v Charlton Athletic (h) - 4/1/26

[joey_big_nose]

Pleased we managed to get a point from 2-0 down. Must be a long time since we did that. 

Defensively we looked woeful though. 3421 puts so much athletic pressure on the wing backs - and we had two who just couldnt cover the necessary ground. A better side than Charlton would have absolutely buried us.

Ismael took a long time to get to 352 when we did have the right players and now seems to not want to change when we dont. 

[bazza]

1 hour ago, Athlete said:

Sheff wed gone so two

Us and Wednesday are the two worst sides in the division. So a third side to join us in relegation. Oxford, Portsmouth, Norwich?

[philipl]

5 hours ago, bazza said:

Us and Wednesday are the two worst sides in the division. So a third side to join us in relegation. Oxford, Portsmouth, Norwich?

We are down if we start failing to raise our game against the top sides in the division.

Based on the season so far we are as likely to get something from the trip to Ipswich as we are to drop points home to Wednesday.

There is also the risk now of yet more injuries and suspensions to add to the ten absentees before any of those come back. Overall we are not quite the most obvious fellow travellers in distress with Wednesday but have made ourselves vulnerable to being so.

Without the youngsters coming through the way they have which is the unexpected bonus of this season we would have been dead and buried.

Getting to 51 points seems a hell of a long way away.

[rigger]

7 hours ago, Athlete said:

Sheff wed gone so two

Unlikely but still mathematically possible, that Wednesday could stay up. I would count Wednesday as one of the three (at least) teams, that I hope will be below us come the end of the season.

[lraC]

Oxford are now 1/5 to go down, with us still at 5/1

[Athlete]

2 hours ago, rigger said:

Unlikely but still mathematically possible, that Wednesday could stay up. I would count Wednesday as one of the three (at least) teams, that I hope will be below us come the end of the season.

Realisticlly two places up for grabs highly likely between us norwich oxford portsmouth and charlton

[MarkBRFC]

8 hours ago, bazza said:

Us and Wednesday are the two worst sides in the division. So a third side to join us in relegation. Oxford, Portsmouth, Norwich?

Looking at the league table, and some of the results we have that just isn't true.

Wednesday are by far the worst, then I think Oxford will finish 2nd bottom.

Last spot is us Charlton or Portsmouth.

I think we will just be ok, but it's going to be a tough watch.

[RoversTilliDie]

14 hours ago, roverblue said:

Said it before the game but why do we keep playing 5 at the back at home? We continually concede soft goals and it’s so defensive we have no attacking threat.

Charlton were cruising until the 2nd goal and they inexplicably gave up to defend from that point. Stupid decision and let us sneak back into the game.

Generally though it was poor other than Baradji and Atcheson who stood out as the best players. 

For me Ismael has to go he can’t set the team up properly at home and has no flexibility or tactical nous to change it during a game. The squad is poor but he is an equally poor manager.

I agree, play defensive on home soil, not many teams do, and your defence are under a lot more pressure.

[Parsonblue]

I was encouraged by the way we fought back yesterday.  Baradji confirmed my first impressions of him - he looks a really good attacking midfield player.  

Once again, I thought we struggled without some of the key players who are out with injury.  I don't think you can underestimate just what a difference to our season these injuries have made.  I can't remember a season when so many senior players have been ruled out with long term injuries.  Certainly, the quicker we can get Scott Wharton back into that defence the better.  Ryan Hedges is going to be a serious loss as he was having his best season with the club. 

In the short term we need to pick up some loan players this January to cover the gaps until our injured players return.  For me, the loan market is what I would concentrate on this month if we don't have much money to spend.

As for relegation, I firmly believe that we have more than enough about us to avoid the drop.

The players have some time off now to rest and recuperate and from what Val said yesterday a number of them won't feature in the Cup game at Hull.  Personally, I think that's the right decision and will look forward to seeing a few more of the kids given their opportunity at Hull.

 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

28 minutes ago, Parsonblue said:

I was encouraged by the way we fought back yesterday.  Baradji confirmed my first impressions of him - he looks a really good attacking midfield player.  

Once again, I thought we struggled without some of the key players who are out with injury.  I don't think you can underestimate just what a difference to our season these injuries have made.  I can't remember a season when so many senior players have been ruled out with long term injuries.  Certainly, the quicker we can get Scott Wharton back into that defence the better.  Ryan Hedges is going to be a serious loss as he was having his best season with the club. 

In the short term we need to pick up some loan players this January to cover the gaps until our injured players return.  For me, the loan market is what I would concentrate on this month if we don't have much money to spend.

As for relegation, I firmly believe that we have more than enough about us to avoid the drop.

The players have some time off now to rest and recuperate and from what Val said yesterday a number of them won't feature in the Cup game at Hull.  Personally, I think that's the right decision and will look forward to seeing a few more of the kids given their opportunity at Hull.

 

I’ve been watching a long time just like you have and this injury crisis is unprecedented. Back in the day if you had 2 or 3 players out it was an injury crisis, now we have half the team missing for one reason or another. Not only that but you have players who would normally be ok for 15 to 20 minutes off the bench having to start games.This means you have nobody of any real experience on the bench that can come on and make a difference.

Having to condense 46 games into shorter and shorter periods of time because of international breaks is causing major problems for us and other teams.

[Tomphil2]

Nobody watching was thinking we have enough about us to stay up at 0-2 yesterday nor when watching the Sheff Weds and Wrexham games.

WITHOUT some of the players we have missing we almost sure candidates to drop.

Massive window, Baradji won't pull us out the shit every week because he'll now be known to opposition managers who will simply stop him and there's nothing else.

Edited yesterday at 09:52 by Tomphil2

[roversfan99]

38 minutes ago, Parsonblue said:

I was encouraged by the way we fought back yesterday.  Baradji confirmed my first impressions of him - he looks a really good attacking midfield player.  

Once again, I thought we struggled without some of the key players who are out with injury.  I don't think you can underestimate just what a difference to our season these injuries have made.  I can't remember a season when so many senior players have been ruled out with long term injuries.  Certainly, the quicker we can get Scott Wharton back into that defence the better.  Ryan Hedges is going to be a serious loss as he was having his best season with the club. 

In the short term we need to pick up some loan players this January to cover the gaps until our injured players return.  For me, the loan market is what I would concentrate on this month if we don't have much money to spend.

As for relegation, I firmly believe that we have more than enough about us to avoid the drop.

The players have some time off now to rest and recuperate and from what Val said yesterday a number of them won't feature in the Cup game at Hull.  Personally, I think that's the right decision and will look forward to seeing a few more of the kids given their opportunity at Hull.

 

Do you not agree that the squad is lacking well beyond merely just temporary loan cover until the injured players?

[Lancaster Rover]

10 hours ago, joey_big_nose said:

Pleased we managed to get a point from 2-0 down. Must be a long time since we did that. 

Defensively we looked woeful though. 3421 puts so much athletic pressure on the wing backs - and we had two who just couldnt cover the necessary ground. A better side than Charlton would have absolutely buried us.

Ismael took a long time to get to 352 when we did have the right players and now seems to not want to change when we dont. 

This is the thing that confuses me most. Ismael was reticent to move to a 3 back when it looked fairly obvious to everyone that it was a sensible move and now is absolutely wedded to it when a 4 would be much more natural given the players available. I'd need to look it up but I don't think he's a 3-4-3 die hard in his career 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

2 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Do you not agree that the squad is lacking well beyond merely just temporary loan cover until the injured players?

We need both loans and full time signings and the sooner the better.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Just now, Lancaster Rover said:

This is the thing that confuses me most. Ismael was reticent to move to a 3 back when it looked fairly obvious to everyone that it was a sensible move and now is absolutely wedded to it when a 4 would be much more natural given the players available. I'd need to look it up but I don't think he's a 3-4-3 die hard in his career 

It looks like he doesn’t think we have two centre halves that can be relied upon to shut up shop in a pair at the moment. I think he’s probably right. Sticking with Pears in goal isn’t helping the defence situation though. Miller and McCloughlin? Atcheson and Pratt ? O’Riordan ? Mix and match ?  If and when Carter and Wharton are back and fit ?

[KentExile]

9 minutes ago, Lancaster Rover said:

This is the thing that confuses me most. Ismael was reticent to move to a 3 back when it looked fairly obvious to everyone that it was a sensible move and now is absolutely wedded to it when a 4 would be much more natural given the players available. I'd need to look it up but I don't think he's a 3-4-3 die hard in his career 

He played a back 3 at Barnsley, but mainly a back 4 at West Brom & Watford

3 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

It looks like he doesn’t think we have two centre halves that can be relied upon to shut up shop in a pair at the moment. I think he’s probably right. Sticking with Pears in goal isn’t helping the defence situation though. Miller and McCloughlin? Atcheson and Pratt ? O’Riordan ? Mix and match ?  If and when Carter and Wharton are back and fit ?

Someone (cant recall who) suggested that the formation change was implemented from higher up by Adam Owen.  If this is the case, and Ismael is "aligned", then maybe he has his orders, and has to stick to them?

Edited yesterday at 10:06 by KentExile

[Lancaster Rover]

It's slim pickings as a 2, you'd have to be looking at McLoughlin and O'Riordan I think. We may as well count Wharton and Carter out for the season at this stage such is their (unfortunate) injury history. Sadly neither of their bodies is capable of having a system built around them. 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

6 minutes ago, KentExile said:

He played a back 3 at Barnsley, but mainly a back 4 at West Brom & Watford

Someone (cant recall who) suggested that the formation change was implemented from higher up by Adam Owen.  If this is the case, and Ismael is "aligned", then maybe he has his orders, and has to stick to them?

When you looked at the squad and the respective skill sets going to 3 at the back with Alebiosu and Hedges as wing backs was a pretty obvious move to make. Plus it allowed us to play Ohashi and Gudjohnsen as a pair when neither of them were really good enough to play up front on their own. 

[KentExile]

3 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

When you looked at the squad and the respective skill sets going to 3 at the back with Alebiosu and Hedges as wing backs was a pretty obvious move to make. Plus it allowed us to play Ohashi and Gudjohnsen as a pair when neither of them were really good enough to play up front on their own. 

Unfortunately we have nothing in reserve at either wing back, or up front 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

13 minutes ago, KentExile said:

Unfortunately we have nothing in reserve at either wing back, or up front 

Given the circumstances regarding injuries, not just to Rovers but other club are suffering albeit not to the same extent, either the international breaks want sorting out or the 25 man squad limit does. Players are being flogged.

[Parsonblue]

37 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I’ve been watching a long time just like you have and this injury crisis is unprecedented. Back in the day if you had 2 or 3 players out it was an injury crisis, now we have half the team missing for one reason or another. Not only that but you have players who would normally be ok for 15 to 20 minutes off the bench having to start games.This means you have nobody of any real experience on the bench that can come on and make a difference.

Having to condense 46 games into shorter and shorter periods of time because of international breaks is causing major problems for us and other teams.

Couldn't agree more with all of this.  I particularly think your last point is hugely relevant.   Having blank weekends for internationals is a ridiculous state of affairs.  When a club like City is having to fill its bench with kids because of long term injuries there is little hope for the rest of us.  It seems internationals and European Competitions have become far more important that the bread and butter of League football.  The F.A. Cup has already been ruined by this approach and it seems a number of clubs are paying the price of long term injuries because the league programme is being squeezed due to these blank weekends.

[Parsonblue]

43 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Do you not agree that the squad is lacking well beyond merely just temporary loan cover until the injured players?

We need both loans and permanent signings.  However, loans should be used to cover injured players in the short term, particularly if we see those injured players as part of our long term future.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

6 minutes ago, Parsonblue said:

We need both loans and permanent signings.  However, loans should be used to cover injured players in the short term, particularly if we see those injured players as part of our long term future.

Therein lies part of the problem though. Who do we see as having a long term future at Rovers ?

Edited yesterday at 10:46 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[bazza]

9 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Therein lies part of the problem though. Who do we see as having a long term future at Rovers ?

Venkys unfortunately.

[wilsdenrover]

48 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Given the circumstances regarding injuries, not just to Rovers but other club are suffering albeit not to the same extent, either the international breaks want sorting out or the 25 man squad limit does. Players are being flogged.

How much of our injury issues are down to us having:

Inadequate  cover for a position (centre back) where we have  players who are known to be injury prone?

Players Ismael is/was reluctant to use because they don’t suit the system we’ve changed to or are clearly not good enough?

25 players (+ under 21s) seems enough to me IF they’re of sufficient quality AND the squad is balanced for the system(s) you wish to play. 

 

Edited yesterday at 11:24 by wilsdenrover