Devon Rover

Sheffield United play with a bit of pace wide and a decent quality target man up front. It's basic stuff but we've totally failed to build anything like that over several years. Men against boys right now.

Atrocious defending. Absolutely embarrassing stuff.

Someone's been viewing my LinkedIn profile.

Nice one! Really good article and thanks for weaving us in!

There are, sometimes, some parallels!

Morning. Mission very successful, thanks! A decent journey, excellent matchday experience and we both enjoyed the view from the Riverside. It was the first football match at all that my son had been to and he came away buzzing about it, and for his next visit. He loved the game (probably didn't really register to him that it wasn't the best quality!), his new home shirt, the people he met - including a guy in the stand who gave him a Rovers pin badge and both Dolan and Travis, after the match - the result, and meeting Rover the dog. As we left Ewood, my son, grinning at having met two footballers, asked me if we could "come back again tomorrow". We agreed to schedule something soon, but perhaps not that soon! I didn't take in much of the afternoon myself as all I wanted was for it to be a good one for him. I'll take it as a huge success how happy he was. Thanks again for advice, suggestions, and memories shared.

Just home from the game. I'm genuinely impressed we dug out a win whilst playing poorly. Defensive effort was good from most of the team and the central defenders played well. Beck was very good and is clearly already a key player for us. JRC looks a shadow of his former self, very low on confidence. Cantwell was good and looks to be getting up to speed. The big concerns aren't new: A worrying lack of basic ability to pass the ball with much accuracy at all, central midfield lacking in numbers and/or a good balance of players, and no pace going forward. A win is a win and I'm very happy with the league position after 10 games. I can't help feeling it's all a bit surreal...

Thank you all for taking the time to reply. Very helpful advice and suggestions but I also enjoyed reading your memories of first visits as, or with, a child. We are about to set off and I have an excited seven year old in his blue and white, which is already worth the effort and journey!

Thank you, that's really helpful info.

Morning all As part of my duty-bound indoctrination (!) of my seven-year-old, I am planning to bring him to Ewood with me for the Swansea game. It will be his first time at a football match, at all, due to his being a bit anxious about some social things. He is, however, a fan of Rovers, wears the kits to his own football training each week, and I know he is keen to come to a game, albeit clearly nervous. Is there any advice you could offer me in terms of making it a good experience for him, whatever the result!? Also, would any of you who have taken children along recommend the Family Stand or the Riverside, instead, as likely being the most appropriate for this situation? I've not sat in either, before. Thanks very much.

Thanks, although that wasn't necessary - I was just a bit miffed about it without any context (plus, I am grumpy because of the result, let's be honest!) I thought your response was clear and reasonable. I'd agree re indecision about our best front 4 and I certainly get the impression Eustace feels similarly 🙂. Have a good evening.

Fair enough, Chaddy. I disagree on a few areas but down voting you would probably be a rude way to show that. Thanks for the response.

Hi @chaddyrovers I'm interested in what part of my post and my opinion you felt you should down vote without commenting on? I tend not to down vote other poster's opinions out of courtesy but I guess that is your response to disagreeing with something? Not particularly constructive, or impressive, to be honest.

I think we have two very good (at this level) defenders: Beck and Carter (as a centre back, it goes without saying). Other than that, we've not got any real quality and it is really disappointing that CB and RB have not been addressed.

Do you really need to ask that? Mentality, physicality. All lacking. We got some wins and should be grateful for the opportunities to have played against 10 men. This is not a good team and it is not being well coached, selected, nor led on or off the pitch. I think most can see this when not wearing our blue and white tinted glasses. It needs a big rethink and a big shakeup for Swansea. But then it needed that for Plymouth.

Something is very wrong with things in this team.

I am delighted and relived to hear that. Ill assume that picking up on one word in my post has made you feel better about it all. Cheers.

That's OK then. All fine here. Right team selection and a decent performance, yes? How bad does it need to get to be outplayed in your definition?

I vaguely remember some criteria Eustace and the scouting team had for addressing weaknesses in the squad in the summer. Athleticism, pace, leadership among them, I think. That hasn't gone well. We've added some experience, some skill, and some youth but not those physical traits we have missed for years and nor, it seems, the fighting spirit.

To be honest, I've already lost a lot of faith in him with his awful team selection in response to midweek. I seriously cannot understand the decisions to retain the goalkeeper, defenders, out of position right back, formation, dolan, weimann. It can only be a case of "go out and show me what you can really do". In which case he needs to hook several of them at half time as they have done exactly that and are making Eustace look silly, here.

37% possession, 1 attempt in 45 minutes. Outplayed by the might of 'Rooney's Plymouth'. Off the back of a horrible performance and 3-0 loss at struggling Coventry. Pathetic team selection. Another shit performance. Let's see if there is finally any early decisiveness at half time to rectify the absolute crap that Eustace has served up.

Hyam on a yellow for the next 70 mins. Take him off now, move Carter into his actual position and bring JRC on. Otherwise I can see us down to 10 with the pace running at a pretty useless Hyam.

Yeah, skillful and pacey attackers against what is a dreadful defence. Honestly can't believe virtually the same line up (and identical GK and defence) as the horror show against Coventry. The manager has set us up for this and I only hope I'm made to look wrong in an hour or so. I suspect it's going to take a big change if personnel soon, to have a chance.

It's no surprise, is it. Needed significant statement changes after midweek and we got none of the right ones, except Gueye in. I saw the line up and my hopes were destroyed.

Dolan off, 10 mins too late. And still no Gueye. The one target man our attackers could play off. Why bother?