v Preston North End (a) - 17/02/2024

[RevidgeBlue]

It's all a bit "meh" isn't it.

It sounds like we're now a dreadful watch but nevertheless Eustance has managed four points from his three games in charge. If we'd stayed with JDT and lost those three games, which is a distinct possibility, we'd be sat just one point above the bottom 3 now.

What I don't understand is how we've managed to coach any creativity out of the side within 72 hours of Eustace taking over. Are players SO one dimensional they can't continue to do those things they were actually doing well under a new Coach?

Needs must this season I guess. Whether this is sustainable in the long run is a different matter.

[windymiller7]

1 minute ago, aletheia said:

I'm thinking we need 3 in the middle (Garrett, T, Hedges or variation on). Negative perhaps but maybe for now?

                              Pears
                Hyam    Mcfadz  Wharton
    Brittain Garrett Tronstad Hedges Chrisene
                   Dolan    Sammy
                        Gallagher

 

 

Don't think that would be allowed somehow!

Mind u, we'd probably still get beat!

[NeilInBristol]

Any JE quotes so far?

[Exiled_Rover]

8 minutes ago, rigger said:

Yes, the two wing-backs are free to push forward. The idea being that they move forward from our defence, rather than them moving backwards to try to catch the oppositions attackers

You have to have exceptional WBs to ask them to be the focal point of the attack...

[rigger]

4 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

You have to have exceptional WBs to ask them to be the focal point of the attack...

It starts with stopping the goals conceded. At our level that is the most important aspect. If your wing-backs can also effect the attack, that is a bonus. 

Edited February 17, 2024 by rigger

[Exiled_Rover]

8 minutes ago, Paul Mellelieu said:

On a positive note, we have four points from three games since JE's arrival.   Erm, that's, it.

January window now showing to the be the disaster it was.

We knew it was a disaster when they sold A. Wharton and weren't allowed to replace him. 

[aletheia]

5 minutes ago, windymiller7 said:

Don't think that would be allowed somehow!

Mind u, we'd probably still get beat!

You beat me to deleting it! Thought it was too good to be true 😉

[Herbie6590]

11 minutes ago, NeilInBristol said:

Yeh what's going on

 

[Paul Mellelieu]

2 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

We knew it was a disaster when they sold A. Wharton and weren't allowed to replace him. 

Some thought we'd done okay.

[Ossydave]

Well, it was better than Tuesday I'll give them that.

To be fair, he's obviously making us harder to beat, and that second half I'm almost certain we'd have folded under JDT. It's still fucking annoying though losing a 2 goal lead. That said, I'd have taken a point at the start.

The problem we have is we don't really have much time for JE to put his stamp on it, we need some points and pronto.

Garrett was dreadful and I think he made Tronstad look worse too as he busy bodied about doing everything he could. Fleck evidently rushed in after playing next to no football all season, what a shocker he got injured.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Nice pass for the first goal and well taken for the second goal from Gally.

[booth]

Only 5 from the dropzone now.

[onlyonejackwalker]

Scored two. One each for our strikers. Worked our socks off. Battled and fought. Played for each other. Matched them physically. Kept our focus and composure. Good away point.  We have been terrible in recent derbies.

We all expected to concede in the 2nd half after two late goals in the first half. Not pretty to watch, but we didn't collapse. Well done to all involved including the thousands of away fans who went in hope rather than expectation.

[NeilInBristol]

6 minutes ago, Ossydave said:

 

The problem we have is we don't really have much time for JE to put his stamp on it, we need some points and pronto..

Exactly. 

14 games. 

2 games in for JE and 1 point

3 goals conceded in 2 games isn't good. 

Time is ticking. Relegation awaits at this rate. 

Lucky Swansea and stoke lost today 

Edited February 17, 2024 by NeilInBristol
Typo

[Exiled_Rover]

Just now, NeilInBristol said:

Exactly. 

14 games. 

2 games in for JE and 1 point

3 goals conceded in 2 games isn't good. 

Time is ticking. Relegation awaits at this rate. 

Lucky Swansea and stoke lost today 

3 games in and 4 points. 

[Paul Mellelieu]

14 minutes ago, NeilInBristol said:

Exactly. 

14 games. 

2 games in for JE and 1 point

3 goals conceded in 2 games isn't good. 

Time is ticking. Relegation awaits at this rate. 

Lucky Swansea and stoke lost today 

And Millwall and Huddersfield.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

A better result than I thought but we do have a soft underbelly..feels like we are papering over the cracks.

As our great CEO said its all about survival this Season,and the next,and the next,and the...

[StubbsUK]

I reckon this is the longest list of players we've had in Delap's Derbies, can you make a starting 11 of players that played for both teams and actually DID play together at Ewood?

https://www.brfcs.com/magazine/articles/they-played-for-both-rovers-and-the-lilywhites/120

[M_B]

Just listened to Atko on the way back, he said if Rovers play like that every week they'll be fine, and I agree with him. 

Not pretty, but we'd have taken a point before kick off. 

Surprised Millar was on the right, but glad he was, Hedges had a good game and kept him quiet. The obvious thing to do with Gallagher is extend his contract, get him signed up now. 

[cesus]

You won't have many clubs that at 2-0 up after 20 mins you would take a point at that time. Should some guts in the second half which was pleasing. 

[Blue blood]

23 minutes ago, NeilInBristol said:

Exactly. 

14 games. 

2 games in for JE and 1 point

3 goals conceded in 2 games isn't good. 

Time is ticking. Relegation awaits at this rate. 

Lucky Swansea and stoke lost today 

Millwall, Stoke, Swansea and QPR all look pretty poor too. And there's only one place left as Rother are down and Sheff Weds I feel won't make up the points and have all the off field issues as well. So probably we only need to do better than one of the 4 mentioned. That's pretty doable  

 

[simongarnerisgod]

45 minutes ago, NeilInBristol said:

Don’t know about Remy in the away end, but apparently JDT was at Brockhall this morning. I’m guessing it’s because his lads have remained in the Rovers academy, but it’s still very bizarre.

perhaps he`s covertly trying to assasinate swag and broughton,make the split seem amicable then do them both with the old russian trick of radioactive tea 🙂

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

13 minutes ago, StubbsUK said:

I reckon this is the longest list of players we've had in Delap's Derbies, can you make a starting 11 of players that played for both teams and actually DID play together at Ewood?

https://www.brfcs.com/magazine/articles/they-played-for-both-rovers-and-the-lilywhites/120

Somebody missed out Ken Knighton there, possibly the first name on the team sheet.

[toogs]

48 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

It's all a bit "meh" isn't it.

It sounds like we're now a dreadful watch but nevertheless Eustance has managed four points from his three games in charge. If we'd stayed with JDT and lost those three games, which is a distinct possibility, we'd be sat just one point above the bottom 3 now.

What I don't understand is how we've managed to coach any creativity out of the side within 72 hours of Eustace taking over. Are players SO one dimensional they can't continue to do those things they were actually doing well under a new Coach?

Needs must this season I guess. Whether this is sustainable in the long run is a different matter.

It lasted 5 years under Mowbray. Dull as dishwater. 

[arbitro]

Like many Rovers fans I would have snatched your hand off for a draw at 3 o'clock but that is slightly tempered by the fact we were 2-0 up. I said we needed to keep it really tight until half time after we scored our second but a recycled corner and a corner did us, effectively two set pieces not defended properly. There were lots of positives though and our defending in the second half was probably the one to highlight as we blocked, headed and kicked the ball away. We did look more comfortable with Scott Wharton in the back three, I think he is more suited to that system than in a four. Our goals were really well taken and I thought the ball over the top would have been better against a slow defence but we didn't play it that often. Perhaps if Fleck hadn't got injured we would have got more from the game as we had our best period when he was on.

Hopefully the players will take some heart and confidence from what was overall a decent performance. With some tough games on the horizon we need to keep picking up points.