v Southampton (h) - 6/4/24

[Exiled_Rover]

1 hour ago, joey_big_nose said:

Under Eustace he looks back to his best from a few years back.

He's not being asked to do as much. It suits his limited game. 

[Admiral Nelsen]

Results elsewhere are showing how important last week was.

We can still see today as a step towards staying up with a point. Had we lost last week, and with other teams at the bottom picking up points, we'd probably be saying that draws against the likes of Southampton and Leeds/Leicester are not enough. 

Edited April 6 by Admiral Nelsen

[Ossydave]

Enjoyed that, which is a bit weird for a 0-0.

Exceptional workrate and some great defensive performances. Some of these players are improving every day defensively under Eustace. Southampton had an embarrassment of riches with all the players they kept plucking off the bench, Martin wants binning for struggling with that lot at his disposal. I don't think they'll go up in the play offs either.

Bristol City are seemingly on the beach much like Sunderland, lots of dull games lately. Take it to them and get at least a point. I don't think we have enough to get anything at Leeds but nothing to worry about against Sheff Weds. 

[wilsdenrover]

3 minutes ago, aletheia said:

Well done lads. Excellent shift, particularly as we only made one (enforced) sub. Deserved point.
Pity we just didn’t have the quality at times to convert the turnovers into something. Must have had 20 or so but couldn’t make it count. In the end we had more chances. Sammie’s chip was delightful.

Thought they were poor and looked a little jaded (5 subs). No plan B (why didn’t they just use their 2 big lads from the back up front for the last 5 because plan A got them nowhere really) but just kept doing the same thing over and over and we looked reasonably comfortable apart from a glaring miss early doors (Armstrong?) and a cute pass that left them on the wrong side of Wharton only for Pears to make a good save.

Thought the ref was excellent.

 

 

Because their manager is Russell Martin and his teams only play ‘the right way’

[aletheia]

 

4 minutes ago, wilsdenrover said:

why didn’t they just use their 2 big lads from the back up front for the last 5

So do City, Arsenal, Brighton. City did get 'the tank' to change it up but for many teams at a higher level it is de rigeur to play in that manner.

And thinking about it, I suspect Southampton may have settled for the playoffs given their position now.

Edited April 6 by aletheia

[Admiral Nelsen]

2 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

He's not being asked to do as much. It suits his limited game. 

 

As much as some weren't impressed with his interview the other week, JDT's style of football must've been an absolute nightmare as a centre half. It's not even the passing out from the back as much as it is the positions you have to take up when we have the ball and the lack of protection you get from the midfield. 

It might still be worth it if you get more from other areas of the team, but I don't think any defender in the league would flourish in that system. 

[chaddyrovers]

Very good performance that today. Workrate were at exceptional level and defensively solid and limited Southampton to very little clear cut chances given their quality. The team is improving under Eustace and the fans today recognised that. the fans were great today Its a shame we couldn't have got that winner that I found our overall performance deserved. 

Back 4 were excellent and Brittain's best game in a Rovers shirt. Hyam and Wharton very good and kept Armstrong and Adams quiet all game. Pickering good aswell. JRC and Tronstad in centre midfield is excellent partnership that's suits each other games. 

Brittain my man of the match. best player on the pitch

Hedges getting injured is problem for me but Markanday put in a shift when he came on and he really upped his level of performance today.

Proud of the players and Eustace got his tactics spot on today and the players are really understanding what he wants on and off the ball. Eustace deserved huge credit for what he is trying to create here. I think we found a gem here. 

We just need to keep picking up points and focus on us and not others 

Eustace's Blue and White Army 🔵⚪

Edited April 6 by chaddyrovers

[oldjamfan1]

12 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

He's not being asked to do as much. It suits his limited game. 

Yeah he’s not being asked to play inch perfect passes multiple times under intense pressing. He’s a centre half mate, they do tend to be limited tbf.

[RoversTilliDie]

36 minutes ago, SpaceBarSlam said:

Brittain did get MotM. It was announced after FT that there had been an incorrect announcement. 

Back to his best Brittain. Were beginning to get a solid defence, if we stay in the Championship we need to do the same in attack in the Summer.

[Bbrovers2288]

Think we need 4 more and we get 7 including a win midweek

bristol - win

leeds- loss

sheff we’d- win

Coventry- draw

leicester- loss 

[NeilInBristol]

Great atmosphere today. Shame we couldn't get a goal at the end but our fans did us proud

Edited April 6 by NeilInBristol
Typo!

[RoversTilliDie]

A solid performance from Rovers, and rewarded with a hard fought point. Either team could have took all 3 pts. A fantastic defensive display from Brittain, a well earned man of the match award.

[wilsdenrover]

2 minutes ago, NeilInBristol said:

Great atmosphere today. Shame we couldn't get a goal at the end but the away fans did us proud

🤔

[Admiral Nelsen]

2 minutes ago, Bbrovers2288 said:

Think we need 4 more and we get 7 including a win midweek

bristol - win

leeds- loss

sheff we’d- win

Coventry- draw

leicester- loss 

 

I know Cov are on great form, but I'd be targeting a win there because of the week they'll have beforehand. Play United at Wembley on the Sunday and then play again midweek before playing us on the Saturday. 

[RTM08]

One thing I will add - I'm glad we managed to nullify Russell Martin football. A colleague of mine supports Swansea and waxes lyrical about him but for me he's up there with the biggest frauds in management. 

On to Wednesday now - a win there and we'll be more or less where we need to be to stay in the division. 

[joey_big_nose]

22 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

He's not being asked to do as much. It suits his limited game. 

Thats harsh imo. Won everything in the air, passed the ball well, did great work coming into midfield tracking his marker, had his man beat all game.

I would say hes got quite a rounded game for a Championship defender,  his issue is he makes mistakes (did one today) and lacks recovery pace so needs a solid defence to cover for him.

[chaddyrovers]

 

 

[rigger]

11 minutes ago, NeilInBristol said:

Great atmosphere today. Shame we couldn't get a goal at the end but the away fans did us proud

?

[Blue blood]

1 hour ago, Bbrovers2288 said:

Just looked at all the fixtures, 

id be worried looking at Plymouth, millwall and qpr’s run ins. 
still loads of games between each other to go
if I could pick 2 to go it would be Birmingham and Huddersfield 

No idea who the second team will be. You can make a case for any of them going down or staying up. 

I would say Brum is the most compelling to go down as they have been in terrible form for ages, have an interim manager - their 5th manager of the season? which can't help stability - and haven't had much of a reaction from Rowett, which is a surprise. Plus we've seen them have multiple bad runs this season. 

As for the other could be any one of the teams involved. Though Millwall were out of it for this season but they seem to be faltering quickly.

At a push I'd say us QPR and Stoke are safe. The extra points and the fact all 3 teams are picking up a few points regularly should see them safe with 5 games to go.  That said a bit of bad luck, imagine an injury to Pears or Sami for us, and that could change. 

As for Plymouth Hudds Sheff Wed and Millwall the case vs all of them is quite compelling. Wouldn't like to chose which one goes down. 

[superniko]

Only 2 more points needed in my opinion. 

With 5 games left, if we get to 48 it means Birmingham or Wednesday need 7 points from 5 so can only lose max 2 matches each. 
Thats not even taken account of the other 5 teams below us.

Good point and we’re very close to being safe.  

[joey_big_nose]

Have to say quite fancy us to get a result at Bristol.

[wilsdenrover]

16 minutes ago, RTM08 said:

One thing I will add - I'm glad we managed to nullify Russell Martin football. A colleague of mine supports Swansea and waxes lyrical about him but for me he's up there with the biggest frauds in management. 

On to Wednesday now - a win there and we'll be more or less where we need to be to stay in the division. 

36 wins in 99 (as Swansea manager) and fans are waxing lyrical over him.

A sad indictment of modern day football.

[M_B]

14 minutes ago, superniko said:

Only 2 more points needed in my opinion. 

With 5 games left, if we get to 48 it means Birmingham or Wednesday need 7 points from 5 so can only lose max 2 matches each. 
Thats not even taken account of the other 5 teams below us.

Good point and we’re very close to being safe.  

Said coming off today, the Wednesday game may actually turn out to be a must not lose. 

[arbitro]

The game plan was really good and I think it's almost unanimous that we were deserving of the point. In fact we could have nicked it with a bit more composure in the penalty area. We looked solid pretty much throughout and despite the possession stats weighing heavily in Southampton's favour we were quite comfortable and I was never unduly worried. Once again the collective stood out but Callum Brittain deserves a special mention not just for today but the last few games. I have been critical of him in recent times but I'm happy to be wrong right now. I firmly believe that Tronstad is the glue that holds us together in this system. His tidy, effective way of breaking up play and keeping possession is perfect for us. 

We aren't out of the woods yet and a combination of results in midweek could see us tumbling but I take great comfort in the knowledge that we are more than capable of keeping clean sheets against anybody in this league. 

[Ianrally]

The biggest difference to me is how we challenge strongly and close down high up the park. The work rate is very impressive, I have always thought that I can forgive lack of skill but never lack of effort. That effort today was there for all to see. 
I would like Big Club to go down, they deserve to simply for employing shriek as a so called manager.