v Swansea City (a) - 22/2/25

[rigger]

Least said the better, bring on Norwich.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

35 minutes ago, Parsonblue said:

It was a long journey back yesterday to reflect on what I'd witnessed in the afternoon.  Without doubt it was the worst performance of the season but, in many ways, it was a perfect reflection of where we are as a club.  I've never really believed that we are a top six squad.  Granted, there have been times this season when a few good results, strung together, have led to me hope that me might creep into the play-offs, almost by default - the inconsistences of others being our best chance to get there.

However, yesterday was the perfect illustration of our own inconsistences.  Players who had excelled in the previous two games suddenly found it difficult to do the basics even moderately well.  Stray passes, missed tackles, poor positional play and glaring errors were there for all too see.  I remarked after the first five minutes about how we were lacking the intensity in our play of the previous two games and so it turned out.

Individual players make errors all the time so I don't put the blame for yesterday's defeat on any particular player.  They all under performed - for me Forshaw and Ribeiro were the best of a poor bunch.  We are what we are, a fairly solid Championship side but I'm not convinced we are more than that.

As we approach the business end of the season the foot should be firmly down on the accelerator - look at Coventry and Bristol City - we seem to build momentum for a couple of games and then stall and go into reverse for a couple of games.  I fear this is another season when the top six will remain tantalisingly out of reach. 

Whether a new head coach can change that remains to be seen but on the evidence of yesterday he'll have his work cut out to deliver the consistency that is required at this point.

It’s the same with my Rugby League team. I can tell after 5 or 10 minutes if they’re going to be up for it. If players are running hard onto the ball = good performance. If they’re taking the ball standing still = bad performance.

[arbitro]

Just now, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

It’s the same with my Rugby League team. I can tell after 5 or 10 minutes if they’re going to be up for it. If players are running hard onto the ball = good performance. If they’re taking the ball standing still = bad performance.

It only needs three or four not be at it to have a marked effect on the whole team. The lethargy amongst some players was clear yesterday and after the last two performances was really baffling.

 

[CottonTownBoy]

12 hours ago, Exiled_Rover said:

Last comment on the subject - he's the worst professional GK I've ever seen at this level. 

I've been following Rovers since the 76/77 season, I think Jim Arnold was in goal that season. Pears is without doubt, the worst Rovers goalkeeper I've ever seen. He's just too weak and soft to stop anything. Teams must be told to try and shoot at him when you get the ball as he's not good enough to stop it. But then again I think professional goalkeeping is currently at an all time low. I've played with better amateur goalkeepers than this lot.

To think we used to moan about about Bobby Mimms.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

13 minutes ago, CottonTownBoy said:

I've been following Rovers since the 76/77 season, I think Jim Arnold was in goal that season. Pears is without doubt, the worst Rovers goalkeeper I've ever seen. He's just too weak and soft to stop anything. Teams must be told to try and shoot at him when you get the ball as he's not good enough to stop it. But then again I think professional goalkeeping is currently at an all time low. I've played with better amateur goalkeepers than this lot.

To think we used to moan about about Bobby Mimms.

Even Walton was better and he was pretty poor. As you say goalkeeping isn’t what it was.

[RevidgeBlue]

13 hours ago, Exiled_Rover said:

Last comment on the subject - he's the worst professional GK I've ever seen at this level. 

Id say Walton was worse and Wahlsted was miles worse.

[rock steady]

Keepers will make mistakes, and they will lead to goals. I can accept this.

But what is he even trying to do with the first?

 

[Ferrit]

Hes crap, nothing new there.

[Plastics]

In fairness, goalkeeping is a completely different role to what it used to be. Agility and distribution are far more important than previously and the modern day football/precision of the strikers/fitness of the players to reach a rebound does make it a lot harder to shot stop more generally. This is not a reference to Pears, just an observation the difference between goalkeepers of the past and the present

[RevidgeBlue]

1 hour ago, CottonTownBoy said:

I've been following Rovers since the 76/77 season, I think Jim Arnold was in goal that season. Pears is without doubt, the worst Rovers goalkeeper I've ever seen. He's just too weak and soft to stop anything. Teams must be told to try and shoot at him when you get the ball as he's not good enough to stop it. But then again I think professional goalkeeping is currently at an all time low. I've played with better amateur goalkeepers than this lot.

To think we used to moan about about Bobby Mimms.

1976/77 would have been Paul Bradshaw who was a great keeper and who was sold to Wolves for £150k or John Butcher who was terrible and nicknamed "Dracula" because of his fear of crosses.

Arnold came later when Howard Kendall was manager c1979 I think.

Agree about the generally appalling standard of goalkeeping now though. The art of catching the ball, shot stopping, and narrowing the angles etc seems to be completely dead.

Modern coaches seem to want a keeper who thinks he's Messi with the ball at his feet rather than someone who can actually stop the ball going into the back of his net.

[Plastics]

4 minutes ago, rock steady said:

Keepers will make mistakes, and they will lead to goals. I can accept this.

But what is he even trying to do with the first?

 

I think he already had in his head that the shot was going past him and wasn't expecting it to be particularly saveable. This is obviously not the mindset you want from a keeper saving from close range. But then, when the shot trickled towards him he was caught having to react from a position of helplessness, panicking and kicking out at the ball. Looks bad and is bad

[den9112]

In my honest opinion Pears is not a Championship GK granted he as had a few good games this season but as had a lot more bad games that as cost us points..

He got lucky with Rovers as he was never going to make it at championship level so in steps Mowbray doing his dad a favour (who  was a good keeper)  and giving him a opportunity at Rovers otherwise he would be playing down in the lower leagues ..This is not knocking him but he just aint good enough at this level and its plain to  see..Also being coached by coaches that are just not good enough themselves does not help...Once again another favour done by Mowbray....All in my honest opinion ,and i have watched nearly every game he as played since he came to Rovers ...

[Gav]

2 hours ago, CottonTownBoy said:

I've been following Rovers since the 76/77 season, I think Jim Arnold was in goal that season. Pears is without doubt, the worst Rovers goalkeeper I've ever seen. He's just too weak and soft to stop anything. Teams must be told to try and shoot at him when you get the ball as he's not good enough to stop it. But then again I think professional goalkeeping is currently at an all time low. I've played with better amateur goalkeepers than this lot.

To think we used to moan about about Bobby Mimms.

Pears was superb last season and for most of this, but he’s not beyond criticism of course. 

John Butcher wasn’t great late 70’s early 80’s. But traditionally we’ve always been blessed with good keepers.

[roversfan99]

1 minute ago, Gav said:

Pears was superb last season and for most of this, but he’s not beyond criticism of course. 

John Butcher wasn’t great late 70’s early 80’s. But traditionally we’ve always been blessed with good keepers.

Pears was superb last season? He was dreadful. Made so many mistakes.

[Gav]

39 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Pears was superb last season? He was dreadful. Made so many mistakes.

His man of the match performance at Leeds probably kept us up and it wasn’t a one off either.

[Gordon Gekko]

8 minutes ago, Gav said:

His man of the match performance at Leeds probably kept us up and it wasn’t a one off either.

He basically threw 2 in the net the week after at home to Sheffield Wednesday, the second one probably being the worst goalkeeping error I’ve ever seen. That afternoon wasn’t a one off either!

[roversfan99]

15 minutes ago, Gav said:

His man of the match performance at Leeds probably kept us up and it wasn’t a one off either.

We wouldnt have needed it had he not made so many errors across the course of the season. Getting into double figures including the 2 at home to Ipswich and Sheff Wednesday.

He certainly did not have a superb season.

[alcd]

1 hour ago, rock steady said:

Keepers will make mistakes, and they will lead to goals. I can accept this.

But what is he even trying to do with the first?

 

That is an utterly shameful goal for a professional goalkeeper to concede. It's what you expect to see on a Sunday morning in the park. 

[Gav]

37 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

We wouldnt have needed it had he not made so many errors across the course of the season. Getting into double figures including the 2 at home to Ipswich and Sheff Wednesday.

He certainly did not have a superb season.

You’re right, I’ve just read what I posted, he had his moments last season, Leeds away being one, but has for the most part been excellent THIS season.

My apologies. 

Edited February 23 by Gav

[Herbie6590]

The BRFCS POTM in association with PSLSoccer.co.uk for yesterday’s game is the skipper Lewis Travis.
Congratulations Lewis…👏👏👏⚪️🔵

[roversfan99]

31 minutes ago, Gav said:

You’re right, I’ve just read what I posted, he had his moments last season, Leeds away being one, but has for the most part been excellent THIS season.

My apologies. 

Fair enough.

I wouldnt go as far as excellent but until a month or two ago he had significantly improved and mistakes leading to goals went from constant to occasional, and all keepers make the odd mistake.

Sadly in recent weeks he has gone back to the Pears of last season.

[Exiled_Rover]

16 hours ago, 47er said:

We should never have sold Kaminski.

Similar to Szmodics, you don't really have a choice when a PL club comes in and turns his head. 

[Exiled_Rover]

7 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

When Mowbray went out of his way to sign him I thought what has he got ?  Is he quick, is he a tricky dribbler, is he a good header of the ball, is he an aggressive nasty bastard who’s a nightmare to play against, is he a workhorse who runs the left hand side all day, does he get late into the box and score goals, can he cross a good ball ?

After about 3 or 4 games I was scratching my head because he’s none of those things. I’m at a loss to see what Mowbray saw. How he’s still a regular is a complete mystery to me.

I mean Mowbray bought two 6'2"+ CFs and shoved them out wide. He also bought a 5'6" CF and put him upfront.

[Herbie6590]

It seems yesterday’s game has led to repercussions according to this leaked email…👀

[Andy]

If that is real - as it seems it is - why are we treating senior professionals like high school students?

And, more importantly why are 'Steve and Suhail' involved in something like this?

Absolute amateur hour stuff.

As for whoever described Pears as 'superb' this season is either on the wind up, or needs to pay their optician a visit.
Yes, he's benefitted from a more organised defence for the most part of this season, but the mistakes have been present regular throughout (including poor positioning, reactions, as well as the literal mistakes).
I get being positive and all that, but opposition single him out as our weak point for a reason.