v Plymouth Argyle (a) - 5/10/2024

[booth]

2 hours ago, Herbie6590 said:

Pears made 3 or 4 decent saves today in fairness. 

He did but that’s beside the point. 

Hyam, Brittain and Pickering, three players who all contributed to our lowly status last year and all players we are still reliant on.

 

[DeeCee]

First (and possibly last) time I've seen the team live this season.

Positives: Crab baguette for lunch.

Chatting and contributing with Wild Rover.

Meeting Stubbs UK then to find he was sitting next to me.

Seeing Rooney get sent off and giving him shit.

Being back in my local pub before 18:00.

Negatives: Everything else, with specific mention to Hyam and Dolan.

Getting a parking ticket.

👏 Safe journey home to the other  1090 brave souls who I shared this shit with.

Edited October 5 by DeeCee

[DE.]

It's disappointing that after keeping some clean sheets we're back to shipping goals again. Our away form hadn't actually been that bad before the last two matches. A draw against Norwich at Carrow Road is respectable. Same with Burnley at the Turd. Preston was an awful performance, but a local derby and we took a point. Our home form has obviously been better, but it's not like before Tuesday we've been struggling badly away from home. The obvious concern is that we haven't won a match away from home yet, but the draws we did get before Tuesday were okay. Coventry and Plymouth were two good chances to get our first away win but we've been really dire in both.

Whilst we're in an okay position at the moment, thanks to our home form, we've seen this script play out countless times before under Venky's when we start losing. Should we pick up a win at home to Swansea then there's no need for panic, particularly as we have another home match against WBA after that. No need to be majorly concerned quite yet, but the next couple of home matches feel like they'll be a real barometer as to whether we need to be seriously worried or not.

[M_B]

3 minutes ago, DE. said:

It's disappointing that after keeping some clean sheets we're back to shipping goals again. Our away form hadn't actually been that bad before the last two matches. A draw against Norwich at Carrow Road is respectable. Same with Burnley at the Turd. Preston was an awful performance, but a local derby and we took a point. Our home form has obviously been better, but it's not like before Tuesday we've been struggling badly away from home. The obvious concern is that we haven't won a match away from home yet, but the draws we did get before Tuesday were okay. Coventry and Plymouth were two good chances to get our first away win but we've been really dire in both.

Whilst we're in an okay position at the moment, thanks to our home form, we've seen this script play out countless times before under Venky's when we start losing. Should we pick up a win at home to Swansea then there's no need for panic, particularly as we have another home match against WBA after that. No need to be majorly concerned quite yet, but the next couple of home matches feel like they'll be a real barometer as to whether we need to be seriously worried or not.

I agree about Swansea, win and we'll be looking up, lose and we'll be looking down. 

It does show how ridiculously fickle the football world is when there will still be 36 games left. 

[Uddersfelt Blue]

Have to say, Gueye was awful. Give me Sam Gallagher back any day. 

Dolan too just couldn’t influence the game. I suspect he is a homer, turning it on at Ewood. I was glad to see him substituted by Cantwell, a quality player who should be the first name on the team sheet if he is fit.

Full backs are a conundrum. I suspect Britton will be back in at right back when fit. No coincidence we have been weak down the right while he has been missing. The Carter and Weiman combination just doesn’t work and should be ditched.

Losing Beck to a senseless red card at Preston has cost us dearly. Pickering, whilst having a reasonable game today is a weak link. Beck is twice the player. 
 

Midfield needs some creativity which hopefully Cantwell will provide but we need to find a slot for JRC who always adds something and has an eye for goal. 
 

Sigurdsson is a dilemna. A quality player who shoukd be scaring the shit out of opposition defences but somehow rarely does. 
 

We’re all naturally gutted at losing the last two games but let’s hope that Eustace can get us back on track after an excellent start to the season. 

 

 

[roversfan99]

Football fans react positively to good results and badly to negative ones. Who would have thought.

[BankEnd Rover]

1 minute ago, Uddersfelt Blue said:

Have to say, Gueye was awful. Give me Sam Gallagher back any day. 

Dolan too just couldn’t influence the game. I suspect he is a homer, turning it on at Ewood. I was glad to see him substituted by Cantwell, a quality player who should be the first name on the team sheet if he is fit.

Full backs are a conundrum. I suspect Britton will be back in at right back when fit. No coincidence we have been weak down the right while he has been missing. The Carter and Weiman combination just doesn’t work and should be ditched.

Losing Beck to a senseless red card at Preston has cost us dearly. Pickering, whilst having a reasonable game today is a weak link. Beck is twice the player. 
 

Midfield needs some creativity which hopefully Cantwell will provide but we need to find a slot for JRC who always adds something and has an eye for goal. 
 

Sigurdsson is a dilemna. A quality player who shoukd be scaring the shit out of opposition defences but somehow rarely does. 
 

We’re all naturally gutted at losing the last two games but let’s hope that Eustace can get us back on track after an excellent start to the season. 

 

 

I stopped reading when I saw “Give me Sam Gallagher any day”

[DE.]

Just now, M_B said:

I agree about Swansea, win and we'll be looking up, lose and we'll be looking down. 

It does show how ridiculously fickle the football world is when there will still be 36 games left. 

As I say mate, when it comes to Rovers we've seen this script before. There's still a lot of players - Pears, Hyam, Brittain, Pickering, Travis, Dolan, Hedges, Sigurdsson, JRC - who have been a part of our regular collapses. It isn't Eustace's fault, as he doesn't have the scope to completely remodel the team, but I'd need to see a lot of these players go before I'd be optimistic about our chances of bouncing back from setbacks. I can't just reset my memories and forget what they've been a part of in previous seasons. Raising hopes only to completely destroy those hopes time after time. A lot of the players in the team have burned me as a fan too many times before. I don't really trust or believe in them. I know they have talent, which they occasionally show, but the mentality isn't there and for many of them probably never will be. Most of them could get away with it in a team of stronger personalities, but in one where they make up a significant portion of the first team... not so much.

I like some of the players we've brought in and think many of them do have a better mentality, but not enough of them are regular starters. They're either veterans in and around the fringes of the first team (McFadz, Weimann, Batth, Baker), youngsters (Duru, Beck, ACD) or relative unknowns in this division (Cantwell, Gueye, Ohashi, Toth).

If at least some of them could push the usual suspects out of the team then that would be a start. I suppose we'll see as the season goes on. I would absolutely love to be wrong and see the lads steel themselves and put these past two poor results behind them, showing the fans that things have changed. Maybe that will happen - we live in hope - but past experiences just leave me in a pessimistic place at the moment.

 

 

[roversfan99]

I do have reservations about how Eustace will try to get the best out of any flair players. He has a reputation as a pragmatic manager and as I mentioned, his quotes about just trying to stay in the game for 60 minutes were pretty telling. We naturally were more defensive last season with a limited squad and being in a scrap, but Birmingham fans also had reservations about him pushing on due to his negative style of football.

The 3 potential players who can hopefully give us something a bit different are Cantwell, Cozier Duberry and JRC. Cantwell still clearly isnt fit but I did find it counterproductive that he played him wide on Tuesday, we need to build the team around him. Cozier Duberry has been left only really with cameos but he at least can run with the ball and he also played a few nice passes inside. JRC has really fallen out of favour having been turned into a utility man but he feels like a waste of a good player that the manager doesnt know what to do with.

The likes of Hedges and Dolan seem to be favourites but while they will try their best, we have seen over a long period how limited they are.

The defensive side also is not as solid as I would like. We conceded 2 at Norwich, 2 today which could have been more and 3 on Tuesday which again could easily have been more. 2 of our 3 clean sheets came against 10 men and we dont look defensively strong.

[DE.]

1 minute ago, roversfan99 said:

JRC has really fallen out of favour having been turned into a utility man but he feels like a waste of a good player that the manager doesnt know what to do with.

His injury record surely plays a part in that. Very difficult to have a position nailed down or be relied upon as a central part of the team when you're out of action as often as he has been. Obviously not his fault, but it is what it is.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

8 minutes ago, DE. said:

As I say mate, when it comes to Rovers we've seen this script before. There's still a lot of players - Pears, Hyam, Brittain, Pickering, Travis, Dolan, Hedges, Sigurdsson, JRC - who have been a part of our regular collapses. It isn't Eustace's fault, as he doesn't have the scope to completely remodel the team, but I'd need to see a lot of these players go before I'd be optimistic about our chances of bouncing back from setbacks. I can't just reset my memories and forget what they've been a part of in previous seasons. Raising hopes only to completely destroy those hopes time after time. A lot of the players in the team have burned me as a fan too many times before. I don't really trust or believe in them. I know they have talent, which they occasionally show, but the mentality isn't there and for many of them probably never will be. Most of them could get away with it in a team of stronger personalities, but in one where they make up a significant portion of the first team... not so much.

I like some of the players we've brought in and think many of them do have a better mentality, but not enough of them are regular starters. They're either veterans in and around the fringes of the first team (McFadz, Weimann, Batth, Baker), youngsters (Duru, Beck, ACD) or relative unknowns in this division (Cantwell, Gueye, Ohashi, Toth).

If at least some of them could push the usual suspects out of the team then that would be a start. I suppose we'll see as the season goes on. I would absolutely love to be wrong and see the lads steel themselves and put these past two poor results behind them, showing the fans that things have changed. Maybe that will happen - we live in hope - but past experiences just leave me in a pessimistic place at the moment.

 

 

10/10

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

5 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

I do have reservations about how Eustace will try to get the best out of any flair players. He has a reputation as a pragmatic manager and as I mentioned, his quotes about just trying to stay in the game for 60 minutes were pretty telling. We naturally were more defensive last season with a limited squad and being in a scrap, but Birmingham fans also had reservations about him pushing on due to his negative style of football.

The 3 potential players who can hopefully give us something a bit different are Cantwell, Cozier Duberry and JRC. Cantwell still clearly isnt fit but I did find it counterproductive that he played him wide on Tuesday, we need to build the team around him. Cozier Duberry has been left only really with cameos but he at least can run with the ball and he also played a few nice passes inside. JRC has really fallen out of favour having been turned into a utility man but he feels like a waste of a good player that the manager doesnt know what to do with.

The likes of Hedges and Dolan seem to be favourites but while they will try their best, we have seen over a long period how limited they are.

The defensive side also is not as solid as I would like. We conceded 2 at Norwich, 2 today which could have been more and 3 on Tuesday which again could easily have been more. 2 of our 3 clean sheets came against 10 men and we dont look defensively strong.

When you’re playing 6 at the back plus the keeper we shouldn’t be conceding like we have been doing.

[G Somerset Rover]

The complete lack of pace throughout the side is why I was so pissed off this Fulham lad didn’t happen at the end of the window. It was clear he was the type of wide profile that we needed. Why on earth we threw all our eggs solely in that basket though I do not know - surely pace was THE pre-requisite for the summer window, yet we allowed it to become a ‘nice to have’ on deadline day.

No doubt it’ll be all the talk once again come January yet we’ll still fail to do bugger all about it. 

Edited October 5 by G Somerset Rover

[booth]

1 hour ago, M_B said:

We've been really poor last 2, but it's as if the previous 7 didn't happen.

We're a point outside the play offs after 9 games. More importantly we're 8 clear of the bottom 3, which if we're all honest is what we were looking at before the season started. 

There's an international break now for some to get things back into perspective. 

We've pretty much performed the same in all five away games. A poor performance in the first half inviting pressure, second half improved. Try and snatch something.

At least we're at home next.

[speeeeeeedie]

16 minutes ago, DE. said:

As I say mate, when it comes to Rovers we've seen this script before. There's still a lot of players - Pears, Hyam, Brittain, Pickering, Travis, Dolan, Hedges, Sigurdsson, JRC - who have been a part of our regular collapses. It isn't Eustace's fault, as he doesn't have the scope to completely remodel the team, but I'd need to see a lot of these players go before I'd be optimistic about our chances of bouncing back from setbacks. I can't just reset my memories and forget what they've been a part of in previous seasons. Raising hopes only to completely destroy those hopes time after time. A lot of the players in the team have burned me as a fan too many times before. I don't really trust or believe in them. I know they have talent, which they occasionally show, but the mentality isn't there and for many of them probably never will be. Most of them could get away with it in a team of stronger personalities, but in one where they make up a significant portion of the first team... not so much.

I like some of the players we've brought in and think many of them do have a better mentality, but not enough of them are regular starters. They're either veterans in and around the fringes of the first team (McFadz, Weimann, Batth, Baker), youngsters (Duru, Beck, ACD) or relative unknowns in this division (Cantwell, Gueye, Ohashi, Toth).

If at least some of them could push the usual suspects out of the team then that would be a start. I suppose we'll see as the season goes on. I would absolutely love to be wrong and see the lads steel themselves and put these past two poor results behind them, showing the fans that things have changed. Maybe that will happen - we live in hope - but past experiences just leave me in a pessimistic place at the moment.

 

 

 

3 minutes ago, G Somerset Rover said:

The complete lack of pace throughout the side is why I was so pissed off this Fulham lad didn’t happen on deadline day. It was clear he was the type of explosive wideman that we needed. Why on earth we threw all our eggs solely in that basket though I do not know - surely pace was THE pre-requisite for the summer window. 

No doubt it’ll be all talk once again come January and we’ll still fail to do fuck all about it. 

Good posts, with both pointing the reality at BRFC.

I'd say that only JRC from @DE. 's list should be playing with any regularity. The rest can put in a good performance now and again but cannot sustain the requisite quality over any length of time. Replacing 9 players who can contribute to a first team is hard work.

Rovers lack of pace, lack of quality both defending and attacking crosses is not new and will curtail any hope of a top 6 finish. Not coincidently they are intrinsically linked to the personnel available and who have been for the last few seasons.

[Uddersfelt Blue]

31 minutes ago, BankEnd Rover said:

I stopped reading when I saw “Give me Sam Gallagher any day”

I like Gueye but will he be a success? I’m happy to wait and see if we can play to his strengths. 

[Waggy76]

9 minutes ago, speeeeeeedie said:

 

Good posts, with both pointing the reality at BRFC.

I'd say that only JRC from @DE. 's list should be playing with any regularity. The rest can put in a good performance now and again but cannot sustain the requisite quality over any length of time. Replacing 9 players who can contribute to a first team is hard work.

Rovers lack of pace, lack of quality both defending and attacking crosses is not new and will curtail any hope of a top 6 finish. Not coincidently they are intrinsically linked to the personnel available and who have been for the last few seasons.

To seriously challenge for a top six place, we need new owners and a CEO... 

[BankEnd Rover]

9 minutes ago, Uddersfelt Blue said:

I like Gueye but will he be a success? I’m happy to wait and see if we can play to his strengths. 

Gueye was poor today but everyone else was. He was very good up until his red card and since hasn’t really had a sniff.

Im willing to be patience with him, he needs a goal…100% more effective than Gallagher. 

Edited October 5 by BankEnd Rover

[roversfan99]

39 minutes ago, DE. said:

His injury record surely plays a part in that. Very difficult to have a position nailed down or be relied upon as a central part of the team when you're out of action as often as he has been. Obviously not his fault, but it is what it is.

I know he apparently was nursing a knock in the first game but hes made every squad.

[OsloRover]

A hard watch at times, but we can at least take two positives out of this match:

Pears is starting to look like a decent keeper. Toth won’t easily replace him just by not being Pears like he would have last season.

We had the mentality to fight back from a losing position. Again something that just did not happen last year.

[DE.]

1 minute ago, roversfan99 said:

I know he apparently was nursing a knock in the first game but hes made every squad.

Ultimately whenever he gets a run in the first team, he's usually struck down by injury soon afterwards. It's been a common theme in his time with us and. as you note, even at the beginning of this season he was struggling and put in a couple of pretty poor performances which were attributed by most to him not being fit. If he can keep himself injury-free then he's one of the few players I'd be happy to keep, as I like his versatility and think he's a great player when he's fit and on form - but I don't think it's unreasonable to assume that his fitness issues are a big part of the reason he hasn't nailed down a place in the team or on the pitch.

One of the other issues we have with JRC is that he wants to play CM - by his own public admission - but his best performances have come from RB/RWB. There could also be a clash there between him and Eustace, if JE would prefer to play him on the right but JRC is adamant about being in the centre. I imagine JRC would play on the right if he had to, but, we keep playing Carter there with JRC on the bench, so... I don't know.

[arbitro]

What an awful week as a Rovers fan.. Nigh on 1000 miles, a pitiful performance at Coventry and a defeat at Plymouth with a goal in the sixth minute of stoppage time. Eustace has to drop his nice guy image and add some players after today and sideline them for a while. Dolan had his one in ten game against QPR and then reverted to type. Awful decision making invariably loses possession and allows the opposition to counter. He needs dropping. I also think we need a specialist right back not a makeshift one. It seemed that Plymouth targeted Carter in the first half as he struggled against Cissoko. I don't blame him, it's on Eustace. Hyam is certainly the weakest link in a position where you need the strongest. His feeble attempt for their second goal should ensure a spell on the bench. Weimann and Hedges aren't contributing nearly enough. Ironically though I thought Pickering was one of the better players today and he will be a shoe-in to get dropped in favour of Beck. Up to Tuesday things were going ok but this week some of the misgivings from last season have resurfaced. Losing can quickly become a habit and Eustace, like all managers will be judged on results.

[Roche89]

16 minutes ago, DE. said:

Ultimately whenever he gets a run in the first team, he's usually struck down by injury soon afterwards. It's been a common theme in his time with us and. as you note, even at the beginning of this season he was struggling and put in a couple of pretty poor performances which were attributed by most to him not being fit. If he can keep himself injury-free then he's one of the few players I'd be happy to keep, as I like his versatility and think he's a great player when he's fit and on form - but I don't think it's unreasonable to assume that his fitness issues are a big part of the reason he hasn't nailed down a place in the team or on the pitch.

One of the other issues we have with JRC is that he wants to play CM - by his own public admission - but his best performances have come from RB/RWB. There could also be a clash there between him and Eustace, if JE would prefer to play him on the right but JRC is adamant about being in the centre. I imagine JRC would play on the right if he had to, but, we keep playing Carter there with JRC on the bench, so... I don't know.

Yes midfield may be his preference but many of his interviews express that just being on the pitch is his priority. If JE doesn’t know how to involve a quality player that’s on him and his man management. 

I think the subs today need to be starting the next game if we want something different to the past couple performances. 
 

 

Edited October 5 by Roche89

[ruggles1995]

Eustace got this one tactically wrong today. Plymouth had very quick front line, we played right into Plymouth’s trap, tried to press high they got in behind us high up. Our back 4 is so slow. I feel for Carter he was so exposed against a decent quick winger. Duru has to play right back, he is the only full back with the pace against those type of quick tricky wingers. 
hyam - poor. 
Carter and batth should have stayed on as cbs at the end. 
We were crying out for pace or a runner to go beyond Gueye all first half. Weiman has not got the legs. Dubbery has to be the answer for that. Cantwell was excellent when he came On. Has to start over Dolan. Not sure why Gueye and Yuki can’t play together. 
we got sucked into Plymouth’s game plan trying to press high with a slow back 4. This defeat is all down to eustace for me. Had the players to nullify Plymouth today and hurt them, and he decoded To be naive and stick with the same group as Tuesday. Faults totally on himself hope he learns from it. 

[M_B]

2 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

Eustace mentioned post match that the game plan basically was to rely on the subs to change the game. I found that a bit alarming, we shouldnt just be going to away games to teams like Plymouth without much intention to attack initially, and we played like a side trying to cling on and hope to be in the game towards the end. Our away form is very poor this season and I am not convinced that our fans spending good money following us across the country are likely to see too many wins without a change of tact. 

You were worried more than anybody about the home form,never stopped mentioning it, we've been 100% this season.

Now you're worried about the away fans. If only we could just win every match home and away.