First time I’ve looked at the forum in a while; just feel so despondent. Terrible start to the game again and terrible performance. I felt so optimistic after the start to the season, so this is gutting. Anyway, a beer, red wine and whiskey should do it…

The thread is the race for the play offs, not Rovers’ race to the play offs. I’m away on holiday so missed the Derby match, but it sounds like it was abysmal. Gutted as I had hoped we would at least keep the dream alive a little longer. Although I never really expected us to get there. Coventry are looking good but everyone else seems pretty average.

I think the next four games in particular are massive for us. We need a few wins ideally to put us in a good position as the games get trickier. Next four games (haven’t done everyone): Coventry - Stoke, Derby, Sunderland and Sheff U West Brom - QPR, Burnley, Hull and Norwich Rovers - Derby, Stoke, Cardiff and Portsmouth Boro - Swansea, QPR, Luton and Oxford Bristol City - Millwall, Hull, Sheff U, Norwich and Burnley (played one less)

A bit worried about Hyam and Carter as a pairing - seems Hyam prefers playing with Batth. So pleased Tronstad and Ohashi are back. Work on set pieces needed! Derby game is massive.

If anyone thinks they don’t want promotion just because they aren’t saying the word, then hopefully that video will show exactly what they want. ‘Let’s get this great club back to where it belongs’. Promotion, promotion, promotion. Where we belong is where we were pre Venky’s - if you can make that happen VI….

Maybe cheap is the wrong word - they don’t want to reinvest financially (in terms of percentage of what they brought in with player sales) in the playing squad to get promotion. They want to do that side on the cheap - hoping loans, frees and lower priced players will do the job. My main point is, I believe that if you offered Venky’s, Waggott and Suhail promotion at the end of this season, I think they would snap your hand off. I can’t see any logical reason for them to not want promotion.

I also don’t believe the narrative that they don’t want promotion. They want it on the cheap. If they don’t get it, then they are happy to float around the championship. It’s a dangerous game, especially how close we came to relegation last season. VI may not have specifically said ‘promotion’ but he is talking about the position we are in and what it will take to stay there. He will see this as a huge opportunity and if there is a promotion bonus in his contract, then he will be pushing hard for financial as well as reputational reasons.

My name is Ismael and I’m your head coach, But please don’t worry, I know Steve is a cockroach, I wrote a poem because I know a letter would cause some scoffs, Arte et Labore and we’ll get the play offs!

Aren’t opinions usually on subjective matters, not on facts such as what someone is paid? I’d rather you say ‘it’s a guess’. Even if you think, without any information, that the last three managers were paid the same, that’s still poor due to inflation. At least pay the going rate or slightly over the odds for a short term manager with a history of motivating players and getting success. This is still a really good chance for a manager to get promotion. If we don’t get promotion then reassess. Any Manager, unless they have real love for Rovers, as a fan would, would expect to be paid at least the going rate. It is a great chance for promotion but fair remuneration should be a given. Lowe did well the first two games but the selection against Swansea was so poor, we need a HC in place before Norwich.

The only thing that gives me hope at the moment is Tronstad, Batth, Carter and Ohashi are coming back. Replace Hedges too and that looks a lot better. The selection today was poor!

Got to go all out now (I know we should have from the start!) Hedges has been the worst. Get Kargbo on. Sub Wiemann for Dennis and Forshaw for Buckley. Was expecting the teams around us to pick up points today but hoped we would too!

As suggested

Ah thank you

I don’t think that is the case. It will be the person who will accept their wages and non-commitment re transfers and contracts. If they could get promotion on the cheap, I really believe that would be their dream.

So the players out of contract / going back to their parents clubs in 2025 are: Sanderson / Beck / Cozier-Duberry / Dennis / Woodrow Hyam / Batth / Ribeiro / Forshaw / Weimann / Dolan / Hedges We then have in 2026: Brittain, Travis, Tronstad 2027: Pears, Toth, Wharton, Carter, Pickering, JRC, Buckley, Cantwell, Gueye, Ohashi, Leonard and Kargbo We would have Garrett (2027), O'Riordan (2028) and Duru (2026) back. I would; Renew; Hyam, Batth, Ribeiro, Weimann and Dolan (and Brittain, Travis and Tronstad). Not renewing Forshaw or Hedges. Who of the promising youngsters may make the step-up next season? I am not even considering what positions we may buy and sell in, until the expiring contracts are considered! Of the ones listed above, if we don't renew, we will have: Pears and Toth Duru, Brittain, Carter, Wharton, O'Riordan, Pickering Travis, Tronstad, Buckley, Garrett, Kargbo, Cantwell, JRC Leonard, Ohashi, Gueye

I’d rather the club have responsibility, because if we signed crap players and they were JE’s pick, then he left or got sacked then it’s an even harder place to be. I don’t agree that the signings were poor; left too late yes but not poor. Some have been good and steady, others yet to decide.

Preston and Millwall drew tonight and are 6 points off the play offs and 9 points behind us.

I could be wrong but I think the fact that all the teams around us have to play each other, it would be difficult for someone to put a real run together. Still think that it may just be around 70.

Not necessarily - if they have been planning on sacking their Manager for a while, they may someone lined up.

This team but another 2-0 🙏

They have lost their last few home games. Had decent possession but not much in attack according to the stats. I’d be playing Kargbo from the start and Buckley to try and get some balls in behind.

I think we will need around 70 points. I don’t think it’ll be much higher and could be around 68-69. On that basis I’d be very happy if we got 20 points. I think it’s achievable if we continue with the same mentality as the last two games, we get the injured players back and don’t lose anymore!

Thanks to all that answered re the tactics. Appreciate it. Absolutely buzzing 😊

I haven’t seen any of the match yet - what do you think the difference is with JE’s setup and this? Feels a bit more attacking but keeping clean sheets - I am no football tactic guru so genuinely interested.