steelcityblue

I don’t think that’s entirely true. Yes there are people at the very top who have no idea how to preserve our heritage and little interest in doing so but most of the people working at the club are from the area and many love the club as we do and are trying to keep the heart of the club alive. We just have to hope there are enough of them left when Venkys and Suhail leave. Ignoring the 150th would be more in keeping with Venkys dereliction of duty. The club is not rotten to the core it’s rotten at the top, there are good people there and when they manage something that elevates us above the shitshow even temporarily I’m going to applaud it.

Personally I think it’s great. This club has a truly inspirational history. It has represented our town with pride and given us something to be proud of. It has punched above its weight consistently. It has won things in 3 centuries..how many clubs can say that? We have been represented by international stars, charismatic football artists and legions of honest hardworking players who probably represent us most of all. Someone in the club still feels that pride. You can call it cynical. For me it shows that our club, however difficult the current situation is, still has people that understand who we are and why we exist and wants to celebrate it.

Didn’t find the game dull as per RF99. Was a good test in draining heat. Took Rovers a while to work themselves into the game as Elche were good in possession. But despite that Rovers kept any chances to a minimum and gradually worked themselves into the game and carried more threat then Elche after the first 30 mins. So a good interesting test. There will be teams that have a lot more of the ball than us in the championship and we looked organised out of possession. Wharton pinged some good long range passes and would be my first choice LCB right now. Be interesting if he can find Kargbo consistently with balls over the top…don’t think they’ve played much together in preseason. Toth definite number 1. Brittain hasn’t downed tools. Hyam more obviously vocal in a quieter stadium (surprised me that). Personal preference for Pickering over Rebeiro. Can take a set piece (and Cantwell’s were generally disappointing). Travstad combo busy and effective. Hedges often an outlet and kept things moving but not enough output as per. May be more iMprotant to VI in front of the new RB who clearly likes to bomb on. De Neve really got up and down but more Labore than Arte. Kargbo seriously quick but a bit untidy with the ball. Had a good shout for a penalty from where I was sitting. Ohashi had some nice touches but Geuye looked a more effective striker up against those centre backs. He needs to look after his arms when jumping though. Will pick up a few more yellows if not. Impressed with the turnout from fans. Good effort and good friendly atmosphere. Respect to the players for coming over for selfies etc after the game with a few freebies for kids in the crowd An all round good experience.

A few takeaways from the game IMO. The opposition weren’t great. Brittain is an important player for us. None of the other RBs who played came close. Hedges was better than his reputation. Ohashi is a born finisher. Tyjon has class..want to see more of him. Not convinced by Mc Loughlin.. he’s no Danny Barth. Wharton looks the better LCB. Michalski looks better than Pears. Toth still first choice keeper.

Meant to add this

Good effort from the Rovers faithful today. COYB

Pitch looks immaculate. Good number of Rovers shirts in evidence. Strong first team. I imagine Wharton rested?

Going to the game tonight and would be pleased to meet any other message board members going. If you see a blue Rovers training top and Panama hat that’ll be me. 👍

I was there. Mate from Sheffield worked for a record company and that seemed to open doors for tickets at most grounds. Don’t to this day know how that worked. Anyway we had tickets in with the Liverpool fans on the side near the away end. Remember Shearer’s goal arrowing in from the edge of the area and Redknapp looking sheepish when he scored. His free kick was right in front of us. My heart sank and my head was in my hands. Then the away end went ballistic and I realised we were champions. Turns out there were several Rovers fans in the same section as we all went mental. Liverpool fans quite happy to let us celebrate. Seeing the team, Kenny, Tony and Jack on the pitch lifting the trophy was priceless. The finest unbelievable achievement of our extraordinary town team. A dream come true. Thank you Uncle Jack. Best club owner ever. ….How far we have fallen. Had a few beers and don’t remember much about the journey back to Sheffield. Shout out to Ian Leach who got the tickets, drove me there and helped me into my house when we got back. Happy days!

I heard Trav’s response too. A guy called him out and told him he was shit. His response was ‘you’re calling me shit? I’m the one who’s shit?. He was clearly fizzing but appeared to be struggling to hold it together even before this. He didnt say anything offensive to the fan. But the inference I take is that he thought there were people in his team more worthy of being called shit than he was. And I reckon he was probably right. Tronstad was right behind him and kept his eyes elsewhere. Hyam was ahead and did the ridiculous clapping walk without emotion or connection. Ohashi looked gutted. He bowed slightly with hands together when someone praised him for his goal but he looked genuinely disconsolate and apologetic. Maybe they’d all have been better disappearing down the tunnel at full time (like the manager). Maybe they needed to hear some of the fans anger. For my part it was pretty obvious they knew they had performed poorly..and they had. But taking our frustrations out directly on individual players is unlikely to improve their performance or their connection to the fan base and misses the real targets. The careless loss of Eustace..clearly an important influence..the appointment of someone who said he wouldn’t interfere much but has clearly confused them..the general running down of a proud, successful club that represented us and we could be proud of. Those making those decisions are really the ones to blame as others have said. It’s no surprise that the wheels are coming off. I despair.

Ty Dolan is a conundrum for me. He seems a genuinely nice guy and I want him to succeed and see a lot of quality in him. His work rate is exceptional and his skill with the ball at his feet is terrific but execution and decision making hasn’t really progressed a deal since Mowbray promoted him to the first team squad. Watching Roberts and Rigg at the weekend showed the difference: they almost always progressed play and their trickery with the ball resulted in something. We don’t see that often enough with Ty. Can that be coached? I’m not sure. He’s has three coaches that see something in him and obviously believe in him but haven’t been able to coach a ‘difference maker’ into him. He’s still young and there is hope that he will gain the composure and football brain that he seems to lack but I’m not sure he will. If he chooses to leave then so be it. I don’t think he’s irreplaceable but he’s the kind of guy fans…especially younger ones..can really warm to and be a role model for. As a long term supporter I’ve always prized decent human beings who represent our club because I want to feel proud of the club not just the club’s results. Ty is in that bracket. I just feel there is more his skill set could produce on the field and am frustrated that we don’t see it often enough.

Brilliant performance from Trav today. Excellent going forward and a wonderful defence splitting pass for the second goal but equally important in the defensive third. Worthy of his captains armband and epitomises what Rovers are about(and have characteristically always been about): work hard, don’t be flashy, be tough as nails and surprise a few with moments of quality. COYB!

Eustace likes to have one full back free to move forward and the other moving in to make a back 3 when we have the ball. Was Brittain initially and then Beck on the other side for the last two games. With Pickering back I suspect he’ll go for Brittain rather than Carter at right back. Which for me means Batth would miss out in the back four. Also means that the winger that drops in would be on the right side where JRC was playing in the first few games. I think Weimann could do that well but it might be Hedges whom he seems to like. In any event we need an improvement on the last match in terms of creativity. Maybe he’ll do something completely different. At least he’s shown he will change something that isn’t working…a concept that JDT struggled with and we haven’t had a mad Mowbrayesque detour like a central midfielder as a false nine either. I think the guy works stuff out pretty quickly and I’m interested to see what he chooses to do. I’m developing some faith in him. He seems to fit this team and our club right now and it’s hard to argue with results so far this season.

Great stuff ..as usual. Keep it going!

I’m prepared to give Rudy a chance. As they say over here ´l’ll take as I find’. Not going to write him off before he starts, especially not on innuendo. But he has to deliver on his promises.