers ending with Leonard scoring the winning goal at Wembley in the playoff final OR us missing out completely because we failed to sign a striker or send the reg docs in time for Lewis O’B….

Lets see!

[chaddyrovers]

11 hours ago, rigger said:

U21s have two games, if players need match fitness, use as many as possible.

I suspect that Brittain, Whartons, Garrett, Dolan, Philips, Leonard will play tomorrow against PNE. 

11 hours ago, roverandout said:

What??

???