v Southampton (a) - 16/12/23

[islander200]

8 minutes ago, AllRoverAsia said:

Whitewashing of that debacle in full swing.

Its much easier to go with truth. We didn't turn up, tactics were almost non existent, most players has a mare and we were lucky to only conceded 4,

Oh and wtf is that lightweight crap, Moran, doing in a Rovers shirt. If you want that sort of weak in weak out (deliberate) bring Buckley back.

Moran has played poorly the last couple of games.We should just forget about the good performances he has put in though?

It's his first season playing senior football and generally he has done well,5 assists and has created a number of chances.He along with others are running on fumes due to the small squad JDT has been left to work with.

Not saying you ,but a few on here predicted a relegation fight this season but we ain't near a relegation fight despite quite a few players being out for long spells , Hedges, Dolan, Gallagher, Hyam,JRC.Sigurrdson taking time to get fit .Ennis never getting fit. 

Perspective is needed we are what we are a mid table championship club whose manager needs investment if we want to be near the playoffs.

[Roverthechimp]

10 minutes ago, AllRoverAsia said:

Whitewashing of that debacle in full swing.

Its much easier to go with truth. We didn't turn up, tactics were almost non existent, most players has a mare and we were lucky to only conceded 4,

Oh and wtf is that lightweight crap, Moran, doing in a Rovers shirt. If you want that sort of weak in weak out (deliberate) bring Buckley back.

Whitewashing - no. Responding to opinions about broader issues with our coach - perhaps it is the wrong thread.

simply - we were off it from the kick off but still in the game at 43 minutes 

Even at 1-0 down there was a chance but the start to the 2nd half was no improvement and Brittain sealed our fate.

Big question is would we be just as upset if it had finished 2-0? Think the 2 late goals, however well deserved, have turned a shit performance into a catastrophe 

[arbitro]

A tough day for Rovers as, for the first time this season our opponents were far better than us all over the pitch. Two significant moments knocked the stuffing out of me. The first goal and it's timing was crucial in my view. We had only just said it we get to half time at 0-0 that would be a result in itself and then we concede a cheap goal which deflates us. The silliness of Brittain really killed us, I have no words for his stupidity. From that moment for me it was damage limitation and unfortunately we capitulated in stoppage time. In truth the score wasn't harsh on us but once again we came up against a team who eclipse us in terms of budget and quality of player and yesterday it was a chasm. 

I haven't trawled through the posts on here and I'm sure Tomasson is getting pelters from some but for me, with the exception of yesterday he is still getting so much from his injury ravaged squad and I will not lay any blame at his door. That blame for me lies several thousand miles away.

[jim mk2]

You have to laugh at being accused  of making “bi-polar” reactions by someone who then describes the performance as “shite” 😁

Southampton away was always going to be difficult even with a full strength squad to pick from and the surprising thing was the number of folk who on our current form and state thought we were going to win down there. Some really ought to take their blue and white tinted specs off.

More important now is how we bounce back from this - or otherwise. The players have to cut out the individual errors and the manager has to get them competitive and in the right frame of mind from the first whistle, which we clearly weren’t yesterday

[M_B]

So many injuries to such a young squad, but there's no doubt that the sudden dip over the last few games has been as a result of Dolan getting injured, the zip has gone and we're looking weary. 

Thankfully it's a full week off before another game of small margins on Saturday,3 points  would make a big difference to the league table. 

[Mattyblue]

I’ll explain what I thought was a simple point again.

Playing shite and getting well beat by far better teams with enormous budgets doesn’t change the fact we can compete with pretty much every other non parachute club - I.e perspective, not saying the manager should go etc after said shite day.

We have a crap Christmas and new year period against a real mix bag of sides, obviously a different issue.

Edited December 17, 2023 by Mattyblue

[roverblue]

I don’t think anyone is saying the manager should go are they? Just fans pointing out continued deficiencies in the hope he starts to learn and change.

I’ve watched us lose at home to Preston, Sunderland, Hull and Swansea this season already. These aren’t mega bank rolled parachute money clubs.

[Mattyblue]

There were a fair few posts yesterday saying just that, yes.

Of course we’ve lost to some non-parachute clubs, it’s the Championship, a load of similarly matched sides so we’ve beaten plenty too, ergo ‘competitive with the rest of the league’.

Edited December 17, 2023 by Mattyblue

[arbitro]

1 minute ago, roverblue said:

I don’t think anyone is saying the manager should go are they? Just fans pointing out continued deficiencies in the hope he starts to learn and change.

I’ve watched us lose at home to Preston, Sunderland, Hull and Swansea this season already. These aren’t mega bank rolled parachute money clubs.

In the games you mention what would you have done differently?

[AllRoverAsia]

1 hour ago, Mattyblue said:

Who’s whitewashing it? It was a load of shite from the first minute.

However, we also win loads of games against non parachute sides, ergo perspective and not bipolar reactions for a 46 game season in a division we obviously are competitive in.

Read up on "bipolar" you need education

[Mattyblue]

It’s a word with more than one definition, I was using it to highlight how opinions oscillate on forums wildly , obviously I wasn’t labelling random folk I’ve never met on a forum of actually having bipolar disorder if that’s what you are getting at.

Edited December 17, 2023 by Mattyblue

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

1 hour ago, islander200 said:

Moran has played poorly the last couple of games.We should just forget about the good performances he has put in though?

It's his first season playing senior football and generally he has done well,5 assists and has created a number of chances.He along with others are running on fumes due to the small squad JDT has been left to work with.

Not saying you ,but a few on here predicted a relegation fight this season but we ain't near a relegation fight despite quite a few players being out for long spells , Hedges, Dolan, Gallagher, Hyam,JRC.Sigurrdson taking time to get fit .Ennis never getting fit. 

Perspective is needed we are what we are a mid table championship club whose manager needs investment if we want to be near the playoffs.

Most of the team is mid table championship level but at the moment the “ strike  force “ is nowhere near that level. Teams without an attacking threat soon find themselves in trouble. The lads at the back will get demoralised when they find themselves defending and nothing is happening up front.

[Moptop1]

Sadly, we won’t go anywhere with this team, if we can’t cut out the errors. It’s ok to say they are a young team. They have to learn from the mistakes. Something that is not happening. 

Give Mowbray some credit, he always had an experience head in the dressing room. We haven’t  really got that. It’s what we need. Someone to  steady the younger players.

Sadly, Venkeys won’t see a value in that and won’t agree to us getting a few of these players in.

As for the needed striker. Again, that won’t be coming either. We’ll have to deal with it.

And that’s where we are as a club. We are being told by the owners -  DEAL WITH IT. 

Nothing will change. 

 

 

[Sweaty Gussets]

12 hours ago, only2garners said:

Sunderland did OK as well, winning 5-0.

I think I’d remember that it was only 2-0 going into injury time and that was us playing with 10 men for 45 minutes. That is not to praise Rovers, but to caution against suggesting that Southampton are some all conquering machine. I would have them as maybe play-off contenders but not much chance of automatic promotion.

 

They had a poor start, including the trouncing at Sunderland. Over the last 10 games they're the best team in the league, and now unbeaten in 13 or 14. They are a very good side at this level, with some very good players.

I'd expect them to be challenging the top 2 by the end of the season, as they should be with the players they've got. 

[Parsonblue]

Sadly, we are paying the price for starting the season with such a small and inexperienced squad.  Many of the players are now running on empty - both mentally and physically - after so many games without the chance to rotate players.  I fear for us over the Christmas period unless we can get some of our injured players back,.

Yesterday we were outplayed from start to finish by a better team with far more resources than ourselves.  I think JDT has worked wonders with the limited resources available to him but, sadly, I'm sure he knows that promotion is really a pipedream at the moment.  We are what we look - decent Championship team that sits comfortably in mid-table but no more than that.

Edited December 17, 2023 by Parsonblue

[islander200]

1 hour ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Most of the team is mid table championship level but at the moment the “ strike  force “ is nowhere near that level. Teams without an attacking threat soon find themselves in trouble. The lads at the back will get demoralised when they find themselves defending and nothing is happening up front.

We have the top scorer in the championship.We are also nowhere near the bottom of the league in the goals scored column.

I totally agree we need better strikers but I'd say at least half the league are in the exact same boat.

[Parsonblue]

I think recent games have illustrated just how important Dolan is to the way we play.  At the time of his injury he was in terrific form and linked so well with Szmodics and Moran.  The three of them created chances with their quick interplay.  Also Dolan led the press in a way that Leonard isn't able to do because he is a different type of player.  In recent games both Moran and Szmodics seem to be dropping deeper and deeper and therefore have less impact on the game in terms of attack.  Again, it just illustrates how limited the options are for JDT - especially as two of the summer signings Ennis and Telalovic seems well short of the standard required at the moment.

[Sweaty Gussets]

1 hour ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Most of the team is mid table championship level but at the moment the “ strike  force “ is nowhere near that level. Teams without an attacking threat soon find themselves in trouble. The lads at the back will get demoralised when they find themselves defending and nothing is happening up front.

We're the 7th highest scorers in the league, and we have the league's top scorer. 

[BankEnd Rover]

Squad depth is clearly the issue here but we lack pace, have done for seasons since Rothwell left…Pacy winger is a must for me in January. 
 

Doubt that happens.

Edited December 17, 2023 by BankEnd Rover

[Sweaty Gussets]

Just now, Parsonblue said:

I think recent games have illustrated just how important Dolan is to the way we play.  At the time of his injury he was in terrific form and linked so well with Szmodics and Moran.  The three of them created chances with their quick interplay.  Also Dolan led the press in a way that Leonard isn't able to do because he is a different type of player.  In recent games both Moran and Szmodics seem to be dropping deeper and deeper and therefore have less impact on the game in terms of attack.  Again, it just illustrates how limited the options are for JDT - especially as two of the summer signings Ennis and Telalovic seems well short of the standard required at the moment.

Very true about Dolan, but Hyam, Gally, Hedges and JRC have also been huge misses. 

This season has been ruined by injuries, there's no other way of looking at it (and that's ignoring the shitshow of the last two transfer windows and the budget cuts)

It's to JDT's credit that he has been able to grind out enough wins to keep us within touching distance of the play-offs as we approach the halfway mark of the season. Add to the excellent season we had in 22/23 and it will be a huge surprise if he isn't poached at some point. 

[cesus]

My issue yesterday was the lack of changes, I've rarely in all my time of watching football seen a group of players react to a final whistle like our players did on Tuesday. They were completely done. I certainly wouldn't have had an issue with Sammie, A. Wharton and Tronstad sitting on the bench for Trav, Garrett and Leonard yesterday, it was a tough enough game before a ball was kicked.

[Sweaty Gussets]

5 minutes ago, BankEnd Rover said:

Squad depth is clearly the issue here but we lack pace, have done for seasons since Rothwell left…Pacy winger is a must for me in January. 
 

Doubt that happens.

Maybe an approach for that young Palace winger we were interested in during the summer? We needed a right winger in the summer, and we still need one. 

[BankEnd Rover]

2 minutes ago, Sweaty Gussets said:

Maybe an approach for that young Palace winger we were interested in during the summer? We needed a right winger in the summer, and we still need one. 

100% but think Palace are struggling with injuries themselves so that may not happen, sadly. 
 

[rigger]

1 hour ago, AllRoverAsia said:

Read up on "bipolar" you need education

Arctic and Antarctic ?

[Blue blood]

1 hour ago, Sweaty Gussets said:

Very true about Dolan, but Hyam, Gally, Hedges and JRC have also been huge misses. 

This season has been ruined by injuries, there's no other way of looking at it (and that's ignoring the shitshow of the last two transfer windows and the budget cuts)

Disagree. I've said it before but if Hedges and Gally are the answer, it's a terrible question. Hyam is a huge loss but then having so few seasoned pros at the back is always going to make every absence worse. JRC huge loss too but as he is so injury prone it's not that surprising. 

1 hour ago, Sweaty Gussets said:

It's to JDT's credit that he has been able to grind out enough wins to keep us within touching distance of the play-offs as we approach the halfway mark of the season. Add to the excellent season we had in 22/23 and it will be a huge surprise if he isn't poached at some point. 

Totally agree. That we are doing as well.as we are with even less investment is incredible.