v Ipswich Town (a) - 23/9/23

[DE.]

A lot of our defensive issues come down to how we're being set up to play. I don't think it really suits the personnel we have. I get why JDT is going with this attacking style - he knows we typically need a lot of chances to score goals due to our limited firepower - but it's leaving big gaps which exposes our defence. Our standard midfield duo of Travis/Wharton don't seem capable of doing everything that is being asked of them. This is borne out by the amount of shots registered against us in games so far this season.

Hull - 19 shots
Watford - 24 shots
Plymouth - 23 shots
Boro - 21 shots
Ipswich - 29 shots

I feel like most defences would struggle with this kind of bombardment, and we need to reassess our gameplan. 

Edited September 24, 2023 by DE.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

3 hours ago, Tabula Rasa said:

We're 8 games in.

If we can stop leaking goals, we'll go up.

There. Said it.

or we dont and we go down.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

1 hour ago, joey_big_nose said:

Yes fair point. If it was Morton making the mistakes he would be getting absolutely murdered.

That said I dont think we ever asked Morton to play as a one man midfield like we are this season. Its hard to think of a more difficult role in football than the one we have put Wharton in. Whartons a special player but its too much to ask as our core tactic imo. We need a more normal setup to play regularly and then we can pick the times to switch to this one man midfield business. 

Any two in midfield will get over run by a three. We’re asking him to play a game he’s not suited for. Get two grafters in midfield and let him be the playmaker.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

12 minutes ago, DE. said:

A lot of our defensive issues come down to how we're being set up to play. I don't think it really suits the personnel we have. I get why JDT is going with this attacking style - he knows we typically need a lot of chances to score goals due to our limited firepower - but it's leaving big gaps which exposes our defence. Our standard midfield duo of Travis/Wharton don't seem capable of doing everything that is being asked of them. This is borne out by the amount of shots registered against us in games so far this season.

Hull - 19 shots
Watford - 24 shots
Plymouth - 23 shots
Boro - 21 shots
Ipswich - 29 shots

I feel like most defences would struggle with this kind of bombardment, and we need to reassess our gameplan. 

Much as I enjoy the attacking play upto the business part of the scoring goals and as much as I think Pears need dropping. The simple maths of probability is that the more shots rain in on our goal the more chance the keeper will make mistakes.

At the end of the day if we had Friedal, in his prime, in goal this season we would be conceding goals. Our new keeper gets better every game he doesn't play.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

5 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Any two in midfield will get over run by a three. We’re asking him to play a game he’s not suited for. Get two grafters in midfield and let him be the playmaker.

Am I missing something? We have a three we seem to forget that Szmodics is supposed to be a midfielder not an attacker.

[Lancs Rover]

This was always going to be AW's season - good or bad, either way.

He's got the brain but has he got the touch? (Sorry, Shania.)

Like most people in jobs, if he can't handle responsibility, he'll be just another bar room bore in twenty years time.

[rigger]

4 minutes ago, dingles staying down 4ever said:

Am I missing something? We have a three we seem to forget that Szmodics is supposed to be a midfielder not an attacker.

Yes you are missing something, because Szmodic is seldome in central midfield. He is more of a player, in a position off the attackers.

[Gav]

6 minutes ago, Tabula Rasa said:

This was always going to be AW's season - good or bad, either way.

He's got the brain but has he got the touch? (Sorry, Shania.)

Like most people in jobs, if he can't handle responsibility, he'll be just another bar room bore in twenty years time.

That don’t impress me much Tablua 👍

[DE.]

21 minutes ago, dingles staying down 4ever said:

Much as I enjoy the attacking play upto the business part of the scoring goals and as much as I think Pears need dropping. The simple maths of probability is that the more shots rain in on our goal the more chance the keeper will make mistakes.

At the end of the day if we had Friedal, in his prime, in goal this season we would be conceding goals. Our new keeper gets better every game he doesn't play.

I think regardless of how JDT tweaks things, we're probably looking at 10-15 shots being registered against us per match if we want to continue creating enough chances to score. If the opposition has poor strikers or doesn't hit the target often then it isn't such a problem - as it was in the case of Watford and Boro - but in situations where that isn't the case I agree we need a better goalkeeper between the sticks. We really have to hope Leo is capable, because I I think Pears has too many mistakes in him to deal with that kind of sustained pressure on our goal. 

[arbitro]

I've just about brought myself to watch the goals from yesterday and what the f*** is Pears doing punching that cross when it's eminently catchable.  I would even be annoyed if he got a decent fist on it but it's like his wrists are made of marzipan.

[B16Rover]

Id be tempted to play much narrower and without out and out wingers in the near future.  

 

Let JRC and Brittain start and right and left back respectively.

 

Put Travis and Garret/Tronstad alongside Wharton as a 3 with the more industrious covering overlapping fullbacks.

 

Play striker (Ennis/Leonard) with Szmod and Sigurd starting central and drifting wide.  

 

We simply don't have the wingers to be competitive and need 3 central midfielders to cover Szmod and Wharton and let them play their game 

[imy9]

I have had a night to recover for that nonsense yesterday.

positives- we can outplay anyone in this league and have some outstanding young players in the squad.

negatives- CM, either Travis needs to sit deep alongside Wharton or we need a third CM in there like Garrett because at the moment there is literally a hole and our defence is getting over run. Dolan needs to be dropped as well as Pears- yesterday was one of the worst goal keeping performances I have seen in a long time. Why does he always flap his hands at the defence like they should be doing something?

top 6? Let’s target top 10 and a decent cup run 😂

[Ossydave]

50 minutes ago, arbitro said:

I've just about brought myself to watch the goals from yesterday and what the f*** is Pears doing punching that cross when it's eminently catchable.  I would even be annoyed if he got a decent fist on it but it's like his wrists are made of marzipan.

He does it a lot, its a weird trait more accustomed to continental keepers. Its got no place in the championship and he's got away with it countless times before. You can't even blame the defence for not picking their player up, he could have punched it a metre either side and would have got away with again, but it's basically an assist.

[Mercer]

IMO, Pears and Dolan should not wear the Rovers' shirt again unless we only have 9 fit outfield players and no other goalkeeper.

Pears - have stated time and time and time again, since he first played for Rovers, IMO, he simply hasn't got it, never will have it and is a very poor goalkeeper.  This season's debacles merely confirm it in big bold capital letters.  Also, almost every time he concedes, it's arms outstretched exclaiming 'It's not my fault, what are you doing' - I would be livid if I was a Rovers' player out there on the field.

Again, stated time and again, IMO, there is a big issue over Benson's abilities.  Also, does he wield too much influence over goalkeeping decisions?  We saw Mowbray jettison Raya and replace him with Walton who was abysmal with Rovers.  We saw JDT choosing Pears over a fit again Kaminski last season.  We have seen JDT's moronic faith in Pears this season, despite having cost us goals and points even prior to yesterday's horror show, - you wouldn't have thought we had recently signed a full Swedish international for almost £1million when we are almost borassic.  IMO, Benson has to go - I think I am right in saying he has never played football at a professional level so where the feck does his expertise and knowledge come from?  From what I have seen, he has no personality and presence and from what I saw in pre match and half time routines with Raya, there was little respect there for Benson. 

I think Dolan has regressed so much he offers nothing.  I would drum him out of the club if we could find a wide enough exit door for what I would argue has become one big head (don't think he's worth a new contract let alone an improved one).

We have problems and that is an understatement.

JDT needs to get a grip and make some ruthless decisions with Leicester, Coventry and an improving QPR under Ainsworth up next.  These next three games are season defining.

We need to play Hill as Carter is struggling.

We need to play Tronstad as defensively in midfield we are inept.

We need to give Semir more than 5 or 7 minutes.

There is something amiss with Wharton - possibly not fully fit but a mere shadow of his supreme best last season. 

There are some chinks of light with Szmodics, a returning Sigurdsson and an increasingly promising Leonard but we need much, much more from JDT and the rest of the squad.

Edited September 24, 2023 by Mercer

[simongarnerisgod]

7 minutes ago, Mercer said:

There is something amiss with Wharton - possibly not fully fit but a mere shadow of his supreme best last season. 

he`s now got a reputation and opposing team ar`nt giving him any space,he needs to adapt and stop waving his arms around every time he gets tackled,cutting out the hollywood passes might help as well

[philipl]

2 hours ago, oldjamfan1 said:

I think he would have already gone to Arsenal by the time of this match?

Yes both of you are correct. He went to Arsenal in '79.

[M_B]

50 minutes ago, Mercer said:

IMO, Pears and Dolan should not wear the Rovers' shirt again unless we only have 9 fit outfield players and no other goalkeeper.

Pears - have stated time and time and time again, since he first played for Rovers, IMO, he simply hasn't got it, never will have it and is a very poor goalkeeper.  This season's debacles merely confirm it in big bold capital letters.  Also, almost every time he concedes, it's arms outstretched exclaiming 'It's not my fault, what are you doing' - I would be livid if I was a Rovers' player out there on the field.

Again, stated time and again, IMO, there is a big issue over Benson's abilities.  Also, does he wield too much influence over goalkeeping decisions?  We saw Mowbray jettison Raya and replace him with Walton who was abysmal with Rovers.  We saw JDT choosing Pears over a fit again Kaminski last season.  We have seen JDT's moronic faith in Pears this season, despite having cost us goals and points even prior to yesterday's horror show, - you wouldn't have thought we had recently signed a full Swedish international for almost £1million when we are almost borassic.  IMO, Benson has to go - I think I am right in saying he has never played football at a professional level so where the feck does his expertise and knowledge come from?  From what I have seen, he has no personality and presence and from what I saw in pre match and half time routines with Raya, there was little respect there for Benson. 

I think Dolan has regressed so much he offers nothing.  I would drum him out of the club if we could find a wide enough exit door for what I would argue has become one big head (don't think he's worth a new contract let alone an improved one).

We have problems and that is an understatement.

JDT needs to get a grip and make some ruthless decisions with Leicester, Coventry and an improving QPR under Ainsworth up next.  These next three games are season defining.

We need to play Hill as Carter is struggling.

We need to play Tronstad as defensively in midfield we are inept.

We need to give Semir more than 5 or 7 minutes.

There is something amiss with Wharton - possibly not fully fit but a mere shadow of his supreme best last season. 

There are some chinks of light with Szmodics, a returning Sigurdsson and an increasingly promising Leonard but we need much, much more from JDT and the rest of the squad.

Sounds like you want shut of Tomasson. 

[roversfan99]

The main issue as always is the owners leaving us with a poor, young and thin squad leaving options to the manager very sparse.

But he warrants criticism over 2 major things. His repeated backing of such a poor keeper is costing us points on a weekly basis. And the way we are playing is so naive and is leaving us far too open. We are leaking goals and average defenders are left exposed with no protection. Both have to change.

[chaddyrovers]

Leonard had a good game yesterday. Good to hear that. Wish he had score his chance with the header. Elliott Jackson raved about him in the LT player ratings

17 hours ago, RevidgeBlue said:

He'd have to be missing a limb to be worse than Hedges.

I think Hedges is a quality player and one of JDT's main players. His goal at Watford was class. I don't get why people don't rated Hedges 

6 hours ago, arbitro said:

Interestingly I was listening to several conversations amongst Ipswich fans on the train back to London and they pretty much all said he looked like a proper player. He did play well and looked a real threat as he went forward but was also diligent defensively too. If he can add some consistency to his game there is a player in there.

good to hear and lets hope he keeps kicking on and developing under JDT

5 hours ago, Ossydave said:

We need Wahlstedt to play decent against Cardiff so he gets the nod against Leicester don't we? Pears made some good saves yesterday but it's just not enough, if you want to punch so much take up boxing lad (probably do better than Joyce last night).

Pears should be catching the ball not punching it. 

 

5 hours ago, Ossydave said:

Also, Adam Wharton is getting off very very lightly for me. Granted he's a young un but he's making the mistakes week in, week out that Morton got grief for last season. Let's see what tronstad offers in the cup.....

I think he needs another midfielder next to him in the centre of park to help and protect the back 4 more. 

3 hours ago, DE. said:

A lot of our defensive issues come down to how we're being set up to play. I don't think it really suits the personnel we have. I get why JDT is going with this attacking style - he knows we typically need a lot of chances to score goals due to our limited firepower - but it's leaving big gaps which exposes our defence. Our standard midfield duo of Travis/Wharton don't seem capable of doing everything that is being asked of them. This is borne out by the amount of shots registered against us in games so far this season.

Hull - 19 shots
Watford - 24 shots
Plymouth - 23 shots
Boro - 21 shots
Ipswich - 29 shots

I feel like most defences would struggle with this kind of bombardment, and we need to reassess our gameplan. 

JDT wants to play one defensive midfielder and 2 number 8/attacking midfielders instead of playing 2 defensive midfielders and Szmodics as the number 10 which I would actually prefer us to. Tronstad would be my choice next to Wharton for the Leicester game. 

[dingles staying down 4ever]

3 hours ago, dingles staying down 4ever said:

Am I missing something? We have a three we seem to forget that Szmodics is supposed to be a midfielder not an attacker.

So principally we are playing as a 4-2-4. Suicide

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

10 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Leonard had a good game yesterday. Good to hear that. Wish he had score his chance with the header. Elliott Jackson raved about him in the LT player ratings

I think Hedges is a quality player and one of JDT's main players. His goal at Watford was class. I don't get why people don't rated Hedges 

good to hear and lets hope he keeps kicking on and developing under JDT

Pears should be catching the ball not punching it. 

 

I think he needs another midfielder next to him in the centre of park to help and protect the back 4 more. 

JDT wants to play one defensive midfielder and 2 number 8/attacking midfielders instead of playing 2 defensive midfielders and Szmodics as the number 10 which I would actually prefer us to. Tronstad would be my choice next to Wharton for the Leicester game. 

Tronstad or Travis with Wharton, it won’t make any difference. They’ll still be out numbered. In fact I don’t think Tronstad is as good as Travis.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

1 minute ago, dingles staying down 4ever said:

So principally we are playing as a 4-2-4. Suicide

It was great to watch in 1964 but times have changed.

[Penwortham Blue]

16 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Leonard had a good game yesterday. Good to hear that. Wish he had score his chance with the header. Elliott Jackson raved about him in the LT player ratings

I think Hedges is a quality player and one of JDT's main players. His goal at Watford was class. I don't get why people don't rated Hedges 

good to hear and lets hope he keeps kicking on and developing under JDT

Pears should be catching the ball not punching it. 

 

I think he needs another midfielder next to him in the centre of park to help and protect the back 4 more. 

JDT wants to play one defensive midfielder and 2 number 8/attacking midfielders instead of playing 2 defensive midfielders and Szmodics as the number 10 which I would actually prefer us to. Tronstad would be my choice next to Wharton for the Leicester game. 

I think there is a good player in Hedges. However, he is far too inconsistent and his decision making is very questionable and as a result, chances go begging. At Deepdale, he changed the game second half but then totally fucked it up at the end, stupid penalty the other night and he doesn’t score enough goals or convert guilt edged chances, Plymouth and Leicester were genuinely harder to miss the target than score.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

3 hours ago, rigger said:

Yes you are missing something, because Szmodic is seldome in central midfield. He is more of a player, in a position off the attackers.

It is the reason we are stretched, one midfielder taking off the defenders one to cover the middle third and then Szmodics in the final third taking the glory. Unless the wide forwards are prepared to play deeper its why teams can pass through us

[simongarnerisgod]

11 minutes ago, dingles staying down 4ever said:

So principally we are playing as a 4-2-4. Suicide

it does concern me a little that jdt has thought "f**k it" im`e not being backed financially so lets go and attack