v Wigan Athletic (h) - 6/2/23

[Groundhog]

4 minutes ago, ChrisyG said:

Many times last night the players were urged to attack, play forward, and go forward, but there was so much hesitance. As if they’re thinking, we shouldn’t be doing this.

This has been a "thing" for a while now, I used to remember Amari Bell under Mowbray would stop at the half way line like he'd hit an invisible force field, it was happening last night almost every time we had the ball across the back 4, they were sat all square to each other playing it sideways with about 15-20 yards of space in front of them. When Wigan had the ball in a similar situation they would carry the ball forward and make the ground, with the full backs providing an "angle", getting them on the front foot for every attack. Second half a couple were urging them to move forward to carry the ball.

Our lads look two scared to commit forward, they've been coached to move the ball quickly up the pitch, which is fine in theory - but every "attack" we're basically asking lads like S. Warton, Pickering, Carter to basically make an inch perfect Hollywood pass at home in front of an already disgruntled fanbase and the Sky cameras, to a forward line who are the most static I've seen in a long while. For me it's confidence thing and a fear of failure in what is a set of tactics designed for players we don't have, we don't do the basics right. All the hesitation does is allow the opposition to get back in their banks of 4, and we've been nullified again. The Wigan players were receiving the ball and turning immediately, bursting forward and pressing with the ball. We had a 30 yard gap between defence and midfield, you could have coned off the middle of the park and it wouldn't have mattered. 

The good thing about Thomas was his movement second half, he would change it up, change the pace, point inside, go outside, just to get Wigan thinking. Vale and Dack basically stood static all game waiting for the ball - and Diaz, I'm not sure what his tactic is, hug the touch line and hope someone plays it to him with his back to goal where he gets outmuscled every time, why can't he vary it - I remember one attack in the first half where he loitered at the back post waiting for a cross, but there was acres of space around the edge of the D, why not come short and make a run to the front post, make an angle for the crosser - it's so easy to play against. I thought we were meant to have a "fluid" front line?

[DE.]

7 minutes ago, BRFC_Polky said:

That set piece ‘routine’ in the 80th minute was diabolical. Big lads up from the back and it results in playing a short one and Pickering blasting it into the BE in a panic. 
 

 

Worrying because it suggests a total lack of joined up thinking across the team. Basic set piece coaching should mean things like this don't happen. 

[Groundhog]

1 minute ago, DE. said:

Worrying because it suggests a total lack of joined up thinking across the team. Basic set piece coaching should mean things like this don't happen. 

That was right in front of me, the ball from Morton to Hedges got stuck under his feet and he couldn't set himself for the cross, by that time he had been closed down and all he could do was lay it off to Pickering who saw glory, it was horrible to watch. 

[DE.]

2 minutes ago, Groundhog said:

That was right in front of me, the ball from Morton to Hedges got stuck under his feet and he couldn't set himself for the cross, by that time he had been closed down and all he could do was lay it off to Pickering who saw glory, it was horrible to watch. 

Maybe just bad judgement from Pickering then.

[Darwen Rover 007]

Right now our squad is lower to mid table... I genuinely believe we have a decent young core.. but it needs some help / investment.. 

A CM and Striker and we are slightly above mid table.. right now our attacking threat is nullified by Gallagher, Vale, Brereton.

 

[Groundhog]

4 minutes ago, DE. said:

Maybe just bad judgement from Pickering then.

Nah it was a total clusterfuck from all involved! A fear of not being able to just whip a decent ball in. 

[had.e.nuff]

I think i may stop going on for a bit as i might be going insane as i keep expecting it to be different at the next match.

(Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results)

[oldjamfan1]

For the first time in my life I actively chose not to watch the game last night, and watched Happy Valley on catch-up instead. Sounds like I made the right choice but let me tell you when people like me are doing that, we are in a fucking mess.

[jim mk2]

4 minutes ago, oldjamfan1 said:

For the first time in my life I actively chose not to watch the game last night, and watched Happy Valley on catch-up instead. Sounds like I made the right choice but let me tell you when people like me are doing that, we are in a fucking mess.

One by one people drift away, disillusioned, and in the end they don't come back. I don't understand why fans think this is Ok and will lead to change at the club 

[Displaced Rover]

14 minutes ago, oldjamfan1 said:

For the first time in my life I actively chose not to watch the game last night, and watched Happy Valley on catch-up instead. Sounds like I made the right choice but let me tell you when people like me are doing that, we are in a fucking mess.

I got in late and only had it on from 5 mins in, switched off at half time when I thought the nil nil was inevitable.

Devoid of quality and even more depressingly any sense that there's actually a plan/structure/vision being implemented by JDT.  

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

13 minutes ago, oldjamfan1 said:

For the first time in my life I actively chose not to watch the game last night, and watched Happy Valley on catch-up instead. Sounds like I made the right choice but let me tell you when people like me are doing that, we are in a fucking mess.

I could have gone up to my son’s house to watch it. I’m not feeling great at the moment so I gave it a swerve. I didn’t want to end up feeling worse.

His text after the game “ Can I have those two hours back please “ ?

[BigUts]

My conclusions from last night:

1. Vale is nowhere near good enough for this level of football and I do wonder whether persisting with him is more about JDT sending a message then thinking he's good enough

2. BBD is finished here. We would be better leaving him out now and changing system

3. Something is definitely amiss. Malaise has set in and from top to bottom something is wrong.

4. The season is over.

[jim mk2]

5 minutes ago, BigUts said:

4. The season is over.

The league is finished and you have to hope we don't sink too near the bottom but we have an exciting cup tie at Leicester in prospect and you have to hope the players will rise to the occasion like they did at West Ham

 

[Mercer]

14 hours ago, Mercer said:

Really fear for us tonight.

Wigan get an early goal and could become very toxic.

 

1 hour ago, Gav said:

You were predicting a Wigan win, a toxic atmosphere and claimed Thomas was disappointing!

Utter bunkum, you make it up as you go along 🤣

The fantasy world belonging to @Gav!!!

There you go again - WHERE did I predict a Wigan win?

By all means comment on my posts but please get your facts right and stop erroneous spinning in order to have a pop at me.

Think the only utter bunkum relates to your delusional obsession with Josh Maja!

[Wheelton Blue]

11 minutes ago, BigUts said:

My conclusions from last night:

1. Vale is nowhere near good enough for this level of football and I do wonder whether persisting with him is more about JDT sending a message then thinking he's good enough

2. BBD is finished here. We would be better leaving him out now and changing system

3. Something is definitely amiss. Malaise has set in and from top to bottom something is wrong.

4. The season is over.

Totally agree.

Players leaving for free, trying to make do with a team of U23s, yet another failed attempt at a transfer window....the chickens are coming home to roost, I'm afraid (pardon the pun).

As for Diaz, he's been regressing for months, almost to the point where he's reverted back to the Brereton days. His confidence is shot; I can't remember the last time he scored in a 1v1 situation, Blackpool away perhaps. Absolute idiocy that we didn't cash in on him.

[superniko]

2 hours ago, Mellor Rover said:

Injured, injured.

Talking about squads mate. Forgot we didn’t have a single injury for the last 5 years and that Hyam hasn’t played all year. 

[chaddyrovers]

My quick thoughts are the result and performance wise attacking wise disappointing. Thought defensive we were solid. Carter impressed me the most. JRC and Pears solid performance. 

Thomas my man of the match. Best player on the pitch for me. 

Rovers didn't take their chances on the night. Some positive performances to focus on. 

I wouldn't made the Hedges for Thomas but dolan on BBD. DIsagree with JDT

[Miller11]

2 hours ago, 47er said:

How is Hedges better?--he doesn't play regularly and he has shown no more than he did when he first came. JRC---agree.

Pears yes but Kiminski balances that. Dolan---you're joking surely? Rarely sighted. Travis---seems you agree he's gone backwards. What's Buckley is Buckley mean?

All that adds up to a deficit.

He is killing Dolan with the whole “needs to take less touches”. He terrifies teams when he runs at them, but he’s been coached to pass it back to the centre halves.

[smiller14]

9 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

My quick thoughts are the result and performance wise attacking wise disappointing. Thought defensive we were solid. Carter impressed me the most. JRC and Pears solid performance. 

Thomas my man of the match. Best player on the pitch for me. 

Rovers didn't take their chances on the night. Some positive performances to focus on. 

I wouldn't made the Hedges for Thomas but dolan on BBD. DIsagree with JDT

You're largely right, but to me we just didn't create enough chances. Diaz should have scored his chance, but it was otherwise a series of half chances - Wigan will also point to a few half chances they had.

Fully agree with the subs you suggested. Thomas was probably tired, but Diaz looked tired from the first kick and wasn't offering much. I'd have also personally kept Dack on - wasn't at his best but our best chance came from his pass and he looked more likely than most.

The game was screaming out for Dolan last night, a few through balls eluded Gally but Dolan may have benefitted more. 

[Miller11]

7 minutes ago, smiller14 said:

You're largely right, but to me we just didn't create enough chances. Diaz should have scored his chance, but it was otherwise a series of half chances - Wigan will also point to a few half chances they had.

Fully agree with the subs you suggested. Thomas was probably tired, but Diaz looked tired from the first kick and wasn't offering much. I'd have also personally kept Dack on - wasn't at his best but our best chance came from his pass and he looked more likely than most.

The game was screaming out for Dolan last night, a few through balls eluded Gally but Dolan may have benefitted more. 

Thomas should have come off 5 minutes earlier. He was feeling his hamstring and/or cramping up. Wouldn’t be surprised if he now missed the next game with a strain.

[G Somerset Rover]

54 minutes ago, BigUts said:

My conclusions from last night:

1. Vale is nowhere near good enough for this level of football and I do wonder whether persisting with him is more about JDT sending a message then thinking he's good enough

2. BBD is finished here. We would be better leaving him out now and changing system

3. Something is definitely amiss. Malaise has set in and from top to bottom something is wrong.

4. The season is over.

100%. I just want something to get behind. If the plan is a reliance on youth, then play Adam Wharton, play Ashley Phillips, play to the player's strengths. Let me try to buy into something. Anything. As it is, we're just feathering other clubs' nests and in general, are just a complete and utter mess - both on and off the pitch. 

Edited February 7, 2023 by Gavlar Somerset Rover!

[tomphil]

Worst thing for me was how disjointed and clueless we are as an attacking force and its been that way all season. Shows up more in games like that where there are opportunities to attack and punish poor opposition but we cannot string a telling pass together.

Thought we were decent defensively and good to see Wharton, Carter, JRC playing well and gelling although Wigan don't offer much.  Midfield miles more bite to it with Travis looking more like his old self, Buckley some good stuff and some asleep stuff as usual.  I don't want to see Morton starting again but iv'e no doubt he will, came on last night and first thing he does when everyone of forward and under no real pressure is a 50 yard back pass !

Up top though it was a case of WFT all night barring the good early move that saw BBD clean through, he's off form and needs a benching. No idea what they are trying to do with Dack but it didn't suit him last night although he worked hard he's over cooking it with the attempted fancy passes.

Vale ?  been saying it all season the lad should not start and should be used from the bench or better still be on loan. He's like a powder puff lost kid. Non of them gel though they don't make the runs and don't seem to know when to but he really isn't the answer as a central striker. Nice that his pals come on here to defend him but he really isn't ready for this level.

Then we have Thomas who i thought was a good debut however our lot haven't had a good winger since Conway's early days. The forwards have no idea what to do when he got the ball.  So we bring Gally on up top, throws himself at a few crosses then the brains in the dugout take bloody Thomas off !!!

JDT's use of subs is ridiculous at times and this is reminding me of Bowyers bland uninspiring 'development' style football, just with a weaker more naive squad.

[Groundhog]

49 minutes ago, BigUts said:

3. Something is definitely amiss. Malaise has set in and from top to bottom something is wrong.

There is a direct correlation for me between our second half season slump and the Jan transfer window. It doesn't matter who the manager is, or what the squad is - if, as a player, you feel that lack of ambition seeping through from the top of the club and you don't see any signings coming in it will affect the squad - that second half of the season suddenly starts to feels like a huge slog and they'll literally have the desire knocked out of them - what's the point? They all know they can barely compete and they see our rivals strengthen. 

How many of us have worked in jobs where you can feel the team down tools in reaction to a decision made by leadership, or a rumour that they aren't investing or cutting corners - I've seen it happen so many times, malaise is something that can set it in so easily. People just stop giving that extra 5%, and that's the difference between finishing 10th or 6th in this league.

[Leonard Venkhater]

1 hour ago, oldjamfan1 said:

For the first time in my life I actively chose not to watch the game last night, and watched Happy Valley on catch-up instead. Sounds like I made the right choice but let me tell you when people like me are doing that, we are in a fucking mess.

Yeah...and I am reminded that Venky's have done to Rovers what Tommy Lee Royce did to Becky!

[Exiled_Rover]

28 minutes ago, Miller11 said:

He is killing Dolan with the whole “needs to take less touches”. He terrifies teams when he runs at them, but he’s been coached to pass it back to the centre halves.

No he doesn't - they love it when he overplays it. He often beats a man with the first trick, then goes back to beat them again, allowing the defender / defence to recover.

If he was quicker he could probably get away with that style in this league - as it is the advice from JDT and his team is correct.