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

[cesus]

1 minute ago, Mashed Potatoes said:

Good start and it looks like the doom and gloom predictions of certain relegation are considerably overstated. The criticism of Pears - which now includes criticism of him for leaving alone a shot which did not go in - is becoming silly. He had no chance with either goal.

Gueye looks a very good acquisition - both goals conceded came after he had gone off and his defending at set pieces was reminiscent of how Drogba was used by Chelsea.

I don't necessarily think it is pick on Pears per se, I think it's a measure of frustration that we have been after a keeper all summer, the manager is vocal about needing a new keeper and yet Pears played.

I think to save the first would have been an excellent save, the second would have been a good save. I thought he did extremely well to save the cross - shot from the corner.

My lasting frustration more than anything was coming and not getting a ball in his box again. You cannot teach decision making, this lad does not seem to be improving on that front what so ever. 

[AllRoverAsia]

Great result in our first game.

We played some good football and scored 4.

Impressive debuts by the new lads, Travis was superb and Carter showed me a pleasing new side to his game.

There will be days to come when it's more appropriate to criticise. Today isn't one of them.

[USABlue]

1 hour ago, dingles staying down 4ever said:

or judged to perfection. Did it go in?🤣

Quite possible, I have my doubts though.

[philipl]

Well that was sweet to say the least. Particularly after the "Rovers are just here to be beaten" Sky pre-match build-up.

Positives:

- Eustace has got us (mostly) playing crisply with the ball moving between players much quicker than last season and far fewer unforced errors in passing direction

- the three subs switch immediately preceded their equaliser but we were going to lose that game had Eustace not made the change when he did. It was nice to have that depth on the bench.

- Gueye is better than Gally in ball control and positional play and as good at defensive headers

- Yuki is a strong lad as well as all energy and took his goal delightfully. That challenge on him could and perhaps should have been red as it was always over the ball.

- Trav and Tronstad look an awesome combination in midfield. Apparently JRC had a hamstring tweak.

Cautionary:

- Derby defence was sent AWOL. Most other Championship defenders are much better. Derby were quick going forward but had no punch in open play. Most other Championship sides will be better in open play. Only their corners were excellent.

- even with Derby defence being poor and Hedges' mobility taking all over the front line, Derby coped too easily with him but would have struggled faced with some explosive pace in Hedges' position.

Negative:

- both Derby goals went straight past Pears and a keeper with quicker reactions would have saved both. Getting a new keeper is top priority because Pears is sub-par at Championship level in so many other ways as well.

[philipl]

15 minutes ago, superniko said:

Whatever about Pears and the fact we’re conceding continuously to balls in the box. Questions have to be asked about Hyam and Carter in how they dominate our 18 yard box. We need at least one of them to step up in that area (it won’t be Hyam). 

Hyam and Carter had poor moments but I think a lot is down to Pears not being a commanding keeper.

[B16Rover]

1 minute ago, philipl said:

Hyam and Carter had poor moments but I think a lot is down to Pears not being a commanding keeper.

Think how nervous you get when watching the game.  Then imagine your jobs on the line and your 18 yards in front of him 

[AspRover]

53 minutes ago, arbitro said:

It reads like Pears played in goal for both teams 😂.

That'd explain six goals conceded 

[Paul Mellelieu]

Hurrah for t'Rovers.  A great result considering all the off-the-pitch distractions, a decent crowd and super goals.  

How I'd love to see SS in the blue and white halves for another season.

Nobbers done too. 

[RoversClitheroe]

21 minutes ago, philipl said:

Well that was sweet to say the least. Particularly after the "Rovers are just here to be beaten" Sky pre-match build-up.

Positives:

- Eustace has got us (mostly) playing crisply with the ball moving between players much quicker than last season and far fewer unforced errors in passing direction

- the three subs switch immediately preceded their equaliser but we were going to lose that game had Eustace not made the change when he did. It was nice to have that depth on the bench.

- Gueye is better than Gally in ball control and positional play and as good at defensive headers

- Yuki is a strong lad as well as all energy and took his goal delightfully. That challenge on him could and perhaps should have been red as it was always over the ball.

- Trav and Tronstad look an awesome combination in midfield. Apparently JRC had a hamstring tweak.

Cautionary:

- Derby defence was sent AWOL. Most other Championship defenders are much better. Derby were quick going forward but had no punch in open play. Most other Championship sides will be better in open play. Only their corners were excellent.

- even with Derby defence being poor and Hedges' mobility taking all over the front line, Derby coped too easily with him but would have struggled faced with some explosive pace in Hedges' position.

Negative:

- both Derby goals went straight past Pears and a keeper with quicker reactions would have saved both. Getting a new keeper is top priority because Pears is sub-par at Championship level in so many other ways as well.

Great synopsis and completely agreed.

I now worry Waggott and Pasha won't fund us after that display, but we are in desperate need for 4-5 signings!

Without the above I think we're massively at risk

[Iceman]

When you say to certain fans, at least wait a few games before making judgements on the new signings, then we mean it. All these doom and gloom mongers, before the season has started is a bit ridiculous. I get the cautious approach, but at least give them 10 games, before we call in the exterminator lol 😂 

[johnradfordsubbuteo2]

6 hours ago, speeeeeeedie said:

I had no idea what to expect from the game but came away pleasantly surprised.

Dolan's early goal helped Rovers look really good in the first half. They started the second badly and it was no surprise when Derby scored. I expected the worst but got the complete opposite. Great finishes from the subs. 

Szmodics is class. I hope that he stays. Him deciding to hold his run rather than rush the 6-yard box made his goal easy.

I'll not pass judgement on the new lads as 1 game is a very small sample size (Brett Emerton's debut was one of the greatest ever and was lauded by all, yet that proved not to last as he got a lot of stick on here throughout his Rovers career).

Pears needs replacing. He makes some excellent saves at times but makes too many mistakes and there is a general air of unease that seems to affect the confidence of those in front of him. He made 2 smart saves off the attempted goal direct from a corner, but he should never have put himself in that spot. 

Hyam looked like the player who got into the Scotland squad tonight, yet he's another who can turn in an abject performance when Rovers don't need one. 

I've said this before; Dolan should not play a full 90 minutes. In short spells he can cause problems but if he starts a game he usually ends up becoming anonymous after 70 minutes. 

The thought of Bert E. getting stick now seems astonishing from where we are now. he was class. it just shows everything really is relative.

[Iceman]

27 minutes ago, philipl said:

Well that was sweet to say the least. Particularly after the "Rovers are just here to be beaten" Sky pre-match build-up.

Positives:

- Eustace has got us (mostly) playing crisply with the ball moving between players much quicker than last season and far fewer unforced errors in passing direction

- the three subs switch immediately preceded their equaliser but we were going to lose that game had Eustace not made the change when he did. It was nice to have that depth on the bench.

- Gueye is better than Gally in ball control and positional play and as good at defensive headers

- Yuki is a strong lad as well as all energy and took his goal delightfully. That challenge on him could and perhaps should have been red as it was always over the ball.

- Trav and Tronstad look an awesome combination in midfield. Apparently JRC had a hamstring tweak.

Cautionary:

- Derby defence was sent AWOL. Most other Championship defenders are much better. Derby were quick going forward but had no punch in open play. Most other Championship sides will be better in open play. Only their corners were excellent.

- even with Derby defence being poor and Hedges' mobility taking all over the front line, Derby coped too easily with him but would have struggled faced with some explosive pace in Hedges' position.

Negative:

- both Derby goals went straight past Pears and a keeper with quicker reactions would have saved both. Getting a new keeper is top priority because Pears is sub-par at Championship level in so many other ways as well.

Re Pears.. besides that one save he made, I thought he was very nervy once again..

Derbys first goal, while a good header, and with us having players on their guy, I thought that was Pears ball to come out and cause mayhem. I do note, that Pears is not very commanding or vocal, which is a concern. 

[Glosrover]

On 09/08/2024 at 08:09, 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

 

My favourite bit……

regular readers will know I’m not usually in the habit of recommending Preston North End as a viewing spectacle – unless you’re running the waiting room at Dignitas 
 

 

[AllRoverAsia]

Extended highlights

 

[G Somerset Rover]

1 hour ago, davulsukur said:

Travis was excellent. I rate him a lot more than most on here, I get that he's limited in technical ability but he's a good championship player. Also glad to see him have the armband again.

He did have a great game. The worry with him as a few others pointed out is he tends to start seasons on fire and then burns out after a third of the campaign. Let’s hope this time out it’s different.

Edited August 10 by G Somerset Rover

[roversfan99]

14 minutes ago, RoversClitheroe said:

Great synopsis and completely agreed.

I now worry Waggott and Pasha won't fund us after that display, but we are in desperate need for 4-5 signings!

Without the above I think we're massively at risk

It isnt them 2 that are funding us. Amazing how many people put the lack of funding on the two stooges. If you ordered a takeaway and substandard food was used, you wouldnt blame the driver.

54 minutes ago, Mashed Potatoes said:

Good start and it looks like the doom and gloom predictions of certain relegation are considerably overstated. The criticism of Pears - which now includes criticism of him for leaving alone a shot which did not go in - is becoming silly. He had no chance with either goal.

Gueye looks a very good acquisition - both goals conceded came after he had gone off and his defending at set pieces was reminiscent of how Drogba was used by Chelsea.

You again seem keen to want to paint others as going over the top whilst maintaining a position as the reasonable one.

Ultimately we dont need a goalkeeper because of last night. A poor Derby side posed him little threat. But even then, he had a couple of very nervy moments including charging out of his net and being very fortunate that a poor Derby attack couldnt take advantage.

Edited August 10 by roversfan99

[G Somerset Rover]

31 minutes ago, B16Rover said:

Think how nervous you get when watching the game.  Then imagine your jobs on the line and your 18 yards in front of him 

Exactly this. The issue now - which is a year deep - is that he inspires zero confidence to the defence. A new commanding, authoritative GK would change everything. It’s simply a must.

[M_B]

8 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

Obviously every keeper makes mistakes.

The issue is the quantity of the mistakes Pears makes. He made so many goal costing mistakes last season. 

Tonight didnt require someone "with a notepad" supposedly being over critical of his performance. In a game where a very limited side struggled to create clear cut chances, there was minimal opportunity to make a howler. But he was fortunate when he did run stupidly out and fail to get to the ball that Mendez Laing's execution was lacking and the ball was eventually cleared.

That was a mistake, luckily he got away with it. The criticism I mean is summed up with Derbys second goal. 

Normal reaction to it, as it was around us last night, was ffs, who was meant to be marking him. Not one person thought to criticise Pears' positioning. You get on here and has anyone actually criticised the marking? 

It sums it up perfectly, the reaction isn't "normal". Not one person watching any other team concede that goal instantly blames the keeper. 

 

[Mattyblue]

This place does pick his game apart to a molecular level, however more generally ‘around me’ pretty much everyone was of the opinion we need a new keeper.

[Mashed Potatoes]

12 minutes ago, M_B said:

That was a mistake, luckily he got away with it. The criticism I mean is summed up with Derbys second goal. 

Normal reaction to it, as it was around us last night, was ffs, who was meant to be marking him. Not one person thought to criticise Pears' positioning. You get on here and has anyone actually criticised the marking? 

It sums it up perfectly, the reaction isn't "normal". Not one person watching any other team concede that goal instantly blames the keeper. 

 

The Sky commentators picked out Travis as failing to mark properly.

[arbitro]

16 minutes ago, M_B said:

That was a mistake, luckily he got away with it. The criticism I mean is summed up with Derbys second goal. 

Normal reaction to it, as it was around us last night, was ffs, who was meant to be marking him. Not one person thought to criticise Pears' positioning. You get on here and has anyone actually criticised the marking? 

It sums it up perfectly, the reaction isn't "normal". Not one person watching any other team concede that goal instantly blames the keeper. 

 

The goal should have been stopped at source as we got done in a 2 v 1 from their corner. I was shouting that we needed an extra player to match them up but only one player came out. It was too easy for the two Derby players to work a better angle to put the ball in from their short corner.

[philipl]

I have just watched those extended highlights.

Pears' starting position is all wrong.

For the first goal, both hands are by his hips when Nelson heads the goal. By that stage his arms and hands should be much higher and if they were it would be a routine palm over of a ball directly over his head.

For the second he has drifted too far towards his near post which means he doesn't get a strong hand on the headed ball which actually brushed his belated lunge. if he had been where he should have been, he would have blocked it. 

[OsloRover]

1 hour ago, Mattyblue said:

Errors galore in the BBC report…

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/cz6xx06qwzxt

Their report is wrong? Well then take a look at their table.. Apparently Sheff Utd got 1 point for winning.

[roversfan99]

18 minutes ago, M_B said:

That was a mistake, luckily he got away with it. The criticism I mean is summed up with Derbys second goal. 

Normal reaction to it, as it was around us last night, was ffs, who was meant to be marking him. Not one person thought to criticise Pears' positioning. You get on here and has anyone actually criticised the marking? 

It sums it up perfectly, the reaction isn't "normal". Not one person watching any other team concede that goal instantly blames the keeper. 

 

But he has made a rod for his own back by making so many mistakes. Now everyone including probably his own defenders is on pins anytime the ball is near him.

Id have to see their second and specifically his positioning again to criticise for that.

[tomphil]

Pears was just Pears last night he was just 'ok' which he mostly is, not spectacular or solid but not crap either just did his job.

Any game he doesn't make a cock up has to be a positive and a step towards hopefully ironing out his flaws and sadly the days of keepers commanding their area are gone.

Defenders have to do it these days and we also need to look at them when conceding soft ones.