v Blackpool (h) - 21/2/23

[Sweaty Gussets]

Probably the prefect example of why teams persist with passing the ball about at the back. It's high risk but when it works it leaves half the opposition team stranded cos they've been sucked in to our half trying to nick the ball.  One little turn from Brittain and half their team might as well have not been on the pitch. 

 

[Sweaty Gussets]

 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

48 minutes ago, 47er said:

On that "sitter" Morton missed late on. I didn't think it was a sitter, the angle was so was acute. I'm no fan of his, I think he stands in the way of us developing our own, but fairs fair!

He should have passed the ball inside. Vale was on the penalty spot waiting.

[roversfan99]

His first touch took the ball too far left and the technique he went with was poor in that it was always spinning away from goal.

The sub and utilisation of Morton was strange. I get that we have limited options but surely Hedges was a better option, or even if Morton comes on, you push Buckley on where he has played most of his Rovers career.

[Hasta]

1 hour ago, Sweaty Gussets said:

Probably the prefect example of why teams persist with passing the ball about at the back. It's high risk but when it works it leaves half the opposition team stranded cos they've been sucked in to our half trying to nick the ball.  One little turn from Brittain and half their team might as well have not been on the pitch. 

 

 

1 hour ago, Sweaty Gussets said:

 

That’s ok when Brittain then ‘stops’ passing from the back and takes a risk to make something happen. But all too often nobody takes that risk and we pass it for 60 seconds and then lose it. There are far more goals conceded because of it than scored because of it. And I’ve already said , Blackpool we’re the shittest side we’ve seen for pressing, closing down and picking up (unless we suddenly improved massively for that one game).

 

So bravo for a good team goal. Maybe that’s JDT’s version of the Derby away goal for TM. And we’ll done Brittain for not passing and taking a risk to get us on the front foot. But is doesn’t take away the memories of the suicidal play early season including the unholy trouncing at Turf Moor (and Wigan). When it’s not working zt doing it (which I feel we have a  bit recently).

Edited February 23, 2023 by Hasta

[Sweaty Gussets]

9 hours ago, Hasta said:

 

That’s ok when Brittain then ‘stops’ passing from the back and takes a risk to make something happen. But all too often nobody takes that risk and we pass it for 60 seconds and then lose it. There are far more goals conceded because of it than scored because of it. And I’ve already said , Blackpool we’re the shittest side we’ve seen for pressing, closing down and picking up (unless we suddenly improved massively for that one game).

 

So bravo for a good team goal. Maybe that’s JDT’s version of the Derby away goal for TM. And we’ll done Brittain for not passing and taking a risk to get us on the front foot. But is doesn’t take away the memories of the suicidal play early season including the unholy trouncing at Turf Moor (and Wigan). When it’s not working zt doing it (which I feel we have a  bit recently).

Some valid points, I only really posted it because fans question why any team would piss about with at the back, given all the risks. 

As for Brittain, no sure what you mean? He passed it to JRC. I don't think the idea is to pass it for the sake of it, the idea is to draw the other team out. If that involves a little shoulder drop and turn near the touchline then so be it. I don't think JDT will be bollocking him for it. I'd imagine players have a little  autonomy to create space how they feel fit. 

As for more goals being conceded than scored by playing it out from the back, I'm not sure that is remotely correct.

[Exiled_Rover]

10 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

His first touch took the ball too far left and the technique he went with was poor in that it was always spinning away from goal.

The sub and utilisation of Morton was strange. I get that we have limited options but surely Hedges was a better option, or even if Morton comes on, you push Buckley on where he has played most of his Rovers career.

Mainly because Morton is crap defensively.

[Tricky]

the Rovers social media channels are getting a bit carried away with this victory arent they... all a bit cringey,, it was only Blackpool ffs

[arbitro]

10 hours ago, Sweaty Gussets said:

Probably the prefect example of why teams persist with passing the ball about at the back. It's high risk but when it works it leaves half the opposition team stranded cos they've been sucked in to our half trying to nick the ball.  One little turn from Brittain and half their team might as well have not been on the pitch. 

 

It's risk versus reward for me. Off the top of my head I can think of half a dozen goals we have conceded from over playing or attempting a risky pass in dangerous areas. I like to see us pass the ball and maybe take a chance but in the right areas. One positive from recent matches has been our use of the long diagonal pass as we have several players who can knock this type of ball. In fact the goal on Tuesday included one such pass in the build up from JRC.

[chaddyrovers]

10 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

His first touch took the ball too far left and the technique he went with was poor in that it was always spinning away from goal.

He was good chance and didn't think it too wide or problem with the type of finish he picked

10 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

The sub and utilisation of Morton was strange. I get that we have limited options but surely Hedges was a better option, or even if Morton comes on, you push Buckley on where he has played most of his Rovers career.

Nox.need to break up the midfield duo that was playing very well. 

[Miller11]

17 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

Has others have said JDT has built a team that is well drilled and defensive organised. Building from the back. Hopefully as we carry on we can add more quality attacking players to help us attack more. 

I know it’s not just you saying this Chaddy, but I’m not sure your first sentence is correct. Over the last few games it looks like we are getting there defensively, but it’s only just over a month ago that Rotherham put 4 past us, and we’ve had a number of hammerings. Being on a negative goal difference despite being 4th in the table doesn’t scream ‘solid defensively’.

Like I said, hopefully we’ve turned a corner. We seem to have cut out the self sabotage and gifting opposition soft goals.

[Sweaty Gussets]

20 minutes ago, Miller11 said:

I know it’s not just you saying this Chaddy, but I’m not sure your first sentence is correct. Over the last few games it looks like we are getting there defensively, but it’s only just over a month ago that Rotherham put 4 past us, and we’ve had a number of hammerings. Being on a negative goal difference despite being 4th in the table doesn’t scream ‘solid defensively’.

Like I said, hopefully we’ve turned a corner. We seem to have cut out the self sabotage and gifting opposition soft goals.

We've capitulated in some high-profile games, notable PNE and Burnley, but the number of clean sheets prove he's got the team set-up well defensively. We're currently on 13 clean sheets, the record in a season is 19 (79/80 and 92/93).

[Mattyblue]

We’ve built most of those plentiful wins on getting our noses in front and seeing it out comfortably enough.

Whereas when we’ve gone behind away from home it’s often led to some right slappings, ergo the goal difference.

Obviously been a mentality thing as much as anything, so those two battling draws at Watford and West Brom were a very promising sign for me.

[Sweaty Gussets]

3 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

We’ve built most of those plentiful wins on getting our noses in front and seeing it out comfortably enough.

That's the main difference with the Mowbray era. I always thought we'd concede when we were a goal up under Mowbrray, but with JDT's team we invariably hold out for the win without too much pressure. 

[smiller14]

11 hours ago, Hasta said:

 

That’s ok when Brittain then ‘stops’ passing from the back and takes a risk to make something happen. But all too often nobody takes that risk and we pass it for 60 seconds and then lose it. There are far more goals conceded because of it than scored because of it. And I’ve already said , Blackpool we’re the shittest side we’ve seen for pressing, closing down and picking up (unless we suddenly improved massively for that one game).

 

So bravo for a good team goal. Maybe that’s JDT’s version of the Derby away goal for TM. And we’ll done Brittain for not passing and taking a risk to get us on the front foot. But is doesn’t take away the memories of the suicidal play early season including the unholy trouncing at Turf Moor (and Wigan). When it’s not working zt doing it (which I feel we have a  bit recently).

The Derby goal was Coyle funnily enough!

I don't mind passing from the back, but eventually there has to be a bit of purpose to it (which the goal evidenced). Too often this season it has been slow, predictable and purposeless, allowing the opposition to take advantage. 

[rigger]

2 hours ago, Sweaty Gussets said:

Some valid points, I only really posted it because fans question why any team would piss about with at the back, given all the risks. 

As for Brittain, no sure what you mean? He passed it to JRC. I don't think the idea is to pass it for the sake of it, the idea is to draw the other team out. If that involves a little shoulder drop and turn near the touchline then so be it. I don't think JDT will be bollocking him for it. I'd imagine players have a little  autonomy to create space how they feel fit. 

As for more goals being conceded than scored by playing it out from the back, I'm not sure that is remotely correct.

We have created far more chances for the opposition than for ourselves, by playing around at the back. Luckily most of them have been missed.

[Hasta]

53 minutes ago, Sweaty Gussets said:

That's the main difference with the Mowbray era. I always thought we'd concede when we were a goal up under Mowbrray, but with JDT's team we invariably hold out for the win without too much pressure. 

That's because I feel we have 4 centre halves now who are better than Lenihan / Mulgrew at defending under pressure. It's noticeably that JPVH was hardly mentioned at all during the previous window.

[arbitro]

52 minutes ago, Sweaty Gussets said:

That's the main difference with the Mowbray era. I always thought we'd concede when we were a goal up under Mowbrray, but with JDT's team we invariably hold out for the win without too much pressure. 

I have only felt relatively comfortable when leading at home in the league games this year (Cardiff, Swansea and Blackpool) when we kept some semblance of attack. Home games against the likes of West Brom, Huddersfield and Birmingham saw us to go a solid back five and in my view invite pressure unnecessarily. I didn't really think about it too much until someone mentioned what appears to be a change in Tomassons mentality since the turn of the year. I noticed on Tuesday he got quite agitated a few times motioning for the team to push further up the pitch. Even at Watford and West Brom we were pushing on late in the game in an effort to win.

[Sweaty Gussets]

5 minutes ago, Hasta said:

That's because I feel we have 4 centre halves now who are better than Lenihan / Mulgrew at defending under pressure. It's noticeably that JPVH was hardly mentioned at all during the previous window.

We're just better drilled in my opinion. 

[Sweaty Gussets]

2 minutes ago, arbitro said:

I have only felt relatively comfortable when leading at home in the league games this year (Cardiff, Swansea and Blackpool) when we kept some semblance of attack. Home games against the likes of West Brom, Huddersfield and Birmingham saw us to go a solid back five and in my view invite pressure unnecessarily. I didn't really think about it too much until someone mentioned what appears to be a change in Tomassons mentality since the turn of the year. I noticed on Tuesday he got quite agitated a few times motioning for the team to push further up the pitch. Even at Watford and West Brom we were pushing on late in the game in an effort to win.

He says himself that sometimes they defend deep and sometimes they defend and press higher up the pitch. 

JDT doesn't get the credit he deserves. The clean sheets aren't an accident, neither are the leads we've held on to after going 1 up. He clearly feels comfortable defending deep. The stats bear out his confidence. 

[arbitro]

11 minutes ago, Sweaty Gussets said:

He says himself that sometimes they defend deep and sometimes they defend and press higher up the pitch. 

JDT doesn't get the credit he deserves. The clean sheets aren't an accident, neither are the leads we've held on to after going 1 up. He clearly feels comfortable defending deep. The stats bear out his confidence. 

The stats do bear out his confidence but my heart rate has been off the scale at times 😃😃.

[Hasta]

But we've conceded more goals this year than we did after 33 games last year?

[Sweaty Gussets]

Just now, arbitro said:

The stats do bear out his confidence but my heart rate has been off the scale at times 😃😃.

Haha, yeah there is it. I think it's just the length of time he's willing to sit back and shut-up shop for. I think against Hudds we just stopped bothering playing from about the 65 minute mark and were just happy to soak up whatever they had to throw at us. Against B'ham we were lucky to have an inspired Kaminski in goal. 

[Sweaty Gussets]

9 minutes ago, Hasta said:

But we've conceded more goals this year than we did after 33 games last year?

20 of those concede goals have come in 6 games (Bristol City, PNE, Burnley, Rotherham, Reading, Sheff Utd). There's no denying we've capitulated in those games.

In the other 27 games we've conceded 17 goals. That's impressive whichever way you look at it. 

[Hasta]

18 minutes ago, Sweaty Gussets said:

20 of those concede goals have come in 6 games (Bristol City, PNE, Burnley, Rotherham, Reading, Sheff Utd). There's no denying we've capitulated in those games.

In the other 27 games we've conceded 17 goals. That's impressive whichever way you look at it. 

And last year we shipped 7 goals to Fulham with 10 men in one single game.

I was actually quite surprised when I looked back how good our defensive record was up to this point under TM last season.

I hope for our sake we manage to greatly improve on the goals we conceded from March to May though.