Bethnal

Yep and it’s already looking ropey.

Travis at RB is a disaster waiting to happen, too much emphasis on bombing forward, no positional responsibility, knackered by the time he makes it back. Sammie missing two sitters is alarming. Lots of lazy football. Look like we’ve no sharpness at all.

got to re-register with original email. Insanely poor PR around this update.

Anyone else struggling with loading times on Rovers TV?

I honestly believe in Leonard, I think he’s very close to finding a groove in senior football. But yeah, it’s an indictment that only a 19/20-year-old has a glimmer of hope about him.

Agreed, I happened to watch the highlights of Norwich that were showing before the sky coverage and he loses his man for a dangerous opportunity that is “hungover Sunday league” stuff. I think his tackling ability is strong and that keeps him deep, but yeah, he has a way to go on his off the ball, as JDT has been saying since last season.

Weak bench options. Stretched squad. Underinvestment reaping what Venkys have sown.

I‘m just trying to get Sparks to bite

He’s going to be playing Premier League football in the next couple of seasons and we’ll very likely be in the Championship. He receives the ball very well, can get out of incredibly tight spots and picks passes most players on any pitch he’s on wouldn’t see. He’s encouraged to do so and all of the above increases the risk of a mistake. I think he’s been unfortunate, the mistakes have had real consequence but “giving the ball away all the time” isn’t accurate, for me.

Short corners are a valuable option, but only when you have a clear plan for them and you use them sparingly. Element of surprise is a useful thing. They are pretty useless if everyone knows you’re gonna do it, every time. We only have two significant aerial threats on the pitch at any given time, so we need to come up with routines that factor that in. Flick-ons, basically. Two big lads going hell for leather at the front post and composed finishers working to the back post.

Be fair to him, difficult to get back onside with donkey’s hooves.

Felt like there was only one more in it. Has to be us in future, can’t be conceding late at home against fucking Preston Nob End if you have ambitions of top 6. Hope JDT has a bollocking in him.

Siggy to come off for Leonard, he’s a passenger tonight. Ben Whiteman, there. Another instance of being second-best to a handful of youngsters.

Late chance aside, Moran has been poor. He looks really good with time and space but Preston are on him, Potts has him under a lot of pressure and he can’t really handle it. That’s alright, it’s part of learning and a reason why he’s come out to us on loan, but he’s going to need to find the space if he’s going to have a consistent effect. Trav wildly out of position for their goal. I don’t think the risk is worth the reward when he commits. He wants to drive us forward and that’s understandable as captain but he can’t leave a hole that big. If he’s in position there, I think they don’t get a real sniff this half. They’re not ahead on the balance of play, just one individual error. I love Scott Wharton but I don’t want to see an Adam Wharton tribute act from a stout centre half. He’s been very effective aerially but he is trying to play a level above his ability with the ball at his feet. Needs to be a lot simpler with the ball. Tronstad is consistently playing well and you can see the player that was signed coming through. Just needed to get up to speed. A few look tired, you can see how many minutes they’ve played as a stretched squad. I’d like to see Leonard for Moran if Moran can’t find any space in the first ten, pull Siggy across to the left and Dolan to the right. Interplay between Szmodics and Siggy is more effective from the left.

Norwich are very poor, they’ve had a lot of half-opportunities since the sending off, but nothing major. Clean sheet here would be a major bonus. Trav on was the right call, think JDT had it spot-on today. Shame we’ve not been able to absolutely bury these, but a good win on paper and we’ll take it.

Looks like we’re seeing the half out, but one more and the fans will be absolutely howling. Worth pushing for, they won’t recover from it. James Hill has been an excellent loan signing so far, very assured at the back, both CB and RB.

Properly dire now. Leonard’s chance was a big one (had a carbon copy against WBA first game of the season) and that was what we needed. I don’t think there’ll be another one, here. Swansea have managed the second half pretty well, but we’ve let them off here. Could argue two of our early first-half chances put away and this one is dead. Unfortunately, like life, football matches are defined by big moments and their outcomes.

Steady on.

I was hoping for them to do a lot better than this.

Lot of frustration, concentration is lapsing. Shape has been a bit too fluid for the position we’re in. Subs have been willing but difficult to come into that when the others have all been booked and are panicking. Think it’s a mentality thing, but you’re right, it’s concerning. Suspect it can be chalked off as a danger of having such a young squad.

I think Swansea won’t survive a goal back here, whatever spark we can find, we can turn them over. Having said that, we won’t survive a second. As ever, “next goal is crucial.”

Gonna give Scott Wharton the benefit of the doubt with that, given he’s recently been kicked in the head.

Well, that half time team talk hasn’t had the desired effect.

Probably wouldn’t pull anyone at half time, but set them back on the right course (how we started) and see how it develops. No improvement from JRC and Sigurdsson, I’d swap for Adam Wharton and Leonard, with Dolan moving out wide left. If Brittain’s struggling, maybe Ennis for him and Dolan on the right.

Didn’t think an Icelandic footballer wouldn’t fancy a rainy day in Lancashire, but he doesn’t look like he’s enjoying himself at all. Seems very disengaged, almost unfit?