v Preston North End (h) - 10/11/23

[booth]

Difficult to sleep last night. Not because of the Derby defeat but because I saw us for the most part play very well, be the better team, yet come up short because of issues off the pitch.

There was hope things would get better after defeats last season but this season that’s gone due to the owners once again brazenly helping the opposition to 3 points.

[sharpysharps86]

Bitterly disappointing result, but with the number of players missing it isn't all that surprising that they got undone in the end.

Had no really problems with the starting 11. Can't really pick out any nightmarish performances from that group but its individual errors again that are getting punished. We have a pattern to our games in that we usually start on top, and if we score in those first 20 mins then we tend to go on and win....but if we fail to score in that opening period, we tend to concede a soft goal and are chasing the game. Thought we did enough to get at least a point, and I'd have been happy with a draw with how the game played out.

Can't fault the effort of this group and the style of play on the ball is a joy to watch at times, but they do lack the nous to get the job done. Down to the bare bones is an understatement, and with JDT seemingly not convinced by Ennis or Telalovic, we really have nobody to turn to off the bench when we need a goal.

Preston were generally solid but unspectacular, but that's what has got them to 4th in the table, so credit to them. I thought they generally looked dangerous whenever they got forward, and the introduction of Evans really changed the game in their favour.

Unfortunately it looks like it's going to be a season of mid-table inconsistency. We'll be in no danger of a relegation fight, and likewise we'll not threaten the playoff places either. We'll look back on this as another season of what might've been had we had brought in a proper striker.

It's what happens next season that worries me, with Venkys financial issues and JDT likely to move on, a period of uncertainty awaits.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

3 minutes ago, sharpysharps86 said:

Bitterly disappointing result, but with the number of players missing it isn't all that surprising that they got undone in the end.

Had no really problems with the starting 11. Can't really pick out any nightmarish performances from that group but its individual errors again that are getting punished. We have a pattern to our games in that we usually start on top, and if we score in those first 20 mins then we tend to go on and win....but if we fail to score in that opening period, we tend to concede a soft goal and are chasing the game. Thought we did enough to get at least a point, and I'd have been happy with a draw with how the game played out.

Can't fault the effort of this group and the style of play on the ball is a joy to watch at times, but they do lack the nous to get the job done. Down to the bare bones is an understatement, and with JDT seemingly not convinced by Ennis or Telalovic, we really have nobody to turn to off the bench when we need a goal.

Preston were generally solid but unspectacular, but that's what has got them to 4th in the table, so credit to them. I thought they generally looked dangerous whenever they got forward, and the introduction of Evans really changed the game in their favour.

Unfortunately it looks like it's going to be a season of mid-table inconsistency. We'll be in no danger of a relegation fight, and likewise we'll not threaten the playoff places either. We'll look back on this as another season of what might've been had we had brought in a proper striker.

It's what happens next season that worries me, with Venkys financial issues and JDT likely to move on, a period of uncertainty awaits.

If we weren’t prepared to play Ennis last night, even as a sub, when are we going to play him ?

[booth]

8 minutes ago, roverandout said:

If we had a proper striker and a decent keeper we'd be top 6 no doubt 

Add an experienced defender and midfielder to that, but it’s not the business model.

We may get a striker at some point because Venkys seem to like to splash out silly money on a good young goalscorer that they can profit on later. But no doubt it’ll be when JDT has left and we have some no hoper. 

[DE.]

1 minute ago, booth said:

We may get a striker at some point because Venkys seem to like to splash out silly money on a good young goalscorer that they can profit on later. 

Think that model might be dead after receiving £0 for Brereton, and absolutely no hope of making profit on Gallagher even if he was sold. 

[Upside Down]

3 minutes ago, booth said:

Add an experienced defender and midfielder to that, but it’s not the business model.

We may get a striker at some point because Venkys seem to like to splash out silly money on a good young goalscorer that they can profit on later. But no doubt it’ll be when JDT has left and we have some no hoper. 

There will be big money available when JDT leaves and is replaced with another dolloper. 

They'll need to spend to keep us plodding along on the journey to nowhere.

If there is no aspirations to do anything other than just plod on in this division then there really isn't any point in this club existing. 

[martonrover]

2 hours ago, Gavlar Somerset Rover! said:

The owners won’t allow it. Broughton/JDT are only allowed to bring in players with re sale value. 

I would imagine the reason we don’t bring in more physicality and big buggers is because they’re naturally less adept at playing the ‘creating value’ way too (in addition to the age factor above).

Yes, winning games is no longer the club’s main objective, so there is very little chance of success, no matter who the manager / head coach is.

 

 

[Penwortham Blue]

2 minutes ago, martonrover said:

Yes, winning games is no longer the club’s main objective, so there is very little chance of success, no matter who the manager / head coach is.

 

 

As confirmed by SWAG, no expectation whatsoever on JDT to achieve. He’s actually achieving miracles with the cards he’s been dealt.

[tomphil]

6 minutes ago, booth said:

Add an experienced defender and midfielder to that, but it’s not the business model.

We may get a striker at some point because Venkys seem to like to splash out silly money on a good young goalscorer that they can profit on later. But no doubt it’ll be when JDT has left and we have some no hoper. 

They splashed out on 4 good young goal scorers/potential goalscorers in a short space of time in the forms of Dack, Arma, Gally, BBD.

All that to the tune of around 16 million outlay but only profited from one who after deductions and initial fee delivered half that back.  I don't think we'll ever see anything like that ever again as long as they are here now and boy will we pay for it, just imagine JDT being allowed to bring in a striker and a luxury player he has identified.

We'd be blazing if he also added another experienced centre defender but alas no chance and Vs let the incompetents in the form of Waggot and the shadowman carry on riding the gravy train. When they have had the biggest hands in the mess of not maximising player trading income.

[roverblue]

What miracles is JDT achieving at rovers? I’ve watched us lose 5 of the 8 games at home this season and gone home thoroughly miserable.

Passing it about nicely with no strikers on the pitch whilst conceding a goal almost every time the opposition attacks is not what I consider over achieving. 

The hype this guy gets is incredible vs actual results.

[booth]

1 minute ago, tomphil said:

They splashed out on 4 good young goal scorers/potential goalscorers in a short space of time in the forms of Dack, Arma, Gally, BBD.

All that to the tune of around 16 million outlay but only profited from one who after deductions and initial fee delivered half that back.  I don't think we'll ever see anything like that ever again as long as they are here now and boy will we pay for it, just imagine JDT being allowed to bring in a striker and a luxury player he has identified.

We'd be blazing if he also added another experienced centre defender but alas no chance and Vs let the incompetents in the form of Waggot and the shadowman carry on riding the gravy train. When they have had the biggest hands in the mess of not maximising player trading income.

Nah they’ll do it again, but they’ll do it when they’ve appointed some halfwit.  We’ll be heading down to L1 under a washed up manager from their favourite agency, but with an excellent striker who we’ll eventually lose for nothing. And we’ll all lament they spent money two or three years too late. It’s what they do.

I still have nightmares of them allowing Gary Bowyer to make mistake after mistake with a good championship squad and excellent strikers. 

[Mattyblue]

8 minutes ago, roverblue said:

What miracles is JDT achieving at rovers? I’ve watched us lose 5 of the 8 games at home this season and gone home thoroughly miserable.

Passing it about nicely with no strikers on the pitch whilst conceding a goal almost every time the opposition attacks is not what I consider over achieving. 

The hype this guy gets is incredible vs actual results.

Best season in a decade last season, we’d have gone top 6 with a win last night (plus more cup ties won in a year than TM in five), with these players and budget .

So how that is ‘incredible hype’ over actual results?

Edited November 11, 2023 by Mattyblue

[booth]

2 minutes ago, roverblue said:

What miracles is JDT achieving at rovers? I’ve watched us lose 5 of the 8 games at home this season and gone home thoroughly miserable.

Passing it about nicely with no strikers on the pitch whilst conceding a goal almost every time the opposition attacks is not what I consider over achieving. 

The hype this guy gets is incredible vs actual results.

Which striker is he supposed to play? Mr Inexperienced, Mr even more Inexperienced, or Mr Unfit?

[Waggy76]

58 minutes ago, Sweaty Gussets said:

Well said. Lots of delusional posts about 'Big Sam' football with the squad we've got, and delusional posts in general about getting a 'Souey' type manager back in cos he'd get us promoted ffs! Souey had the best squad in the Championship, I'm pretty sure JDT would get us promoted with Duff, Dunn, Jansen, Short, Berg, Friedel, Hignett, Berkovic etc

We are now back to pre-1992 as a football club (with a slighter bigger fanbase and a far bigger wage bill). Problem is most teams in this division now have more money than us. Back in pre-1992 finances in the old Div 2 were more equal.

We play the best football in the league IMO, with a team of Academy graduates, free transfers,  loans.  We only paid fees for 3 of the starting XI last night (CB, SS and LW). That's where we are as a club. 

We also had 7 first teamers missing last night, and at the very least should have got a point. 

If people think we're going to start playing percentages and flying into the play-offs they really are delusional. 

I think JDT is a fantastic manager, learning as he goes and adapting best he can. The problems are above him, as any rational person would acknowledge. 

 

Pre 92 football are we ???

Hendry, Sellers ,Garner , Barker , Price thats off the top of my head ...We have no one in the team fit to lace their boots !

I think , we are more like the last days of Saxton !!

Edited November 11, 2023 by Waggy76

[Sweaty Gussets]

4 minutes ago, Waggy76 said:

Pre 92 football are we ???

Hendry, Sellers ,Garner , Barker , Price thats off the top of my head ...We have no one in the team fit to lace their boots !

I think , we are more like the last days of Saxton !!

Yep, Saxton was pre-92.

Thanks for clarifying my point. 

[jim mk2]

33 minutes ago, booth said:

Difficult to sleep last night. Not because of the Derby defeat but because I saw us for the most part play very well, be the better team, yet come up short because of issues off the pitch.

There was hope things would get better after defeats last season but this season that’s gone due to the owners once again brazenly helping the opposition to 3 points.

What a weird stance. The owners didn’t give Preston 3 points. The owners don’t pick the team, the owners don’t dictate how the team play and the the owners are not responsible for us continually conceding late goals. That’s  down to the managers, the coaches and the players, and Tomasson in particular because he is ultimately responsible for results. Weird. 

[BigBar]

The manager has a very difficult job but the love in and excuses for him on here are unbelievable. He is not completely blameless as some like to make out. We know the owners are shite but let's be real and stop living in denial. The manager still has alot to learn. The evidence is right in front of you.

Teams get out of this division all the time being well drilled, hard working and grafting their balls off even with limited resources. See Luton last year.

Edited November 11, 2023 by BigBar

[JHRover]

16 minutes ago, roverblue said:

What miracles is JDT achieving at rovers? I’ve watched us lose 5 of the 8 games at home this season and gone home thoroughly miserable.

Passing it about nicely with no strikers on the pitch whilst conceding a goal almost every time the opposition attacks is not what I consider over achieving. 

The hype this guy gets is incredible vs actual results.

He's got a win return pushing 50% at the club across almost 18 months. That's pretty good going for any manager at any club but when he's been constrained, undermined and forced to use teenagers to build a team with scumbags above him cutting budgets overnight and imposing drastic cost cuts, I'd say it is outstanding.

He'll quickly move on to bigger and better things than Rovers and to be honest I am amazed he is still here.

When he does I am absolutely certain our results and league position will quickly deteriorate, quite possibly back to League One and quickly 

[booth]

1 minute ago, jim mk2 said:

What a weird stance. The owners didn’t give Preston 3 points. The owners don’t pick the team, the owners don’t dictate how the team play and the the owners are not responsible for us continually conceding late goals. That’s  down to the managers, the coaches and the players, and Tomasson in particular because he is ultimately responsible for results. Weird. 

Sorry I hit a nerve with that Jim. If I knew you’d still be crying about it the next day I’d have used different terms.

[JHRover]

1 minute ago, BigBar said:

 

Teams get out of this division all the time being well drilled, hard working and grafting their balls off even with limited resources. See Luton last year.

Luton were awash with experience and Football League know-how. 

JDT isn't allowed to do this, see Danny Batth. 

He's only allowed to sign cheap, unproven 'prospects' and work with them to try and increase their value.

 

[Waggy76]

1 minute ago, JHRover said:

He's got a win return pushing 50% at the club across almost 18 months. That's pretty good going for any manager at any club but when he's been constrained, undermined and forced to use teenagers to build a team with scumbags above him cutting budgets overnight and imposing drastic cost cuts, I'd say it is outstanding.

He'll quickly move on to bigger and better things than Rovers and to be honest I am amazed he is still here.

When he does I am absolutely certain our results and league position will quickly deteriorate, quite possibly back to League One and quickly 

There's every chance he will take us down to League One !

[Mattyblue]

Near 50% win rate with these players and budget, highest league position for a decade last season, all the cup wins, says his methods are working. Not a ‘love in’, mere facts.

Put the ‘good football’ stuff to one side, it’s a results business and he gets them.

[G Somerset Rover]

57 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

If we weren’t prepared to play Ennis last night, even as a sub, when are we going to play him ?

It’s all become very odd with Ennis. He actually looked half decent in his cameo‘s pre-his latest injury. He’s supposedly been back fit for a couple of weeks at least and he can’t get a kick even when we’re desperate for goals.

One can only assume he’s a nuisance off the pitch or simply not putting in the yards.

[booth]

10 minutes ago, BigBar said:

The manager has a very difficult job but the love in and excuses for him on here are unbelievable. He is not completely blameless as some like to make out. We know the owners are shite but let's be real and stop living in denial. The manager still has alot to learn. The evidence is right in front of you.

Teams get out of this division all the time being well drilled, hard working and grafting their balls off even with limited resources. See Luton last year.

He’s not blameless, and he’s also not the manager for working in the championship on such a low budget, grinding out results with mediocre players and kids. I don’t think he signed up for that so I’m not going to blame him for things out of his hands just because I need someone to direct my anger at. He makes mistakes but every one is magnified due to the lack of depth and support.

It’s common knowledge that he wanted experienced grafters, goalscorers, a midfielder and a fullback. He was told when appointed that he would be supported over his contract. They changed the plan, so it’s frustrating but unsurprising when we continually fall short.

If anything he seems to be the only person at the club with any ambition.

[simongarnerisgod]

we did actually play very well last night,like i said,if we had a cutting edge,i.e a centre forward who can head a football and score goals we`de have won  at a canter,hopefully and it`s a big hope tbh we can get some players in january who will round us off and make us an actual dangerous team,no disrespect to preston but they are a team of cloggers and workhorses