v Sheffield Wednesday (a) - 29/12/2025

[bluebruce]

20 hours ago, bazza said:

He's in India trying to persuade our owners to stop their boycott of Ewood Park

I can't imagine him trying to get them to do anything they don't want to.

[steved]

2 hours ago, Gav said:

As Ruggles said above, the distain for Cantwell at times was bonkers last night, what are these people expecting? He's the only bit of quality in that side, but he isn't Messi!

He's also carrying an injury, as is Hedges.  If the squad were not so thin I doubt we would have seen either of them last night.

[roversinmyblood]

5 hours ago, BankEnd Rover said:

I've seen a few negative comments on Pratt...Thought he looked good again last night and still think he's superior to the other two seniors...He carried the ball into space nicely a few times last night...Considering his experience, he's doing brilliantly.

Yes and he’s the best passer of the ball of all the back five. 

[chaddyrovers]

4 hours ago, Penwortham Blue said:

Ishmael has made his point and unless Big Mak is close to a move that will deliver some cash or even get him off the wage bill, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him start against Hollywood FC.

Why would he start Gueye? 

[RevidgeBlue]

Seen a couple of calls for Pratt and Litherland to be loaned out.

Insanity, they're our two best players at the moment.

[Penwortham Blue]

11 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Why would he start Gueye? 

Because we have literally no goal scoring threat and need to win the next match, he needs a plan B and I just think he doesn’t have many options.

Edited 6 hours ago by Penwortham Blue

[Penwortham Blue]

4 hours ago, ruggles1995 said:

alot of frustration around where i sat in the crowd last night (rightly so I know). But I heard one guy say we should win like 5-0.... come on, we are 17th... We dont score many from set pieces, and bar cantwell and maybe yuki nobody else realistically is a goalscorer, and even cantwell and yuki are barely goalscorers on their rovers records. I told my misses on the way up last night "are you ready for a 0-0 draw" (driving 3.5 hours up knowing what we were probably in for). I was gitted like everyone but hardly surpsied at the result. Ive no idea when our next goal may come tbf, without Gudjohnsen, we havent exactly got the group of players thats going to score 3 goals in a game, and scoring 1 doesnt even look that likely. Yuki is the type of player if you gave him 10 one on ones, you wouldn't be surprised if he only scored 1. Also Cantwell was getting a bit of abuse around me to, and I watch and think hes the only person that can do anything with the football, he cant do it all, were asking him to be dropping deep and then be in the 10 position. Others around him have to step up but there aren't exactly goals going to be flooding from whats available. Going to be a painful watch until we\if get some forwards in. You can maybe try and give the players ideas on a training pitch but sometimes when you've got certain players that aren't exactly attacking players its going to be difficult. 
Players that aren't scorers:
Miller, Mcloughlin, Pratt, Litherland, Hedges, tronstad, Baraji, then your relying on 3 players to create something; henriksen (who is playing out of position, not played championship football), Yuki(not prolific), cantwell(has not been prolific for us since joining bar penalties). Sheff weds drew to hull at the weekend, we have no divine right to go and win 5-0. We had 3 or 4 alright chances last night and didnt take them, and if your only creating that many real chances with a group that aren't prolific i wouldnt be surprised we've drawn 0-0. Hopefully we can work on some more set pieces because when you aren't great at scoring in open play they are the get out of jail cards. Sadly id take a draw against wrexham, cant see us scoring more than 1 saturday, and i can see them scoring at least 1. 

Good post that. I was hoping that we might win last night but I certainly wasn’t expecting to and in all honesty, i really thought we might lose it, would have been absolutely typical Rovers of recent years.

[roversfan99]

44 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Seen a couple of calls for Pratt and Litherland to be loaned out.

Insanity, they're our two best players at the moment.

I think with Pratt, I understand it much less. 

With Litherland, he has done very well but the question is, where does he play? He isn't a wing back and as respectable a job as he has done, especially in this formation, we need a more attacking and direct alternative to Alebiosu who we really miss.

Scott Wharton came through and like Litherland, wasn't fully physically developed at that point. Regular game time in his natural position could really enhance his development in his natural position.

[GHD]

53 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Seen a couple of calls for Pratt and Litherland to be loaned out.

Insanity, they're our two best players at the moment.

Yeah some fans have a blind spot to talent

[chaddyrovers]

52 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Seen a couple of calls for Pratt and Litherland to be loaned out.

Insanity, they're our two best players at the moment.

daft move to do so. Pratt has been doing very well and Litherland has done excellent so far. Pointless and stupid to loan them out. instead of keep signing another right wing back just use him and similar with Powell at left wing back. We can use our academy more instead of looking for another signing 

42 minutes ago, Penwortham Blue said:

Because we have literally no goal scoring threat and need to win the next match, he needs a plan B and I just think he doesn’t have many options.

Gueye isn't a good scoring threat. I would put Joseph on the bench, been scoring in the under 21's 

[Tomphil2]

I looked at Pratt last night and thought this lad could be a gem he looks so comfortable as if hes been playing at this level 12 months.

Cannot understand how some of our braindeads judge players at times it's just pure scapegoat stuff.

Does he give the ball away more than the much more seasoned Aussie international next to him ?

No i don't think he does.

[RevidgeBlue]

2 minutes ago, Tomphil2 said:

I looked at Pratt last night and thought this lad could be a gem he looks so comfortable as if hes been playing at this level 12 months.

Cannot understand how some of our braindeads judge players at times it's just pure scapegoat stuff.

Does he give the ball away more than the much more seasoned Aussie international next to him ?

No i don't think he does.

People generally  tend to dismiss Academy talent as not being as good as dross that has been signed for money.

[Penwortham Blue]

9 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

daft move to do so. Pratt has been doing very well and Litherland has done excellent so far. Pointless and stupid to loan them out. instead of keep signing another right wing back just use him and similar with Powell at left wing back. We can use our academy more instead of looking for another signing 

Gueye isn't a good scoring threat. I would put Joseph on the bench, been scoring in the under 21's 

I suggested that Joseph be on bench a few matches back but obviously the Manager didn’t take my suggestion up !

[chaddyrovers]

9 minutes ago, Tomphil2 said:

I looked at Pratt last night and thought this lad could be a gem he looks so comfortable as if hes been playing at this level 12 months.

Cannot understand how some of our braindeads judge players at times it's just pure scapegoat stuff.

100% agree. McLoughlin looks more comfortable with him next to him than when Ribeiro was next to him

[Wheelton Blue]

11 minutes ago, Tomphil2 said:

I looked at Pratt last night and thought this lad could be a gem he looks so comfortable as if hes been playing at this level 12 months.

Cannot understand how some of our braindeads judge players at times it's just pure scapegoat stuff.

Does he give the ball away more than the much more seasoned Aussie international next to him ?

No i don't think he does.

Miller often plays us into trouble.

He has a habit of marauding forward, misplacing a pass, finding himself out of position, thus leaving us open to a counter.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

1 minute ago, Wheelton Blue said:

Miller often plays us into trouble.

He has a habit of marauding forward, misplacing a pass, finding himself out of position, thus leaving us open to a counter.

That’s one thing you can’t afford to do if you come out of the back line with the ball at your feet.  You must keep the ball within your team at all costs. 

[Exiled in Toronto Mk2]

2 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

That’s one thing you can’t afford to do if you come out of the back line with the ball at your feet.  You must keep the ball within your team at all costs. 

When Miller focuses on defending and passing it to the nearest teammate, he’s OK. Once he moves forward or attempts a longer pass, he’s non-league imo. Pratt, on the other hand, has an excellent eye for a forward pass and is always showing for / calling for the ball. I’m thinking maybe this lending them out to non-league teams is a good fast-track to getting them toughened up. They should be able to pass after 15 years at a professional club.

[Gav]

31 minutes ago, Tomphil2 said:

I looked at Pratt last night and thought this lad could be a gem he looks so comfortable as if hes been playing at this level 12 months.

Cannot understand how some of our braindeads judge players at times it's just pure scapegoat stuff.

Does he give the ball away more than the much more seasoned Aussie international next to him ?

No i don't think he does.

The lads go plenty about him, I agree. He’s been thrown in at the deep end instead of being slowly introduced, but he’s a player, that’s clear to see.

[roversfan99]

41 minutes ago, Tomphil2 said:

I looked at Pratt last night and thought this lad could be a gem he looks so comfortable as if hes been playing at this level 12 months.

Cannot understand how some of our braindeads judge players at times it's just pure scapegoat stuff.

Does he give the ball away more than the much more seasoned Aussie international next to him ?

No i don't think he does.

I have been impressed by Pratt and probably would have him over McLoughlin if we got someone in the middle. I wouldnt loan him out.

But how is it scapegoating to suggest that a player is loaned out to further their development?

[roversfan99]

47 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

daft move to do so. Pratt has been doing very well and Litherland has done excellent so far. Pointless and stupid to loan them out. instead of keep signing another right wing back just use him and similar with Powell at left wing back. We can use our academy more instead of looking for another signing 

Gueye isn't a good scoring threat. I would put Joseph on the bench, been scoring in the under 21's 

Litherland isnt a right wing back though. 

Theres surely an argument to get a right wing back to compete with Alebiosu that can offer a more natural attacking threat, and then either consider Litherland at centre back or get hin regular game time in that position to allow him to develop similar to Scott Wharton.

[roversfan99]

42 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

People generally  tend to dismiss Academy talent as not being as good as dross that has been signed for money.

This is nonsense. If anything, they are given more scope for error because of the understanding that they are new to first team football. Neither player has been criticised, and correctly too.

Pratt would make no sense to loan out. Litherland isnt a wing back so IMO a more attacking signing (I am not advocating signing "dross) is needed in that position to compete with Alebiosu. That leaves either a decision for Litherland to fight at CB or to play regular football in League 1 or 2 and get toughened up like Scott Wharton did.

No one has ever suggested to sign dross instead either.

[RevidgeBlue]

3 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

This is nonsense. If anything, they are given more scope for error because of the understanding that they are new to first team football. Neither player has been criticised, and correctly too.

Pratt would make no sense to loan out. Litherland isnt a wing back so IMO a more attacking signing (I am not advocating signing "dross) is needed in that position to compete with Alebiosu. That leaves either a decision for Litherland to fight at CB or to play regular football in League 1 or 2 and get toughened up like Scott Wharton did.

No one has ever suggested to sign dross instead either.

Litherland looks a far better player than either Mclaughlin or Miller.

Why loan him out?

[roversfan99]

3 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Litherland looks a far better player than either Mclaughlin or Miller.

Why loan him out?

He hasnt been playing in the same position so hasnt been tested defensively as much.

Id understand more to keep him as an option at CB. 

[bigbrandjohn]

1 hour ago, Penwortham Blue said:

Because we have literally no goal scoring threat and need to win the next match, he needs a plan B and I just think he doesn’t have many options.

I heard a good podcast interview between Jurgen Klopp and Steven Bartlett.
Jurgen explained the importance of motivating players individually and if they are not cutting it in training there is usually a reason that needs to managed individually. There are rules for everyone and then individual motivation depending on personal situations
I may be wrong but I don’t get the feeling that Ishmael is a touchy feely type of motivator. More of a my way or the highway. Aka route nationale 
 

 

[rovers11]

Tyjon is being badly advised if he thinks going to Arsenal is best for his career. An immediate increase in earnings, yes, but at the expense of developing his game long term.

He'll never play for Arsenal, who will ship him out on loan after loan, just as Spurs do with Phillips (who can't get a game for Stoke). The guy who went to Newcastle (who's name I can't remember) would probably be a regular by now in our team.

Play in the championship and learn to play men's football, like Wharton did, and you'll get a big money prem league move if you're good enough.

Rovers is a great club for young players as you will get a very good chance to play regularly with our lack of investment in established players and thin squad.