Transfer Window - COMPLETE. Where’s Gregg?

[Tom]

2 hours ago, BankEnd Rover said:

So you’d settle for Pickering??? If we want to be competing for the high level then he can’t start. He’s slow, obviously not the best defender and can’t pass the ball…That’s not just off last night by the way…

Brittain is way ahead of him. We need similar qualities on the left side.

No I’ve said all along we need a new left back - I just don’t think he’s the worst we’ve ever had that’s all 

[Armchair supporter supremo]

If anything last night should have put a rocket up the jacksey of Broughton and our recruitment team to get something done fast. Not just to strengthen the team but also to pick morale back up a bit after a very poor performance and result. 

Edited August 18, 2022 by Armchair supporter supremo

[jim mk2]

2 hours ago, alcd said:

Avoiding relegation is a more realistic target. This squad is way off the standard for this league. 

 Shall I start the relegation thread now or next week?

[Miller11]

33 minutes ago, joey_big_nose said:

Still personally don't think Pickering is that bad, the way things are is there is one player whose picked out and everyone piles on for a while and he's that guy at the moment. For a while last season Travis was getting a lot of stick... it moves around. Two of the goals yesterday from Reading actually all came down our right, and only one from the left.

Would I like a better left back? Yes. But he's not like Douglas who was a total liability.

I see it differently. Pickering was anointed by many fans and the local press long before he kicked a ball for us. We were told he was the answer to all our problems and someone who would be worth 8 million in a couple of years and a future Premier League star, all of which was clearly massively hyperbolic.

He showed some promise early on, mainly going forward as he has a pretty good left foot, that headed goal where he made a great run from deep got a lot of deserved plaudits. But the cracks have been there defensively from day one and we’re extremely evident away at Huddersfield where he was pathetic. The questions of his defensive capabilities were often countered with claims that defending isn’t as important as creating for full backs, and comparisons were made to Nyambe.

I have seen nothing to suggest he is competent defensively, and I don’t agree in the slightest that defending shouldn’t be a fullbacks primary concern.

[jim mk2]

21 minutes ago, roverstdt said:

I actually rate Pickering i just feel he has been targeted and more often that not gets little defensive support from the wing at least that is what i saw yesterday at Reading. 

 He's not bad but not great either - a good League One full back, certainly not the calibre of player who'll get you promoted. Ryan Giles was miles better - played in his best position. Boro-supporting friend is raving about him

[jim mk2]

2 hours ago, CambridgeRover said:

No point having all these centre halves coming in when Pickering is the left back. We are as strong as our weakest link.

He's not the weakest link - of the starting XI last night Vale and Dolan and Smodics (sp?) needn't have been on the pitch. The first 2 belong in non-league football: Vale in particular is like Butterworth, totally out of his depth

[Neal]

Defence need sorting but we need more creativity going forward, yesterday's performance proves that and the XG also proves it. We need Josh Bowler and a centre forward. 

 

We also need another decent centre mid aswell, there's a serious lack of depth in there. 

 

Also, i don't think Szmodics improves us at all. When you make a signing, you have to be able to see what new qualities they bring to the team and so far I'm not seeing anything. 

Edited August 18, 2022 by Neal

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

31 minutes ago, roverstdt said:

I actually rate Pickering i just feel he has been targeted and more often that not gets little defensive support from the wing at least that is what i saw yesterday at Reading. 

He gets targeted for a reason -  because he has no pace. 

[Ghost7]

We need a quality loan at left back, our neighbours have one in Maatsen and Boro have one in Giles.

Centre back and a left back in early next week please Gregg, assuming none are getting done today!

[bluebruce]

7 minutes ago, jim mk2 said:

He's not the weakest link - of the starting XI last night Vale and Dolan and Smodics (sp?) needn't have been on the pitch. The first 2 belong in non-league football: Vale in particular is like Butterworth, totally out of his depth

Utterly ridiculous hyperbole to say Dolan belongs in non-league.

[RoversClitheroe]

Szmodics yesterday was non existent, like playing with 9 men with Pickering and Sammy

[phili]

Just now, RoversClitheroe said:

Szmodics yesterday was non existent, like playing with 9 men with Pickering and Sammy

I think the issue was heat exhaustion from Sunday for several of the players and it takes a bit longer thank 3 days to get over it unfortunately. We need more players to cover it.

3 games in 6 days with the first game being played in the mid 30s is going to take its toll even with the improved fitness the players seem to be showing. We may have to look at tweaking the tactics and doing less of the high pressing in order to give some of the players an easier game or we may have a bigger injury issue on our hands.

 

[Adam C]

2 hours ago, Bbrovers2288 said:

Do get amused at rovers fans, one minute we are certs for promotion life is amazing, one bad game and we are getting relegated and life is woeful. I include myself in this btw, I have always assumed we are conditioned this way due to all that we have had to endure in the venkys era, always one bad move from a disaster it seems 

I was expecting a mid table season with a threadbare squad, a new manager and our tar player set to leave. Got a bit excited with our excellent start but last night brought me back to reality. I don’t think anyone thought we were promotion certs but I think some of us got a bit carried away with the JDT love-in. New manager bounce is over!

[Exiled_Rover]

36 minutes ago, TheWeasel said:

I think our right backs have had the benefit in the last few years of having Gallagher on the right who really sticks to his defensive duties, Diaz I feel doesn't drop back nearly as much as Gally which leaves Pickering more exposed I still think he's our best left back in a few years (Though that's an indictment on the rubbish we've had before) 

Give over, Brereton runs his blood to water.

[Exiled_Rover]

11 minutes ago, Wing Wizard Windy Miller said:

He gets targeted for a reason -  because he has no pace. 

WBA were just playing cross-field ball after cross-field ball against Pickering. They identified his lack of pace and isolated him - it was painful to watch.

[Exiled_Rover]

21 minutes ago, jim mk2 said:

He's not the weakest link - of the starting XI last night Vale and Dolan and Smodics (sp?) needn't have been on the pitch. The first 2 belong in non-league football: Vale in particular is like Butterworth, totally out of his depth

I think Szmodics is getting a lot of undue stick. He was brought in to play the #10 role - link up attacks and pop up with the odd goal. He's clearly a tidy player who plays with his head up.

We've not had the ball the last two matches through no fault of his own.

[Exiled_Rover]

13 minutes ago, RoversClitheroe said:

Szmodics yesterday was non existent, like playing with 9 men with Pickering and Sammy

In that case, 7 men. Vale shouldn't be playing in this league and Dolan is an impact sub at best.

[Guest]

15 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

WBA were just playing cross-field ball after cross-field ball against Pickering. They identified his lack of pace and isolated him - it was painful to watch.

Ironically, when he moved into CB he looked so much better on Sunday. First half he was absolutely diabolical. 

Edit: not sure why I said ironically. Wasn't really that ironic.

Edited August 18, 2022 by Mellor Rover

[jim mk2]

40 minutes ago, bluebruce said:

Utterly ridiculous hyperbole to say Dolan belongs in non-league.

 Running around alot for no purpose doesn't make him a footballer. He's poor on the ball. He doesn't seem to be improving or learning. As he is at the moment I think he'll struggle to stay in the professional game

[G Somerset Rover]

That lot signing another player today - Macedonian winger.

Pull your bloody finger out Gregg/Waggott/Suhail.

[Guest]

4 minutes ago, Gavlar Somerset Rover! said:

That lot signing another player today - Macedonian winger.

Pull your bloody finger out Gregg/Waggott/Suhail.

Relatively easy to sign players when you bring in 80 mil in player sales.

They've already signed 12 and are more than a game behind us!

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

50 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

WBA were just playing cross-field ball after cross-field ball against Pickering. They identified his lack of pace and isolated him - it was painful to watch.

Exactly and it's becoming a weekly occurrence.  He's now scared to cross the halfway line in an attacking sense, as he knows he can't recover.  

Also means we are relying on our top goal threat to get back and help him out defensively.  Needs sorting.  Even if it means giving Edun a game there, he really can't be any worse and at least he has a little pace.

 

[G Somerset Rover]

10 minutes ago, Mellor Rover said:

Relatively easy to sign players when you bring in 80 mil in player sales.

They've already signed 12 and are more than a game behind us!

Of course. Still doesn’t excuse our slow recruitment. ‘Healthy budget’ to spend remember.

[jim mk2]

Edit - wrong thread

Edited August 18, 2022 by jim mk2

[roverstdt]

1 hour ago, Trinidad Rover said:

I used to think he was a decent, solid enough championship player. I went to the game last night and that opinion changed and quickly.

He doesn't possess any pace at all and unfortunately doesn't have the football brain/ability to counter that, a la Salgado. Reading clearly had a plan to exploit that yesterday and other teams will too - Khadra on Saturday.....

Signing a LB must be a priority for us now.

Was at the game as well last night but for me Gallagher always tracks back and help out Brittain. pickering always ends up isolated he needs more help natural 2 vs 1 is going to be difficult to defend against.