v Bradford City (h) - 12/8/25 - Carabao Cup

[Tomphil2]

33 minutes ago, rigger said:

Montgomery is not good enough for first team football

Another very strange situation with him.

Just finding his feet at non league Chorley several rungs below where even Bradford are then hooked, brought back here and in the squad.

Odd and looking increasingly stupid.

[alcd]

37 minutes ago, rigger said:

Montgomery is not good enough for first team football

In tier 6 maybe. 

[RevidgeBlue]

2 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

He does need to do more than he did last year but on tonights performance, only someone with a specific dislike of him would repeatedly target him for criticism. He was levels above the crap around him.

What did he do tonight? 

After he gave the ball away on the edge of our area he perked up a little and played one or two nice balls but nothing earth shattering. The receiving player still always has it all to do.

Does he score any goals? - No

Does he provide any assists? - No

Does he provide any defence splitting balls which leave the receiving player with a clear cut chance? - No.

And this was against League 1 opposition.

[Paul Mani]

1 minute ago, roversfan99 said:

Definitely some promising signs but Travis is a proven quality Championship midfielder and our captain.

When he goes, we need a proper replacement. We wont get one but we need one. 

Tavares can hopefully push as 3rd choice and beyond that, the cupboard is bare. Could roll up Buckley, Forshaw and Montgomery into 1 and wouldnt have a Championship midfielder.

I agree that rolling Buckley, Forshaw and Montgomery into one player wouldn’t make a Championship midfielder.

I have a strong feeling about Tavares. Elliott’s assessment of what he’d seen behind closed doors and how highly he rated him pricked my ears this week. He wouldn’t be third choice if Trav stays. I reckon he’d dislodge one of Trav or Sonny anyway. He’s a good player.

The interesting one is Henriksson. He looks a little messy and hasn’t clicked yet. But I think there’s a player in there. He found lots of pockets and linked the midfield and forwards well.

What I will say off the back of tonight, which aligns with you is that Tyjon isn’t ready, and based on tonight’s squad, Leonard doesn’t appear to be in the picture, so we need a RW, plus a striker and another wide forward for me. 

[bigsigarner]

It's plain and simple cost cutting to.providr us with such a paper thin squad clearly not equipped for the rigours of the championship. Get rid of Pears and Buckley for kids on tuppence. Club think we are stupid when anyone with an iota of sense can see they are miles off. 

[Parsonblue]

I thought tonight highlighted the lack of depth we have in the squad.  On the evidence of tonight we can't allow Travis, Buckley and Pears to leave without replacing them.  There is no hiding the fact that this was a hugely disappointing performance against a well organised Bradford outfit - newly restored to League One and who made several changes themselves for this game.

I felt sorry for our young lads who were asked to step up.  Michalski is an outstanding prospect but I've seen him make similar gaffs in the Under-21's.  At that level he often got away it but not tonight.  He needs a loan to play senior football on a weekly basis.  The making of David Raya was his stint at Southport on loan before claiming the number one jersey at Ewood.  Michalski needs to do the same.  A season sat on the bench as our number two is not going to benefit him.   Likewise  Montgomery and Tyjon.  They are decent young players but not ready for the rigors of Championship football just yet.

Miller looks a decent acquisition and Tavares showed some neat touches and the ability to get forward from midfield.  Henriksson looked slightly better today than on Saturday but is still very much a work in progress.  De Neve took his goal well but was otherwise largely anonymous on the left wing.  He looks a bit frail and reminds me - one for older supporters - of Brian Hill.  Lets hope he's more successful.

Kargbo was a huge disappointment for me.  He looks so raw at times and struggled to get the better of his full-back. 

Of the other subs, I thought Cantwell looked good as did John Buckley.  I'm not really sure why we are so intent on moving Buckley on with such a wafer thin squad.

The only good news was that my digital ticket worked! 

[roversfan99]

11 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

What did he do tonight? 

After he gave the ball away on the edge of our area he perked up a little and played one or two nice balls but nothing earth shattering. The receiving player still always has it all to do.

Does he score any goals? - No

Does he provide any assists? - No

Does he provide any defence splitting balls which leave the receiving player with a clear cut chance? - No.

And this was against League 1 opposition.

The point was more that you clearly are allowing your pre conceived dislike of him to cloud your judgement if you are specifically just posting numerous critical posts about him during tonights game. There are many players who warranted a number of critical posts about today and he was certainly not near the top of that list, or indeed one of them at all.

He was only on for half an hour but on a few occasions he played nice correctly weighted passes and was let down by his technically inept team mates. He did also play one brilliant through ball to Kargbo despite the ball being played at him at a stupid height which led to Ohashi's chance.

9 minutes ago, Paul Mani said:

I agree that rolling Buckley, Forshaw and Montgomery into one player wouldn’t make a Championship midfielder.

I have a strong feeling about Tavares. Elliott’s assessment of what he’d seen behind closed doors and how highly he rated him pricked my ears this week. He wouldn’t be third choice if Trav stays. I reckon he’d dislodge one of Trav or Sonny anyway. He’s a good player.

The interesting one is Henriksson. He looks a little messy and hasn’t clicked yet. But I think there’s a player in there. He found lots of pockets and linked the midfield and forwards well.

What I will say off the back of tonight, which aligns with you is that Tyjon isn’t ready, and based on tonight’s squad, Leonard doesn’t appear to be in the picture, so we need a RW, plus a striker and another wide forward for me. 

Surely Elliott Jackson saying that he was impressed by him in an open training session doesnt carry any weight?

He did well tonight and was one of very few positives. He did make a few stray passes and got caught dawdling once or twice but overall he was a semblance of calm amidst a chaotic and inept performance around him. I feel like in the main we are going for athletes and not considering ability as important but to be fair he seems to have a bit of both.

A good performance against Bradford and impressing in a training session, good signs. But Tronstad and Travis are very good Championship midfielders. Its a hell of an assumption and expectation.

If Travis goes, to be honest we need a replacement whether Tavares moves ahead of him or not due to the alternatives.

We certainly need a lot more players. Lots of surgery to do, not just one player plus replacements. As you say, attack needs a lot doing.

[Waggy76]

Where is Forshaw?? 

[bluebruce]

4 minutes ago, Parsonblue said:

Michalski is an outstanding prospect but I've seen him make similar gaffs in the Under-21's.  At that level he often got away it but not tonight.  He needs a loan to play senior football on a weekly basis.  The making of David Raya was his stint at Southport on loan before claiming the number one jersey at Ewood.  Michalski needs to do the same.  

Tbf he has already had two loans in non-league, Bamber Bridge and City of Liverpool FC. Admittedly he could do with more after that showing. As much as I don't rate Pears, if we sell him we definitely need to buy or loan another more experienced keeper.

[waynerovers]

Just seen result. Have we really gone out in first round at home to fucking Bradford?

[bluebruce]

4 minutes ago, waynerovers said:

Just seen result. Have we really gone out in first round at home to fucking Bradford?

Are you really surprised at this stage? Tbf this was a seasonal occurence under Mowbray.

[yankfan]

1 hour ago, Mike Graham said:

I saw nothing tonight, and at WBA, to suggest any of our new signings add any value to our team. 
The only skill on show tonight came from some fabulous touches from Cantwell when he came on albeit he looked a frustrated player and it showed on occasions.

If anyone can point to Kargbo having any footballing skills I would love to see the evidence.

This could well be a long tough season.  I hope not but remain to be convinced.

 

Here’s a very difficult question. Who is our best player come kick off on Saturday?  Trav gone by then. Britain already shipped off. Dolan walked…who’s our best?  And come kick off on Saturday would that player even make the bench for our opponents who just got promoted from league 1

[StHelensRover]

11 minutes ago, Parsonblue said:

Of the other subs, I thought Cantwell looked good as did John Buckley.  I'm not really sure why we are so intent on moving Buckley on with such a wafer thin squad.

The only good news was that my digital ticket worked! 

Part of the beauty of football that we can all watch the same game and take different things away from it.

I thought Buckley was useless at worst, wasteful at best this evening and I've wanted us to ship him out for at least 3 seasons. He's always had a petulant streak in him and he hasn't developed as a footballer since he was about 21, he's now 26 I think. For me he hasn't made it to the level of the Championship and he would do well to try again in League One. 

[joey_big_nose]

4 minutes ago, Parsonblue said:

I thought tonight highlighted the lack of depth we have in the squad.  On the evidence of tonight we can't allow Travis, Buckley and Pears to leave without replacing them.  There is no hiding the fact that this was a hugely disappointing performance against a well organised Bradford outfit - newly restored to League One and who made several changes themselves for this game.

I felt sorry for our young lads who were asked to step up.  Michalski is an outstanding prospect but I've seen him make similar gaffs in the Under-21's.  At that level he often got away it but not tonight.  He needs a loan to play senior football on a weekly basis.  The making of David Raya was his stint at Southport on loan before claiming the number one jersey at Ewood.  Michalski needs to do the same.  A season sat on the bench as our number two is not going to benefit him.   Likewise  Montgomery and Tyjon.  They are decent young players but not ready for the rigors of Championship football just yet.

Miller looks a decent acquisition and Tavares showed some neat touches and the ability to get forward from midfield.  Henriksson looked slightly better today than on Saturday but is still very much a work in progress.  De Neve took his goal well but was otherwise largely anonymous on the left wing.  He looks a bit frail and reminds me - one for older supporters - of Brian Hill.  Lets hope he's more successful.

Kargbo was a huge disappointment for me.  He looks so raw at times and struggled to get the better of his full-back. 

Of the other subs, I thought Cantwell looked good as did John Buckley.  I'm not really sure why we are so intent on moving Buckley on with such a wafer thin squad.

The only good news was that my digital ticket worked! 

Always great to read your reviews as you always provide a balanced view.

In terms of throwing the kids in thats obviously a strategy agreed to in the boardroom in Pune in the hope that another Adam Wharton emerges as that is the only way the club can be financially viable under Venkys. TBH I am kind of the view we may as well chuck them in as Tyjon will certainly be off if he doesn't get first team football immediately, and for the others (Montgomery, Molichalski etc) experience shows that while loaning out maybe sympathetic to their development in the last ten years probably only Raya and Carter have really benefitted from loans. A lot of players we have loaned out and they come back as little use to the first team squad as when they left (Vale, Butterworth, Garrett, Batty,  Markandy, etc etc)

The players who have actually forged a career as Rovers first team players great or modest have done so without any significant loans (Adam Wharton, Travis, Nyambe, JRC)...

[Tomphil2]

The pressure on keepers these days to play like sure footed centre halves out and inside their own box is both ridiculous and needless. No wonder the kid ballsed up he should be under instruction on his debut, keep it simple and clear your lines at all times.

However as much as i said on Sat and stand by it that WBA would have been out of sight first half if Pears played the opposite is true tonight. If he'd been in goal as he should have been he probably doesn't concede that and it's a different game.

Again though don't blame the players it's just piss poor management at team and director level.

[waynerovers]

8 minutes ago, bluebruce said:

Are you really surprised at this stage? Tbf this was a seasonal occurence under Mowbray.

Fortunately I was watching smashing pumpkins while the match was on, glad i didn't waste my time watching the match 

[Parsonblue]

4 minutes ago, joey_big_nose said:

Always great to read your reviews as you always provide a balanced view.

In terms of throwing the kids in thats obviously a strategy agreed to in the boardroom in Pune in the hope that another Adam Wharton emerges as that is the only way the club can be financially viable under Venkys. TBH I am kind of the view we may as well chuck them in as Tyjon will certainly be off if he doesn't get first team football immediately, and for the others (Montgomery, Molichalski etc) experience shows that while loaning out maybe sympathetic to their development in the last ten years probably only Raya and Carter have really benefitted from loans. A lot of players we have loaned out and they come back as little use to the first team squad as when they left (Vale, Butterworth, Garrett, Batty,  Markandy, etc etc)

The players who have actually forged a career as Rovers first team players great or modest have done so without any significant loans (Adam Wharton, Travis, Nyambe, JRC)...

Add Scott Wharton and Darragh Lenihan as two players for whom loans worked well.  Duru did well at Barrow until his injury.   It will be interesting to see what the club do.  At the end of last season Montgomery looked good in the first team, but he was surrounded by senior players.  Tonight I felt we threw too many youngsters in and it didn't work.

[StHelensRover]

4 minutes ago, waynerovers said:

Fortunately I was watching smashing pumpkins while the match was on, glad i didn't waste my time watching the match 

Make no mistake we too were watching a bunch of pumpkins

[bluebruce]

1 minute ago, StHelensRover said:

Make no mistake we too were watching a bunch of pumpkins

And they got smashed. I also felt like my pumpkins had been smashed in the first 5 minutes.

[had.e.nuff]

after watching that tonight i came to one conclusion ITS GOING TO BE A LONG SEASON.

[RoversTilliDie]

I thought Cantwell was excellent, when he came on, pity there were no strikers to finish his moves off, by sticking the ball in the net.

[RoversTilliDie]

40 minutes ago, Waggy76 said:

Where is Forshaw?? 

Injured.

[DaveyB]

I don’t understand why we’re so intent on getting rid of Pears & Buckley in favour of Michalski and Montgomery, when the latter are so far off the quality required. 

As others have already said Montgomery was far and away the worst player out there tonight and how he stayed on for the whole 90 baffles me. Personally I’d have replaced him before half time. 

And Michalski is no where near ready to play senior football. Aside from the blunder for the second goal, his all round game was poor. He didn’t claim any high balls into the box, preferring to stay rooted to his line, the saves he made he generally pushed back into dangerous areas, and he looks an absolute bomb scare with the ball at his feet. (Incidentally, whilst there wasn’t much he could do about the shot for the first goal, he could have prevented it before that by coming and catching the ball that was put into the area with no one around him. Instead he stood and watched it go right through the box and eventually Pickering was forced to put it out for a throw in, from which the goal came)
And it all has a knock on in terms of confidence for those ahead of him - I’ve played in teams where the keeper just isn’t up to it and it just causes panic in the rest of the team, especially the defence. 

The rest of the team - Tavares looks decent, Miller looks a better cb than rb to me, De Neve works hard and might pop up with the odd goal, but generally not good enough - looks like we’ve replaced Dolan at least - and Hennrickson will probably be a really good player this time next season when he’s adapted to the English game, but at the moment he looks some way off. 
And finally, a new striker is an absolute must - neither Gueye nor Ohashi will score enough goals to keep us out of trouble. If it means we have to lose Travis so that we can afford to bring one in then, it’s not ideal, but so be it - we just cannot afford not bring someone in up there

[roversfan99]

57 minutes ago, StHelensRover said:

Part of the beauty of football that we can all watch the same game and take different things away from it.

I thought Buckley was useless at worst, wasteful at best this evening and I've wanted us to ship him out for at least 3 seasons. He's always had a petulant streak in him and he hasn't developed as a footballer since he was about 21, he's now 26 I think. For me he hasn't made it to the level of the Championship and he would do well to try again in League One. 

Everything about him is lazy and half arsed. Doesnt put any thought into anything he does, and he isnt very good to begin with.

[Ghost7]

On Buckley, no one will take him.... and we see time and time again why.

Can't give him away.