v Huddersfield Town (h) - 20/01/2024

[lraC]

One think for certain, Huddersfield will score. It’s just a case of how many and therefore how many we will need to get a point or 3.

We are 20/1 to go down just now, but those odds will tumble if we lose again. The old adage that the bookies are never wrong gives me some hope, but it’s fading fast. 

[Blow-in]

14 hours ago, neophox said:

Just a note...JDT was signed by Kenny Dalglish at Newcastle..yes the one brilliant manager that gave us our one and only Premier League title! He was signed to link up with Alan Shearer... Just that is some stuff!

He's learnt from some really good managers. I really hope we win this and then go on a good run.....sadly our inept owners with Waggot et al around makes it so depressing...

Wayne Rooney was managed by Alex Ferguson.

Frank Lampard was managed by Mourinho, Ancelotti, Solari.

Steve Gerrard was managed by Benite...forget about that one 😄

 

Not sure how much notice these players take.

Edited January 17 by Blow-in

[TheRevAshton]

I think we're going to see just how much we've been missing JRC - not just for his ability, but his attitude too.

Could see him relieving Hyam the armband in the near future.

[wilba23]

I was thinking, has Carter's recent dodgy form been linked at all to the fact he was one yellow away from a 2 game ban, which given our serious lack of options in defence might have been playing on his mind as not wanting to let the team down? Just a thought.

I'm not expecting much if anything from this game but the optimist in me really hopes having a few bodies back who can come off the bench might spark the whole team into life and we get back to playing like Oct/Nov time with the positive result to accompany the performance.   

[AllRoverAsia]

Our defenders play with keepers they do not trust and try a style of football to which they are not really suited.

And then we call them out for being shite.

It's just as well pay is good in a job that's a hiding to nothing.

[booth]

23 minutes ago, AllRoverAsia said:

Our defenders play with keepers they do not trust and try a style of football to which they are not really suited.

And then we call them out for being shite.

It's just as well pay is good in a job that's a hiding to nothing.

We saw some of them were capable of playing that way before JDT came along, not just the defenders but the other players helping out with defensive duties. Perhaps shite is a strong word, mediocre I'd say.

But it's also injuries, squad depth, relying on young players, and I think with Hyam a lack of fitness. Along with the afforementioned ability for all parties to be, indeed, shite.

The keeper is a big part of it though. It can't be very encouraging knowing before a ball is kicked you're already 2-0 down.

Another part of the equation is knowing the club has absolutely no ambition and the people at the top couldn't care less. What a motivator that must be.

[Mattyblue]

Plan for mediocre results (I.e - well, let’s do enough to stay out of League 1) then that’s what you are probably going to get.

[Tugayisgod]

Edited January 17 by Tugayisgod

[ageoftherover]

Whatever the result, I just hope we show a bit of fight. 

[BankEnd Rover]

6 minutes ago, Tugayisgod said:

Second game was a draw with Semir scoring. Thats 2 in 2 for him, albeit behind closed doors. Hopefully his time is coming.

[Tugayisgod]

3 minutes ago, BankEnd Rover said:

Second game was a draw with Semir scoring. Thats 2 in 2 for him, albeit behind closed doors. Hopefully his time is coming.

Going to say it now, think there could be a player in there given time.

[tomphil]

When you are scoring regularly at whatever level the confidence should be high so he should be in line for a start on Saturday.

[Dreams of 1995]

16 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

Carter has been crap this season, really poor like all the defence. He was very good last season so probably a big factor is the style. I dont think he is poor and he has ability but equally a lot to prove to justify any sense in rumours of a big money move. He

But my use of the word lumbering is more specific to seeing him at right back especially in his form, another not suited to the current style.

Rankin Costello was not rated by Tomasson at that same time, he had one game (was it Bristol City?) where he was woeful and he had never established himself up until then. His upturn was as surprising and sudden as it was impressive. He is now a standout player.

I was wrong in thinking Rankin Costello was not up to it. Tomasson was clearly of the same mindset. I hold my hands up in being wrong but that doesnt mean I have to reserve judgement going forward and I know ill be wrong again at times, as will we all. 

I think Carter moreso than Brittain can thrive again if the style of play is altered. Theres a good young defender in there thats horribly out of form and being exposed.

Fair comments rovers.

Sometimes I get a bit annoyed at your descriptions of players. I don't think calling Carter lumbersome is fair as he's far from it. I don't think anybody should reserve their opinions - if you heard some of the things I shout during games you'd know - but at times I think the criticism can be unfair from you. Not that they read it anyway but you know

Carter is a player that will excel with a good keeper behind him. That's why he looked so good last season with Kaminski there

Every player has bad form. I have had a few bad runs in my time. At one point it got so bad that almost everything hinged on my first touch and pass. There was a particular game when the ball was passed to me from kick off, it hit a divot and went over my foot. My mindset from that point was that this would be a bad game and it was. I don't think it is any surprise that elite level clubs place a big emphasis on sports psychologists. We may benefit from one at the moment because it is clear our team is "in the dumps"

Edited January 17 by Dreams of 1995

[KentExile]

29 minutes ago, BankEnd Rover said:

Second game was a draw with Semir scoring. Thats 2 in 2 for him, albeit behind closed doors. Hopefully his time is coming.

"2nd game" was a 2-1 loss (although it was really 1 game where Rovers fielded different 11s in each half rather than 2 separate games)

https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2024/january/17/report--rovers-3-3-ec-bahia/

No Sigurdsson in either lineup, wonder if he is ill/injured now?

ROVERS (FIRST HALF): Pears, Brittain, Carter, Gamble, Pickering, A. Wharton, Ayari, Markanday, Szmodics, Leonard, Gallagher.

Goals: Markanday (33), A. Wharton (37)

ROVERS (SECOND HALF): Wahlstedt, Rankin-Costello, Hyam, S. Wharton, Chrisene, Tronstad, Edmondson, Garrett, Moran, Ennis, Telalovic.

Goal: Telalovic (54)

Edited January 17 by KentExile

[TheRevAshton]

23 minutes ago, KentExile said:

"2nd game" was a 2-1 loss (although it was really 1 game where Rovers fielded different 11s in each half rather than 2 separate games)

https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2024/january/17/report--rovers-3-3-ec-bahia/

No Sigurdsson in either lineup, wonder if he is ill/injured now?

ROVERS (FIRST HALF): Pears, Brittain, Carter, Gamble, Pickering, A. Wharton, Ayari, Markanday, Szmodics, Leonard, Gallagher.

Goals: Markanday (33), A. Wharton (37)

ROVERS (SECOND HALF): Wahlstedt, Rankin-Costello, Hyam, S. Wharton, Chrisene, Tronstad, Edmondson, Garrett, Moran, Ennis, Telalovic.

Goal: Telalovic (54)

Would be interested to see what formations were used for those games/halves, with 2 centre-forwards fielded in each of them.

Edited January 17 by TheRevAshton

[KentExile]

19 minutes ago, TheRevAshton said:

Would be interested to see what formations were used for those games/halves, with 2 centre-forwards fielded in each of them.

I would guess at Leonard and Ennis coming off the left and Gally & Telalovic up front (could in theory be the other way around but very unlikely JDT will change his formation based on his recent comments)

1st half/2nd half

 

                                 Pears/Wahlsted

Brittain/JRC   Carter/Hyam   Gamble/S.Wharton   Pickering/Chrisene

                  A.Wharton/Tronstad    Ayari/Edmondson

Markanday/Moran   Szmodics/Garrett   Leonard/Ennis

                             Gallagher/Telalovic

 

Edited January 17 by KentExile

[arbitro]

43 minutes ago, KentExile said:

"2nd game" was a 2-1 loss (although it was really 1 game where Rovers fielded different 11s in each half rather than 2 separate games)

https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2024/january/17/report--rovers-3-3-ec-bahia/

No Sigurdsson in either lineup, wonder if he is ill/injured now?

ROVERS (FIRST HALF): Pears, Brittain, Carter, Gamble, Pickering, A. Wharton, Ayari, Markanday, Szmodics, Leonard, Gallagher.

Goals: Markanday (33), A. Wharton (37)

ROVERS (SECOND HALF): Wahlstedt, Rankin-Costello, Hyam, S. Wharton, Chrisene, Tronstad, Edmondson, Garrett, Moran, Ennis, Telalovic.

Goal: Telalovic (54)

Presumably this game was hastily arranged because tonight's under 21 match has been called off. It's strange that we used Man City's Academy but presumably they have under soil heating whereas Brockhall doesn't. I wonder how much that cost though 😂.

[Wheelton Blue]

We were due to play Rangers apparently (according to something I saw earlier) but they pulled out.

[roversfan99]

1 hour ago, BankEnd Rover said:

Second game was a draw with Semir scoring. Thats 2 in 2 for him, albeit behind closed doors. Hopefully his time is coming.

Him and Markanday score for fun in behind closed doors friendlies. In real games, they fall short.

[roversfan99]

1 hour ago, Dreams of 1995 said:

Fair comments rovers.

Sometimes I get a bit annoyed at your descriptions of players. I don't think calling Carter lumbersome is fair as he's far from it. I don't think anybody should reserve their opinions - if you heard some of the things I shout during games you'd know - but at times I think the criticism can be unfair from you. Not that they read it anyway but you know

Carter is a player that will excel with a good keeper behind him. That's why he looked so good last season with Kaminski there

Every player has bad form. I have had a few bad runs in my time. At one point it got so bad that almost everything hinged on my first touch and pass. There was a particular game when the ball was passed to me from kick off, it hit a divot and went over my foot. My mindset from that point was that this would be a bad game and it was. I don't think it is any surprise that elite level clubs place a big emphasis on sports psychologists. We may benefit from one at the moment because it is clear our team is "in the dumps"

The point about the goalkeeper is a fair one. I do think the style is the main reason though. Both Carter and Hyam have had very poor seasons and the goals conceded column highlights this. But all of our defenders are regularly left exposed one on one with the way we play. When we signed Hill, one of the justifying factors by Broughton was his recovery pace because defenders would be left one on one in this setup, I might be paraphrasing but it was something like that, and he again struggled in such situations. My worry is that nothing will change on that front, so defenders who have previously shown that they can do a good job at this level will continue to struggle.

Carter isn't the most graceful of players, lumbersome is more describing of how he moves, he is usually fine with the ball at his feet and not like Scott Wharton who has lost it numerous times including in the lead up for the corner that led to West Brom's third. He is quite lanky and gangly, maybe it is just a harsh word to use. He looks more "lumbersome" as a right back where he is not nearly as comfortable.

[roversfan99]

1 hour ago, KentExile said:

"2nd game" was a 2-1 loss (although it was really 1 game where Rovers fielded different 11s in each half rather than 2 separate games)

https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2024/january/17/report--rovers-3-3-ec-bahia/

No Sigurdsson in either lineup, wonder if he is ill/injured now?

ROVERS (FIRST HALF): Pears, Brittain, Carter, Gamble, Pickering, A. Wharton, Ayari, Markanday, Szmodics, Leonard, Gallagher.

Goals: Markanday (33), A. Wharton (37)

ROVERS (SECOND HALF): Wahlstedt, Rankin-Costello, Hyam, S. Wharton, Chrisene, Tronstad, Edmondson, Garrett, Moran, Ennis, Telalovic.

Goal: Telalovic (54)

I really hope Sigurdsson has not picked up another injury. If he has, that leaves us with no real wingers of note, so I would personally consider going 3 at the back with wing backs.

[KentExile]

40 minutes ago, arbitro said:

Presumably this game was hastily arranged because tonight's under 21 match has been called off. It's strange that we used Man City's Academy but presumably they have under soil heating whereas Brockhall doesn't. I wonder how much that cost though 😂.

It was meant to be the Brazilian team (one of Man Citys feeder teams hence the venue) Vs Rangers, but Rangers pulled out last minute and Rovers filled in

Hopefully as Rovers did City a favour they can let us have a good youngster on a freebie to say thank you, lol

Edited January 17 by KentExile

[KentExile]

Goals (conceded) for those Interested, the music is terrible so play with the sound off

Edited January 17 by KentExile

[roversfan99]

The state of that first goal.

[yellowsubmarine]

A Wharton giving the ball away? No surprises.

37 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

The state of that first goal.