I love all this let's take the positives, good performance etc etc. It's great to see how we all deal with failure. We 'play' well and don't win, we'll be OK yada yada.

If you play well and cannot take the 3 points off teams pushing for the top 6, then most likely you are not good enough to be in the top 6.

We quite clearly need a goalscorer, which given our spending is a travesty. 

I'd also be looking at our mentality given we flopped against Luton and conceded so swiftly after scoring. We need better focus and to stop letting results affect our mental approach. 

Did TM really say "the individually of a Rothwell"? 

Disappointing loss yesterday, typical football. Start playing well and falter at the 'easy' stage. 

Well he is halfway towards his stated goal of 12 points, which is good to see. If we are to push for promotion then it needs displayed with points on the board. 4 off 1st is great to see for everyone associated with the club. ?

4 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

How many chances/shots did he have today game? 

We are scoring goals from different areas and not relying on a couple of players like last season

He needs to do more to create opportunities for himself. He must score 15 as a lone striker at least for the season, so needs to start producing. We cannot have a lone man who doesn't score. Let's hope he starts soon. 

Very happy with the victory. 

Where did Holtby play and how did he look once on? 

Fantastic signing on pedigree and paper, fingers crossed he delivers!

Well done TM.

HOltby would be a good signing for us, good passer of the ball and should easily excel at this level.  If we are to play more with the ball on the deck then we need one, one the defence can be confident in playing the ball too, and one who can find the space for them to do so.  There's little point having good quality IE downing up top if we cannot give them the ball in a manner that they prefer and suits their game.  We're too long ball presently and having a ball player of Holtby's quality in the middle would really allow us to embrace a more possesion orientated approach.

Good move TM, now seal the deal!

Shouldn't the title of this thread be 'Academy and U23s'?

29 minutes ago, Sparks Rover said:

Yep. Tony seemingly ignoring those weaknesses too. He’s playing the long game here, getting a good 5 years out of us at least without any pressure whatsoever. He should be sacked for not improving the defence 

Our summer business was bizarre and displayed no real cohesion in regards a strategy. RB and CB both still need strengthening and we need better quality up front (yep 12m spent and we still lack a goal scorer). I'd also like another midfielder to support Travis n Johnson as Smallwood and Evans are not good enough for our aspirations. It's a shame as he's been well supported financially, given our debt.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see us in the top 6. Trouble is I don't believe we are a top 6 side and need strenghting in a few area's. Despite not being a promotion position, top 10 would show progress.

He's basically said he expects us to gain 12 points from our next 6 games.  We shall see.

Mowbray says we should be doing better

Top 10 seems reasonable based on his words, making our next 4 home games important. 

So "changing the game" now extends to coming on and keeping things as they are.

Words elude me.

8 hours ago, 4000Holes said:

Size has nothing to do with it.  Once took my girl friends father who was destined to become father in law, poor sod, to watch Derby v Chrystal palace when Brian Clough and Bert Head where respective managers, as we happened to be near Derby at the time.  Teams came out for warm up, Palace players big, sun tanned and looked like proper athletes. Derby team, small, pale and looked totally unlike athletes should. Girl friends father said Forrest are going to get murdered.  Just wait said I.

Game began and little Archie Gemmill, John O’Hare and Kevin Hector just ran the show.  Couldn’t stop smiling at the final whistle.

None of those where hardly massive stature.

Let's hope he turns out to be the next Gemmill!

1 hour ago, rigger said:

I could not see the point of bringing Buckley on in what was always going to be a battle in midfield, personally I would have brought on Nyambe at right back and pushed Bennet into midfield, but that might have involved playing too many players in there preferred positions.

That's a good shout and perhaps one that should have been considered by TM.  I was shocked to see Johnson go off as him and Travis have done well in solidifying our midfield.

Was Johnson injured?

Perhaps he's indifferent as he was fed a load of twaddle when he signed?  There's far more to selection in football than form or training performance. We both know this.  If he'd been given a chance and flopped then OK but he hasn't and TM said he was for the 1st team.

The lad has something and could be a useful sub from what I have seen of him.  

3 hours ago, Amo said:

Learned my lesson. Not betting on t'Rovers again ?

I should try learning that ??

Got the other 3 right....

15 minutes ago, Amo said:

We've rested players dozens of times and never looked any fresher for it.

Might as well field a competitive side. 

Have you gone BTTS again?

I have SU to win to nil.

Just now, tomphil said:

Well the last one cost 7 mill so on a sliding scale at least they are getting cheaper.....?

Lol. How true.

I know this though if I needed to invest in a player, it would not be one of TMs suggestions.

2 hours ago, tomphil said:

I think you'll find he's here for more than a season so we might end in profit ?

Is he paying us per goal?  ?

I hope he comes good but 5m on a striker with no goals in 19 months (read on here), does not float my boat.

2 hours ago, MarkBRFC said:

I always find this attitude strange, did you say the same in 2002?

In the league, we're going to finish somewhere between 12 & 16th irrespective of whether we win or lose tonight.

Go for it I say and lets see what happens.

Nope, I cursed the weather as I couldn't get to the game.  Back then we had a chance of winning and were not a 2nd Division team, but now?

We can do better than 12th, so keep all the players fresh for Saturday.

Rest the whole first team and play kids/squadies, I don't care how we do in the whatsitcalled cup, the league matters more.

23 minutes ago, tomphil said:

Tin hat on - Gallagher will get 6 to 10 goals this season if he could score here under Coyle/Mowbray in the relegation season he'll find his feet sooner or later.

So 800 to 500K a goal, bargain ?

37 minutes ago, Amo said:

Never bet on Rovers

My thoughts were with you, brutal score on both teams to score.