v Derby County (h) - 09/08/2024

[AllRoverAsia]

I have never been so lacking in enthusiasm at the start of a season.

I'll watch tonight but only as the cost is nowt.

[roverblue]

Looking forward to tonight, I think its mainly down to the unknown signings Mak and Ohashi though plus the fact it seems like an age since I was last at Ewood.

[aletheia]

2 hours ago, Herbie6590 said:

Please...I urge you...stop what you are doing & read what a (well-informed) QPR fan thinks about us & our chances...fabulous stuff...

https://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/queensparkrangers/news/62734

 

....things started to go a bit J G Ballard.....

Wonderful. 😃

[RoversClitheroe]

Buzzing for today, not sure why I feel so positive going into the season as we do have an extremely limited manager, relegation candidate squad and the worst owners and CEO.

But actually very excited.

[Neal]

Absolutely massive game even if it is the first of the season. Eustace needs his first home win and we need 3 points off a team we could be battling with to stay up. Starting poorly or positively could set the tone for the rest of the season. What I hope is that they can get their act together this season to defend and attack as a team and show their championship experience. 

 

A boring hard to beat 1-0 win would do nicely but I expect a cagey 0-0 draw. 

Edited August 9, 2024 by Neal

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

4 hours ago, Herbie6590 said:

Please...I urge you...stop what you are doing & read what a (well-informed) QPR fan thinks about us & our chances...fabulous stuff...

https://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/queensparkrangers/news/62734

 

Phenomenal. Brilliantly written. 

[sharpysharps86]

I think the team now pretty much picks itself for tonight...

                       Pears

Brittain    Carter    Hyam   Pickering

             Travis      Tronstad

JRC               Dolan              Hedges

                    Gueye

I'm pretty happy with that as a starting 11, goalkeeper aside I think it's an ok Championship XI, but the problems as we know lie with strength in depth and the lack of goals, of which we'll be hoping that Gueye can carry the burden, as well as JRC and Dolan chipping in more often. Obviously would prefer Szmodics starting in place of Dolan.

The bench to me looks a bit more reliable on paper than last season with the additions of more experienced heads, but definitely lacking central midfield and wide options.

• Hilton (you'd hope this will soon be Pears if we can bring in a better keeper)
• Fadz
• Batth
• Wiemann
• Markanday
• Duru
• Siggy
• Ohashi
• Buckley

Positive pants on, I'm going for a Rovers 2-1 win. Always likely to concede with our calamity keeper, but I think we'll just edge it with goals from JRC and Gueye.

[M_B]

3 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

How many games will Hedges play ? He’s another one who’s a treatment room regular.

Yeah, I probably should have added the words, fitness permitting. 

[oneandycrawford]

2 hours ago, aletheia said:

....things started to go a bit J G Ballard.....

Wonderful. 😃

One of the best written articles I've seen in a long time. Someone should make Waggott and the rest read this and tell us what isn't accurate!. Also some of the BLT comment makers on the LT.

[Bethnal]

A little distracted by the game later today, so my productivity is somewhat down.

That distraction is demonstrative of the kind of pull this club always has and probably always will have over me. The earlier despair of the summer has been slightly buffed to just a general - albeit serious - worry about the forthcoming season. Even still, that is enough for me to feel optimistic about the evening, if not exactly confident. Either way, Proper Football is back.

We have a bad keeper, but I think Derby's is worse. Derby have done alright in recruiting at least a couple and were a side deserving of their promotion before the summer, but will need to do a lot more to stand a chance of staying up. I think Paul Warne seems like he has something about him as a manager, even if he comes across as a bit of a "modern middle manager."

With that in mind and trying to put a positive spin on things, I think there'll be something of a "first day of school" zip about Rovers tonight. If Sammie's not playing, the players will already know and some may be looking to seize the mantle of "that guy" for the season. Who it will be is anyone's guess, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's Dolan, Sigurdsson or JRC.

Derby to set up 3-4-3 with wingbacks in midfield and Rovers more of a 4-3-3, I think. Should make for an interesting spectacle, but I think it'll be Rovers by a nose. 3-2 (Sigurdsson, Dolan, Mak).

[WacoRover]

Pardon my misinformation, posted earlier; Rovers vs Derby, 2:00 pm (cst) on CBSSN. 

I’m looking forward to seeing how much more footy we get here in the U.S. on CBSSN- for free, as opposed to paying $10/mo for ESPN+. 

[waynerovers]

I think this will be the season for Dolan to shine. He's got all tools to be a really good championship player.

[USABlue]

33 minutes ago, WacoRover said:

Pardon my misinformation, posted earlier; Rovers vs Derby, 2:00 pm (cst) on CBSSN. 

I’m looking forward to seeing how much more footy we get here in the U.S. on CBSSN- for free, as opposed to paying $10/mo for ESPN+. 

I Know, good eh.

[WacoRover]

1 minute ago, USABlue said:

I Know, good eh.

I don’t know why I had trouble this season… I never had trouble figuring it out before 😅

Giddy with excitement, I suppose 

[SuperBrfc]

I'm thinking the same regarding Dolan. It looks like he's going to be playing centrally in the Szmodics role and it could work out for us. He looked more active against Stockport, more involved, looking to get on the ball.

I think he might relish being 'the guy' to take over from Sammie. There are signs of him linking up well with Gueye, but let's see.

It's not a good strategy to just hope somebody steps forward, but we've seen it happen here for a few years now. Dolan might be the next one. Of course, it would be typical for him to have a storming season only to then leave us next summer, just like those before him.

[WacoRover]

7 minutes ago, SuperBrfc said:

I'm thinking the same regarding Dolan. It looks like he's going to be playing centrally in the Szmodics role and it could work out for us. He looked more active against Stockport, more involved, looking to get on the ball.

I think he might relish being 'the guy' to take over from Sammie. There are signs of him linking up well with Gueye, but let's see.

It's not a good strategy to just hope somebody steps forward, but we've seen it happen here for a few years now. Dolan might be the next one. Of course, it would be typical for him to have a storming season only to then leave us next summer, just like those before him.

I’ve been wishing & hoping for Dolan’s breakout season. Maybe it’s this season. 
 

With three new forwards, of debatable Championship level quality, it appears Rovers admin. are taking the “shotgun” approach… take a broad shot at the target, hope something hits it. 

[chaddyrovers]

5 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

How many games will Hedges play ? He’s another one who’s a treatment room regular.

that's why Eustace and his staff have been taking their time in playing Hedges in pre season, and have a different training regime 

[dallydally]

1 hour ago, waynerovers said:

I think this will be the season for Dolan to shine. He's got all tools to be a really good championship player.

Like what qualities?

[rigger]

1 hour ago, waynerovers said:

I think this will be the season for Dolan to shine. He's got all tools to be a really good championship player.

A strip, shinpads and boots ?

[WacoRover]

I will take a stab at this…

Dolan has 16 goals in 148 games with Rovers. But, his role is not primarily that of a striker. I would be happy with Dolan, if he could hit double-digits in assists, and only score, 5-6 times a season. 

At age 22, he could still have a future as a decent winger at this level. But, we need to see it soon. my guess, we will see him with Shrews or a similar league 1 team soon.

Edited August 9, 2024 by WacoRover

[arbitro]

7 hours ago, Herbie6590 said:

Please...I urge you...stop what you are doing & read what a (well-informed) QPR fan thinks about us & our chances...fabulous stuff...

https://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/queensparkrangers/news/62734

 

It's amazing what fans of other clubs can see yet some of our own can't.

[yankfan]

2-1. Big Mac and Dolan on the score sheet. Pears throws one inn his own goal. 

[Salgados Hair]

9 minutes ago, arbitro said:

It's amazing what fans of other clubs can see yet some of our own can't.

Yeah, there is a reason why they fly Indian flags at the Dingle Dome.

[Forever Blue]

5 hours ago, RoversClitheroe said:

Buzzing for today, not sure why I feel so positive going into the season as we do have an extremely limited manager, relegation candidate squad and the worst owners and CEO.

But actually very excited.

I’m not sure JE is that limited. I think he may surprise a few this season, as long as he gets a few more players in, especially a winger or two. 

[WacoRover]

5 hours ago, aletheia said:

....things started to go a bit J G Ballard.....

Wonderful. 😃

 

25 minutes ago, arbitro said:

It's amazing what fans of other clubs can see yet some of our own can't.

Yes, that was a very accurate summation of our state of affairs. Sadly.