v Elche CF - 25/07/25- Pre-Season friendly

[JCRovers]

Goal was a bit of a fluke with their goalie choosing to jump when 1 v 1 with Gueye. Thought our pressing was quite bad in the first half with the team sitting deep. Second half was an improvement after the subs came on. Kargbo showed a great burst of pace and were perhaps robbed of a penalty late in the game. Mullarkey-Matthew looks interesting but this year is probably too soon for him as his decision-making is a bit off. 

Positives: team is looking more athletic and willing to make runs. Showed a bit of resilience despite being under pressure in first half. 

Negatives: build-up from the back is poor at times when we get pressed, with defenders or goalie ultimately going for the long ball. Works when you happen to score like Gueye did, but we often lost possession as a result of it. 

Still think we need an athletic striker to compete with Ohashi and Gueye. Ohashi is a good finisher and decent presser off possession but doesn't provide any real presence up front on his own as he's neither quick enough to make runs in behind defence or strong enough to hold up play and link with his teammates. Gueye do provide that presence with his physicality and cause a lot of trouble for defence but he's not the quickest and his pressing off possession isn't that good. 

[Mike E]

Just now, JCRovers said:

Goal was a bit of a fluke with their goalie choosing to jump when 1 v 1 with Gueye. Thought our pressing was quite bad in the first half with the team sitting deep. Second half was an improvement after the subs came on. Kargbo showed a great burst of pace and were perhaps robbed of a penalty late in the game. Mullarkey-Matthew looks interesting but this year is probably too soon for him as his decision-making is a bit off. 

Positives: team is looking more athletic and willing to make runs. Showed a bit of resilience despite being under pressure in first half. 

Negatives: build-up from the back is poor at times when we get pressed, with defenders or goalie ultimately going for the long ball. Works when you happen to score like Gueye did, but we often lost possession as a result of it. 

Still think we need an athletic striker to compete with Ohashi and Gueye. Ohashi is a good finisher and decent presser off possession but doesn't provide any real presence up front on his own as he's neither quick enough to make runs in behind defence or strong enough to hold up play and link with his teammates. Gueye do provide that presence with his physicality and cause a lot of trouble for defence but he's not the quickest and his pressing off possession isn't that good. 

Need an in-between striker. A Danny Graham type.

[M_B]

55 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

Alebiosu is v. quick too.

Looks powerful to me 

[bazza]

Who was the sub with long hair? I thought he was greedy and didn't have a footballing brain.

Rovers teams on official site is nowhere near up to date.

Edited 15 hours ago by bazza

[Gav]

45 minutes ago, bazza said:

Nice to see the "Venkys Out" flag on Elche TV

Thats the flag we need, more than the Pasha one, but both are good efforts. 

[ObiWhan8t7]

What’s everyone’s thoughts on Toth? Personally I think he’s proven himself as the no1. Claimed some good balls in to the box against Everton and Qatar to relieve pressure on defence. Looks calm on the ball and his distribution actually stays on the pitch. If I were pears I’d be looking for a move 

[chaddyrovers]

Another win, another clean and Gueye scoring. Good win. 

[chaddyrovers]

Just now, ObiWhan8t7 said:

What’s everyone’s thoughts on Toth? Personally I think he’s proven himself as the no1. Claimed some good balls in to the box against Everton and Qatar to relieve pressure on defence. Looks calm on the ball and his distribution actually stays on the pitch. If I were pears I’d be looking for a move 

should be number 1 now 

[chaddyrovers]

39 minutes ago, JCRovers said:

Mullarkey-Matthew looks interesting but this year is probably too soon for him as his decision-making is a bit off. 

has you would expect his decision making to be so given his age and the stage of his development 

[Andy]

2 minutes ago, ObiWhan8t7 said:

What’s everyone’s thoughts on Toth? Personally I think he’s proven himself as the no1. Claimed some good balls in to the box against Everton and Qatar to relieve pressure on defence. Looks calm on the ball and his distribution actually stays on the pitch. If I were pears I’d be looking for a move 

Levels above Pears.

Just a shame it took so long for us to drop Calamity and give Toth a run of games.

But hopefully at least it means we have a decent, competent GK at this level for the first time since TK.

[roversfan99]

Was a pretty dull game aside from the odd bit of needle poorly governed by the referee. Thats not a criticism of us, just typical pre season fare and purely a fitness exercise.

De Neve is the only new signing who we have got a real look at. Again, impossible to judge quality or how he will do, but you get a feel for the type of player. He plays like what he is, someone who has played loads of football at left back playing further forward. He works hard, hes athletic without being really quick, runs back as quick as forward, can carry the ball, but when given it further forward he doesnt look like a player who will scare full backs.

Just in terms of the balance of the team. Obviously we need a right winger and I hope we get a direct and attacking one who can offer a goal threat. My concern would be that without that and/or Kargbo in the team, certainly this is the case with Hedges, we would lack the attacking threat to hurt teams.

Wharton showed a couple of signs of rust, which is totally to be expected considering its pre season and moreso how bad his injury was and how long he hasnt played for. That feels like the only position of jeopardy but I wonder if Ismael will go for McLoughlin. Wharton has never been the best on the ball anyway but is more old school.

[alexanders]

Lovely away support! Lots of fun banter (songs), Venky’s out, Senegalese flag in the crowd when Gueye scored and a great day. 
Very pleased to meet some nice people who are always welcoming and polite to a Scandinavian supporter 🙂

[RoversTilliDie]

100% percent record in the pre season friendlies for Rovers, with Gueys winner. The main thing is winning in the Championship when the season starts.

[RoversTilliDie]

1 hour ago, chaddyrovers said:

Another win, another clean and Gueye scoring. Good win. 

How many is that unbeaten under Ismael 10, counting the end of last season, and pre season friendlies. Let's hope it continues, when the new season starts.

[RoversTilliDie]

5 hours ago, bazza said:

Our shirts this season (of all seasons) are not the correct design. Where are the original quarters? Or as some would have it, "The halves reversed on the back".

We beat Everton in gold shirts.

[RoversTilliDie]

2 hours ago, Wing Wizard Windy Miller said:

Fuck off ref

Has the Championship started already.😄

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

33 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Was a pretty dull game aside from the odd bit of needle poorly governed by the referee. Thats not a criticism of us, just typical pre season fare and purely a fitness exercise.

De Neve is the only new signing who we have got a real look at. Again, impossible to judge quality or how he will do, but you get a feel for the type of player. He plays like what he is, someone who has played loads of football at left back playing further forward. He works hard, hes athletic without being really quick, runs back as quick as forward, can carry the ball, but when given it further forward he doesnt look like a player who will scare full backs.

Just in terms of the balance of the team. Obviously we need a right winger and I hope we get a direct and attacking one who can offer a goal threat. My concern would be that without that and/or Kargbo in the team, certainly this is the case with Hedges, we would lack the attacking threat to hurt teams.

Wharton showed a couple of signs of rust, which is totally to be expected considering its pre season and moreso how bad his injury was and how long he hasnt played for. That feels like the only position of jeopardy but I wonder if Ismael will go for McLoughlin. Wharton has never been the best on the ball anyway but is more old school.

That was my impression of De Neve also. He can run all day but we need more than that from a winger.

[OsloRover]

14 minutes ago, RoversTilliDie said:

How many is that unbeaten under Ismael 10, counting the end of last season, and pre season friendlies. Let's hope it continues, when the new season starts.

Yep, 10 unbeaten. 8 wins I think. Preseason is preseason, but winning is still better than losing

[AspRover]

1. Can Kargbo play on the right? De Neve on the left and Kargbo right has some running in it.

2. Can we try Gueye and Ohashi as a front two? Just 442 it? Even just as a rotation option it's got to be worth a go, I think against better teams playing more defensively the workrate and physicality will actually be better for us than carrying Cantwell who needs time and space to  be effective.

[Ricky]

Would Mullarkey-Matthew be the most expensive name we’ve ever had on a shirt (based on per letter pricing) 

[rog of the rovers]

Probably a glimpse of what the season ahead will be (and realistically what the season was last year)

when it’s good, we’ll have a hard working, front foot team. Athletic, direct and capable of getting results. Fleeting moments of quality but built on a foundation of hard work. Less Arte More Labore

when it’s bad, we’ll have plenty of injuries because of the demanding workload, no real guile or X Factor to break down teams, or to unlock defences that sit behind the ball when already 1-0 up. 
 

The frightening thing me and for most fans is relegation to League One. From what I’ve seen over the past week I think this squad is capable of staying in the division. Where we go from there depends on late recruitment, form and fitness.

 

 

[philipl]

Cantwell was undoubtedly the most gifted player on either side in the Elche game 

[ObiWhan8t7]

3 minutes ago, philipl said:

Cantwell was undoubtedly the most gifted player on either side in the Elche game 

Burning off that lazy tag with recent performances. In Great shape and looks more hungry to do well. Need to get him more of the ball. He has the quality to unlock teams, just find he doesn’t have that natural 10 awareness to be in those dangerous positions. In the holes, breaking the lines, Be doesn’t find them frequent enough

[roversfan99]

41 minutes ago, rog of the rovers said:

Probably a glimpse of what the season ahead will be (and realistically what the season was last year)

when it’s good, we’ll have a hard working, front foot team. Athletic, direct and capable of getting results. Fleeting moments of quality but built on a foundation of hard work. Less Arte More Labore

when it’s bad, we’ll have plenty of injuries because of the demanding workload, no real guile or X Factor to break down teams, or to unlock defences that sit behind the ball when already 1-0 up. 
 

The frightening thing me and for most fans is relegation to League One. From what I’ve seen over the past week I think this squad is capable of staying in the division. Where we go from there depends on late recruitment, form and fitness.

 

 

Theres a core of players who are top half Championship players. As long as we keep the majority, theres no way the first 11 is anywhere near a standard where youd worry about relegation.

There was really even that when we nearly went down, the issue was that even for our standards, a team who regularly nosedive post christmas, our squad was particularly thin to the point where League 2 standard players were regularly on the bench. And we still stayed up.

So the keys are to keep or replace our key players, to ensure we have enough depth especially considering the potential high energy tactics, and to get some more goals into the squad.

Due to some of the teams at the bottom, you have to be really bad to go down. I dont think we will be in major danger, but its really hard to judge exactly how far up we can finish.

The frustrating thing is, with a bit of money and ambition, including tying down our main assets and then a bit of investment. We wouldnt be far away at all. But it never materialises.

[Lancaster Rover]

9 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

Was a pretty dull game aside from the odd bit of needle poorly governed by the referee. Thats not a criticism of us, just typical pre season fare and purely a fitness exercise.

De Neve is the only new signing who we have got a real look at. Again, impossible to judge quality or how he will do, but you get a feel for the type of player. He plays like what he is, someone who has played loads of football at left back playing further forward. He works hard, hes athletic without being really quick, runs back as quick as forward, can carry the ball, but when given it further forward he doesnt look like a player who will scare full backs.

Just in terms of the balance of the team. Obviously we need a right winger and I hope we get a direct and attacking one who can offer a goal threat. My concern would be that without that and/or Kargbo in the team, certainly this is the case with Hedges, we would lack the attacking threat to hurt teams.

Wharton showed a couple of signs of rust, which is totally to be expected considering its pre season and moreso how bad his injury was and how long he hasnt played for. That feels like the only position of jeopardy but I wonder if Ismael will go for McLoughlin. Wharton has never been the best on the ball anyway but is more old school.

So De Neve is essentially Owen Beck