v WBA (a) - 9/8/2025 - The Big Kick-Off!

[sandstorm]

Where are people heading for pre match drinks? Is "The vine" the best place?

[roversfan99]

1 hour ago, arbitro said:

It's not always about the delivery though. I saw many good corners in particular last season that we didn't take advantage of or were well defended.

It isnt, of course you can be creative. But it would help if we had a good taker.

[roversfan99]

1 hour ago, chaddyrovers said:

Last season is last season. 

Ismael has had all preseason to work on them and as arbitro makes some good points. 

Didn't you attend the Everton game? The set pieces were much better. 

So no one should criticise aspects of the performance at the weekend because its pre season, but we should be assured that we suddenly are good at set pieces because of pre season? Ok.

It would help to have a better taker. We dont currently have any set piece specialists.

[TheKitGuy]

38 minutes ago, MarkBRFC said:

Not a chance Duru plays. 

I don't think so either, but he edges Montgomery for me.. Just personal opinion though. 

[MarkBRFC]

3 minutes ago, TheKitGuy said:

I don't think so either, but he edges Montgomery for me.. Just personal opinion though. 

Helps that he's a right back.

Imagine he's quite far behind the others though after his injury at the back end of last season.

I think he goes on another loan somewhere towards the end of the window.

Montgomery is nowhere near ready to be shoehorned in the right back position in this league.

[chaddyrovers]

19 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

So no one should criticise aspects of the performance at the weekend because its pre season, but we should be assured that we suddenly are good at set pieces because of pre season? Ok.

It would help to have a better taker. We dont currently have any set piece specialists.

did I say that tho I did predict that some people would over reaction to the result and performance on Saturday. 

Ismael has said we have been working on set pieces and I would have thought this week we would be working on it. 

We need to have plan what we are doing with set pieces 

 

[arbitro]

43 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

It isnt, of course you can be creative. But it would help if we had a good taker.

https://theanalyst.com/articles/championship-corners-2024-25-goals-stats-opta

According to this goals from corners is less that 3% in the Championship. 

Personally I've never really understood the excitement for corners apart from an opportunity to put the ball into the penalty area (which many teams opt not to do anyway).

The new 8 second rule for goalkeepers will be penalised with a corner if the keeper transgresses. A direct free kick from 20 yards out would be more of a deterrent in my opinion.

[Mattyblue]

So if you beat a team in a friendly one week it’s a ‘good win’… get beat the week after in another friendly and you aren’t allowed to say the opposite as you overreacting.

Fair enough.

Edited 8 hours ago by Mattyblue

[rigger]

1 hour ago, sandstorm said:

Where are people heading for pre match drinks? Is "The vine" the best place?

It's the only place, and still a fair old walk to the ground.

[wilsdenrover]

33 minutes ago, arbitro said:

https://theanalyst.com/articles/championship-corners-2024-25-goals-stats-opta

According to this goals from corners is less that 3% in the Championship. 

Personally I've never really understood the excitement for corners apart from an opportunity to put the ball into the penalty area (which many teams opt not to do anyway).

The new 8 second rule for goalkeepers will be penalised with a corner if the keeper transgresses. A direct free kick from 20 yards out would be more of a deterrent in my opinion.

warning, yellow card, red card would be even better.

[arbitro]

4 minutes ago, wilsdenrover said:

warning, yellow card, red card would be even better.

This law change has been brought about due to referees not applying the law in the first place. I recall at Leeds the season before last and the first time Pears got possession of the ball. I timed it at twenty seconds before he played it and that set the tone for the game from a Rovers perspective.

[ruggles1995]

My guestimate 11

He wont start anybody new in this week, apart from putting them on the bench. So the realistic teamsheet I think he will pick imo will be:

toth
alebiosu hyam Wharton ribeiro
          tron trav
hedges cantwell de neve
            Yuki

gueye
AK
mccloughin
pickering
tavares
igor
montgormery / new swedish signing. 

 

[GHR]

(Deleted, quoted wrong person!)

Edited 5 hours ago by GHR

[GHR]

4 hours ago, sandstorm said:

Where are people heading for pre match drinks? Is "The vine" the best place?

If you can, I'd recommend Birmingham or Wolves if you fancied a few pre match, then train / tram as needed. No Wolves / Villa / Blues about on Saturday either.

[rigger]

11 minutes ago, GHR said:

If you can, I'd recommend Birmingham or Wolves if you fancied a few pre match, then train / tram as needed. No Wolves / Villa / Blues about on Saturday either.

The pubs around New Street station, then the tram from just outside the station.

[Trinidad Rover]

3-1 WBA.

Threadbare squad, lacking badly in quality, and no time for any of the new signings to 'bed in' over pre-season, except De Neve, who isn't very good.

 

[DeeCee]

I reckon Val will be shitting himself with the available players. A very defensive start with more forward play in the second half if it's still 0-0.

Settle for 0-0, 0-1 would give us slight hope for the future.

[J*B]

4 hours ago, ruggles1995 said:

My guestimate 11

He wont start anybody new in this week, apart from putting them on the bench. So the realistic teamsheet I think he will pick imo will be:

toth
alebiosu hyam Wharton ribeiro
          tron trav
hedges cantwell de neve
            Yuki

gueye
AK
mccloughin
pickering
tavares
igor
montgormery / new swedish signing. 

 

Just me that is seriously worried this season? That squad looks terrifying. At least 5 players in the starting 11 I have serious questions about and not a single option on the bench I’m convinced on. 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

8 hours ago, MarkBRFC said:

Helps that he's a right back.

Imagine he's quite far behind the others though after his injury at the back end of last season.

I think he goes on another loan somewhere towards the end of the window.

Montgomery is nowhere near ready to be shoehorned in the right back position in this league.

If we had anything like the squad we should have both Montgomery and Tijon would be going out on loan to the next tier or two down. As it is they’ll probably be on a very weak bench.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Hedges and De Neve - deary me. If you rolled them both together you wouldn’t have even a Craig Conway or a Noel Brotherston.

[roversfan99]

23 minutes ago, J*B said:

Just me that is seriously worried this season? That squad looks terrifying. At least 5 players in the starting 11 I have serious questions about and not a single option on the bench I’m convinced on. 

Which would the 5 be?

Not disagreeing, guessing the wingers and RB are 3. Wharton and Toth?

[BankEnd Rover]

31 minutes ago, J*B said:

Just me that is seriously worried this season? That squad looks terrifying. At least 5 players in the starting 11 I have serious questions about and not a single option on the bench I’m convinced on. 

How are you not convinced on Kargbo? He's literally the perfect example of an impact sub to change the dynamic of a game.

Edited 56 minutes ago by BankEnd Rover

[J*B]

21 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Which would the 5 be?

Not disagreeing, guessing the wingers and RB are 3. Wharton and Toth?

RB, Hyam, Wharton, Hedges, De Neve. 

[chaddyrovers]

27 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Which would the 5 be?

Not disagreeing, guessing the wingers and RB are 3. Wharton and Toth?

why would Toth be a worry?