Pre season 23/24

[neophox]

Will Leonard play tomorrow?

[WacoRover]

46 minutes ago, Atko's Engine said:

I was there, watched it from behind the dugouts with some home fans. JDT seemed very engaged with what was going on, which I take as the main positive from the evening.

Overall it was an underwhelming performance. A Wharton set the tempo of the first half and everything attacking went through him, but we clearly had no one with a strikers instinct so every move broke down on the edge of their box, although there was some good one touch football in the build ups. Best chance we had 1st half was a Batty run and shot down the left, which was well made & well saved. Meanwhile at the back we were a bit 6s & 7s, S Wharton & Buckley (who didn't stand out at all) especially guilty of giving the ball away in dangerous places, with Pears to thanks for a couple of smart saves, though he did flap at a corner that caused a bit if chaos.

Second half was all stockport for first 20 mins or so. But for Pears & a miss-of-the-preseason for their top goalscorer we could've been a couple down. We then got the pen (which seemed right, although my view was obscured by a pillar), which gilsenan put away comfortably, after which we never really looked like conceding an equaliser, though there were a couple of moments of dilly dallying in our backline that might've been problematic on another day.

Upshots being, toothless up front  decent movement in midfield, lack of confidence at the back. Best players were A Wharton, Gilsenan, Batty (who's not afraid to get stuck in) and Pears. Brittain did ok, but I think would look better in a stronger team. Stockport had 2 trialists playing & they play Preston tomorrow, so they at least had a few first teamers out.

I would guess only AW (who JDT had a good chat with & an arm around his shoulder when brought off) is likely to start v W Brom next weekend, this was very much a 2nd 11 selection.

Good report, thanks! 

[Blueandwhitemike]

1 hour ago, roversfan99 said:

Doesnt suit that deeper role. Lacks the intelligence to thrive in an area where you get such little time on the ball.

Since that good spell under Mowbray in a free role, he has really stagnated. 

 

24 minutes ago, BlackburnEnd75 said:

Who played where across the midfield was a flat 3 or the usual 4-2-3-1?

AW played deeper while Buckley and Garrett were more advanced but also came out to the sides on occasion 

Very preseason friendly feel about the game, movement wasn’t great and when we did play it in behind it was too late half the time

No one really impressed that much, Batty had a few good involvements going forward but didn’t look great going backwards 

Gilsenan did ok with a few decent touches, Bloxham ran around and Edmondson fluffed a couple of good opportunities looking like he wanted them on his left but they fell to his right

[Cherry Blue]

7 hours ago, Atko's Engine said:

I was there, watched it from behind the dugouts with some home fans. JDT seemed very engaged with what was going on, which I take as the main positive from the evening.

Overall it was an underwhelming performance. A Wharton set the tempo of the first half and everything attacking went through him, but we clearly had no one with a strikers instinct so every move broke down on the edge of their box, although there was some good one touch football in the build ups. Best chance we had 1st half was a Batty run and shot down the left, which was well made & well saved. Meanwhile at the back we were a bit 6s & 7s, S Wharton & Buckley (who didn't stand out at all) especially guilty of giving the ball away in dangerous places, with Pears to thanks for a couple of smart saves, though he did flap at a corner that caused a bit if chaos.

Second half was all stockport for first 20 mins or so. But for Pears & a miss-of-the-preseason for their top goalscorer we could've been a couple down. We then got the pen (which seemed right, although my view was obscured by a pillar), which gilsenan put away comfortably, after which we never really looked like conceding an equaliser, though there were a couple of moments of dilly dallying in our backline that might've been problematic on another day.

Upshots being, toothless up front  decent movement in midfield, lack of confidence at the back. Best players were A Wharton, Gilsenan, Batty (who's not afraid to get stuck in) and Pears. Brittain did ok, but I think would look better in a stronger team. Stockport had 2 trialists playing & they play Preston tomorrow, so they at least had a few first teamers out.

I would guess only AW (who JDT had a good chat with & an arm around his shoulder when brought off) is likely to start v W Brom next weekend, this was very much a 2nd 11 selection.

Excellent review Atko's Engine.

[LWX]

A random one here, so please excuse me for going slightly off topic. Me and my son went to the Betis Burnley game yesterday played at Huelva Recreativo's ground. We live in Seville and are Betis fans. The family are all Rovers for generations. Decided not to wear any Rovers gear, 'cause I don't like causing a scene. Anyway, good game for a preseason turn out, including a goal for Betis from inside their own half that went off the bar and then bounced back off the Burnley keeper's head and in. Lovely stuff!

[Mattyblue]

Take it the rest of that away end filled up with passionate Clarotts shortly after?

[arbitro]

10 hours ago, neophox said:

What's wrong with Bucko?

Attitude last night for me. At times he was like a petulant kid.

[arbitro]

9 hours ago, Atko's Engine said:

I was there, watched it from behind the dugouts with some home fans. JDT seemed very engaged with what was going on, which I take as the main positive from the evening.

Overall it was an underwhelming performance. A Wharton set the tempo of the first half and everything attacking went through him, but we clearly had no one with a strikers instinct so every move broke down on the edge of their box, although there was some good one touch football in the build ups. Best chance we had 1st half was a Batty run and shot down the left, which was well made & well saved. Meanwhile at the back we were a bit 6s & 7s, S Wharton & Buckley (who didn't stand out at all) especially guilty of giving the ball away in dangerous places, with Pears to thanks for a couple of smart saves, though he did flap at a corner that caused a bit if chaos.

Second half was all stockport for first 20 mins or so. But for Pears & a miss-of-the-preseason for their top goalscorer we could've been a couple down. We then got the pen (which seemed right, although my view was obscured by a pillar), which gilsenan put away comfortably, after which we never really looked like conceding an equaliser, though there were a couple of moments of dilly dallying in our backline that might've been problematic on another day.

Upshots being, toothless up front  decent movement in midfield, lack of confidence at the back. Best players were A Wharton, Gilsenan, Batty (who's not afraid to get stuck in) and Pears. Brittain did ok, but I think would look better in a stronger team. Stockport had 2 trialists playing & they play Preston tomorrow, so they at least had a few first teamers out.

I would guess only AW (who JDT had a good chat with & an arm around his shoulder when brought off) is likely to start v W Brom next weekend, this was very much a 2nd 11 selection.

We too were right behind the Rovers technical areas and I saw the game and performance pretty much your way.

[arbitro]

Interestingly at yesterday's game there were five minutes additional time at the end of the first half and eight at the end of the second half.

[Atko's Engine]

I was just the other side of the home dugout, and randomly sat next to another undercover Rover (as I realised 20 mins in!), so the 878 Rovers fans officially there can definitely be increased!

I don't get to see our academy lads much due to travel/ family commitments, so I enjoyed seeing some of those, though the numbers only on the shirts made it harder to know who was who, I didn't have a teamsheet!

Buckley was most disappointing, doesn't seem to be developing. There was so.e decent arching runs up front to try to beat the defence but, as someone else said, the ball either never came, came too late or was overhit. There were, Alastair season, too many attempts to pass it into goal rather than shoot on sight, need to mix it up more.

Tomasson knows that like the rest of us, given his most recent comments in the LT..

 

 

[Atko's Engine]

7 minutes ago, arbitro said:

Interestingly at yesterday's game there were five minutes additional time at the end of the first half and eight at the end of the second half.

Yes, that came as a surprise to everyone, clearly an edict from above re on-play ti.e, good to see.

The other main difference was the multi ball system, that'll take some getting used to, players will need to look sharp (and ball boys/girls, which might be a bigger problem!!).

[Waggy76]

5 minutes ago, Atko's Engine said:

I was just the other side of the home dugout, and randomly sat next to another undercover Rover (as I realised 20 mins in!), so the 878 Rovers fans officially there can definitely be increased!

I don't get to see our academy lads much due to travel/ family commitments, so I enjoyed seeing some of those, though the numbers only on the shirts made it harder to know who was who, I didn't have a teamsheet!

Buckley was most disappointing, doesn't seem to be developing. There was so.e decent arching runs up front to try to beat the defence but, as someone else said, the ball either never came, came too late or was overhit. There were, Alastair season, too many attempts to pass it into goal rather than shoot on sight, need to mix it up more.

Tomasson knows that like the rest of us, given his most recent comments in the LT..

 

 

Buckley has regressed under JDT (he is not alone ) , there was a semblance of a player for a few weeks in Mowbrays last season....

[Mattyblue]

This time directive will have disappeared from games by September.

[Mattyblue]

Just now, Waggy76 said:

Buckley has regressed under JDT (he is not alone ) , there was a semblance of a player for a few weeks in Mowbrays last season....

‘A semblance of a player for a few weeks’

Maybe that says more about JB than anyone else…

[Waggy76]

Just now, Mattyblue said:

‘A semblance of a player for a few weeks’

Maybe that says more about JB than anyone else…

I would agree , that sending off last season is a typical example...

[arbitro]

46 minutes ago, Atko's Engine said:

Yes, that came as a surprise to everyone, clearly an edict from above re on-play ti.e, good to see.

The other main difference was the multi ball system, that'll take some getting used to, players will need to look sharp (and ball boys/girls, which might be a bigger problem!!).

The multi ball system is going to be used but ball boys/girls won't be involved. Balls will be placed on cones in various locations around the pitch so the referee can manage situations better when teams are at it. I have known ball boys/girls disappear when the home team is winning and the game is drawing to an end.

[neophox]

Is the game on tv for those who can't make it abroad?

[Tom]

Gally out today - lends credence to what @Neal hinted at 

[RTM08]

Going into the season with Dolan, Markanday and Leonard as our front three screams relegation battle. After the positivity of June this is just depressing. Not a chance we'll be anywhere near where we were last year. 

[rigger]

25 minutes ago, RTM08 said:

Going into the season with Dolan, Markanday and Leonard as our front three screams relegation battle. After the positivity of June this is just depressing. Not a chance we'll be anywhere near where we were last year. 

I disagree.

[Exiled_Rover]

7 hours ago, arbitro said:

Interestingly at yesterday's game there were five minutes additional time at the end of the first half and eight at the end of the second half.

And only a cursory "let's all go home, lads" 2 minutes against Girona.

[alexanders]

Wow. Leicester. What a team in this League. 

[chaddyrovers]

2 hours ago, alexanders said:

Wow. Leicester. What a team in this League.

lets see what their squad is when the window is shut. 

[arbitro]

I really hope Tomasson changes his mind on these short corners. In every friendly so far we have taken short corners with a couple of exceptions at Fleetwood. In nearly every one we have sent the centre halves up and the ball hasn't even got into the penalty area. Yesterday on two occasions we have handed over cheap possession to Girona who countered and created chances as our centre halves were marooned at the other end. Similarly the two free-kicks in the second half were poorly thought out and executed. Surely given our striker constraints getting the ball into the penalty area, even for a preferable would be a better option.

And whatever happened to the set piece coach we were looking to appoint.

[Mattyblue]

Set piece coach? We won’t see such fripperies any time soon, we’ll have a leccy bill that will need paying…

Edited July 30, 2023 by Mattyblue