2025-26 Relegation thread

[Exiled_Rover]

36 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

It doesnt suit the overall squad though, its a big chunk of games, lots of midweek games, all in a small space of time.

In defence, we would need Carter, McLoughlin, Miller and Alebiosu to all play every minute as we have absolutely no serious alternative.

Same up top, we need Ohashi and Gudjohnsen to play every minute and have nothing off the bench as Gueye is a joke.

Ok and who are you playing out wide in the 4-2-3-1? And which of our two strikers are you ineffectually playing as the 1 in said formation?

[Exiled_Rover]

2 hours ago, RTM08 said:

I don't see how anyone can look at a team that has lost ~60% of their games in all competitions and think they could flirt with the play-offs and aren't in danger of the drop, especially when that squad is now ravaged by injuries and suspensions.

Those three wins are a godsend, but it will take a miracle to stay clear during the Christmas period.

I think losing Toth for three months really fucks us over. However I don't think those three wins in a row were a fluke like many of you seem to.

[DE.]

They weren't a fluke, they were just played in fortunate circumstances. Generally such things probably even themselves out over the course of a season though (the Ipswich game, for example, turned out to be an unfortunate circumstance for us where we probably would have won), so the only thing anyone should be focused on is where we are in the table right now and how likely it is that our form will improve versus the teams around us in the coming months. 

[roversfan99]

45 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

Ok and who are you playing out wide in the 4-2-3-1? And which of our two strikers are you ineffectually playing as the 1 in said formation?

The squad isnt good enough or deep enough regardless of formation to be honest. But a back 3 and front 2 means there is absolutely no alternative in either position and leaves 2 reasonable squad members in the squad (left backs) out of the picture.

You at least have 3 wide men (Miroshita, De Neve, Hedges) for 2 positions and 2 strikers for 1 position.

[Bohinen1983]

4-1-2-3

 

GK:Pears

DL:Ribiero

DR:Alibeou

DC:Carter

DC:Mcloughlin

CDM: Tronstadt

 

CM: Hickman

CM: Morishita

CM:  Henrikkson

 

ST: Cantwell 

ST: Ohashi

 

Centre mid is absolutely horrific in my opinion. I wonder if we could loan Rothwell back in Jan,  get rid of Tavares and bring in a young hungry centre mid from league one or two. 

 

Also, still feel we're lacking up top.. I can only see this season ending one way- Relegation, unless we have a great Jan.  

 

Am I right in saying there's now no impediment to Venky's funding the club? Could there be somewhat of a war chest for transfers come Jan?

[Ghost7]

1 hour ago, Bohinen1983 said:

Am I right in saying there's now no impediment to Venky's funding the club? Could there be somewhat of a war chest for transfers come Jan?

 

You are right and no, the owners have no interest in investing properly.

I think we can be clear on that after 15 years of the same question being asked again and again.

[London blue]

No chance of relegation is so far wide of the mark for a team sitting a few points above it this early into the season.

The three wins weren't a fluke and showed there's a blueprint to success, but as we've seen with Hedges playing CB, we're very flimsy when it comes to depth.

Our first 11 stays up, pretty comfortably.

Having to start Gueye, Tavares, Foreshaw, Tyjon... big, big trouble.

[roversfan99]

4 hours ago, Bohinen1983 said:

4-1-2-3

 

GK:Pears

DL:Ribiero

DR:Alibeou

DC:Carter

DC:Mcloughlin

CDM: Tronstadt

 

CM: Hickman

CM: Morishita

CM:  Henrikkson

 

ST: Cantwell 

ST: Ohashi

 

Centre mid is absolutely horrific in my opinion. I wonder if we could loan Rothwell back in Jan,  get rid of Tavares and bring in a young hungry centre mid from league one or two. 

 

Also, still feel we're lacking up top.. I can only see this season ending one way- Relegation, unless we have a great Jan.  

 

Am I right in saying there's now no impediment to Venky's funding the club? Could there be somewhat of a war chest for transfers come Jan?

There will not be a warchest in January.

Its been made more difficult for them to send money in the past. But they dont willingly send money anyway, and this seems to be misunderstood. Barring one year in which we had the one off sale of a record breaking academy graduate, they HAVE to send money every year to cover losses. Basically all Championship owners have to do the same. Expenses exceed income for clubs at this level, only difference now is they dont have to provide the same level of guarantee to do so.

[roverblue]

As we enter this next run of games thought it would be useful to check the table and fixtures taking us to up the end of December...

 

The three wins in a row have boosted us up the table but our home form is still shockingly poor which we have to turn around in the next run of games especially as we have 3 in a row in early December. By the end of December we will be 50% of the way through the fixtures...

 

There are a lot of games in this period against teams that will be in the mix for relegation and it's imperative we pick up points against them. We need to keep above Oxford and Portsmouth at all costs.

I think if we lose the majority of these matches we will be in the bottom 3 going into the New Year.

[sharpysharps86]

The 4 upcoming home games are absolutely massive for the season given the opposition bar Ipswich are all teams close to Rovers in the table. Probably need 3 wins from those and ideally a couple of good results away at Wrexham, Portsmouth and Sheffield Wednesday to go into the new year with a solid hope of staying in the league.

[davulsukur]

On 10/11/2025 at 19:01, London blue said:

No chance of relegation is so far wide of the mark for a team sitting a few points above it this early into the season.

The three wins weren't a fluke and showed there's a blueprint to success, but as we've seen with Hedges playing CB, we're very flimsy when it comes to depth.

Our first 11 stays up, pretty comfortably.

Having to start Gueye, Tavares, Foreshaw, Tyjon... big, big trouble.

Yep, the cost cutting really comes to the fore when we have a couple of injuries/suspensions.

Playing Hedges as a centre back just typifies the whole shambolic process.

[StHelensRover]

Oxford, Pompey, QPR, Sheff Weds twice. All before the end of 2025. Those matches will define the season l think. We need to take minimum of 12 points from the 15 available in those or we're in gonna be stuffed.

[joey_big_nose]

29 minutes ago, StHelensRover said:

Oxford, Pompey, QPR, Sheff Weds twice. All before the end of 2025. Those matches will define the season l think. We need to take minimum of 12 points from the 15 available in those or we're in gonna be stuffed.

I agree we need to pick up points, but we've seen enough of Rovers over the last five years to know we are actually more likely to get points from the better resourced teams for reasons it is hard to work out.

Id put it more generally that we need around 50 to stay up, but safer at 55. So half way point Id aim for 30 minimum. To get that we need 14 points over the next 10 games... Feels doable. Even if we manage only 10 we are still probably outside the bottom three.

The JDT strategy of risking more in our style and going for wins and accepting losses over draws is the better bet imo. Hard-fought draws give the illusion of stability but actually quite corrosive in terms overall points per game.