v Millwall (a) - Monday 8th May

[Sparks Rover]

5 minutes ago, deanives said:

All I can say is look at mk dons last year to this year, I'm afraid that is the future, I hope to god I'm wrong 

Thats the worry....not played Well or won in 9 games, Brereton decides to have a decent half hour and we win...what else have we got? Feck  all

[yankfan]

44 minutes ago, Spankus Munky said:

Everton I agree with it's clear as day boardroom and ownership is an issue there. It will be Leeds, Forest & Southampton for me that drop though and they are all well enough run to get themselves back in top 6 mix.

Watford may be a basket case club but are we any different? the big difference is they have more money to splash and are an astute manager appointment who gets results early on away from being good to go.

We have little to no experience in the squad, no leaders & no goals. We need so much more than just 3 attacking players that score goals, which in itself is a huge ask without multi-millions to throw at it.

The great thing about kids playing well is they dont know they're not supposed to be playing well.  The youth in the side is the most promising aspect of the squad.  

[simongarnerisgod]

4 minutes ago, deanives said:

All I can say is look at mk dons last year to this year, I'm afraid that is the future, I hope to god I'm wrong 

not sure about the comparison between a club in a city where everyone supports arsenal or spurs and us,we are a far bigger club than mk dons and certainly won`t get relegated next year

[NeilInBristol]

49 minutes ago, SuperBrfc said:

Gallant failure in the end, is what it is. It will likely be dressed up as being a terrific effort from a young side, who just missed out, in some quarters. If we had finished in this position after occupying a mid table/lower half position for most of the season, I would agree with that. But not like this.

The reality is, it was in our hands, and we threw it away. Yes, they did well to get into that position in the first place, but personally, I can't look at the way the season ended and hold a "nobody expected this in August, what a great effort" outlook.

Brereton disappeared when it mattered over recent months, we conceded late goals when it mattered over recent months, we squandered many great chances, Hyam turned nervy at pressure moments, the Sheff United cup defeat was a body blow. All of that is what did it for us, not today.

It was a good second half performance today, we looked better without Travis in the middle, and we could go on to achieve something if JDT is backed with the right signings. The latter is the entire issue though. He might have seen enough already in January with that fiasco, to think "I'm out". We aren't far away, but the running of the club is a mess and is what is costing us over and over again.

It's a sickener to see us come back from two goals down to win a game TODAY, on the final day, when it ultimately counts for little. Where has this been all season?

It's a sickener that BBD turns up today to score twice after months of no shows. Where has he been for months on end?

It's a sickener to think that simply holding on to a 1-0 lead against either one of Preston or Coventry would have been enough for us to make the top 6.

It's a sickener to see Mowbray sneak a 6th place finish and for us to help him do it. 

Sickener is the word.

I'll tell you what else is pissing me off. The thought of somebody sitting in his office hoping that the January debacle is soon forgotten about by the fans.

We won't forget.

Silvester out. Waggott out.

 

He doesn't say "look forward to a summer tsf window..we go again next season.. we've got a summer of work to look fwd..to" etc etc 

 

 

[neophox]

A Jack Cork alongside Wharton?

[neophox]

.

Edited May 8, 2023 by neophox

[Miller11]

I said yesterday that when it really is do or die, we have been good. Our FA cup run and our improbable comeback today attest to that. Taken in isolation what we did today should’ve been a result for the ages, but it’s just a footnote to a disappointing season.

There’s plenty of moments to point to this season, some terrible decisions have gone against us, and there have been some horrific self inflicted mistakes, but I think the ultimate issue is a mentality problem from the top down.

It’s took us til the last 45 minutes of the season for us to really go for it and batter a team. Millwall couldn’t live with us second half, but where has that level been over the last couple of months (Huddersfield second half aside)? 

We’ve apparently had “8 cup finals” and every game since the beginning of March has been touted as “must win” but we’ve only done the business when it’s been mathematically the case. Until today there’s always been the next game.

I doubt there is much disappointment within the club. If there is it will pale into insignificance compared to that of the fans. It’ll be a shrug of the shoulders, bemoan how unfair the system is, waffle about a project, and say “there’s always next year”. No urgency, no evidence of any desire to get promoted, it’s always a distant hope rather than an objective. We all blamed Mowbray last year (and before)… it goes deeper than that.

[chaddyrovers]

17 minutes ago, Hasta said:

Id be delighted if we brought either of those in. I find it very unlikely as they are far higher-profile than any signing we have managed for a while.

Maja and Nisbet are far higher profile than any signing? really? 

These are the types of players we should be targeting. Scoring goals, match fit and the right age bracket for Rovers when you look at the permanent signings we made last summer and the 2 strikers we tried to sign in January 

16 minutes ago, Spankus Munky said:

Maja has what is it 2 Championship goals in 32 apps? that aint no 16 goal striker

blimey one was just after back injury at Stoke and other about 4 years at Sunderland. He is back match fit and scoring goals for current team. 

14 minutes ago, Bbrovers2288 said:

Correct

sadly we don't have the money to find a proven goalscorer at this level. that's the point you have others missed. @rover23and others like @J*Bhave pointed out today and in the past.

[chaddyrovers]

9 minutes ago, neophox said:

A Jack Cork alongside Wharton?

nope! 

[Spankus Munky]

6 minutes ago, yankfan said:

The great thing about kids playing well is they dont know they're not supposed to be playing well.  The youth in the side is the most promising aspect of the squad.  

Yes and that's why you try to help them by trying to play to their strengths and play others around them that can cover for areas of weakness. Playing Travis alongside Wharton or Buckley isn't/hasn't helped either of them and will continue to hamper any progress they could make. Do you think Carter & S.Wharton CB partnership is good enough to start as first choice CB's next season? I don't! For the same reason why any combination of Travis, Buckley, A.Wharton is not acceptable to start in the engine room of midfield regularly next season

[AllRoverAsia]

6 minutes ago, Miller11 said:

I said yesterday that when it really is do or die, we have been good. Our FA cup run and our improbable comeback today attest to that. Taken in isolation what we did today should’ve been a result for the ages, but it’s just a footnote to a disappointing season.

There’s plenty of moments to point to this season, some terrible decisions have gone against us, and there have been some horrific self inflicted mistakes, but I think the ultimate issue is a mentality problem from the top down.

It’s took us til the last 45 minutes of the season for us to really go for it and batter a team. Millwall couldn’t live with us second half, but where has that level been over the last couple of months (Huddersfield second half aside)? 

We’ve apparently had “8 cup finals” and every game since the beginning of March has been touted as “must win” but we’ve only done the business when it’s been mathematically the case. Until today there’s always been the next game.

I doubt there is much disappointment within the club. If there is it will pale into insignificance compared to that of the fans. It’ll be a shrug of the shoulders, bemoan how unfair the system is, waffle about a project, and say “there’s always next year”. No urgency, no evidence of any desire to get promoted, it’s always a distant hope rather than an objective. We all blamed Mowbray last year (and before)… it goes deeper than that.

8 points from 27 in our final 9 games, including the 3 from today.

Even Mowbray managed 11 points in 9 games at the end of last season and he got pelters for that and shown the door.

I'm not advocating the binning of JDT , just putting the latest abysmal death spiral into some sort of context.

Basically we chucked away a chance of a playoff place.

[Sweaty Gussets]

17 minutes ago, Neilbristol said:

 

He doesn't say "look forward to a summer tsf window..we go again next season.. we've got a summer of work to look fwd..to" etc etc 

 

 

Why would he say that? He looks drained after a long season that ends in heartbreak....and he was asked about next season! The question got the non-answer it deserved.

[clarkycan]

We said we'd win promotion, we said we'd win the cup

But on that famous Monday Preston f*cked it up. Na na na.........

[Hasta]

13 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Maja and Nisbet are far higher profile than any signing? really? 

Yes. I reckon if we were in for them other decent Championship teams would be as well as they are higher profile then who we usually go for. One is now a Scotland regular, and the other who was quite highly touted as a youngster has just had his best scoring season.  Who do you think we have signed in the last few years who have been higher profile than these two?

 

Edited May 8, 2023 by Hasta

[Spankus Munky]

4 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

blimey one was just after back injury at Stoke and other about 4 years at Sunderland. He is back match fit and scoring goals for current team.

Yeah still not for me for the money involved, we already have 1 overpaid single digit forward in Gallagher thanks.

[rigger]

58 minutes ago, Spankus Munky said:

We can't go into next season with them options in the middle and be succesful. Wharton is a stand out who's potential is sky-high but to partner him with any of those is going to hurt him. He needs an experienced head who will do the dirty work and protect his weaknesses. The only one that could maybe do some of that but without the experience part would be JRC, but even then I would want the experience alongside Wharton to really let him shine.

I would want that as well, but given our circumstances, I think the options I laid out are the way the Rovers will go.

[Nuttall is lost]

2 hours ago, Exiled_Rover said:

Why do you feel the need to take all the credit away from our performance?

We mullered them. It was the same calibre of performance we've been putting in for months - Ben Brereton-Diaz decided to show up and we won - fancy that, a goalscorer making the difference.

We missed the playoffs.  We blew it big time.   The performance was woeful first half and we only played on Millwalls nerves and came back because of that.  Yes credit to the lads for winning but it meant nothing in the end.

a very disappointing season considering our position throughout. 

[Sparks Rover]

20 minutes ago, Spankus Munky said:

Yes and that's why you try to help them by trying to play to their strengths and play others around them that can cover for areas of weakness. Playing Travis alongside Wharton or Buckley isn't/hasn't helped either of them and will continue to hamper any progress they could make. Do you think Carter & S.Wharton CB partnership is good enough to start as first choice CB's next season? I don't! For the same reason why any combination of Travis, Buckley, A.Wharton is not acceptable to start in the engine room of midfield regularly next season

Not sure how old he is but Oliver Norwood would probably  be available...that type to let AW play

Ah, he's 32

Edited May 8, 2023 by Sparks Rover

[booth]

57 minutes ago, Bbrovers2288 said:

How much is that costing? I don’t think we sign a guaranteed 16 goal striker in the near future 

Well if we don't we'll be at the other end of the table as without BBD that's 14 goals less than we had this season.

To improve on this season we need to replace Brereton's goals and bring in a good striker.

I don't know why anyone expects us to get promoted if we don't have the basics in place. It's what separated us from the top 6 teams.

[joey_big_nose]

1 hour ago, Paul Mellelieu said:

I think JDT will leave and then we start from scratch again, in terms of playing style.  What a crock of shit.

Have you heard anything specific or just a gut feel?

[Exiled_Rover]

38 minutes ago, neophox said:

A Jack Cork alongside Wharton?

No.

[Exiled_Rover]

8 minutes ago, Nuttall is lost said:

We missed the playoffs.  We blew it big time.   The performance was woeful first half and we only played on Millwalls nerves and came back because of that.  Yes credit to the lads for winning but it meant nothing in the end.

a very disappointing season considering our position throughout. 

Massively agree to disagree.

We absolutely battered them. Pears gifted them two goals, otherwise it would have been a rout. 

[Paul Mellelieu]

18 minutes ago, joey_big_nose said:

Have you heard anything specific or just a gut feel?

No, but logic suggests he will get offers.

[DE.]

4 minutes ago, booth said:

Well if we don't we'll be at the other end of the table as without BBD that's 14 goals less than we had this season.

To improve on this season we need to replace Brereton's goals and bring in a good striker.

I don't know why anyone expects us to get promoted if we don't have the basics in place. It's what separated us from the top 6 teams.

When DG's time here wound down, we had AA step up. When AA was sold, BBD stepped up. Main thing to note with both AA and BBD is that they were already here. At neither point did the club go out and buy a striker as a replacement for another one departing, we had a striker at the club already able to fill the void - although in both AA and BBD's cases it was a bit unexpected. Armstrong hadn't previously been a goal machine, and we all know BBD's history pre-Chile.

There's nobody stepping up this time. Gallagher, Vale, Dolan, Leonard, Hedges... forget it, none of those are scoring more than 10 next season. Most won't even get to 5. Uncharted waters now for us in terms of needing a striker in the summer, and not having anybody in the squad capable of stepping up should we fail. 

[simongarnerisgod]

i genuinly think he`s enjoying working in england and the intensity of the game over here,managing in sweden must be a bit boring compared to britain,germany,spain or italy where the game means everything to the fans.you don`t get that in scandavia