v Watford (h) - 24/1/26

[TheKitGuy]

Cantwell has said the pitch was poor today

[roversfan99]

Ismael mentioned it too. With some injured players returning a new excuse was needed.

[Lancaster Rover]

Ground staff crawling out from under the bus around now

[Fraserkirky]

18 hours ago, Fraserkirky said:

I’d feel a lot better about Val if he actually did change the formation. Try something else, because we are not creating goalscoring changes as is.

——————-Toth———————

Miller O’Riordan McLaughlin Cashin

————Tronstad Baradji———-

Morishita——Ohashi—-Cantwell

——-———Jorgensen—————

Well I got most of the team right sorta. He had to change formation. 

Cashin did very well at Lb, I like him, solid and good in air for being sub 6ft. 

Ohashi has to score that. Just has too. Big hole at striker position and Morishita was woeful too. 

Watford only played for first 25mins. Game was there for us.

Dare say I have a little optimism going forward now, with the return of some of our better players. Poor Doherty as well, lad looks like he won a prize, couldn’t control the ball.

Edited 12 hours ago by Fraserkirky

[47er]

2 hours ago, M_B said:

Improvement in performance will, in the end, bring improvement in results. We're still in January. 

How many January games left? It'll be Easter in no time!

[Torgeir]

Particularly impressed by Cashin today. Takes some mental strength to bounce straight back after the start he had. Used his body well to make up for his lack of of pace. Must be on the same diet as John McGinn. 

[alcd]

4 hours ago, yankfan said:

Think this is our best XI at the moment.  Should be enough to avoid relegation. 
 

                           Toth

Alebiosu O’Riodan Cashin Riboero

      Trondstad   Baradji

jorgenson    Cantwell        Moriah it’s

                  Ohashi 

 

Sub  Carter and Wharton in at center halfs and Gujohnon for Ohashi when they’re fit and that’s the best XI we could run out  with everyone available.  Looking at this it’s glaring we need a left wing back and another attacking player  

 

Left wingback is a glaring weakness but Ismael doesn't seem to be bothered by it. DeNeve is useless offering absolutely nothing going forward and a total liability defensively. Venkys clearly aren't the least bit bothered by relegation if they won't fund a replacement for Hedges who won't be back until the final match of the season at best. The budget and cutting losses is everything. Little wonder they are utterly despised by the what remains of the fan base. 

[alcd]

4 hours ago, Fraserkirky said:

It was Morishtas turn to be absolutely diabolical today

He looks like a little schoolboy who's wandered into a man's game. Him and Cantwell give the ball away for fun. 

[roverandout]

5 hours ago, Parsonblue said:

Thought it was a much improved performance today.  After conceding first, I wasn't sure how we would react, but we came back well to grab an equaliser.  After that it was a very even game with both sides having the chance to snatch a winner. 

Forshaw makes a difference in midfield and Baradji came on and looked the part and it was good to see Alebiosu back.  Once we get Gudjohnsen back, it will be interesting to see how he combines with Jorgensen. 

Indeed, once we get the injured players back it should make for an interesting end of the season.  It will be tight, but I think we have enough to stay up.  Certainly far more optimistic tonight than after the two away games last week.  

We were shite they were just as shite.  We barely created any chances.  Gave the ball away numerous times.  Two shite teams 

[yankfan]

1 hour ago, alcd said:

Left wingback is a glaring weakness but Ismael doesn't seem to be bothered by it. DeNeve is useless offering absolutely nothing going forward and a total liability defensively. Venkys clearly aren't the least bit bothered by relegation if they won't fund a replacement for Hedges who won't be back until the final match of the season at best. The budget and cutting losses is everything. Little wonder they are utterly despised by the what remains of the fan base. 

My feeling is Venky have just given up on the club. It’s clear as they don’t attend, are never promoting their own ship as a status symbol. Their ownership at this point is puzzling. They don’t seem to be fans of the sport, don’t attend matches, don’t seem to even discuss the club. It feels like a total afterthought. So if it’s true they don’t care, why not sell then?  At this point ownership can’t be a source of joy, certainly isn’t painting the Rao family in a hood light, and it can’t be considered prestigious to own an English football club soon to be in the third tier. I just don’t understand why they have not moved on?  Let the club be someone else’s headache/love. My only conclusion is they’re now doing this out of spite. Won’t sell, won’t fund, wont pay fair wages, won’t even high a ceo.  They either have no considerations for this “asset” or are actively trying to dismantle it. 

[Aqualung]

3 hours ago, roverandout said:

We were shite they were just as shite.  We barely created any chances.  Gave the ball away numerous times.  Two shite teams 

The whole league is shite tbf. 

[yellowsubmarine]

5 hours ago, TheKitGuy said:

Cantwell has said the pitch was poor today

Forshaw had no problem with the pitch for 60 mins, played like prime Thiago.

[lraC]

9 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

Ismael mentioned it too. With some injured players returning a new excuse was needed.

Did he not go on to say, it was a good job it was though, as Watford would have won on a good pitch? 

[...]

5 hours ago, yankfan said:

My feeling is Venky have just given up on the club. It’s clear as they don’t attend, are never promoting their own ship as a status symbol. Their ownership at this point is puzzling. They don’t seem to be fans of the sport, don’t attend matches, don’t seem to even discuss the club. It feels like a total afterthought. So if it’s true they don’t care, why not sell then?  At this point ownership can’t be a source of joy, certainly isn’t painting the Rao family in a hood light, and it can’t be considered prestigious to own an English football club soon to be in the third tier. I just don’t understand why they have not moved on?  Let the club be someone else’s headache/love. My only conclusion is they’re now doing this out of spite. Won’t sell, won’t fund, wont pay fair wages, won’t even high a ceo.  They either have no considerations for this “asset” or are actively trying to dismantle it. 

Genuinely starting to think it's spite. That rich they can just say fk that lot. Alot of India is poor, I've seen them at all these parties etc leaving in the Rolls Royce etc I bet they feel like Kings over there.

Is that how they are looking at us, like we are peasants too and just able to forget about us?

[Torgeir]

3 hours ago, yellowsubmarine said:

Forshaw had no problem with the pitch for 60 mins, played like prime Thiago.

He’s played with a lot of intent this season. I just hope him and Tronstad can stay fit. 

As for LWB it’s obvious that we’re going to sign Hedges for another season and that they won’t sign another backup unless de Neve is sold. I for one hope we’re not too locked in the 3-5-2 system but play whatever formation ensures we field our best eleven on the day. Our squad lacks depth and we have to avoid playing our reserves out of position if we can.

 

[BankEnd Rover]

Thought Alebiosu looked good when he came on, but once again his no brain final ball led a great chance run away. Far too many times that's happened, and for me is why he will struggle if he does move to the premiership. 

[Ossydave]

13 minutes ago, BankEnd Rover said:

Thought Alebiosu looked good when he came on, but once again his no brain final ball led a great chance run away. Far too many times that's happened, and for me is why he will struggle if he does move to the premiership. 

Said this many times and he's nowhere near a prem player. Very one dimensional BUT we've missed him because for all the wayward balls there's more useful ones than we've been putting in recent weeks....

[dingles staying down 4ever]

18 minutes ago, BankEnd Rover said:

Thought Alebiosu looked good when he came on, but once again his no brain final ball led a great chance run away. Far too many times that's happened, and for me is why he will struggle if he does move to the premiership. 

I agree although will also point out, its difficult to pick out the one forward in the box who is hiding between the defenders.

[davulsukur]

11 hours ago, TheKitGuy said:

Cantwell has said the pitch was poor today

Watford had no problems playing us off the park for the first 20mins of the game.

Excuse culture is rife through the club.

They've already got them lined up for when we fall through the trapdoor into league one.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

9 hours ago, roverandout said:

We were shite they were just as shite.  We barely created any chances.  Gave the ball away numerous times.  Two shite teams 

We are going to get punished so many times by better teams in the next few months.You can see it coming.

[M_B]

54 minutes ago, Ossydave said:

Said this many times and he's nowhere near a prem player. Very one dimensional BUT we've missed him because for all the wayward balls there's more useful ones than we've been putting in recent weeks....

Final ball or not, he gets us up the pitch and generally makes the other team restart from a defensive position and allows Rovers to reset. 

It will be important as the relegation battle plays out. 

[M_B]

13 minutes ago, SIMON GARNERS 194 said:

We are going to get punished so many times by better teams in the next few months.You can see it coming.

If the table doesn't lie, there aren't many better than Watford. 

[ageoftherover]

14 minutes ago, SIMON GARNERS 194 said:

We are going to get punished so many times by better teams in the next few months.You can see it coming.

How many "good teams" are there in this division though? We beat Hull handily earlier in the year, Millwall handily a month ago and were 10 minutes off knocking off Ipswich. These are the 3rd, 4th and 5th best teams so far this year. Outside the top 2, everyone appears vulnerable on their day. Whether we get our shit together quickly/well enough to capitalise on that is another question.

[RoversTilliDie]

14 hours ago, M_B said:

started, taken off 10 mins before

I was at the game, I was sat next to my sister, who talks shit for 90 minutes, couldn't concentrate on the game. We're in free fall into league 1, if we don't win the next 2 home games.

Edited 29 minutes ago by RoversTilliDie
Misspelled

[RoversTilliDie]

Here's our home statistics, so far this season. Won 2 drawn 5 lost 7, 14 for 21 against. We've picked up 11 points in 14 home games, which is definitely relegation form, and every game ismael says, don't worry we'll improve. Not while hes still in the dugout.