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

[London blue]

I don't post the following to be controversial or make a point, but I was busy today and where I would usually check the score every 5 minutes I saw us losing after 20 and checked result after 90.

I've stopped caring. If you haven't, then that's great, but I honestly have started to lose interest. 

I also don't post this as a response to us losing, we could have won 4 zip and I think I would have had the same level of reaction. I'll probably attend 3 or 4 away games again this year but my interest in the club is waning.

[LDRover]

4 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

Amidst talk about everything else, owners, board, signings, sales and contracts. The one variable that seems to have just been assumed as ok is Ismael himself.

The way he speaks seems to have charmed many. His previous spells at this level were failure and although we ended last season well, his first 7 or 8 games were obviously a disaster.

A lot of neutrals seem to cite him as the main reason why they think we will struggle.

He has a hard job, and I am not sure either way yet. But I am certainly not convinced. Yet.

Just noted that Gerhard Struber is the new manager at Bristol City who have just walloped Sheff Utd 4-1 away. Did them on the break with quick incisive football where everyone was on the same page.

Ismael is often revered because of what he did at Barnsley but he was the successor of Struber who had built that team and mentality prior before moving on to New York Red Bulls. Bristol have done well to get him, they could do very well this season.

[desrover]

3 hours ago, Waggy76 said:

I have just finished watching the first half .

2 things spring to mind .

I think it was penalty but playing away , you don't get it !

This squad of players have the least amount of footballing talent , that I have seen in a blue n white shirts for many years.

I doubt , we will get more than 30 points this season (a record for a 3 point win ?) , dreadful signings !

Listening to the manager after game , he won't see February 1st 2026 !

It is time to turn the heat up on Pasha ,Gestede and the Venkys !!!

Venkys Out is all that matters !

Another noticeable absence is the lack of We Want Venkys Out from the fans ..

Dont think you were there fella!

Plenty of anti-Venkys chants!

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

3 hours ago, Hasta said:

As surely does saying if we had got the penalty we would have got at least a point.

We might have missed it or they might have started attacking again.

I wasn't arguing that point. Nobody knows the outcome if we get the penalty. Only thing that is certain  - if we had got and scored the penalty it would have been a better second half (it couldn't have been much worse)

[LDRover]

1 hour ago, bazza said:

I watched our game and afterwards the Sheff Utd v Bristol City game.

City were excellent, playing as a team; no stars, just good team players.

Their keeper could catch crosses and shots. He's on loan from Man Utd.

Of course, Bristol City are a well-run club. I'm envious.

A very good managerial appointment as well. They will surprise a few this year.

[Waggy76]

24 minutes ago, desrover said:

Dont think you were there fella!

Plenty of anti-Venkys chants!

I know I wasn't, I watched the first half on Sky at 7.30pm last night, I recorded the whole game, I have not watched the second half yet. I could not hear any anti Venky chants... 

Edited 6 hours ago by Waggy76

[roversfan99]

33 minutes ago, LDRover said:

Just noted that Gerhard Struber is the new manager at Bristol City who have just walloped Sheff Utd 4-1 away. Did them on the break with quick incisive football where everyone was on the same page.

Ismael is often revered because of what he did at Barnsley but he was the successor of Struber who had built that team and mentality prior before moving on to New York Red Bulls. Bristol have done well to get him, they could do very well this season.

To be fair, although some of the foundations may have been in place, Ismael certainly did an excellent job at Barnsley to finish 5th.

He had a very direct style there and it was really effective. He also was a trendsetter in using the newly allowed 5 subs during covid really aggressively, he would burn out the starters for 60 and always make wholesale changes.

He seems to have totally moved away from those successful traits though. Whether its the higher expectations at the clubs since, or the fact that it feels like results are almost becoming secondary in how managers are judged/how likely they are to be employed. It feels nowadays that youd be more attractive to a chairman and a club if you finished 14th but playing "pretty" high possession football over rough housing your way to 5th.

Today we dominated the ball but didnt create a single decent chance. Boring to watch and ineffective.

[Hasta]

1 hour ago, DavidMailsTightPerm said:

I wasn't arguing that point. Nobody knows the outcome if we get the penalty. Only thing that is certain  - if we had got and scored the penalty it would have been a better second half (it couldn't have been much worse)

Ok, but that was exactly the point I was arguing when you initially quoted me.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Just watching Sky highlights - WBA player basically threw Alebiouse to the ground in the lead up to their goal. Amazed the goal stood.

[ageoftherover]

For all the moaning about VAR, the scoreline is probably reversed today if we had access to it.

[Crimpshrine]

12 minutes ago, ageoftherover said:

For all the moaning about VAR, the scoreline is probably reversed today if we had access to it.

It's not as simple as that is it? If we went 1 nil up just before half time, the second half could have been totally different to the way it played out with us being 1 nil down.

[Fraserkirky]

I thought we did okay today. Hendrickson should have been off after 15mins, got lucky there. 
I think the most disappointing part is that we chased the game for a long time and were pretty pathetic creating chances. 
We need a right winger and another striker Monday morning. Missing Cantwell hurt.

When are we going to stop pretending that Kargbo isn’t our best player. Seriously. Total embarrassment bringing him on at half time every week when we have no punch. You carry a player like that. 

[ageoftherover]

2 hours ago, Crimpshrine said:

It's not as simple as that is it? If we went 1 nil up just before half time, the second half could have been totally different to the way it played out with us being 1 nil down.

Yeah I know. Just highlighting that both poor decisions probably get overturned.

[Moptop1]

6 hours ago, London blue said:

I don't post the following to be controversial or make a point, but I was busy today and where I would usually check the score every 5 minutes I saw us losing after 20 and checked result after 90.

I've stopped caring. If you haven't, then that's great, but I honestly have started to lose interest. 

I also don't post this as a response to us losing, we could have won 4 zip and I think I would have had the same level of reaction. I'll probably attend 3 or 4 away games again this year but my interest in the club is waning.

Believe me, after 48 years of supporting Rovers, it’s becoming more difficult to put the effort in. 

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

6 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

To be fair, although some of the foundations may have been in place, Ismael certainly did an excellent job at Barnsley to finish 5th.

He had a very direct style there and it was really effective. He also was a trendsetter in using the newly allowed 5 subs during covid really aggressively, he would burn out the starters for 60 and always make wholesale changes.

He seems to have totally moved away from those successful traits though. Whether its the higher expectations at the clubs since, or the fact that it feels like results are almost becoming secondary in how managers are judged/how likely they are to be employed. It feels nowadays that youd be more attractive to a chairman and a club if you finished 14th but playing "pretty" high possession football over rough housing your way to 5th.

Today we dominated the ball but didnt create a single decent chance. Boring to watch and ineffective.

This is why I don't understand what Ismael's plani is in games.  I was expecting very direct and down the channels not playing out from the back.