v Hull City (h) - 29/12/2024

[onlyonejackwalker]

19 minutes ago, SIMON GARNERS 194 said:

No Hasta,my point is clear.. we will not be top six with our present strike force come season end.

As I fearfully predicted the squad is being stretched to the limit over Xmas and new year.

Its remarkable we've done this well to date with the non-scoring Gueye, Ohashi, Hedges, Dolan, ACD, Cantwell, Leonard, and Weimann.

We need to get back to clean sheets ASAP!!

[Torgeir]

Didn't like that starting lineup with Gueye leading the line. Think we're a bit too predictable and Hull pressed us high and were fairly solid throughout the contest, but we should've scored a couple. A draw was fair though, but we had no response when they scored first, and it's not the first time that's happened.

We need some more bodies in. Puerta showed us something different in this contest and much of what we're missing. Great prospect.

Cantwell has been poor the last we games too.

[Penwortham Blue]

2 minutes ago, arbitro said:

I really think that the real issue with Gueye's heading of the ball is his timing. He just doesn't get the best connection on the ball and a few times today he was on the way down when he made contact with the ball. As much As I want him to succeed I just can't see the raw materials needed to be a decent Championship striker.

I think he provides an option late on in games when we need to go a bit more direct and get it into the mixer. His substitution today meant that we had no direct option when chasing the game, in contrast to the Sunderland game where his presence allowed Harry L the chance to level at the death. Playing him from the off, up front and without a strike partner to work on any chaos or balls won, just isn’t going to work.

[RevidgeBlue]

36 minutes ago, BankEnd Rover said:

The thing I'm mostly disappointed, so far, is Cantwells return on G/A.

He's a class act, probably the best re ability we have but he needs to be bringing more to the team. We've signed him to be scoring chances like today - Let's hope he adds a few more soon.

As you rightly say that he needs to bring more to the team, is he really "a class act" or is he a bit like Buckley in terms of having bags of natural talent but rarely ever making the most of it?

I really really want him to do well and blow our socks off but to date I'm far from convinced. Adam Wharton is a "class act" who often looks a cut above more experienced and even elite opposition.

This fella, I'm not so sure.

[wilsdenrover]

48 minutes ago, Penwortham Blue said:

I’m praying that remains the case 🙏 

I’m hoping I’ve not jinxed it 😬😬

[RevidgeBlue]

20 minutes ago, onlyonejackwalker said:

Its remarkable we've done this well to date with the non-scoring Gueye, Ohashi, Hedges, Dolan, ACD, Cantwell, Leonard, and Weimann.

We need to get back to clean sheets ASAP!!

Agree with the general sentiment but in devil's advocate mode ACD and Leonard have barely featured and pro rata Weimann's output hasn't been bad for a squad player.

We need to add more firepower to the squad somehow though. You can't rely on keeping a clean sheet every game.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

15 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

As you rightly say that he needs to bring more to the team, is he really "a class act" or is he a bit like Buckley in terms of having bags of natural talent but rarely ever making the most of it?

I really really want him to do well and blow our socks off but to date I'm far from convinced. Adam Wharton is a "class act" who often looks a cut above more experienced and even elite opposition.

This fella, I'm not so sure.

I was expecting a Berkovic or Bohinen style player when we signed Cantwell. The sort of player that says - “ Give me the bloody ball, I’ll sort this out “.

[Penwortham Blue]

3 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

As you rightly say that he needs to bring more to the team, is he really "a class act" or is he a bit like Buckley in terms of having bags of natural talent but rarely ever making the most of it?

I really really want him to do well and blow our socks off but to date I'm far from convinced. Adam Wharton is a "class act" who often looks a cut above more experienced and even elite opposition.

This fella, I'm not so sure.

I realise it is unfair to judge Buckley on the extremely limited playing time that he is getting but, he just looks beyond poor and far from a player previously touted as a potential £10m player in the making. He looks to have only a single gear, dead slow, and whatever the match, he never seems up for it and is always looking for the easy option. I feel for him a bit but he currently looks out of his depth in the Championship and good job for him, he signed a lucrative 5 year deal as I don’t think there would be many takers at this level.

[Penwortham Blue]

2 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I was expecting a Berkovic or Bohinen style player when we signed Cantwell. The sort of player that says - “ Give me the bloody ball, I’ll sort this out “.

He’s not really shone to date and his finishing has been extremely poor, not a patch on the above two.

[RevidgeBlue]

5 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I was expecting a Berkovic or Bohinen style player when we signed Cantwell. The sort of player that says - “ Give me the bloody ball, I’ll sort this out “.

Yep.

[aletheia]

1 hour ago, arbitro said:

here was an acute lack of energy,

✔️

[aletheia]

1 hour ago, arbitro said:

to going to a back five and just focus on tight defending and playing on the break.

✔️

I wonder if Eustace felt the need to be more attacking today given their position and our upcoming games.

[Herbie6590]

1 hour ago, Exiled_Rover said:

Isn't it about the chance rather than the outcome? i.e. Cantwell side footing wide from 8 yards out is a baaaaaad miss - doesn't matter if it's on target or not as 9 times out of 10 a professional player slots that home so it's a high xG chance. 

Yeah…long drive home…not concentrating 🤦‍♂️

[bluebruce]

On 28/12/2024 at 19:49, chaddyrovers said:

no cos they are professional footballers who played at the second highest level of English football. Yes they aren’t the greatest footballers in the world but have played in Championship football and have forged pro career. They are squad players at this level but you used word like crap alot in discussions on pro players and some playing in PL football. You might not rate them but professional managers and head coaches over the years have done

Chaddy, when people say someone is crap, they usually mean 'crap for this level'. Which Lowe and Akpan absolutely were. They just don't want to have to put 'for this level' every time they say it, as it's a hassle.

[DeeCee]

Didn't see the game (thankfully) but looking at comments on here, it seems that JE is getting his formation(s) wrong (defence excepted).

Realise that he has limited tools to work with but surely he needs to shake it up a bit.

[chaddyrovers]

Disappointed result and Rovers nowhere near their best today. First half, tempo too slow, players abit slow of the mark, etc. We have a chance with ACD, but nowhere near our best attacking wise. 

Also we kept messing around at the back instead of aiming long up to Gueye to try to win the flick on's or hold the ball up. But when he does, no-one near him. 

Second half, we upped our tempo and movement, we created 3 great chances and we should score at least 2 of them. Cantwell and Beck both should have scored. Then Hull scored just after Baker went off for Buckley which is not a change I would have made at nil - nil

I wasn't keen on Gueye starting over Ohashi. I also thought Eustace got his Buckley for Baker sub wrong and not something I would have done at 0-0. 

So even we only took a point over the 3 games, Its just show every time how unpredictable and any team can beat anyone at this level. We are capable of beating Leeds and Burnley, and its my heading tbh people writing our team under Eustace off before both game. 

Lets be honest, we are in the playoff places going into New Year, and a league position no-one expected to be in right now. This squad under Eustace leadership has been brilliant this season, yes today and Millwall results are disappointed but that is the championship and results can go this way. They will be plenty of up and downs but this isn't a death spiral at all. 

Lets get behind Eustace's blue and White Army 🔵⚪

 

[roverandout]

50 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I was expecting a Berkovic or Bohinen style player when we signed Cantwell. The sort of player that says - “ Give me the bloody ball, I’ll sort this out “.

Or tugay 

[Upside Down]

7 minutes ago, DeeCee said:

Didn't see the game (thankfully) but looking at comments on here, it seems that JE is getting his formation(s) wrong (defence excepted).

Realise that he has limited tools to work with but surely he needs to shake it up a bit.

In all fairness it's like he's trying to stab someone with a deflated balloon.

We have absolutely nothing up front, no matter what formation or tactics we try we're still completely impotent when it comes to putting the ball in the net.

[superniko]

2 hours ago, wilsdenrover said:

Since we were promoted, the sum of our last three matches of each calendar year is:

Played 21

Won.    3 

Drawn.  4

Lost.     14 

A symptom  of a small squad?

The lads enjoy their Turkey dinner 

[superniko]

2 hours ago, Exiled_Rover said:

That was a poor loss.

I don't know what the xG says, but it feels like they only had one shot on target (before we started chasing the game) and scored it. 

Gueye, Weimann and ACD had shots blocked and Cantwell and Beck missed absolute sitters. On another day that's a 3-0 win.

We need several players in the window - a backup LB, another CM, at LEAST another wide player with pace. 

You saw the difference when Baker went off - Buckley simply isn't up to it at this level. He's a liability. Sell him and Sigurdsson. 

Until we actually spend some money I won't get excited about being in and around the Playoffs. Eustace is working miracles to have us anywhere near. 

XG will likely be a bit dodgy there as we would have had all of it until they scored then they had some big chances since, likely levelled out.

Agree on Buckley - he is dreadful - his ‘creativity’ now has just turned into hopeful lofted balls to their CBs. He was our captain for the last 20 mins! Imagine that for inspiration / organisation - mental decision. 

[chaddyrovers]

18 minutes ago, DeeCee said:

Didn't see the game (thankfully) but looking at comments on here, it seems that JE is getting his formation(s) wrong (defence excepted).

Realise that he has limited tools to work with but surely he needs to shake it up a bit.

Its the same formation all season which is 4-2-3-1 formation 

[MB Rover]

Two biggest observations from today:

John Buckley has a 100% record for us, every single time he comes on the pitch we get worse as a team. He’s absolutely shocking.

And I remember having this conversation with a lot of friction when JDT was in charge and he had 2 good games in 5 years, but Rankin-Costello wouldn’t get onto Bolton’s bench. When he looked up, saw Weimann offside and then played the pass anyway I got up and left. Not a football brain cell between them.

[Hasta]

33 minutes ago, MB Rover said:

Two biggest observations from today:

John Buckley has a 100% record for us, every single time he comes on the pitch we get worse as a team. He’s absolutely shocking.

And I remember having this conversation with a lot of friction when JDT was in charge and he had 2 good games in 5 years, but Rankin-Costello wouldn’t get onto Bolton’s bench. When he looked up, saw Weimann offside and then played the pass anyway I got up and left. Not a football brain cell between them.

Those two offsides at the end were really frustrating.

[M_B]

2 hours ago, RevidgeBlue said:

As you rightly say that he needs to bring more to the team, is he really "a class act" or is he a bit like Buckley in terms of having bags of natural talent but rarely ever making the most of it?

I really really want him to do well and blow our socks off but to date I'm far from convinced. Adam Wharton is a "class act" who often looks a cut above more experienced and even elite opposition.

This fella, I'm not so sure.

I've been really surprised by Cantwell's workrate, you can't knock his effort. It does make me wonder if the role he's playing is detracting from his quality on the ball.

[SpaceBarSlam]

I worry about this team over the next few matches. Not necessarily just because of the quality of opponent, but imagine we lose the likes of Pickering, Hyam or Sonny to injury due to the sheer load and we're going to be very, very stretched.