v Millwall (a) - 24/10/2023

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

36 minutes ago, arbitro said:

It's fair to say that until last night Brittain has hardly used his left foot in a Rovers shirt. Watching it live I was surprised when he switched from his right foot to his left foot and probably more surprised when he pulled the trigger.

The rest, as they say is history.

I remember watching that contest were players have to score direct from the corner flag. So left footed shot off the right wing and right footed shot off the left wing. Not easy, I thought I was pretty two footed but I’d have needed a few goes.

One Rovers player, I think it was Tom Carney, who was reliant on his left foot all the time did it easily with only a couple of right footed attempts. The thought “ why don’t you use your right foot more “ went through my mind at the time.

Edited October 25, 2023 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[Dreams of 1995]

18 minutes ago, Sweaty Gussets said:

You're assuming Leo is being told to punch. Szmodics absolutely bollocked him when he punched one in the 2nd half and held his hands out as if to say 'catch it'. 

Sammie had a moan a couple of times last night. Don't think he had his best game and he was letting his frustration show

[NeilInBristol]

22 minutes ago, Sweaty Gussets said:

You're assuming Leo is being told to punch. Szmodics absolutely bollocked him when he punched one in the 2nd half and held his hands out as if to say 'catch it'. 

Sammie is great for so many reasons. A true leader

[BigBar]

3 hours ago, rigger said:

But didn't cost us a point.

Don't think it works like that. 

[Exiled_Rover]

51 minutes ago, arbitro said:

Imagine where we could be if we had a goalscorer.

 

I said that to my dad last night - there's clearly still a gaping hole at #9 - it's clear as day when you watch the team play.

We'd be a force to be reckoned with if we had a consistent goal scorer there who was either big enough to hold the ball up or fast enough to run the channels (or heaven forbid both!).

 

[rigger]

2 minutes ago, BigBar said:

Don't think it works like that. 

Did we take all three points ? So Leo's mistake did not cost us a point.

[BigBar]

34 minutes ago, rovers11 said:

Interesting that not one of the past three managers we've beaten have said that we were the best team they've played this season.

Funny how opposition managers no longer heap praise on you when they haven't banged in 3-4 goals and created a zillion chances...

This is a much better style of football imo. It's far more measured and pragmatic and one that will yield very positive results, as we're already seeing. If we had the quality of a Leeds or Leicester then I'd be up for for all out attack football but we don't unfortunately. JDT has quickly adapted the game plan to his credit, even though it's not quite how he wants his teams to play.

He was anything but quick to adapt. We shipped 4 against Ipswich, 3 against Sunderland, 3 against Plymouth, and 4 against Leicester within the last month. It's change over the last 2-3 weeks. You could see from the start of the season it was never going to work and needed changing.

[BigBar]

3 minutes ago, rigger said:

Did we take all three points ? So Leo's mistake did not cost us a point.

So you be happy for him to do that every week?

[rigger]

2 minutes ago, BigBar said:

So you be happy for him to do that every week?

If we win every week, yes

[BigBar]

1 minute ago, rigger said:

If we win every week, yes

Wasn't the question. Would you be happy for him to make an error like that every game?

[rigger]

Just now, BigBar said:

Wasn't the question. Would you be happy for him to make an error like that every game?

Do you think he will ?

[MarkBRFC]

49 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I remember watching that contest were players have to score direct from the corner flag. So left footed shot off the right wing and right footed shot off the left wing. Not easy, I thought I was pretty two footed but I’d have needed a few goes.

One Rovers player, I think it was Tom Carney, who was reliant on his left foot all the time did it easily with only a couple of right footed attempts. The thought “ why don’t you use your right foot more “ went through my mind at the time.

I think more and more in the modern game, players are terrified of trying something with there weaker foot, like a through ball or a knock down the line in fear of giving possession away. It's like its drilled into them now just to recycle the ball at every opportunity and play safe with there stronger foot than try something ambitious and give it away with your weaker.

[Wheelton Blue]

54 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I remember watching that contest were players have to score direct from the corner flag. So left footed shot off the right wing and right footed shot off the left wing. Not easy, I thought I was pretty two footed but I’d have needed a few goes.

One Rovers player, I think it was Tom Carney, who was reliant on his left foot all the time did it easily with only a couple of right footed attempts. The thought “ why don’t you use your right foot more “ went through my mind at the time.

It would take Hedges forever and a day to score from the corner flag with his right foot ...

[bluebruce]

54 minutes ago, rovers11 said:

Interesting that not one of the past three managers we've beaten have said that we were the best team they've played this season.

Funny how opposition managers no longer heap praise on you when they haven't banged in 3-4 goals and created a zillion chances...

This is a much better style of football imo. It's far more measured and pragmatic and one that will yield very positive results, as we're already seeing. If we had the quality of a Leeds or Leicester then I'd be up for for all out attack football but we don't unfortunately. JDT has quickly adapted the game plan to his credit, even though it's not quite how he wants his teams to play.

Tbf I think Ainsworth did praise us after we drubbed them. I don't think he said we were the best they'd played but he was fairly complimentary.

Millwall's interim boss mentioned we have 'very, very good players' too, I think was the phrasing. Although he bizarrely claimed they definitely deserved to win, even though we had twice as many shots on target and they barely troubled our keeper (even the one goal they did score was very generous from Leo).

[BigBar]

3 minutes ago, rigger said:

Do you think he will ?

No but he hasn't covered himself in glory with that last night, it's a massive mistake and it's not the first time he has looked suspect. I'm not hammering him at all and would love him to be a success but it's silly to turn a blind eye because you want a new signing to be good. He was suspect in the cup against Cardiff and when he came on against Leicester he was poor for their fourth. Got away with one against Cardiff last weekend. When he completely flapped at a cross but they didn't punish us. There is enough there to be concerned, surely you see that?

[Herbie6590]

11 minutes ago, BigBar said:

Wasn't the question. Would you be happy for him to make an error like that every game?

This from an Arsenal fan last night took me back…

[jim mk2]

12 minutes ago, rigger said:

Do you think he will ?

The lad looks nervous (understandably probably as he's new) and punches the ball far too much as a result, but he also lacks physical presence and will struggle against some of the big forwards in the Championship. I understand he's a work in progress and needs time to develop but he's going to cost us points in the same way Pears does/did.

[BigBar]

3 minutes ago, Herbie6590 said:

This from an Arsenal fan last night took me back…

People seem desperate to convince themselves there is nothing to be worried about. I said it before that I actually don't mind Pears but to tell me that Leo isn't as dodgy as Pears (so far) is just delusional. We were spoiled with TK and even he has his moments but they were few and far between when you look back compared to now. Seems to be alot of errors with keepers these days down to the way the game has changed. Raya struggling, onana struggling, Sanchez struggling, list goes on. Just need to sign Ederson or Allison.

[BigBar]

3 minutes ago, jim mk2 said:

The lad looks nervous (understandably probably as he's new) and punches the ball far too much as a result, but he also lacks physical presence and will struggle against some of the big forwards in the Championship. I understand he's a work in progress and needs time to develop but he's going to cost us points in the same way Pears does/did.

"Recovered well after his mistake"...he had very little to do thankfully. 

[jim mk2]

1 minute ago, BigBar said:

"Recovered well after his mistake"...he had very little to do thankfully. 

 

He had to deal with a few shots and crosses and always punched well to be fair but a better goalkeeper would have caught many of them. Perhaps it's the way they're coached these days, or maybe modern footballs are harder to catch and the ball flies faster than in the past, but always punching the ball is high risk. Only he knows what he was doing for the Millwall goal

[davulsukur]

4 hours ago, Sweaty Gussets said:

Underrated first goal. Had them chasing shadows. 

Right backs assemble, to score a left footer.

[Exiled_Rover]

1 hour ago, bluebruce said:

Tbf I think Ainsworth did praise us after we drubbed them. I don't think he said we were the best they'd played but he was fairly complimentary.

Millwall's interim boss mentioned we have 'very, very good players' too, I think was the phrasing. Although he bizarrely claimed they definitely deserved to win, even though we had twice as many shots on target and they barely troubled our keeper (even the one goal they did score was very generous from Leo).

Besides complaining that our first goal was offside, they had a player injured on the pitch for our second goal and they should have had a penalty he was very gracious in defeat. 

[Sweaty Gussets]

4 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

Besides complaining that our first goal was offside, they had a player injured on the pitch for our second goal and they should have had a penalty he was very gracious in defeat. 

Never a penalty, Carter takes his leg away and doesn't make contact.

 

[K-Hod]

3 hours ago, BigBar said:

People seem desperate to convince themselves there is nothing to be worried about. I said it before that I actually don't mind Pears but to tell me that Leo isn't as dodgy as Pears (so far) is just delusional. We were spoiled with TK and even he has his moments but they were few and far between when you look back compared to now. Seems to be alot of errors with keepers these days down to the way the game has changed. Raya struggling, onana struggling, Sanchez struggling, list goes on. Just need to sign Ederson or Allison.

Seems a bit harsh, when he hasn’t made anywhere near the same amount of appearances. Granted, he has made mistakes, that’s undeniable.

[Aqualung]

All championship goalkeepers make mistakes as proven at both ends of the pitch last night. 

So who's the best championship keeper? 

As for Whalstad.. A bit of catching practice wouldn't go amiss. Punching the ball will inevitably lead to the odd balls up.