v Stoke City (h) - 4/10/25, k/o 12:30pm

[simongarnerisgod]

running out of patience with gudjonson,it appears he cant even do the basics,i know he`s new to engliah football but controlling a football and being aware of where you are is a basic skill

pretty even game with plenty of chances for both teams,kudos to de neve for coming and looking dangerous instead of a liablility,bit worried about ribeiro,thats twice in a week he`s been at fault for goals,getting the wrong side of your opponent is terrible tbh

 

[superniko]

1 hour ago, neophox said:

Wilder cant stop Sheffield U losing..

Wait until we play them in a few games time. Roll up, Roll up

[Exiled_Rover]

1 minute ago, simongarnerisgod said:

running out of patience with gudjonson,it appears he cant even do the basics,i know he`s new to engliah football but controlling a football and being aware of where you are is a basic skill

pretty even game with plenty of chances for both teams,kudos to de neve for coming and looking dangerous instead of a liablility,bit worried about ribeiro,thats twice in a week he`s been at fault for goals,getting the wrong side of your opponent is terrible tbh

 

After two games? Bloody hell. 

[simongarnerisgod]

2 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

After two games? Bloody hell. 

if you can`t control a football then you have a serious problem at this level,he awareness is lacking as well,maybe the english game is to fast for him

[...]

6 minutes ago, simongarnerisgod said:

running out of patience with gudjonson,it appears he cant even do the basics,i know he`s new to engliah football but controlling a football and being aware of where you are is a basic skill

pretty even game with plenty of chances for both teams,kudos to de neve for coming and looking dangerous instead of a liablility,bit worried about ribeiro,thats twice in a week he`s been at fault for goals,getting the wrong side of your opponent is terrible tbh

 

Lads barely played 😆

[roverblue]

Generally really disappointed in that performance but the last 15 minutes redeemed it somewhat. In the end we could have won with a bit more luck in front of goal.

That first half was atrocious with the ball we looked so negative and nobody was showing for it or making runs behind apart from Cantwell.

The attacking signings are all looking complete duds, Gudjohnsen and Morishita totally anonymous again can’t even do the basics.

The two centre mids sit far too deep all game, one of them needs to run between the lines or carry the ball. A lot of hope on Baradji being this sort of player as we are crying out for one.

Defensive signings all look decent thankfully, Miller MotM today.

The subs made by Ismael finally made a difference today as well and rescued us a point. De Neve and Yuki can start over Gudjohnsen and Morishita for me next game.

 

[JHRover]

The likes of Stoke and Preston aren't that good, they're just doing what we did last season - got off to a good start by virtue of having a united setup, good organisation, being hard to beat and carrying momentum.

We did everything we possibly could as a club to stop and derail that - making the manager's position untenable, failing to strengthen in January, running out of steam, appointing a mediocre (if being kind) manager to pick up the job from February onwards.

I can guarantee Preston and Stoke will at least try to stay in the top 6.

[MarkBRFC]

11 minutes ago, Penwortham Blue said:

I know it feels highly unlikely but  statistically at least we are long overdue a win at Coventry 🙏 

Haven't won a league game in Coventry since 1992.

Early days but Gudjohnsen looks dreadful to me, and Morishita has had a rotten week.

Glad to get the point, thought our perseverance and the way we dug in we were good value for a point.

Seen absolutely nothing to change my pre season prediction of finishing in the bottom 6 though.

[JHRover]

2 hours ago, AvRover said:

Yep, and that was us 12 months ago. You need the raw quality for, say, top 4 but an average team can bungle top 6 (like Blackpool and Huddersfield)

We just happen to be one of the teams that is on for a poor season unless this squad gels and improves with time. 13th-15th at best.

At the end of the day the club is in purgatory, relegation and collapse to League Two like Bolton might be the best thing for the club to shock it out of stasis and force Venkys to sell.

I seriously doubt anyone would see a viable business model in the club and actively want to buy it though. Clubs in the South East like Bournemouth, Brentford, Brighton are much better 'franchises' to invest in.

Agree save for the last part. In the last 5-10 years people have bought all manner of clubs in all sorts of divisions. In the North West all of B*rnley, Bolton, Wigan, Stockport ,Salford, Everton, Blackpool, Wrexham have been taken over by wealthy people wanting to invest in football and only one of those is bigger than Rovers. 

[Tomphil2]

12 minutes ago, simongarnerisgod said:

running out of patience with gudjonson,it appears he cant even do the basics,i know he`s new to engliah football but controlling a football and being aware of where you are is a basic skill

pretty even game with plenty of chances for both teams,kudos to de neve for coming and looking dangerous instead of a liablility,bit worried about ribeiro,thats twice in a week he`s been at fault for goals,getting the wrong side of your opponent is terrible tbh

 

He's having a mare so far but must have something about scoring goals at International level for a minnow team.

We need to be careful here and remember George Hirst once he found his feet at Ipswich.

So far though this lad looks worse than Telavic.

[Lancaster Rover]

3 hours ago, superniko said:

Can’t remember the Blackburn End was that empty for a home league match too. Very depressing time to be a Rovers fan 

Totally agree but I bet there would have been a fair number (like me) who travel in sacked it off rather than sit soaked for a few hours and the drive home 

[JHRover]

1 hour ago, CaptainBeanfart said:

This is so far off the truth. They were in the Premier League and had qualified for Europe the year that foreign owners bought them. We'd have to do something similar to be appealing to foreign money. 

Ok. So how about Wrexham, Birmingham, Forest, Wolves, West Brom, Leicester, Norwich, Ipswich, QPR, Portsmouth, Cardiff, Swansea, Sheff Wed, Sheff Utd, Barnsley, Huddersfield, Reading, Watford or Charlton

All taken over by 'foreign money' in recent years none of whom were in the Premier League at the time

[roversfan99]

Ultimately its another poor result that leaves us with less points that games played in what is a start that at any other club would leave the manager in massive jeapordy. The fixtures we have had have been favourable and results very poor.

For the first hour we were crap. Gudjohnsen looks like a dud of a panic buy and I dont know why he started again.

The 2 wingers that came on made a difference. Fair play to Kargbo in particular. Hedges seems to now be someone that plays the full game regardless.

[Crimpshrine]

Good fight back at the end and, surprisingly, it was the players off the bench that made a difference.

I say surprisingly because I think our lack of depth in the squad will be a big problem this season. I can't remember in recent times when we didn't have a collapse in the latter stages of the season. We have always been in a reasonable enough position to survive - though it was extremely close two years ago. 

If we have our usual collapse this year while we are still in the lower reaches then we will be in trouble.

[danger19_80]

35 minutes ago, simongarnerisgod said:

if you can`t control a football then you have a serious problem at this level,he awareness is lacking as well,maybe the english game is to fast for him

He scored 2 goals against France 

[norwichblue]

Just watched the highlights. My god how does Gudjohnson not score there. That’s twice this week he’s fumbled sitters. 

Nice assist from Cantwell and tidy from Kargbo.

pleased with a point in the grand scheme of things 

[chaddyrovers]

53 minutes ago, Penwortham Blue said:

I know it feels highly unlikely but  statistically at least we are long overdue a win at Coventry 🙏 

Good point. I take a point now

29 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Ultimately its another poor result that leaves us with less points that games played in what is a start that at any other club would leave the manager in massive jeapordy. The fixtures we have had have been favourable and results very poor.

For the first hour we were crap. Gudjohnsen looks like a dud of a panic buy and I dont know why he started again.

The 2 wingers that came on made a difference. Fair play to Kargbo in particular. Hedges seems to now be someone that plays the full game regardless.

How is today result a poor one considering we were 1 nil behind? 

How were we crap when we created 2 great chances to score(Cantwell and Gudjohnsen) first half? 

Gudjohnsen looks like a dud after 2 starts? Woah. Show much for patience and give him some leeway given he been a month. I despair and your lack of understanding that he needs time to settle in, learn what Ismael, etc. Just imagine if you moved away and different country wouldn't you expect people to give you some time and patience to adapt to a new country and what your new manager wanted from you? 

Hedges very good today. Disagree? 

[Andy]

At the risk of repeating what's already been said, Cantwell was fantastic and we'd be in a real mess without him this season.

De Neve was very good when he came on, hopefully plays himself into the team on that performance.

Toth and the CBs kept us in it when Stoke had their spell on top - Ryan A also doing his bit.
But once the momentum changed and certainly towards the end of the game, Rovers were the only team winning today.

However, a poor quality game with 2 poor sides; we need a different approach - whether tactics, manager or whatever else.
If we're not beating teams like Stoke at home, it's going to be a long old season.

Edited 3 hours ago by Andy

[Paul Mellelieu]

I thought watching live that the Gudjohnson chance was slightly behind him and skipped up off the surface, making it a tricky chance.

[bazza]

From what I've seen so far, Gueye has more footballing ability in his big toe than Gudjohnson has in his entire body. Why oh why did we let Harry Leonard go?

Hedges is playing very well this season. I've tried to find info on Baradji with very little success. I bet he's a no-hoper as well.

Long awful season ahead

[M_B]

2 minutes ago, Paul Mellelieu said:

I thought watching live that the Gudjohnson chance was slightly behind him and skipped up off the surface, making it a tricky chance.

I said the same, looked a strange one but haven't seen it back.

 

[Andy]

2 minutes ago, Paul Mellelieu said:

I thought watching live that the Gudjohnson chance was slightly behind him and skipped up off the surface, making it a tricky chance.

You might have a point, but watching on telly today, he'd done the hard bit of getting into good space at the back post - and the cross was floated well enough.

He just didn't adjust his body in time to get a shot away.

That said, I think there's a player in there and it's mental to be writing him off after a couple of games.

[Paul Mellelieu]

Worth noting how high-spending Derby with their top-tier coach are getting on.....

[M_B]

5 minutes ago, Andy said:

At the risk of repeating what's already been said, Cantwell was fantastic and we'd be in a real mess without him this season.

De Neve was very good when he came on, hopefully plays himself into the team on that performance.

Toth and the CBs kept us in it when Stoke had their spell on top - Ryan A also doing his bit.
But once the momentum changed and certainly towards the end of the game, Rovers were the only team winning today.

However, a poor quality game with 2 poor sides; we need a different approach - whether tactics, manager or whatever else.
If we're not beating teams like Stoke at home, it's going to be a long old season.

The tactics have had us in fantastic scoring positions to win both of the last 2 games, it's the finishing, or rather lack of , which has cost us. 

[JamieUK]

58 minutes ago, JHRover said:

The likes of Stoke and Preston aren't that good, they're just doing what we did last season - got off to a good start by virtue of having a united setup, good organisation, being hard to beat and carrying momentum.

We did everything we possibly could as a club to stop and derail that - making the manager's position untenable, failing to strengthen in January, running out of steam, appointing a mediocre (if being kind) manager to pick up the job from February onwards.

I can guarantee Preston and Stoke will at least try to stay in the top 6.

I watched North End's first half. They're benefiting from having an established (for this league anyway) manager who's had chance to build a style of play. It also helps that despite having a turnover of transfers not far off Rovers-level over the summer, of the 12 they've brought in 11 were UK based.

They've spent far less yet their recruitment has been much better.