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

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

4 minutes ago, Tomphil2 said:

I thought the body language was poor from a lot of them in that first half it's not what you'd expect in the first game of a new season with everything to play for.

I thought we followed on from the last performance in Holland. We were just going through the motions in the first half. They must have had the hard word at the interval because they upped the tempo somewhat in the second half.

Edited Sunday at 21:06 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[RoversTilliDie]

7 hours ago, den said:

Gueye is such a poor header of a ball. Being big or tall means nothing.

He's 6ft 5in plus, and trips over his own feet. Waste of money.

[RoversTilliDie]

1 hour ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I thought we followed on from the last performance in Holland. We were just going through the motions in the first half. They must have had the hard word at the interval because they upped the tempo somewhat in the second half.

We need to gel as a team, or it will be more of the same.

[USABlue]

Why do we not shoot more often, Tronstadt had what.looked to me kike two lovely shootin chances and did not.  The cross from the new guy.early on lovely but no one there.  Nothin much clicks up front.

[Ossydave]

1 hour ago, USABlue said:

Why do we not shoot more often, Tronstadt had what.looked to me kike two lovely shootin chances and did not.  The cross from the new guy.early on lovely but no one there.  Nothin much clicks up front.

Axel looks like he can ping a few in from outside the box, not really evident on Saturday but going off his previous goals.

That and our awful set pieces are 2 huge problems for us, both things that teams who will struggle for goals should have nailed.

Even watching Sheff Weds yesterday and despite all their issues, their set pieces were 10 times better than ours.

[RoversTilliDie]

6 hours ago, USABlue said:

Why do we not shoot more often, Tronstadt had what.looked to me kike two lovely shootin chances and did not.  The cross from the new guy.early on lovely but no one there.  Nothin much clicks up front.

There frightened of shooting, get a clear shot on goal, it's i don't want it kick it to somebody else 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

How many times in modern football do you see a speculative shot hit one of the throng in the goalmouth and completely wrong foot the keeper and end up in the back of the net ? If you don’t try it will never happen.

[alexanders]

I have rewatched the full game from Saturday. 

Axel Henriksson will be a very good signing. Not afraid to get stuck in, physical ready for the Championshipm vision and got a cross in him. I would have taken of Hedges instead of him an played him in Hedges position. 

Alebiosu. Will also end up as a very good signing. Took on his man several times and looked okay defensively. Had an eager about him to get to the byline for a cross. Not the best communication with Hedges. If he was fully fit I would play him together with Miller instead of Hedges. 

Miller. Will also be a good signing. Fits the Championship attributes well. Came to a goalscoring opportunity on a crosser and isn't afraid to get stuck in. Has decent pace. 

Tavares didn't see enough to judge. Hopefully see more of him tomorrow. 

[Hasta]

31 minutes ago, alexanders said:

Axel Henriksson will be a very good signing. Not afraid to get stuck in, physical ready for the Championshipm vision and got a cross in him. I would have taken of Hedges instead of him an played him in Hedges position. 

I mean fair play for nailing your colours to the mast.

It was only his first game, the team were not playing well in general and on paper he looks a very good signing. The fans of the club he signed from sing his praises and his highlight reel looks good. Hopefully he will prove to be a welcome addition. 

But watching the game if you had told me we had signed some big journeyman from the National League I'd have believed you. He looked lost.

[alexanders]

The thing is, even seasoned Championship players looked lost in that game. Lots of huffs and puffs and low quality on the ball. Mostly when he got the ball he did something with. Nothing spectacular per ce, but played one two with Ribeiro and in line with the GAIS supporters he looked to think forwards instead of just going back (which would be the easy thing to do). He also did some defensive duties and one time held off, think it was Heggebø from getting the ball. 

He also came close from getting a shot in, arriving in the box for De Neves cross and I think he got a header on goal. 

 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

28 minutes ago, alexanders said:

The thing is, even seasoned Championship players looked lost in that game. Lots of huffs and puffs and low quality on the ball. Mostly when he got the ball he did something with. Nothing spectacular per ce, but played one two with Ribeiro and in line with the GAIS supporters he looked to think forwards instead of just going back (which would be the easy thing to do). He also did some defensive duties and one time held off, think it was Heggebø from getting the ball. 

He also came close from getting a shot in, arriving in the box for De Neves cross and I think he got a header on goal. 

 

I’m sorry mate but apart from the three un necessary fouls he committed that led to a bollocking off the ref I can’t remember a thing he did.

[speeeeeeedie]

41 minutes ago, Hasta said:

I mean fair play for nailing your colours to the mast.

It was only his first game, the team were not playing well in general and on paper he looks a very good signing. The fans of the club he signed from sing his praises and his highlight reel looks good. Hopefully he will prove to be a welcome addition. 

But watching the game if you had told me we had signed some big journeyman from the National League I'd have believed you. He looked lost.

The commentator I listened to said that he had 13 touches before going off. In comparison Travis had had 60+ by that point. Henriksson was completely ineffectual. I'm not going to judge him one one game though. I was surprised that he played at all as he was such a recent signing. 

As to the game Rovers looked a bit disjointed, which is not surprising given the summer in's and out's. West Brom looked organised without anything special. Nat Phillips is a good signing. 

Set pieces and final balls were pathetic. 

Ohashi worked hard and should have had a penalty. Gueye was superb at the Hawthorns last season. He looked like he'd forgotten how to play on Saturday.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

1 minute ago, speeeeeeedie said:

The commentator I listened to said that he had 13 touches before going off. In comparison Travis had had 60+ by that point. Henriksson was completely ineffectual. I'm not going to judge him one one game though. I was surprised that he played at all as he was such a recent signing. 

As to the game Rovers looked a bit disjointed, which is not surprising given the summer in's and out's. West Brom looked organised without anything special. Nat Phillips is a good signing. 

Set pieces and final balls were pathetic. 

Ohashi worked hard and should have had a penalty. Gueye was superb at the Hawthorns last season. He looked like he'd forgotten how to play on Saturday.

If Henriksson had just come from another UK club I’d be saying “ Fair enough, he hasn’t had any game time “. But he’s had more up to date game time than any other player on the pitch.

[MarkBRFC]

3 minutes ago, speeeeeeedie said:

The commentator I listened to said that he had 13 touches before going off. In comparison Travis had had 60+ by that point. Henriksson was completely ineffectual. I'm not going to judge him one one game though. I was surprised that he played at all as he was such a recent signing. 

Fair enough I've only seen him play for an hour, but there's no way this guy is a number 10.

I think he would be much more suited to be a "8" in modern jargon. 

[Atko's Engine]

8 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

If Henriksson had just come from another UK club I’d be saying “ Fair enough, he hasn’t had any game time “. But he’s had more up to date game time than any other player on the pitch.

With a completely different set of teammates that he only net 48 hours earlier! He probably only had 1 training session, max 2, before starting the match.

Was a bit unfair of VI to play him imo, even though Cantwell was injured Maybe we ought to have used Tyjon instead, or O'Hashi dropping back as a No. 10 & Gueye up top.

[alexanders]

He did more than Hedges and Hedges played the full 90. 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Just now, alexanders said:

He did more than Hedges and Hedges played the full 90. 

I did more than Hedges when I got up out of my chair to go for a piss at half time.

[bazza]

On 10/08/2025 at 09:50, Commondore said:

 I think we missed Cantwell, and dare I say it Buckley.

Agree. And JRC. We look far worse than last two seasons. I'm not convinced about this manager. Anyway, early days. We can only hope things improve.

[alexanders]

I agree that we missed Cantwell.

The thing is Trav and Tronstad both came deep to collect the ball. We then played out to Ribeiro or Alebiosu and then inside to Axel, De neve or Ohashi. Hedges was never involved in the play and slowed down most attacks. We didn't have the creativity to play the pass which opened up the defense. Looking back we actually came to several good crossing positions from both De Neve and Alebiosu in the first half, but the ball didn't end up where we wanted. Its early doors, but besides the low intensity press there was several positive signs from Saturday.