joey_big_nose

We have to put together a really good passage of play to generate a half chance, but a long punt upfield gives stoke a guilt edged opportunity... Its not really because we have a bad defence, think theyve all done okayish. More the attack is so blunt we have to over commit. Kargbo!!?

Behind again, so easy for them to score. TBH on balance of play we can hardly complain. Behind again.. can we score a goal? I wouldn't bet on it.

When Gueye was having a good spell over last winter he was doing great link up play as well causing chaos and scoring goals. Hes obviously got an attitude problem, and Ismael clearly dislikes him, but we have few options so we need to figure out how to get him back to his best.

Yeah, hate talking down our players but I cant see what he offers. Surely Ohashi on at half time? I would have said Gueye as we just couldnt get out of our own third. But we did better in the last 10 mins.

Ive thought most games this season it has been quite close quality wise, and we've been unlucky or made stupid tactical errors. But today Stoke look loads better. That said we just had the best chance and should have scored

Looking at the bench all we have I think is to stick Gueye up front and try and worry them with the long ball. We're totally outgunned here. Miller playing very well as the main positive.

We're looking completely uncompetitive now. No out ball, easy to get behind, overpowered in midfield. Need to change something.

I think to be honest we need to go back and think how to get a tune out of Gueye. We need a striker who actually concerns the opposition defenders and the only one I have seen that from is Gueye when he was on form (albeit that is nearly a year ago now)...

Yeah want him to do well but he seems a downgrade on Ohashi for me. Ohashi by now would have had a lot of touches and link up. Real issue is none of them worry a defence. Stoke looking more on top now...

Hmm i think we look quite good. But then we tend to and out of nowhere give a way a goal or two.

Harsh I think, not the strongest physically but had a long career in midfield at a very demanding level.

Paul Gallagher on sky commentary, sounds like he watches every Rovers game good lad despite his years at PNE and Stoke. Always really liked him, when he came through at first looked like hed have a great premier league career but couldnt stick. Quality in the Championship.

This great little dashboard chaddy found makes it look like we're well in the green river level wise. Publishes a measure every 15 mins. https://check-for-flooding.service.gov.uk/station/5048

Ince genuinely seemed like he had no idea what he was doing. After he left us he sank back down the divisions. I dont know Iley - before my time. But for all his shortcomings Ismael does seem to know the basics of being a manager.

Chaddy has got his perspective, he is if nothing else consistent, everyone knows where he stands. What is the purpose of these never ending (5+ years?) circular conversations.

To be honest in terms of individual playing ability I am not really seeing a big gap from what we have this year to last year. We could go back a year and find posts from you and others saying we were getting relegated with Travis, Dolan, Brittain, Hyam etc. The difference is imo 1) a huge volume of players are brand new and learning the country, club and system, 2) none of those players bar McCloughlin and TGH have any championship experience, 3) the manger is not as good as Mowbray, Eustace and JDT 4) we lack a consistent reliable defence and central midfield partnership Essentially I am not really sure the quality of the incoming players is the main issue, its turnover and loss of experience. A lot of football is not won on ability, its won on being organised, bonded as a team and aligned to a plan.

You have to plan the team to address the issues which are.. 1) we give away sloppy goals as we lack a consistent well drilled defensive unit 2) we arent converting enough scoring chances. And only create them by taking lots of risks overcommiting players. 3) we lack leadership 4) we lack a competitive midfield And then you look at the squad and tbh i cant see any variation from the XI that played against Swansea (unless Wharton and Carter are fit) which makes any difference at all. We are in the "weeing with the willy we have" territory.

Not sure id attach too much blame to Owen - he just gets a brief and has to work with it. Suhail and Gestede would have been the ones who went to Venkys and said they could make a competitive team on a radically reduced budget and sell our key players. But the fundamental dynamic is there are many fewer jobs in football than those who want them so if Gestede and Suhail walked away (not that they would) I am sure theyd find someone else who said they could do it. In a way its a good thing for it not to work as it hastens a reckoning and let's the efforts to push out Venkys build a bit of steam. If they fluked it again and we were competitive we'd just lose everyone once they proved themselves as we have already with JDT and Eustace. Its really all about the owners and their lack of engagement and planning. Getting bogged down in the individuals who are here is just a distraction. Ultimately we need new owners who have a vague sense of what it takes to be effective in the Championship and only a part of that is money.

Hell be on lot more than 10k a week, at least double.

I don't think tbh changing the system is the answer as on balance of play we were quite competitive all game against Swansea. The issue is we conceded two really sloppy goals which were all about individual mistakes rather than anything to do with the shape. I am not really sure how we mitigate for that, but Id be worried if we change the system we end up confusing the players further.

In terms of technical quality we probably have a better set of players than when we were last relegated, that was a really awful team. But its a different game when you're low on confidence and scrapping three games a week. Then you need players who are physical, motivated, bonded as a team and dig out results. I cant see any sign of that.

I am not particularly keen on Gestede but surely the main question is how has a guy who joined on work experience and with nothing on his CV about running a football club ended up running ours? I still - even with Venkys total incompetence and disengagement, cant wrap my head around that one. Until we answer that one we can all want Gestede replaced but they will just make another terrible appointment.

What is really worrying is its impossible to pick out a single player who you could say is going to grab the bull by the horns and fight over the horrible next three months or so. We didnt have many leaders before but the ones we did have we sold. Now our remaining good players are either checking out of the club and not that vocal anyway (Tronstad), looking emotionally invested but not composed and organised (Cantwell), perpetually injured, (Wharton, Carter), or so new into an incredibly chaotic environment that they dont really have much of a chance to impose themselves if they even have those skills (McCloughlin, Alebiouso, Toth). We've taken a gamble of massive proportions this summer, and it was very reliant on having a good start and getting the team to settle and build confidence with what effectively is a completely new squad. Now we are on the doorstep of the winter and I am sure Ismael is now looking at the team wondering what on earth he does to stabalise things. He seems quite a one dimensional manager who struggles when his plan A isnt working, and seems to completely lack the people skills of Eustace or Mowbray where they could put an arm around players and boost them when needed. Also stuff that he is supposed to be good at (defensive setup, defending set pieces) are deteriorating which knocks all the confidence out of the players when they can play well for 20 mins, score nothing then give away a goal for free. That isn't helped by all the back five who started yesterday having only 5-20 rovers starts each, and then playing with lots of different combinations of players. I dont think the heads have quite gone down yet but it's in the post.

The one thing I am holding onto with relegation is that if we go down it blows a hole in the new model (pay less than 10k, get ultra cheap players from abroad) so maybe it will be enough for Venkys to just call it a day.

I don't think Potter will be looking for a Championship gig.... even if he was I doubt he would want to come and work at our circus.