v Watford (a) - 13/9/25

[Rovers96]

12 minutes ago, RTM08 said:

I feel with the latter's injury record Miller & Carter are going to be a rare sight...

And Rovers wonder why the fans were annoyed about Hyam being sold in the last hour.

[davulsukur]

15 hours ago, Rovers96 said:

                    Toth 

       Miller  Carter  Wharton

Alebiosu.                              Ribeiro

           Tronstad    Hickman

                  Cantwell

        Ohashi        Gudjohnsen

 

i feel we need 2 strikers. And I’ve heard miller players best with a back 3. If Wharton or Carter are not ready then put Ribeiro in the end CB position with Hedges being a wingback.

We really don't want to be switching to a back 3. Outside of the elite teams, they rarely work in the medium to long term for teams.

[Mattyblue]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c4g2x0pzvd4o
 

Apologies if on another thread somewhere.

[Rovers96]

1 hour ago, davulsukur said:

We really don't want to be switching to a back 3. Outside of the elite teams, they rarely work in the medium to long term for teams.

Normally I’d agree but as it stands we are pretty weak. I think our attacking 3 as I put could get us the goals rather than Ohashi on his own.

[joey_big_nose]

On 03/09/2025 at 09:43, davulsukur said:

I like Ohashi and he's done ok, nothing amazing I wouldn't say. I think he struggles to lead the line in general and our attack is quite poor overall.

No reason not to try something different.

I think in a pressing sense and energy sense hes really great off the ball, and when he gets opportunities his finishing is good. But he does lack the ability to beat players or hold up (not sufficiently strong or quick or skillful) and his movement to find space is not there.

I hope Gudjonsen can be more of a danger on the ball, but looking at his stats to date I am not hopeful.

Gueye under Ismael has been so disappointing. He was flawed before but now seems completely off it.

[booth]

On 02/09/2025 at 20:10, joey_big_nose said:

Im pinning my hopes on footballs (particularly the Championship)) great way of surprising you 30% of the time. Maybe it will for no explicable reason just work?

I've been hoping for that for almost 15 years!

[J*B]

2 hours ago, Rovers96 said:

Normally I’d agree but as it stands we are pretty weak. I think our attacking 3 as I put could get us the goals rather than Ohashi on his own.

I don't think we can - we have three CBs (McLoughlin, Carter, Wharton) and two 'full backs that can play there' (Miller, Pickering). If we're training and drilling three at the back and there's an injury or suspension, we're immediately playing a player out of position. 

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Andy Bayes:

"For a team that ended last season just outside of the play-off spots, the hope from the fanbase was to make some key additions over the summer to supplement what they already had could see another realistic top-six push."

 ...We've been basically stripped bare instead.I hate these b'stards killing our Club with a passion.

Going for 1-1 at best here,its like we are starting with a new side(all be it weaker)and its going to take time to gel.

 

 

 

Edited Thursday at 12:50 by SIMON GARNERS 194

[Lancaster Rover]

17 hours ago, RTM08 said:

I feel with the latter's injury record Miller & Carter are going to be a rare sight...

Don't feel this got enough credit, very subtle

[RevidgeBlue]

1 hour ago, Lancaster Rover said:

Don't feel this got enough credit, very subtle

Indeed not.

"Just clip its' horns and wipe its' arse!"

[...]

3 hours ago, Lancaster Rover said:

Don't feel this got enough credit, very subtle

Ah yes. Welldone. 👀 

 

[NeilInBristol]

13 hours ago, Mattyblue said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c4g2x0pzvd4o
 

Apologies if on another thread somewhere.

Excellent article thanks for sharing 

i rarely look at BBC as it often seems they don’t report much on us apart from the occasional match report

they keep with their “neutrality “ by not mentioning the elephant in the room 

all those games and minutes of championship experience has gone not because of contracts but because of ambition and leadership 

our club is going one way and it’s the opposite of the ambitions of Wrexham or derby

 

[BRFC.]

3-0 Watford. Good transfer window and kept all their best players 

[ruggles1995]

my predicted 11:
toth
alebiousu miller Wharton ribeiro
          tavares tron
Ryo  cantwell hedges
         Yuki

bench - pickering / carter / taylor / monty / katgbo / gudjohnsen / goalie

I dont see us getting anything better than a draw at the very best. I thought this against hull and we were superb. Still dont see a win. I do wonder if we may just prefer playing away than at home, as i think it might be less pressure for them away. 

[MarkBRFC]

1 minute ago, ruggles1995 said:

 I do wonder if we may just prefer playing away than at home, as i think it might be less pressure for them away. 

If our 10k passive home fans are too much for these poor little lambs then they are probably in the wrong game.

[KentExile]

14 minutes ago, ruggles1995 said:

my predicted 11:
toth
alebiousu miller Wharton ribeiro
          tavares tron
Ryo  cantwell hedges
         Yuki

bench - pickering / carter / taylor / monty / katgbo / gudjohnsen / goalie

I dont see us getting anything better than a draw at the very best. I thought this against hull and we were superb. Still dont see a win. I do wonder if we may just prefer playing away than at home, as i think it might be less pressure for them away. 

You are 2 subs light, it's been 5 from 9 for a few years now, so assuming Baradji doesn't make a Lazarusesc revival, its probably Axel & De Neve or Tyjon (assuming Gueye is gone by then, & Pears still in the cold)

Edited yesterday at 11:16 by KentExile

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

33 minutes ago, ruggles1995 said:

my predicted 11:
toth
alebiousu miller Wharton ribeiro
          tavares tron
Ryo  cantwell hedges
         Yuki

bench - pickering / carter / taylor / monty / katgbo / gudjohnsen / goalie

I dont see us getting anything better than a draw at the very best. I thought this against hull and we were superb. Still dont see a win. I do wonder if we may just prefer playing away than at home, as i think it might be less pressure for them away. 

As the Aussie cricketer and ex WW2 fighter pilot Keith Miller once said when he was asked about the pressure of going out to bat in an Ashes test - “ Pressure ? Playing cricket isn’t pressure. Pressure is when you have an ME 109 on your tail and you can’t shake him off ! “ 

Edited yesterday at 11:34 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[Bohinen1983]

We aren't winning this one either

 

GK: Toth
DC: Carter
DC: Wharton
DC: Miller
LWB:  Morishita
RWB: Alesiou

MC: Trondstadt
MC: Cantwell
MC: Anyone other than Tavares

ST: Ohashi
ST: Gudjohnsen

I wonder if Hedges could do a job in the middle?

[London blue]

We have 3 CBs, we simply do not have the option of playing 3 at the back. 

We've hamstrung ourselves.

Can't see a win at Watford. Maybe a draw.

[Bohinen1983]

28 minutes ago, London blue said:

We have 3 CBs, we simply do not have the option of playing 3 at the back. 

We've hamstrung ourselves.

Can't see a win at Watford. Maybe a draw.

You're right, it's not pretty is it..

So back four

Toth

Ribiero 
Aliesou
Carter
Wharton

Trondstadt
Henrikson (Looks shit but I really don't like Tavares)

Hedges
Cantwell
Morishita

Gudjohnson

 

[London blue]

That's what I'd go for. Tavares scares me.

Hedges deserves to retain his place and Gudjohnson seems like the type who might thrive in being thrown straight in.

[DeeCee]

If they aren't injured/fatigued from international duties.

[rigger]

13 hours ago, London blue said:

We have 3 CBs, we simply do not have the option of playing 3 at the back. 

We've hamstrung ourselves.

Can't see a win at Watford. Maybe a draw.

We do have the option of playing three at the back, until one of the three get injured or suspended. It is a risky strategy, but it is available. If VI does choose this plan, and it is successful, happy days. If not then he will have to try another plan.  

Edited 6 hours ago by rigger

[roversfan99]

Very much a case of trying to cobble together a side to minimise the obvious weaknesses in the squad.

Toth

Alebiosu Carter Wharton Pickering

TGH Tronstad

Miroshita Cantwell Hedges

Gudjohnsen

Tavares has looked sub par so give TGH a game. Pickering is IMO better than Ribeiro. Ohashi has not started the season like the refreshed goalscorer some predicted so stick Gudjohnsen straight in.

And how we are going into games selecting Hedges still shows up recruitment. 

Bets on how long it will take one of the 2 centre backs to pull up. Cant see past a home win but hope they surprise me.

[BankEnd Rover]

I agree with Rovers99 team .

TGH seems like a workhorse so definitely starts ahead of Tavares. I'd 100% throw Gudjohnsson straight in, doesn't look short of match fitness and looks more athletic than Ohashi.

Looking forward to seeing what Morishita brings...Think our front 4, will work well together, with Kargbo coming on for Hedges to bring some energy.

Overall we don't look a bad team, just obvious lack of depth.

Take a draw here.