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

[USABlue]

10 hours ago, superniko said:

Hmmm pushed a few straight back into the box today - just that Stoke don’t really have a striker with instinct

Agree, that I think he’s a decent keeper though, and clearly better than Calamity 

So there was no danger then? did not lead to a goal like so many of Ainsleys did.  Not the finished article but better than Pears by some way 

[DaveyB]

Not a bad result to say that we played the first half with 9 men, Gudjohnsen & Morishita were completely anonymous and ineffective (tbh that’s probably being generous to TGH, so it was actually more like 8.5 men)

I was sat throughout the first half thinking that, if this is the way that the manager wants us to play - long balls into (and more often than not, over) the front man, then Gueye would be a much better option than either Gudjohnsen or Yuki - I don’t understand why he’s not been given a chance.

And, if I was Cantwell I’d be banging down my agent’s door demanding he get me out of here - he is so far above the rest of the team it’s almost laughable. And I’m not convinced that it’s that he’s improved massively from last season, I think it’s more that the rest of the squad has just got so much worse. 

Unfortunately I can’t see anything other than us going down with a whimper this season. I was talking with some dingle mates tonight and I think the only interest this season, for any of us, is which of us gets a lower points total in our respective leagues. 

[USABlue]

10 hours ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Completely disagree there.

Properly run we're no less attractive a proposition than any other non parachute team trying to get into the PL They're all a licence to lose shitloads of money.

We should be a good proposition, been there done that and were holding our own in the top league until these pretenders came along.  Should show any potential owner what we are capable if under good stewardship it's just these idiots will never sell.  Their exit strategy is to manage us down till there is no club left to own.  Another Bury?

[USABlue]

7 hours ago, Tomphil2 said:

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.

We missed a trick not starting him immediately after his first two sub appearances, he looked sharp and high on confidence seems to have ebbed with the wait.

[Ghost7]

47 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Your point was about backing him, getting behind him and not getting on his back.

Even if you disagree with the opinion you shared or other opinions, it doesnt mean that the poster or indeed anyone doesnt back him when he puts on the shirt.

 

I'm not sure what you're trying to achieve here? Fans (in the ground and on here) are already on his back after about a game and a half. I heard someone insist he was a dud 30 minutes in. Spreading negativity about a player when they've hardly seen them play isn't backing them - neither is writing insulting comments online like we've seen tonight.

Some of the reactions to Gudjohnsen are irrational, too soon and are well beyond being critical, so I'm glad the people making them aren't anywhere near the training ground.

My only real point was we're guilty of trying to judge players too soon... it's a fair and reasonable point. Certainly feels it since some are already ruling him out.

Szmodics should be enough to make everyone think twice. Brereton too.

[USABlue]

7 hours ago, M_B said:

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

 

Was a difficult one for sure, he was also in oerfect oosition tonscore but the cross in to him was dog shit and he could not get there a yard and a half further back and he's on the scoresheet.

[USABlue]

5 hours ago, simongarnerisgod said:

allibiouso.cantwell and toth will all be attracting suitors in january,cantwell especially looks a class apart this season,no doubt  the ghastly duo are already planning the annual january destruction

I think they will hang a for sale sign round Whartons neck too.  Hence the contract bump and slow comeback.

[USABlue]

What irritated me today and leads me to believe we are just not very football savvy and that our leaders aren't too clever.  We had 4ft 9 attackers up against 6ft 15 behemoths in Stokes middle defence.  So knowing this what do we do?  Send in high looping balls to the middle, just meat and drink for Stoke allows them time too.  Surely low or lowish and hard is the way to go preferably in an area that has the defenders turning tontheir goal. Similar to the cross that was just too far ahead of Gudjohnsen so he was not able to get to.  That ilk of cross.  These are the types of crosses that give big defenders fits and allow drop downs, force mistakes and 2nd balls for our lil demons to get on to.  This should not be hard but it is alien to our lot.  Someone mention the same about Millers throws, yes, without BigMac we just can not win those high arcing balls.

Edited 8 hours ago by USABlue

[joey_big_nose]

37 minutes ago, DaveyB said:

Not a bad result to say that we played the first half with 9 men, Gudjohnsen & Morishita were completely anonymous and ineffective (tbh that’s probably being generous to TGH, so it was actually more like 8.5 men)

I was sat throughout the first half thinking that, if this is the way that the manager wants us to play - long balls into (and more often than not, over) the front man, then Gueye would be a much better option than either Gudjohnsen or Yuki - I don’t understand why he’s not been given a chance.

And, if I was Cantwell I’d be banging down my agent’s door demanding he get me out of here - he is so far above the rest of the team it’s almost laughable. And I’m not convinced that it’s that he’s improved massively from last season, I think it’s more that the rest of the squad has just got so much worse. 

Unfortunately I can’t see anything other than us going down with a whimper this season. I was talking with some dingle mates tonight and I think the only interest this season, for any of us, is which of us gets a lower points total in our respective leagues. 

I've been impressed with how Cantwell has got more engaged and comitted as the situation at Rovers got more difficult. The opposite to what I expected. But maybe he is a player who is inspired by trying to dig the team out of a hole. 

He doesn't look like a player who is looking to get out. Part of that he probably knows he's crashed out of several clubs now so needs to redeem himself to some extent to get his career to move forward. 

Some of his close control and passing today was really top drawer. I could take or leave him last year, but this year he looks very very good. 

On why Gueye hasn't been given a chance - my guess is Gueye is not a good at sticking to a managers tactical instructions (particularly pressing), in terrible form and is demotivated and difficult to work with. Understandably this really doesn't work for Ismael who therefore won't play him and would rather swap him out of the club for someone who does what he wants, and they tried in the summer. That didn't come to fruition so Gueye is hanging around.

What is obvious if we are going to get anything out of Gueye we are going to have to adapt the system to him a bit. I don't think Ismael is the sort of guy who has that flexibility unfortunately imo. He's more "my way or the high way".... So expect him to get a few minutes here or there and then leave in January. 

Shame as I reckon the right sort of manager would get a lot out of him. Big Sam for one. Would get him motivated, find the right way to use his physical dominance etc.

Edited 8 hours ago by joey_big_nose

[roversfan99]

54 minutes ago, Ghost7 said:

 

I'm not sure what you're trying to achieve here? Fans (in the ground and on here) are already on his back after about a game and a half. I heard someone insist he was a dud 30 minutes in. Spreading negativity about a player when they've hardly seen them play isn't backing them - neither is writing insulting comments online like we've seen tonight.

Some of the reactions to Gudjohnsen are irrational, too soon and are well beyond being critical, so I'm glad the people making them aren't anywhere near the training ground.

My only real point was we're guilty of trying to judge players too soon... it's a fair and reasonable point. Certainly feels it since some are already ruling him out.

Szmodics should be enough to make everyone think twice. Brereton too.

Commenting on here is the equivalent of chatting to people down the pub. Its a safe space to give opinions as we go, positive or negative, game by game.

The fans in the ground were simply not on his back today, the whole team was backed throughout even at 1 down. Even if you heard people muttering to the person next to them, thats basically on par with on here/down the pub.

If you think the opinions you quoted are wrong, or irrational, then fine. If you think people should totally withold opinion until the player has been here for a period of time, again thats fine, although that only seems to work one way, as if a player starts well, take Alebiosu, you dont get people shutting them down by saying hold off, he might turn out to be rubbish in time. 

But none of the above means that the players wont be backed in the ground. Im not having that Gudjohnsen hasnt been backed in the ground. The aspect of your opinions that I dont agree with is that he isnt being backed. He is, and even if people criticise him either on here, down the pub or even muttering to the person next to him, thats not the same.

Ive never seen the problem with discussing a player no matter how early he is into his time here, good or bad. Its ultimately based on first impressions. Take Miroshita, his performance v Watford in his first start got widespread praise, hes been invisible since. Sometimes a first impression will be wrong, thats fine, but it doesnt mean people shouldnt give them, IMO.

 

[philipl]

Not seen it except the 2 minutes highlights which suggest Toth made decent saves and directed the ball away from trouble. He would have saved the goal looking at how he had come out to block except for the looped deflection.

Robbins seems to think Stoke were at serious risk of losing that game. They would have been nicely tucked in behind the top 3 had they held on.

I was very impressed by Gudjonsson at Watford. Thought he was going to be on a level with Cantwell on that performance.

Good to read Miller, de Neve and Kargbo played well while on the pitch. Kargbo could easily have fluffed his goal and kept his cool giving the Stoke defence and keeper no chance with his placement.

Given the overwhelmingly negative sentiment on here and lack of mention of his name, I take it McLoughin must have been pretty decent...

Pitch looked great despite having been submerged by the River Darwen and suffered a biblical storm in the previous 24 hours.

Edited 6 hours ago by philipl

[RevidgeBlue]

4 hours ago, USABlue said:

So there was no danger then? did not lead to a goal like so many of Ainsleys did.  Not the finished article but better than Pears by some way 

Come off it - Toth didnt know there wasn't going to be any danger before he patted the ball out.

[RevidgeBlue]

6 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

Look at my original point Rev. I said we spent around 10m which including reinvesting of money from sales given the original budget was 5m

You're playing with words to make it sound like we spent a lot of money in the last window chaddy.

We didnt "spend £10m" we ended up with a net surplus of £1 - £2m.

I accept that was still better than what we all expected ie. the top earners would be sold and no money spent at all but we have still sold our higher earners and Alebiosu apart bought in Inferior players on lower wages.

[lraC]

6 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

Look at my original point Rev. I said we spent around 10m which including reinvesting of money from sales given the original budget was 5m

I didn’t realise we have spent as much as that and thought, much of the business in was  undisclosed .

Genuine question, is this based on assumptions or do we know for sure what We paid for each new signing?

[chaddyrovers]

1 hour ago, RevidgeBlue said:

You're playing with words to make it sound like we spent a lot of money in the last window chaddy.

We didnt "spend £10m" we ended up with a net surplus of £1 - £2m.

I accept that was still better than what we all expected ie. the top earners would be sold and no money spent at all but we have still sold our higher earners and Alebiosu apart bought in Inferior players on lower wages.

We did alot of money compared to previous seasons. That was my point. Sadly some of you are trying mixing up what I said with others things which I never said. 

Your other points are right and valid but I never mentioned them. 

[chaddyrovers]

1 hour ago, lraC said:

I didn’t realise we have spent as much as that and thought, much of the business in was  undisclosed .

Genuine question, is this based on assumptions or do we know for sure what We paid for each new signing?

Plenty of sources out there. Transfermarkt has our down for around 10m euros spend.

Different media sources on line from selling clubs have the reported fees. Etc, etc, etc

For example 

 

 

Im not going through twitter looking for each one. 

Edited 2 hours ago by chaddyrovers

[USABlue]

2 hours ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Come off it - Toth didnt know there wasn't going to be any danger before he patted the ball out.

True most likely but, how could we know. As a keeper he should be aware of danger being present or not but bottom line is no goals from it right.  To my point he's better than Ainsley at the moment, by a ways in my opinion.  Your opinion is different, wrong but different.  I just don't believe you can't see it Rev that's all.  I can't be wrong now can I?  Funny thing is my wife even mentioned it today and she is not that up on footy.

On a separate note.  Is this Baradji signing taining at all, is he in re-hab what the heck is his status.  I have not seen anything on him at all really.

Edited 2 hours ago by USABlue

[lraC]

19 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Plenty of sources out there. Transfermarkt has our down for around 10m euros spend.

Different media sources on line from selling clubs have the reported fees. Etc, etc, etc

For example 

 

 

Im not going through twitter looking for each one. 

Im not asking you to go through Twitter. I had it in my head that we spent around £5m and brought around £10m in, but Thats based on the sales as they were made, signings as the came in and my memory.

If Transfer market is correct that £8.5m but does it mention our sales on there too?

Not having a go by the way, just wondered if you knew, so thanks. 

[B16Rover]

Just on Kargbo being surprisingly composed today, he played a nice through ball to Ohashi at some point.  Similar to his one to hedges was it?

[chaddyrovers]

16 minutes ago, lraC said:

Im not asking you to go through Twitter. I had it in my head that we spent around £5m and brought around £10m in, but Thats based on the sales as they were made, signings as the came in and my memory.

If Transfer market is correct that £8.5m but does it mention our sales on there too?

Not having a go by the way, just wondered if you knew, so thanks. 

Morishita and Gudjohnsen deal each were around 2m each. 

The original budget was £5m according to what was said during the fans forum and the podcast later on done..

We clearly investing more and reinvest some of the sales money. That's was my point. 

Its mention around 5m but Travis fee has question mark. From what was reported from certain sources provided probably around 10 to 12m. 

[47er]

1 minute ago, chaddyrovers said:

Morishita and Gudjohnsen deal each were around 2m each. 

The original budget was £5m according to what was said during the fans forum and the podcast later on done..

We clearly investing more and reinvest some of the sales money. That's was my point. 

Its mention around 5m but Travis fee has question mark. From what was reported from certain sources provided probably around 10 to 12m. 

Venkys aren't putting money in are they?  We have to sell to buy and we can't buy at the same price as we sell.

No future with that.

If you're not prepared to put in or can't afford it---SELL!

[ruggles1995]

I’m putting myself in the category who thought that was not good enough yesterday . What I watched was massively worrying. Until de neve came on it was massively worrying. A team that did not look championship level. Apart from cantwell there really is an alarming lack of quality. The turnover of the football is embarrassing, it’s not about possession but it’s about what you do with the ball what the game plan is, you can have possession football, you can have non possession football and you can play both those ways on purpose, but we can’t make 3 passes together most the time. Goal kicks are practically giving the opposition the ball back, I must of counted way too many times a goal kick gives the ball back to the opposition whether it’s a long goal kick or whether it’s short goal kick where toth chips a hospital ball to alebiousu. Apart from de neve who came on and morishita, nobody seems to have any technical ability to actually cross a football. It’s very easy to just pass through us because our pressing is abysmal. The long throws we try time and time and time again. We’ve had 1 long throw that’s worked this season which was in this game and that’s only because nobody won the header, how about mixing it up. We can’t take set pieces, and if the ball does go in the box nobody can win a header. We look worrying defending set pieces, and our goalkeeper doesn’t come off his line. 
the only time we looked a threat before de neve came on is if stoke gave us the opportunity to. We had no cm as backup on the bench yesterday. The lack of technical ability in our side and lack of depth is so bad I really worry. If it wasn’t for cantwell having some bit of magic we don’t score yesterday. 
it’s hard to tell whether Andri up front is good or bad, the lack of anyone able to get near him because we’re so deep in defending because we aren’t good enough to press in a good shape or because we’re all running around hard chasing shadows because we keep giving the ball away that when he does get any action he’s feeding off scraps because we don’t create a thing and that he’s spent 40 minutes doing doggy’s chasing shadows he’s probably tired. Or he’s just not good enough I don’t know. But apart from morishitas cross all he did was just run to the left cb or right cb or chase down a hopeless pass/punt forward to him. 
I watched yesterday thinking, we can’t cross a ball, we can’t take set pieces, we can’t make enough patterns of play where we make 3 + passes together, keep turning over possession we are constantly chasing the ball. We won’t seem to have any really individual quality apart from maybe 2 players. Stoke for example could have been rubbish but you know cresswell or thomas might just put in a decent set piece that will decide the game. Or have that moment of quality. I just think when you struggle to be able to do the basics and keeping being sloppy with the ball you aren’t going to go very far. I mean it was a lot better when de neve came on but when balls are falling to players like tronstad on the 18 yard line you already know for all that hard effort we won’t score unless it falls to maybe 1 or 2. You know the long throw pressure will probably turn into an opposition attack. You know if we get into a crossing position the ball probably won’t be a first man or the cross will turn into an opposition attack because of the lack of quality. 
 

for me the only positive from that game is that it’s opened up a door for a partnership of de neve and hedges, they worked very well together. Rather than just relying on alebiousu to gallop down one side and pitching wedge a cross in, we can maybe now have something down the left wing a bit with a full back and a winger that are happy to get forward. But boy are we hoping baradji can actually Get fit and have something about him. Hickman and tronstad do ok cm but they are limited, you need a 3rd option. People can say draws a good result, to me it’s an alarming performance. A good last 25. That’s my opinion. Let’s hope it improves 

Edited 1 hour ago by ruggles1995

[Tomphil2]

7 hours ago, USABlue said:

We missed a trick not starting him immediately after his first two sub appearances, he looked sharp and high on confidence seems to have ebbed with the wait.

It was odd considering he'd just scored a few at International level but lets be honest here we should have invested in a proper centre forward.

It's fools errand again all this development bollocks because how much combined has Gueye, this lad and one or two others cost and combined their wages ?

Probably the same or more than the initial fees on Szmodics or Armstrong or Dack for example. The best way to actually develop other players is having quality in the side who can carry it and provide a platform for others to develop under less pressure.

A Rhodes, a Graham, a Sammy means the team keeps picking up points even if it's floundering in other areas. They don't seem to want that though they'd rather have 4 cheapies and keep rotating hoping something clicks and someone becomes worth more money.

Which proven players with a bit of pedigree and investment do anyway !

Edited 1 hour ago by Tomphil2

[rigger]

8 hours ago, DaveyB said:

Not a bad result to say that we played the first half with 9 men, Gudjohnsen & Morishita were completely anonymous and ineffective (tbh that’s probably being generous to TGH, so it was actually more like 8.5 men)

I was sat throughout the first half thinking that, if this is the way that the manager wants us to play - long balls into (and more often than not, over) the front man, then Gueye would be a much better option than either Gudjohnsen or Yuki - I don’t understand why he’s not been given a chance.

And, if I was Cantwell I’d be banging down my agent’s door demanding he get me out of here - he is so far above the rest of the team it’s almost laughable. And I’m not convinced that it’s that he’s improved massively from last season, I think it’s more that the rest of the squad has just got so much worse. 

Unfortunately I can’t see anything other than us going down with a whimper this season. I was talking with some dingle mates tonight and I think the only interest this season, for any of us, is which of us gets a lower points total in our respective leagues. 

?

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

11 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

Very tough game. Wish it was next weekend 

They will do us big style,and we stay near the bottom.

Going to be pergatory this Season..150th and all that.