Mid season review - Signs of progression ?

[Tugayisgod]

So, we are now half way through what can only be described as a curates egg of a season so far. Perceived  improvement in on field performances have not yielded the points the team have probably deserved for various reasons, mainly due to a lack of strength in depth, coupled with a crippling injury list.

To date, only the top 4 have won more games than Rovers, whilst only the bottom 3 have lost more, a statistic that perfectly sums up where we are as a team. 

Of the 7 summer signings , only Sondre Tronstad of the permanent signings has really added to the team, to me he just pips Szmodics to player of the season so far, just down to his consistency of performance, he was excellent again yesterday. Sigurdsson has shown flashes of what he can do and I am pleased we have signed him permanently, Ennis  I feel will prove to be a decent signing if he can stay injury free and get a good pre season behind him in the Summer. Leo to me seems to have the makings of a good keeper, but needs to cut out the odd mistake that has cost us. Telalovic we just don't know, could probably do with a loan away to get some game time and have a proper look at him.

Of the 2 loans, Hill has been a quality signing, albeit looking in need of a rest recently, while Moran, has ability but seems lightweight to me.

So there we are, a mixed bag as ever with this team. Better than last season though n my opinion without the results to prove it.  Last season there really were some horror performances, notably Preston at home and Burnley away along with s few more where we just didn't turn up. This season. I can only think of Southampton last week where we were really poor and deserved what we got 

Overall marks out of 10

6.5

 

 

[roversfan99]

Its really hard to judge performance because its clearly a downgrade on the last 2 seasons but equally the squad more than ever is lacking depth, quality and experience. The home record and the record for v against late in games is piss poor.

Recruitment has been a very mixed bag on a pitiful budget. As mentioned above, Tronstad stands out as an excellent signing. Hill has been pretty good, dont think he makes our best 11 but a good signing. Moran a mixed bag, tidy but lightweight and often ineffective, certainly not what we needed and like Hill regularly played out of position. Sigurdsson is a useful albeit inconsistent pick up, Wahlstedt has ability but huge weak areas and the 2 forwards speak for themselves.

The managers performance is difficult to fully judge because there are definitely signs of a style but results arent great. But he has been dealt such a bad hand that much of that is out of his hands. Im not convinced based on his job here, due mainly to those external reasons, that he has definitely done enough to get a "top 5 league" job as people have assumed before. But he is better off away from here because he is above where we are as a club with these owners.

[Miller11]

It’s been disappointing overall. There are some genuine causes for optimism but we are massively hampered by factors beyond the control of Waggott, Broughton or JDT.

Our first choice 11 is more than good enough to beat anyone on our day. I wouldn’t swap Wharton and Tronstad for another midfield pairing in the league, and Szmodics has been a revelation.

There are question marks in the goalkeeping department, and I’m not sure anyone knows who our first choice is, or should be. We’ve suffered from having to patch up the defence too often and a lack of consistency there, as well as the ability to sure up with subs at the end of games has been costly.

Up top it’s a bit of a mess. Dolan, Moran and Leonard have all been selected at times when they’ve been short of form due to necessity. I feel a bit sorry for Ennis and hope he can prove useful, but we needed more than a punt on a striker who has done pretty well at a level below with a worrying injury record. I’m less sympathetic to Gallagher who, despite probably being our best option to lead the line has contributed zero due to his customary massive spell out injured.

You can see the direction JDT is trying to take us. Tronstad took a while to bed in, but he was always lined up as the Travis replacement. I also predicted Garrett would move above Travis in the pecking order before the end of the season, which seems to be the way we are going. It’s still a bit of a mystery what we want to do in the opposition box as all our centre forward options are very different types of player. JRC has been an enormous miss and for the last 12 months we’re a far better side when he plays, whatever position that may be.

One thing that has been a little surprising and perhaps disappointing is the lack of breakthrough from the academy so far. Yes, we play several graduates every single week, but with the squad as stretched as it is the fact that the likes of Gilsenan, Gamble, Batty, Montgomery, Gamble, Duru, Bloxham etc etc are only deemed suitable to make up the numbers and play in the league cup limits us.

The best signing any team made last January was Luton bringing in Marvelous Nakamba. Bucked the usual trend of getting teenagers from academies and loaned in a seasoned pro who wasn’t getting minutes in the Premier League. If we could make a couple of additions like that in January there’s still a chance of the playoffs. As well as a bit of experience we need some more athleticism. In a few games we’ve been bullied physically and's we are really poor off the ball at times. Our record in the closing stages of games shows that when our players are running on fumes we really suffer.

My wish list…

An athletic full back who can come on and help us see games out.

An out and out centre forward (or two) who isn’t averse to being in the box.

A wide player with pace.

I’d happily let Gallagher and Travis go permanently to bring in those 3 loans.

 

[roversfan99]

19 minutes ago, Miller11 said:

It’s been disappointing overall. There are some genuine causes for optimism but we are massively hampered by factors beyond the control of Waggott, Broughton or JDT.

Our first choice 11 is more than good enough to beat anyone on our day. I wouldn’t swap Wharton and Tronstad for another midfield pairing in the league, and Szmodics has been a revelation.

There are question marks in the goalkeeping department, and I’m not sure anyone knows who our first choice is, or should be. We’ve suffered from having to patch up the defence too often and a lack of consistency there, as well as the ability to sure up with subs at the end of games has been costly.

Up top it’s a bit of a mess. Dolan, Moran and Leonard have all been selected at times when they’ve been short of form due to necessity. I feel a bit sorry for Ennis and hope he can prove useful, but we needed more than a punt on a striker who has done pretty well at a level below with a worrying injury record. I’m less sympathetic to Gallagher who, despite probably being our best option to lead the line has contributed zero due to his customary massive spell out injured.

You can see the direction JDT is trying to take us. Tronstad took a while to bed in, but he was always lined up as the Travis replacement. I also predicted Garrett would move above Travis in the pecking order before the end of the season, which seems to be the way we are going. It’s still a bit of a mystery what we want to do in the opposition box as all our centre forward options are very different types of player. JRC has been an enormous miss and for the last 12 months we’re a far better side when he plays, whatever position that may be.

One thing that has been a little surprising and perhaps disappointing is the lack of breakthrough from the academy so far. Yes, we play several graduates every single week, but with the squad as stretched as it is the fact that the likes of Gilsenan, Gamble, Batty, Montgomery, Gamble, Duru, Bloxham etc etc are only deemed suitable to make up the numbers and play in the league cup limits us.

The best signing any team made last January was Luton bringing in Marvelous Nakamba. Bucked the usual trend of getting teenagers from academies and loaned in a seasoned pro who wasn’t getting minutes in the Premier League. If we could make a couple of additions like that in January there’s still a chance of the playoffs. As well as a bit of experience we need some more athleticism. In a few games we’ve been bullied physically and's we are really poor off the ball at times. Our record in the closing stages of games shows that when our players are running on fumes we really suffer.

My wish list…

An athletic full back who can come on and help us see games out.

An out and out centre forward (or two) who isn’t averse to being in the box.

A wide player with pace.

I’d happily let Gallagher and Travis go permanently to bring in those 3 loans.

 

We need those 3 players but we couldnt afford to then lose 2, we need them 3 on top.

[Miller11]

1 hour ago, roversfan99 said:

We need those 3 players but we couldnt afford to then lose 2, we need them 3 on top.

Ideally, but needs must. 

[Ossydave]

Getting a bit fed up to be honest. 

Absolutely nothing against JDT or Gregg, I just think they're pissing in the wind and its obvious now as much as ever that we'll never progress under the current owners.

There's no chance of promotion, and we're up against it for a top half finish if you ask me.

Not attending on boxing day for the first time in as long as i can remember, just can't be arsed.

It's sad that it's come to this but just not feeling it this season.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Fair to Middling...we are a mid table outfit.

We know the problem lies in India.Nothing to see here.

Edited December 25, 2023 by SIMON GARNERS 194

[MarkBRFC]

Always remember Gregg saying in that first interview in the summer that we were targeting 4 things in that window.

A striker, some experience, some height, and some pace.

Through I believe no real fault of his own, we didn't get any of those.

Whilst this side has played some nice stuff this year, you won't get very far without any of the above mentioned.

This is the smallest, weakest, slowest and mentally weakest Rovers side I can remember.