John Eustace - our head coach

[Upside Down]

1 hour ago, SIMON GARNERS 194 said:

If Eustace can fire this side up like that and get that level of performance then he needs backing 100% by everyone.

As with the last mon, he'll be backed by everyone except the club.

[rigger]

I suspect Eustaces first target would be to finish above Brum.

[philipl]

I wrote in the Newcastle thread that last night was Eustace's big chance to emerge from the very substantial JDT shadow.

He did that and more despite the penalties outcome.

Newcastle were second best for most of the 120 minutes and how the triple subs seemlessly fitted in was just stunning. Newcastle had just wound it up with Almiron, Barnes and Miley coming on and our response was Markanday, Ayala and Garrett. If anything we improved and mostly nullified their increased threat.

[chaddyrovers]

Extremely impressed by Eustace last night. Got his tactics spot on and motivated the players. Every player knew their roles within the team and every player performed. The team spirit he has created within weeks is credit to him and the staff. 

 

[Darwen Rover 007]

I think the way he worked the subs and overall group was exceptional..

[martonrover]

Very early days, and players generally up their game in a big one off occasion, but the signs are that Eustace and the staff he has brought in look capable of getting more out of these players than his predecessor.

[AllRoverAsia]

Eustace has more than one style, that's now established.

Against the Saudis we played similar to the Stoke game with a mixture of a passing game full of pressing and intensity with long ball being used when needed in our defensive third or to launch an attack.

I hope he goes for that mix in the league and not just the attritional style, I believe he will.

It helped that all the players were up for it in the Cup, now show that desire in the league to help the manager and get us safe.

[47er]

17 minutes ago, AllRoverAsia said:

Eustace has more than one style, that's now established.

 

We are not stuffing about in our own penalty area anymore, that's a few goals that won't get scored against us.

Aa much as I admire JDT's football principles, that bit gave me the heebee-jeebees.

[Mattyblue]

Be interesting to know how he is going to approach training over the next week. After a humongous effort over 120 minutes straight into two massive games on Saturday/Tuesday with a horrendous coach trip to Swansea thrown in.

Minimal exertion and work on the tactical side you’d think… flying to south Wales too would help, but considering they won’t even pay the M6 Toll far more chance of 🐖 flying.

[AllRoverAsia]

28 minutes ago, 47er said:

We are not stuffing about in our own penalty area anymore, that's a few goals that won't get scored against us.

Aa much as I admire JDT's football principles, that bit gave me the heebee-jeebees.

It was done to excess and was often the creator of self inflicted danger.

It was a factor in loss of confidence in the goalkeeping fraternity and our defenders in general.

Not over complicating in defence and the KISS doctrine is the way to go.

[joey_big_nose]

1 hour ago, AllRoverAsia said:

Eustace has more than one style, that's now established.

Against the Saudis we played similar to the Stoke game with a mixture of a passing game full of pressing and intensity with long ball being used when needed in our defensive third or to launch an attack.

I hope he goes for that mix in the league and not just the attritional style, I believe he will.

It helped that all the players were up for it in the Cup, now show that desire in the league to help the manager and get us safe.

I think the key was playing the two technical players as the centre mids, total game changer as they could find the right forward passes which has been our big problem.

I imagine we'll play the same way on Saturday.  Why change it? Especially when Swansea are exactly the sort of team who will try and get on the front foot.

[Groundhog]

Walking out of Ewood last night trying to work out exactly what it is that Eustace has done to this side, I know it's small steps currently and we're not exactly pulling up trees in the league yet. It's hard to discuss subjectively as there's a lot of last night that was down to it being a free hit in front of the TV cameras, being "up for the cup" - but it was almost unbelievable that was the same side who toiled against Big Club and Cardiff. 

As well as getting us organised at the back, more compact, the arrival of Fadz, Eustace has to have done something to give them a bit of belief, whether it's man management, confidence or just taking the shackles off, maybe it's the simple stuff of stopping them being so wedded to a style of play and seeing no other way of coping with games.

He seems more active on the touchline, constantly cajoling the lads. Hard to tell from the Riverside, but every time I looked across it felt like he was almost telling Siggy how to cover and track back the entire second half.

We're also tackling hard and fair, even picking up more yellows for "proper" tackles, professional fouls - not stupid petulant frustrated stuff. 

When I saw Tronstadt was out I was pretty worried about our midfield, the last 6 months under JDT have done that, but I think by taking the pressure off us trying to play like Man City, there's less expectation on our midfield to constantly take the ball on the half turn and deliver a killer pass, it reduces the chances of mistakes. Last night we were just hungrier to win the second ball higher up the pitch, pick it up, then play our quick passing game to hurt teams, rather than trying to do it in our own third as we have been under the previous regime. 

Judging by comments in the press recently from Pears, words to the effect of "I'll do whatever the manager tells me to do", and Brittain "I was told not to cross it" it seems that it's easy for the modern player's head to drop and down tools if whatever the manager is doing isn't working - maybe they're being told to play to their strengths and the rest will follow? Being less rigid in terms of a game plan is helping. 

We've now come from behind two games in a row, this has to be the biggest evidence of something going on in the belief of the squad. Every time we made subs under JDT, the quality dropped, and last night I had that familiar feeling that the game was done, but we got better, same as with the Norwich game. Due to the cost-cutting of the squad, I'd forgotten that part of the game, bringing on subs to improve the side, who'd have thought that was an actual thing?!!

I take massive pleasure in us doing "normal" football things, 2 banks of four, being organised, clearing the ball under pressure, it's weird to see it, I've almost forgotten what it feels like.

Anyway, this is all irrelevant if we put in a poor performance against Swansea, and it's totally possible, but there's green shoots for sure. They seem to be fighting for each other and the shirt, talking and shouting at each other on the pitch, getting stuck in.

 

Edited February 28, 2024 by Groundhog

[Mercer]

One swallow doesn't make a summer but Eustace's overall management was excellent last night.  Let us just hope this will be replicated every game.

It was quite clear the 3 'coaches' calling the shots were Eustace, Gardiner and Downing.  Lowe cut a forlorn and peripheral figure and, hopefully, his career at Rovers is now over.

[Groundhog]

21 minutes ago, Mercer said:

One swallow doesn't make a summer but Eustace's overall management was excellent last night.  Let us just hope this will be replicated every game.

It was quite clear the 3 'coaches' calling the shots were Eustace, Gardiner and Downing.  Lowe cut a forlorn and peripheral figure and, hopefully, his career at Rovers is now over.

I agree, but there's something in the way we've come from behind now twice in two games, it's at total odds to recent performances - if we go 1-0 down now, I don't feel as hopeless as I once did. There's every chance we go back to type at the weekend, but something feels different.

Nice to know we have some English football experience on the bench for a change, who get how a team should navigate tough Championship season. 

[DaveyB]

I’ve been as critical as anyone of Eustace and the style of football we’ve played under him up until now, but last night showed that hopefully he will look to evolve the style, as the players showed (again) that not only are they more than capable of playing decent, progressive football, but they also look much more comfortable doing so than the more agricultural style of late.
We went toe to toe with a very good Premier League team and, for the vast majority of that game (the 10 mins either side of ht aside) we did so without resorting to aimless punts and still looked solid defensively and also looked dangerous going forward too.

But it’s also frustrating, because if they had been sent out to play like that in the games at Brum and Cardiff then I’m certain we’d now have at least 3 points more, maybe 5.
Let’s hope he’s learned ahead of 3 massive games next week. 

Incidentally, I thought we looked a lot more fluent and balanced after McFadzean had gone off and we went to essentially a 4-4-2.
I’d like to see us start games like this, especially at home, and keep the option of bringing McFadz off the bench to shore things up late on in games after we’re (hopefully) ahead. 

[tomphil]

34 minutes ago, Mercer said:

One swallow doesn't make a summer but Eustace's overall management was excellent last night.  Let us just hope this will be replicated every game.

It was quite clear the 3 'coaches' calling the shots were Eustace, Gardiner and Downing.  Lowe cut a forlorn and peripheral figure and, hopefully, his career at Rovers is now over.

To be fair Lowe didn't seem to play much of a part under JDT either he was always slumped in his seat after doing his pre match bibs and cones bit.

Mowbray had them all a bit more involved for some reason but i agree the whole set up needs new ideas now.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

9 minutes ago, DaveyB said:

I’ve been as critical as anyone of Eustace and the style of football we’ve played under him up until now, but last night showed that hopefully he will look to evolve the style, as the players showed (again) that not only are they more than capable of playing decent, progressive football, but they also look much more comfortable doing so than the more agricultural style of late.
We went toe to toe with a very good Premier League team and, for the vast majority of that game (the 10 mins either side of ht aside) we did so without resorting to aimless punts and still looked solid defensively and also looked dangerous going forward too.

But it’s also frustrating, because if they had been sent out to play like that in the games at Brum and Cardiff then I’m certain we’d now have at least 3 points more, maybe 5.
Let’s hope he’s learned ahead of 3 massive games next week. 

Incidentally, I thought we looked a lot more fluent and balanced after McFadzean had gone off and we went to essentially a 4-4-2.
I’d like to see us start games like this, especially at home, and keep the option of bringing McFadz off the bench to shore things up late on in games after we’re (hopefully) ahead. 

It’s a trade off - we looking like we had more about us going forward when we re-jigged the team after McFadz went off be we also looked more open. 

[Mercer]

I think McFadz is going to be a key figure for us for the rest of the season and maybe even next season.  To me, he's a bit John 'McNameeesque'.

Also, thought Wharton was superb last night with a performance we haven't seen from him for almost 2 years. 

[tomphil]

Yes have to say last night Wharton looked every bit the defender we thought he was going to become a few years ago. Think a lot of it is down to involvement and once he has his favoured position hes found his timing again.

It was way off under JDT when he was a bit part player.

Also in terms of style i really thought we should have been approaching games against Southampton away and the likes of Leics and Leeds at home in similar fashion.

[CambridgeRover]

3 minutes ago, tomphil said:

Yes have to say last night Wharton looked every bit the defender we thought he was going to become a few years ago. Think a lot of it is down to involvement and once he has his favoured position hes found his timing again.

It was way off under JDT when he was a bit part player.

Also in terms of style i really thought we should have been approaching games against Southampton away and the likes of Leics and Leeds at home in similar fashion.

I also think that sadly a lot of our squad are mentally weak.  They don't seem to respond well to pressure. I hope JE can sort that out quick

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

1 minute ago, CambridgeRover said:

I also think that sadly a lot of our squad are mentally weak.  They don't seem to respond well to pressure. I hope JE can sort that out quick

That’s certainly been the case in the past. Let’s hope JE can wave the magic wand over them. We met fire with fire last night.

Edited February 28, 2024 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[Exiled_Rover]

35 minutes ago, DaveyB said:

I’ve been as critical as anyone of Eustace and the style of football we’ve played under him up until now, but last night showed that hopefully he will look to evolve the style, as the players showed (again) that not only are they more than capable of playing decent, progressive football, but they also look much more comfortable doing so than the more agricultural style of late.
We went toe to toe with a very good Premier League team and, for the vast majority of that game (the 10 mins either side of ht aside) we did so without resorting to aimless punts and still looked solid defensively and also looked dangerous going forward too.

But it’s also frustrating, because if they had been sent out to play like that in the games at Brum and Cardiff then I’m certain we’d now have at least 3 points more, maybe 5.
Let’s hope he’s learned ahead of 3 massive games next week. 

Incidentally, I thought we looked a lot more fluent and balanced after McFadzean had gone off and we went to essentially a 4-4-2.
I’d like to see us start games like this, especially at home, and keep the option of bringing McFadz off the bench to shore things up late on in games after we’re (hopefully) ahead. 

What you're forgetting is that we looked great against PL teams in the FA cup last year with JDT's style of play too.

The Championship is much more about blood, guts and thunder with absolute cloggers harrying and making everything a physical battle. PL players want to actually play football - which is why Ayari and Moran looked good yesterday. 

[Exiled_Rover]

8 minutes ago, tomphil said:

Yes have to say last night Wharton looked every bit the defender we thought he was going to become a few years ago. Think a lot of it is down to involvement and once he has his favoured position hes found his timing again.

It was way off under JDT when he was a bit part player.

Also in terms of style i really thought we should have been approaching games against Southampton away and the likes of Leics and Leeds at home in similar fashion.

S. Wharton (the S. is now sadly defunct when talking about a Wharton in Rovers colours 😞 ) has looked better recently because he's playing in a back 3 again. It suits his strengths and hides his weaknesses. Hyam looks much better too. It's a much easier system to play in for a CB - much more margin for error. 

[superniko]

4 hours ago, Mattyblue said:

Be interesting to know how he is going to approach training over the next week. After a humongous effort over 120 minutes straight into two massive games on Saturday/Tuesday with a horrendous coach trip to Swansea thrown in.

Minimal exertion and work on the tactical side you’d think… flying to south Wales too would help, but considering they won’t even pay the M6 Toll far more chance of 🐖 flying.

But remember our coach is state of the art…

[tomphil]

10 minutes ago, CambridgeRover said:

I also think that sadly a lot of our squad are mentally weak.  They don't seem to respond well to pressure. I hope JE can sort that out quick

Drawn level now twice in the space of a few days against good opposition instead of crumbling so the signs are good.