36 minutes ago, DavidMailsTightPerm said:

Not getting too excited at the moment - it was a good first half performance, second half was difficult to judge as we obviously sat back.

At the end of the day, the game swung on the penalty decision. If it had been given this MB may have been a different place.

We weren't playing well when we scored and we're not really playing well in general, but getting results.

Burnley fans I know keep bemoaning dropping 10 points from winning positions,so I tell em we've lost 7 games,think about that.

I keep waiting for us to click, but it isn't quite happening over a full 90 minutes. 

Great win with a fantastic goal (again), and it was nearly bettered by Hedges. 

All round team performance tonight, but we were all hailing Hyam as a brilliant bit of business at half time,and a nice break for Ayala. 

Top of the league and I'm still waiting for us to really click. Someone's going to get panned when we do. 

19 minutes ago, Atko's Engine said:

He's definitely not one to give up on IMO, as many on here were suggesting they would. He's clearly the type if player who becomes a fan's favourite for his effort & commitment. 

Didn't he get 6 goals for Posh last season? He's already a third of the way there after what, 6 starts? At that rate he'll finish on 10-12 goals, which will be none too shabby. If he (2 so far), Gally (2), BBD (7), Dolan (2) & Hirst (0) can score 40-50 between them, and the rest of the squad 25-30 (5 so far), that'll be a good return I'd say.

Definitely.

The goals from midfield has been a problem for many a season. Let's hope Szmodics and Hedges can deliver. 

45 minutes ago, booth said:

He left us with one senior striker in the squad and despite knowing we had several players out of contract seemed happy to just keep mosying along until he was forced to do something about it. Couldn't organise a defence in his entire time with us, or sign a decent full back. Waited half a season to sign Pickering who is a good worker but is continually targetted by opposition managers.

Yep I'd be happier that we were in a relegation batter because I disagreed that you said he left us in good shape 🤣😂

We must just be lucky. 

22 minutes ago, Atko's Engine said:

He definitely left us in a better state than he found us, as comparing his first team to his last is like chalk & cheese. Of course, much of that is down to the development of players from the academy, which in all fairness everyone in a senior management role (inc the owners) can take some credit in.

That said, he should've made more of the superb position we were in last season by at least qualifying for the playoffs.

As for the comment re half of Tomasson's signings hardly getting a kick, that's a bit harsh. Hyam has been an excellent upgrade on Lenihan, & Morton is more than proving his worth. Szmodics has scored 2 & assisted 2 since his late arrival, whilst also hampered by concussion, likewise Brittain is a top signing also hampered by injury. Hirst is clearly the main signing up for debate, but it's still early days & he clearly has something given his performances for Pompey. That leaves Mola, who was never likely to be an immediate hit given his age & lack of match fitness. According to Rigger, he seems to be doing well for the U21s & developing nicely.

So overall I'd say purely from a footballing perspective, TM did a good job overall & improved the squad significantly, and the early signs are positive that JDT & GB can improve us further. The win at Boro shows what the team is capable of when things click, so it is logical that as the players grow together they produce more of that than they do the dross at Wigan etc.

In my original post, I actually said I've a feeling tomorrow could be the night for Szmodics. 

6 hours ago, booth said:

Left us in good shape? Highly questionable that.

For me the state TM left us in is the only thing currently giving JDT a pass on our more questionable performances.

Half of Tomasson's(only 6) signings can hardly get a kick in one of the youngest teams in the division, which could go top tomorrow after 16 games in. 

The evidence is there, whether you accept it is up to you. 

Thankfully the "he's left us in the brown stuff" comments have turned out to be unfounded, and have actually subsided. 

I sometimes think there would be more fans happier if we were in a relegation battle, rather than threatening the top spot. 

I'll clap him, then hope we pick up another 3 points. He was right man at the right time for Rovers, and left us in good shape. 

Could be the night for Szmodics to cement his place. 

28 minutes ago, J*B said:

Can drop as low as 8th if results go against us for the game in hand. It’s like January 2022 all over again, don’t forget those games in hand!

Burnley's game in hand is against Norwich so they can't both win. 

I was just making the point that we haven't exactly pulled up any trees and we're a point off top. It's probably the weakest championship for a good while. 

1 hour ago, miqaayil said:

This is gonna be a tight season ...still ontrack for my prediction of top 2 position going into WC break

 

It's definitely doable, saying earlier that we're a point off top and we haven't even begun to click and play well.

We're a work in progress, but it's much easier to do that work at the top end. 

Keep waiting for us to click,it seems mad saying that when we're a point off top. If we could hit any kind of consistency, we'd be a force to be reckoned with in this league. 

Youngsters pretending that they've invented the game. 

Expected bollox. 

37 minutes ago, Mercer said:

Our big problem, in addition to JDT, is midfield.

I don't think we ever threaten to control a game.  I like many during the window said we needed to sign an ugly hard b@st@rd who could also play a bit.  I think Travis has regressed at a rapid rate of knots and has no influence on a game.  Morton and Andy Wharton MUST start every game and somehow we need another body in there to beef things up - until we can sign the ugly hard b@st@rd maybe we stick Edun in there.

I also think Johnson, Lowe and Benson are also a big part of the problem.  If they aren't influencing things then just what the feck are they doing?

Think that's just 12 points from our last 11 games.  I don't buy all this project cr@p from JDT and GB.  Results and visible progress are what's required.  Supporters have strong reasons to be gravely annoyed and concerned.

On the way there, radio Lancs said it's our best start for 10 seasons, and that is the conundrum. 

You don't fluke 7 wins out of 14, there's something there, it just needs to be shown more frequently. 

I'm pretty sure Ayala knows himself if he needs a night off, Tomasson will let him be the judge. 

4 hours ago, RoversTilliDie said:

Great result yesterday, Morton fully deserved man of the match and another good performance from Ryan Hedges. Good to see BBD back among the goals and what a cool finish from Szmodics. Just one question ? why can't we take our home form away with us.

You'd imagine that we would be better set up to play away from home, on the break like the 2nd half yesterday. 

11 hours ago, longsiders1882 said:

 

 

 

 

Personally think £20 is plenty was/is a great initiative and should be made mandatory in the top 2 divisions (I’m conscious the further you look down the pyramid the more teams rely on gate receipts etc)

As for numbers of tickets. The allocation isn’t personal, just the way it is with the stand now. Couple of years out of the PL and season ticket sales will seriously drop off and then maybe the whole stand will again be offered up. Will be interesting to see what we get offered. 

I can see you getting half top tier and half bottom. Can't imagine you'll get the full end if it's still open to make your own way there. 

Nice win, some excellent performances, so nice to see Pickering back to his best, you can tell he really feels it. 

Might be a few tales coming out of the dressing room, Dack sulked off down the tunnel and it looked very much like Tomasson went after him. 

It will go one of two ways, either results will drop off because of the poor performances, or performances will improve in line with carrying on picking up points. 

Let's hope it's the latter starting tomorrow. 

20 minutes ago, Darrenbot said:

The results of the last 2 nights show this league is anybody's,there's not 1 outstanding team this year,it's a league of average sides.

Fag paper between 16 teams. 

16 minutes ago, garnersfags said:

All good points.

I just keep coming back to our inability to keep the ball long enough to set up any type of attack. Especially away from home. 

Our main issue has been putting in 2 good performances in a row, which for me, seems to mean JDT doesn't know his best 11 on any given matchday.

I find it really hard to watch.

It is hard to watch, I'm sure they're colour blind at times. Just pass to one of ours, how hard can it be? 

It's same again Saturday, we need a win to maintain the breathing space, giving Tomasson time to get over his plan to the players, whatever it is.

It would be nice if it came to fruition sooner rather than later. 

11 minutes ago, garnersfags said:

Could anyone on here unhappy with the criticism, please give their honest opinion on our lack of ability to retain possession all season? 

I thought we played well for 90 minutes against Watford, but that was because they had a manager(now sacked) who was trying to make a decent team play in a way that was totally unsuited to the players abilities. Sound familiar?

In most of the other games, we have been unable to pass the ball, and play with any quality or freedom. 

BBD, and our central defenders have done their thing in a few games, which has papered over the cracks, but JDT is, so far, unable to help us adopt a style which would help us to retain possession.

We are nervous with the ball at our feet, in every area of the pitch. 

What are the cheerleaders seeing that the rest of us aren't, that is giving you hope or cause for optimism?

 

I'd argue we played our best football at Blackpool and should have been out of sight, the Swansea win was a win well executed. 

It's a strange situation, we don't look cohesive by any stretch, yet a really poor team doesn't fluke 6 out of 12.

I'm just waiting for us to click, but we don't, yet we keep winning every other game. There's something there, but I just don't know what it is. 

Hope this helps 😅

6 minutes ago, Mashed Potatoes said:

The commentary suggested the ref was concerned that the keeper had concussion in which case he has to blow the whistle immediately.

The ref didn't even react to the injury at first, he just blew far too early. 

He missed a clear pen on Gallagher by Kipre and another possible one by Ng, again on Gally. 

Got the feeling that we might just click into gear on  Tuesday, and it seems strange saying it from our  position in the table, looking at it, you'd think we already had. 

I don't really like predicting Rovers to win, but I can just imagine us having too much for them on the break, 0-2.

Important 3 points that, allows Tomasson the breathing space to do whatever it is he wants to do,without looking over his shoulder at the table. 

I don't know where the idea comes from that he has a weak squad to choose from, when his own signings can't get a game, and the under 21's beat United 6-1.

To me, we're more suited to playing away, on the break, than trying to break down a packed defence at home. A poor performance today, but a cracking, important 3 points, the knack now is to follow it up with at least a point against Cardiff. 

The back 5/6 picks itself, depending on whether Tomasson goes with a back 4 or 5.

Hedges, Travis and Brereton play, meaning there will be a lot of players left unhappy at not making the team. 

You're doing well if you make the bench on Saturday.. 

We need 3 points, just to keep the scoreboard ticking over nicely, allowing Tomasson the breathing space to do what he wants without the table putting any undue pressure on.