v Stoke City (a) - 10/3/23

[booth]

13 hours ago, joey_big_nose said:

Id characterise it as ultimately they stopped us having any options to pass it out of the back and through the midfield. Pressed both centre backs, marked out Buckley, found the spave behind our full backs. I dont think effort was the decider.

In my view who wins a match is rarely about who runs the most, its more about how well you can move the ball back to front and make opportunities.

From the hour or so of the match I witnessed, there was too many passengers last night. Dolan wasn't with it, neither Buckley or Szmodics, JRC was abysmal, Gallagher was the worst. It affected other players around them.

For some of the above, this isn't their first rodeo, they've been doing it for years now.

I think they thought it was going to be a stroll, got a bit too big for their boots, then they realised they needed to up their game and by that point it was too late. Much like they did with Rotherham and Wigan.

That, and being stuck with Gallagher as our only centre forward means we're having to rely on the counter attack and if that doesn't work we don't have much else.

Also, no tactics can stop several players putting up such a weak defence for their third goal. I've not seen anything as pathetic since the Kean days. If there was one moment in the match which encapsulated that the players weren't giving 100%, it was that.

It was always going to happen, it was a good run while it lasted.

[alcd]

3 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Last night was a shocker. We played like we’d been made to walk to Stoke. There was no athleticism on show anywhere on the pitch. I don’t think we won a 50/50 ball all night until the game was over. Collectively, and I include the manager in this, we were clueless. I said it last night but after 20 minutes you could see they were playing through us in midfield and there was a huge gap between Travis and Buckley at the front of the back four and Dolan, Szmodics and Thomas further up field. Stoke played in this gap all night.

We should have taken one of those three off, probably Szmodics, and brought on Morton or Hedges to re-inforce the midfield. Instead of which it was more of the same until the game was well and truly lost. The inability of the team and manager to be able to retrieve the game from losing positions is deeply worrying. I was going to point out that both the really good recent wins, Leicester and Sheff U, came after we’d scored first but I didn’t want to appear negative. They also could have both been classed as no pressure “ free hits “ . Last night wasn’t and we folded under pressure.

There doesn’t seem anyone on the pitch or on the bench that can gather the players together and sort out what’s going wrong in real time. As I say deeply concerning.

Pears 5 Looked nervous after his misjudgement of the early cross ball. Obviously he was also rattled by having to play with the ball at his feet too much. Personally I don’t blame him for that. Outfield players in a better position were bottling it and giving him the ball to solve the problems.

JRC 5 Not at the races, fluffed an early decent shooting chance. Got exposed in too many 2 v 1 situations.

Carter 5 Looked rattled all night. He needs to cut out the habit of hanging out a foot and playing it straight to the opposition.

Hyam 5 Another one who had a night to forget. Not his usual self at all.

Pickering 4 Got caught playing too centrally for the goals. Ended up marking nobody. Hardly crossed the half way line until late on.

Thomas 3 Not in the game at all. Left JRC to deal with two opponents most of the night.

Buckley 4 The game passed him by. I don’t like him playing deep. He either plays further forward in the Szmodics role or he doesn’t play at all.

Travis 5 Did his best but got lost in the chaos. Possibly our MOM.

Dolan 3 Awful defensively. What he was doing for the second goal especially only he knows. He was shoulder to shoulder with the scorer. I did notice their guy bumped him just as the ball was on it’s way and got away with it.

Szmodics 3 Looked a Peterborough level player last night. Exemplified by that good crossing opportunity he had that he put more or less straight into touch.

Gallagher 4 I thought he worked hard but my oh my his touch is dreadful. His sense of anticipation is worse,  the ball has actually got to arrive before he realises it’s on it’s way. Nicely judged shoulder header at the end. Got lots of flicks ons but they don’t go anywhere.

Brittain looked bright when he came, what a great cross for the BBD header. Hedges was ok and and Garrett made a slight difference in midfield, at least he’ll put a foot in. BBD at least looked like he wanted to be out there and scored a nice header. All four came on way too late. The game was gone.

We played in front of them all night - came away with  nothing. Got around the side twice - two goals. I rest my case.

All in all a really depressing performance, play like that against Sheff U and the dingles and we’ll get well and truly dicked.

I don’t usually mention the ref,  but he was crap missed two clear pens. One in a melee of players but the other was a clear a handball as you’ll see all season. I’m sure he “ missed “ ours because he knew he’d fucked up on theirs. He was looking right at the play. Gave us nothing all night apart from missing the pen they should have had. Gally gets shoulder charged over - play on. BBD shoulder charges one of their players over - free kick in a dangerous spot. His eyes must have been painted on.

A really fair and accurate summary of what I saw. Was staggered that changes weren't made at half time. 

[alcd]

2 hours ago, Crozzy said:

3 hours sat on m6 last night. Normal run would have had us home at 11.30 tops, didn’t get through the door till past 3am. 🤦‍♂️

 

going back through the game now…. Hyam was a stonewaller (knew that as I saw it at the time) but how has he not seen Gayle handball it when he’s right there? Not even an iffy one of his hand position, his arms go to the ball and are well away from his body and that must have been 10 yards from the ref with no one blocking his view. Penalty there could have got us right back in it before half time. We weren’t good enough but the ref has to give both of those. If I was that shit at my job I’d have my P45 and be on my way. Officiating has gotten so so poor in this league 

Gavin Ward is one of the worst if not the worst. Hr just guesses and then bottles any difficult decision. 

[R0verb0y]

37 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Any of the surviving old timers who saw us lose at home to West Ham 3-1 after winning 8-2 at their place a couple of days previously will ever risk trying to predict Rovers results.

There was a cartoon in one of the daily papers showing people selling cricket style scorecards instead of programmes outside Ewood Park on the morning of the game!

Yes; it was the Daily Mail. I remember laughing with my Dad about it before I went for the Ribble bus from Blackpool to Blackburn.

I also remember not laughing on my way home!

[alcd]

10 hours ago, speeeeeeedie said:

Tonight was just like pre-Christmas Rovers. It was woeful. Stoke had he freedom of the park and used it well. 

The same happened in added time. Probably 2 minutes wasted because of stupid decisions.

I said in the prediction thread that Rovers would get 15 more points from the last 11 games. 15 from 10 games sounds about right. Millwall on the last day will be a nail biter.

 

With any more performances like the one at Stoke it'll be all over well before then. 

[West Yorks Rover]

I don't know if it has already been mentioned on here or not, but apparently JDT did a very negative pre-match

interview on Sky about our chances of Play-offs/Promotion. I didn't see it myself as I don't have Sky, But it seems

like he was doing just what Mowbray used to do, putting negative thoughts into the players' heads before games.

I think this comes from the top, I've said all along the Venksters don't want us to be promoted.

 

[Mattyblue]

On the flip side, his pre game presser was talking about how we aren’t favourites but of course we’ll be going for it. Which is fair enough.

Either way, take it with a pinch of salt. Public interviews mean bugger all.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

11 minutes ago, West Yorks Rover said:

I don't know if it has already been mentioned on here or not, but apparently JDT did a very negative pre-match

interview on Sky about our chances of Play-offs/Promotion. I didn't see it myself as I don't have Sky, But it seems

like he was doing just what Mowbray used to do, putting negative thoughts into the players' heads before games.

I think this comes from the top, I've said all along the Venksters don't want us to be promoted.

 

This remains a worry for me...again he appears to be talking down our chances?

[Mattyblue]

All these years watching football and folk are still taking a blind bit of notice of whatever platitudes managers come out with when a microphone is thrust in their faces minutes before KO.

If you honestly think a winner and highly competitive professional like JDT is actually de-motivating (a team that had just won 5 on the bounce by the way) his players day in day out by telling them they aren’t up to it… well, not a lot else to really say.

Edited March 11, 2023 by Mattyblue

[rigger]

5 minutes ago, SIMON GARNERS 194 said:

This remains a worry for me...again he appears to be talking down our chances?

Or is he just being realistic ?

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

2 minutes ago, rigger said:

Or is he just being realistic ?

You never ever give players a reason not to perform.

[rigger]

2 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

You never ever give players a reason not to perform.

Would the players have watched a pre-match TV interview ? 

[West Yorks Rover]

2 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

All these years watching football and folk are still taking a blind bit of notice of whatever platitudes managers come out with when a microphone is thrust in their faces minutes before KO.

If you honestly think a winner and highly competitive professional like JDT is actually motivating his players by telling them they aren’t up to it… well, not a lot else to really say.

For such a highly competitive professional, his motivational abilities seemed sadly lacking last night, everyone

who watched the game said we were terrible and not just the odd player.

The whole team.

[Mattyblue]

That’s football, especially in this division when there’s little to separate the non parachute clubs quality wise. The players at this level are inconsistent, that’s why they are in this league.

Poor performance, but we’d just won five, that’s the Championship. But now it means he’s under orders from the owners to de-motivate the players to not go up? A title winning player and manager, no less?

Doesn’t take much for this palace to re-lose the plot…

Edited March 11, 2023 by Mattyblue

[rigger]

4 minutes ago, West Yorks Rover said:

For such a highly competitive professional, his motivational abilities seemed sadly lacking last night, everyone

who watched the game said we were terrible and not just the odd player.

The whole team.

It's strange that the whole team, seems to play either well or poor. There are not many games were only a couple of players are either good or bad.

[RoversTilliDie]

I did'nt watch last nights match, I went to my sisters expecting to watch football but she had Emerdale and Coronation street on. Let's not criticise Rovers to much, Stoke are one of the form sides in the Championship at the moment. It's a disappointing result but on the bright side Rovers gave it a go with goals from Diaz and Gallagher. The pressures off our unbeaten run has come to an end, so let's bounce back at Ewood Wednesday night and at Bramall lane.

[booth]

1 hour ago, West Yorks Rover said:

I don't know if it has already been mentioned on here or not, but apparently JDT did a very negative pre-match

interview on Sky about our chances of Play-offs/Promotion. I didn't see it myself as I don't have Sky, But it seems

like he was doing just what Mowbray used to do, putting negative thoughts into the players' heads before games.

I think this comes from the top, I've said all along the Venksters don't want us to be promoted.

Or, perhaps he knows the squad isn't good enough for promotion, as pretty much everyone did before the season started, and at the moment are exceeding his expectations, as they are for pretty much everyone.

And perhaps the players didn't turn up because they had a good run and got complacent. It happens a lot in football.

I'm pretty certain that the players don't watch the pre-match interview. I'd be surprised if they watched any interviews.

[AllRoverAsia]

4 minutes ago, renrag said:

Ward was 4th official last night Matt Donohue was referee

 

For a long time I thought Ward was Benson and wondered wtf he was doing on the touchline talking to managers so much.

[Stonesrick]

2 hours ago, alcd said:

A really fair and accurate summary of what I saw. Was staggered that changes weren't made at half time. 

Souness would have had 5 off and 5 on at half time - probably before. 

[booth]

7 minutes ago, Stonesrick said:

Souness would have had 5 off and 5 on at half time - probably before. 

Souness would have been backed in January and wouldn't have had to.

[Crozzy]

1 hour ago, Mattyblue said:

All these years watching football and folk are still taking a blind bit of notice of whatever platitudes managers come out with when a microphone is thrust in their faces minutes before KO.

If you honestly think a winner and highly competitive professional like JDT is actually de-motivating (a team that had just won 5 on the bounce by the way) his players day in day out by telling them they aren’t up to it… well, not a lot else to really say.

Exactly, you could see at the game that he was bothered by how we played and what was going on on the pitch. He knows exactly what position we are in but won’t be putting pressure on the lads publicly talking about going up. I’m sure it’s downplay to the public but tell the boys we are in a great position and need to play well if we want to get in the play offs. 
 

Ive questioned JDT a few times this season and he’s always managed to prove me wrong so I’m going to back him. We usually have a fall off the face of the earth in Feb, last night was our first defeat since 14th Jan and we’ve knocked a premier league team with a fairly strong squad out of the FA cup in that time. The Stoke game has a lot of significance for me as my in-laws are Stokies and hate Blackburn but I’m not too alarmed by last night. We will have bad performances, that’s professional sport at the end of the day, that’s our first defeat in 12 games if I’m right? 
I think the fact we carried on at 3-0 down showed a lot of character and all of a sudden we almost got a draw from a game we had no right. The fans and the players suddenly had a belief and excitement the last 5 mins after we scored, I think the way we finished that game says a lot and can help the momentum going into Wednesday. 

[chaddyrovers]

17 hours ago, roverandout said:

Just those who deserve it

but no praise for his goal tho? 

You are Very Jekyl and Hyde poster tbh. 

17 hours ago, Hasta said:

Another very bad night at the office from Rovers and it is now imperative we regroup and come back stronger for Reading home game. Some people will underreact about todays result and say it’s only one game, but we need to focus on why we have so many hammerings away under JDT which have jeopardised our play off place this season.

Britains cross is what we have missed often this season when, instead of taking men on and crossing to the back post, we pass backwards and sideways too much. Time we started doing that early next game. BBD and Gallagher were both as shite as the rest but did score two headed goals.

Your first sentence is similar to me. 

I would say the performance wasn't like Rotherham type. We lack tempo and intensity in our passing and movement like previous 5 games. 

16 hours ago, 1874 said:

The only 2 times we tested their back up keeper we scored. He didn't have to make a single save.

Didn't make enough of that opportunity of their back up keeper playing 

[chaddyrovers]

15 hours ago, alcd said:

Carter lacks composure and just lashes the ball anywhere. His poor clearances have cost several goals already. Pickering and JRC are both SOOO slow. 

I think Carter is very composure on the ball and his performances have been good. 

14 hours ago, bluebruce said:

Are Stoke the first team to do the double on us this season?

yes

4 hours ago, Crozzy said:

Probs Gallagher or Szmodics? Could have changed the game. Either way it’s very poor from the ref. Just as poor him missing Hyams on Smallbone too

I think Dolan or Thomas would have took it IMO

[Miller11]

We’ve got a very winnable game on Wednesday. A good performance and result then keeps us well on track and builds optimism for the quarter final.

Just a blip.

[G Somerset Rover]

22 minutes ago, Miller11 said:

We’ve got a very winnable game on Wednesday. A good performance and result then keeps us well on track and builds optimism for the quarter final.

Just a blip.

Agreed. Simply have to win on Wednesday. Big queue forming just behind us; some breathing room would be nice. As would proving that we can bounce back fast, unlike a Mowbray team.

Edited March 11, 2023 by Gavlar Somerset Rover!