v Norwich City (a) - 7/2/26 - 12:31 k/o

[Athlete]

3 hours ago, Tomphil2 said:

I'll say it again, the orders in regards to using players is coming from above it doesn't matter who is on the touchline.

Maybe not in regards to setting the team out and tactics on the day but everything else is a blue print being followed.

Thought that for awhile has some team selections bit bizarre

 

Did VI disobey his superiors with the side at Swansea ?

[Hasta]

3 hours ago, Leonard Venkhater said:

Not really. The one that hit the post came straight out to their player and our defender lost his footing for the second.

Having said that, we showed absolutely nothing-zilch-up front...One goal to the opponents and we are done.

Here's the ball hitting the post. The goalscorer is the guy behind Miller. He wasn’t running past him at the time. His reaction to the ball coming back out was far better than Miller. That's not luck.

 

Edited 15 hours ago by Hasta

[John]

Our attacking play is painfully poor - no creativity, no cutting edge, and not enough quality to create chances.

Along with individual errors defensively, it has all the hallmarks….

Really frustrating performances from Yuki, Morishita and Baradji (and others).

I would be starting Gudjohnsen, given he’s scored some goals this season. 

Honestly not sure any new coach / manager can come in and keep us up with this squad. We look down and out. 

[roversfan99]

1 hour ago, arbitro said:

Another disappointing result on the road again but I wasn't entirely disenchanted with the performance as I was at Ipswich and Swansea. 

The game had 0-0 written all over it and I really felt comfortable and the draw was certainly achievable. The turning point was taking Carter off for me. The 66th minute was far too early given how he was playing and he didn't look tired in any way. He was pretty much the rock at the back so we were really surprised that he was taken off so early. I also struggled with taking Miller off and putting Alebiosu back to right back. Neither were needed in my opinion.

I do wonder how much the medical and sports science staff played Carter going off. In the ground we were really surprised. I was told on the train home from other Rovers supporters that Carter looked really dispirited to be taken off.

Along with Carter I thought Miller, Cashin and Tronstad were outstanding but once again Cantwell was largely a passenger. He was better today than he has been recently but still isn't doing anywhere near enough in my view. We don't have much pace in the team but when Cantwell is on the ball it really slows down to his pace.

Clearly scoring goals is a problem going forward and it will be a real conundrum going forward for the new manager. He will have to somehow get the right formula of players to get these otherwise we will go down. For me that's the stark reality.

A big difference to Ipswich and Swansea was player availability.

We couldn't muster a shot on target and we pretty much have everyone available. At least in those 2 games, we could think that we need to get players back to improve.

Cashin and Tronstad are really standing out at the moment. Sadly neither will be here next season but you wouldn't know.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

A game of fine margins - but ultimately our toothless attack continues to hold us back.

Personally I would drop Cantwell - at the end of the day what is the point of a creative player if he creates very little. Baradji (though I thought he had a poor game today) offers far more athletism in the number 10 role. Then bring in Gardner Hickman or Montgomery to play alongside Tronstad.

 

[OsloRover]

What can a new manager really do with the players we have available?

Wharton is out.

De Neve, Tavares and Henriksson aren’t up to the required standard and shouldn’t play.

O’Riordan has promise, but is not ready yet and shouldn’t play.

Ohashi has gone completely off the rails and shouldn’t start.

Cantwell while technically our best player is incredibly ineffective and shouldn’t start.

Baradji is great in flashes but wildly inconsistent and shouldn’t start.

Kargbo injured, when he eventually comes back to full fitness he shouldn’t start.

Morishita isn’t bad but too lightweight and shouldn’t start.

McLoughlin and TGH can do in a pinch but aren’t good enough as first choice regulars.

Ribeiro and Pickering are both decent players but doesn’t fit the system and they can’t both play.

That’s 14 players from our 25 not fit to start. 11 left, two of which are goalies (both of whom are decent to be fair).

To get the numbers to add up we must change the system to allow our left backs back into the fold. That leaves us with exactly enough (10) of our best outfield players. The result is this:

                      Toth/Pears

Miller    Carter  Cashin  Pickering/Ribeiro

Alebiosu  Tronstad  Forshaw  Olefyanu

       Jørgensen   Gudjonsson

I’m not convinced that team will score many, but at least it looks defensively solid.
 

[yellowsubmarine]

2 hours ago, John said:

Our attacking play is painfully poor - no creativity, no cutting edge, and not enough quality to create chances.

Along with individual errors defensively, it has all the hallmarks….

Really frustrating performances from Yuki, Morishita and Baradji (and others).

I would be starting Gudjohnsen, given he’s scored some goals this season. 

Honestly not sure any new coach / manager can come in and keep us up with this squad. We look down and out. 

Collectively as an attacking department we are so poor, unimaginative and zero creativity. Cantwell's flicks and passes rarely create anything, Baradji is awful at passing the ball forward to create, Yuki/Morishita are hardworking but again, their shots are poor (that's if they even get a chance to shoot). Jorgensen is beginning to look like an unnecessary signing. Afolayan has something in him, like his first cameo.

The new manager has to find a way to make these attacking players play. 27 goals so far is not enough. Last season, the 3 relegation teams scored between 45-51 goals. Personally our defence is 'acceptable' for a lower to mid-table team. But it's our attack that's failing us and will be one of the key reasons for our relegation.

[Fraserkirky]

We ever so slightly looked the better team until they scored. Still didn’t really look like scoring however. 

We are in big trouble, but we already knew that. 

Cashin has been our best player three games in a row, Carter looked good today. Everyone else can be much better.

[KentExile]

15 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

We know that none of our strikers can play up front on their own, how the coaching staff can’t see that is a mystery. They’re just not enough of a threat. Whatever system we play in it must incorporate two strikers. Take your pick of the two but Ohashi and Gudjohnsen seemed to worked together quite well previously.

in midfield we can’t play Cantwell, Baradji and Morishita in the same team. It’s obvious. If we’re playing 4 at the back we need Tronstad and one of Forshaw, Montgomery or Hickman along side him.

This is why we should have gone all in on 3-5-2 in January & made it our priority to sign a first choice left wing back, & proper cover for Alebiosu

Edited 4 hours ago by KentExile

[arbitro]

10 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

A big difference to Ipswich and Swansea was player availability.

We couldn't muster a shot on target and we pretty much have everyone available. At least in those 2 games, we could think that we need to get players back to improve.

Cashin and Tronstad are really standing out at the moment. Sadly neither will be here next season but you wouldn't know.

Of course it is player availability and it was always going to be the case once we started to get some back. The first 70 minutes or so gave me some hope that with the right system and players we can dig out some results. 

Scoring goals is certainly a real weakness as many have said and something that a new manager is going to have to address quickly.

[sharpysharps86]

8 hours ago, OsloRover said:

What can a new manager really do with the players we have available?

Wharton is out.

De Neve, Tavares and Henriksson aren’t up to the required standard and shouldn’t play.

O’Riordan has promise, but is not ready yet and shouldn’t play.

Ohashi has gone completely off the rails and shouldn’t start.

Cantwell while technically our best player is incredibly ineffective and shouldn’t start.

Baradji is great in flashes but wildly inconsistent and shouldn’t start.

Kargbo injured, when he eventually comes back to full fitness he shouldn’t start.

Morishita isn’t bad but too lightweight and shouldn’t start.

McLoughlin and TGH can do in a pinch but aren’t good enough as first choice regulars.

Ribeiro and Pickering are both decent players but doesn’t fit the system and they can’t both play.

That’s 14 players from our 25 not fit to start. 11 left, two of which are goalies (both of whom are decent to be fair).

To get the numbers to add up we must change the system to allow our left backs back into the fold. That leaves us with exactly enough (10) of our best outfield players. The result is this:

                      Toth/Pears

Miller    Carter  Cashin  Pickering/Ribeiro

Alebiosu  Tronstad  Forshaw  Olefyanu

       Jørgensen   Gudjonsson

I’m not convinced that team will score many, but at least it looks defensively solid.
 

I think that's as good as we can get tbh... Montgomery in for Forshaw perhaps.

[alexanders]

21 minutes ago, arbitro said:

Of course it is player availability and it was always going to be the case once we started to get some back. The first 70 minutes or so gave me some hope that with the right system and players we can dig out some results. 

Scoring goals is certainly a real weakness as many have said and something that a new manager is going to have to address quickly.

Watching other teams play there is so much fluidity and directness about their play. I think we saw it more yesterday, especially when Todd wasn’t in the last third. To be honest he really just slow down the attack. And when he can’t even do simple passes he is about time we drop him. He is useful to bring on, when he is full of energy and can hold the ball up when we lead. 
 

 

[onlyonejackwalker]

Predictable result pre-match. Disappointing result post match, when a draw at least looked possible.

Hard to see when the next win will come when we cannot score.

The one positive is we we are not losing by three, four or five and despite many thinking we aren't trying, I don't believe that to be the case.

[Lancaster Rover]

I’ve said it over and over, it’s not lack of effort (Tavares excluded), it’s lack of quality. 

[Lancaster Rover]

It’s akin to putting a child from set 4 in set 1 for maths. They’re trying their hardest they just don’t have the capacity to operate at the higher level. I think our players sometimes look like they’re not trying because they’re a mixture of confused/lost/don’t understand the game around them. Their lack of technical ability means they can’t even see the decisions they should be making as their brains simply aren’t wired to complete those higher order tasks. 
 

look at the pace of our play, it’s so slow. I believe this to be because the players are so focussed on completing the low order tasks like control, etc they don’t have the speed of thought/capacity to move the ball any quicker 

Edited 2 hours ago by Lancaster Rover

[DeeCee]

At least Can't well is out for 2 games which gives whoever is picking the team a chance to shake up the midfield.

[Bohinen1983]

Love to know what approach has been implemented in scouting players?

As time's passed Broughton looks increasingly capable.

Talked well, had a clear coherent strategy.  Brought in Brittain, Hyam, Szmodics on a minimal budget- how much did those three alone return?
 

I'm sure Wharton would have made it regardless- but JDT and Broughton did a great job with him in hindsight.
 

Would have loved to have seen them two fully supported- who was it that brought Broughton in?  

[TimmyJimmy]

My opinion is that our problems lay in midfield and the wings.

There's no supply to the attack either by way of incisive passing on the floor or crosses in the air.

Given something to attack our strikers can score but what they can't do is cover run back into midfield, get the ball and then beat 5 men to earn the right to take a shot.

We have nothing creative in midfield as everyone has been coached to constantly track back and support the defence. We don't press the men off the ball only the one on the ball looking for a turnover so the opposition always have free men around them to pass to when they get challenged. The attack has to track back constantly to help out because the midfield is disfunctional.

Cantwell is a good player who's turning into a show pony. Baradji has all the skills and athleticism but no brain and zero aggression. The wingers are all told to play too far back to cover the defence and have to beat several men and their cover to get into any position to cross the ball. If/when they do there's no one in the box as they're still running up from defending.

After half a game everyone is so buggered that they just sit back and cover. It's not that the strikers can't strike it's that they're being forced to run their bollocks off elsewhere.

This is the result of VIs tactics, the RG square pegs in round holes approach to life and a non existant midfield.

That's my tuppence worth. We need new players. We need a new board. We need new owners. We ain't getting either so the new guy needs to find a way to get the ball forward into the box.

Bis Sam's long balls over the midfield approach I think is the way to go. Miss the midfield out, bulldoze their box, rough them up, hail mary up and unders if necessary.

The new guy had better be inventive but most of all aggressive.

Afain, IMO.

[KentExile]

4 minutes ago, TimmyJimmy said:

My opinion is that our problems lay in midfield and the wings.

There's no supply to the attack either by way of incisive passing on the floor or crosses in the air.

Given something to attack our strikers can score but what they can't do is cover run back into midfield, get the ball and then beat 5 men to earn the right to take a shot.

We have nothing creative in midfield as everyone has been coached to constantly track back and support the defence. We don't press the men off the ball only the one on the ball looking for a turnover so the opposition always have free men around them to pass to when they get challenged. The attack has to track back constantly to help out because the midfield is disfunctional.

Cantwell is a good player who's turning into a show pony. Baradji has all the skills and athleticism but no brain and zero aggression. The wingers are all told to play too far back to cover the defence and have to beat several men and their cover to get into any position to cross the ball. If/when they do there's no one in the box as they're still running up from defending.

After half a game everyone is so buggered that they just sit back and cover. It's not that the strikers can't strike it's that they're being forced to run their bollocks off elsewhere.

This is the result of VIs tactics, the RG square pegs in round holes approach to life and a non existant midfield.

That's my tuppence worth. We need new players. We need a new board. We need new owners. We ain't getting either so the new guy needs to find a way to get the ball forward into the box.

Bis Sam's long balls over the midfield approach I think is the way to go. Miss the midfield out, bulldoze their box, rough them up, hail mary up and unders if necessary.

The new guy had better be inventive but most of all aggressive.

Afain, IMO.

We have had 25 shots in our past 10 games (2 of those games had no shots), scoring 5 goals (this is all trusting Jacksons maths, which I am aware is dangerous)

Our issue all season has been the supply to the strikers

 

 

 

 

Edited 1 hour ago by KentExile

[RevidgeBlue]

9 minutes ago, Bohinen1983 said:

Love to know what approach has been implemented in scouting players?

As time's passed Broughton looks increasingly capable.

Talked well, had a clear coherent strategy.  Brought in Brittain, Hyam, Szmodics on a minimal budget- how much did those three alone return?
 

I'm sure Wharton would have made it regardless- but JDT and Broughton did a great job with him in hindsight.
 

Would have loved to have seen them two fully supported- who was it that brought Broughton in?  

I take the opposite view.

Thought Broughton was an absolute disaster and that if we'd only appointed a proper experienced DOF at the time to help Thomasson instead of an over promoted Academy Head we could have scraped over the line.

3 strikers that never scored a goal between them, Ennis, Telalovic, Hirst, another window the majority of the budget spent on Wahlsted. Those are the key ones that spring to mind, he signed a lot of other dross as well.

Also oversaw the O 'Brien/Brierley/ and Mcguire debacles as DOF in successive windows. Rightly or wrongly took responsibility for the first of those 2 windows and assured everyone it wouldnt happen again.

[RevidgeBlue]

12 minutes ago, KentExile said:

We have had 25 shots in our past 10 games (2 of those games had no shots), scoring 5 goals (this is all trusting Jacksons maths, which I am aware 

 

Is that without including the FA Cup game?

We've definitely had 3 games with no efforts on target recently that I can recall. 

Hull, Ipswich and yesterday.

Edited 1 hour ago by RevidgeBlue

[KentExile]

1 minute ago, RevidgeBlue said:

I take the opposite view.

Thought Broughton was an absolute disaster and that if we'd only appointed a proper experienced DOF at the time to help Thomasson instead of an over promoted Academy Head we could have scraped over the line.

3 strikers that never scored a goal between them, Ennis, Telalovic, Hirst, another window the majority of the budget spent on Wahlsted. Those are the key ones that spring to mind, he signed a lot of other dross as well.

Also oversaw the O 'Brien/Brierley/ and Mcguire debacles as DOF in successive windows. Rightly or wrongly took responsibility for the first of those 2 windows and assured everyone it wouldnt happen again.

His record when he had some money to spend was Szmodics, Brittain, Hyam, Hirst (who whilst he didn't work out with us, proved afterwards to be a decent player at this level), Tronstad (despite your own personal feelings on the player) & Sigurdsson (who whilst being injury prone, was skilful & a goal threat when he decided to turn up).  Also loans for Morton & Sorba Thomas who have both since proved that they are useful players at this level (I would personally say Morton was superfluous when we had Wharton, but he was far from a dud)

Once the taps were turned off and he was looking in the bargain bin, we ended up with Telalovic, Ennis, Wahlstedt etc

[B16Rover]

This is the issue with the data driven squad building.  It's great that Ohashi covers so much ground up the top of the field, but you never ask why.  Is it a good thing that we never have the ball in the oppositions third? 

How about number of passes from the centre back.  Great retaining possession, but how often at the expense of getting the ball into a dangerous area faster? 

I've said it before about Henriksson, who's clearly been identified due to his work ethic and attempts to win the ball back.  We need to be asking why he wins it back so frequently, and it's probably because he's constantly chasing the game rather than controlling it 

[KentExile]

22 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Is that without including the FA Cup game?

We've definitely had 3 games with no efforts on target recently that I can recall. 

Hull, Ipswich and yesterday.

As I said, trusting Jacksons maths, is dangerous

[islander200]

I hope next week we line up 3-5-2

                      Toth

           Miller.   Carter.      Cashin

             Tronstad  Montgomery 

Alebiousu.        Baraji                Pickering

                 

             Jorgensen Gudjohnson