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

[G Somerset Rover]

Also, what’s the point in bringing in all this height with our recruitment if not one player can beat the first man with a set piece? We’ve been so bad at them for so long it’s infuriating. 

[yankfan]

54 minutes ago, Bohinen1983 said:

Are these commentators WBA supporters?

Is the ref? 

[...]

22 minutes ago, sharpysharps86 said:

We definitely miss Brittain, as well as the goals that Dolan and Weimann brought last season....JRC though, nah.

Was sat on bench for Charlton 

[RoversTilliDie]

You can see ( the dirty bastards) sorry w.b.a game plan, lose the ball foul your man. They should have got more than 1 red card.

[RoversTilliDie]

2 minutes ago, yankfan said:

Is the ref? 

The (wanker) sorry ref, definitely had a w.b.a shirt on.

[...]

18 minutes ago, Wing Wizard Windy Miller said:

Most of us  highlighted the lack of attacking threat in the squad.  They've had all summer to address it and done fuck all to date.   

We know Yuki can't lead the line.  Needs to play with a partner or not start games. 

Hedges is just a joke. DeNeve  poor - but more involved than Hedges in half a game.

Thought Abeliosu did ok, as did the 2 cb.  

Miller looked ok. 

Axel probably had the worst debut since Oojer.  Hope he turns out as good in the long run. 

 Also, I have no idea what Ismael's game plan is.

Yea I was also trying to work out the plan of attack. It looked so varied and incosist and broke down before the final 3rd more often than not.

[jim mk2]

Expected a defeat but not to a rubbish, preventable goal like that 

[yankfan]

1 minute ago, ... said:

Yea I was also trying to work out the plan of attack. It looked so varied and incosist and broke down before the final 3rd more often than not.

It didn’t help we were playing without a 10 or any wingers to start. Should have started Kargbo, tyjon, and anyone else behind Ohashi 

[RoversTilliDie]

41 minutes ago, yankfan said:

He’s gone in with his elbow late. Get off! 

A Rovers supporters should have elbowed him into the dressing room the dirty bastard. Mind you it's unfair, most of them were dirty bastards, the moment the ref blew his whistle.

[RoversTilliDie]

1 minute ago, yankfan said:

It didn’t help we were playing without a 10 or any wingers to start. Should have started Kargbo, tyjon, and anyone else behind Ohashi 

Bad starting line up from Ismael, I agree 100%.

[CambridgeRover]

My take aways after watching the stream. Early days but just my thoughts

There just doesn't seem to be any technical prowess in the team. We have a lot of runners or tidy players but not one attacking player I think the opposition would fear. Kargbo has the speed but not the delivery. It could be a long season of grinding out results

[Mercer]

Against a bang average WBA that was as bad as I envisaged.

Punchless with no creativity and the only way we were going to score was through a lucky bounce.  Any employee or fan of Rovers who thinks a strike force of Ohashi, Gueye and Leonard will be enough need to give their head a serious, serious wobble.

Our set piece delivery was appalling - what do they do in training1?

We had no control in that game and Travis and Tronstad were not at the races today - Travis both last Saturday and today looked like a player who knows he's on his way.

Special mention for Hedges - just what the feck!

Thought generally defensively we looked vulnerable and better teams will punish us - not sure how we will cope with Kyogo and Stansfield next week.

Of the new players (and the expectation bar isn't see that high!):

• Alebiosu - decent but not the most technically gifted
• McLoughlon - steady but lack of pace a concern
• Henriksson - tough debut circumstances but looked 'lost' (expected him to show a bit more) and potentially a loose cannon
• De Neve - can't see anything the lad has to offer; criminal not to start Kargbo who terrorises defences (we need to be on the front foot trying to get our noses in front)
• Miller - might not be fully fit but looks a tad slow.  Inexplicably dived in when he first came on and could have proved costly leaving our right flank completely open.  Throw could prove fruitful.  A useful signing.

Today just underlined that at the very minimum we need a quality right winger and a quality striker.

 Alarm bells are ringing already - would be foolish not to heed them.

Edited 2 hours ago by Mercer

[RoversTilliDie]

5 minutes ago, ... said:

Yea I was also trying to work out the plan of attack. It looked so varied and incosist and broke down before the final 3rd more often than not.

Attack! we're you watching another game, it was non existent. Easiest win w.b.a will get all season.

[RoversTilliDie]

1 minute ago, Mercer said:

Against a bang average WBA that was as bad as I envisaged.

Punchless with no creativity and the only way we were going to score was through a lucky bounce.  Any employee or fan of Rovers who thinks a strike force of Ohashi, Gueye and Leonard will be enough need to give their head a serious, serious wobble.

Our set piece delivery was appalling - what do they do in training1?

We had no control in that game and Travis and Tronstad were not at the races today - Travis both last Saturday and today looked like a player who knows he's on his way.

Special mention for Hedges - just what the feck!

Thought generally defensively we looked vulnerable and better teams will punish us - not sure how we will cope with Kyogo and Stansfield next week.

Of the new players:

• Alebiosu - decent but not the most technically gifted
• McLoughlon - steady but lack of pace a concern
• Henriksson - tough debut circumstances but looked 'lost' (expected him to show a bit more) and potentially a loose cannon
• De Neve - can't see anything the lad has to offer; criminal not to start Kargbo who terrorises defences (we need to be on the front foot trying to get our noses in front)
• Miller - might not be fit but looks a tad slow.  Inexplicably dived in when he came on and could have proved costly leaving our right flank completely open.  Throw could prove fruitful.  A useful signing.

Today just underlined that at the very minimum we need a quality right winger and a quality striker.

 Alarm bells are ringing already - would be foolish not to heed them.

Makes you think, did Ismael have a w.b.a shirt on, what a shite starting 11, kargbo should have been on from the start, and Tavares.

[RoversTilliDie]

3 minutes ago, Mercer said:

Against a bang average WBA that was as bad as I envisaged.

Punchless with no creativity and the only way we were going to score was through a lucky bounce.  Any employee or fan of Rovers who thinks a strike force of Ohashi, Gueye and Leonard will be enough need to give their head a serious, serious wobble.

Our set piece delivery was appalling - what do they do in training1?

We had no control in that game and Travis and Tronstad were not at the races today - Travis both last Saturday and today looked like a player who knows he's on his way.

Special mention for Hedges - just what the feck!

Thought generally defensively we looked vulnerable and better teams will punish us - not sure how we will cope with Kyogo and Stansfield next week.

Of the new players:

• Alebiosu - decent but not the most technically gifted
• McLoughlon - steady but lack of pace a concern
• Henriksson - tough debut circumstances but looked 'lost' (expected him to show a bit more) and potentially a loose cannon
• De Neve - can't see anything the lad has to offer; criminal not to start Kargbo who terrorises defences (we need to be on the front foot trying to get our noses in front)
• Miller - might not be fit but looks a tad slow.  Inexplicably dived in when he came on and could have proved costly leaving our right flank completely open.  Throw could prove fruitful.  A useful signing.

Today just underlined that at the very minimum we need a quality right winger and a quality striker.

 Alarm bells are ringing already - would be foolish not to heed them.

I've been saying it for months, fucking strengthen our attack please. Scoring goals wins matches.

[Cherry Blue]

Stonewall penalty not given. We had no yellows to their 4 dispite Henrikkson's bad foul. 

Webb has a poor reputation but still in a job which sums up the poor state of championship refereeing. 

[BankEnd Rover]

Not going to get too upset over that. 

Really happy with Alebiosu, stand out performer and Miller looked okay. Axel looks completely lost but not going to give him too much stick as he's literally just come in - he did thread a nice ball through in the first half so there's something about him.

 I thought Tronstad had a poor game and both wingers were awful. Travis was definitely better and seemed to be all over the place ( we will miss him) 

Along way to go but my god we need a new RW!

[RoversTilliDie]

19 minutes ago, G Somerset Rover said:

Also, what’s the point in bringing in all this height with our recruitment if not one player can beat the first man with a set piece? We’ve been so bad at them for so long it’s infuriating. 

Gueye is 6ft 5in and fucking useless. That leaves Ohashi who will need to score 30 plus to make up for it.

Edited 2 hours ago by RoversTilliDie

[jim mk2]

Cantwell has his faults and detractors but he’s one of the few if not the only player we’ve got who has a bit of skill and eye for a pass to unlock defences. Who else has any creativity? He has to play if he’s fit

[Roverthechimp]

Long throw WBA = panic and a goal

Long throws Rovers = dealt with by their defence

Thought Ohashi dived but in the modern game they are usually given. 

Can’t see us scoring many and Hyam can’t lead a defence so clean sheets will be few - this could be a tough season.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

We wouldn’t have scored if we’d have played whilst this time tomorrow. First half was a continuation of last weekends game. We just weren’t at it, the midfield got played through and around. Trav and Tron looked like they were running in treacle. In possession they can’t run away from opponents with the ball at their feet so why try ? How many times did they get caught in possession  ? if we had an option that wasn’t Tavares I’d advocate dropping either of them. The new midfielder looked like Robby Savage without Robby’s scintillating ball playing ability. Definitely he has his ability to commit pointless fouls thought. I thought the ref was really kind to him. 
I thought the back four did OK, the new centre half can pass a nice left sided ball. The two lads who played at right back looked OK, each in their own way. Up front we had next to nothing. Hedges gave his normal Lord Lucan impersonation and DeNeve looked like a really keen fan who’d won first prize to play in a charity game. I like Ohashi but he’s a penalty box player, pure and simple, he comes alive then. Asking him to hold the ball up isn’t his game. Gueye, came on but got refereed out of the game. Kargbo,  I’m starting to get worried about this lad. He’s all pace and no brains. He massively over hit every cross, not by a bit, but by yards and yards. Apart from nearly gifting the a goal with a daft pass I though Toth did well. He’s definitely an improvement on Pears if not a massive one.

We have all that height in the team now and nobody can hit them with a cross. I thought we got bullied today. Kargbo for one spent more time lying on the grass than actually running on it.

Edited 2 hours ago by Tyrone Shoelaces

[metalrover]

Watching this team gives me depression 

Edited 1 hour ago by metalrover

[aletheia]

4 minutes ago, Cherry Blue said:

poor state of championship refereeing. 

Wouldn't necessarily disagree..

...so get your whistle out and become a ref..it'll be easy 😉 Loads of ex players are jumping at the chance -great wages, nice working environment where everybody loves you and treats you well...Start at grass roots, great for perfecting a stonewall demeanour when players and fans are calling you a c**t  in your face (and that's when you get a decision right) -followed by great off field aggro, all the headbutts you want as you get into your car after the game.....

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/11282963/how-to-become-a-referee-from-grassroots-to-premier-league

https://www.amateur-fa.com/referee/referee-development/referee-pathway

[Exiled in Toronto Mk2]

Not too despondent. Lost because our CHs were completely AWOL for the long throw. But it was clear to me there’s still a lot of rebuilding needed, particularly in centre mid - with no forward threat all in the middle, no direct running at CHs, teams can double up on our wingers. One of Travis/Tronstad has to be replaced as starters. My other main worry was Yuki: no hold up play as the forward and no nothing as the #10. Plus, with Miller’s humongous throw you have to have Papi on the pitch. I can see Miller being the third CB, then 5-2 ahead of him.

[chaddyrovers]