I too quite like a great defensive performance John but yesterday we were playing bottom of the league. I lauded our defensive display in the latter stages of the West Brom game on a boiling not day and some kids out there but in my view it's when circumstances dictate. Tomasson seems to have this mindset of defending deep to protect a slim lead irrespective of who we are playing. Your point about Ayala could have a bearing on Tomasson's thoughts but for me squeezing play would likely deny the opportunity to play it over the top.

He has his detractors but I've just read that we have won 10 out of the 11 games he has started this season. Hopefully he is fit for next Sunday then. 😂😂

Winning is the name of the game John, always has and always will be so job done as far as Rovers are concerned. My point is that we ended up with a back eight and defended on the edge of our box which simply allowed Huddersfield to push on. I haven't a problem with defending a lead but we just do it far too deep. Another ten yards up the pitch would deny our opponents the room to get at us. I did notice yesterday that Tomasson at times was gesturing to the players to get up the pitch but for some reason we didn't. Yesterday again it was every player back in our box to defend corners and there was no body there to challenge when it was cleared. It also enabled Huddersfield's deepest outfield player be be thirty five yards out. We all want the best for Rovers and in the view of many these sort of things will make us better.

For 65 minutes we were dominant and should have scored but as we have seen we go ultra defensive and invite pressure unnecessarily. I think it's only a matter of time before this tactic backfires and we throw away points. And we don't have Dixon, Adams, Bould and Winterburn as a defensive unit.

As ever the most important aspect of the game is winning and nobody can dispute that and our record of twelve wins is outstanding but in eight of them we have ended up defending the edge of our own box and finishing the game hanging on. It's so frustrating because many Rovers fans believe we are more than capable of getting a second (Watford and Sunderland spring to mind) and being comfortable in the closing stages. I think it's a Tomasson mind set particularly after his 'low bloc' comments yesterday and I have a feeling we'll see a lot more of it when we score first. It's difficult to be over critical given our win record but we can't keep doing it and without sounding disrespectful we simply shouldn't be hanging on against the likes of Huddersfield.

I would take a draw in most away matches and next Sunday is no exception but I'm reading some posts like Burnley are unbeatable. As I speak Sheffield United equalise. I think Burnley are susceptible to conceding goals from balls into their box.

They are dangerous from wide positions but a machine? Come on mate with talk like that it's like you are accepting defeat before a ball is kicked.

Managers asking players to do something they just aren't capable of is frustrating. Robinson is a decent Championship defender but asking him to play out from the back is ridiculous. After his OG and giving a goal away what are the chances of him being sent off.

Did anybody see The Footballer, The Wife and The Crash on ITVbe this week? It featured the tangled life of J Lloyd Samuel and was quite an eye opener about the life of a footballer earning riches beyond their wildest dreams.

Why?

Congratulations to you all Mike.

I personally don't believe it's particularly smart to camp in and around your own penalty area inviting pressure. If we were the yards further up field to deny the opposition space it would be far better in my view.

There have been several instances this season when defending a lead Tomasson has brought on a centre half or defensive midfielder for a striker or attacking midfielder and is happy to sit in, absorb pressure and play on the break. In fairness it's difficult to criticise him because from memory we have hung on and won. But it's a risky game.

I can see by your name and location that you have a sense of humour but for clarity the rules here are you CANNOT come on here and rip the piss out of us 😂😂😉. Your fellow banjo strummers who come on here by and large stick to this and know their place 😂😂.

I agree and to an extent therein lies the problem as under Tomasson we haven't seen a defined style of play. He talks about how he wants to play in a progressive, passing style but the truth is we have seen little evidence of this. He himself has targeted the World Cup break as time to work with the players to impose more of his intended way of playing on them.

I have been thinking this for a while now. As good as he is as a defender (probably our best in truth) he is slow and ponderous on the ball and only usually plays the way he is facing. He plays safe and very rarely tries a longer pass. It's a conundrum really when you consider what I think are his strengths and weaknesses.

Burnley did twice in one game what we have failed to do all season ie come from behind not only to draw but win. If Rotherham would have taken one of their two good chances at Ewood I think they would have beaten us

That's some statistic and perhaps tells a story about the dearth of leaders in recent years.

His dip in form has been marked by the high standards he has set and he really needs to sharpen up, play quicker and perhaps try a few of the big diagonals he can play rather than the short passing game. That said those criticisms could apply to a fair few of our players.

I've just watched the highlights on Sky and my God do they do us a favour. How f***ing pitiful was our defending for their goal? From powder puff defending on the edge of our own box to the shocking attempts by Brittain, Hyam and Ayala to defend in our own six yard box.

There was lots of discontent amongst the supporters last night from as early as ten minutes in when it was clear to the majority that the system wasn't working and Coventry had identified this and targeted our full/wing backs. We played without a central striker which allowed the Coventry defenders to play through our midfield at ease. The majority of players were poor on the night but the man responsible for results can't hide behind this (which he seems to be trying to do) as ultimately its his responsibility to set the team up and come up with the tactics to get a result. The worrying trend of being absolutely awful when we have lost continues and Tomasson, as has been said many times has to overcome this. So far it's a stain on his managerial ability.

I've just got back and I need to post my thoughts whilst I am still angry at the ineptitude I witnessed tonight. I thought we were poor pretty much to a man. We have taken a few steps forwards recently and tonight was a giant leap backwards. There was so much wrong with the display I just can't be bothered to write it but my real anger is at the manager. How could be not see what we all could see after ten minutes that the system and shape he picked to play wasn't working and Coventry were tearing us apart. He should have swallowed his pride and brought Pickering on, moved Brittain to the right side and at least given us some balance. Travis, Szmodics or Adam Wharton should have been sacrificed. The manner of defeat replicated all the other defeats namely slow, predictable play with an unerring lack of accuracy in our passing. We simply want too many touches on the ball, touches which are unnecessary and allow opponents to close us down. There was very little movement from our front players which made life for the Coventry defenders so easy. For me this defeat is on Tomasson and I would love him to come out and say he got it wrong but because he kept the same shape for over an hour when it clearly wasn't working tells me he thinks he was right. If he adopts similar tactics at Burnley I think he will feel the wrath of most of us.

Sky have once again disrupted our fixtures. Sunderland away on Boxing Day is now a 12.30 kick off and Cardiff at home on New Years Day is 12 noon. https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2022/november/01/festive-fixtures-selected-by-sky/

The latest statement from Coventry doesn't really help anyone at this stage. Until they know for certain no statement should be issued.

I think Scott Wharton was from the same year as Travis and Nyambe.