Tronstad having to do the  work for two in midfield at the moment.

Last season we played 1-1 at their place with Hyam scoring an oggie in overtime. 55% possession and the better side. Today we had 37%...

Just route one at the moment. What happened to this group? No direction. I actually didn't bother much after the horrible match against Brum. Gallager was a little bit better, he needs a referee that's on "his side"... Good to see Sammie continuing his goal-scoring form.

12 hours ago, NeilInBristol said:

So we sell Wharton and loan out Travis and loan in fleck but don't play fleck, not even for 10mins?

Baffling

We did we loan out Travis?!

I don't think Fleck is fit. 

How many points can people on here see us win after our last game? From the fixture list the two home games versus Plymouth and Sheff W. look absolutely crucial. Think we'll get beaten soundly by PNE.

8 hours ago, Upside Down said:

Sometimes you are in a position where that's not as important as just getting the fuck out.

It's his first DoF gig. Even if the project has changed, he can be successful under different models. I'd say there's less pressure now as we have no money to spend on players, so all the emphasis will be put on the academy.

Thank you Stoke

Could've needed Travis for this one. Instead he's sat on the bench for Ipswich again tonight. Our captain.

31 minutes ago, Leonard Venkhater said:

I guess Gregg and his team had been working for a while on the detail of this, as a permanent signing.

Then at the 11th hour Venky's -via Suhail and Maggott- told them the money was withdrawn.

I think the problems started from there.

I would expect Greg to be on his way at the end of the season. Amazed that he has not walked out already!

 

Where would he walk to?

1 minute ago, Gav said:

I was sat with a Brum fan for most of the day yesterday and he was telling me they're not playing badly, they just can't score at the minute, the chap that scored last night has just come into the club in January.

So last night was pretty much true to form, Brum created plenty but couldn't finish, it could have been 3/4.

As for out lot, nothing changes really, we are a depleted squad cut to the bone financially and that doesn't change with a change of manager. Our only hope is we have players returning to fitness and they will make a difference, but will it be enough.......

 

 

Spot on.

Everyone was singing the praises of Dolan, Hedges and Gallagher after the weekend, but they were noshow'ing us again last night. We have too many players that blow hot and cold unfortunately. We need more Tronstad's.

Having slept on it we started fairly well in the press, as usual. But Birmingham were solid playing out from the back and got away with that little mistakes they made. As soon as they grew into the game it was never going to be anything other than grinding out a draw or a deserved loss.

What do I like about the past couple of matches? A little bit more variation in play and a lot more switch passes. Getting bodies in the box anticipating the cross. What I don't like is how stressed and anxious we look. No time on the ball and panic station all game long. Even under periods where we're getting pressed we take quick throws and get the pace up (I'm thinking that was a strategy to not let them slow it down) but it led to a lot of passes astray and no plan for attack.

We're a central midfielder short with Adam out, and hopefully people see how vital he was now. Pennies we got for him. JRC not match fit and Garrett needs more time, I doubt Fleck is ready and whether he'll ever be again.

3 minutes ago, DuffsLeftPeg said:

Bring back JDT!

Callum Brittain is a sh*t house, bleating like a little lamb within days of JDT leaving and then putting an awful performance in like that and giving away a goal. Poor lad not being able to cross, pity he’s not able to defend either.

I don’t like many of this squad anymore. Szmodics & Tronstad are the only 2 that are solid week in week out, the rest are either sh*t, sh*thouses or permanently injured like JRC.

 

He's given away a handful of goals because he's over-committing. Can't cross for the life of him either. No footballing brain there unfortunately. Hard-working though, I'll give him that.

Birmingham were on a poor run and with 32 points before the game, they were four points behind us. There for the taking. 

Worst game I've seen this season I think. Getting a bit disillusioned here...

This squad needs heavy investment. Don't be fooled by the Stoke result, we nearly invited them back into that one too.

TeLOLovic

Just now, OsloRover said:

The players need to take a long hard look at themselves. No manager in the world can fix a team that can’t string two passes together.

It's obviously the gameplan to keep it simple. But we look so tense and nervy it's not promising for the coming few months. And no response as usual.

Just now, NeilInBristol said:

83 mins 1-0 down and we are passing short passes around our back. what the actual 

We've been hoof balling it all game mate, it hasn't worked. Gallagher non-present, Dolan awol and Hedges with the first touch of a leper.

5 minutes ago, Tom said:

Bad as it’s been this, shockingly bad.

Grind out the season and then try and work out a plan!

This is grinding...

We can do so much better. No calmness on the ball ffs.

Shocking performance. What's the gameplan? What's plan B?

Same eleven as versus Stoke, so not enough time to rest perhaps. Brum had an extra day on us.

First touches from hell. 

7 hours ago, Upside Down said:

I mentioned this earlier.

For Eustace it's a free hit.

He does well it's against the odds.

He does shit then what can you expect, this place is an absolute shit show.

Good career move for him really.

Obviously I hope he does well and am fully behind him.

On the money.

JDT was recruited from a shelf above and with a far more ambitous plan. Eustace knows what he has to work with, anything on top of that is a bonus. A lot of fans have screamed out for some tactical adjustment from JDT, but it never happened this season, while our caretakers and Eustace managed to do so from the first match. 

Win versus Birmingham and we can enjoy the rest of the season.

10 hours ago, tomphil said:

Funnily enough i was debating with someone about all the going on and we did comment it's almost as if this has been on the cards for a while. The Sweden thing has been in the background a good while in regards to JDT although he didn't appear to be a front runner but quite possibly the contract/compen thing was the reason way before things came to a head here.

Waggots words about him being ambitious and we might not keep up with him in the famous bus interview now make sense i think there were expecting an approach and knew he'd be off first chance if it came.  It was odd he'd say stuff like that but in reality it was a warning what to expect.

JDTs demeanour and comments looked very much that of a man being held where he didn't want to be for a good while. The speed in which Rovers reacted to this is record breaking for Venkys it's almost normal so yes it's been in the pipeline it was just a matter of when not if.

Good post. A point to add to this is this is the first time we change 'head coach', and our DoF has a succession plan so might have something to do with how quick we found a replacement. But they must've held talks before JDT was off.

15 minutes ago, goozburger said:

We've missed his grit in midfield in my opinion. Eustace knew exactly what he was doing moving JRC into midfield, who has a similar type of fight in his belly to Travis. Tronstad is a cool customer, and probably my favourite player this season, but he's not a shit-houser. You need a couple of those in your side in this league I think.

McFadz can be a shit-houser. With Trav it becomes too much about his personal battles in every game, even when we face far inferior teams. Also, when we need to get going when we're chasing, his style of play means there's a lot of stop in play and that destroys any momentum we might be building up. Sorry, not a fan of that, but if he could portion it out better then sure.

Absolutely love it when he's on his A-game though, for example if he can out-shithouse Colback, Sam Morsy or some of the other c words out there. But wouldn't get in my starting eleven if my aspirations are play-offs. And he doesn't want to sit on the bench.

1 hour ago, simongarnerisgod said:

they were all former players which makes a difference when working with other players,mckenna was a bit unfortunate to have his career finished by injury

They weren't any good. 

2 minutes ago, goozburger said:

Travis strikes me as a Eustace type player. The problem for Travis is that Tronstad is bloody good. Interesting conundrum unless the two can fit together somehow.

The difference is Tronstad is hard working no-nonsense while Trav is hard working nonsense. He becomes too destructive sometimes. I rate him as a squad player but I think he has ambitions that go beyond that.

He's a squad player at Ipswich too. Sam Morsy is a better player and Trav filled his spot when he was injured. I hope we can sell him in the summer and reinvest in someone a bit more constructive.

1 minute ago, simongarnerisgod said:

johnson and lowe were profesional players,so know the game inside out,nothing against those two,benson has never played the game,not even at the lowest level,somehow he managed to become a coach???????,like employing a bricklayer to build you a garage when he`s  never even layed a brick,what gives him the credentials to tell pears and the rest of our goalkeepers about goalkeeping

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kieran_McKenna

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Hodgson

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/José_Mourinho

2 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

I do find it a bit strange how people are so sure of a gigantic difference in the credentials of Johnson compared to Lowe and Benson. It is strange how the latter 2 seemingly stay regardless but still, it does baffle how people are so certain.

Totally agree. It's outdated thinking... 

1 minute ago, NeilInBristol said:

It was fine but it's also very performative. It's all a big show.

Him not taking charge but then running down to the touchline when we are under attack by stoke. All for show.

Their agenda is to get the fans on board with the owners so just be cynical about these small details. 

Could be. Who do you think picked the starting eleven?